Miscellaneous Item #1: The Micro Exam. Somehow, I earned another 'A'. Yay for that, because I didn't feel like I had mastered the material ahead of time. Once again, I felt really good about the basics but not the details. My studying was apparently successful, however, so I'm moving on to focusing entirely on my nursing texts these last few weeks before the semester starts.
Item #2: Diet. I have a lot of product left over from when I attempted Optifast before my wedding, and it's expensive... Not one to like to see things go to waste, I've decided to use it up and see if I can lose some weight in the process. Since I had a "last hurrah" with the pastries from King's Hawaiian last week, I feel ready. It's now day 5 on approximately 800 calories per day, and so far so good. I suppose I shouldn't be doing it on my own (it's supposed to be medically supervised), but there weren't any issues last time around. Also, I'm modifying the diet by adding/substituting vegetables... and I know that I need to be aware of and heed any warning signs that my electrolytes are out of balance. Hey, I work on a tele floor... I know exactly how different electrolyte imbalances affect the heart. It's my area of expertise! So I'm not too worried about that.
Item #3: California City. Yesterday, the LA Times featured a story on a planned development in Kern County that never materialized. It's way out beyond Palmdale/Lancaster, in the brutally hot and unforgiving desert. The developer was sure it would be the next big thing, so there are acres of roads and utilities but no homes. An architect quoted in the article called it a great folly, and I suppose it is... But as I read the article, I immediately thought of my Airstream. Isn't this exactly what I've been talking about?! Inexpensive land (with utilities, no less) where I can park the Airstream? Lots can be had for as little as $2500. Perhaps it's crazy, but I'm intrigued. It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive from my home, but that sure beats the 13 hour drive to Oregon. And while I don't exactly love the heat and barrenness of the desert, there is something compelling about it. If nothing else, it's a great place for stargazing. I can imagine placing one of those easily fabricated metal garages on a lot with city utilities. The Airstream would be secure from theft and vandalism, and my husband and I could camp there and work on restoration on occasion. It's not something I can realistically do right now, but I like the idea. The longer the Airstream sits in rainy Oregon, the more abuse it will suffer. A sad fate for an American icon. I wonder how much property taxes are in California City? It can't be much.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Still Waiting
I haven't heard if I've been approved for the union-sponsored loan stipend program yet. This program reduces an employees' hours from 40 to 32, while maintaining their full-time status and pay. What a gift that would be!
As of right now, I am planning to continue as a full-time night shift Monitor Technician. Financially, it isn't feasible to do otherwise. I can't imagine that I won't be able to do both, simply because my job is so uninvolved. There is a lot of down-time during which I can (and do) study.
Today I submitted a request for schedule change to the staffing office. I'm requesting to waive my alternating weekends off and instead have Wednesday and Thursday nights off each week. This is imperative for me to make it to clinicals on time Thursday and Friday mornings (I'll need to be there around 6:00 am- normally I don't get off from work until 8:00 am). If I'm approved for the loan stipend program, I will also take Sunday nights off.
Either way, it's going to be tough, but it's doable. I need to maintain my full time status because it enables me to make the second mortgage on our house (in addition to all my other miscellaneous bills). If I went to part-time, not only would I lose hours but I would lose my benefits... Benefits that, because I'm insured through my husband, I'm able to waive for a 20% increase in pay. That 20%, along with the shift differential that I get by working nights, really makes a difference.
Going to part-time would place a huge financial burden on my husband, who already pays the bulk of our expenses. So it's a no-go.
My fingers are crossed about the loan stipend program and the requested schedule change. So far in this process, everything has been falling into place, so I'm cautiously optimistic that it will work out.. But I know there's no guarantee.
I've definitely been feeling the stress of the uncertainty these last few weeks. I've even taken the step of restarting one of the antidepressant medications that I gave up last year in order to prepare for the possibility of becoming pregnant. Since that's on the back burner for now, it seemed like a good idea to restart. I've been so conflicted about delaying conception of a child even longer, not to mention conflicted about the idea of being a nursing student again, some 14 years after not completing a similar program. I found my emotional stability was starting to slip, and I can't let that happen. Perhaps it's the placebo effect, but one week into the new medication regimen, I feel much better. I'm thankful for that.
This is a trying time, but also an exciting one. Knowing that this journey will be tough and will require stamina and sacrifice adds to the thrill of it. I don't like an unending daily grind... I need to be stimulated with challenges, I need to be working towards goals. Ultimately this is going to be very, very good for me!
As of right now, I am planning to continue as a full-time night shift Monitor Technician. Financially, it isn't feasible to do otherwise. I can't imagine that I won't be able to do both, simply because my job is so uninvolved. There is a lot of down-time during which I can (and do) study.
Today I submitted a request for schedule change to the staffing office. I'm requesting to waive my alternating weekends off and instead have Wednesday and Thursday nights off each week. This is imperative for me to make it to clinicals on time Thursday and Friday mornings (I'll need to be there around 6:00 am- normally I don't get off from work until 8:00 am). If I'm approved for the loan stipend program, I will also take Sunday nights off.
Either way, it's going to be tough, but it's doable. I need to maintain my full time status because it enables me to make the second mortgage on our house (in addition to all my other miscellaneous bills). If I went to part-time, not only would I lose hours but I would lose my benefits... Benefits that, because I'm insured through my husband, I'm able to waive for a 20% increase in pay. That 20%, along with the shift differential that I get by working nights, really makes a difference.
Going to part-time would place a huge financial burden on my husband, who already pays the bulk of our expenses. So it's a no-go.
My fingers are crossed about the loan stipend program and the requested schedule change. So far in this process, everything has been falling into place, so I'm cautiously optimistic that it will work out.. But I know there's no guarantee.
I've definitely been feeling the stress of the uncertainty these last few weeks. I've even taken the step of restarting one of the antidepressant medications that I gave up last year in order to prepare for the possibility of becoming pregnant. Since that's on the back burner for now, it seemed like a good idea to restart. I've been so conflicted about delaying conception of a child even longer, not to mention conflicted about the idea of being a nursing student again, some 14 years after not completing a similar program. I found my emotional stability was starting to slip, and I can't let that happen. Perhaps it's the placebo effect, but one week into the new medication regimen, I feel much better. I'm thankful for that.
This is a trying time, but also an exciting one. Knowing that this journey will be tough and will require stamina and sacrifice adds to the thrill of it. I don't like an unending daily grind... I need to be stimulated with challenges, I need to be working towards goals. Ultimately this is going to be very, very good for me!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Serendipity
This morning after work I had to stop off at my doctor's office to pick up the form she completed after conducting my Physical Exam for the Nursing Program. I had the PE last week, but she needed some lead time to fill it out properly. I'm never in the mood to run errands after work, but the thought of having the form in my possession and being that much closer to ticking another item off of my pre-school checklist got the best of me. And maybe I was in a pretty good mood to start with this morning... I found out my request for two vacation days (for the trip to Oregon) was approved. That in and of itself is a very good thing, since I already have a plane ticket!
So off to the doctor's office I went, and lucky for me it was uneventful. I didn't have to wait long in the waiting area, and once I had the form in my possession, I carefully looked it over and it seems to be filled out properly. Oh happy day (the Nursing instructors were very particular about this at the orientation for the program- they must have devoted a full hour to the topic!).
I hopped in my car and was cruising along uneventfully when suddenly it occurred to me that I would be driving right past King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant. I contemplated stopping, but wasn't sure... Then the light turned red at the street you turn in on, and my decision was made (and this was my serendipitous moment- for my heart if not for my waistline!). I pulled into the parking lot, scampered into the bakery, and got lost in the heaven in front of me for several minutes. Finally, I made my selection, paid at the register, scampered back out to my car, and headed for home.
I couldn't resist pulling out my treats along the way, and I must say I chose well! The grand prize: A walnut roll. Think flaky crust, gooey honey, and a generous pile of chopped nuts bedded into the layers. Mmmmmm! The perfect sticky, sweet concoction. I also had an impossibly moist muffin... Yum! The best part, perhaps, was the goofy smile I couldn't erase from my face, the smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth and wouldn't go away. I'm not sure if the smile had more to do with the joy of an unexpected treat or the mischievous feeling that swept over me, knowing that my husband would not approve. I suspect it was a combination of the two... Shame on me!
So off to the doctor's office I went, and lucky for me it was uneventful. I didn't have to wait long in the waiting area, and once I had the form in my possession, I carefully looked it over and it seems to be filled out properly. Oh happy day (the Nursing instructors were very particular about this at the orientation for the program- they must have devoted a full hour to the topic!).
I hopped in my car and was cruising along uneventfully when suddenly it occurred to me that I would be driving right past King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant. I contemplated stopping, but wasn't sure... Then the light turned red at the street you turn in on, and my decision was made (and this was my serendipitous moment- for my heart if not for my waistline!). I pulled into the parking lot, scampered into the bakery, and got lost in the heaven in front of me for several minutes. Finally, I made my selection, paid at the register, scampered back out to my car, and headed for home.
I couldn't resist pulling out my treats along the way, and I must say I chose well! The grand prize: A walnut roll. Think flaky crust, gooey honey, and a generous pile of chopped nuts bedded into the layers. Mmmmmm! The perfect sticky, sweet concoction. I also had an impossibly moist muffin... Yum! The best part, perhaps, was the goofy smile I couldn't erase from my face, the smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth and wouldn't go away. I'm not sure if the smile had more to do with the joy of an unexpected treat or the mischievous feeling that swept over me, knowing that my husband would not approve. I suspect it was a combination of the two... Shame on me!
Hoarding
Hoarding: What is it, exactly? When I tire of studying or staring at the heart monitors at work, I fish around and can usually find a magazine or two that the day shift staff has left behind. My latest read, a few days ago, was a Time Magazine piece about hoarding. I had to read it, because my husband is convinced that I'm a hoarder.
Apparently, there are a few cable TV shows on the air right now that are devoted to the issue, and per the magazine article, there is a push among psychiatric professionals for hoarding to become an official diagnosis in the DSM. Fascinating stuff.
I don't consider myself to be afflicted with this disorder (officially recognized as such or not), but I do have a hard time letting go sometimes. I don't have sky-high piles of papers stacked around the house, nor do I collect trash... Well... Actually, I do have a few small stacks of magazines and books on the floor in the two spare bedrooms, and I have a really hard time disposing of receipts, but that's less due to some weird emotional attachment and more because I want to compare them with my bank statements and make sure everything checks out. Eventually. When I have the time to get around to it. As for the magazine articles, I just hate to see valuable information go to waste. Who knows, one of those recipes in a Sunset magazine might just become my signature dish (if I ever really take up cooking in earnest).
So ok, maybe I do have a problem!
Apparently, there are a few cable TV shows on the air right now that are devoted to the issue, and per the magazine article, there is a push among psychiatric professionals for hoarding to become an official diagnosis in the DSM. Fascinating stuff.
I don't consider myself to be afflicted with this disorder (officially recognized as such or not), but I do have a hard time letting go sometimes. I don't have sky-high piles of papers stacked around the house, nor do I collect trash... Well... Actually, I do have a few small stacks of magazines and books on the floor in the two spare bedrooms, and I have a really hard time disposing of receipts, but that's less due to some weird emotional attachment and more because I want to compare them with my bank statements and make sure everything checks out. Eventually. When I have the time to get around to it. As for the magazine articles, I just hate to see valuable information go to waste. Who knows, one of those recipes in a Sunset magazine might just become my signature dish (if I ever really take up cooking in earnest).
So ok, maybe I do have a problem!
Hula Hooping For What Ails Ya
I'm excited. I've been coveting an ice-cream maker (currently on sale at Williams-Sonoma) but my husband has pretty much vetoed the idea... Can't say I blame him. He doesn't eat desserts-- yes, seriously. No wonder he's so trim. Plus he worries about my health. I do, too. But I got a refund for something last week, so I've been in a "spendy" mood... If not the ice cream maker, then what? (Weird how that works- I don't have any extra money, not really, but getting the refund made me feel suddenly wealthy). Anyhow, I finally settled on something to buy- a weighted hula hoop! Yee ha! Let the good times roll!
It all started on a mother-daughter weekend a few years back. We went to Ojai. We were sitting in the park, enjoying live musicians, when suddenly a group of women wheeled out a giant cart laden with what appeared to be home-made hula hoops. They started dancing with them, and it was quite a sight. Before long, hula hoops were flying off the cart, as men, women, and kids got in on the action. I must say, I was mesmerized! Later that day, I purchased a hula hoop from the local toy store (one of those tiny, bean-filled numbers with the pink stripes), but found it impossible to keep up on my hips.
I was determined, however. As soon as the trip was over, I got to work researching on the internet, and discovered that there's an entire movement of adults hula hooping for fitness and fun- it's called "hoop dancing." Awesome! Apparently, the child hoops are too small and light to be of much use for an adult. I bulked mine up with layers of duct-tape, and it helped, but it was still not very effective. So I kept searching the web and soon I found instructions on a website called "Jason Unbound" for making an adult sized hoop. I immediately went out and bought supplies, including a jumbo roll of irrigation tubing and colorful electrical tape, but I couldn't find one key piece (a plastic coupling that holds the two ends of the tubing together). So for many months now, the supplies have sat in the garage, gathering dust and undoubtedly annoying my ever-patient husband.
Yesterday, I decided it was time to make the hoops (I have enough tubing for eight of them!). I got on the internet and found a source for the couplings. They're 65 cents each- what a deal! But shipping on my order was going to run $10. So I moused on over to Amazon, and found a nifty weighted model in rainbow colors for $29. I still plan to make my own, but I refuse to pay exorbitant shipping fees--- I'll find a local source for the couplings. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to the joy of hooping, and maybe toning my tummy in the process (it's quite the workout, believe it or not!).
It all started on a mother-daughter weekend a few years back. We went to Ojai. We were sitting in the park, enjoying live musicians, when suddenly a group of women wheeled out a giant cart laden with what appeared to be home-made hula hoops. They started dancing with them, and it was quite a sight. Before long, hula hoops were flying off the cart, as men, women, and kids got in on the action. I must say, I was mesmerized! Later that day, I purchased a hula hoop from the local toy store (one of those tiny, bean-filled numbers with the pink stripes), but found it impossible to keep up on my hips.
I was determined, however. As soon as the trip was over, I got to work researching on the internet, and discovered that there's an entire movement of adults hula hooping for fitness and fun- it's called "hoop dancing." Awesome! Apparently, the child hoops are too small and light to be of much use for an adult. I bulked mine up with layers of duct-tape, and it helped, but it was still not very effective. So I kept searching the web and soon I found instructions on a website called "Jason Unbound" for making an adult sized hoop. I immediately went out and bought supplies, including a jumbo roll of irrigation tubing and colorful electrical tape, but I couldn't find one key piece (a plastic coupling that holds the two ends of the tubing together). So for many months now, the supplies have sat in the garage, gathering dust and undoubtedly annoying my ever-patient husband.
Yesterday, I decided it was time to make the hoops (I have enough tubing for eight of them!). I got on the internet and found a source for the couplings. They're 65 cents each- what a deal! But shipping on my order was going to run $10. So I moused on over to Amazon, and found a nifty weighted model in rainbow colors for $29. I still plan to make my own, but I refuse to pay exorbitant shipping fees--- I'll find a local source for the couplings. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to the joy of hooping, and maybe toning my tummy in the process (it's quite the workout, believe it or not!).
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Pre-School Freak Out?
So as the weeks tick by and the impending semester approaches ever more rapidly, I have to ask myself, "Am I freaking out?"!
Maybe. It seems like when I go online these days, I spend an inordinate amount of time looking at parcels of land upon which I can park my Airstream trailer (which, I must confess, has barely registered a mental blip for the past several years, and now suddenly seems vitally important to my overall well-being).
Clearly I'm getting distracted from reality, so what gives?
It is definitely school. It's something I just don't want to do right now. I look around at the nurses I work with, and I can't say that I'm at all excited. Post RN studies do excite me, but what I observe on a daily basis really isn't the end all to be all. I'm worried that I won't be able to stomach it for two years. It seems like drudgery... But I can't get past it unless I jump in with both feet.
I'm glad I gave City Planning a whirl... It's something I thought I'd be good at, but I was SO wrong... I don't have a political bone in my body. My brain was suited for it, but my personality wasn't. Sadly, I think that's the reality for a lot of things that interest me- my personality doesn't gel. I wish it did sometimes, but I am who I am. There's no changing that.
Case in point: I've always day dreamed about being an entrepreneur. I'm not averse to hard work, especially if the overall vision that directs me is internally derived. But so much of entrepreneurship is the give and take that occurs with clients, AKA "People Pleasing"... Something that frankly bores me most of the time.
Entry level nursing seems to require a lot of this sort of thing... God help me! I can do it, but it isn't who I am. It will be a stretch.
Maybe. It seems like when I go online these days, I spend an inordinate amount of time looking at parcels of land upon which I can park my Airstream trailer (which, I must confess, has barely registered a mental blip for the past several years, and now suddenly seems vitally important to my overall well-being).
Clearly I'm getting distracted from reality, so what gives?
It is definitely school. It's something I just don't want to do right now. I look around at the nurses I work with, and I can't say that I'm at all excited. Post RN studies do excite me, but what I observe on a daily basis really isn't the end all to be all. I'm worried that I won't be able to stomach it for two years. It seems like drudgery... But I can't get past it unless I jump in with both feet.
I'm glad I gave City Planning a whirl... It's something I thought I'd be good at, but I was SO wrong... I don't have a political bone in my body. My brain was suited for it, but my personality wasn't. Sadly, I think that's the reality for a lot of things that interest me- my personality doesn't gel. I wish it did sometimes, but I am who I am. There's no changing that.
Case in point: I've always day dreamed about being an entrepreneur. I'm not averse to hard work, especially if the overall vision that directs me is internally derived. But so much of entrepreneurship is the give and take that occurs with clients, AKA "People Pleasing"... Something that frankly bores me most of the time.
Entry level nursing seems to require a lot of this sort of thing... God help me! I can do it, but it isn't who I am. It will be a stretch.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Airstream on the Brain
In approximately 3 weeks, I'll be taking a trip with my sister to visit our mom in Oregon. I can't wait! I haven't had a trip in such a loooong time. Before we bought our house, my husband and I would occasionally take little mini-trips with our dogs to fun places like Santa Barbara... We did it in part to get away from a loud upstairs neighbor. These days, we have quiet and serenity in abundance... Our home is a wonderful retreat, and neither one of us has been particularly motivated to get away... That is, until now!
Knowing that I'm less than a month away from starting the nursing program has renewed my desire to take a vacation-- I have to do it while I can.
The reason my sister and I are heading up to Oregon is to attend a live showing of Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" with our mother.... All three of us are public radio fans and occasional listeners of the program, so when our mom found out that the the show would be taping at the outdoor concert venue not far from where she lives, she couldn't resist the opportunity to get tickets. Awesome!
A fringe benefit is that I get to visit my Airstream trailer. I'm so excited! I just spent $250 at Vintage Trailer Supply for "weather tighting" supplies, including silicone window glazing, two replacement window operators, and two ceiling vent covers. I don't know when I'll have time to work on it in the few days that I'll be there, but I'll do my best to make time!
Knowing that I'm less than a month away from starting the nursing program has renewed my desire to take a vacation-- I have to do it while I can.
The reason my sister and I are heading up to Oregon is to attend a live showing of Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" with our mother.... All three of us are public radio fans and occasional listeners of the program, so when our mom found out that the the show would be taping at the outdoor concert venue not far from where she lives, she couldn't resist the opportunity to get tickets. Awesome!
A fringe benefit is that I get to visit my Airstream trailer. I'm so excited! I just spent $250 at Vintage Trailer Supply for "weather tighting" supplies, including silicone window glazing, two replacement window operators, and two ceiling vent covers. I don't know when I'll have time to work on it in the few days that I'll be there, but I'll do my best to make time!
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