Word of the Day: nonplussed

For those of you who don't know what that word means--www.dictionary.com.

How on earth did Adam end up in the bottom two? America, get it together! I mean really, you let Allison into the top 2 and Adam in the bottom two? I understand that someone has to go home, but really...Adam? I expect better next week--VOTE!

I'm super glad that Kris wasn't in the bottom two. I want Kris or Danny to win. Not sure whether they will or not, but I'll wait and see.

Today we had to give up our off day to go take a mock NCLEX at school. For those of you who have never taken it, NCLEX is the nursing state board test. BIG BIG deal. I was very nervous about it. At the end, it gives you a liklihood that you will pass boards on the first write. I got to the last question on the test and stopped. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hit the "Score my test" button or not. I had no choice since the instructors require us to take it and turn in our score.
They let us know that they wanted us to get at least a 72. That score indicates a good liklihood that we'll pass boards. So I hit the button. 81.3!!!! That gives me a 98% probability of passing on the first try. What a relief! I was much relieved--I guess I've learned a thing or two over the last 5 semesters after all. This doesn't mean that I won't study for boards after graduation. It just means....well....I don't exactly know what it means. If I figure it out, I'll let you know...

1. My eczema is killing me!!!!! I look like a stinkin' pin cushion from scratching all the time. I'm ready for some outside time. A nice sunburn should clear it up! Isn't that ironic--pain from a sunburn will clear up my eczema. Who cares!? I just want the itching to go away. There's an old song that I have twisted to fit my situation. It goes something like this--Ooo, ooo, itchy woman!
2. I graduate from nursing school 2 weeks from tomorrow! Time's fun when you're having flies.
3. Still haven't heard from any hospitals. Getting kinda impatient. Maybe tomorrow they'll call.
4. Lately, I've been severely sleep deprived. I've wanted to sleep going down the road or sitting at a redlight or standing in a line or talking to someone on the phone or even in person. Not sure what's up with that. I know I'm getting anxious about graduation and have not been getting a whole lot of sleep, but I shouldn't be this bad off. Yikes!
5. Test friday - Parkinson's and neuro-disorders, cirrhosis and HIV/AIDS.

Stay tuned...

My first photoshoot!

This is Allie. She my favorite three year old girl! Since I got my new camera, she's been my best model! These pics are from Easter and the week after Easter. We went out and I took pictures for an hour and a half. I got some really bad ones. But some really good ones too!

This is the first picture I took on our shoot and it turned out pretty good. Surprise, surprise!

This picture was on Easter sunday. It kinda looks like a painted back ground to me, but it is an area behind the church. Turned out pretty good.
Love these daisy pics!

She posed herself in this one--she's so good!

Home on a Tuesday.

Got a call early this morning that my clinical instructor (who I knew was sick yesterday) is actually in the hospital--bummer. Not sure what's up with her, but I hate to hear she's THAT sick. Now my mind starts racing about what it could be. I have some hunches, and a couple aren't very good.

But FREEDOMMMMM! I haven't had a Tuesday off in a really long time. I got to sleep in late (which I typically do one day a week now). I've decided that it doesn't matter how long I get to sleep if it is the wrong hours. Eight hours of sleep from 10pm to 6am is not as effective to me as eight hours from 2 am to 10am. Night nurse, here I come.

Yesterday's clinical was a 12 hour day. I love those days because I feel so much more in control. I ran my little legs off yesterday. I think it is amazing that I have gotten to my last semester of school and am just now having patients with diseases or equipment that I learned about in my second semester. I got to take out staples yesterday! The patient's family asked if it was my first time to do this (I think my instructor, the hospital RN and 3 other students standing around gave it away). I told her it wasn't, but didn't go on to explain that the only other time I'd taken A STAPLE out was in my first semester and the teacher had put enough stitches and staples into a doll to let each of us take out ONE! I don't think it would instill much confidence if I told her, nope, but just taken out one before--from something that can't feel a thing! Oh, good times.

Still no more word on the job front. Maybe later this week. You'll know when I know.

This weekend, my church ladies group is going to Pensacola to the Extraordinary Women conference, I'm really excited about it. I've heard its great! I'll bring back a report on it too!

Okay, really need a shower now. Bed head hit hard last night!

Stay tuned...

Update on jobs

I had my interview with my first choice hospital. It went really good. The position is not exactly what I was hoping for, but I have learned this week that nursing jobs (along with many other jobs in the nation right now) are slim pickings. I am grateful to have the potential for a job at all. They went ahead and finger printed me and started the background check. I think that's a good sign. I don't think they'd put money into doing that if they already knew they weren't going to hire me. The nurse recruiter told me that she'd be in touch within 3 weeks. That seems like so long from now...bummer.
I toured my second choice hospital and really like the facility, but they don't seem to have many employment opportunities. Their interview process is also much longer and more complex.

1. Okay, so I really like Matt on American Idol, but I don't think he has a chance to win this competition. Out of all the contestants, he's one of the few that I can actually see myself downloading his music when it's over. I think he'll be gone next week though (along with Lil).
2. Why do people name their kids such odd names? I have heard so many strange names recently. Granted some of them are movie stars, eg, Apple, Phineas and Hazel, Suri, etc. But some aren't. Are we just taking random words from the English language (and sometimes other languages) and turning them into our children's names? This has to stop somewhere or else we're going to be calling for little "Table" and "Chair" to come to Mommy.
3. I got to take pictures of a friend's daughter this week. She was not in the mood to have her picture taken, but I still got some great shots. I got 185 pictures in about 90 minutes. I am learning that for every 50 or so pictures, you get 1-2 really good ones.

On the job front...

I interviewed with one of my top 2 hospitals this last week. The interview was with HR only, which is fine. I have another interview (with my number one pick) on Wednesday at 8am! This interview is with nurse manager and the nurse recruiter. I'm super excited about this one.
A little about the interview I had this week. It was pretty standard. I got the strengths and weaknesses questions and then they wanted to know why I quit accounting to be a nurse. She said we should hear something back this next week about secondary interviews. Tuesday night they are hosting a bowling party for the May 2009 grads and I am planning on going. Even if I don't end up working at this hospital, I have nothing to lose but a little time. They are paying for supper, bowling and giving us all a gift. How cool is that! I'll be happy to spend Tuesday night bowling on somebody else's buck. I'm mostly looking forward to it because some of the nurse managers will be there. I can do a little shmoozing while I'm there.
I'll keep you posted (hopefully better than I've been doing) on how this week's interviews go.

And just a few more little tidbits.

1. OH MY GOSH! I am so glad that that blonde girl (Megan) finally got voted off American Idol! She so couldn't sing! And that little twisty dance she did made her look like she had to go to the little girls' room! I also wasn't suprised that Scott got sent home this last week. He was the weakest contestant left. My prediction is that Lil or Anoop will be gone this week.
2. I am loving the camera. Sorry I'm not sharing more pics. They are huge files and my little dial up internet can't handle it. I promise, it isn't just my laziness, everything times out before the pics upload. Sorry. I'll try to get some up from school or somewhere else that has high speed.
3. I've been sewing my little fingers off lately. I'd show you pictures of my little projects, but can't for 2 reasons. #1 - See above as to slow connection and #2 - I'm hiding them from one of my family members. (Now each of my family members is wondering if its them. Only one of you knows it it's not you.)
4. I finally got up the motivation to clean the front of my house. It had gotten bad. I still need to sweep, mop, vacuum, but that will have to wait until later tonight (or tomorrow, or the next day....)
5. Graduation is getting closer and closer!!!! May 14 - hooray!

The result of whining

The other night I was whining to Dave's mom about the fact that I hadn't heard from job stuff. My biggest fear in life is failure, so to not have a job by now (when I'm graduating in 5-6 weeks) is scary. Now, I realize that some of you just laughed at me and that's okay--you guys don't feel compelled to keep the same schedule as me--I understand.
Well, lo and behold, what happens the next day?! My first choice hospital calls me to set up an interview with a nurse manager. This is big! To have an interview with the nurse manager means I've actually gotten somewhere. Unfortunately, the manager only gave one possible day to have an interview--and I'm in clinical all day that day. I didn't feel it would be appropriate to miss clinical for an interview, so I asked for a different day. Since we have Easter break next week, I have Wed, Thurs & Fri off. I thought maybe we could work it out one of those days. Anyway, they are having to get back to me with some possibilities. In the meantime, my second choice hospital called to set up an interview with HR. This is not as big as the interview with the nurse manager, but at least the ball is rolling.
I'm super excited about this. I'll feel so much better when I know I have a job.

The Three Faces of Sam

Aside: I watched “The Three Faces of Eve” the other night on Turner Classic Movies. It was a great movie. We talked about it in my psychology class several years ago. It’s a true story accounted by two psychologists about a woman with dissociative identity disorder (FKA Multiple Personality Disorder). Check it out when you find it on TV.

This is my friend Sam. She's probably my only friend that understands what I mean when I say "like-kind exchange" and Section 351 (which incidently are two different topics). Sam is shorter than I am (I love being able to say that someone is!), but has more personality than her petite little self can hold. **Disclaimer: I am in no way insinuating or suggesting that Sam suffers from DID.

These are the 3 faces of Sam.

The first is her movie star pose! She was hamming it up that night!

Then comes this face that must speak for itself! I think there’s a line about “…only a mother could love”…

Finally, is the serious face. This is Sam trying to learn how to play Skip-Bo. What an awesome game! She finally picked it up and may or may not have liked it.

**All these pics were taken with my new handy-dandy camera!!!

The new blog

So I finally got the new blog started. It is at www.ladskitchen.blogspot.com. Go check it out. I have my favorite tried and true recipes there. I'm trying to organize them by category so that you will be able to search easily.

Give me your feedback and leave me your favs on the comments!!!