Mmmmm.....Wolverine

Is there anything quite as yummy as Hugh Jackman in black leather, except Hugh Jackman in jeans?

What a nice long weekend. We spent most of the weekend house sitting for my grandmother. That means cold A/C 24 hours a day, a swimming pool at our disposal, cable tv, and unlimited snacks. Like a hotel, except way better. Because, its free.

We chose not to have cable at home, because it would just cause us to watch more tv, or spend hours channel surfing trying to find something to watch.

Yesterday, I took Danielle out for her birthday. Cheesecake Factory and X-Men III. Totally different than what we had originally planned, but all so good. I enjoy spending time with her so much.

Tonight, studying. I have been very bad about studying this semester, mostly because I am not interested in psych nursing. So I really need to get on the ball. I got a lovely letter of recommendation from my med-surg clinical instructor. I am still waiting to hear from the hospital. Fingers crossed.

W. :)

Interview part I

So, the interview went well. The whole thing only took half an hour. I should hear back about a second interview with the nurse manager in a week. I am excited about it. My friend Kim has been doing this for half a year already, and has learned so much in that time.

I was so nervous going in. I always psych myself up going into interviews, and then I am totally calm once I get there.

Clinicals was quite the experience. The patient I wrote about from last weekend was still there, and was being discharged to a long term treatment program. She is so smart, but not ready to make a change, yet. I am really hoping this girl makes it.

We spoke with several other patients, did a stretching session with them, and attended a group meeting.

I really like working this floor for several reasons. The staff is very approachable, doctors and nurses alike. They will answer any questions you ask them, and not look at you like you are a bother or an idiot. The nurses actually encourage us students to get in there and do stuff.

And they welcome our presence, where in most other places we've been in the staff sees us coming, duck their heads down and run away. At first. Then they learn that we are there to be helpful, and some actually embrace us. Some nurses will never accept us, but the ones that do really are wonderful to work with. And we are so grateful for their patience and knowledge.

My whole Friday was spent chauffering the boychild to MD appointments. He scratched his cornea. And one thing I never play around with is eyes. So, he got a thorough eye exam, and he gets special eye drops for the next few days and then back to the doctor on Monday afternoon.

Saw Poseidon last night. It was good. God, has Richard Dreyfuss and Kurt Russell gotten old. We are staying at my sister-in-laws apartment this weekend, because our house is being tented for termites. Yuck.

I can't wait for next weekend. X-Men III, birthday party for my best guy friend, and I am taking Danielle out for her birthday, which I can't wait for. Mini-golf, Cuban Food, movies and talking, talking, talking.

W. :)

I have an interview tomorrow....

at a hospital to be a PCT. I would work per diem perhaps 2 days a week during the summer, and then just Saturdays until I finish school. I hope to get a 3-11 pm shift.

I am so nervous/excited.

W. :)

I

(stolen from "I wish I were Buffy")

I AM: a woman, a mother, a wife, a worker, a student.

I WANT: everything, and nothing.

I WISH: that I lived in Europe, again.

I HATE: driving in Miami.

I MISS: being single.

I HEAR: the fan, the AC, the traffic of the office.

I WONDER: what the future holds for my son.

I REGRET: not going active duty in the Navy.

I AM NOT: narrow-minded.

I DANCE: while I clean my house.

I CRY: at commercials at Christmas time.

I AM NOT ALWAYS: happy.

I MAKE WITH MY HANDS: sweaters, scarves & hats.

I WRITE: for therapy.

I CONFUSE: my husband.

I NEED: to finish nursing school.

I SHOULD: study.

I START: a new hobby every couple of years.

I FINISH: my test second in the class every time. Diana finishes first.

W. :)

I've become a talker....

I am so sleepy today. I was up way past my bedtime yakking on the phone with a friend. I hate talking on the phone. I answer phones all day, every day, so usually the last thing I want to do is talk on the phone.

However, I can talk to this friend for hours and hours. Whenever we go out to lunch, I always end up being late returning because of all the talking. When we go out at night, I never want the night to end because of all the talking. She is definitely in my top 10 favorite people list. She is smart, funny, and just amazing to me.

Talk, talk, talk.......

Now, I am so tired.

W. :)

How I spent my weekend...Part II

So yesterday's post told of how I spent my Saturday. But Mother's Day.....that was something else.

We checked out of the hotel and went in search of breakfast (who ever said that packaged honeybuns and tang was a continental breakfast is an idiot). After breakfast, we went to the bester SuperTarget ever! I, however, left with only 2 magazines that were to be entertainment for the ride home. The men folks, on the other hand, came away with a bunch of new toys.

We were heading to the turnpike, and back to reality, when the husband suddenly swings the truck around and we are heading toward I-4. And we ended up in....

Universal Studios. I have not been there since my honeymoon 14 years ago.

Here are some pictures:

David & Woody Woodpecker



David and Spongebob's house



David enjoying a little water fun


David & Scooby


David and the husband visiting Barney


A great time was had by all. It was a heck of a mother's day gift.

W. :)

How I spent my weekend.....

Friday afternoon, my team lost their game. The game was so bad it was painful to hear. Nothing went right.

We arrived at the hotel on Friday night,relaxed and watched "The Terminal." Up early the next morning, and off to Lakeland. (We actually stayed in Kissimmee.) Lakeland is about as small town as it gets. The downtown actually has a Main Street. I don't think there are any buildings taller than 20 floors. The area is all magnolias, live oaks with Spanish moss, and wraparound porches. It is SOUTHERN.

The Regional Tournament was held at Florida Southern College. This is a very old school as far as Florida goes. It was established in the 1800's. The school is small, like ours. Lots of brick buildings.

We arrived at the site quite early, and I went to say hi to the coaches. We picked some seats, but then wound up switching, thanks to a loudspeaker located directly behind our heads. So we ended up in the outfield seating area. Actually, a pretty good place to watch the game.



Our team won the game, and my family went to lunch with the team. Then I took my family back to the hotel, and went to the second game alone. Apparently I did not bring enough of the good ju-ju with me. Our team lost the second game, 3-1. And with that, we are out of the competition, and the season is over.

Our coach, Danielle, did awesome work this year. It was her first season as a head coach. She came late in the year, and all the recruiting was over, so she inherited a team. The team had not seen postseason play in several years, so in one year she has taken the team up to a whole new level for most of the players. Now she gets to recruit new players, fill in holes, add fresh talent, and who knows what could be possible for next year.

Look... I have pictures!!

Pardon the less then spectacular photo quality. They were done with my phone.

First.... Last week was one of the assistant softball coach's (Nikki aka Spike) birthday. She turned the ripe old age of 29, and was having all sorts of issues with it. So, I bought a cake for her and brought it in to share with the team after practice. Nik's a huge Steelers fan, being from Pittsburgh and all that, so I got Steelers colors for the cake.



From left to right are shortstop Jackie, 3rd baseman Maile, Pitcher Ramie, Catcher Brittany, Athletic Trainer Heather, Assistant Coach Kacey, and the birthday girl.

She was way surprised and it made the whole 29 thing a little easier for her.

Next, remember I was making a sweater. Well, I made some changes (no color, and I changed the sleeves), and I finished it. I still need to block it to even it out a little. But, I made a sweater!



Next up... pictures from clinicals. Note...no patients were photographed in the making of this blogpost.



This is Dan. Dan is a giant ego. He is funny, primitive, and lots of fun to be around....most of the time. Next to him is Jill. Jill is Dan's school wife (or so he claims...there's that ego again). When we first started school, Jill was pregnant, and Dan would tell everyone it was his baby. Meanwhile, we had only met each other at orientation. This is the first clinical that I've worked with Jill. Next to Jill is Uriel. My Chinese-Nicaraguan compadre. We get along super great. He is a real blast to talk with. He is SO smart, and funny, and cute. He always has this look on his face, that is so mischievous, that as soon as I look at him I start to giggle. He says its amazing how I'm the only one who can see right through him. Great minds and all that....



This is how Kim spent most of her clinical day. Playing Dr. Mario. She was not "feeling the whole psych" thing.



And here, again, Jill and Dan. Looking so much like a married couple, and ever so frightened before entering the ward.

A little glimpse into Wendy World.

I am so excited. My softball team won their first regional game. Today the go for round 2 against University of Alabama Huntsville. Even if they don't win today, they still play again tomorrow. And guess what???? I'm gonna be there!!! My mother's day gift is going to see my team play in Lakeland. I am so happy. My softball withdrawals are delayed a wee bit longer.

It's going to be a surprise for the coaches & girls, since until last night, I wasn't going to be able to go.

Husband gets lots of husband points for this one.

W. :)

Mental health nursing.....

Today was my first clinical for mental health nursing. I am working in the Big County Hospital's mental health facility. Since we have a clinical group of 10, and they don't want that many students on one floor, our instructor split us into 2 groups. One group of 5 went to the Adult Intensive area (the very mentally ill), and my group went to Health and Recovery (substance abuse/detox).

We saw some very interesting cases....One woman was so strung out on crack that she couldn't keep still for a second while being interviewed. Another woman, also in for crack, was once a scholar athlete that had a huge opportunity to get out of a terrible family and lifestyle, but made wrong choices and wound up following the same path that has destroyed her family. Some were in for pills. Most were in for alcohol.

My friend Kim thinks that being an addict makes one a bad person. I tried to explain too her that the people aren't bad, the choices they make are. I was raised in a very addictive household as a child. My mother drank like a fish, and did all sorts of drugs. My childhood was a mess, to say the least. However, my mother was not a bad person. She made a series of bad choices, that nearly destroyed her. Thank God, over time, she hit bottom before it was too late, and has since turned her life around. As a result of my childhood, I made choices, too. I chose to never tempt fate by drinking or drugging. I looked at my mother at the time, and how it affected my life, and decided a long time ago that was not what I wanted my life to be. It's all about choices.....

It was a very interesting day. I was afraid of mental health nursing. However, I think I am going to like it.

W. :)

On study habits.....

I am interested in study habits, and how I really don't have any good ones.

In class I never take notes. I just listen as the lecturer speaks, and highlight the information in my text book. This method forces me to skim through the chapters, because.....I never really read the books. There really is just too much information to digest. SO I rely heavily on a book series called "Straight A's in ." This series is excellent, except for the pharmacology book, which was of no use considering the teacher's style and that we were just learning the classifications.

Now, on to actual studying. I can not study at home. Either I can't get a moment's peace because the kid and husband won't leave me alone, or it is so late that when I finally do get time to study, I immediately fall asleep in my books.

I have tried studying in my office at work afterhours. The only problem there is that I so dread reading the BBB (big boring book), that I will turn my computer on under the premise of listening to music, and instead spend 4 hours playing Solitare 13. Usually, I give up and go home at 11:30 when the husband calls to make sure I am alive. Also, because I am here, all the coaches come in to see me. Which is nice, tho' futher not conducive to study.

The libraries are too noisy. At the public library, the teenagers from the high school literally scream all over the library. Here at the university, it's cell phones and text messaging. Do people no longer have any manners?

I have tried to study with friends. We end up yakking, and not about nursing stuff, for sure. I can't study in complete silence. Too me it is nerve wracking. And my mind will wander continuously. So, I usually like to listen to music.

So, here is what I have to do to study....I study for 45 minutes at lunch most weekdays, usually while consuming my food. Then, usually, after dinner, I make my way back to the university, and set myself up in the conference room. This location is ideal for me for the following reasons: no computer, it has a door, no husband or kid interruptions, I can listen to my ipod for aural stimulation, it am forced to sit upright at a table in a somewhat uncomfortable chair.

So that is what I have to do to study. What's your secret?

W. :)