This spring, I co-captained an intramural soccer team with a nursing school/soccer buddy. It was an interesting experience, since only three of us were there to play because soccer is vital to our mental health. Everyone else was either good-naturedly dragged or literally begged to play. We played every game, despite frequent forfeits by one or both teams due to lack of numbers. This week, we had a game Tuesday night and another one on Wednesday.
In Tuesday's game (which we won by forfeit), the other team had recruited some DI (read: better, faster, stronger) players so we could scrimmage. I was positioning myself to control a ball headed toward me from the sky, when all of a sudden there was an explosion of light and I was on the ground, my skin stinging in strange places. Apparently one of the other players had full-on body checked me or something. Anyway, my teammates who saw the collision were laughing, describing it as an "epic" fall. Got up, carried on, got body-checked real hard again later by another guy, spent the rest of the game trying to protect my head with my arms when the beefy guys came close.
Had a headache that night, put the pieces together and figured out I most likely had a mild concussion. Told my dad, he agreed, but said I could play Wednesday anyway. I've never had a concussion before, but I've played soccer for 16 years.
Wednesday night rolls around and it's pouring rain. We got the game started, but no more than five-minutes into it I was taken down by a two-footed tackle by some overly-zealous midfielder. Hit my head on the ground.
Haha.
We went out to one of our favorite pubs after the game. Some of my nursing friends were concerned about my head and agreed with my decision to stick with water instead of beer, you know, just in case. The others tried to peer-pressure me into drinking anyway, because "it can't be that bad." They thought it was funny to spontaneously perform neuro checks and vision tests. Right. Hilarious. I did appreciate one of the guys asking me to text him when I woke up the following morning so he'd know I was ok.
Apparently at school on Wednesday morning, my co-captain had mentioned to my favorite peds faculty that I'd been concussed, to which the reply was "She should take it easy this week." Of course, my co-captain knows me better than that, so she snorted delicately and pointed out is was me that they were talking about. A fair assessment, really, since I hit my head again in the game that night.
Play every game like it's your last game.
Anyway. The headache is manageable, but now I have to study for finals.
29 April 2011
25 April 2011
Lest we forget. ANZAC Day, Monday 25 April.
Click here for my long post on ANZAC Day and what it means to me and to Aus. In the meantime, listen to this beautiful song about the brave young men who gave it all almost 100 years ago.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
-- from Laurence Binyon’s “For the Fallen”
23 April 2011
In which I speak nonsense
This blog has been becalmed in doldrums of my nursing school life. I will probably never turn into one of the 20-somethings that blogs daily about their dogs or their husbands or their shoes, but since I'm two weeks away from pseudo-graduation and three and a half months away from finishing nursing school forever, the least I can do is update. Topical updates today, for lolz.
School:
The much-loathed classes of this semester are over. I have only a single final (in OB/peds) and I'm feeling rather ambivalent. Less so on the pediatrics front, as I spent Wednesday night in a pediatrics emergency department and ohmygosh I love the kids. We get along well, mostly because I never really grew up. And I like dinosaurs.
Love life:
Currently non-existent. Unless you include the rumor mill drama (wasn't that supposed to fade with high school?) and the "helpful advice" of various and sundry girlfriends on how the men find you when you're not looking. Sure they do. In other news, Downtown Bestie and I had our entire bar tab picked up by a couple of Lonely Boys during the Timbers match on Sunday. It's not all hardship on the singles front!
Other news:
Since my Camry finally died last month (for good), I am borrowing my parents' car, which meant a crash course in driving a stick shift and a month of grinding gears and trying not to stall. Now I feel all accomplished and successful and prepared to drive a car on any other continent.
Going to the east coast and Canada at the end of next month. Especially excited about going back to Boston, going to Montreal and Québec City for the first time and eating poutine with Boston Bestie.
I've gotten back into running and hiking, not to mention intramural soccer. I'm captaining a team with a friend and it's such good fun that we might carry on playing into summer on our own. These other athletic endeavors alleviate the disappointment that has been my ballet class (no mirrors, plus an unfortunate foray into the world of modern dance... turns out it's "earthy" and "natural" and you have to swing your arms and stomp around a lot. I think I'd like it better if we were T-rexs and not monkeys).
School:
The much-loathed classes of this semester are over. I have only a single final (in OB/peds) and I'm feeling rather ambivalent. Less so on the pediatrics front, as I spent Wednesday night in a pediatrics emergency department and ohmygosh I love the kids. We get along well, mostly because I never really grew up. And I like dinosaurs.
Love life:
Currently non-existent. Unless you include the rumor mill drama (wasn't that supposed to fade with high school?) and the "helpful advice" of various and sundry girlfriends on how the men find you when you're not looking. Sure they do. In other news, Downtown Bestie and I had our entire bar tab picked up by a couple of Lonely Boys during the Timbers match on Sunday. It's not all hardship on the singles front!
Other news:
Since my Camry finally died last month (for good), I am borrowing my parents' car, which meant a crash course in driving a stick shift and a month of grinding gears and trying not to stall. Now I feel all accomplished and successful and prepared to drive a car on any other continent.
Going to the east coast and Canada at the end of next month. Especially excited about going back to Boston, going to Montreal and Québec City for the first time and eating poutine with Boston Bestie.
I've gotten back into running and hiking, not to mention intramural soccer. I'm captaining a team with a friend and it's such good fun that we might carry on playing into summer on our own. These other athletic endeavors alleviate the disappointment that has been my ballet class (no mirrors, plus an unfortunate foray into the world of modern dance... turns out it's "earthy" and "natural" and you have to swing your arms and stomp around a lot. I think I'd like it better if we were T-rexs and not monkeys).
22 April 2011
explodey things go boom
I had a conversation with a fellow nursing student the other day. It went something like this:
Me: "...now we're at war with Libya."
Her: "I didn't know that we're at war with Libya!"
Me: "Well, that's generally the idea when you drop bombs on a country."
Her: "Bombs? I thought we only dropped missiles!"
/facepalm
Me: "...now we're at war with Libya."
Her: "I didn't know that we're at war with Libya!"
Me: "Well, that's generally the idea when you drop bombs on a country."
Her: "Bombs? I thought we only dropped missiles!"
/facepalm
23 March 2011
Roadkill
My car died yesterday.
In traffic. On I-5. I was running late to class because I woke up and found out my car need jumping to start, anyway.
See where I'm going here? The alternator'd had enough of life.
Anyway. I merged into the slow lane, and almost immediately my radio made that weird groaning noise that faded as my music disappeared and my car lights dimmed. Good thing traffic was standing still.
Setting aside the fact that this was absolutely a freaky situation, this is where it gets funny.
I quickly realized that since my car had no power of any kind, and thus, my warning lights did not work. Traffic was starting to creep forward, so I hopped out of my car and yelled to the lady behind me that my car was dead and I didn't know how to get off the freeway.
Keep in mind we are maybe 200 feet from the next, clearly marked exit.
Her response? "I don't know how to get off the freeway either! I'm from Oregon!"
*facepalm*
Maybe she didn't notice my Oregon plates.
Anyway, the nice man in the panel truck behind her jumped out, stopped traffic, and shoved my poor little car onto the freeway shoulder.
My hero.
In traffic. On I-5. I was running late to class because I woke up and found out my car need jumping to start, anyway.
See where I'm going here? The alternator'd had enough of life.
Anyway. I merged into the slow lane, and almost immediately my radio made that weird groaning noise that faded as my music disappeared and my car lights dimmed. Good thing traffic was standing still.
Setting aside the fact that this was absolutely a freaky situation, this is where it gets funny.
I quickly realized that since my car had no power of any kind, and thus, my warning lights did not work. Traffic was starting to creep forward, so I hopped out of my car and yelled to the lady behind me that my car was dead and I didn't know how to get off the freeway.
Keep in mind we are maybe 200 feet from the next, clearly marked exit.
Her response? "I don't know how to get off the freeway either! I'm from Oregon!"
*facepalm*
Maybe she didn't notice my Oregon plates.
Anyway, the nice man in the panel truck behind her jumped out, stopped traffic, and shoved my poor little car onto the freeway shoulder.
My hero.
26 February 2011
i'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!
I love pediatrics!
Clinical conference today was awesome. We did blood draws and IV starts on each other. Succeeded at the blood draw, failed at the IV start (vein collapsed), but my clinical partner from last term said ages ago that I could practice on him.
YESSSSSS!
For the record, I want to be a trauma nurse someday, so I love needles and skills and doing things that some people think are gross.
Text message conversation following exciting clinical blood lab:
Me: "I did a blood draw! failed at IV start because her vein collapsed but OMG so much fun! You're next... mwahaha."
Him: "Ha nice! You can practice on me no problem. I'll show you a few pointers."
Me: "You're my favorite. For real. And hahaha, I could use some pointers."
Me: "Where would I get needles?"
Him: "That is the worst sounding message ever."
Me: "Hahaha you have a point. So do needles. Hahaha see what I did there?"
Him: "Yeah, you sound like a junkie... you need help."
Me: "Thanks. Did you expect any less of me?"
Clinical conference today was awesome. We did blood draws and IV starts on each other. Succeeded at the blood draw, failed at the IV start (vein collapsed), but my clinical partner from last term said ages ago that I could practice on him.
YESSSSSS!
For the record, I want to be a trauma nurse someday, so I love needles and skills and doing things that some people think are gross.
Text message conversation following exciting clinical blood lab:
Me: "I did a blood draw! failed at IV start because her vein collapsed but OMG so much fun! You're next... mwahaha."
Him: "Ha nice! You can practice on me no problem. I'll show you a few pointers."
Me: "You're my favorite. For real. And hahaha, I could use some pointers."
Me: "Where would I get needles?"
Him: "That is the worst sounding message ever."
Me: "Hahaha you have a point. So do needles. Hahaha see what I did there?"
Him: "Yeah, you sound like a junkie... you need help."
Me: "Thanks. Did you expect any less of me?"
22 December 2010
they always come home for christmas
Home sweet home for 32 delicious days of break, the longest vacation since the beginning on nursing school. I can literally feel the stress leaving my body.
1. Really pleased with my grades this term. Pulled a 3.94 (A- in research, dullest class ever, haha) but I got a 99 on my med/surg final, which is really exciting.
2. Watched the lunar eclipse two nights ago. Dragged my siblings out of bed for it. The sky was brilliantly clear and the moon was amazing.
3. This is the Break of Childhood Revisited, in which I am trying to stuff in as much film and literature as possible from an earlier time in my life. This includes reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy, watching the original Star Wars trilogy, and at the nursing student post-finals celebration, I accepted the challenge of reading the Harry Potter series as well.
Six days into break and I've finished Fellowship of the Ring and watched A New Hope. Can I do it?
I want to go snowboarding.
1. Really pleased with my grades this term. Pulled a 3.94 (A- in research, dullest class ever, haha) but I got a 99 on my med/surg final, which is really exciting.
2. Watched the lunar eclipse two nights ago. Dragged my siblings out of bed for it. The sky was brilliantly clear and the moon was amazing.
3. This is the Break of Childhood Revisited, in which I am trying to stuff in as much film and literature as possible from an earlier time in my life. This includes reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy, watching the original Star Wars trilogy, and at the nursing student post-finals celebration, I accepted the challenge of reading the Harry Potter series as well.
Six days into break and I've finished Fellowship of the Ring and watched A New Hope. Can I do it?
I want to go snowboarding.
06 December 2010
2010 Réflexion
2010 Réflexion...
01. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef. Sandboarded. Put needles into real people. Did a flash mob. Jumped off a waterfall. Attended a fashion show. Kissed an Aussie.
02. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Hahaha nope. Dunno why I try.
03. Did someone close to you give birth?
Oh lordy, it was an explosion of babies...
04. Did anyone close to you die?
People close to people close to me died
05. What countries did you visit?
Australia, New Zealand
06. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Control... over any aspect of my life.
07. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The day I started nursing school was a pretty big deal for me.
08. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
Making the spring nursing school dean's list, not failing any classes, crossing five things off the list of things to do before I die
09. What was your biggest failure(s)?
Not taking enough risks
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not seriously
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Ticket to Aus.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My parents put up with quite a lot of my nonsense. They're quite grand.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
None in particular, besides those in public office and a few fellow students
14. Where did most of your money go?
School and Australia
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Aus, bungy, snorkelling the GBR, spring, summer, fall, thanksgiving and christmas breaks, Dr. van Tilburg speaking at UP, suture class, sandboarding, the World Cup, SPAIN WINNING THE WORLD CUP! visit from my favorite Dutch person.
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2008?
California Gurls - Katy Perry (west coast represent...how we identified ourselves geographically to the Aussies)
I Like It- Enrique Iglesias (last song I danced to in Aus)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner
iii. richer or poorer? drastically poorer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Speaking up for myself, being kind
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Letting the crazy send my stress levels through the roof, ruminating on things past, complaining
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my fantastic family, which now includes an awesome new sister :)
22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Erm, well...
23. How many one-night stands?
Well, there was a guy on the flight home that said the mile-high club would be a "once in a lifetime opportunity..." I let him keep waiting.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, Dexter, How I Met Your Mother
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Some people I continue to avoid
26. What was the best book you read?
We Band of Angels -Elizabeth Norman
Band of Brothers -Stephen Ambrose
War - Sebastian Junger
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Mumford & Sons
28. What did you want and get?
The trip to Aus
29. What did you want and not get?
A functional relationship
30. Favorite film of this year?
Secretariat. It was a good movie, but to be fair, I think I saw two movies this year and I can't remember what the other one was.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 25. Had the day off from school and celebrated by going to QLD two weeks later.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Missing the plane back. More of a summer.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Minimalist, Euro/classic/lazy. Sometimes I wear a skirt.
34. What kept you sane?
...am I still sane? Was unaware. Erm, vacation time, my family, trips home, the internet, red wine.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Yoann Gourcuff. French soccer star, current midfielder for Lyon and Les Bleus.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Can't think of any standouts, but probably anything regarding the war
37. Who do you miss?
My family, Rosey, Andy, Melanie, Aafke, Ray
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My nursing school buddies, esp Tina, Dan and Shane. They made life bearable.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Change your attitude, change your world.
Be kind, as often as possible. It is always possible.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
'Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be' - Mumford & Sons, "The Cave"
01. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef. Sandboarded. Put needles into real people. Did a flash mob. Jumped off a waterfall. Attended a fashion show. Kissed an Aussie.
02. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Hahaha nope. Dunno why I try.
03. Did someone close to you give birth?
Oh lordy, it was an explosion of babies...
04. Did anyone close to you die?
People close to people close to me died
05. What countries did you visit?
Australia, New Zealand
06. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Control... over any aspect of my life.
07. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The day I started nursing school was a pretty big deal for me.
08. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
Making the spring nursing school dean's list, not failing any classes, crossing five things off the list of things to do before I die
09. What was your biggest failure(s)?
Not taking enough risks
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not seriously
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Ticket to Aus.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My parents put up with quite a lot of my nonsense. They're quite grand.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
None in particular, besides those in public office and a few fellow students
14. Where did most of your money go?
School and Australia
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Aus, bungy, snorkelling the GBR, spring, summer, fall, thanksgiving and christmas breaks, Dr. van Tilburg speaking at UP, suture class, sandboarding, the World Cup, SPAIN WINNING THE WORLD CUP! visit from my favorite Dutch person.
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2008?
California Gurls - Katy Perry (west coast represent...how we identified ourselves geographically to the Aussies)
I Like It- Enrique Iglesias (last song I danced to in Aus)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner
iii. richer or poorer? drastically poorer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Speaking up for myself, being kind
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Letting the crazy send my stress levels through the roof, ruminating on things past, complaining
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my fantastic family, which now includes an awesome new sister :)
22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Erm, well...
23. How many one-night stands?
Well, there was a guy on the flight home that said the mile-high club would be a "once in a lifetime opportunity..." I let him keep waiting.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, Dexter, How I Met Your Mother
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Some people I continue to avoid
26. What was the best book you read?
We Band of Angels -Elizabeth Norman
Band of Brothers -Stephen Ambrose
War - Sebastian Junger
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Mumford & Sons
28. What did you want and get?
The trip to Aus
29. What did you want and not get?
A functional relationship
30. Favorite film of this year?
Secretariat. It was a good movie, but to be fair, I think I saw two movies this year and I can't remember what the other one was.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 25. Had the day off from school and celebrated by going to QLD two weeks later.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Missing the plane back. More of a summer.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Minimalist, Euro/classic/lazy. Sometimes I wear a skirt.
34. What kept you sane?
...am I still sane? Was unaware. Erm, vacation time, my family, trips home, the internet, red wine.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Yoann Gourcuff. French soccer star, current midfielder for Lyon and Les Bleus.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Can't think of any standouts, but probably anything regarding the war
37. Who do you miss?
My family, Rosey, Andy, Melanie, Aafke, Ray
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My nursing school buddies, esp Tina, Dan and Shane. They made life bearable.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Change your attitude, change your world.
Be kind, as often as possible. It is always possible.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
'Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be' - Mumford & Sons, "The Cave"
22 September 2010
living with insanity
Since Australia, which you can read about as I slowly and ponderously wax on about here, I have been fighting hard, and more or less successfully, to keep nursing school from eating me (I heard a rumor it eats its young if they don't run fast enough. I think it's not a rumor).
My first week back on this continent was grey and lonely. Ate TimTams, cried, tried to get the sand out of my hair. Jetlag and insomnia moved in.
My second week back, my favorite Dutch person came for a visit. Among other shenanigans: we went out for beer and hotwings, out for sushi and beer and VooDoo Doughnuts and we read children's books in Powell's, we went hiking, drank beer and jumped off a waterfall, drank beer and went to Fashion's Night Out downtown, went to Florence for beer and sandboarding on the dunes... figured out the theme yet?
...not sleeping! Wooooooooo!
My third week was the continuation of my descent into apathy, but my mom came to visit. She was in the Philippines while I was in Australia, so it was the first time I'd seen her since early July. Pilots soccer game in the pouring rain. <3
It is now the middle of my fourth week. A little resentful of class, nervous about the first med/surg test coming up, mostly bored at clinical. I think this is because I prefer floor nursing. Anyway. One two-hour class and then I am officially one-quarter of my way through this semester. Small favors.
If I can the stress level down and my time out-of-doors up, I can totally do this thing. 10 more months.
My first week back on this continent was grey and lonely. Ate TimTams, cried, tried to get the sand out of my hair. Jetlag and insomnia moved in.
My second week back, my favorite Dutch person came for a visit. Among other shenanigans: we went out for beer and hotwings, out for sushi and beer and VooDoo Doughnuts and we read children's books in Powell's, we went hiking, drank beer and jumped off a waterfall, drank beer and went to Fashion's Night Out downtown, went to Florence for beer and sandboarding on the dunes... figured out the theme yet?
...not sleeping! Wooooooooo!
My third week was the continuation of my descent into apathy, but my mom came to visit. She was in the Philippines while I was in Australia, so it was the first time I'd seen her since early July. Pilots soccer game in the pouring rain. <3
It is now the middle of my fourth week. A little resentful of class, nervous about the first med/surg test coming up, mostly bored at clinical. I think this is because I prefer floor nursing. Anyway. One two-hour class and then I am officially one-quarter of my way through this semester. Small favors.
If I can the stress level down and my time out-of-doors up, I can totally do this thing. 10 more months.
29 August 2010
22 July 2010
trottity trottity trot
Confession.
I don't like to run.
I hate it when my legs feel like lead. I hate the feeling of half a breath of air when my bronchioles constrict... even though I think wheezing sounds interesting. You already knew I'm weird, though. Exercise-induced asthma makes running suck. I know loads of professional athletes have it, and control it, and play through it, but it sucks.
Some days I go running and I congratulate myself on my prowess, vowing to do it the next day, and the next, but when morning comes my body is sore and my legs feel like lead and I promise myself "just one day of rest" and then time goes on and I've been lazy for a week.
...but my back feels better after I run.
Maybe it's just motivation I need, and hopefully my back will give me just that, but I want to be able to run again.
More than that, I want to play soccer again. Soccer is my perspective. All the little things that bother me go away when I play, and the world is black and white again. The French philospher Albert Camus once said, "All that I know most surely about morality and obligations, I owe to football."
I don't like to run.
I hate it when my legs feel like lead. I hate the feeling of half a breath of air when my bronchioles constrict... even though I think wheezing sounds interesting. You already knew I'm weird, though. Exercise-induced asthma makes running suck. I know loads of professional athletes have it, and control it, and play through it, but it sucks.
Some days I go running and I congratulate myself on my prowess, vowing to do it the next day, and the next, but when morning comes my body is sore and my legs feel like lead and I promise myself "just one day of rest" and then time goes on and I've been lazy for a week.
...but my back feels better after I run.
Maybe it's just motivation I need, and hopefully my back will give me just that, but I want to be able to run again.
More than that, I want to play soccer again. Soccer is my perspective. All the little things that bother me go away when I play, and the world is black and white again. The French philospher Albert Camus once said, "All that I know most surely about morality and obligations, I owe to football."
20 July 2010
see? I pay attention in class.
"Say anesthetized."
"Uh... goes to sleep!"
Prof: "What would J be concerned about in a person without secondary sex characteristics?"
T: "Whether or not he would date her."
"Uh... goes to sleep!"
Prof: "What would J be concerned about in a person without secondary sex characteristics?"
T: "Whether or not he would date her."
19 July 2010
whinge
Nursing school is taking a lot out of me. Maybe I'm just going stir-crazy from having to study all summer, but I have reached the point of not caring. School is not impossible, just frustrating for a variety of reasons, including the fact that I am not particularly enjoying psychiatric nursing. I understand the need for students to experience a variety of types of nursing to develop a good judgment base etc, etc, but I also appreciate that my personality type is not a good fit for psych.
August needs to come a little faster. One week till my birthday, two and a half weeks until sweet sweet vacation.
Maybe I should go into sports journalism.
August needs to come a little faster. One week till my birthday, two and a half weeks until sweet sweet vacation.
Maybe I should go into sports journalism.
10 July 2010
eve of the championship
Pre-final article round-up time. Click the links. They are funny. And short.
Pulpo Paul was correct in predicting the Germans would beat Uruguay to take third place (3-2 final), but it was an entertaining match and the Uruguayans led for a fair portion. How Paul the Octopus ruined Germany's Cup dream.
In regard to the absurd number of handballs that have changed results this cup, what would happen if FIFA applied Sharia law. In my opinion, France would not have been in the Cup at all but for Henry's double handball to send them through over Ireland, but I don't think Suarez's handball against Ghana would be talked about still had Gyan put away his penalty instead of bouncing it off the bar. To be fair to Suarez, any other professional in his place would have done exactly as he did.
Rafael van der Vaart of the Netherlands reflects on his teammate Wesley Sneijder's success this Cup. "I suspect he (Sneijder) has a gold vuvuzela in his pants."
Finally, an article that pretty much describes why I'm supporting Spain over Holland for the final, even though I love them both. La Furia Roja, Pulpo Paul thinks you have what it takes and so do I.
Pulpo Paul was correct in predicting the Germans would beat Uruguay to take third place (3-2 final), but it was an entertaining match and the Uruguayans led for a fair portion. How Paul the Octopus ruined Germany's Cup dream.
In regard to the absurd number of handballs that have changed results this cup, what would happen if FIFA applied Sharia law. In my opinion, France would not have been in the Cup at all but for Henry's double handball to send them through over Ireland, but I don't think Suarez's handball against Ghana would be talked about still had Gyan put away his penalty instead of bouncing it off the bar. To be fair to Suarez, any other professional in his place would have done exactly as he did.
Rafael van der Vaart of the Netherlands reflects on his teammate Wesley Sneijder's success this Cup. "I suspect he (Sneijder) has a gold vuvuzela in his pants."
Finally, an article that pretty much describes why I'm supporting Spain over Holland for the final, even though I love them both. La Furia Roja, Pulpo Paul thinks you have what it takes and so do I.
09 July 2010
the revels now are ending
Sunday is the World Cup Final. It is the day Spain and the Netherlands fight for the right to be crowned the newest world champions. In 18 cups, there have been only 7 winners (I'm lumping Germany and West Germany together), and while the Netherlands were runners-up in '74 and '78, they have never won. Spain has never advanced past the quarter-finals, so it's a big moment for both Clockwork Oranje and La Furia Roja.
I am emotionally attached to both teams, especially since spending time in both countries, but I tip my heart to Spain. In all honesty, though, this is a dream final for me. I can't be unhappy. Pulpo Paul is predicting a win for Spain, but his rival, a "psychic parakeet" in Singapore, says it will be Holland. Does the wrong one get eaten? Stay tuned...
It has been a month full of early mornings and lots of beer. I found a soccer pub to haunt in Corvallis, at least two in Portland, and if I couldn't make it to either, I streamed the games in class. Don't judge me... some things are more important than (the mechanisms of) breathing.
I totally want a vuvuzela for my birthday.
Sunday is also the six-month marker of my adventures in nursing school. 13 months to go.
Med/surg clinicals ended (boo) but I'm happy to note that my med/surg 2 rotation in the fall will be on the same unit. I'm in the middle of pysch clinicals and hate them. I have evening shift clinicals and it is terribly boring and crazy people scare me anyway.
I am emotionally attached to both teams, especially since spending time in both countries, but I tip my heart to Spain. In all honesty, though, this is a dream final for me. I can't be unhappy. Pulpo Paul is predicting a win for Spain, but his rival, a "psychic parakeet" in Singapore, says it will be Holland. Does the wrong one get eaten? Stay tuned...
It has been a month full of early mornings and lots of beer. I found a soccer pub to haunt in Corvallis, at least two in Portland, and if I couldn't make it to either, I streamed the games in class. Don't judge me... some things are more important than (the mechanisms of) breathing.
I totally want a vuvuzela for my birthday.
Sunday is also the six-month marker of my adventures in nursing school. 13 months to go.
Med/surg clinicals ended (boo) but I'm happy to note that my med/surg 2 rotation in the fall will be on the same unit. I'm in the middle of pysch clinicals and hate them. I have evening shift clinicals and it is terribly boring and crazy people scare me anyway.
16 June 2010
alegria e paixao
The World Cup. The event so full of beauty, joy and passion that it fills my tiny, bitter cold little heart to bursting.
Sometimes I get up at 4.30am to watch the game before I leave for clinical at 6, because it wakes me up more than half a pot of coffee. Sometimes I stream the games on my laptop during pathophysiology, because soccer is more important than breathing (mechanisms). Shhh.
Semi-finals and the final are during my mid-term break, thank you Jesus!
...my teams are:
Spain -because La Furia Roja is my heart
Côte d'Ivoire -the African Cinderella story
Brazil -because no other team makes soccer look like so much fun
USA -because I am American, after all. And Clint Dempsey is my man. <3
Holland -because 'oranje est de kleur van gekte'*
Naturally, I also support Yoann Gourcuff (and not the French, mind you, haven't forgiven Henry and his handballs), and the Argentines. I'm an equal-opportunity football slut in the name of the beautiful game
*'Orange is the color of insanity.' -van Gogh
Sometimes I get up at 4.30am to watch the game before I leave for clinical at 6, because it wakes me up more than half a pot of coffee. Sometimes I stream the games on my laptop during pathophysiology, because soccer is more important than breathing (mechanisms). Shhh.
Semi-finals and the final are during my mid-term break, thank you Jesus!
...my teams are:
Spain -because La Furia Roja is my heart
Côte d'Ivoire -the African Cinderella story
Brazil -because no other team makes soccer look like so much fun
USA -because I am American, after all. And Clint Dempsey is my man. <3
Holland -because 'oranje est de kleur van gekte'*
Naturally, I also support Yoann Gourcuff (and not the French, mind you, haven't forgiven Henry and his handballs), and the Argentines. I'm an equal-opportunity football slut in the name of the beautiful game
*'Orange is the color of insanity.' -van Gogh
11 June 2010
student nurse
eu estou estudando para ser uma enfeirmera.
('I'm studying to be a nurse' in Portuguese)
Student nurse. The words that define me and will for the next 14 months, not that I'm counting. It's both a blessing and a curse... a blessing when I ask a stupid question or do something asinine and then realize it, brushing it off with a "oh, I'm just a student nurse and I don't know very much yet" and receive a pat on the shoulder and maybe a bit of helpful advice, or when patients appreciate the extra TLC and attention that students are able to give. A curse when I introduce myself to a patient and receive a brusque "when's the real nurse gonna come in?" in reply, or when I stand around waiting helplessly for a real nurse to show up and assist me in administering narcotics or insulin (juniors can't without a licensed nurse).
I'm learning how to work the system, though. When patients ask me how long I've been in school, I answer that I'm graduating next August, rather than admitting I've been in school since January (and giving shots to real people since April). They hear "August" and are satisfied. Not that I'm bad at giving shots. I'm good at it. And for those other skills, I can fake confidence like you would not believe.
Patients are assigned an acuity level (number indicating how hard they are to take care of). I got my first level three today (harder than a level two) which made me feel like a big girl, which was awesome, and I am a fan of being challenged. I hate complacency. In other news, I'm still a "suppository virgin" -- the words my preceptor used when she found I hadn't given a missile pill yet. I almost had to today, but the patient refused at the last moment.
I have one more week of clinical at the big beautiful hospital with the gorgeous view. I hate getting ready to say goodbye just as I'm finally starting to get to know the staff and get used to the general run of the place.
I can totally do this nursing thing.
I love it.
('I'm studying to be a nurse' in Portuguese)
Student nurse. The words that define me and will for the next 14 months, not that I'm counting. It's both a blessing and a curse... a blessing when I ask a stupid question or do something asinine and then realize it, brushing it off with a "oh, I'm just a student nurse and I don't know very much yet" and receive a pat on the shoulder and maybe a bit of helpful advice, or when patients appreciate the extra TLC and attention that students are able to give. A curse when I introduce myself to a patient and receive a brusque "when's the real nurse gonna come in?" in reply, or when I stand around waiting helplessly for a real nurse to show up and assist me in administering narcotics or insulin (juniors can't without a licensed nurse).
I'm learning how to work the system, though. When patients ask me how long I've been in school, I answer that I'm graduating next August, rather than admitting I've been in school since January (and giving shots to real people since April). They hear "August" and are satisfied. Not that I'm bad at giving shots. I'm good at it. And for those other skills, I can fake confidence like you would not believe.
Patients are assigned an acuity level (number indicating how hard they are to take care of). I got my first level three today (harder than a level two) which made me feel like a big girl, which was awesome, and I am a fan of being challenged. I hate complacency. In other news, I'm still a "suppository virgin" -- the words my preceptor used when she found I hadn't given a missile pill yet. I almost had to today, but the patient refused at the last moment.
I have one more week of clinical at the big beautiful hospital with the gorgeous view. I hate getting ready to say goodbye just as I'm finally starting to get to know the staff and get used to the general run of the place.
I can totally do this nursing thing.
I love it.
04 June 2010
they promised me this kind of exhaustion was "rewarding"...
Fourth week of med/surg clinical is officially over. They let me have two patients this week (at the same time!). Result: my boredom has ended.
Highlights:
-Successfully inserted a catheter. First cath, first try... never thought it would be such a thrill to poke rubber tubes into people.
-DC'd 2 IV sites, a catheter, and a hemovac. All this means pulling tubes out of various body parts.
-Made a patient's day by faxing her scrip to her hometown pharmacy... and it went through! (My lesser-known superhero name is Technologically Incompetent Girl)
In other news:
A cardiologist, a PA, an OT and a PT all treated me like an actual nurse and not just a probie today. By this I mean they asked me questions, discussed patient care and generally did not treat me like an idiot. Trust me, when you're a student nurse, it's cause for a party when people take you seriously. Or at least seriously enough to discuss stuff with you.
It was pretty funny when a patient asked me about something, and after talking to my preceptor and the occupational therapist (OT) about it, we told her to ask the doctor. The doctor came in while I was in her room, so she asked him. He said he didn't know and asked me.
Now I just have to get them to let me watch a surgery, like the cool kids on the ortho floor.
Highlights:
-Successfully inserted a catheter. First cath, first try... never thought it would be such a thrill to poke rubber tubes into people.
-DC'd 2 IV sites, a catheter, and a hemovac. All this means pulling tubes out of various body parts.
-Made a patient's day by faxing her scrip to her hometown pharmacy... and it went through! (My lesser-known superhero name is Technologically Incompetent Girl)
In other news:
A cardiologist, a PA, an OT and a PT all treated me like an actual nurse and not just a probie today. By this I mean they asked me questions, discussed patient care and generally did not treat me like an idiot. Trust me, when you're a student nurse, it's cause for a party when people take you seriously. Or at least seriously enough to discuss stuff with you.
It was pretty funny when a patient asked me about something, and after talking to my preceptor and the occupational therapist (OT) about it, we told her to ask the doctor. The doctor came in while I was in her room, so she asked him. He said he didn't know and asked me.
Now I just have to get them to let me watch a surgery, like the cool kids on the ortho floor.
02 June 2010
memorial day
At my house, we don't wait for Memorial Day to come around to remember our freedom. My grandfathers and brother are are all veterans, and my brother writes Acute Politics. The subject is never far from our minds.
During my semester break (1 week) at the beginning of May, my dad and I watched four WWII movies.
They Were Expendable - 1945, Philippines
The Longest Day - 1962, D-Day
Patton - 1970, 3rd Army from North Africa to Germany
Das Boot - 1981, Atlantic, uncut director's version
And then I read Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose, the book that follows E Company, 501st Regiment, 101st Airborne Division from airborne school to the beaches of Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest.
While I recommend all of the above, should you have the time to commit, the book Band of Brothers is a fairly quick read, highly informative, and extremely poignant.
They Were Expendable is a John Ford-directed movie starring John Wayne, filmed during the war and highlighting the torpedo PT boats used in the Philippines during the Pacific campaign. There is an extensive review (7 parts) of the movie over at Big Hollywood that I highly recommend. The war in the Pacific is interesting, although largely forgotten. I'm about to read We Band of Angels about the nurses on Bataan during the campaign in the movie (in all my spare time). It satisfies both the nursing side of my soul and the history buff part of me. This from a girl whose passion was ignited standing above the USS Arizona on New Year's Eve and listening to people speaking in Japanese.
If there is anything else I could say about Memorial Day, it is only that I have been to France twice and Belgium once and have yet to see the beaches of Normandy or Flanders Field, where my freedom was bought long before I lived. Liberté liberté chérie...
L'Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France
The Grave of the Unknown Soldier, Paris, France
Nothing moves me as much as the monuments to those who paid the ultimate price. Thank you to out veterans as well as to those who gave their all. You will never be forgotten.
During my semester break (1 week) at the beginning of May, my dad and I watched four WWII movies.
They Were Expendable - 1945, Philippines
The Longest Day - 1962, D-Day
Patton - 1970, 3rd Army from North Africa to Germany
Das Boot - 1981, Atlantic, uncut director's version
And then I read Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose, the book that follows E Company, 501st Regiment, 101st Airborne Division from airborne school to the beaches of Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest.
While I recommend all of the above, should you have the time to commit, the book Band of Brothers is a fairly quick read, highly informative, and extremely poignant.
They Were Expendable is a John Ford-directed movie starring John Wayne, filmed during the war and highlighting the torpedo PT boats used in the Philippines during the Pacific campaign. There is an extensive review (7 parts) of the movie over at Big Hollywood that I highly recommend. The war in the Pacific is interesting, although largely forgotten. I'm about to read We Band of Angels about the nurses on Bataan during the campaign in the movie (in all my spare time). It satisfies both the nursing side of my soul and the history buff part of me. This from a girl whose passion was ignited standing above the USS Arizona on New Year's Eve and listening to people speaking in Japanese.
The flag flies over the grave of USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Das Boot is a submarine story from the German perspective and definitely worth watching.If there is anything else I could say about Memorial Day, it is only that I have been to France twice and Belgium once and have yet to see the beaches of Normandy or Flanders Field, where my freedom was bought long before I lived. Liberté liberté chérie...
L'Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France
The Grave of the Unknown Soldier, Paris, France
Nothing moves me as much as the monuments to those who paid the ultimate price. Thank you to out veterans as well as to those who gave their all. You will never be forgotten.
26 May 2010
sad day
Me: "I hate my life."
Friend and fellow classmate: "No, you don't! You know how I know? You don't HAVE a life!"
Friend and fellow classmate: "No, you don't! You know how I know? You don't HAVE a life!"
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