Moved

We're installed in our new high rise loft apartment. Boxes surround us. It's the favorite time for the kitties. Lots of places to play. Odds and ends remain to be completed before we give back keys from the old place. I've accepted a new job. Orientation starts Monday, followed by classes every day next week, and finally floor orientation the following week. I'll be floating to eleven different floors, and I get two nights orientation on each floor before being on my own. My first night alone will be the first or second week of January. That's more orientation than I got in my first job as a new nurse. I also get an annual public transportation pass. I'll be taking the bus to work and trying to sell the Titan. I'm loving the convenience of being in the city. My favorite so far is the food carts. A mile's walk and five bucks gets me Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Greek, Lebanese, Japanese, Korean or Polish cuisine. That's a real bargain, and I get some exercise. Who needs to cook?

rc

New Beginnnings

Moving day is Saturday. I should be spending more time packing.
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We're going to see Spring Awakenings tomorrow.
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I accepted a job on the float pool at Providence working 3 eight hour nights.
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I'm excited about all these things.
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rc

Blogging at Work (gasp)

For a moment, I wonder why last week went by so fast, why I feel so tired, and why this weekend at work has been such an emotional whirlwind for me. Then I remember, oh yes, I decided to go back on hormonal birth control.
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I haven't mentioned the subject in a long time, but long-time readers and IRL friends know how much and how long I was obsessed with having a baby and how horrifically painful my periods can be. For years now, I've been staying in bed with the heating pad on the first day of my period and popping the occasional Vicodin and lots and lots of Ibuprofen. Given the fact that I don't appear to be getting pregnant anyway, I finally decided to go back on the pill: the one thing that has been proven to keep me pain-free.
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For at least a year now, I've been growing more and more accustomed to the idea that we won't have children, and made peace with the idea that that's okay for me. So this seemed like a good time to get rid of the pain, a move which it took me a while to become emotionally ready for. It took some effort for me not to be angry that, not only will my reproductive system not reproduce, but it is also a major inconvenience. I call it "worse than useless."
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But that wasn't the point. The reason I started writing this (really transparent and personal for me) post was to talk about a little problem I had at work. Only weariness kept me from writing a frustrated rant yesterday morning about the nurse who made morning report so terrible that I was in tears before it was over with. I composed it in my head on the drive home. I meant to write that if I had to give her report every day, I would quit my job. Then I talked to jc about it and remember that the extra hormones I'm taking are making me emotional.
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The surest cure for a bad night at work is a good night at work, so I was happy to come back to work tonight. I'm even happier now that several people have confirmed that the nurse in question is just a good, old-fashioned Meanie and has been reported for her Meanness on more than one occasion. You see, before I knew that, I perceived her behavior as a personal attack. Now I know better.
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I don't have a dictionary in front of me, but I think you could use the word "maudlin" appropriately to discuss my rambling. I better get back to work.
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Rose

Complaining about a Fine Day

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I had a perfectly nice day yesterday, riding the bus around the city, walking up one thousand steps to the top of Mt. Tabor to see the view, dodging a semi-solid rainstorm downtown to catch the bus, lugging my camera all over the city and not gettting a decent shot to show for it. That was the good part, and I enjoyed it immensely. (Really, I did.) I also had a pretty nice time at work, despite a co-worker who treated me like a ten-year old ignoramus. It was the drive home this morning in rush hour traffic that so colored the preceding narrative. Can you call it a drive when you don't go anywhere? Can you call it the freeway when all you're free to do is look at the bumper of the car in front of you? That's what I call parking on the parkway, making sense of a nonsensical word. My natural impatience causes me to take the first exit in those circumstances and drive in circles on the roads noone else is using before finding another crowded road to wait on. Well, that's enough of my griping for now. That's temporary sleep deprivation talking. My apologies, dear readers.
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r. connors

Growing Braver

Pioneer Square

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Bolstered by a good night at work two nights ago, I'm trying out another new hospital tonight. One of the things I love about the city is that I can pretty much get work on the spur of the moment any given night. My goal is to be comfortable enough to work anywhere, and of course know how to get there.

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rc

The City

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I am something of a neophyte when it comes to the city. Nearly every detail delights me. I went to work last night. As anyone would have predicted, there was nothing to be frightened of. The worst part was the drive home in Monday morning rush hour, but even that wasn't bad; not even with an accident and some snow factored in.
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After some sleep today, we boarded our local bus, and rode into The City. We found some food carts and got some excellent Thai food for $5 each. I had drunken noodles. We ate on concrete bench in front of the university's engineering building, pictured above.
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It suddenly got quite blustery, a turn of weather we weren't prepared for, so we got back on the bus and came home. The people on the bus are the subject of a children's song, but I have a few verses to add about the clothes, both wonderful and appalling, that the people were wearing, the music they were listening to, how polite they were, how the driver helped the girl in the wheelchair, and don't forget the mining of the nares one not-so-sober woman was engrossed in.
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Back home, I'm delighted by it all.
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Rose

Bonaparte's Gull

It is a delight to find this most graceful gull with its dancing flight and delicate form.

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It is also a delight to have more work than I want offered to me. I was forced to stay home and rest tonight after poor day sleep the last few days. Reallly, that makes me plenty happy.

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Good birds.

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Good work.

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Good rest.

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Rose

Frustration

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I foolishly accepted a one-hour home interview this week. The interview was fairly simple and straightforward. It was faxing the documents that turned into a huge frustration.
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I sent them yesterday. I got two calls today asking for corrections and re-faxing. By the time it was (hopefully) over I was ready to spit bullets.

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rc

More Solstice Tide

Finally, I got to go to work. I'm bored with vacation and days off and more vacation. So my Christmas celebration today (which I didn't intend to celebrate anyway) consists of sleeping all day in my hotel room and then eating pad thai and lemongrass chicken with vegetables and rice while watching You've Got Mail on HBO. An old favorite. And more work tonight (hopefully).

Rose

Raptor in the Wetland

Big M sent me this picture of a Pennsylvania Bald Eagle, which he took in the created wetland near his house, where I used to live. When I went to crop out the bird, I found that I couldn't stand to cut out all the background because of its nostalgic beauty.

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I seem to be settling into a schedule of working Monday and Tuesdays now. The hospital where I've done nearly all my agency work so far is busy and short-staffed. They also like to have generous staffing ratios, which makes it a nice place to work. They've been asking for me nearly every day this week.

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rc

Ick

After working last night, I wake up in the hotel room feeling decidedly icky and unable to go back to sleep. The waitress warned me against medium spicy Thai food yesterday, saying it was too hot for anyone too eat. Maybe she was right. I'm steadily losing my flair for uninterrupted, peaceful daytime sleep. Maybe I should take Benadryl. Maybe I should just give up.

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I give up.

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rc

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I made an emergency trip to the supermarket for green juice, which made me feel much better. Got some more sleep this afternoon too. I won't whine anymore, promise.

Shuffled Plans

Alsea Falls closeup (photo credit: jc)

We spent the day in Eugene yesterday. I walked the bikepaths (in flip-flops) until I wore the skin off my feet. We picked up sushi and walked to the concert, which was outdoors. It was a lovely walk through the park. At the concert, we sat on a quilt on the grass. Chris Botti and his excellent band played for an hour to open. He plays a wonderful bluesy jazz trumpet. Then Diana Krall played and sang numbers from Nat King Cole and Irving Berlin down to Elvis Costello. By the time the show was over it was dark and we walked back to the hotel under the stars.

This morning I found out that my job in Eugene was canceled and they sent me to Florence. We took the scenic route on the way over. After I checked into the hotel (on the company) and took a nap, they canceled me here too. So we took a walk and now I'll call it an early night. It's just as well. I forgot not to schedule around my period, so today wasn't a great day to work. All things considered, me and Thermacare wraps and ibuprofen are doing just fine.

Rose

At Long Last

My Specialized Expedition came on Friday and we took it to the bike shop to be put together. He was too busy to get it done on Saturday and was closed Sunday and Monday, so I finally got my bike today.


My first bike had a yellow banana seat and one wheel bigger than the other. I paid something like ten bucks to a guy who worked on bikes in his garage up Runville for it. One tire was bigger than the other.


When I got out of college, a friend gave me her old Schwinn ten speed, that she had been going to throw away. It traveled from Pennsylvania to Utah on top of the cap of the blue Chevy truck. Every time I went for a ride, I got a flat. There are lots of thorns in Utah. Poor thing didn't make the trip when I moved back east.


Now jc has gotten me this beautiful bike on eBay. I hate to bend over to reach the handlebars, and this bike rides just like a cruiser.


We're headed to Eugene tomorrow for a Diana Krall concert and a few days of work. I'm off now to make a huge batch of hummus.


Rose


Addendum: Just back from an 8 mile ride after making a gallon of spicy, garlickey hummus.

rc

R. I. P.

• could've repaired this
• ordered new "big girl" steamer from cuisinart instead
• meant to work agency last night
• wasn't needed
• plan relaxing day in hammock
• try new pms solution

rc

Dressed Without Makeup

Boss Lady told a coworker that, from her experience working night shift herself, she has come to understand a few things. She believes that night shift workers are socially inept, maladjusted slobs who have personal issues to work through, don't get along well, with others, don't wear makeup, and just might have drug problems.

My reply: I don't really give a fig about most of her characterizations. If I have unresolved issues in my personal life, doesn't everyone? And no, I'm not that great in social situations, as a matter of fact I tend to shun them. I do arrive at work looking clean and professional though, albeit without makeup. (Prepare for politically incorrect personal opinions.)

This remark implies that a clean face on a woman is some kind of social or hygenic problem. Not so. Makeup is used to portray a certain image. Although society at large has come to place a larger value on it, it's base purpose is to improve a woman's sexual attractiveness. That has not a thing to do with day shift, night shift, or the nursing profession. Let me elaborate.

Lipstick mimics the rush of blood to the lips brought on by a state of sexual excitement.

Blush mimics the rush of blood to the cheeks brought on by a state of sexual excitement.

Mascara mimics the widened eyes brought on by...

And most insidious of all, eyeshadow, blue in particular, mimics the thin-lidded, veiny eyes of an adolescent or child.

Combine the above elements. Makeup produces the appearance of a young girl enjoying sex. People think I'm either crazy or making a joke, when I say this. I'm not. Shave your legs and extend the metaphor. (Check out Myra's thoughtful post over at My Journey for more on that.) If you like dressing up like a dirty old man's sick fantasy, support the cosmetics companies with your purchases. I will not allow a bare face to brand me as some sort of antisocial slob.

Rose

Daysleeper

I designed and ordered this aluminum sign for the front door today.

Dahlia Man gave me the idea from his memory of WWII shiftworkers.

RC

Uppers and Downers

When I first started the blog, a reader asked for pictures. The way I've been going lately, I could easily imagine someone asking for more words. Inside my head there are many, many words that are seeking expression. I've got mixed feelings about my job. I turned in a resignation letter today, but I'm sad to be leaving the great working team that I've been a part of for two years. I'm a little apprehensive about the big jump to working only agency, but excited about the many options that it allows for and the money I can make.

That makes it possible for me to take little sister Robin and her daughter A.E. on a cruise next month. We'll be sailing out of Miami on the Carnival Imagination and visiting Key West and Calica, and we're leaving in just one month from tomorrow. If you know me, you can imagine the whirlwind of excitement I'm in getting summer clothes out of storage, planning sidetrips, and of course, a crash course on birds of Mexico.

Lots to do.

Rose

How'd it go?

The first night of my agency work went very well. I had a new computer charting system to learn, which turned out to be quite manageable. There was a low patient load and a great staff. It's a treat to have a charge nurse and a ward secretary. In addition, conveniences like meds stocked in a cabinet right in the patient room are very nice. I was scheduled for tonight as well, but not needed, so we're back home with the kitties.

Coming up: pictures of today's jaunt.

Rose

Genesis

I'm starting my new job today. I still have the old job as well. What happens next depends on what happens next. So we're off for a few days to make a little money and enjoy the sights. The possibilities are limitless. I hope to see the Pelagic Cormorant and Black Oystercatcher. Perhaps we'll find a house to buy, a bood restaurant, who knows? I'll report back later.

Rose

Notes

I'll make an attempt at a regular journal entry. The above is random, the best picture I took today, which is not saying much. I've been trying for the Common Yellowthroat for days, but he's a quick mover. I've got the go-ahead to start my new agency job. I passed my drug test and got a satisfactory reference from Boss Lady. We've been having some rainy and overcast weather, which I am enjoying completely. I've been lazy about the movie reviews lately. Favorites recently have been Deja Vu and The Jacket. Both are thought provoking time-twisters. Apparently, we've been watching too much House, MD, because I had a dream last week in which the irritating Dr. House kissed me. Funny that I would choose hime over the hot Aussie, huh? I'm currently reading One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd, a novel by Jim Fergus. It is a well-researched and imaginative book about white women traded to Custer-era Cheyennes as wives in a last ditch attempt at peacemaking. Oh, and I'm trying to be a more considerate partner after jc's complaints that I am often the contrary. Guilty, I'm sure.

Rose