wow has it been awhile!

I have such a hard time writing in journals whether it be online or paper! blagh.... but I have so much news! I just got back from an amazing trip to Austin, TX to visit Chris and to get some moving details started! I went on 2 interviews with Dell Children's Medical Center- one in the heme/onc unit, one in the ED, and both were promising, just need to wait a littl longer! Chris and I decided on a place to live- his apartment community just in a larger apartment! It will be really easy to transfer his lease and move his stuff, and he knows the area already, so we are on a waiting list for a 2bedroom 2bathroom to open up! While I was there, Chris and I picked out our wedding bands and have them in layaway! double yayyy! they;re from Kay's, and the actual store he got my engagement ring from! Here's some pics...




and here's my engagement ring in case you didnt see or forgot!



Other wedding plans are going well! We have the reception hall picked out, just waiting on church final confirmation to put the deposit down! We have a few more cake tastings scheduled, but it's looking like it's going to be Tapp's Cake Emporium! yummmm we also have invitations, just need all the details so we can print them! I have my dress, my wedding jewelry, and my headpiece- still need shoes, veil, slip, garters... =) still need to pick out bridesmaids dresses, but at least know the color- cobalt blue, and fun green shoes! and wedding colors- cobalt blue and cypress/lime/grass green! have some flower ideas, but not positive yet on what exactly... going to use the hall centerpieces with some of our own added flair =) and we have our photographer- check out imagesbyjess.com! lots of details are falling into place, but the church really needs to get back to us because I'm starting to get worried! anyways, wedding plans are going well, and moving plans are going well- i cant believe it's so soon! the past year has really flown by quickly! i am really excited to start a new path of life in Austin with Chris and see what the world has to offer!

Itsa...wednesday? Really?

So, it's been a goooooood long while since I posted here, and I don't know how many are reading this, but here it is nonetheless!

Things have been going steady here-I've been way more busy with the drumline than I thought I would(even though I knew this would happen), and it's starting to cut into my practice time way more than I want it to(again, saw this coming). It's hard-this assistantship is the reason I'm here, yet it's intereferring with what I want to do here...sounds crazy, right? But, I wouldn't trade it for the world, cept the fact that Nikki isn't here yet. More on that later.

Recently starting reading a really good book about how social networking can really affect how your career runs. I've always kinda known this and heard it in the business classes I took in undergrad, but now that the big 'job search' is coming upon me quicker every day, it's about time I really start to get my name cemented and out there. So, I joined up with twitter, I'm going to revamp my facebook, and per the suggestion of Dr. Burritt(my percussion prof), I'm going to start a blog. Not a blog about daily stuff and what not(that's what I have this one for!), but about percussion and education and the like. I'm working out the details in my head still, but I want to run it in the direction of a discussion between young educators of my generation, who've yet to get that first teaching job, but need a place to start getting their ideas out there, or to bounce ideas off other people. Again, all early thoughts, but I'm excited about where it could lead(hopefully I'll actually do it!)

Aside from that, the only big bummer right now is the lack of Nikki being here. Chicago the past few years was hard, but at least we were able to see each other on a monthly basis. The next time I see her, it'll have been close to 3 months. 3 MONTHS. Crazy long amount of time to go without seeing someone you. I think that we've done good so far, but as of late it's started to get really hard. This last month here needs to fly by, or else we may go crazy! But, once I get home, I have a feeling that it will shape up to be a very memorable visit :)

That's all I got for now...time for class, then practice/rehearsal all day. No marching band today, so I'ma catch up on stuff, and with Doc out of town at PASIC, I'm gonna practice in his office the next few days. Score.

-Chris

itsa monday-nikki

today was interesting... good or bad interesting is left up for debate! im on vacay from the clinic, which is nice, because i have a week full of orientation for rainbow! today was corporate orientation day 1 which = sitting and listening to why UH hospitals are so awesome and why we're so lucky to work there... all day... shoot me now! it's amazing the rivalry between hospitals here- no one knew i was from the clinic or work there as my primary job, and there were little things here and there digging at the clinic from sooo many of the people there! i'm sorry, but last time i checked the clinic was a top ranked institution just like UH is, and is as large as UH is, and employs as many people in cleveland just like UH does.... if cleveland didnt have the clinic and UH, our economy situation would be SO much worse! i dont understand the digging at each other when we're all there to provide pt care and help people feel better- in addition to trying to stimulate our economy the only ways we can! i just had to bite my tongue with each comment, because there's good and bad each place, and the doctors and nurses who work in each place are human beings too, who have feelings and make mistakes and live lives just like our patients do... we are expected to be and act perfect, and to know everything, and i know we have lives at our hands, but it is the one industry with no room for mistakes which carrys a lot of responsibility and stress and feeling like needing to be absolutely perfect in everything! ok, sorry, got a little out of hand, lost my train of thought...

anyways, today was a monday- corporate orientation, got a vaccination record and successfully (i think) faxed it after 10 or so attempts, took my cat- hair filled comforter to the dry cleaners ($20 down the drain) and took a post-class diabetes test I almost forgot about (but if i pass i earn 16 CEUs! so im glad i remembered to take the class!) then i caught up on grays and flash forward, both amazing episodes but i think grays was sooo perfect, i scooped cat boxes, and stretched cuz i hurt my left hip somehow... (i really need to get to the gym) now im posting here and should be getting ready for bed soon! it is still sooo nice out- very comfortable and would be perfect sitting out and talking and drinking tea kinda night.... i miss my bf terribly- its only been 6.5 weeks since i last saw him and its going to be another 5 weeks, ughhh halfway through i guess but 5 weeks is a long time! i really cant wait for this to be over- this is soo hard! i really hope i can get my clinic and rainbow scheduled to mesh bc it will keep me busy enough for the time to fly (i hope!) and not drag- but who knows, it could drag too.... anyways, i miss him and need him in my life more than he is- we need it to be our time to grow and just be happy, but its not yet.... he's my best friend, and my future, and i want it to be now! ok, this is getting long and im just being whiney.... gnight world

update- nikki

not too much to write about- I start Rainbow orientation Monday- still trying to get some pieces together for it though like my TDAP immunization record and my N95 fit tested results (stupid Flu A requirement for the isolation those patients are on...) This week is my vacation week from the Clinic, so it worked out really well for half of the Rainbow orientation! The next week I'll be back at the Clinic- on nights, ick- and trying to work in 20 some hours of clinical time at Rainbow- no fun! BUT, this will be my life for the next 5 months, and I need to get used to it! other news- my grandma passed away Wednesday morning, funeral was yesterday. It was pretty unexpected even though she's been sick the past few years off and on. She always went into the hospital for one reason or another, and always came home- but not this time, well, she didnt come to OUR home, she went to God's home! It really was all surreal though- sick with asthma/flu/pneumonia for 2.5 weeks then gone forever.... wakes you up a little to make sure you're living every day as full and loving as possible because anything can happen! with that in mind, i headed out last night to the NR home playoff game which was really exciting the first half, then NR made lots of mistakes and lost... then I went out to Lakewood with Kamala, Sam, Mary B and Grace- we had an awesome time! stupid nikki move of the night- left my phone in Sam's car! she's going back to Il today so it was a mini crisis! but crisis averted! so now I'm going to shower and get ready for the day- lots to do- cleaning, laundry, and it's beautiful out so maybe a walk!

hacking up a lung cough-nikki

ugh- ive been sick the past few days with a cough that sounds like im coughing up a lung! no fever, and no feel like ive been run over by a bus- so i dont think its the flu. just some stupid cold. its hard to go to work because the cough is pretty uncontrollable and meds arent helping much. i worked a lot of OT last week- and felt great! was trying to see what working the rainbow job with mine might feel like- and it went well until i got sick and had to call off the last 12 i was scheduled- thus ruining my experiment and half the OT i should have gotten! owell- such if life i guess....... anyways, im just hanging out around home being completely and totally bored out of my mind!

its been awhile-nikki

Sorry for not getting on here for a few, I actually forgot about it, lol, that and I didn't have a very exciting week... I had an in-person interview for the Rainbow Babies PRN job on Friday the 16th, and it went ok- I thought I annwered all the questions really well, positive, and truthful! Then the clinical manager took me on a tour of the floor- which is HUGE and includes three separate halls of patient rooms- three stock rooms and three med rooms with a total of 33 patient beds... and I felt like she pushed me out the door after the tour! It was very undsettling. I still havent heard if I got the position or not, but I know that they ran my backround check and called my manager now and some references. I am ASSuming that all means I got the job, because why go through all that if it doesnt, but who knows. I hope I hear something very soon because I want to start planning for it! The uniforms there are anything goes, as long as it's kid friendly, so I need to buy some new scrubs as mine are all white, or Cleveland Clinic handprints right now... I've always been really excited to buy fun scrubs someday, but interestingly enough when I went looking to see what I might want I was completely overwhelmed! I really didnt know where to start! I know what pants I want bc I have a specific brand/style I like, but as far as tops and patterns and prints go, whoah! It's also going to be rather expensive bc with working 5 12s a week, I'm not going to be able to do laundry as often, so I need to get more than just 1 or 2 sets and I really dont want to be spending $$ on that right now with Xmas so close! So, fingers crossed I hear very soon!

On another note, Ive been trying to schedule an appointment at the Holiday Inn to see their banquet rooms for the past 5 weeks or so and no one has called me back yet! I personally went in to try to schedule it thefirst time, and called the second time, and no go yet. They don't reserve the room until 9 months before, so I actually have almost a year before I can reserve the room, but I at least want to see what its like and get more info so I can start deciding where we want to have the reception and just be prepared to put the deposit down when it's time! frustrating! Also, there's this BEAUTIFUL wedding dress at the Salvation Army of all places, and it's only $75 for a sweetheart strapless beaded gown with a chapel train and a veil and is in fabulous condition- but it's a size 4, and totally doesnt fit =( not to mention that I already have a wedding dress, but still, I really like this one... sigh...

Work has been work- working nightshift for the past who knows how long- it feels like forever! Has been going just ok- very busy lately, and TONS of H1N1 flu which means sticky hot noisy blue plastic gowns and suffocating face masks and eye shield and gloves and isolation for each patient room with a +Flu A result. We've had over half the floor on this kind of isolation for +Flu A (which means you very most likely have H1N1) and it's getting exhausting! Any kind of extended activity you need to do in all this isolation stuff like making a bed, gets you completely sweaty and gross! not to mention what it does to your hair- goodbye any kind of good hair day! I'm back on dayshift next week and the week after, then more nights, funfun... tonight is a really good crew though, and has been relatively enjoyable!

And last, but not least, after going to two clambakes and eating mussels twice at a bar- I really like mussels much much better than clams!

time to go check on my patients- peace!

interview- nikki

I am applying to a prn job at Rainbow babies and childrens hospital for their winter bonus program. They hire extra nurses during flu/rsv season, offer a premium rate of pay, and give a bonus at the end of the winter for completing the work requirement.

So, I had a phone interview today, and passed it so I have an in person interview on Friday! yay! The work requirement is 24hrs/week for 20weeks- starts Nov 30th and goes through April. That means I will be working 5- 12's (60+ hours a week) for 5 months straight! SHOOT ME NOW..... lol! BUT, it is an excellent $$ opportunity and experience opportunity! So I really hope this can work out and I can stay sane through it all! It looks like I will be working on either a peds pulmonary or peds cardiology floor... I will update after the Friday interview!