So sorry about the delay in my post for this week. I was feeling very unwell last night. I feel much better today and I hope that I continue to feel better.
Recently, I watched the 25th anniversary edition of "The Phantom of the Opera." Overall, I was impressed with the vocalists, but I felt that it was a little...well...over-the-top. I mean, of course it's over-the-top, it's a musical, they're all that way. However, I had trouble taking this particular version seriously. I saw it live several years ago, and I saw the movie when it came out on DVD. I have to say that Gerard Butler has been my favorite Phantom so far. He had a real mastery of the character on the screen, one that I have not seen in the live versions. And Emmy Rossum was beautifully, perfectly cast as Christine Daae. Maybe it's just me, but no live version (in my mind, anyway) will match up to the film.
Okay, Rant #1 out of the way. Rant #2: School. I don't have enough money in student loans to cover all of the expenses, so I have a decent-sized bill coming my way in January (don't worry, it's less than $5,000, I can handle it). Money is tight right now, as it is for a lot of college students. It's hard to budget my money, and it's even harder to figure out how to fit in unexpected expenses such as this. Only go to a private school if you think you can handle paying the loans off as fast as possible. My husband and I don't have cable TV, we don't go out very often, and we do everything on the cheap. We buy items that are cheaper with a generic brand, we buy a lot of things used, and we don't buy junk food - only the essentials, such as bread, fruit, meat, milk, and cheese. Most of our furniture was given to us by family members, and our cars as well. I want to go back to living in a house, but not if it means putting our future in jeopardy. We're also waiting for a while to have kids so that we can afford to have them. I want at least 3/4 of my student loans paid off before we have kids.
Even though I have a trajectory of where I see myself in five years, plans always change and nothing ever happens the way we expect it to. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not, but sometimes, it's the best thing that could ever happen.
Have a great week, ladies and gents.
Melanie E.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Snickerdoodles
I learned something new about my husband today. I've known that sugar cookies are his favorite only for the past couple of months (I know, I'm a terrible wife), and he's okay with other kinds of cookies.
But he hates snickerdoodles.
Now, I don't mind snickerdoodles. In fact, I think they're just as good as any other cookie. But he hates them with a passion. Why? Because...they disguise themselves as sugar cookies. They pretend to be something they're not. And if it's a frosted snickerdoodle, he can't tell the difference until he takes that first bite.
He hates the deception. And all around, he thinks they taste bad.
We all hate different kinds of food for some strange reason. One of my sisters will only eat peanut butter sandwiches - she can't stand the taste and texture of jelly. Another sister hates apples. One of my brothers will not touch pasta, and the other cried when he was forced to try a bit of sloppy joe. Hell, I cried the first time my mom made me try Campbell's vegetable beef soup. She made me stay in my room until I promised to try it. Now, I will eat almost anything. I'm even starting to be okay with broccoli. However, you will never convince me to eat cauliflower. It is disgusting and makes me want to vomit. I will eat almost every kind of fruit, and a few vegetables, but there is nothing I hate more than cauliflower.
Knowing these likes and dislikes of the ones you love is a privilege. It means you got to spend enough time with someone to know what they like. It says to me, "I paid attention to you. I know you don't like that, but I know you love this." The idea of using food for Pavlovian training also intrigues me. For example, I've thought about making, oh...let's say lasagna for dinner every time I have a big announcement. If I made lasagna just because, would he ask me if I had a big announcement to make? I think it would be very interesting and hilarity would ensue.
Food is such a universal concept, and I find it almost eerie how food can bring people together. Funerals, weddings, holidays, date nights - meal time is a place to get to know each other, to support each other, and to be open to the ideas that others are sharing with you. It's beautiful, really. The human need for sustenance is an amazing force that can either bring people together, or tear them apart, depending on the circumstances. If there's plenty of food to go around, people are happy. If there's not, well...people aren't so happy. But that's life. Sometimes there's food, and sometimes there's not. And we just need to support each other when times are lean.
Enjoy being around your friends and family, and have a Merry Christmas!
Warmest Regards,
Melanie E.
But he hates snickerdoodles.
Now, I don't mind snickerdoodles. In fact, I think they're just as good as any other cookie. But he hates them with a passion. Why? Because...they disguise themselves as sugar cookies. They pretend to be something they're not. And if it's a frosted snickerdoodle, he can't tell the difference until he takes that first bite.
He hates the deception. And all around, he thinks they taste bad.
We all hate different kinds of food for some strange reason. One of my sisters will only eat peanut butter sandwiches - she can't stand the taste and texture of jelly. Another sister hates apples. One of my brothers will not touch pasta, and the other cried when he was forced to try a bit of sloppy joe. Hell, I cried the first time my mom made me try Campbell's vegetable beef soup. She made me stay in my room until I promised to try it. Now, I will eat almost anything. I'm even starting to be okay with broccoli. However, you will never convince me to eat cauliflower. It is disgusting and makes me want to vomit. I will eat almost every kind of fruit, and a few vegetables, but there is nothing I hate more than cauliflower.
Knowing these likes and dislikes of the ones you love is a privilege. It means you got to spend enough time with someone to know what they like. It says to me, "I paid attention to you. I know you don't like that, but I know you love this." The idea of using food for Pavlovian training also intrigues me. For example, I've thought about making, oh...let's say lasagna for dinner every time I have a big announcement. If I made lasagna just because, would he ask me if I had a big announcement to make? I think it would be very interesting and hilarity would ensue.
Food is such a universal concept, and I find it almost eerie how food can bring people together. Funerals, weddings, holidays, date nights - meal time is a place to get to know each other, to support each other, and to be open to the ideas that others are sharing with you. It's beautiful, really. The human need for sustenance is an amazing force that can either bring people together, or tear them apart, depending on the circumstances. If there's plenty of food to go around, people are happy. If there's not, well...people aren't so happy. But that's life. Sometimes there's food, and sometimes there's not. And we just need to support each other when times are lean.
Enjoy being around your friends and family, and have a Merry Christmas!
Warmest Regards,
Melanie E.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Looking Forward to a New Year
The new year is slowly coming upon us. Supposedly, we only have six days until the end of the world. Personally, I don't believe anything is going to happen. On the off chance something does, I really hope that I can do something meaningful with the six days I have left. I digress. What I meant to start talking about was hopes, dreams, and goals for the future. I've mentioned before that I want to work for Partners in Health and work out in the community. One of my health goals is to train for 5K and 10K races. I just feel like there's more to see, more to do, that I'm missing out on. Sometimes, it's nice to not do anything. But it can't be that way all the time. I need to get out and do things and see people and explore and do all of the things that I'm too scared to do.
Yesterday morning, a terrible thing happened. Twenty children at a school in Connecticut were killed by a gunman. Those kids never got the chance to reach their full potential. They will never graduate. They will never get married. They will never get the chance to have children of their own. I don't want to waste my life; I want to be excited and passionate and live my life in such a way as to help others. I can't undo the bad things that have happened, but I can make damn sure that I leave this place better than I found it.
Maybe I'm so fired up because I watched The Dark Knight Rises tonight. I know Bruce Wayne/Batman isn't a real person, but it kind of inspires you to be a hero, to do the right thing even for people who may not deserve it. Sometimes, that's what being a nurse is all about. I believe that everyone deserves healthcare. However, it's much easier to be a nurse when you personally believe that an individual needs healthcare. I have worked with patients who I personally felt were mooching off the system. Half of their problems could have been solved by eating better and exercising regularly. It is so important to take care of yourself when you're young and able to do so. Sometimes, diseases and injuries cannot be helped, and those people will generally get sympathy from me. If you're eating fried chicken and doughnuts every day, however, I'm less sympathetic if you have a diabetic foot ulcer.
Sometimes, obesity is the result of genetic abnormalities. Most of the time, however, people just make poor choices. I want to stop that. I want people to feel good inside and out, and that's hard to do when you're carrying around extra weight.
Well, that's it for my soapbox. Thanks for stopping by, dear reader.
Melanie E.
Yesterday morning, a terrible thing happened. Twenty children at a school in Connecticut were killed by a gunman. Those kids never got the chance to reach their full potential. They will never graduate. They will never get married. They will never get the chance to have children of their own. I don't want to waste my life; I want to be excited and passionate and live my life in such a way as to help others. I can't undo the bad things that have happened, but I can make damn sure that I leave this place better than I found it.
Maybe I'm so fired up because I watched The Dark Knight Rises tonight. I know Bruce Wayne/Batman isn't a real person, but it kind of inspires you to be a hero, to do the right thing even for people who may not deserve it. Sometimes, that's what being a nurse is all about. I believe that everyone deserves healthcare. However, it's much easier to be a nurse when you personally believe that an individual needs healthcare. I have worked with patients who I personally felt were mooching off the system. Half of their problems could have been solved by eating better and exercising regularly. It is so important to take care of yourself when you're young and able to do so. Sometimes, diseases and injuries cannot be helped, and those people will generally get sympathy from me. If you're eating fried chicken and doughnuts every day, however, I'm less sympathetic if you have a diabetic foot ulcer.
Sometimes, obesity is the result of genetic abnormalities. Most of the time, however, people just make poor choices. I want to stop that. I want people to feel good inside and out, and that's hard to do when you're carrying around extra weight.
Well, that's it for my soapbox. Thanks for stopping by, dear reader.
Melanie E.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
It's Not Over Yet.
Today, I had a lecture about preceptorship. A timeline was given to us about next semester - the endpoint which I am looking towards with a queasy combination of dread and anticipation. The end of this semester marks an important point - when it ends, I will never have finals again, unless I choose to go back to school.
This season is also a historic first for my marriage - it is our first Christmas together, as a married couple. We've been through so much together - family issues, frustrations about class, sadness about being away from each other - we've seen a lot. And we have a lot more to see together. I can only hope that the next fifty (or sixty...or seventy...) years will be as awesome as the first five.
Sometimes I wish that my life was more exciting, that I need more adventure. The rest of the time I realize the impracticality of adventure in real life. Adventure is expensive, often dangerous, and puts a barrier between you and your loved ones. I like the stability of home far more than the dangerous world outside. I applaud those who can make their dreams a reality, who can go to far off places and talk about their travels. However, I don't believe I could ever be one of those people. That's why I love books and movies. I can go anywhere I want in the world, or in the universe, or even parallel universes, without having to leave the safety of my home. I am a creature of habit, and I don't like being away from home for too long.
That being said, my home is with my heart; my heart is with my husband. Wherever we go together, I know we can make it our home.
This shall be my (second-to) last post about finals week: an adaptation of a quote from the fabulous David Bowie movie, Labyrinth.
Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to Christmas break, beyond finals week, to take back the time that my professors have stolen. For my will is as strong as theirs, and my plans are as great. They have no power over me.
Except the power to decide whether I pass or fail. But at least they didn't steal a baby because I asked them to.
Have a great week! See you next Saturday!
Melanie E.
This season is also a historic first for my marriage - it is our first Christmas together, as a married couple. We've been through so much together - family issues, frustrations about class, sadness about being away from each other - we've seen a lot. And we have a lot more to see together. I can only hope that the next fifty (or sixty...or seventy...) years will be as awesome as the first five.
Sometimes I wish that my life was more exciting, that I need more adventure. The rest of the time I realize the impracticality of adventure in real life. Adventure is expensive, often dangerous, and puts a barrier between you and your loved ones. I like the stability of home far more than the dangerous world outside. I applaud those who can make their dreams a reality, who can go to far off places and talk about their travels. However, I don't believe I could ever be one of those people. That's why I love books and movies. I can go anywhere I want in the world, or in the universe, or even parallel universes, without having to leave the safety of my home. I am a creature of habit, and I don't like being away from home for too long.
That being said, my home is with my heart; my heart is with my husband. Wherever we go together, I know we can make it our home.
This shall be my (second-to) last post about finals week: an adaptation of a quote from the fabulous David Bowie movie, Labyrinth.
Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to Christmas break, beyond finals week, to take back the time that my professors have stolen. For my will is as strong as theirs, and my plans are as great. They have no power over me.
Except the power to decide whether I pass or fail. But at least they didn't steal a baby because I asked them to.
Have a great week! See you next Saturday!
Melanie E.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
End of the Semester
Hello, dear reader!
The end of the semester is fast approaching. It seems like all I have left to do is show up for my last few classes, study, and wait for finals so that I can be done. I say this every semester, but it flew by so fast! I was so terrified my first week of clinical rotations because I was in the ICU and worried that I wouldn't be able to care for people properly. Luckily, I had some great instructors who talked me through everything and helped me understand how to manage IV lines, NG tubes, and other topics regarding critical care. My other rotations included working on a community project and managing multiple clients on a medical-surgical unit.
I'm worried, but excited, about the changes that next semester will bring. In February, I will begin a preceptorship (somewhere) and practice as a nurse, with the guidance (read: supervision) and support of an RN. I will be performing a research project that applies to my area of study, and I will be learning new skills, refining old ones, and integrating nursing concepts along the way. I know that it will pass by too quickly, and graduation will come. I know that I will be absolutely frightened out of my mind to take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses). But I will (hopefully) pass and, God willing, go on to have a fulfilling career.
Although I will probably work in the hospital setting for the first few years out of school, what I really want to do is work out in the community, doing health promotion and teaching people about disease prevention. My dream job would be to work with Partners in Health (PIH). They are a non-profit whose mission is to provide the best healthcare possible to the poorest of the poor. They do amazing work all around the world, including here in the US. To be a part of their mission would make me the happiest woman alive. To find out more about PIH, go to their website at www.pih.org.
That's all for this week. Thanks for stopping by!
Melanie E.
The end of the semester is fast approaching. It seems like all I have left to do is show up for my last few classes, study, and wait for finals so that I can be done. I say this every semester, but it flew by so fast! I was so terrified my first week of clinical rotations because I was in the ICU and worried that I wouldn't be able to care for people properly. Luckily, I had some great instructors who talked me through everything and helped me understand how to manage IV lines, NG tubes, and other topics regarding critical care. My other rotations included working on a community project and managing multiple clients on a medical-surgical unit.
I'm worried, but excited, about the changes that next semester will bring. In February, I will begin a preceptorship (somewhere) and practice as a nurse, with the guidance (read: supervision) and support of an RN. I will be performing a research project that applies to my area of study, and I will be learning new skills, refining old ones, and integrating nursing concepts along the way. I know that it will pass by too quickly, and graduation will come. I know that I will be absolutely frightened out of my mind to take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses). But I will (hopefully) pass and, God willing, go on to have a fulfilling career.
Although I will probably work in the hospital setting for the first few years out of school, what I really want to do is work out in the community, doing health promotion and teaching people about disease prevention. My dream job would be to work with Partners in Health (PIH). They are a non-profit whose mission is to provide the best healthcare possible to the poorest of the poor. They do amazing work all around the world, including here in the US. To be a part of their mission would make me the happiest woman alive. To find out more about PIH, go to their website at www.pih.org.
That's all for this week. Thanks for stopping by!
Melanie E.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Thinking Over Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving seemed easier to handle this year. For some reason, I felt more relaxed. Maybe it's because we didn't try to do everything all on the same day. I remember I went to three different Thanksgiving celebrations last year, and I ate at least part of a meal at each one. This year, we went out to my parents' house and stayed the night on Wednesday, had breakfast Thursday morning, and trekked back out to my in-laws' celebrations. I ate a lot less overall and in general, I felt better.
I also didn't try to go Black Friday shopping. I felt good about that too. As my loving husband gently reminds me, we have everything we need, and we should be grateful for all that we have. I always feel that there is something more that I could be doing to help the community. There is such a need for people to volunteer in some way, and I wish that I could fill that need all the time.
We give to others to show our appreciation for them, but it's not always easy to find gifts that were made with the well-being of the workers in mind. However, if you have some Christmas shopping to do, here are some web sites that sell great products for a greater purpose.
www.sevenly.org - Sevenly is an awesome company that partners with a different charity each week. They make t-shirts, hoodies, totes, and sweatshirts with a message that coincides with the charity's mission. Sevenly donates $7 from each purchase to the charity. This week, they are partnering with the National Autism Association.
www.krochetkids.org - Krochet Kids International is a non-profit organization that sells crocheted products made by women in Uganda and Peru so that the women can earn a fair wage and provide for their families.
www.madeforgood.com - Made for Good is a network of brands and products that, like Sevenly, supports several different causes.
For more gifts that support great causes, follow this link.
See you next week!
Melanie
I also didn't try to go Black Friday shopping. I felt good about that too. As my loving husband gently reminds me, we have everything we need, and we should be grateful for all that we have. I always feel that there is something more that I could be doing to help the community. There is such a need for people to volunteer in some way, and I wish that I could fill that need all the time.
We give to others to show our appreciation for them, but it's not always easy to find gifts that were made with the well-being of the workers in mind. However, if you have some Christmas shopping to do, here are some web sites that sell great products for a greater purpose.
www.sevenly.org - Sevenly is an awesome company that partners with a different charity each week. They make t-shirts, hoodies, totes, and sweatshirts with a message that coincides with the charity's mission. Sevenly donates $7 from each purchase to the charity. This week, they are partnering with the National Autism Association.
www.krochetkids.org - Krochet Kids International is a non-profit organization that sells crocheted products made by women in Uganda and Peru so that the women can earn a fair wage and provide for their families.
www.madeforgood.com - Made for Good is a network of brands and products that, like Sevenly, supports several different causes.
For more gifts that support great causes, follow this link.
See you next week!
Melanie
Saturday, November 17, 2012
The Best Laid Plans...
How can I describe my life right now? Hectic, fluttering movement followed by periods of profound procrastination. A brief sense of motivation and accomplishment, followed by a prolonged sense of dread for the next item on my list. Papers, tests, days spent on hospital floors caring for Omaha's sick and recovering patients. And to top it off, a part-time weekend night job answering phones at a local hospital. Having a social life is next to impossible, as my free time is spent singing in the church choir and enjoying my husband's company. Friends are not available when I am, which can be frustrating when I need to talk to some female company. I do not enjoy talking on the phone or texting, which makes it harder to stay connected to the people that I love.
What makes a balanced life? This is a question that I know the answers to, but the answers are not so easy to put into practice. To start off the list, of course, would be time management. I've been told it's the key to success; although I'm a pretty poor time manager, I somehow (barely) get everything done. The other items on my list include eating well (yeah, right), drinking lots of water (who does?), sleeping, and exercising (ain't nobody got time for that!). I know that spending hours a day on websites such as Pinterest, Facebook, The Cheezburger Network, and Cracked will not help me get good grades, but when I find something that speaks to me, I click. And click. And keep on clicking. Until I've wasted four hours pinning the latest Christmas craft to my Inspiration Board and looking through memes and Grumpy Cat pictures.
I know how to succeed; I've been given the information. I have yet, however, to put it into practice. I've been told to get a planner and schedule study times like I would schedule a doctor's appointment. I've tried that. I've been told to put routines into place and follow them religiously. I don't know about you, but these plans DO NOT work for me. I know what I'd rather be doing; I'd rather be having Nerf gun fights with my husband, or watching TV with my friends, or being anything but a dutiful student. The thing that keeps me going in my two- and three-hour lectures is the fact that I NEED this information to take care of my patients. So, I do what I have to. I review the procedures. I look over the PowerPoints (so many PowerPoints) and read through the textbooks and test prep booklets to make sure I'm not missing anything. When all is said and done, it's not about what I learned; it's about sticking with something for four years and making sure that I have the one piece of paper that will guarantee my job prospects for the next 50 years of my working life.
My goal for this blog is not to bore you; rather, it is to share my experiences so that you, dear reader, may learn from them. Tune in next Wednesday, the 21st, for more reflections on life as a nursing student.
Yours truly,
Melanie E.
What makes a balanced life? This is a question that I know the answers to, but the answers are not so easy to put into practice. To start off the list, of course, would be time management. I've been told it's the key to success; although I'm a pretty poor time manager, I somehow (barely) get everything done. The other items on my list include eating well (yeah, right), drinking lots of water (who does?), sleeping, and exercising (ain't nobody got time for that!). I know that spending hours a day on websites such as Pinterest, Facebook, The Cheezburger Network, and Cracked will not help me get good grades, but when I find something that speaks to me, I click. And click. And keep on clicking. Until I've wasted four hours pinning the latest Christmas craft to my Inspiration Board and looking through memes and Grumpy Cat pictures.
I know how to succeed; I've been given the information. I have yet, however, to put it into practice. I've been told to get a planner and schedule study times like I would schedule a doctor's appointment. I've tried that. I've been told to put routines into place and follow them religiously. I don't know about you, but these plans DO NOT work for me. I know what I'd rather be doing; I'd rather be having Nerf gun fights with my husband, or watching TV with my friends, or being anything but a dutiful student. The thing that keeps me going in my two- and three-hour lectures is the fact that I NEED this information to take care of my patients. So, I do what I have to. I review the procedures. I look over the PowerPoints (so many PowerPoints) and read through the textbooks and test prep booklets to make sure I'm not missing anything. When all is said and done, it's not about what I learned; it's about sticking with something for four years and making sure that I have the one piece of paper that will guarantee my job prospects for the next 50 years of my working life.
My goal for this blog is not to bore you; rather, it is to share my experiences so that you, dear reader, may learn from them. Tune in next Wednesday, the 21st, for more reflections on life as a nursing student.
Yours truly,
Melanie E.
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