I forget sometimes how much fun weekends can be. Most are fairly unremarkable and pass rapidly (in approximately the same amount of time as my morning commute on Monday by my rough accounting). Since I have been working a lot of Saturdays lately, I haven't really had a weekend in the traditional sense for what seems like forever (but has really only been a few weeks now). The Saturday working schedule makes the weekends seem infinitely shorter even though it is only a half day, by in large because the work day starts in the early afternoon and ends at the cusp of the evening. Oftentimes I find it hard to motivate myself to accomplish much other than feeding myself and, if I have the gumption, exercising, before dragging myself downtown.
Additionally, my Friday evenings tend to be less than robust affairs. I am usually a complete and utter wreck on Friday nights because we start early on Friday.......6:45am. Those of you that know me well, know that I am scarcely a sentient being at that hour and, at the very least, should not be entrusted with sharp needles and assorted serums. It is a combination that I am fairly certain will lead to legal action at some point in the future. So, suffice to say, without a languid nap and then some liquid amphetamines ala Starbucks, I can reliably be found in or near the bed doing my best impression of a beached sea mammal around the time the evening news is wrapping up.
This weekend started off no different than any other. I got home, passed out on the couch petting our foster Wynn, and woke up groggy but rested some 60 minutes or so later. It was one of those delightful instances where instead of planning to curl up and slumber, sleep just overtakes you and you wake up disoriented and not at all cognizant of the passing of time. Somewhat refreshed, i determined to prod my endorphins into action by exercising which, in turn, woke me up. Then Tia decided that we should do all of our weekend cleaning that night (my life is a riotous party and this proves it! :), which at least did get it off the slate for the remainder of the weekend.
I began Saturday by revisiting with some old friends at the Pho restaurant that I ate at the week prior. This time I steered away from innards, but can't say I unequivacably succeeded in that regard (I will save the description for those weak of stomach, but suffice to say it wasn't run of the mill Americana though it was delicious!) It was so nice to see Josh and Jen and catch up, though we were cut a bit short because of the aforementioned work thing. Still, it was great to finally see them after my gall bladder, work, and life have prevented it from happening since my return. Plus, sometimes I think living in Wilsonville is almost as remote as living back in Rochester, as far away as we often seem to be from everyone and everything in the city proper. 20 miles seems almost like 200 when you are trying to plan something.......especially since having people come to Wilsonville does not allow for nearly as many activities, restaurants, etc as heading into Portland. It is like going to a friends house to play Nintendo vs going to an arcade. But, I digress.
After a pleasant lunch, I was off to work which was intensely hectic. Luckily Kelly and I remained sane during our first day sans Erica (I was on the brink at times I admit) and managed to plow through it. Afterwards I convinced her to join Tia, myself, Tia's parents and their neighbors at Hubers for happy hour. I am not a huge drinker, but I am not opposed to it in the slightest if given even the least provocation. And, I am helpless to resist when anyone deigns to offer up cheeseburgers, shrimp cocktails, and various other culinary delights for less than $2 to accompany said intoxicants. Add that to good company and you have a pretty good evening by all accounts.
After filling up on cheap food and expensive liquor, we headed up to Cacao (http://www.cacaodrinkchocolate.com/) which "celebrates chocolate in all its forms" according to its website. How can you argue against that? It was spectacular and crazily indulgant for just a few dollars. Its one of the reason why I love Portland......so many niche eatieries, and all of them so intriguing.
Tia and I finished out the weekend by heading out to Sushiland for some conveyor built raw eatables. I know they don't offer the highest quality, but the value and their delcious spicy but not too spicy orange hot sauce that tops their tempura asparagus and spicy tuna rolls is crazily addictive. And, for less than one Andrew Jackson, two can eat to their hearts content (proved you don't have a hankering for the $5 special plates that is). All in all, I am sure I put away some 10,000 calories, but I did so happily in highly enjoyable company. I am, of course as always, chagrined to see the fun end and the work week begin again..........but at least I know that another weekend is just around the bend.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Bizarre
I have to admit, much to my wife's chagrin, that I have been idolizing Andrew Zimmerman the host of Bizarre Foods(for a smattering of what he has eaten, check out the episode lists on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bizarre_Foods_with_Andrew_Zimmern). It isn't him per se, but his cavalier attitude towards the most seemingly repulsive foods that I find so captivating. How can he eat, with such equanimity, the things that repulsed so many people on shows like Fear Factor? I have watched him rave about the flavors and textures of animal parts that we would be reluctant to put into pet food. And yet, I find it all weirdly inspiring.
I have eaten my fair share of the less common culinary delicacies. I enjoy buffalo. I adore escargot. I like the taste of rabbit, though not the tiny bones. I am ambivalent about frog legs. I have eaten fried salted ants and chocolate ensconced grasshopper. I have consumed copious amounts of jellyfish. I have even eaten Spam. I have, however, barely grazed the surface. So, in an effort to broaden my horizons, we headed out to Vietnamese food the other evening.
I have eaten Vietnamese food on a number of occassions, but have largely shied away from the few less commonly eatn fare. This time I dove right in and ordered the following: Tái, Nạm, Gầu, Gân, Sách -Eye of round steak, well-done flank, fat brisket, soft tendon and honeycomb tripe with meatballs. I have to say that I have not had tendon or tripe before and the review is honestly mixed. While I enjoyed the tendon, it had an interesting texture that is difficult to explain and excellent flavor, the tripe (beef stomach) was less satisfactory. It had nothing to do with the flavor or the appearance (though is looks nothing like anything you would find in an American eatery), the texture was just too tough and chewy for my liking. Not sure if it was not cooked properly or if that is just how it is supposed to be. Either way, another check mark next to a few new foods. I am very interested to try even more. Now, if I can just get my wife to come along with.
I have eaten my fair share of the less common culinary delicacies. I enjoy buffalo. I adore escargot. I like the taste of rabbit, though not the tiny bones. I am ambivalent about frog legs. I have eaten fried salted ants and chocolate ensconced grasshopper. I have consumed copious amounts of jellyfish. I have even eaten Spam. I have, however, barely grazed the surface. So, in an effort to broaden my horizons, we headed out to Vietnamese food the other evening.
I have eaten Vietnamese food on a number of occassions, but have largely shied away from the few less commonly eatn fare. This time I dove right in and ordered the following: Tái, Nạm, Gầu, Gân, Sách -Eye of round steak, well-done flank, fat brisket, soft tendon and honeycomb tripe with meatballs. I have to say that I have not had tendon or tripe before and the review is honestly mixed. While I enjoyed the tendon, it had an interesting texture that is difficult to explain and excellent flavor, the tripe (beef stomach) was less satisfactory. It had nothing to do with the flavor or the appearance (though is looks nothing like anything you would find in an American eatery), the texture was just too tough and chewy for my liking. Not sure if it was not cooked properly or if that is just how it is supposed to be. Either way, another check mark next to a few new foods. I am very interested to try even more. Now, if I can just get my wife to come along with.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Winter doldrums in the fall?
When is it acceptable to start feeling officially bummed out about the overall lack of sun? Is it too early to do so now?
I am already feeling the beginnings of the winter doldrums. It manifests with such rapidity and in such a manner as to be physically affecting as a flu. I dont know when (if) I will ever acclimate to the lack of sunshine. Even a few days without it seems to drive my energy and spirits down.
My job continues to go fairly well. Of course, nothing is perfect and you take the good parts with the bad ones. If I had my druthers (and an obscene amount of money) I wouldn't work at all except for whatever pursuits availed themselves to me on my tropical island paradise. However, since that seems highly unlikely to happen, I try to deal with the realities that I actually face. On one hand, I thoroughly enjoy my workmates and my boss and, for the most part, I like the job itself. On the other hand, the benefits are mediocre (even if I pony up the dough for the premium benefits) and sometimes I get frustrated by the lack of hours and, considering that we will be closed the week of Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas, it isn't likely the hours are going to be getting much better in the very near future either. It is a minor complaint of course......as those are times that I would prefer to have off anyway. However, I would much rather that time be paid instead of unpaid. Hopefully it levels out once the holiday season runs its course and the hours will be a bit more consistent.
Time for a drink.
I am already feeling the beginnings of the winter doldrums. It manifests with such rapidity and in such a manner as to be physically affecting as a flu. I dont know when (if) I will ever acclimate to the lack of sunshine. Even a few days without it seems to drive my energy and spirits down.
My job continues to go fairly well. Of course, nothing is perfect and you take the good parts with the bad ones. If I had my druthers (and an obscene amount of money) I wouldn't work at all except for whatever pursuits availed themselves to me on my tropical island paradise. However, since that seems highly unlikely to happen, I try to deal with the realities that I actually face. On one hand, I thoroughly enjoy my workmates and my boss and, for the most part, I like the job itself. On the other hand, the benefits are mediocre (even if I pony up the dough for the premium benefits) and sometimes I get frustrated by the lack of hours and, considering that we will be closed the week of Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas, it isn't likely the hours are going to be getting much better in the very near future either. It is a minor complaint of course......as those are times that I would prefer to have off anyway. However, I would much rather that time be paid instead of unpaid. Hopefully it levels out once the holiday season runs its course and the hours will be a bit more consistent.
Time for a drink.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Allergic to everything
Allergy testing is conducted in two parts, prick level and ID level. Prick level testing (aka scratch testing) involves plastic applicators with pointed edges that have been dipped in varying allergens. I tested positive to three things at that level: dogs, cockroaches, and dust. The second level of testing is intra-dermal (ID) and involves a small amount of each allergen that you did not test positive to injected under the surface of the skin. It feels and looks like a bug bite. I tested positive to most everything at this level, potentially even the needles themselves.
The next step is to get the serums made and start shots. Because of my testing, I would get all the allergens in my serum meaning a total of three bottles and a multitude of injections. Big fun! The good part is that it is covered while I work there. The bad part is that they take about 5 years. A long commitment. Should be an interesting ride. Might even get some epi when I anaphylax :)
Looks like the condo is a non-starter. The HOAs are ridiculously high and yet they manage to not have any money in reserve. What it means is that they raise the fees annually. Selling a place with fees over $400 monthly would severly limit our ability to turn it over in a few years. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Thankfully for us, the market continues to offer up opportunities. Something will be a good fit evenetually.
I had to write about a new show I am enamored with: Fringe. It is like a melding of the X-Files and CSI. I can totally geek out watching it. Check it out if you haven't yet. Also on Hulu (where I watch mostly).
The next step is to get the serums made and start shots. Because of my testing, I would get all the allergens in my serum meaning a total of three bottles and a multitude of injections. Big fun! The good part is that it is covered while I work there. The bad part is that they take about 5 years. A long commitment. Should be an interesting ride. Might even get some epi when I anaphylax :)
Looks like the condo is a non-starter. The HOAs are ridiculously high and yet they manage to not have any money in reserve. What it means is that they raise the fees annually. Selling a place with fees over $400 monthly would severly limit our ability to turn it over in a few years. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Thankfully for us, the market continues to offer up opportunities. Something will be a good fit evenetually.
I had to write about a new show I am enamored with: Fringe. It is like a melding of the X-Files and CSI. I can totally geek out watching it. Check it out if you haven't yet. Also on Hulu (where I watch mostly).
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Worth it?
Well, we are heading off to see another condo..........this one the cheapest place so far: $110K. The HOA fees are frighteningly high ($333/month), but at least they include cable, water, sewer, and garbage as well as the usual array of exterior maintenance. I am interested to see what, exactly, a house in this price range looks like though. My guess is that the pictures will not do it justice. I guess I will be pleasantly surprised if it doesn't include a hobo with a trash fire and all the copper stripped down for scrap.
I will post more after I see it. If you are interested here is the listing: http://www.johnlscott.com/propertydetail.aspx?GroupID=75182442&ListingID=32364741&Sort=0
I will post more after I see it. If you are interested here is the listing: http://www.johnlscott.com/propertydetail.aspx?GroupID=75182442&ListingID=32364741&Sort=0
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Why cell phones are better
Sure, cell phones are kind of expensive, they force you to sign prohibitively long contracts with exorbitant cancellation fees, and the phones themselves may cause some sort of brain tumor, but all in all they are better than digital home phones by my estimation. We are now free of Verizon Fios with their god-awful service which included inconsistent internet connections, cable that seemed inclined to work inversely to our desire to watch something, and phone service akin to using a walkie-talkie in a cavern. After much fighting back and forth, buying a new phone, and doing everything short of prayer circles to make it work, we moved on to Comcast. Our service has been stellar............um, for about two weeks anyway. Now we have internet and cable, but they can't seem to get our phone to work. We were advised, again, to purchase another phone because they are certain that it is our equipment that isn't working. Of course, the phone works fine (even has 6.0 DECT technology.........which means about as much to me as the 'techroline' that comes in Shell gas). People can call us (though it is not a good connection), but we can't make outgoing calls as all of them go straight to Comcast (though never to a real person). Suffice to say, at this point a cell phone and a brain tumor seems preferrable.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Financial Advice
As a wedding gift, Tia and I have been receiving professional financial consultation. It has proven to be quite enlightening (due largely to the fact that we have proven to have less than a sophisticated knowledge of finances). Just today I learned the difference between types A, B, and C shares related to retirement accounts whereas, prior to the meeting, I didn't even realize that such a delineation existed at all. In fact, I only vaguely know what stocks are because of movies like Wall Street and high school economics projects involving fake money and stock purchases such as No Fear clothing and Harley Davidson motorcycles because that is all we were familiar with.
I also learned there are something like 15,000 funds you can choose from and they all perform differently, sometimes significantly so. On top of that, you have to decide how risk averse you are in your investments and evaluate your retirement goals in order to differentiate between conservative, moderate and high risk investing (has to do with the percentage of your money in equity vs. bonds), which only slightly reduces the number of choices. Kind of like going to the cereal aisle in the grocery store and not having a brand or even a type that you have a preference for beforehand.
It would be easier to pick out investments of course if you had, say, a lump sum of cash that you were just seeking a means of utilizing. Most of us (Tia and I included) don't have that luxury. Investment monies are monies not used for other things like paying down long term debt. In my youth (um, a few months ago before I started thinking about things like finances), I thought of finances simply: 'x' dollars come in, 'y' dollars are owed, 'z' equals the remainder of said dollars to be used or put into savings. Now I think about 'z' a lot more. How much should be allocated towards car loans vs. student loans (after all, student loan interest is deductible)? Should lump sums be paid? How much should be saved? Where should it be saved? What about retirement? Insurance? Rent vs. Buy? Roth IRA vs. 401K vs. wads of bills stuffed into couch cushions? How much cash reserve should be maintained in liquidity (3-6 months evidently)? Having someone to hold our hands through the process has been an enormous help.
What does all this mean............who knows as yet. We are finished putting our pieces in, now we await the final suggestions at our next meeting. One thing we were advised to do was refrain from purchasing a house. In order to do so safely (meaning having sufficient cash reserves in case the sky falls) and have sufficient down payment to secure a loan (a minimum of 10%, though ideally 20%) we would need to have roughly the accrued cash that Scrooge McDuck swims through at the beginning of every episode of Duck Tales. So, theoretically, if we found a $200K home, we would need a minimum of $20K plus closing costs ($5-6K) and enough to float us for 3-6 months should anything happen to one of our jobs (Lets say $15K for 6 months). Theoretically we would need a minimum of $40K and ideally $60K saved up before making a purchase. AS you might imagine, the whole rent vs. buy issue has been resolved.
In other news: We got another new kitten and our last one was just adopted. The new one is named Wynn and is a rabunctuous grey polydactyl (many toes).
Feeling sick this weekend. Both Tia and I have some sort of dry scratchy throat and I have acquired an annoying cough. I feel not great, but at the same time it seemingly refuses to take me down entirely. I would prefer to just have 24 hours of discomfort than this nagging nonsense.
My workmate Gena had her baby. Healthy and 9lbs plus. Work is going well, but it quite hectic since only Erica fully understands everything. I am less than 2 months in and Kelly is less than 3 weeks in, so there are a LOT of questions to be answered. Proves difficult on some of our busier days.
I need to grab something to eat and then lie slothfully about the house the remainder of this rainy Saturday. Hope everyone else is feeling much better than I.
I also learned there are something like 15,000 funds you can choose from and they all perform differently, sometimes significantly so. On top of that, you have to decide how risk averse you are in your investments and evaluate your retirement goals in order to differentiate between conservative, moderate and high risk investing (has to do with the percentage of your money in equity vs. bonds), which only slightly reduces the number of choices. Kind of like going to the cereal aisle in the grocery store and not having a brand or even a type that you have a preference for beforehand.
It would be easier to pick out investments of course if you had, say, a lump sum of cash that you were just seeking a means of utilizing. Most of us (Tia and I included) don't have that luxury. Investment monies are monies not used for other things like paying down long term debt. In my youth (um, a few months ago before I started thinking about things like finances), I thought of finances simply: 'x' dollars come in, 'y' dollars are owed, 'z' equals the remainder of said dollars to be used or put into savings. Now I think about 'z' a lot more. How much should be allocated towards car loans vs. student loans (after all, student loan interest is deductible)? Should lump sums be paid? How much should be saved? Where should it be saved? What about retirement? Insurance? Rent vs. Buy? Roth IRA vs. 401K vs. wads of bills stuffed into couch cushions? How much cash reserve should be maintained in liquidity (3-6 months evidently)? Having someone to hold our hands through the process has been an enormous help.
What does all this mean............who knows as yet. We are finished putting our pieces in, now we await the final suggestions at our next meeting. One thing we were advised to do was refrain from purchasing a house. In order to do so safely (meaning having sufficient cash reserves in case the sky falls) and have sufficient down payment to secure a loan (a minimum of 10%, though ideally 20%) we would need to have roughly the accrued cash that Scrooge McDuck swims through at the beginning of every episode of Duck Tales. So, theoretically, if we found a $200K home, we would need a minimum of $20K plus closing costs ($5-6K) and enough to float us for 3-6 months should anything happen to one of our jobs (Lets say $15K for 6 months). Theoretically we would need a minimum of $40K and ideally $60K saved up before making a purchase. AS you might imagine, the whole rent vs. buy issue has been resolved.
In other news: We got another new kitten and our last one was just adopted. The new one is named Wynn and is a rabunctuous grey polydactyl (many toes).
Feeling sick this weekend. Both Tia and I have some sort of dry scratchy throat and I have acquired an annoying cough. I feel not great, but at the same time it seemingly refuses to take me down entirely. I would prefer to just have 24 hours of discomfort than this nagging nonsense.
My workmate Gena had her baby. Healthy and 9lbs plus. Work is going well, but it quite hectic since only Erica fully understands everything. I am less than 2 months in and Kelly is less than 3 weeks in, so there are a LOT of questions to be answered. Proves difficult on some of our busier days.
I need to grab something to eat and then lie slothfully about the house the remainder of this rainy Saturday. Hope everyone else is feeling much better than I.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
rent vs. buy
Tia and I have been house hunting of late, though hunting seems to focused a word for what we are doing. House browsing perhaps? House window shopping? Maybe house wish listing is most accurate.
Deciding where and how to live is an interesting new phenomena in my life. I have pretty low standards honestly, or have until recently. Heat, roof, kitchen, and preferably quiet when it is supposed to be. Ideally situated somewhere not too far from my place of employment. On my own, I have little enough to fill most spaces, so a one bedroom domicile would have been sufficient (2 would have seemed opulent). Of course, that has changed as I have gotten older and gotten married. Part of getting married is acquiring things, something I have not heretofore been exceedingly proficient in on my own. I don't mean to shine a bad light on it, I just have never owned much more than could fit in my car.......and driving a Rabbit doesn't allow for much.
When seeking a new place to live, nothing about combining the likes and dislikes of two people with moderate means and, therefore, a moderate budget, is simple. 1-2 bedrooms becomes 3. 1 bath becomes 2. Kitchens need to be expansive enough to house gadgets used for specific purposes instead of the catch-all utilitarian pieces I am most acclimated to, room for myriad glassware designed to accomodate a diverse range of beverages must be arranged, and wire baskets of some aesthetic value need to be procured to house something called 'fresh fruit' (which is frequently displayed prominently on the counter). Closets must be capacious enough to accomodate more than my own meager accumulation of clothing (made more robust with Tia doing a majority of my shopping) as well as her own abundant (though not necessarily by the standards of her peer group) array of apparel. Plus, one room with a TV (formerly known as the living room) creates a difficult compromise during football season. Oh yeah, and finding a place that isn't either: A. a dump, B. out in BFE, or C. wildly overpriced seems about as likely as Mensa extending an invite to Jessica Simpson. On top of all of this Tia has critters that require a space that meets their specific environmental requirements while being far enough away from the living space to drown out their nocturnal play and allow me to sleep.
Suffice to say, we aren't having extensive amounts of fortune locating places that we would feel comfortable owning. So, for the time being, Wilsonville apartment dwellers we remain. With the thought of moving from one apartment to another fairly unpalatable, it remains unlikely that renting nearer to Portland seems a possibility either. Maybe next summer, once the rain dries up and the sun peaks out again, it will seem like an alternative worth pursuing. Or maybe by then the house of our dreams, and means, will finally be available.
Deciding where and how to live is an interesting new phenomena in my life. I have pretty low standards honestly, or have until recently. Heat, roof, kitchen, and preferably quiet when it is supposed to be. Ideally situated somewhere not too far from my place of employment. On my own, I have little enough to fill most spaces, so a one bedroom domicile would have been sufficient (2 would have seemed opulent). Of course, that has changed as I have gotten older and gotten married. Part of getting married is acquiring things, something I have not heretofore been exceedingly proficient in on my own. I don't mean to shine a bad light on it, I just have never owned much more than could fit in my car.......and driving a Rabbit doesn't allow for much.
When seeking a new place to live, nothing about combining the likes and dislikes of two people with moderate means and, therefore, a moderate budget, is simple. 1-2 bedrooms becomes 3. 1 bath becomes 2. Kitchens need to be expansive enough to house gadgets used for specific purposes instead of the catch-all utilitarian pieces I am most acclimated to, room for myriad glassware designed to accomodate a diverse range of beverages must be arranged, and wire baskets of some aesthetic value need to be procured to house something called 'fresh fruit' (which is frequently displayed prominently on the counter). Closets must be capacious enough to accomodate more than my own meager accumulation of clothing (made more robust with Tia doing a majority of my shopping) as well as her own abundant (though not necessarily by the standards of her peer group) array of apparel. Plus, one room with a TV (formerly known as the living room) creates a difficult compromise during football season. Oh yeah, and finding a place that isn't either: A. a dump, B. out in BFE, or C. wildly overpriced seems about as likely as Mensa extending an invite to Jessica Simpson. On top of all of this Tia has critters that require a space that meets their specific environmental requirements while being far enough away from the living space to drown out their nocturnal play and allow me to sleep.
Suffice to say, we aren't having extensive amounts of fortune locating places that we would feel comfortable owning. So, for the time being, Wilsonville apartment dwellers we remain. With the thought of moving from one apartment to another fairly unpalatable, it remains unlikely that renting nearer to Portland seems a possibility either. Maybe next summer, once the rain dries up and the sun peaks out again, it will seem like an alternative worth pursuing. Or maybe by then the house of our dreams, and means, will finally be available.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
It has been awhile
I have been having the most difficult time writing lately. Is writer's constipation coined as yet? If not I would like to do so now. I find myself often sitting down to start writing and then drift off to something else. Or, worse yet, I stare at the blank screen straining to think of anything to write and then quickly stumble off into incoherence. Its tough when life is just life, and not some interesting set of new adventures. Common travails don't often make the best blog fodder.
Speaking of life, I am maintaining my equilibrium. Work continues well, though I remain just on the cusp of the long learning curve. Every time I think I master some skill or idea, another one pops up. But, the positivity of the workplace makes it easy to digest. Plus, now my former classmate and current friend Kelly is joining me amongst the ranks of the allergy and asthma employed. It will be fun learning alongside of her.
Tia and I still hem and haw about our living situation, vacillating between remaining renters and owning our own place. Of course, it isn't that we can afford to make that big a change in our situations (and aren't willing to put ourselves in that position when the housing market is less stable than a two-legged chair), so we are talking condo/townhome not stand alone home. So, we won't necessarily escape the very things that make apartment living less than desirable necessarily such as hearing your neighbors television/footsteps/conversations. However, there is something to be said for ownership, even if it is only a tax write-off. Tough call.
The most difficult thing about deciding on a place is that we cannot afford to live in the location that we would ideally like to live. Wilsonville has been nothing if not pleasant, but it isn't exactly near to anything except Wilsonville. The idea of moving into another apartment, even though it may be approximately nearer to our respective jobs isn't appealing either. Whats the point unless we are patently unhappy and we aren't. Just kind of unsatisfied.
I am proud to annouce that I ran my first 5K today. The Race for the Cure Portland. A history of asthma has frequently made the idea of 500 yards daunting, so I was not exactly optomistic about my ability to run it. I cannot say that I was an unabashed success, but I did run the first 2 miles and then the last half or better and finished well under the time limit that I had mentally established pre-race. Now I will need to soak my legs for the next few nights and get a lung transplant, but other than that I feel great!
Have been watching the show Weeds lately.......catching up on it really. Not sure what to think of it. It has definitely changed wildly in tone through the first 2+ seasons. It is entertaining for sure........but in a scattershot sort of manner.
I should really sketch out some ideas before I start typing......I swear I had a grander vision for the post, but if I don't publish it now, god knows when I will. I hope everyone out there is well.
Speaking of life, I am maintaining my equilibrium. Work continues well, though I remain just on the cusp of the long learning curve. Every time I think I master some skill or idea, another one pops up. But, the positivity of the workplace makes it easy to digest. Plus, now my former classmate and current friend Kelly is joining me amongst the ranks of the allergy and asthma employed. It will be fun learning alongside of her.
Tia and I still hem and haw about our living situation, vacillating between remaining renters and owning our own place. Of course, it isn't that we can afford to make that big a change in our situations (and aren't willing to put ourselves in that position when the housing market is less stable than a two-legged chair), so we are talking condo/townhome not stand alone home. So, we won't necessarily escape the very things that make apartment living less than desirable necessarily such as hearing your neighbors television/footsteps/conversations. However, there is something to be said for ownership, even if it is only a tax write-off. Tough call.
The most difficult thing about deciding on a place is that we cannot afford to live in the location that we would ideally like to live. Wilsonville has been nothing if not pleasant, but it isn't exactly near to anything except Wilsonville. The idea of moving into another apartment, even though it may be approximately nearer to our respective jobs isn't appealing either. Whats the point unless we are patently unhappy and we aren't. Just kind of unsatisfied.
I am proud to annouce that I ran my first 5K today. The Race for the Cure Portland. A history of asthma has frequently made the idea of 500 yards daunting, so I was not exactly optomistic about my ability to run it. I cannot say that I was an unabashed success, but I did run the first 2 miles and then the last half or better and finished well under the time limit that I had mentally established pre-race. Now I will need to soak my legs for the next few nights and get a lung transplant, but other than that I feel great!
Have been watching the show Weeds lately.......catching up on it really. Not sure what to think of it. It has definitely changed wildly in tone through the first 2+ seasons. It is entertaining for sure........but in a scattershot sort of manner.
I should really sketch out some ideas before I start typing......I swear I had a grander vision for the post, but if I don't publish it now, god knows when I will. I hope everyone out there is well.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Alexander is gone
Tia seems perpetually involved in charitable causes ever since I have known her. By extension now, I too am involved (albeit to a lesser degree). It is really a nice feeling, and sadly one I would not get to experience without her. I don't consider myself an uncaring or unkind person, but I seemingly lack the ability to turn the concept into anything tangible because I remain largely incapable of committing myself to the obligations necessary to be a good volunteer. Hence, I do things like help with Meals on Wheels during the holidays, took part in painting the cat shelter, helped clean the children's museum, and adopted a family during last year's holidays. The warm fuzzies without the commitment.
The only commitment I have been able to muster in a charitable regard is helping Tia with foster cats/kittens. It is nice to see the animals get adopted off into, hopefully, loving families. Generally they consist of litters of kittens, but this last one was an adult foster named Alexander (though we often just called him Bubba.......no idea why, it just seemed to fit him). He is a hefty cat with diabetes who had lived at the shelter in a small cage for about a year. He doesn't much like other cats, which limited his options for play outside of the cage. He also requires a twice daily dose of insulin and is middle-aged for a cat which, for all intents and purposes, makes him nigh unadoptable. So, we took him in for the foreseeable future to save him from being in the cage (while allowing us the benefit of a pet). Today, he was adopted. It is both a happy day (the new owners seem like a wonderful couple who really want to make the situation work) and sad (he was kind of like one of the family at this point and, despite his limitations, is extremely personable and playful). We will definitely miss having him around, but hopefully another cat will come along that we can also take in. In the interim, I have to get used to being pet free for awhile. Kind of a bummer really.
I went to the volunteer appreciation event for the shelter today with Tia and I am consistently amazed by the wonderful things people have the capacity to do. The gentleman who started the shelter was there (it was his place after all) and talked a bit about starting the shelter some 10 years ago. It has evolved to a point where, not that long ago, they adopted out their 10,000th cat. Truly amazing. Some people donate hundreds of hours a year to their cause. If you are ever out here in Oregon, you should check them out: http://www.catadoptionteam.org/
Time to get my curmudgeonly self to bed. I loathe the idea of Monday morning, but am feeling good about today.
The only commitment I have been able to muster in a charitable regard is helping Tia with foster cats/kittens. It is nice to see the animals get adopted off into, hopefully, loving families. Generally they consist of litters of kittens, but this last one was an adult foster named Alexander (though we often just called him Bubba.......no idea why, it just seemed to fit him). He is a hefty cat with diabetes who had lived at the shelter in a small cage for about a year. He doesn't much like other cats, which limited his options for play outside of the cage. He also requires a twice daily dose of insulin and is middle-aged for a cat which, for all intents and purposes, makes him nigh unadoptable. So, we took him in for the foreseeable future to save him from being in the cage (while allowing us the benefit of a pet). Today, he was adopted. It is both a happy day (the new owners seem like a wonderful couple who really want to make the situation work) and sad (he was kind of like one of the family at this point and, despite his limitations, is extremely personable and playful). We will definitely miss having him around, but hopefully another cat will come along that we can also take in. In the interim, I have to get used to being pet free for awhile. Kind of a bummer really.
I went to the volunteer appreciation event for the shelter today with Tia and I am consistently amazed by the wonderful things people have the capacity to do. The gentleman who started the shelter was there (it was his place after all) and talked a bit about starting the shelter some 10 years ago. It has evolved to a point where, not that long ago, they adopted out their 10,000th cat. Truly amazing. Some people donate hundreds of hours a year to their cause. If you are ever out here in Oregon, you should check them out: http://www.catadoptionteam.org/
Time to get my curmudgeonly self to bed. I loathe the idea of Monday morning, but am feeling good about today.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Vegas baby! (now updated with rant.....and flavanoid crystals!)
Just got back from Vegas and had an absolute blast. Not sure when (if) I will find myself there again though. But, I am sure my tacky quotient will dip low again at some point and I will need to replenish myself at the mecca (or hit up Orlando.........its a coin flip). Vegas is the only place I can think of where an ultra trendy upscale mall like the one at Caesar's Palace where stores that I can't afford to even browse in sit alongside of a frozen Daiquiri store and has animatronic shows on the hour (including one character brandishing a sword that was engulfed in real flames). Only ended up down about 50 bones, so not bad overall. Up $50 would have been nicer still.
Vegas is a city of dichotomies in regards to prostitution as well. Despite the fact that prostitution is illegal in Henderson county, advertisements abound promising "girls to your room in less than 20 minutes" through moving billboards and an ungodly amount of pamphlets and various other handouts that festoon the walkways. What reason do these scantily clad (if not entirely unclad) women have to come to your room with such rapidity if not for an exchange of currency and services? I don't know why, but I find the lack of pretense amusing. They at least don't pretend, like in south Florida, that they are running a perfectly legal massage parlor that, oh by the way, happens to have no windows you can see in, a door buzzer, and is open at 3am on a Saturday. Still, how in the hell they can so brazenly advertise without authorities getting involved is beyond me. I personally could care less either way, but either have a law or dont and move on.
It is the same kind of blatant hypocrisy that surrounds other vices in this country. We allow gambling in Oregon, but only certain kinds and only then under the auspices that you are 'helping' some cause or another such as the lottery and the 'assistance' they provide education (a blatant untruth as it often displaces other monies earmarked for education funneling those monites elsewhere and leading to a zero sum gain for education overall) or Native American owned casinos which ostensibly is our belated apology for taking their lands and leaving them a largely destitute community. In other states some version or another of the same thing exists. One of the more amusing things is in the paper every week: the line for football games (and other sports). For what reason, other than gambling, would you need to know that Indianapolis was favored this weekend by 6pts? If you weren't betting on it, would you really need to know anything other than who the person in the paper thinks might win? Yet, you can only gamble on sports legally in a very few places in the country.
Drugs are another vice that we can't seem to find a stance on that makes any sense. How, for instance, can something that we know has no positive health association, cigarettes, be legal whereas something that has some positive effects (pain relief, increasing appetite in cancer patients), marijuana, be illegal? How can we sell liquor all week, but not on Sunday (in Florida at least, with other states having their own curious laws) until noon? How can we tell people that drinking is ok, but not until you are 21 years old because they aren't old enough for the responsibility while, at the same time, asserting that those same people are adult enough to go to war? To kind of tie it all together, how do we manage to say that prostitution as a whole is illegal, while pornography, where 2 consenting adults (or more) are being paid to have sex on camera, is completely legal?
My own views on all these things is the same: I view them all with a libertarian bend. So long as you aren't affecting me, I don't care. We all view things through our own moral lens. One drink a night might seem excessive to some, while to others it is part of a healthy adult lifestyle. Same with weekend bingers. Some will view a person who has three or four beers a night to be a functional member of society unwinding after a long day, while viewing the same person who smokes a joint as shameful. Is it really ok to buy lottery tickets and scratch offs but not ok to bet on the winner of a football game? If so, why? I don't have an answer, but I cannot help but laugh at our inane attempts to continue to have our cake and eat it too, all while trying clinging desperatively to the idea that there is an acceptable measurement of just how much cake is enough.
Got together with some old classmates who, serendipitously, moved to Portland. It is so nice to catch up without the spector of classes hanging over us one and all. Plus, both are just pleasant to be around. It will be nice to have some fellow travellers on the road as we all begin to navigate the profession here in town.
Off to another early sunrise.
Vegas is a city of dichotomies in regards to prostitution as well. Despite the fact that prostitution is illegal in Henderson county, advertisements abound promising "girls to your room in less than 20 minutes" through moving billboards and an ungodly amount of pamphlets and various other handouts that festoon the walkways. What reason do these scantily clad (if not entirely unclad) women have to come to your room with such rapidity if not for an exchange of currency and services? I don't know why, but I find the lack of pretense amusing. They at least don't pretend, like in south Florida, that they are running a perfectly legal massage parlor that, oh by the way, happens to have no windows you can see in, a door buzzer, and is open at 3am on a Saturday. Still, how in the hell they can so brazenly advertise without authorities getting involved is beyond me. I personally could care less either way, but either have a law or dont and move on.
It is the same kind of blatant hypocrisy that surrounds other vices in this country. We allow gambling in Oregon, but only certain kinds and only then under the auspices that you are 'helping' some cause or another such as the lottery and the 'assistance' they provide education (a blatant untruth as it often displaces other monies earmarked for education funneling those monites elsewhere and leading to a zero sum gain for education overall) or Native American owned casinos which ostensibly is our belated apology for taking their lands and leaving them a largely destitute community. In other states some version or another of the same thing exists. One of the more amusing things is in the paper every week: the line for football games (and other sports). For what reason, other than gambling, would you need to know that Indianapolis was favored this weekend by 6pts? If you weren't betting on it, would you really need to know anything other than who the person in the paper thinks might win? Yet, you can only gamble on sports legally in a very few places in the country.
Drugs are another vice that we can't seem to find a stance on that makes any sense. How, for instance, can something that we know has no positive health association, cigarettes, be legal whereas something that has some positive effects (pain relief, increasing appetite in cancer patients), marijuana, be illegal? How can we sell liquor all week, but not on Sunday (in Florida at least, with other states having their own curious laws) until noon? How can we tell people that drinking is ok, but not until you are 21 years old because they aren't old enough for the responsibility while, at the same time, asserting that those same people are adult enough to go to war? To kind of tie it all together, how do we manage to say that prostitution as a whole is illegal, while pornography, where 2 consenting adults (or more) are being paid to have sex on camera, is completely legal?
My own views on all these things is the same: I view them all with a libertarian bend. So long as you aren't affecting me, I don't care. We all view things through our own moral lens. One drink a night might seem excessive to some, while to others it is part of a healthy adult lifestyle. Same with weekend bingers. Some will view a person who has three or four beers a night to be a functional member of society unwinding after a long day, while viewing the same person who smokes a joint as shameful. Is it really ok to buy lottery tickets and scratch offs but not ok to bet on the winner of a football game? If so, why? I don't have an answer, but I cannot help but laugh at our inane attempts to continue to have our cake and eat it too, all while trying clinging desperatively to the idea that there is an acceptable measurement of just how much cake is enough.
Got together with some old classmates who, serendipitously, moved to Portland. It is so nice to catch up without the spector of classes hanging over us one and all. Plus, both are just pleasant to be around. It will be nice to have some fellow travellers on the road as we all begin to navigate the profession here in town.
Off to another early sunrise.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Routine
Work is getting into a routine of sorts, though that isn't to say I know how to do some of the finer things as yet. Patient history - check. Vitals - check. Injections - check. ID testing -check. Blood draws - inc. Billing - inc. Epinephrine injections - check. Solu-medrol - ? Blood workups - ? etc etc. Actually, routine probably isn't wholly accurate representation of my days as it conveys some semblance of repetition, which there are aspects of, but two patients are never alike, so no day is exactly the same as the one preceding it. I have seen now a few anaphylactic reactions to food challenges. I have seen an irate customer raging about how the front desk staff was treating him. I have seen patients whose pathos lies largely between their ears and not in any tangible sense. I have seen others who have horrid symptoms and the most positive outlook imaginable. It is the kind of care I like though: patient in/patient out.
A typical day begins with my arrival followed shortly thereafter by setting up the ID testing syringes, and then starting to take patients back. At some point, lunch happens (though it is often truncated, which at least isn't time deducted), and then a steady stream of patients continue to filter through until, miraculously, there aren't anymore. Then it is time to go through all the charts and fill out billing sheets and the like, tidy up, and finally head home. Lately, most days have run in the 10+ hour range, but only three of those such days exist in a given week. The other 2 days are typically around 5 hours apiece (though one begins at 6:45am, which is tantamount to waterboarding as far as I am concerned).
I will leave you with two blogs that I think are hilarious. Take a peek. Great time wasters:
http://lovelylisting.blogspot.com/
http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/
A typical day begins with my arrival followed shortly thereafter by setting up the ID testing syringes, and then starting to take patients back. At some point, lunch happens (though it is often truncated, which at least isn't time deducted), and then a steady stream of patients continue to filter through until, miraculously, there aren't anymore. Then it is time to go through all the charts and fill out billing sheets and the like, tidy up, and finally head home. Lately, most days have run in the 10+ hour range, but only three of those such days exist in a given week. The other 2 days are typically around 5 hours apiece (though one begins at 6:45am, which is tantamount to waterboarding as far as I am concerned).
I will leave you with two blogs that I think are hilarious. Take a peek. Great time wasters:
http://lovelylisting.blogspot.com/
http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/
Friday, August 15, 2008
90 days and 100 degrees
I did not know it was possible to be this hot in Portland. I have seen the temperature edge past the 100 degree mark on occasion here, but not for days at a time. The weather online suggested it got up to 107. I might as well move to Phoenix!
I agree wholeheartedly with the concept behind the phrase, "fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." The idea being that we are at fault if we don't learn from our initial missteps (or other people's chicanery as the case may be). I wish I would not continually find myself going through the first go round of being fooled however. I found out today at HR (I have been working for the past week) that my benefits don't start for 90 days from hire. All of them. I had never encountered that before, so I had not even considered positing that question at interview or since, especially since it was not brought up by the other staff members or the doctor. Working in the medical field it seems rather ludicrous. I don't think the intent was malicious, but rather an oversight. When I mentioned it to Tia, she seemed to find this a fairly ordinary circumstance of employment. So, now we have to pay a fairly considerable monthly sum to add me back to Tia's insurance lest my gall bladder be non-covered with my new insurance as a pre-existing condition. I have to admit it right now, being a grown-up can be a REAL bummer. I realize how little concept I have of things like health care, 401K, and all the other things to do with employment and being a grown up except for pay rate and time off. Maybe I need to just move to a country with socialized medicine and a social safety net and call it done. Clearly the capitalist system is beyond my grasp at the moment and disappoints me at every turn.
Other than the considerably disappointing news regarding my health care, the job itself is going swimmingly. I thoroughly enjoy the patient interaction, the spectrum of care, and the other members of the staff as well as my supervisor. The hours are, for the most part, quite agreeable as well (though Friday morning's early start time is an adjustment that I have not been able to make as yet). I still haven't completed all facets of training, but I have now done a few blood draws, a number of ID (intra-dermal) tests, which are very much like TB tests in that you are injecting a fluid (in this case an allergen) under the surface of the skin. Only, instead of a single wheal, each patient may get as many as thirty such injections at a time. Needless to say, it takes awhile. I have also done a few of the allergy injections and a lot of the general patient information, pulmonary function testing, and assorted other tasks. There is still a lot to learn, but at least I feel like I am making progress instead of feeling constantly befuddled.
I am o ff to sit directly in front of the fan. You stay classy blogosphere.
I agree wholeheartedly with the concept behind the phrase, "fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." The idea being that we are at fault if we don't learn from our initial missteps (or other people's chicanery as the case may be). I wish I would not continually find myself going through the first go round of being fooled however. I found out today at HR (I have been working for the past week) that my benefits don't start for 90 days from hire. All of them. I had never encountered that before, so I had not even considered positing that question at interview or since, especially since it was not brought up by the other staff members or the doctor. Working in the medical field it seems rather ludicrous. I don't think the intent was malicious, but rather an oversight. When I mentioned it to Tia, she seemed to find this a fairly ordinary circumstance of employment. So, now we have to pay a fairly considerable monthly sum to add me back to Tia's insurance lest my gall bladder be non-covered with my new insurance as a pre-existing condition. I have to admit it right now, being a grown-up can be a REAL bummer. I realize how little concept I have of things like health care, 401K, and all the other things to do with employment and being a grown up except for pay rate and time off. Maybe I need to just move to a country with socialized medicine and a social safety net and call it done. Clearly the capitalist system is beyond my grasp at the moment and disappoints me at every turn.
Other than the considerably disappointing news regarding my health care, the job itself is going swimmingly. I thoroughly enjoy the patient interaction, the spectrum of care, and the other members of the staff as well as my supervisor. The hours are, for the most part, quite agreeable as well (though Friday morning's early start time is an adjustment that I have not been able to make as yet). I still haven't completed all facets of training, but I have now done a few blood draws, a number of ID (intra-dermal) tests, which are very much like TB tests in that you are injecting a fluid (in this case an allergen) under the surface of the skin. Only, instead of a single wheal, each patient may get as many as thirty such injections at a time. Needless to say, it takes awhile. I have also done a few of the allergy injections and a lot of the general patient information, pulmonary function testing, and assorted other tasks. There is still a lot to learn, but at least I feel like I am making progress instead of feeling constantly befuddled.
I am o ff to sit directly in front of the fan. You stay classy blogosphere.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
A creative way to deal with pubic lice
I have been meaning to sit down and actually write about my new job and the experiences I have had thus far there.......but that time isn't tonite. I hope maybe tomorrow. In the meantime, a short story to amuse:
Evidently one of the phone nurses were called (some months ago) about a patient who had contracted pubic lice 'crabs'. What happened next takes an astounding mind to come to grips with: he sprayed his genitals with a can of RAID bug spray! I can only guess what the thought processes were behind the act: "This stuff kills bugs, I have bugs living in my pubic hair................hmmmm, I have an idea that is cheap and readily available! What could possible go wrong?" Needless to say, this did not end particularly well. Lets hope that one with so keen an intellect as he has no future opportunities to spread his lice (or his DNA) around...........I think one of this person in the world is enough :)
Evidently one of the phone nurses were called (some months ago) about a patient who had contracted pubic lice 'crabs'. What happened next takes an astounding mind to come to grips with: he sprayed his genitals with a can of RAID bug spray! I can only guess what the thought processes were behind the act: "This stuff kills bugs, I have bugs living in my pubic hair................hmmmm, I have an idea that is cheap and readily available! What could possible go wrong?" Needless to say, this did not end particularly well. Lets hope that one with so keen an intellect as he has no future opportunities to spread his lice (or his DNA) around...........I think one of this person in the world is enough :)
Sunday, August 10, 2008
No ass work
I was reading a book that summed out very succinctly my primary problem with my profession: 'ass work.' Ass work encompasses all manner of fecal matter centered job duties. Ass work, the author posited, was the reason she did not pursue a health care career. Ass work, for me it seems, is the reason I have such troubles finding suitable employ. In my mind, I went to too much school and paid too much money for my education to be doing ass work on a regular basis. It is such a conundrum when seeking hospital employ that I would probably be best served to headline my resume with 22pt boldfaced font: Not interested in any ass work! in order to circumvent any problems should I wish to return to a hospital. If that statement should be at all unclear, I should also sum up any interview with: "So, the pay and benefits sound good, and the hours are acceptable but, I have to know, is any ass work involved?" What I enjoy thus far about my new position beyond the fact that it seems to actually be a job that falls within my range of interests is that the possibility of any ass work is as remote as the possibility of me working overnights on Christmas eve. Very exciting news indeed!
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Funyuns vs. Responsibilityuns
Well, I got the job at the Asthma and Allergy clinic. For some reason I tend to interview well. I just don't tend to get overly nervous I guess. Who knows? If I had a secret that I could sell, believe me I would. I just tend to get the jobs if I can get some face time.
The job itself could not be a better fit to my interests (or maladies for that matter). Hard to say if it will ultimately work out in the long run (the only way to find out is to start really), but I had a chance to talk with the nurses without the doctor around and they were raving about her. They both had experience working at hospitals before and did not enjoy it (one in a PICU, the other in a general med/surg) and have found contentment at the clinic working for this particular doctor. They spoke very highly of the learning opportunities there as well and seemed thrilled to have me on board. Then I spoke with the doctor and she was very pleasant as well. She has an impressive resume and seems genuine in her desire to train up her staff to act as not just nurses, but practitioners. Evidently she is quite specialized and has people who fly in from all over the country to seek her care. As a bonus, I was promised no diaper changes or colostomy bags and free allergy shots to boot! Oh yeah, and holidays off.
Tia is pretty upset with me about the move. She feels like she wasn't consulted and that I just did what I wanted to do without thinking about the ramifications. I understand and cannot legitimately argue the point, but it just kind of who I am. I tend to be ruled more by emotion than practicality. It is why I would be the one most likely to drop everything to go to nursing school and she would be the one to make sure I saw the idea through. We usually balance each other out well. However, in this situation, I wish she had the confidence in me to find my way and not leave her holding the financial bag so to speak and she no doubt wishes I would be less capricious and not cause us undo financial stress by finding alternative employment prior to letting go of my current job. Ultimately, I know I am being selfish by thinking about my happiness and putting that as primary above all else. I need to think more in terms of 'us' now that I am married. It is just a hard transition to make. She is more practical and is being selfish in her own right by thinking about the money that I will be losing by not working at a hospital rather than my general discontent. Hopefully it ends up being one of those painful learning opportunities that will be to both our benefit.
The whole thing, for some absurd reason, makes me think of an Onion article about snack foods. Feel free to read up as well: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28574
I have to deal with my decision tomorrow with WF. I dread it of course, but I need to do what I need to do.
Start Thursday at the clinic. Posts to follow shortly.
The job itself could not be a better fit to my interests (or maladies for that matter). Hard to say if it will ultimately work out in the long run (the only way to find out is to start really), but I had a chance to talk with the nurses without the doctor around and they were raving about her. They both had experience working at hospitals before and did not enjoy it (one in a PICU, the other in a general med/surg) and have found contentment at the clinic working for this particular doctor. They spoke very highly of the learning opportunities there as well and seemed thrilled to have me on board. Then I spoke with the doctor and she was very pleasant as well. She has an impressive resume and seems genuine in her desire to train up her staff to act as not just nurses, but practitioners. Evidently she is quite specialized and has people who fly in from all over the country to seek her care. As a bonus, I was promised no diaper changes or colostomy bags and free allergy shots to boot! Oh yeah, and holidays off.
Tia is pretty upset with me about the move. She feels like she wasn't consulted and that I just did what I wanted to do without thinking about the ramifications. I understand and cannot legitimately argue the point, but it just kind of who I am. I tend to be ruled more by emotion than practicality. It is why I would be the one most likely to drop everything to go to nursing school and she would be the one to make sure I saw the idea through. We usually balance each other out well. However, in this situation, I wish she had the confidence in me to find my way and not leave her holding the financial bag so to speak and she no doubt wishes I would be less capricious and not cause us undo financial stress by finding alternative employment prior to letting go of my current job. Ultimately, I know I am being selfish by thinking about my happiness and putting that as primary above all else. I need to think more in terms of 'us' now that I am married. It is just a hard transition to make. She is more practical and is being selfish in her own right by thinking about the money that I will be losing by not working at a hospital rather than my general discontent. Hopefully it ends up being one of those painful learning opportunities that will be to both our benefit.
The whole thing, for some absurd reason, makes me think of an Onion article about snack foods. Feel free to read up as well: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28574
I have to deal with my decision tomorrow with WF. I dread it of course, but I need to do what I need to do.
Start Thursday at the clinic. Posts to follow shortly.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Tossing cookies (those with delicate sensibilities are forewarned)
Well, today was the day. I knew it would happen sooner or later and it finally did........I lost my lunch (both figuratively and, later, literally). I was assigned with a patient with a colostomy bag and I had to empty it. The process of emptying the colostomy bag was not unlike the process of emptying the toothpaste from the tube except replace toothpaste with, well you get the general idea. Suffice to say, for me and my own sensitive stomach regarding all things fecal (just typing this is exercising my gag reflex and sending cool shivers down my spine), it was a quick trip to the bathroom as soon as I was finished.
It wasn't for another hour plus that I went to lunch, still queasy from my experience. I thought that putting something in my stomach might prove advantageous and settle the gastrointestinal tumult. Alas, thinking has never been a strong suit. I quickly found myself praying to the porcelain gods yet again. I spent the next 15 minutes outside under a tree wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into.
What does all this mean? Hard to say. I know there are many many aspects to nursing that I truly love and feel very competent in. I am good with patients, alaris pumps, and medication calculations. I work well with walkie-talkies. I am far less comfortable with ADL care (inclusive of the aforementioned poo) for the bedridden and incontinent which, unfortunately, encompasses a fair amount of the work done at this particular hospital. They never have enough CNAs (and sometimes none at all) and so the tasks normally assigned them (see ADL care above) are within the common purview of the nurses. It is unfortunate and unpleasant. I would not mind (well, I would mind some, but not nearly enough to justify a change in position) if the instances of ADL care were occasional rather than routine......but I wouldn't be concerned enough to write about it were that the case.
I am actively seeking other employment and just as vigorously debating whether or not to continue my employment with WF into tomorrow, let alone until I find something else. I know that my patient, and her colostomy, await. My stomach is churning just thinking about it.
It wasn't for another hour plus that I went to lunch, still queasy from my experience. I thought that putting something in my stomach might prove advantageous and settle the gastrointestinal tumult. Alas, thinking has never been a strong suit. I quickly found myself praying to the porcelain gods yet again. I spent the next 15 minutes outside under a tree wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into.
What does all this mean? Hard to say. I know there are many many aspects to nursing that I truly love and feel very competent in. I am good with patients, alaris pumps, and medication calculations. I work well with walkie-talkies. I am far less comfortable with ADL care (inclusive of the aforementioned poo) for the bedridden and incontinent which, unfortunately, encompasses a fair amount of the work done at this particular hospital. They never have enough CNAs (and sometimes none at all) and so the tasks normally assigned them (see ADL care above) are within the common purview of the nurses. It is unfortunate and unpleasant. I would not mind (well, I would mind some, but not nearly enough to justify a change in position) if the instances of ADL care were occasional rather than routine......but I wouldn't be concerned enough to write about it were that the case.
I am actively seeking other employment and just as vigorously debating whether or not to continue my employment with WF into tomorrow, let alone until I find something else. I know that my patient, and her colostomy, await. My stomach is churning just thinking about it.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
hmmm.........interesting
It is really REALLY nice to have a day off today after having the most hellacious day I have been a part of in school or out of it on Tuesday (granted, it isn't a great breadth of experience). It is hard to explain, other than that everyone has had THAT day at some, or multiple, points in their lives. It seemed like no matter what small problem was taken care of, another one (or two or three) took its place. Even simple tasks like pushing a med through an IV line ended up taking hours as veins collapsed or IV lines were no longer patent (both on the same patient at different times during the day). For every patient awaiting discharge, two more were returning from surgery. Amidst it all there are mountains of paperwork that, somehow, you are supposed to be able to complete. I can see it on 1 patient or 2........but how you manage it on 4 or 5 is beyond me. I am guessing things aren't always entirely thorough. Just a guess.
Scrub shopping as a man is.........well, like regular shopping as a man. Most stores are 90-95% women's clothing, which are more elaborate, made with seemingly more high quality materials, and are infinitely more aesthetically pleasing. I am not asking for something with ridiculous flair or inventiveness, but it is kind of a bummer that my only options are solid colors with either 1 or 3 pockets. Couldn't they be punched up with some designs from Nike or Adidas or something? Women's scrubs are designed by Baby Phat and Grey's Anatomy to name a few. Men's scrubs look like they were designed in 1962 by a 3rd grader with remedial drawing skills and the 8 color Crayola pack and they called it done. I am just saying.
I had an interesting call today. A clinic that deals with Asthma and allergy patients called about a resume I submitted. I have an interview Tuesday of next week. Hmmm..........interesting. Having both conditions, I am acutely interested. The job will likely pay less, but afford more regular hours (translation: 5 days a week when people who don't live off of the blood of other people are awake). I will find out more on Tuesday and will, of course, post about it. In the meantime, it at least affords me something to mull over as I spend 4 of the next 6 days in the hospital and try to get a stronger feel for whether or not it is the kind of place I want to call home, or if it was just a place to pass through on my journey.
Scrub shopping as a man is.........well, like regular shopping as a man. Most stores are 90-95% women's clothing, which are more elaborate, made with seemingly more high quality materials, and are infinitely more aesthetically pleasing. I am not asking for something with ridiculous flair or inventiveness, but it is kind of a bummer that my only options are solid colors with either 1 or 3 pockets. Couldn't they be punched up with some designs from Nike or Adidas or something? Women's scrubs are designed by Baby Phat and Grey's Anatomy to name a few. Men's scrubs look like they were designed in 1962 by a 3rd grader with remedial drawing skills and the 8 color Crayola pack and they called it done. I am just saying.
I had an interesting call today. A clinic that deals with Asthma and allergy patients called about a resume I submitted. I have an interview Tuesday of next week. Hmmm..........interesting. Having both conditions, I am acutely interested. The job will likely pay less, but afford more regular hours (translation: 5 days a week when people who don't live off of the blood of other people are awake). I will find out more on Tuesday and will, of course, post about it. In the meantime, it at least affords me something to mull over as I spend 4 of the next 6 days in the hospital and try to get a stronger feel for whether or not it is the kind of place I want to call home, or if it was just a place to pass through on my journey.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Warm & Fuzzy
Just wanted to give a brief and sincere shout out to everyone who reads this blog and was able to make it out to our Portland reception. It was so wonderful to see everyone and my only regret is that I didn't have more time to spend talking with everyone individually. A special thank you to my mother-in-law Diane who was one of the chief orchestrators of the day from arranging the food to prep and clean up. Another special thank you to everyone who was there early to help set-up and those who stayed late to help clean up. Everyone pitched in to make it a wonderful day. It makes me feel all wamr and fuzzy to know that so many people carved time out of their schedules to celebrate with us.
My blogging has been a bit, well, patchwork of late. Owing to family visits, my new job, and the fact that my laptop needs a defibrillator or an exorcism. I think it is on the way to the laptop graveyard. I had hoped to at least sell it to pay for a bit of whatever I buy (have Apple Macbook taste, but have low end Gateway money), but now I will be lucky to salvage anything from it. I am still awaiting word from Costco, but the situation looks grim. Then again, the last time I thought that I still managed to pass the NCLEX.
The new job: what to say? what to say? Where to start might be more appropriate. The first day was as terrifying and chaotic as my first day in nursing school. At least I am getting paid instead of the other way around though. Willamette Falls does not operate like other hospitals I have been exposed to. Most hospitals have a very defined start-up process and it flows in a distinctly linear fashion. Spend 'x' number of days learning hospital policies. Spend 'x' number of days learning nursing policies. Spend 'x' number of days on skill and equipment training. Then, and only then, do you go to the floor to start your mentorship. Not so at WF. They sporadically, and seemingly haphazardly, orient new grads to both hospital and nursing policies and equipment. I am not sure the theory behind it, but I suppose it could be effective if you have fundamentally sound preceptors who are effective teachers. If not, well......it could be a long hard road.
Day 1 was spent on the unit. I was paired with a nurse who was not supposed to be paired with me per se. Unfortunately, the nurse I was supposed to be paired with was out for whatever reason. Not to denigrate the job performance of the nurse I did work with, but she was clearly not a teacher, but rather a doer. I found myself bounding along behind her like a duckling following its mom. I had no idea where anything was. I had no time to look over charts. I had no clue how to work a majority of the equipment and I still have no idea what exactly the nurses role is at WF (they were short CNAs and a lot of the normal CNA duties fell to the nurse from what I could gather..........which meant that, to my chagrin, it was not a poop free day). Hopefully this will come into focus much like when they are flipping lenses at the optometrist (usually that analogy, right now I would be the equivalent of blindfolded......in a cave.........during the winter months at the north pole. Things aren't fuzzy or blurry, they just aren't period).
Day 2 was a new grad class. It was fortuitous that I had one early on. They taught us how to use the phones, log on to the computer, and access some basic services for patients. Some people had been there for better than 6-8 weeks without such training. Makes me wonder what I won't be learning until I am there that long. Hopefully nothing critical. In the meantime, I will just try to keep my head above water. I will keep everyone as posted as I can.
I am off to Ambien dreams. Nothing like an EARLY Monday morning to make me damn near tear up in joy (wait, I meant misery not joy). Cannot wait until I start working the swing shift. Sweet sweet slumber.
Wish me a poop free day if you think about it.
My blogging has been a bit, well, patchwork of late. Owing to family visits, my new job, and the fact that my laptop needs a defibrillator or an exorcism. I think it is on the way to the laptop graveyard. I had hoped to at least sell it to pay for a bit of whatever I buy (have Apple Macbook taste, but have low end Gateway money), but now I will be lucky to salvage anything from it. I am still awaiting word from Costco, but the situation looks grim. Then again, the last time I thought that I still managed to pass the NCLEX.
The new job: what to say? what to say? Where to start might be more appropriate. The first day was as terrifying and chaotic as my first day in nursing school. At least I am getting paid instead of the other way around though. Willamette Falls does not operate like other hospitals I have been exposed to. Most hospitals have a very defined start-up process and it flows in a distinctly linear fashion. Spend 'x' number of days learning hospital policies. Spend 'x' number of days learning nursing policies. Spend 'x' number of days on skill and equipment training. Then, and only then, do you go to the floor to start your mentorship. Not so at WF. They sporadically, and seemingly haphazardly, orient new grads to both hospital and nursing policies and equipment. I am not sure the theory behind it, but I suppose it could be effective if you have fundamentally sound preceptors who are effective teachers. If not, well......it could be a long hard road.
Day 1 was spent on the unit. I was paired with a nurse who was not supposed to be paired with me per se. Unfortunately, the nurse I was supposed to be paired with was out for whatever reason. Not to denigrate the job performance of the nurse I did work with, but she was clearly not a teacher, but rather a doer. I found myself bounding along behind her like a duckling following its mom. I had no idea where anything was. I had no time to look over charts. I had no clue how to work a majority of the equipment and I still have no idea what exactly the nurses role is at WF (they were short CNAs and a lot of the normal CNA duties fell to the nurse from what I could gather..........which meant that, to my chagrin, it was not a poop free day). Hopefully this will come into focus much like when they are flipping lenses at the optometrist (usually that analogy, right now I would be the equivalent of blindfolded......in a cave.........during the winter months at the north pole. Things aren't fuzzy or blurry, they just aren't period).
Day 2 was a new grad class. It was fortuitous that I had one early on. They taught us how to use the phones, log on to the computer, and access some basic services for patients. Some people had been there for better than 6-8 weeks without such training. Makes me wonder what I won't be learning until I am there that long. Hopefully nothing critical. In the meantime, I will just try to keep my head above water. I will keep everyone as posted as I can.
I am off to Ambien dreams. Nothing like an EARLY Monday morning to make me damn near tear up in joy (wait, I meant misery not joy). Cannot wait until I start working the swing shift. Sweet sweet slumber.
Wish me a poop free day if you think about it.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Work
I finally made a decision on Friday, and decided that I would prefer to work at a smaller hospital with less acuity and a more communal (hopefully) feel. Plus, it was closer and, much to my shock since I had been led to believe otherwise, it paid more. I was aided on this decision mostly by my mother-in-law who (and is this kismet?) happened to speak to a nurse that not only worked for the hospital I chose (Willamette Falls), but also used to work for the one I did not opt for (Salem). Her opinion was that WF was the better choice and the better environment. Of course, as the saying goes, "opinions are like assholes, everyone has one." So, her opinion could be biased (maybe she got fired from Salem or found it overwhelming) or it could be objective (maybe WF is truly superior), but either way it was incredibly fortuitous and definitely tipped the scales.
I went and filled out background check info on Wednesday. Peed in a cup on Friday (and then proceeded to get ridiculously sloshed at a happy hour). Got called on Monday to come in Tuesday (today). Start work on Thursday. Will be freaking out tomorrow most likely (right after I buy some scrubs that is, since I have only two pair of pants presently).
The hospital's orientation is unlike any that I have seen. It is not structured in a linear manner. Typically there is an orientation to the hospital for a few days followed by a unit orientation followed by a going to the floor. At WF, I will spend Thursday shadowing on the floor, Friday I do a hospital training, and then Monday I am back on the floor. I spend most of the next 8 weeks on the unit, with a few days sprinkled in of hospital orientation and nursing orientation. Time to knock of the rust and put on a good show. Hope I'm not supposed to actually 'know' much :)
I will write more as I know more (and if my laptop can be brought back from the dead). In the meantime, wish me luck. I am wishing the same for all my cohorts who are starting out as well.
I went and filled out background check info on Wednesday. Peed in a cup on Friday (and then proceeded to get ridiculously sloshed at a happy hour). Got called on Monday to come in Tuesday (today). Start work on Thursday. Will be freaking out tomorrow most likely (right after I buy some scrubs that is, since I have only two pair of pants presently).
The hospital's orientation is unlike any that I have seen. It is not structured in a linear manner. Typically there is an orientation to the hospital for a few days followed by a unit orientation followed by a going to the floor. At WF, I will spend Thursday shadowing on the floor, Friday I do a hospital training, and then Monday I am back on the floor. I spend most of the next 8 weeks on the unit, with a few days sprinkled in of hospital orientation and nursing orientation. Time to knock of the rust and put on a good show. Hope I'm not supposed to actually 'know' much :)
I will write more as I know more (and if my laptop can be brought back from the dead). In the meantime, wish me luck. I am wishing the same for all my cohorts who are starting out as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)