New Adventures, Same Me

Ten Years

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:04:00 +0000

So apparently I'm old. Next year marks my ten-year anniversary of graduating high school. Holy crappers.

On top of all that reminiscing, I have to do actual WORK - I was class president and so it falls to me to put a whole reunion thing together. However. There are some snags that I immediately see to this lets-get-together plan - there were only 23 people in my high school graduating class. That means not a lot of moolah. Also, I'm not Facebook friends with all 23. Lastly, I don't even know where to START with the whole planning process.

Oh well. I sent out a Facebook message to the FB friends I DO have, just to gauge interest. We shall see.

A Post Illustrating the Differences Between my Husband and Me.

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 03:15:00 +0000

What my husband wants:

The 1989 Reebok Pumps. Oh yes. He is that awesome. Please take into consideration that he already has three other pairs of sneakers that are similar to these - weird shoes that were only bought for costume parties at our friend's house in Greenville, SC.

What I want:

A Hamsa necklace to ward off the malocchio and other evil things floating through the air. HEY I work on an ONCOLOGY floor people. There is a shit-ton of crazy stuff floating around there.

Sometimes I wonder how we ended up together... =)

Dani

I Hate Making Up Titles.

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:02:00 +0000

Seriously, I do. My dislike of coming up with creative titles stems from my stint as a PR/marketing writer - I liked writing stories...but the titles...sheesh.

Anyways.

I've been a nurse for almost six months. Not very long, but long enough to be tired of working in the "trenches" of the floor nurse. It's not that I don't love (most of) my patients, or enjoy working with (most of) my co-workers, but it's a million little frustrations that happen almost every day while I'm at work. I'll go into them in future posts - but right now I'm in a mood that isn't too foul, so I'll stay away from those nagging annoyances.

Also, I've turned a new corner in my life. I've changed careers, reached 6 months in that new profession (well, almost) and I'm getting that feeling again. That I-need-something-to-do-before-I-go-crazy feeling, that something-needs-to-change feeling. I'm officially a woman in my late wenties and my biological clock is starting to go tick-tick-tick... but I still want to get my BS and possibly MS in nursing. I want to be a change agent on so many levels - but I also want to be a mommy. That's a change agent too, right?

Hmm.

I'm a firstborn, and was one of the oldest kids in my class. I got married when I was 23 and have never regretted it. However, I'm terrified to be the first of my same-aged friends to get preggers (at least first of the non-Greenville ones!). But that's another topic too. SO, you can see, I have a lot rolling around in my head - so much, in fact, that it's been really hard to sit and put it into words. But...I'm going to try. At least for my sanity's sake!

So. That;s it for this rainy Friday (really like my Sunday since I have to work tomorrow and the next day). I solemnly swear that I'll be much much better about trying tp put SOMETHING down on this blog regularly.

Love and kisses.

Dani

Rainy Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:35:00 +0000

Awesome Things of Today

Kitty snuggling in bed, on the couch and on my lap
Finally finding a pair of Danskos that I like
NOT having to go to the DMV for a replacement license (thanks K for telling me my license number is on my car registration!!!!)
$1 gardening gloves at Target
$3.99 wine at Trader Joes (see picture below)
K’s two kids are the cutest things ever
Glee is on tonight!!

Awful Things of Today

It’s raining.
My Danskos were $110.
I have to work tomorrow and Thursday.
I have a bitchin’ headache.

Oh well! Obviously the good outweighs the bad here. Happy Tuesday everyone!

Back to my Books

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 20:15:00 +0000

AWESOME BOOKS THAT IS. None of those crappy nursing textbooks or NCLEX review books. That's right bitches. I am back on track to read 50+ books this year. AND I WILL DO IT. I have my library card, two new tea mugs, a Keurig, and a ton of PG Tips. I am ready for the reading extravaganza of 2011.

To prove my point, I went to the library and got a ton of books out:

I am done with three of them (Child 44, Are you There Vodka, It's Me, Chelsea, and The Eyre Affair), and on the fourth (Confessions of a Shopaholic)! Those are books four, five, six and seven in 2011. I have a long way to go, but it's such a delicious prospect of reading 43 more books this year!!

I know I'm a nutter...but we all have to be crazy about something right? At least my addiction is books, and not eating chalk or drinking laundry detergent like those weirdos on TV.

Soapbox.

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 20:05:00 +0000

Here is a hot minute of me soapboxing about the dangers of the sun, not getting your mammograms or self boobie and testicle exams, ignoring chest pain, and generally not enjoying the time you have left.

Yes. It seems that being a nurse has made me into a downer. BUT, a downer who appreciates her life a lot more and realizes that she is super lucky to have a fabulous husband, and wonderful kitty, a loverly house and NO CANCER. Seriously, in the last week I have just seen way too many patients who ignored shit for too freaking long. Guys in their twenties who have huge tumors, women in their forties who ignored the sudden appearance of an inverted nipple and a large lump under the clavicle. Sigh.

On a brighter note, I did get to hang out with a patient who was so doped up on Lortab that he looked like a drunk frat boy. And another one of our patients brought us all doughnuts. Yummy. =) AND The ice cream cart came around on Friday...which was hilarious - everyone perked up (nurses, patients, respiratory therapists...) and helped themselves to free popsicles, snickers ice cream bars and more. It was a much needed break on our floor.

Did I mention that next week I am working three nights in a row? Like 7pm to 7am. HA. HAHAHAHA. Part of my 9-week orientation. We shall see how THAT goes.

I'll leave you with a picture i took one morning I took before work. I have seen way too many dawns already. Meh.

The Pros and Cons of Nursing... so far

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 02:18:00 +0000

Pros:

- Providing comfort and care for people while they are at their most vulnerable.

- Meeting and interacting with a wide variety of people, in a wide variety of situations. (Sad, happy, funny...)

- Tons of gross stuff to "oooh and ahhh" over. (Like my patient the other day...his remaining foot had three black toes and a lot of dead foot...)

- Fast paced, CRAZY-ASS environment (I'll look at the clock and say, "Shit! How is it 2:30 already???")

Cons:

- Making my husband wash his hands after hugging me when I get home (because my patient was positive for C diff... you don't want to know...)

- Patients who argue with me about how medications work...

- Physicians who don't write complete orders (sorry, "Heparin dosing with bolus" is not a complete order)

- Hospital administration who decide that we can go with 8 patients per nurse on night shift...WITH a float nurse

- Getting to work at 6:30 am ...and leaving at 8:25 PM.

Yesh. I had a long day. And yesh, nursing is really hard in many ways. But I think I like it.

- Dani

People are Weird, Especially When They Eat Out

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 02:00:00 +0000

I see a LOT of crazy things where I work. Things that make you wonder WHERE these people grew up and WHO taught them their manners. Because HOLY CRAPPERS people, on what planet is it ok for a crawling baby to CRAWL AROUND ON A BAR FLOOR WHILE YOU EAT??? Yes, at the bar there were four ladies sitting in a booth and having lunch, completely OK with the fact that there was a small baby (that BELONGED TO ONE OF THEM) crawling around the bar floor. AND these ladies weren't white trash - if I had the cash paid for the collective purses at that table, I could pay my mortgage for more than two months. For serious.

More things that were absolutely wacky:

- Guests looking at you like you are an ALIEN when you come to the table. Seriously people, if you didn't want to talk to anyone at lunch, STAY HOME or GO TO WENDY's.

- It STILL amazes me that people tell me, "I'm waiting on one more," when I ask them if they would like a beverage. NO SHIT SHERLOCK, I SEE THE MENU SITTING ACROSS FROM YOU. It takes every ounce of self-control for me not to say something very snarky.

- I understand that guests pay $2.25 for a drink at the restaurant, and so they are entitled to a To Go Cup. That is fine. I'll get you a To Go cup. I won't be very happy about it, but I'll live, especially if you're tipping 20%. However. Don't ask for a To Go Cup for everyone at the table and then tip 10%. That is NOT cool. Also, it isn't cool to ask for a To Go Cup and then continue to sit at my table for 30 minutes. PEOPLE, I make tips off turning these tables! Don't ask for a To Go Cup and then drink out of it at the table! Weirdos.

Oooooh Shooooooes

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:11:00 +0000

Ivanka Trump has started a line of shoes at Nordstroms. YUMMY. I VANT THEM. =)

Month of Sighs

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 01:59:00 +0000

This month has been cuh-razy so far. Between turning 27 (sheesh), graduating nursing school (holy crap), procuring a nursing job (HOLY AWESOME AND SCARY), and writing a speech for our nursing school graduation (sweaty palms anyone?), I have had a lot on my mind.

On top of all that, my dad has been nice enough to spend a couple days at our house, putting up some finishing touches that have been a long time coming - HELLO CROWN MOLDING IN THE KITCHEN!!! Soooo, super awesome, but super stressful too. AND it's freaking cold here in NC, which makes my fingers le cold and stiff. AND the cold makes it impossible to spray paint my awesome brass chandelier I got at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store for $10... hmmm.

Anyways, just wanted to say hi to everyone out there, and say that I am still here - really stressed and happy for my pharmaceutical assistance - but still here. And really happy that nursing school is alllllllmost over.

I shall try to update more often - especially over the next month as all I do is eat, sleep, study for the NCLEX and work at the restaurant.

MUAH!

Owl Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:11:00 +0000

I am making a FREE 2011 Owl Calendar. HOW DO I DO THAT you ask? Just click below! Enjoy loveys - and Happy Thanksgiving!

Ending on a Sad Note

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:17:00 +0000

There were a lot of different experiences I could talk about from my last day in the ED, but the one that really stuck with me was my last patient of the day. The 20-year-old female came into the ED complaining of vaginal bleeding and extreme pain. She had gone to another ED a few days before where she had been told she was miscarrying, given pain meds and sent on her way. Now she was out of pain meds and wanted more. Nobody was really taking her seriously, since they had all had patients who faked pregnancy/miscarriage to get pain meds (how AWFUL is that, by the way???), but I wasn’t sure.

This was NOT my first patient that came into the ED with abnormal vaginal bleeding – but the first one who came in saying she had had a miscarriage. Our PA didn’t even believe that she had ever been pregnant, so she ordered a urine pregnancy test.

I walked into the patient’s room and told her we needed a urine sample. The look of anguish that washed over her face was heartbreaking, and I told her that I would help her as much as I could. Since she came into the minor trauma area in a wheelchair, I took her by wheelchair to the bathroom, and helped her obtain the sample. The urine sample was full of blood and tissue. So much for a clean catch. As we were setting up for a pelvic exam, the PA took her medical history and I found out that this was this girl’s sixth pregnancy, and I tried not to judge. I was happy that her partner was there with her and sorry she was in such pain. I helped her get to the bottom of the bed, expecting a normal pelvic exam. However, the exam was in no-way normal, and caused her a large amount of pain...

The MD swept into the room, took one look and told the girl (who was still whimpering) that she was still actively miscarrying, and called for more IV push morphine (I had already given her some 5 minutes earlier). When I came back from getting the morphine, it was just the girl and her partner in the room. I told her what I was doing, and that it was going to help with all the pain. Then I told her that unfortunately it was the end of my shift, and that I had to go. She responded with tears. I told her that now that they had figured out what was wrong, it was going to get better, and that I was sorry she was hurting. I reassured her that another nurse and NA were on duty, and that the MD and PA treating her were there for another 2 hours. She wasn't being abandoned. She calmed down and I walked out of the ED.

It was a difficult, emotional experience to end my preceptorship on, but I felt like we actually were helping someone - and that was positive and fulfilling.

Not Quite the Flu.

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:58:00 +0000

The ED is a completely different animal than any other place in the hospital. In more ways than one, it's just like the restaurant where I work - sit them down, ask what they want (what's wrong), get them what you can (push meds, get blood or urine), send in the manager (the MD, PA or NP) and send them on their way. Turn those tables (rooms)!

Instead of doing a head-to-toe assessment where I use my stethoscope, penlight and fingers, I get to have a 3-minute question and answer session, with minor follow up if there is a specific ailment (like listen to bowel sounds if the abdomen hurts, etc.). As the days in the ED went on, I think I became complacent in my assessment - one of the things that I wanted to get better at during my time in the ED.

We had one patient that came in complaining of flu-like symptoms. The Physician's Assistant thought it was probably the flu, but ordered a chest x-ray to cover her butt. When the results came back, we were both were shocked - Pneumonia. At least she had listened to his lungs and determined that his right lower lobe was diminished. I, on the other hand, only asked him how long his signs and symptoms had been going on, and if had been taking anything for them. Sigh.

Later on I started the same patient's IV. He didn't like needles, so I told him to look at the wall while I put in the IV. Good thing I did, because I didn't pull the tourniquet off his arm and couldn't get the saline lock on fast enough ... so he bled everywhere ... like to the point that I had to move my white pants and shoes out of the way so the blood could drip on the floor. I was seriously freaked out by this incident, but both my nurse preceptor and the PA told me not to worry, and that I was still learning. I still felt bad though. Thank God the patient didn't look over toward me! Sheesh.

Eventually I get better at all this...right?

Another ED Experience...

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:47:00 +0000

We had another patient who came in to the ED complaining of nausea and vomiting, with a sharp pain in her lower right abdomen. My preceptor started the IV, gave the patient morphine IV push and then started a bag of normal saline. When I came back 15 minutes later to check on the patient, I noticed that she had red streaks running up her arm, and her veins were puffy. I stopped the IV and placed a cool compress on her arm, and then went for my preceptor.

All we had given the patient so far was morphine, and I could see the veins leading away from her IV site were red and puffy, so I knew it was probably a local reaction to the medication. I asked her again if she had any allergies, and she said no. I stopped the IV pump and got a washcloth from the cabinet, wet it and placed it on her arm. I told her that she was probably having a small reaction to the morphine that we pushed (which is why her arm wasn't hurting now that the saline was running), and that I went to go get my nurse.

I told my preceptor about the situation, and what I had done so far. She went into the room and took a look, and pretty much told the patient what I had - that this was probably a local reaction to the morphine, and that this reaction was common. To make sure we were right, she asked the doctor to come in and take a look at the patient. Begrudgingly he took a minute and went to look at the patient's arm. He agreed it was a reaction to the medication, and prescribed Benadryl IV push.

This situation kinda freaked me out - I mean, who has seen red streaks running up someone's arm?? It looked like blood poisoning or something. It all worked out, but I couldn't help but think about what would have happened it it wasn't a local reaction, but a systemic one. Her airway would have closed off or her breathing could have slowed. Since she wasn't hooked up to a monitor...how long would it have taken for me to come back and check on her? That thought chills me...

Adventures in Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:46:00 +0000

During our senior semester, we do a preceptorship in a specific unit at the hospital. Kind of like an internship, we spend 56 hours with a nurse, working their shifts with them, and becoming more and more independent. I chose to do my preceptorship in the Emergency Department (ED), and it has been a fantastic experience. I wanted to share a few of my experiences there - hopefully you'll find them as crazy as I did!

My second day in the ED, my nurse and I had a patient who was complaining or continuous nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In order to replenish her fluids quickly, the doctor ordered a liter of normal saline to run wide open…which meant she needed an IV started. Since I had never successfully started an IV on a patient, she sent me in with the IV supplies by myself – and told me to return to her if I thought I couldn’t do it.

This was my second attempt at an IV start in the ED – at the first one I was aiming correctly, but was afraid to hurt the patient and didn’t push far enough into the skin. Thankfully the weekend prior to the clinical day included a visit with my mom, who had promised to be a pincushion for me as I practiced IV sticks (she is a saint). AND I got the stick on the first try – so I had slightly more confidence than I had before the weekend.

As I went into the room by myself and examined the patient’s arms, I talked to her about if she had ever given blood and asked her which arm they used. She pointed to her left, but I had just seen a large vein in her inner arm. I asked her if that vein always stuck out like that and she assured me it did. This was like a giant bull’s-eye on her arm. She seemed really calm – I’m not sure if it was from her nausea or her natural state – but I was grateful, because I was a wreck. I tried my best not to show how nervous I was, especially that my hands were shaking! I had a hard time starting the IV without getting blood everywhere, but I did my best to recover and start the bag of saline. Once the IV was started and a medication was pushed, my preceptor came to check on me. She asked me if I got blood, and thinking that she meant the blood flash when starting an IV, I said, “YES!!!!” Actually she meant if I had pulled blood for the lab. Oops. I had been so nervous about the IV that I hadn’t read that she needed a full workup on the order sheet.

All's well that ends well, right?

Banned Books Week

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:03:00 +0000

Well I WAS on a Roll...

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:38:00 +0000

And then I got distracted. It happens.

I HAVE been doing a lot of stuff around the house - but in the last month school started back and the weather started to get nice and Labor Day happened and I started my new schedule at work and yesh. So I've been doing stuff, just not blogging about it - which is actually what most of the world does. Hmmm.

Sooooo here are some random what-I've-been-doing-for-the-last-month pictures. More soon. Promise. =)

My Homemade Jewlery Organizer, a la Centsational Girl:

FINALLY a place to put out back door and shed keys...
FINALLY a curtain in the full bath (now I just need to add a blue ribbon border...)
I spray painted the then-black shelves a crisp white! AND we got a great rug at Ikea for $20! (the gray one under the kitchen table)
We FINALLY put all the closet doors back on (after repainting and spraying the handles oil-rubbed bronze), except mine - I requested flowy curtains since I can walk into my closet. ALSO see the Dwell Studio rug in the hall? Target. Clearance. $40. What what!
I modge-podged a curtain scrap onto the light switch, after I repainted the dining room (after caulking ALL of the wood paneling)...

I FINALLY finished my book page wreath - a la Living With Lindsay- and hung it in the family room.
I STARTED painting the brick out in the sunroom - eventually this will be my reading room!
Even M got in on the craft action - he made an Arsenal decal for his car!
Whew. I TOLD you I was busy...

Project 59 ALSO Complete

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:21:00 +0000

Damn I am on a ROLL here.

When we moved into our house, I said to myself (and to anyone within hearing distance), "I hate this fireplace." I hated it because it had a brassy bronzy grate. Because it was missing a flue. Because it could possibly let in bugs. Yesh.

SOOOOO I can't change anything about the fireplace, except the brassy bronziness. And so I did.

Before:

And After!

Sooooo now it's black, and I lav it and I want to put white pillar candles in there and have it be suuuuuuper sweet. However, there is one teensy problem. The spray paint kind of rubs off a bit. I don't know if this is temporary or not...but I'll keep you updated. For now, I'm looking and not touching.

woot woot!

Project 58 Complete!

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:33:00 +0000

Project 58 out of 3,635 complete! Thanks to mom for the curtain, K for going with mom and me to get the fabric at MaryJo's, M for never cleaning out his closet (and therefore I found a free curtain rod - sweet!), and to Deacon for cheering me on as I used the hand drill.

Guest Post: 13 Things That Make Me Hostile At Work

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:59:00 +0000

Waitresses aren't the only ones you should feel sympathy for - the hostess has a pretty miserable job too. A waitress gets to make everything better by bringing food and liquor...while the hostess is the one who tells you there is a 90-minute wait. On that note, I bring you the first of a reoccurring series: Things That Make Me Hostile At Work, by an anonymous hostess. Enjoy!!!

1. Soggy paper coasters (I have an aversion to touching wet paper).
2. 40+ year-old hostess who thinks she is the boss of me because she's old, but really she's not.
3. Same hostess noted above who leaves me all of her work to do.
4. Rain.
5. People who think I give them a 30 minute wait quote just to be funny (seriously, people will ask if I am joking).
6. People who think I care about why they're late for their reservation.
7. Old ladies who travel in packs of 5 or more.
8. Roll-up shortages.
9. Picking up cloth napkins off tables, due to my fear of encountering snot, spit or swine flu.
10. Servers who think I don't seat them on purpose.
11. Sweeping noodles off the floor.
12. Children under 12.
13. When I am asked by people who were LITERALLY just outside if I think it's too hot (or cold) to eat outside. HELLO, I WORK INSIDE!!!

Note from Dani - #13 is my all time favorite. Seriously people, do you know how STUPID you sound when you ask that? You just walked to the restaurant from your car, which you parked OUTSIDE. It's in the same vein as telling me you are waiting for three more people when I ask you if you would like a drink. Ummm, duh? Isn't that what the THREE OTHER MENUS ARE FOR ON THE TABLE?? Sheesh.

Picture of the Day: Pre-flipcup at M's 30th birthday party

Sunday Musings

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 01:30:00 +0000

I keep a Moleskine book solely for quotes that I find in books. I have found that this way I can keep all those underlined passages in one place, and I can look back on them later. And I love quotes. A lot. So I have decided to share some with you every Sunday. Get excited!

Today's quote is from Alan Bennet's novella, The Uncommon Reader:

"Above literature?" said the Queen. "Who is above literature? You might as well say one is above humanity."

Happy Sunday everyone!

The Library is Bumpin' Bumpin'

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:02:00 +0000

In order to adequately study for my final (aka, I need an 80 to get a B in this class and I SWEAR TO GOD if I don't get a B in this class I am going to be pissed), I went to my local library at about 11:45 a.m. I would have gone earlier, except with the stupid budget cuts the library doesn't OPEN until noon on Mondays (don't even get me started about how it's closed on Tuesdays...).

Soooo I was a bit early - and I expected to be the first one there. OH WRONG-O. This was the sight that greeted me when I got out of my car:

Oh yes. Your eyes do not deceive you - there is a LINE to get into the library at noon on a Monday. I sent this picture to M and he was astonished. Honestly I was pleased about the whole thing. I wish the freaking paper could have been there to take a picture of all the poor peeps who wanted to get into the library earlier but couldn't.

Anyways. It was nifty. And cold. Why is it always cold in the library??

Love and kisses...

Dear Peeps...

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:59:00 +0000

Dear people who eat in restaurants,
Please ask to box your own food. I can guarantee your hands are cleaner than mine.
Love, the exasperated server.

Dear eight-top with the $400+ bill,
Yes, I included 18% gratuity. No, 18% is not sufficient. Besides, this is going on your company credit card, Give me a break! I'm poor!
Love, your really broke server.

Dear Nursing Instructor,
No, I'm not quite sure how I failed the test today while making the class' highest Maternity ATI test score. Please stop asking me such obnoxious questions.
Love, the sleepy student.

Dear Mom,
I don't really like any of the curtain patterns you scanned - do you think we can just do a fake roman shade over the kitchen sink?
Love, your indecisive daughter.

Dear various members of The Ocho,
I miss your faces. I'm sorry I can't join you in Chuck-Town this weekend, but have a drink for me!
Love, D-Sice

Picture of the Day - a kick-ass tree in Key West, Florida

Dude.

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:12:00 +0000

DUDE - why do I always feel the need to blog whenever I should be studying for something or completing something? Hmmm - WAIT I know the answer! I am a chronic procrastinator! Oh yes!

So yesh. Not only do I have my fourth test of the semester tomorrow, I also have our pediatrics/maternity ATI test, tutoring and work. AND I have a paper due. AND paperwork from last week - which includes an article summary. HA. HAHAHA! Yeahhhh It's 10:14 p.m. and I only have the paper done. I have been studying all day for the test, but since the test was SUPPOSED TO BE TODAY (I was NOT feeling well, so I rescheduled for tomorrow morning...) I really can't feel good about the studying. Yesh I wasn't feeling weel - I have had a sore throat for over a week, so I finally went to the doctor this morning. I tested negative for Strep, and my doctor pretty much old me to go home, drink lots of fluids and rest. So I did. I napped and studied on the couch all day long. It was glorious.

For those of you who DON'T know why I am so worn down - I threw M a surprise 30th b-day party this weekend at our house. Talk about a stressor. BUT, he loved it and we had a fabulous time. So it was worth it. =) We'll see if I reconsider after getting my test grades back...

On another note, I finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson. Both were really good, and I would recommend them! It looks like I am going to kill last year's "Books Read" number - right now I am only 2 away from last year's total ... and it's only the end of July. Sweetness.

Weeeeeeell, I guess I should finish my care plan for tomorrow while M alternates between a History Channel show on Grant's ride through the South and How it's Made on the Science Channel. Yup we're dorks.

Here is a picture from M's party this weekend - thanks for the cupcakes mommers!

The Library Can't Buy Books?

noreply@blogger.com (Dani) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:21:00 +0000

Sooo the awesome Mecklenburg County budget crisis has gotten so bad that the libraries can't stay open and can't buy books. Fan-freaking-tastic.

Read the press release here: 18 Local Bookstores Band Together to Help Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Libraries

It's great that these bookstores are trying to help out, but it just makes me SICK that the budget crisis is coming to this. What happens when the libraries can't buy books for their patrons?? I want to DO SOMETHING. I wish I had a bajillion dollars so I could single-handedly save the whole system. Maybe I should talk to Travis McCoy...he could include it in his next song.

Only four years ago, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library was one of three libraries honored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for it's extrodinary public service. Now it's slashing jobs and can't afford books.

Bullshit.