>Nurses< ~~~ The *HEARTBEAT* of Healthcare

Florence Nightingale, better known as the "Founder of Modern Nursing"", was a pioneer in many ways. She was once quoted, saying: 

“Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God’s spirit? It is one of the
Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.”

Last Thursday {the 12th}, I had the immense honor and privilege to be the Keynote-Speaker at

Worcester State University's Nurses' Pinning-Ceremony. 

It was unlike any other speaking-engagement I have ever presented at!!

... Oh, modern-technology ~ so great until it fails!! Mama~Bear's phone ran out of space to capture the rest of the video! However, I put my Radio/TV/Film-degree
to good use here, and recorded the audio of the rest of my speech!

http://www.driveplayer.com/#fileIds=0B54vkAz14m8ANnFSQnNxVEdUZ1V2VHNrN1VxWlBUY0hnR3lF&userId={userId}

Anchored for Life!

There truly are no words sufficient enough to express how thankful, and blessed, I am to be a Sister of Alpha Sigma Tau! {Marist College}

Without fail, these *fantASTic* Ladies do so much more than just the "bare-minimum". Whether it pertains to recruiting new-members, or concocting the tASTiest~treats for a
bake-sale, my Sisters never cease to impress! {Speaking of 

new-members... these future sissies had already organized an impressively lucrative bake-sale, right on-campus                                                              leading up to this day}.

Consistently, Greek-Life at Marist proves that any+all misconceptions about Fraternities&Sororities are, well, just that: misconceptions!!

There's definitely a need to dole-out *SNAPS* to fellow Survivor and dear-friend, Sandra Madden. This lovely~lady is an incredibly talented photographer, and just an all-around fantASTic woman. The book of her photographs
{Hearts All Around Us} is both awe-inspiring and beautiful. As my TAUS & I were arranging ourselves into an ANCHOR, while Mama~Bear was hanging over the railing of the Rotunda, I knew we had to form a heart, especially for Sandra!! ;~}

The Young Girl Who Fell in Love with the Sport ~~~ PLAY for HER!

Soccer Icon, Mia Hamm, once commented:
"The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking!"

Who could forget it - July 10, 1999 ... The Women's World Cup Final-Game - CHINA vs. USA. I especially recollect watching it, down the Cape at Gram&Papa's house.
My 8-year-old-self, along with my entire extended family, viewing the shootout with more than just baited breath.
The shots/goals are even; with one swift boot to the back of the net, Brandi Chastain will secure the Cup for Team USA. Well, we all know how that one turned out! 

Throughout my {more than} 13-years of playing the
*best-sport*, I thankfully never sustained a concussion. Sure, I had been on the giving and receiving end of slide-tackles, or other aggressive plays - coaches, especially on
Varsity, Coach Patty, used to refer to me as
"The Beast" !! Despite all of my competitive tendencies, however, I never sustained even so much as a
"mild-concussion". 

{One of the 1st-games of our State-Championship Season, here I am;
this photo was on the front-page of the Sports-Section in our newspaper!}

As all athletics continue to become even more intense, stars like Ms. Chastain, now a Coach herself, are coming forward. A prolific header of the ball, Brandi has decided to donate her brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation after her death, where it can be examined for signs of trauma. 

Soccer Star Brandi Chastain to Donate Brain to CTE Research

Slowly but surely, especially with such icons as Brandi taking it upon herself to pave the way for future athletes' safety, athletics as a whole will improve! 

Radio: "The Theater of the Mind"

Renowned + beloved long-time Radio DJ
Casey Kasem, once commented: 

"I like the storytelling and reading the letters,
the long-distance dedications.
Anytime in radio that you can reach somebody on an emotional level, you're really connecting!"

As a matter of fact, I could not agree with Mr. Kasem more. Of course, like so many other things, radio has certainly developed&expanded over the years. What has remained the same, however, is its main intention: to tell stories through
a medium that has a wide range. Hopefully, such stories will serve as either a call to action, or just an antidote for the humdrum, sometimes stressful aspects of everyday life. 

Much like how I offered *SNAPS* {praise} to
Karen Anderson and Channel 5's Investigative-Team back in November, I must now dole-out *SNAPS* to DJ Ray over at WMRC : First-Class Radio, for not only featuring me throughout his show, but also posing such insightful questions! 

"Community Conversations - Ryan Farrell, TBI Survivor and Speaker"

The Science Behind Pixar

Although the title may seem to contradict itself, Boston's Museum of Science was the first in the country to host
"The Science Behind PiXaR"




No surprise to anyone ~ {I know} ~ when I say that I was *GIDDIER* than a small-child from the exact moment we entered the Exhibit!! 

... talk about "making learning *FUN* !!!   

Feeling the *TRUE~MEANING* of the ~Holidays~

Paul Newman was once quoted, saying:

 "Make sure you live life, which means don't do things where you court celebrity, and give something positive back to our society."

... Talk about a man who "practiced what he preached"!
Once again, my Mom&I were graciously invited down to
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp's Annual Christmas~Party by the incomparable Mr. Ray Lamontagne. 

We excitedly entered *Santa's~Workshop*, ready for a day of fun, faith-restoring memories. 

We remained humbled throughout the entire day. Seeing these young children, some in wheelchairs, others utilizing other types of assistive-devices, with their families "in-tow" ... and, you know what? 

Did we see one frown, or witness a
single temper-tantrum !? 

NO, we did not! 

We were able to chat, and take a few pictures, with Ray!

{Clearly, this is not in any way/shape/form a *Glamour~Shot*, as Mom&I are donning our silly head-accessories we had received at one of the stations!}

If only every person, "able-bodied" or not, could experience this camp, even just once. Surely we could learn more than a few things, not just about the real "reason for the season", but about LIFE !!! Especially with all of the most recent atrocities occurring throughout not only our country, but the entire world. Wouldn't it be a more than welcome "change-of-pace" to view stories like this on the Nightly-News?! 

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless

WCVB Channel 5... You know, Boston's ABC-Affiliate - - -
my *DREAM~NETWORK* !!!

*SNAPS*, Kudos, and Thanks to Karen Anderson and the rest of WCVB's Investigative News-Team; for being courageous enough to feature an Investigative-Report on the epidemic that is concussions and sports-related TBI.

Of course, I had to show-off my bedazzled, signed 

"head-cast" to Karen and the Crew! 

 None of this would have been possible without the fabulous folks over at the Brain Injury Association of MA. 

For setting-up this whole Investigative-Report,
for naming me as the *feature* ... How lucky am I ?!

~> WCVB's Concussion Report <~