Rants, Recipes, and Running

As many of you know, I am in my psychiatric-mental health rotaiton right now. And I L-O-V-E it!!! However, I do find it to be a little emotionally draining at times. While at the same time, I feel quite fortunate for my situation because..... I could take the worst, god-awful, horrible, miserable day of my life -- and there are patients in this unit that would DREAM to live that day (in comparison to the one their living). I'm not homeless. I have a great family. Stability exists in my life. I don't hear voices when I wake up in the morning, there are no trees in my house telling me to boil dog-feces on the stove (yes, I spoke with a patient who heard these voices), I dont have a substance-abuse addiction -- and overall I feel pretty darn good about life. However....I have to share two creepy experiences that have happened in just 3 weeks of this rotation. My first day on the unit; we were informed there is a woman in a "severe state of mania". We we...

1. When you were a senior in high school, what career did you think you’d choose? Did you? Why or why not? I thought I was going to be a Music Educator. I wanted to major in Music Education, and then go on to get my masters and be a professor for trombone specifically. Why did I change my mind? -- I do not know! I think when I really evaluated myself, I realized my biggest interest was in health/medicine/etc. 2. What one thing about the “real world” did you find most surprising once you were on your own? The last 5 words of the question spells it out: "You were on your own.". It first hit me about 2 weeks after I moved to Tucson, and it was rough! For the first time in my life....I had no one to solve my problems for me, no one to cry to. It was a good learning experience. 3. Name 3 things you think your closest friends DON’T like about you. -I am way to much of a hermit ! For example: my spring break week? -- I did not speak face-to-face with a single person other tha...

Sometimes we just need a weekend getaway. I can't think of the last full day that Ryan & I truly had "together". It's been crazy. When we do seem to have a day together, a large chunk of it is spent studying. But we took an escape this weekend..... It was supposed to be in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. But some information we received caused to re-group and find a new destination: San Diego ! (Details on the planning of our trip to come later....) If I could....I would pack up my life and move to San Diego tomorrow. It is the most pleasant city on earth, that I have experienced. So here I will break down our trip...... Thursday: We hit the road at 6:30 am and were in San Diego by noon! It was the most beautiful drive. Amazing how each our of the trip had a slight change in scenery! Our first stop was the Ferry Landing of Coronado Island (the island we stayed on) We walked the pier, admired the boats of the marina, and stopped for lunch at a great restaura...

In spirit of St. Patrick's Day, and my husband's Irish heritage.....I decided I try tackling an "irish recipe". Ryan had guard this weekend, and ever since we started dating -- it was been my favorite thing to surprise him with delicious, warm, loving meals for him. In fact, we decided yesterday that this tradition is probably what make him want to marry me. For, isn't the path to a man's heart through his stomach? ;) (Only kidding, folks.....) So I present you with my first recipe post!! - I made modifications from the original recipes. And this one should serve 4-5 people comfortably! 1/4 cup olive oil 1pounds  chuck beef roast, cut into 1-inch pieces 5 large garlic cloves, minced (I did 4 minced, 1 whole & crushed) 4 cups beef stock or canned beef broth I cup of Guinness beer 1 cup of fine red wine 1 can tomato paste 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 bay leaves 4 cups russet potatoes, peeled, ...

I must say there are many good things I have to be happy about right now! I am in my psychiatric-mental health nursing rotation right now. I originally chose nursing as my major beause from the time I was like 12 I wanted to be a psych nurse. I love it so far. The clinicals are incredible. I am finding I am more organized and ahead of things in this class than I ever have been! Now, if I could be this motived with Critical Care and my Capstone this summer......:) Ryan and I got an entire day together yesterday!!!! This is rare. My spring break kind of sucked. He would leave at about 6 a.m., and not return until 8 p.m. The poor guy is spread too thin! So I cherish a day like yesterday! Which consisted of............. Spring Training baseball!!!!!! Diamondbacks vs. Oakland Atheletics. It was nearly a close-out. 10-1. We met his bosses wife at the game and she insisted we ditch our seats & sit in the seats in front of them that they had purchased . So we were FRONT ROW BEHIND HO...

Do you have a daily routine? Structure is such a great thing to have in life. In my opinion, if you have a basic structure to each day -- you'll get more accomplished. If you have a task scheduled in for your priorities of the day, it'll get done. However, if you just say "I'll get to it if I can...." -- chances are we'll find a way to * not get to it *. ;) I'm quite talented at this when it comes to studying some times..... However, I think I've found that my life has become a little TOO "routined". I have 2 types of "days" in my week. Days where I have clinical super early in the morning lasting all day, and days where I have night classes. So depending on my day, that sets up my routine for the day. I do everything the same on these days. Down to the HOUR. However, when a Saturday comes around that I'm "free" from my routine, I would get excited. I'd say, "Oh yay! Tomorrow I am free to do anything ...

1. Of your current hobbies, which would you choose to spend more time, money, and effort on? Why? Gardening. First off: I need soil. We have all rocks & sand in the backyard. I also need more patience. And I need to go ahead and just buy a load of "gardening materials". When we get a real house, I'm determined to have a garden! Why? Because I think it's therapeutic and accomplishing, and I love to cook and would like to can! Also, as a child I wanted to grow up to be a horticulturist (sp?) 2. List the two other hobbies/habitual activies (not chores) besides the one listed above that you regularly do now and didn’t choose in question one. -run -cook 3. Why are you spending time on the above two hobbies/habitual activies at all if you really wanted to spend your time on the first one you chose? …or to put it another way, what are these two hobbies/habitual activities fullfilling that the first one doesn’t if you don’t want to put all your effort into the fir...