Universe of Things: A human presentation of food-for-thought.

I present this statement under three loose categories: People, Objects and their Environment. I consider People as human, Objects as art objects, domestic objects, and food, and Environment as the shared space of the former groups. Food directs this statement as I present each concept and creative process as a metaphorical dish. Material exploration carried me from a direct practice of reorienting acrylic paint and questioning object functionality through personified sculptures into theoretical thesis work in which I use interpersonal relations and the idea of consumption to translate tactile, gustatory and olfactory sensations into digital film. In this meal I use my artwork as well as work of other makers to locate precedents for using falsehood and misdirection to convey information and for granting agency to objects. The theoretical realms of Object Oriented Ontology and the Theatre of Cruelty inspired me to infuse banal objects with vitality and write nonlinear scripts for my thesis. Cartoonist Winsor McCay, filmmaker Chantal Akerman, and playwriters Eugene Ionesco and Truman Capote inspired me to create videos in an absurd style where I devalue spoken language in favor of sound and visual cues and allow food and consumption to hold leading roles in my narratives. Please enjoy

EMPOWER: A Multi-Site Pilot Trial to Reduce Distress in Surrogate Decision-Makers in the ICU

CONTEXT: Efforts to reduce the psychological distress of surrogate decision-makers of critically ill patients have had limited success, and some have even exacerbated distress. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of EMPOWER (Enhancing and Mobilizing the POtential for Wellness and Resilience), an ultra-brief (∼2-hour), 6-module manualized psychological intervention for surrogates. METHODS: Surrogates who reported significant anxiety and/or an emotionally close relationship with the patient (n=60) were randomized to receive EMPOWER or enhanced usual care (EUC) at one of three metropolitan hospitals. Participants completed an assessment of EMPOWER's acceptability, measures of psychological distress pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and at 1- and 3-month follow-up assessments. RESULTS: Delivery of EMPOWER appeared feasible, with 89% of participants completing all 6 modules, and acceptable, with high ratings of satisfaction (mean=4.5/5, SD=0.90). Compared to EUC, intent-to-treat analyses showed EMPOWER was superior at reducing peritraumatic distress (Cohen's d=-0.21, small effect) immediately post-intervention and grief intensity (d=-0.70, medium-large effect), posttraumatic stress (d=-0.74, medium-large effect), experiential avoidance (d=-0.46, medium effect), and depression (d=-0.34, small effect) 3 months post-intervention. Surrogate satisfaction with overall critical care (d=0.27, small effect) was higher among surrogates randomized to EMPOWER. CONCLUSIONS: EMPOWER appeared feasible and acceptable, increased surrogates' satisfaction with critical care, and prevented escalation of posttraumatic stress, grief, and depression 3 months later