First big hurdle

First patho exam. Not bad. Need more fluid & electrolyte work. Looking forward to seeing how the curve works out.

F O U R sticks in the arm today, but now fully vaccinated.

It's amazing how much sugar is served up in the Nursing School. Must. Resist.

Really impressed with the ostomy care lecture today, particularly with how compassionate the NP is towards his patients.

Day off

In vino Veritas. Glad for the nudge to get out and glad to get some dancing in.

Rocking out with the student discounts at my favorite shops.

Basement organizing, yard work.

Working on airmail to Nippon. I can't believe it's been 13 years. Will I be able to find them all?

Patience with changing settings on the Mac and with feeling wiped out. Emergen-C and B-100 to the rescue?

Week 4, Already

IM and ID injection practice. Wow. Easier than I might have thought it would be.

First test of patience in grad school presents itself. Calmly reassured that I should not worry about it.

Video chat with Kallie, whom I haven't seen in person in far too long. Must remedy that soon. She has a remarkable memory for things that link us together. She's so neat.

A year and a half ago, sad and lonely were very very distant things. Lately, they appear too too often, it seems. I won't ask of fairness, or of what I did to "deserve" this, because mostly, I think that's crap. But, Universe, there must be a reason, so what is it that I need to learn from this?

Deep breath

Professionally, I could not be any more content with where I am, right now in this moment of my life.

Mushy for KG, and feeling so clearly what a powerful thing love can be.

I got in an actual argument with my cat today. It was a back and forth and Garrett yelled at me. Ha.

Wide open day tomorrow.

My first memory of going to the movies with my friends: we saw "Dirty Dancing". RIP Patrick Swayze.

9 9 9

First assignment turned in.

BP practice, tympanic membranes and med calcs.

Biking to errands downtown - Timberlakes, Country Store, Post Office, New Dominion Book Shop.

Maybe I was dreaming, but I swear a long time friend of mine called me this weekend and offered me free tickets to see U2 in Charlottesville. How did I get so lucky?

Currently reading (for real this time): My Life in France, Julia Childs.

Sunny and Easy

Getting lots of rest this weekend, and still getting a fair amount of work done, plus some good friend time.

Guest at one of the neatest weddings I've ever been to, with one of the happiest couples I know.

A Sunday night that feels like a Saturday night, even when I have to work on Monday. A fair trade I suppose.

Currently reading: Love Walked In, by Marisa de los Santos, a super cheap Powell's purchase.

Healing thoughts for KG.

Reflections on my first two weeks of school

It has been a good two weeks. Here are some things I've been thinking about:

My good neighbor, the semi-pro-mountain biker, saw me ride up to my house on my bike yesterday after class. He said, "Cat! Good to see you on a bike! How's it going?" I said, "You know, it's getting easier." He said, "It will only get easier." Ain't that the truth. The bike commute, as with everything else in life that you keep working on, will only get easier.

Also, when I told him which route I was taking to school, and was mentioning the hard and long hills, he said, "Don't go that way. I never ride up that hill, it's too hard. You gotta learn which routes are easiest on a bike." The lesson: sometimes the "better" way is the one that takes you out of your way a bit, and even a pro will take an easier way if they have the option. You don't always have to suffer in order to accomplish something.

Next, I've come to realise that I am now surrounded by very smart, alert, hard-working people. In fact, I've discovered that we are often thinking the same things and asking the same questions. What is so refreshing about this is that I can relax a little bit, comforted by the fact that we're in this together and trust that if given a chance, one of my cohort will ask my hard question for me. It's good to feel intellectually connected to such a dynamic and diverse group, and to find that each of you share common traits and a common goal.

More to come.....

Woohoo

Holy spicy red lentil curry batman! Yum!

I have this theory that learning any new occupation is really only a study in a foreign language, which, luckily I've done a few times.

Excited for Dev and Paul in Kenya!

I am tuckered out. In that nice satisfying way that being tuckered out can be sometimes.

Cool September Start

Focus on frugality beginning with using up all of my random shampoos/conditioners/lotions and all of my random foodstuffs, hence: homemade lentil soup - yum.

Sending a request out to the lost-item fairy for the return of my favorite black fleece, and my digital watch (which, I think, still has all of my marathon splits stored in it).

Cleaning out baskets.

Patience with the strenuous bike commute.

Loving the cool weather and blue skies.

End of August

My vacation was too short, but aren't they always?

Reluctantly a bike commuter now, and feel that it's already getting easier.

Finally feeling organized. Loving patho - today I had one of those moments where I thought, "Huh, I think I'm living a dream that I had long ago." Yeah.

Loving my new techno toy (despite not being fully operational).

Nice city night with a good friend, good wine, and sweet rain.