Miscellaneous Stuff

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.