tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55587597479461043362024-03-05T22:56:04.178-06:00Its a New Yearloveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-61978244953036012522016-07-12T01:54:00.002-05:002016-07-12T01:54:41.786-05:00Getting things sorted outIt's been a while, and there's been things in life that needed sorting out. <br />
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People change over time and relationships, like civilizations either evolve and adapt, or they fail and become extinct. <br />
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I'm choosing right now to see things in a positive light, and not to see a failed relationship as a negative thing. I'm trying to see it as an opportunity. An opportunity for all of us to get what we need from ourselves and from our lives. Am I sorry that things didn't work out? More than I can even express. Am I sad to be saying "good-bye" to this chapter of my life? Absolutely. Even though I am trying to be positive, I'm still allowed to be sad. Am I sorry that I made the choices that brought me to here? Absolutely not. I made certain choices for my life hoping for the best brightest future I could possibly have. I refuse to regret those choices, because I do have great things and people in my life that I wouldn't have right now if I'd made different ones.<br />
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Life is a series of choices. I don't think there are "right" ones or "wrong" ones. There are just choices. And each choice takes you to a potentially different place. Kind of like the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books I remember as a kid. But with life, you can't just start over at the beginning and make a different choice if you didn't like the way the first one turned out. With life there are no "Do-overs". You just have to move forward, toward the next inevitable set of choices. And make whatever seems like the best decision for you at that time. That's the best any of us can do.<br />
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I'm looking forward to my future. Looking forward to OUR future, and whatever that may hold. <br />
<br />loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-46935005242292717622016-03-20T02:43:00.001-05:002016-03-20T02:43:06.011-05:00Lesson learned.<div>It's 2 am. And there's a strange tapping noise, like someone knocking gently on glass. I am unable to tell, with the bedroom door closed.</div><div>I turn out the lights, to make me less visible, and wait a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dark.</div><div>I listen at the door and still hear the noise. Irregular but somewhat organized rhythmic tapping. There is one other person home, sleeping on the opposite end of the house. And once asleep, sleeps like the dead. </div><div>I open the door and take a quick visual of the upstairs, almost all of which I can see from the doorway. I am not yet visible to the front door, but will be shortly as I have to pass the door with sheer curtained sidelights on either side. (This is my only way downstairs) I don't see anything upstairs, and peek around the corner to check the landing and front door, the porch light is off, and in the 30 seconds or so I watch for, I see no movement. (Damn, I was hoping it was Lola!). I hear the tapping again, and it's definitely coming from downstairs. I tread softly down the stairs as it occurs to me I do not know if any of the stairs has a squeak. (After living here for a year, I feel I should know this). As I continue downstairs the tapping stops and I hear a soft thunk. My black cat meets me in the doorway as I open the door. This is comforting, because he can be very skittish. If anything was amiss... I'd have never seen him. He'd be in hiding. Still mostly on alert I scan the basement (easy to go since except for the studs... It's still all open). I hear the tapping again and it's easy to locate the source even in the semi darkness. There's a fluffy tail peeking out from the mini blind that covers the basement window. That's the source of the tapping. I walk over and pull up the blind by its string, and there sits Boris. Tapping the glass. As I look out the window into the snow covered yard, I see the small rabbit. About 5 feet from the house facing North. It's completely still. If it hadn't been for the contrast of the snowy ground, I'd never have seen it. </div><div>Me..."Boris... You're an idiot"</div><div>Boris....(continues tapping on the window)</div><div>Back upstairs, it occurs to me that I heard this noise over the furnace and blower. And the dog, the ever faithful hound that protects against raping and pillaging from Fed Ex, UPS, the mailman and all manner of unseen danger.... Has apparently no clue anything is going on. She's happily curled up in the other bedroom, snoring away.</div><div>Back in bed, my heart beating at a more sedate, close to normal rate.... it occurs to me that I need night sights for my Glock.</div>loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-68260132010170967972016-01-15T23:33:00.000-06:002016-01-15T23:33:00.633-06:00Navigating 2016The New Year has started and is in full swing. It seems just like any other year, and still has all the problems and glitches that were present on December 31st.<br />
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One of those things I'm trying to fix is the muffin top I seem to have developed over that past year or two. Stress used to make me drop weight like crazy. Apparently over time my body has become immune. I am no longer losing weight during times of increased stress. I think I can partially blame that on getting older. I'm staring 40 straight in the face, and I've decided that I don't want to look at it with this muffin top anymore. I'm having some issues with hand strength and the quality of my grip, so I don't think going back to crossfit is a good fit for me. There's too much that requires I hold tightly or with a specific grip to very heavy things. My fear of hurling one of these VERY HEAVY THINGS at someone unintentionally, or dropping one of them on any part of my body does not seem appealing.<br />
I think I may have found the answer to my issue in 9 round fitness. <span style="color: #009030;"><a href="https://www.9round.com/">https://www.<strong>9round</strong>.com</a></span><br />
It's a heck of a workout in 30 minutes. I did this yesterday and I <strike>thought I was going to die </strike> , <strike>felt like I was going to pass out</strike> , Ok felt like I actually got a good workout, and was <strike> sweating</strike>, <strike>glistening, </strike>sweating like I had just worked out. It really wasn't that bad. It was definitely like exercise. Hard exercise. But having a new activity every 3 minutes made it easier to get through. The "I can do anything for 3 minutes" mentality heavily played into this. I really did work hard, but know ing in just 3 minutes I could stop what I was currently struggling with, and move onto a different kind of struggle made it easier to get through. When that bell rings to let you know there's 30 seconds left it makes you say "Thank God.. Only 30 seconds left" but it also makes you push just a bit harder to do just that much more before the 30 seconds runs out. <br />
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I am sore today. I feel muscles that I haven't felt in a while. My arms are screaming at me any time I try to lift them above shoulder level, and my thighs and calves are crying just a little every time I sit down or stand up. I'm just hoping I don't have to squat for anything tonight. I'm not entirely sure I could get up without help. That being said, I'm still going to run the stairs tonight. Maybe not with the intensity I usually do (this means it may be just walking the stairs and not involve running at all)<br />
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My plan is to go work out at least once a week, or maybe twice. I really don't see me going much more, mostly because of my schedule and things that need doing, but also because I plan on working out a bit at home on my own some days too. I'm aiming to exercise 3 or 4 days a week total. The plan is to get in better shape and lose most if not all of the muffin top before I have to wear a bathing suit in public again in April. The only issue I see here is that when I lose fat in my muffin, I lose fatty tissue in other places too. And I kinda like the booty and the boobs. I'm going to be sad to see them go.loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-40904192831695948142015-12-29T21:32:00.004-06:002015-12-29T21:32:49.901-06:00Taking a Break.It's almost the New Year. I have decided that I'm going to take a bit of a break from The Book of Face. I will be periodically checking my messages, but for the most part I will not be using it. I have things that need doing, and there are better ways to use my time. I tend to open Facebook as a default for boredom, or to fill time and I feel like I'm wasting moments that could be better spent doing something else.<br />
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I do plan on going back to school for my Bachelors degree soon. I need to figure out what kind of time I really have to devote to this, so I can take an appropriate amount of classes. I want to still have time to enjoy my life, and not be glued to a textbook every moment I'm not at work. I did finally do my CCRN exam this past October and it felt great to finally get that accomplished. Finding the time to study for it however wasn't the easiest. I need to make some changes to how I do some things to give me the proper amount of time to study. There's also a CEN Exam that I'm considering taking. Not because I need to, but because I can.<br />
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Some of my family drama from the past several years is in its final phase of resolution. I'm going to have to be satisfied with how things are, because I just don't have it in me to fight anymore. I'm just happy to have it done with. And hopefully that really is the End of It.<br />
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Vacation picks are already done for the next year, and I'm looking forward to my time off. Headed back to NY this summer for my son's high school graduation, and plan to see a few friends while I'm there and take a few days for myself afterward to roam the country wherever I like. <br />
There is also potential for an early Spring trip to a warm sunny locale with a good friend and his fantastic wife to be. Just reapplied for the passport I lost during my 4 or 5 moves in 2 years. I finally gave up looking for it.<br />
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Hoping that some of the other curveballs that life has thrown manage to level themselves out, so I can take a few deep breaths and just Be. <br />
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<br />loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-37683844685775989992015-12-25T01:22:00.004-06:002015-12-25T01:22:50.994-06:00Almost another new yearAnother new year is upon us. I honestly don't know where the year has gone. Lots of things have transpired in 2015, but not nearly as much has been accomplished as I intended. The best I can say is that almost all of the boxes are unpacked, and whatever isn't unpacked at this point is likely to stay in boxes indefinitely. <br />
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Life is busy. There always seems to be a lot going on, and 1000 things to do, but no matter how much is done there are still 1000 more things to do still. There hasn't been nearly as much downtime as I would've liked to have, and not nearly enough "Us" time to just be and enjoy each other. As much as I wish it would, that's not likely to change much, because Life.... Is life. And life is busy.<br />
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Made a bunch of new friends this year, and they feel more like family. Thank you all for accepting me into your "tribe". I'm honored. Still have the Family Drama. Hopefully I can fully divest myself of that before the NEXT new year! I also have a new addition to my family. My Niece had her first child on Christmas Eve. Welcome to Calliope Elizabeth. I cant wait to meet you and have me some baby snuggles.<br />
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2016 is going to see at least one huge milestone. My son is graduating from high school this year. I may not be there every day, but he is the most awesome kid I could've hoped for and I love him to the moon and back, and I'm so proud of him for becoming the man he is today. I miss him every day.<br />
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All in all the last year hasn't been exactly what I hoped for , and didn't always go according to my Grand Master Plan, (Life rarely does), but I'm happy, (mostly) healthy, and employed. I'd say that's not too shabby. My Grand Master Plan is still there for this year, somewhat changed from last year, but in a lot of ways similar. <br />
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So, as this year comes to a close, and a new one dawns, lets all raise our glasses and be thankful for what we have while wishing each other the best for the New Year. (And of course, wishing for world peace)<br />
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Happy Holidays!loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-79562844721825746062015-10-14T02:13:00.001-05:002015-10-14T02:13:06.768-05:00It's good to be homeJust came back from a long weekend at "Secret Location" Colorado. It was a family trip to have a freaking blast with a bunch of pretty much strangers.<br />
Ok.. They were strangers to me and GFB, but sort of known via the Blogosphere by BFB. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous going into a completely unknown situation. I was told that the hosts were aware of our relationship situation and that the invitation had been indeed extended to ALL OF US. Still.. Nerves and such.<br />
I swear this was the single most awesome group of strangers I've ever had the honor and pleasure to meet. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, and yes... There were some questions about the relationship, but I don't mind having a DTR conversation with someone who is genuinely interested and not being icky or judgmental. <br />
We had 3 days of shooting in the desert, beautifully awesome weather, a ton of fantastic food, decent booze (AFTER the shooting was done of course), and great company. <br />
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Highlights of the weekend...<br />
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*EXPLOSIVES!! (Totally legal, appropriate person with the right permits etc) I got to blow stuff up. Made a shot from around 330 yards, into something roughly the size of quart of paint, (taped together dynamite!!) with a fairly new rifle (.223) that apparently had a loose mount for the scope. Needless to say I'm totally stoked and pretty proud of myself. I also made a shot from about 50 feet or so (maybe less) with a silenced .22 rifle into a very small bit of dynamite. Way less of a boom than the other, but still really fantastic! BFB also had a fantastic shot into a much larger quantity from the 330 yard mark!<br />
The same person who brought the explosives was also nice enough to bring a bowling ball mortar. This was so cool. Black powder, bowling ball, blasting cap, and pull the string to make a big boom! Also a neat factoid.. The holes in the bowling ball give this thing a hell of a whistle for the duration of the balls flight. (imagine blowing across the opening of a beer bottle at high speed) <br />
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*2 mag dumps from a Tommy Gun. If you've never had the opportunity to try automatic weapons, I highly recommend it. It's a fantastic rush and causes a bit of a permasmile. Which for those of you who know me, is a huge difference from my baseline RBF (Resting Bitch Face) I think I smiled all weekend long!<br />
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*A few shots from a .50 caliber rifle. Talk about power! <br />
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*Chicken butchering. Now, Me being ME, I did not participate in this ceremony. Although I think GFB was the ringleader. Several of the participants ended up with some blood spatter, and sort of looked like something out of a crime scene, but it made for some damn fresh and tasty fried chicken.<br />
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*AWESOME, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL, TASTY FOOD! Thanks so much to Desi and Farm Mom for all work they put into feeding us all so well. Cooking for 35 people is a challenge, and they did an amazing job!<br />
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Something also has to be said about the firearms. I didn't count, but I'm going to say conservatively that there were about 20 people at a time between the 4 ranges (Pistol...25 yards,Short Rifle...100 yards to sight in rifles and plink, a Trap Range, and a Long rifle range... about 1000 yards, with targets at 250, 330, 500, and 750 yards) and likely 100 different guns circulating through over the course of the weekend. Many of us were (with permission of course) shooting other peoples weapons and shooting weapons that were entirely new and unfamiliar to us. The road to get to the parking area went directly through the Long Rifle range, and our impromptu outdoor bathroom facilities were somewhere over the ridge beyond the trap range. With the exception of a few scraped knuckles, a bit of sunburn, a nasty foot blister, and a nice scrape of an elbow from a gun with a lot of kick causing said elbow to ride on some rough plywood, there weren't any injuries.<br />
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With all the news lately about how "Guns kill people" and all the anti gun sentiment I think this is significant. If you listened to some of the extreme anti gunners out there, you'd think it was a near miracle that we all came out unscathed. And I see lots of comments attached to these anti gunner's posts about Dumb Rednecks, and Ignorant Gun Owners. I just want to point out that the combined intelligence at The Range this past weekend was staggering. We had at least 5 police officers, more Military (active and retired) than I can count, MENSA members, Military consultants, an Emergency Medicine educator with years of experience, several published authors, scientists out of Los Alamos, a Critical Care Nurse, an Emergency Physician and much much more. Many of us were prepared with medical equipment of various kinds, and I don't think we used more than a couple of Band-Aids all weekend. This is because we were prepared, we used safe procedures, and we respected each other and the weapons we were using.<br />
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It was wonderful to get out in the daylight under such Big Sky, and play with all of the great people I met. I already have it plugged into my calendar for next year.loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-26196877345457560432015-06-23T21:29:00.002-05:002015-06-23T21:29:54.315-05:00Deprarture dayDeparture day is tomorrow. For the first two days I'll be doing more driving than anything else. But I have a brand new car to do it in.<br />
More updates from the road when I have an internet signal. <br />
loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-24958140906483022052015-06-07T02:52:00.002-05:002015-06-07T02:52:47.110-05:00On the road again, and other stuffIt's time for me to start planning ( and I use the term "planning" very loosely) my summer road trip. I have three consecutive weeks of vacation this year from the end of June to the middle of July. I plan on something similar to the trip from last year. I've started looking at maps, and ros and places. SO far the plan is this...<br />
Drive from home and head toward Phoenix. Stop somewhere the first night. I have a campground in mind, but they DON'T take reservations, it's first come first serve, and I may be kind of late getting to that area. Ultimately I may end up sleeping in my car. I've done this plenty, and can actually make myself pretty comfortable in the back seat. ( I usually sleep curled up in a fetal position for part of the night anyway, and I'm not that tall.) I DO have a reservation the next night at a campsite in the mountains of Arizona, about 4 hours outside of Phoenix. I have plenty of time to get there, and can get set up in a leisurely fashion, and have time to take in some of the sights, either that evening or early the next day before the trek into the city. Have a hotel for the weekend, while I hang out with the Bestie and her GF. Possibly doing lunch with an acquaintance that has transplanted there from NY as well, if she happens to be back in time. <br />
From Phoenix, my plans become looser and looser as I travel toward (likely) New Orleans. No real particular reason to go there, except I've never been, and it seems like there should be a cool thing or two to see or do while I'm there. I may stay the night, or I may stay 3. Who knows. It all depends on camping availability, or cheap hotel. (I AM on a sort of budget) I may stop in Galveston Island On my way to Louisania.<br />
From there I think I'm headed toward Memphis. Again, solely because I've never been, and there's plenty to do and see there. Can you say "Graceland?" From there I'll start the journey home. I may be gone 9 days, or maybe 2 1/2 weeks. Depends on my mood, the weather, my aging car (over 100,000 miles these days) and whatever my whim of the day is.<br />
I'll probably be posting pictures here, or to my Facebook most of the way.<br />
I'm really looking forward to this trip for a few reasons. <br />
1) I miss my Bestie, and I don't get to see her nearly enough. <br />
2) I really enjoyed my trip last year, and I think it contributed to some personal growth for me. It provided me with a sense of Self, and with a really big needed boost to my sense of independence. <br />
3) Sometimes you just need to "Get Away" and take a deep breath or two. I need this.<br />
4) Seeing new places and doing strange things is fun. <br />
Regarding #4.. see roadsideamerica.com. It's an online guide to offbeat tourist attractions. They also have an app for that. I used it last year, and some of the stuff it led me to was truly ridiculous. But I didn't really go out of my way to see things. If it was along my route, I stopped and checked it out, sometimes for 5 minutes, just to take a picture so I could say "Yep, I was there", and sometimes for an hour or two because it was really fun. I plan on using the app again this year, and am counting on a bunch of unique stuff. <br />
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In relation to my aging car, I have been seriously debating replacing it. But theres really nothing wrong with her (fingers crossed) and I'm finding it hard to justify spending the money. I HAVE the money, but I'm not sure I want to spend it now on something I don't need. Keep in mind that if my car craps the proverbial bed on this road trip, I wouldn't have any second thoughts or feelings of guilt replacing her at the first car dealership I come across!<br />
Probably looking at some sort of small SUV or Crossover. Leaning toward a Mazda CX-5. Gets good performance reviews, apparently drives like a dream, with albeit sometimes sluggish acceleration, which I can totally deal with especially if I get it in a manual transmission. And it's within my price range. or can be if I can talk the dealer down a bit, and get some good incentives along with my trade. I haven't talked myself into it yet, but haven't talked myself out of it either!<br />
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At home right now, The Hubs and I are working on finishing the basement, while the Wif is working on getting some stone under the back deck, so it's not mud-slop, and starting to work on garden boxes out back. The fence guys should be here soon as well. I'm afraid they're probably going to be here while I'm gone, so I'll probably have to pass that responsibility off to someone else. (sad face). Hoping the Hubs and I can make good progress in the basement, so we're to the point where he can deal with running the electrical, which really doesn't seem like a 2 person job. I'll gladly help him if I'm home and he needs/wants the help, but I think for that I'd be more likely to be in his way. I just don't want to leave him in the lurch while I'm gone. Also I actually Enjoy working with him. We seem to get things done pretty well, and over the course of the project so far, we don't hate each other.<br />
This is a new experience for me. In a previous relationship, The Ex and I never could've done this. Any more than an hour and I'd have been upstairs either crying or so mad I wanted to break things, or both. I always thought (or was led to believe) that this outcome was my fault. That I was in some way to blame. I could never question a method, or ask "Why are you doing it this way?" and heaven forbid I made a suggestion on how I thought It might work better. Today, I live in a whole different world. I like this world.<br />
<br />loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-30544251120974029662015-02-15T21:49:00.004-06:002015-02-15T21:49:40.796-06:00What is "safe" anyway?Today I think I saw a half a dozen posts about the current Measles outbreak, 3 posts about kids and gun safety, one warning about the laundry detergent pods.<br />
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Ok folks lets get realistic. The "Great Vaccine Debate" is going to rage on. The Anti Vaxxers aren't going to just suddenly say "Oops... We made a mistake. Never mind. Lets all get out kids vaccinated" Not going to happen. I don't happen to agree with them, and think their behavior is irresponsible. I'm sorry their children are going to suffer because they're stubborn, and in some cases downright moronic. There is absolutely no basis in science for their claims of harm from vaccines. That being said, I believe that as misguided as they are, the have the right to decide what's right for their families. But they do not have the right to force the rest of the sane world to deal with the ramifications of their decision. Decide you don't want to vaccinate your kids, fine. But don't bring them out in public where they become a vector to infect the rest of us. Don't expect your insurance, or public assistance to pay for incidences of illness that could've and should've been prevented by you vaccinating your child. Prepare to homeschool your child. I do agree that there are exceptions, for example the child that is allergic to a vaccine, one who is too young to be vaccinated, or has an illness that makes vaccination unsafe. But misguided thoughts that vaccines cause autism, or that the illness has beem eradicated and vaccines are unnecessary, and or that they are a ploy by vaccine manufacturers and physicians to make money is just ridiculous, not to mention dangerous.<br />
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The Anti Gun folk, are going to bash guns and blame them for whatever they see fit that day. You're not going to change their mind. I see all the joke posts on Facebook and similar social media about guns being at home all day alone and not killing anyone. Well, it is true. Guns don't kill people. Irresponsible people with guns kill other people. There have been several incidents in the news lately of people being "accidentally" shot by their own gun when it was inadvertently fired by their own child. I firmly believe these were not "accidents". the defintion is an unexpected act that is not planned or intended, an incident that occurs by chance. Having a loaded gun with a round in the chamber that is unsecured and in an area accessible by children (or anyone not properly trained in the use of firearms for that matter) and having the trigger be pulled by said child or individual isn't unexpected. Children touch EVERYTHING. Yes, the incidents are unfortunate, and were not intenede, but you cannot claim that the outcome was unexpected. Firearms need to be properly secured when not being handled by someone properly trained. <br />
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Laundry detergent pods causing illness when ingested by children.... Huge shocker. People are up in arms and upset and want the manufacturer to change the design to make them less attractive to children. What??? What's wrong with you supervising your children? Or not putting stuff like that where your child can reach it. I totally that you cannot have eyes on your child each and every moment of each and every day. But supervison and educating your child goes a long way. My child was always very active, but never got into chemicals under the sink, never tried to eat laundry detergent, never stuck his fingers or anything else in a light socket, never drowned or almost drowned in our swimming pool, despite having easy access to all of these things. Do I think it was just luck or random chance that my child never did these things? Nope. I supervised my child, and taught him what was and what wasn't ok. (For the record, he also never shot me, himself or anything else despite the fact that we had guns in the house. Because they were secured, and never left loaded where he could see or reach them.<br />
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I see a huge problem these days with personal responsibility. I see it at the grocery store, and at the Mart of Wal, or just about every public place where I go when people don't supervise their children properly, where people don't put their shopping carts back in the store or in the cart corrals, where people throw their trash wherever they feel like, where they exceed the posted speed limit despite the fact that road conditions warrant a serious slow down. I see it daily in how people treat eachother, and in the disrespect that is shown on a routine basis. I see it at work where people abuse the medical system, and don't take responsibility for their health, at the expense of others. <br />
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When did these kind of values become commonplace? When did it become acceptable for these values to be so pervasive in our society? How long is it going to be acceptable to behave like this?<br />
loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-64209257935881308392015-01-17T04:54:00.005-06:002015-01-17T04:54:50.154-06:00I hate working with this person (you know the one, or at least the "type")No matter who you are, what town you live/work in, what field you work in, or where you work, there is *always* someone that you periodically work with, that you would almost rather do the job yourself than have to work with them. Sometimes it's just a personality clash, we all have those sometime. Sometimes it's nothing you can put your finger on, but you Just. Don't. Like this person.<br />
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Regardless, tonight I had to deal with this person. I don't work with her frequently, but every time I do it seems like a ginormous clusterf&*k. I'm not going to call this a personality clash, and it's definitely something I CAN put my finger on. No matter what's going on, she always has to stick her nose in, because she knows more than you. But she's also generally the first to complain about a heavy workload. Or what she <em>percieves</em> as a heavy workload. "I'm not doing that, I'm too busy."<br />
"The supervisor told me I didn't have to do X, She said I only had to do Y" <br />
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And despite the fact that she thinks she knows more than you, and always has to stick her nose in, or give her opinion, she's actually not that knowledgeable, and in fact if you think about it, it's kind of frightening. Because she really thinks she knows her shit. But in reality, she's actually kind of dangerous to work with. <br />
<br />
I find this a difficult situation to deal with, because there is usually very little you can really do about it. Confronting the person, even in a subtle and not nasty way, isn't effective, because they are always right, and your opinion of them doesn't matter to them, because you're wrong anyway. Reporting anything but blatatnly inappropriate or dangerous behavior to your supervisor kind of seems like tattling. (Please keep in mind that if the situation is truly dangerous, and not just annoying, I would report it withut a second thought.)<br />
<br />
Right now I'm just thankful I don't have to do this very often.<br />
<br />
loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-66926902804634911052015-01-14T06:34:00.004-06:002015-01-14T06:34:57.679-06:00It's a shame what some people will do to a nice house.House hunting adventures. Because of regulations for BFB's job we need to move inside city limits within 9 months of his contract date. That puts us at July 1st. We have a contract in place and should be closed before the end of February. Still not totally in the bag, but damn close.<br />
We've been inside a few houses, and looked at over a hundred online. Some are very nice houses, with prices I wish we could've afforded. But alas.. the budget won out. We didn't want to eat Ramen every other day for the next 10 years. Some other houses were very nice, just not what we were looking for. Some houses we knew would be gamble, and the smart part of our brains won, and we didn't go that direction. Others, just UGH!<br />
Just a couple tips for anyone out there trying to sell your house.<br />
1) Paint is cheap. You're more likely to sell your house if the buyers arent repulsed and revolted by your paint job. Your 4 year old princess may have loved the cotton candy pink, with silver clouds on the ceiling, but Me.... not so much.<br />
2) If you can't paint well,or don't know what the hell you're doing, hire a painter. A crappy paint job is (in my opinion) worse than the obnixious hot pink.<br />
3) Put good pictures of your house in your listing. If the pictures look like crap, I don't see how great your house really is. And I'm deleting it from my list. It amazed me during our search how many real estate agents took and or used really crappy pictures. And make sure yor house is clean when the photos are taken. Packing boxes I can understand , as well as things that indicate your house is lived in. But dirty dishes in the sink, visibly overflowing trash, and cluttered countertops, walls, floors, couches etc.. don't attract buyers. If you can't be bothered to clean up a little for the pictures, what does that say about how you take care of the house the rest of the time. I'm assuming if you can't take out trash or do dishes, then you definitely haven't had time for event the most basic maintenance tasks, and that there will be issues with the house. If you have pets, they probably shouldn't be in the pictures. Do you really want a prospective buyer to know you have 6 indoor cats? I think not.<br />
4) If you're going to advertise in the listing that you just put in a new tile floor, please be sure you actually knew how to install and grout tile. If the tile job is brand new, I expect even spacing, unbroken tiles and even grout lines. Just like with the paint comment above, if you don't know how to do it and do it well, please hire a professional. Please.<br />
and last but not least<br />
5) If you have pets in the home, try to take them with you for a showing, or at least notify the agents that a pet is in the home, and wether it is or is not friendly. If you MUST leave your pets home, they should be crated, to allow potential buyers to move through your home safely. One home had a dog loose in the back yard. Friendly, but still. Yet another had a dog or maybe 2 little dogs gated in a laundry room. A laundry room I was unable to get into to look at because of the yappy barky dogs. The same home with the yappy dogs, also had a nice pile of dog crap on the downstairs rug. Um.... Gross. And I'm so NOT BUYING YOUR HOUSE!<br />
6) I hate the scented candles and sprays that overpower my nose. If you have to spray these in the house, I'm not enjoying the scent, I'm wondering what odor you're trying to cover up.<br />
<br />
Any one of the above things is enough to turn me off, and any one of them could be or WAS the reason I'm not buying your house. And the one with the dog crap on the rug... was also the one with the poorly done interior paint job and the one with the sloppy tile work. And the best part... If none of those things had been amiss, I might have bought that house. Because it was one of my favorites in the pictures. <br />
<br />
At this point ther are so many houses on the market with similar floor plans and features, that unless your house is something special, or you've got a remarkable piece of property, you are competing with a hundred other houses almost exactly like yours. The difference between a sale, and a disappointing showing could be as simple as taking out the trash, or cleaning up after your dog.<br />
And yes paint is cheap, but your buyer doesn't want to have to paint before they move in. SO maybe its time to rethink the <em>unique</em> paint job.loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-75133296753220191572015-01-14T05:01:00.006-06:002015-01-14T05:01:47.405-06:00A New Year indeed.Happy belated New Year to everyone. (Really? Who am I kidding. No one reads this crap anyway!)<br />
Anyway.. It's been a little over ayear since I started writing. I haven't posted nearly as often as I intended, but having an actual life takes up a lot of time! And that's what a lot of last year was about, starting to have an actual life again.<br />
In the past year things have changed so much. I've moved 1100 miles. And for a relatively new (and complicated) relationship that had been up to that point, mostly long distance. Started a new job. Said goodbye to someone very important to me after helping him get through his last few days of life comfortably. Endured more family drama in a week or two than anyone should ever have to deal with in a lifetime. Started another new temporary job, as for various reasons the previously mentioned new job, didn't pan out like I'd hoped. Moved again for temporary job, as this job was about 175 miles from my new home. Had temporary job become even more temporary when several people came off disability leave earlier than planned. Started yet another new job. Continued to endure family drama of the "I wish I could drop off the face of the earth and have no one find me" kind. Spent a ginormous amount of money dealing with said family drama and dealing with the final stages of my long awaited divorce. The divorce was final shortly before the end of the year. <br />
It's a new year. I'm not starting out fresh this year like I did last January, I still have family drama. Although it's not so bad I want to disappear anymore, just bad enough to earn me a glass (bottle?) of wine every so often. The last new job has turned into "the" job. I am happily getting to know people at work, and I am happy about going to work every day. I'm enjoying what I do, and the people and patients I do it with. That's pretty good. Some things are new this year. We (reference previously mentioned complicted relationship) are deep into the process of buying a house. Hopefully to be moved by mid March. By that time we will have spent a year in the old place together. Lots of memories. The three of us are starting the next part of our adventure together in a place that is "Ours"<br />
There's going to be a lot of things to do this year. Lots of packing and unpacking. (There are still boxes in NY with a family member that we still ned to figure out how to gt out here without breaking the bank.) There will be some remodeling, or finishing of some space in the new place, a garden to start, and hopefully some downtime for all of us to just enjoy being "US"<br />
<br />
Last year was tough, in a lot of ways. But nothing worth it is ever easy.<br />
<br />
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”<br />
- Theodore Rooseveltloveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-74863753095105900122014-12-10T03:51:00.001-06:002014-12-10T03:51:20.980-06:00Tastes like chicken.<div><br></div><div><div>Yep, unlike most people my internet surfing does not inevitably lead to porn (not most days anyway!), it leads to food. </div><div>Tonight's dinner is going to be cranberry orange chicken in the crock pot.</div><div>http://www.food.com/recipe/cranberry-orange-chicken-crock-pot-346249</div><div>I altered the spice combo a bit, made my own cranberry sauce out of dried cranberries (leftover from Brian 's cranberry rolls recipe from Thanksgiving) used fresh squeezed orange juice and added some orange zest. Those of you who know me know that recipes are more like guidelines instead of rules, and that I usually can't exactly replicate a recipe because I don't write anything down or follow directions. </div><div>Let's just say that a lot of things I cook are a bit experimental. Making the cranberry sauce, for instance. I've never done that, and didn't even look for a recipe... I just did it. I wasn't sure it would do what I wanted it to. So far it tastes right and seems to be behaving the way I wanted. Won't know for sure till it takes a turn through the immersion blender, but I have to wait for GFB to get up first. (The blender is a bit noisy)</div><div>And the chicken breasts came from Zaycon Foods, Internet purveyor of bulk meats. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">https://zayconfoods.com </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The chicken was the first meat we bought from them, and their reviews were mixed online, but we decided to take a chance. The process wasn't exactly smooth, because of a supplier issue our pickup date was changed. I think twice. But the chicken we got was (is) great. Not a ton of effort to process. It came on large bags and we separated it into manageable family sized portions and vac sealed it for the freezer. The breasts are HUGE! 2 breasts feeds our family of 3 adults, with leftovers. And it tastes... Like chicken.</span></div><div><br></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>http://www.food.com/recipe/cranberry-orange-chicken-crock-pot-346249loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-83775200126612070552014-12-03T03:12:00.002-06:002014-12-03T03:12:06.184-06:00Projects and the "To Do List"Holidays are always a busy time of year. Wait... Who am I kidding, it's busy all year 'round. Right now I'm struggling with a list of things I need to do, things I want to do, and things I actually have time for. Unfortunately, there really aren't too many items that fall on all three lists. <br />
<br />
I really need to study for my National Certification exam. This is a professional thing, that will net me a one time cash bonus, and look good on my annual evaluation, hopefully assisting me in getting the best annual step raise possible for my pay grade. This is a must do kind of thing. But.... BLEH. I really hate studying and really haven't been able to just buckle down and do it. I toyed with just singing up to take the test and paying the money, thus forcing myself to study, but was talked out of this plan in favor of studying a bit more first and maybe getting consistently higher scores on practice exams first. Good in theory, but since the day we talked about that I've barely touched the book or study materials. *sigh*<br />
<br />
Last night at work, I ran into an issue with medication. It was classified as "Chemo" even though it isn't really. Problem is the policy for the facility where I work was very vague and unclear about wether or not I could hang this medication, as I'm not "Chemo Certified". Problem is there wasn't really anyone else to do it, because very few people on the night shift are. So now getting this certification back (I was certified by a different state in the past) is kind of a priority. But like the above certification exam, it costs money to take the class that's required to sit for the exam. I'm far from broke, but there are other things that hit my financial priority list at the moment. (fodder for another post) But, again the flip side is that obtaining this certification will help me come evaluatio time for my annual raise. <br />
<br />
Then there's the fact that I need to ,want to, and ought to go back to school for my Bachelors degree. And then possibly farther for my Masters degree. Same argument for this. Costs money, lack of time etc. And flip side is also the same, potential for more future income. <br />
<br />
So why can't I make myself do these things? Why do I never seem to have the time despite the fact that I only work 7 days out of 14? Because I have other things to do. Like sleep. Spend time with my Significant Others, clean the house, do the laundry, grocery shop, and the other various minutiae of life. (Don't read this to mean that I do all these things alone.... I don't.)<br />
<br />
I go to a piloxing class twice a week every other week as my work schedule allows. I'd like to go more often, and go to the gym, or to a yoga class, or a spin class every once in a while, but with my night work schedule, it's kind of hard to do these things. Not all classes are offered every day, and frankly if it comes down to a choice of exercise class or sleep? Sleep is going to win every damn time. Not even a question. <br />
<br />
There's also a lot of organizing and decluttering to be done at home, related to a move in the next 6 months or so. Mind you the majority of the stuff that needs decluttering and trashing isn't mine. And I'm not going to nag to get it done. But it still causes me stress. <br />
<br />
Then there's the whole reason we need to move thing. We're buying a house. Or at least we're trying to. And we have a deadline. Tick Tock, Tick Tock. Nah, not stressful at all. (This..... is sarcasm)<br />
<br />
I want all of us to actually go out and do things. Together. Not always the easiest thing to do since two of us work the night shift , and the other gets up at the crack of 0'dark 30 to go to work , and goes to bed super early, exhausted nearly every weekday, and most weekends too. Kind of doesn't really leave any time for pleasure outings. It barely leaves time for necessities. This is far from ideal, but I really don't see this changing in the immediate future, so It's just one of those things I have to live with even if its not what I want.<br />
<br />
Does anyone know how to make clones? I'd like one for Christmas, but unfortunately I can't find one on Amazon for my wish list. loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-10845939133777271802014-12-03T01:19:00.002-06:002014-12-03T01:19:38.791-06:00Shift work and the "Night Shifter Culture"This is kind of a shout out to all those working the night shift. It doesn't matter what profession you're in, Medicine, Nursing, Transportation, Emergency Services, Retail Services, or Food Service, or any other job that has a night shift, we night shifters are a special breed.<br />
<br />
I happen to work in The medical field, as an RN. I've worked the night shift for the better part of the last 10 years, and I can't imagine ever going back to the day shift permanently. The culture of the night shift is markedly different from that of day shifters. And it goes beyond the gerneralization of "sleep during the day, and awake while its dark". The personalities and behavior of night shifters everywhere is different than peole who work days. Over the years I've found that the "Night" people are more team oriented and cooperative. I believe they're more "Us" and "team" oriented, whereas "Day" people are more "Me, myself and I". This has been pervasive across several facilities in 2 states. Two states that are 1100 miles apart. I don't believe this is a fluke. I'm sure someone has done research on this that I could Google. <br />
<br />
I think that the night shift is just more laid back, easy going and fun. Granted, that may be because there is limited management looking over our shoulder, and there are just less people to give us a hassle in the middle of the night. I also think that because there are less people to interact with on the night shift, that introverts are a drawn to it. I (being a bit of an introvert myself) prefer the night shift because I feel less micromanaged, I enjoy my independence, and I have a severe lack of tolerance for stupidity. I think the night shift is neater, and overall more thourough. Perhaps that is because us introverts tend to be a bit on the OCD side as well? <br />
<br />
Sometimes being a night shifter is awkward. We drink wine at 8am, and are still in our jammies at 2 pm on a good day, maybe till 5pm on a bad one. Day people tend to judge us on these two traits. And they call us in the middle of the afternoon, during our prime sleep time. Really? How'd you like it if I called you at 3am for something completely bullshit? People leave for work and let their dogs out. Because they're at work they don't hear them bark. All. Day. Long..... Every. Single. Day.<br />
If an entire neighborhood of dogs barked incessantly all night long, I'm pretty sure a lot of somebody's would have a problem with that. But because it happens during the day "it's not a big deal". Any official business you need to partake in, like a doctors appointment, an auto repair appointment, picking up a prescription, taking your dog to the vet, calling your lawyer, going to the bank, etc.., need to be done during the day. Very inconvenient for those of us who keep the world functioning by going to work at night. But on the plus side, if you have a 24 hr grocery store, there's never a line at 3am!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-24841631691652859742014-11-30T23:27:00.003-06:002014-11-30T23:27:51.006-06:00ThankfulThanksgiving is over. Thankfully. It was initially nice to have somewhere to go for the holiday (or for the weekend after the holiday). And it was even better to come home today, because I swear that was possibly the most uncomfortable weekend I've spent in a very long time. I can't really bitch too much, because I kinda asked for it. Really though, there's nothing quite like feeling (knowing) that someone is incredibly uncomfortable with your presence, but really having no option but to continue to be IN their presence. Definitely not a feeling I want to repeat. <br />
<br />
Thanksgiving week being over also means that one of the hardest weeks of the year for me is also over. I lost my grandmother a year ago last week. And then 6 months later my grandfather as well. So the anniversary of my grandmothers passing, And both of their birthdays fall in the same week. Needless to say already not a great week for me. There were definitely some tears, and a lot of sad moments.<br />
<br />
But on a happier note, this upcoming week is also a notable week. This time last year I started to seriously consider the prospect of moving. And that's how I ended up here. I think it's worth a mention because it's quite possibly the best thing I could've done for myself. I've been here 8 months and I'm not sorry I made the move. Things are moving forward nicely in most regards, and a house is now on our immediate to do list (that in and of itself is another post just waiting to happen).<br />
<br />
So I really do have a lot to be thankful for.loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-19526698425353317822014-11-06T03:50:00.002-06:002014-11-06T03:50:46.253-06:00Shifting schedules, and unimportant random stuffIt's 0330 and I'm up all alone. My schedule has gone to the night shift, and I am still getting acclimated. Loving the new job (Thank God) , and the people I'm working with. As with all new jobs there are some things that I need to get used to, like weird policy and procedure issues, and figuring out who the hell to call at 3 am if there's an issue. And trying to figure out where stuff is. Because I can never seem to find what I want when I want it. November is "like 1/3 over". (Yes I now realize its the 5th, I somehow thought it was later) And then he expressed a hope that my math at work was better. (It IS... mainly because I use calculators and pumps and other tools to make sure I'm accurate. I know better than to do important math's in my head!)<br />
<br />
On another note:<br />
<br />
Perused some of the election results from last night. I'm perplexed and incredulous at the same time. Mostly about the legalization of marijuana in 3 more states. Don't misunderstand me.... I'm not necessarily against decriminalizing weed, but the things that voters will decriminalize, and the things they continue to criminalize or vote down is amazing. For example same sex marriage..... Most states have yet to legalize this, and some don't even recognize a legal one from another state. But voters are totally ok with half the country getting high, on a known gateway drug, that has major health consequences. I don't really understand how people rationalize some things in their head. <br />
<br />
Also, Random find from the internet....<br />
<br />
<a href="http://fox4kc.com/2014/03/28/missouri-woman-pleads-guilty-to-bigamy/">http://fox4kc.com/2014/03/28/missouri-woman-pleads-guilty-to-bigamy/</a><br />
<br />
In most states Bigamy is a FELONY. In Missouri, its a class A Misdemeanor. The last person was convicted of this crime in Missouri was a woman, convicted this year, and was only fined $500. No jail time. <br />
Weird. loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-19955123487045509922014-10-19T08:42:00.004-05:002014-10-19T08:42:57.696-05:00This shit's getting real.Just started a new job, which I absolutely LOVE. BFB just started his new job. He hasn't been there long enough to love it, but at this point it's safe to say that he doesn't hate it. GFB has a job. And that's about all the nice I can say about that. And I've always been told "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all". So, life is rolling along and things are going well. Nothing is perfect, and frankly I don't expect it to be. That's the nature of life.<br />
<br />
Biggest issue these days is that with work schedules we all just don't seem to really have any free time to connect with each other, to enjoy free time together. Now, BFB and I are kind of solitary types. Definitely need our alone time, for our own mental health and cookies. But we can have "alone time" while we're in the same room, on the same couch even. We can do that and not need to talk. And often we will do this for hours at a time.<br />
<br />
Now, our schedules are exactly opposite each other. On the days I'm off... he's working 12 hours. and vice versa. Now add to that the fact that in 2 weeks I start nights again. SO He's going to be off and on a day schedule, while I'm trying to sleep. Meaning he's going to be home when I'm home and because I have to sleep, I STILL don't get to spend any time with him. And GFB gets up at the ass crack of dawn every week day, comes home after work and physical therapy and can barely stay awake long enough to not fall asleep in her mashed potatoes at the dinner table. <br />
<br />
None of these things are really great news. Now, I'm not really worried about the relationship. We love each other and this is one of those temporary speed bumps that we have to deal with in the course of building a life together. So I'm not really worried. (I said that already didn't I?)<br />
Now add in this little world crisis called Ebola.<br />
<br />
For those of you that don't know (and why would you? Who reads this crap anyway?) I work in health care. For the Government. Not only is Ebola coming, it's already here. There are many different schools of thought about this disease. Some aren't really afraid, and are listening to the supposed "people in the know" that say that it'll never overwhelm this country because of our fantastic medical system and resources. I'd like to live in their fantasy world. ME?? I'm scared. There's a 99.9-100% chance that I'm going to encounter this virus in the course of my daily work in the next 6 months to a year. I'm undecided what I'm going to do at that point.<br />
<br />
BFB mentioned in his own blog post that we're having some hard discussions at home. We are.<br />
Mainly about what I'm supposed to do when this virus does hit my hospital here in quiet Middle America. Do I come home? Do I continue to go to work? Can I afford not to? If I do work, can I or should I continue to come home? Am I confident in my ability to don and doff my PPE 110% correctly each and every time? Am I confident in the PPE the Government is going to give me to work with? The unfortunate answer to these questions is terrifyingly "I don't know", and in one or two cases, "NO"<br />
<br />
So now this is my reality. I have significant others that I love to the end of the earth and back, but that I barely see even now. What happens if I have to work with this plague, and we as a group decide that it's probably better if I don't come home until things cool off. On one hand, I'm pissed that I can't (or won't) go home. But on the other, do I want to risk exposing those I love to something horrific? Where does that put all of us relationship wise? Again... terrifying answer is "I don't know".<br />
<br />
All I know right now is that despite the fact that I love my job, I'm not sure healthcare is the best industry to be in right now. FML.loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-259885611922978692014-10-12T15:29:00.001-05:002014-10-12T15:29:28.149-05:00WeddingsWeddings. So many different kinds. Different kinds for different folks. Some are simple, some are fancy, and some are dramatic. I feel like the type of wedding you and yours choose says a lot about your relationship style. <div>My first one was relatively mellow, but combined with the trappings of a holiday. I'm not really sure what that says about the relationship. The fact that we're now divorced (almost) seems to say a lot more. </div><div>2 years ago I said I'd never do it again. Funny how now that it's not an option, I feel disappointed that it's not. Feeling that way about a couple things lately.</div><div>That's just me being melancholy. And it's silly. These are things that I can't change. And I'm happy with my life. </div><div><br></div><div>Guess it's just human nature to want what we can't have.</div>loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-10731742114485009222014-10-02T18:34:00.003-05:002014-10-02T18:34:46.384-05:00Back into the swing of things, a genreal Life updateAfter a week of Orientation, or what I like to refer to as "Death By Powerpoint" I am finally back in an ICU. I am happy to see that I haven't lost my ICU skills, and that as much as I thought this would be stressful, it isn't. It is certainly a bit different from what I'm used to, but it's not a bad different. Just a "different" kind of different. <br />
Everyone here has been extremely kind and welcoming. I've even been tagged by one of the nurse educators that did my first week of "hospital orientation" to help teach a new Blood Administration class sometime this fall. The Unit Culture where I work is very similar to where I came from, even though the ICU here is smaller in scale and quite a bit less busy. I am getting the hang of things in the new place, and feel like I made the right choice and that this is a good place for me, now... and long term.<br />
There are definitely some skills I need to brush up on, and I've already started doing so, but all in all I feel very comfortable with my skills, and clearly so do those who are orienting me. My first day I was basically told that since I had significant ICU experience that they were going to see what I was "made of". They weren't going to let me sink, but they wanted to see how well I could swim. And threw me into the deep end of the proverbial ICU nursing pool. Well, I think I did a hell of a lot better than they expected me to. That's not to say I didn't need a bit of help, because the paperwork, computer system and charting are all quite a bit different that what I'm used to, but for my first day I know I exceeded my own expectations and I hope I exceeded theirs. Today was day 3, and I am functioning almost completely independently. I'm pretty happy with that.<br />
At some point, probably when my official "orientation" wraps up, and I am really cut loose on my own, I'm going back to school for my bachelors degree, and maybe farther. I was lucky to get hired where I am with only an associates degree, and don't have a lot of advancement opportunities (read this as raises in my salary) without furthering my education. I also, sorta, kinda, maybe, might be interested in teaching at some point, which makes an advanced degree a necessity. I'm thinking online nursing program, with an RN to MSN track. (If anyone knows of a good one out there, I'm willing to entertain recommendations.)<br />
On the home front things are looking good. BFB has a job offer, and will hopefully start work soon. Right now he has a bit of time off, (probably not enough), and can hopefully relax a little after the stresses of the past few months. <br />
Still waiting for the estate to settle, this has become significantly more than a painful thorn in my side that I am looking forward to getting rid of. Enough is enough already.<br />
The divorce is reportedly only waiting for a judges signature. That was supposed to be finalized by the end of September, but I've yet to receive paperwork to that effect. My lawyer however, has been very prompt in sending me his final bill. <br />(I'm sure no one is shocked)<br />
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Off to hit the books. Happy Fall everyone.loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-1017758495335288242014-09-21T15:57:00.001-05:002014-09-21T15:57:16.082-05:00Back to being an adult.The last 6 months or so have been pretty busy. Moving, new job.... Ok NO job. Sick family, funeral, family drama to the max. Another short term job, and permanent hire at a new job that I had to wait to start (government red tape), divorce delays and dean, continuing family drama, boyfriend getting laid off, girlfriend having surgery, and starting a new job, and now boyfriend starting a new job... (Also waiting on the gov't red tape)<div><br></div><div>Tomorrow is my first day at the new job. I'm hoping to hell this works out, because I'm tired of moving around, and for the immediate future and likely forever, travel nursing no longer holds an appeal for me. I'm nervous but hopeful that today is a new start. There are plans in place for the future. But regardless of plans or timing... I have found my forever.</div>loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-48840500910356265762014-08-20T23:14:00.001-05:002014-08-20T23:14:13.073-05:00Back to the day to dayBack home for a week and back into the day to day routine. It's a bit different, as at this point I'm the only one not working. (At least for now). My gainful employment doesn't start for another 5 weeks. So I'm cheif cook and bottle washer for now. I really don't mind, and actually enjoy taking care of BFB and GFB. I like cooking and I'm doing a fair bit of it. Nothing impressive, but tasty nonetheless. <div>I also started the process for my newest volunteer gig. Going to spend some time at Kansas City Hospice. Interviewed today and saw the facility, which is fantastic. Paperwork and the like is in progress. Love taking care of things at home, but need to talk to other people, and get out of the house too. I'd like to make some friends too. Because since I've been here, I really haven't had the opportunity to make any. </div>loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-63696151612560504982014-08-14T19:37:00.001-05:002014-08-14T19:37:50.060-05:00Adventure day #11Day 11 starts before sunrise. I have quite a way to go in total today, and want to get an early start. Today is Sans Dunes National Park. Also want to be early, because apparently the sand can get pretty hot. The views there were fantastic. I made the mile and a half hike to the top of the first large dune. Took me 2 hours. Sand is tough to walk uphill in!<div>Next stop, Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak. I had no reservation for the cog rail that goes to the top and figured I'd be waiting till the next day, which was fine, because I had a hotel room for the night. Surprise, but they can get me on the next train. Boards in 30 minutes. Score. Made the very long ride to the top. Where we get to stay for all of 30 minutes before going back. Took some pics, peed, bought a t shirt. Back on the train for the ride back. Didn't notice the altitude so much as I did in Flagstaff, but I am now exhausted. Back to the hotel, and a call to have pizza delivered.</div><div>Ate an entire small pizza from dominos. They have gluten free crust, and they deliver. Both make me happy. After dinner a shower and bedtime. It was 7 pm. Fast forward to 10 pm. Wide awake.... Definitely not going back to sleep. It was in this moment tgat I came to the realization that the only place I wanted to go now, was home. I wanted my own bed, and familiar smells, GFB and frank. And BFB snoring in my ear.</div><div>So, I checked out of the hotel. The clerk was the same one who checked me in. Gave me a strange look. Started driving. Google says it's 9 hrs. I can do this. And I'll surprise everyone. GFB will have already gone to work, but BFB should be in bed, as he's working tonite. Around 530 when I start getting my good morning texts from GFB, I realize that it's a nice idea to surprise BFB, but as we own guns, and they're easily accessible, perhaps I shouldn't be sneaking into the house and into without warning him.</div><div>I do this, and he is still surprised. Home at 830 am, and right into bed. </div><div>Yep. This is my place. The only place I want. I belong right here.</div>loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-24256341378204181132014-08-11T22:46:00.001-05:002014-08-11T22:46:17.997-05:00Adventure update days 6-10Yellowstone was absolutely amazing. The place is huge. The thermal features , pools and geysers were fantastic and I got some good pics. (Sorry I'm not posting them, I have a serious lack of ambition and it's all I can do to write this!) I stayed there the entire day, from 8 am till 1030 pm. I saw Old faithful at 840 pm, the last time to view before it got too dark to see. And I showed up just a few minutes before the eruption, so I didn't even have to wait long! <br />
I know many foreigners say that americans are rude, and I tend to agree, however the foreigners aren't any better. walking 3 abreast and not leaving room for others to go around, and being generally obtrusive. But the Americans were doing the same thing. My biggest gripe is with people whose children are obnoxious loud and whiny. The park is very serene and quiet, and more than once <br />
(and more than once by the same child) my serene walks and communing with nature were interrupted by the shrieks of an out of control child. <br />
OK. I'm off my soapbox now. <br />
Night 6 was spent in my car at a roadside picnic area in Gardnier Montana. It was too late to get a room, too expensive, and I was too damn tired. It was almost freezing overnight, and only 42 degrees since I woke up. <br />
My plan for day #7 was to meander down to southern Colorado to do Mesa Verde before heading east across Colorado the next day. I realized when planning this trip that southwestern Colorado would place me roughly 5 hours from my bestie in Flagstaff. After realizing that she likely wasn't on call (I can't really say what she does... but lets say she works for an agency with a 3 letter acronym and carries a gun to work while dealing with bad guys). So I decided to take the most direct route to Flagstaff, via Utah. Needless to say it was a very long drive. I arrived around 330 am Flagstaff time. Which is weird time as that part of Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings time. And neither does part of Utah. so I went in and out of areas that did observe it. The time on my phone flipped back and forth several times on the journey. Very Strange. I was also very tired. I stopped about 2 hours from her to get gas. I was apparently on the Indian Reservation. She meant to tell me not to stop there in the dark. She forgot. Some Tall Large Native man attempted to sell me drugs. Aggressively attempted to sell me drugs. The fact that I had possession of a particular "Item" was apparently enough to make the gentleman decide that "No" really meant "Get the hell away from me right now I don't want your f#%king drugs a$$&@le!" About 40 minutes after this incident I was just too tired to drive anymore. There was not any real place to stop, so I pulled over in a small roadside pull off to nap for an hour. Needless to say I slept with my "Item" in my lap.<br />
Finally I arrived at besties house, had a drink and a nap. We had a fantastic time <br />
Saturday night and Sunday night. Saturday night involved alcohol. I did not take into appropriate consideration that the elevation might affect my alcohol absorption. I ended up a bit more buzzed than intended. Oops!<br />
Left this morning. Day #10. Tried to stop at Mesa Verde to see the cliff dwellings, but it was monsooning at the time, so I made a brief potty stop and meandered my way east through Colorado. I am now stopped about an hour from Sand Dunes National park, which is my first intended stop tomorrow. I am now in a cheap, but not too sketchy motelish type place kinda off the beaten path.<br />
The plan for now is to watch a bit of tv, have a snack, and then go to bed. My "Item" will be easily available. The place isn't really sketchy, but... It'll make me feel better all the same.loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558759747946104336.post-70410766133456728642014-08-06T22:07:00.004-05:002014-08-06T22:07:55.391-05:00Adventure Day #5Today was a very long day. Glad I slept in. Got up at 0730, and showered and was on the road by 0815. First Stop.... STURGIS. Yes, I know, Crazy. It was extremely crowded, which I usually hate, and it took me 10 minutes to find anywhere to park. Walked down Main Street.... completely in awe of the sheer number and types of bikes. It defies imagination. I really wasn't looking for anything in particular, just wanted the "Sturgis Experience". Or at least however much of the experience I can get without a motorcycle! During the day, its actually pretty tame. I get the impression that after dark.. it gets a bit more wild. I've been meaning to expand my Angel Tattoo to include "Gpa" under the "Gma" that's already there. What better place to get tatted? So I got a tattoo at Sturgis!<br />
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Second stop of the day... Devils Tower, Wyoming. Awe inspiring and impressive. I could see it for miles in the distance before actually getting there. And the first glimpse I got of it coming over a rise in the road.... I immediately started to hear the tones from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". After I posted a pic on FB, BFB was nice enough to include that via post from youtube. Thanks B!<br />
Side note, I was NOT abducted or probed, and I will not be playing in my mashed potatoes!<br />
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After that I made the very long, long, long trip toward Yellowstone. It was a very long drive. But that being said... The drive was phenomenal. Indescribably beautiful. By far the most amazing part of my trip so far. The rock formations in the Black Hills were towering, and very impressive. You never knew what you were going to see around the next turn. The road was twisty, windy, steep, narrow, and sooooo fun to drive. I would've given damn near anything to have been on the back of a bike, and able to just watch all the scenery go by. I feel like I missed a lot, and couldn't properly appreciate it, because I had to drive. I feel really bad for everyone who was stuck behind me with no passing zone in sight. I'm sorry, but I'm not likely to ever see this again, I want to see as much and appreciate as much as I can! I stopped lots of spots to take pictures, but I wanted to stop all the time. If I'd done that I'd never get anywhere. So many of the great spots are just memories in my head.<br />
From there I went through The Bighorn National Forest's southern edge. The forest here was spectacularly primordial. It was so beautiful and quiet and unspoiled and pure. The sky looked more Blue, the air smelled clean like the pines. I could've stayed forever. Then I came out of the forest and over the hill, and the landscape was dramatically different. It was dry, arid, and almost desert like with bluffs, and buttes, and scraggly brush, and rolling hills, sky you could see for miles and miles, and mountains in the distance. And then the long desolate stretches of road, with nary a town, or building for tens of miles. I had the radio off for most of my drive, and didn't really miss it.<br />
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Tomorrow, Yellowstone.loveyournursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12737147330766492866noreply@blogger.com0