Saturday, March 29, 2008

I Need a House. Period.

I bought a new Crock Pot this week, and as I was trying to find a good home for it in my kitchen, I realized something. I need a house.

It seems these days that kids my age are more and more likely to buy homes. They tend to graduate from college, spend a year in a city of their preference, and then settle into a little nook-like house somewhere in a suburb. And although I've always had in my head that a house is a step into the big-kid world that I'm willing to put off, I'm starting to think that maybe a house would be more practical.

I mean really, I don't even have a place to put my box of Magic Bullet accessories and parts.

You think I'm kidding. Here's my only substantial storage area in my kitchen:

Oh, and let's talk about my mini-size refrigerator....

And how bout the weird corner on the counter that seems to collect water. Where does the water come from, you ask? Who knows. But it collects it. And the water turns gross. Weird.
See it? Gross.


But back to my Crock Pot. Here's the old one:
Sad, isn't she?


And here's the new one:

Isn't it cute? And it's RED!

Anyway, that's my thought for the day. Any thoughts on how to better my apartment living space and storage methods, let me know. Oh-and Alex's birthday is next week. Any ideas on gifts? I really am clueless.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Ahhh, Such Is Life.

As I sit here sipping my Chai Latte with the sounds of the dishwasher and washer going, I think about all that God has brought me, as well as all the things that He has shown me in the last few months.

I've been a nurse now for about 7 months, and let me tell you, all the stories "they" tell you about your first year as a nurse seems to all make sense now. They were right. Huh. How did they know? How did they know that I would feel like a ball of stress every night after work? How did they know that some days my job could make me cry? How did they know that even though I have a "dream job" of working 3 days a week and scheduling myself, work would be so hard?

I started pondering the real meaning of working in the real world, just in the last week or so. And I've figured out that not only does working in the real world, along with having a so-called real world boyfriend, mean working on days that you really don't feel like it, but it also means keeping up with the rest of your life on the days that you don't work.

As many of you know, (or have read in previous blogs,) I am saving up to buy a semi-new car. My current "MicroMachine" doesn't have much life in it and is already showing some signs that I really need to put her out to pasture as soon as I get the chance (and the $.) Thus, I have putting away as much of my paycheck into savings as possible. Add in the monthly bills and loan repayments, my financial status is a little dwindled right now. To make a long story short, I was recently asked by a very close friend for a one-week loan so that he could pay his overdue car payment. After much investigation of the situation and a post-dated check in hand from this fella, I agreed. I agreed to give him money for a ONE TIME ONLY loan. I also agreed to never give money to him again. I also piped in that I don't feel comfortable giving
any friend a loan. 'Nough said. But ever since this little stir, I have really been evaluating how hard life can be. Not just for me, but for many other out their like "him" who work 50-60 hours a week, hate their job, and can find no time or money to even look for something better. So I find myself thinking about what all life entails. And who teaches people these skills? Who teaches people how to go to work 5 days a week, (well, most people,) keep their living space livable by vacuuming, dusting, etc, wash their clothes, dishes and whatever else may need washed, buy and cook any sort of meal(s), have a significant other, and still have money to pay bills and have a life? And why do some people learn these skills with or without any teaching, and some people don't?

As a disclaimer, I must add that I may not be the perfect "life skills" representative, but I do know that I am surviving very comfortably and am lucky to have a family that will support me, if/when I'm in need. But not all of us have that, and that's what makes me ask such questions.

Well now that I've got my head in a blunder, I'll move on to a more positive note. To summarize the last month or so:
1. Had Lasik. I'm seeing wonderfully and am hardly having any dry eyes anymore!
2. Went skiing with the Koehn family; came back with LOTS of bumps and bruises.
3. Got back to work, although I took a day off this last Sunday due to a "may-ja" headache
4. Been couped up in the apartment the last couple days due to a steady rainstorm
5. Am already investigating my next vacation: San Diego, CA; New Orleans, LA; or Pensacola, FL. Any preferences out there?
6. Am pondering the idea of becoming a travel nurse within the Kansas City area. Only 5 months to til my first year of nursing is up!

To close, I will post a few Colorado ski trip photos. If you want to see more, you'll have to email me.

I think this my favorite pic of Alex and I. Ever. (And yes, he was my perfect angel that took care of me on the mountain. He even helped me up after my numerous falls!)


Alex and I rejuvenating over lunch. Well, maybe it was just me that needed rejuvenated. (Unfortunately, I was not aware that I still had goggles on my head.)


Bags and Jana don't even look phased from all of our morning skiing. Probably because they were waiting for me the whole time! haha
This is the exit to Granby/Winter Park. It takes you through Berthoud pass. This is where we go every summer. Looks a little different in the winter, eh?

Sunday, March 9, 2008

What Age Do You Act?




You Act Like You Are 24 Years Old



You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel like an adult, and you're optimistic about life.

You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.



You're still figuring out your place in the world and how you want your life to shape up.

The world is full of possibilities, and you can't wait to explore many of them.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Thank You to Dr. Kingrey

This is my thank you/testimonial letter to the Ochsner Eye office for my Lasik surgery:

"My final decision to have Lasik was very last minute. My mom had told me that she had made me an appointment with Dr. K for that Friday for a "consultation"-and oh by the way, you could have the surgery that same day, so you need to take your contacts out NOW! (It was Monday.) So I went ahead and took out my contacts, but to be honest, I was VERY skeptical, to the say the least. Being an RN myself, I had tons of questions. On the day of my appointment, Dr. K and Marsha were very informative and helped calm my nerves a lot. I had the surgery that day, and by the next morning I was seeing 20/30 and 20/40 and was cleared to drive back to Kansas City. (Keep in mind that I had been in glasses/contacts since the 2nd grade-I'm now 24.) Needless to say, on my way back to Kansas City, I had tears in my eyes because of my amazing, new-found eyesight. So thank you, sincerely, for my new ability to see. I will have a lifetime of gratitude!"