My #1 favorite addiction is spending time with my nephew, Cohen. He seriously is the cutest kid on this planet. And I'm not just biased...he really is!! He is so much fun to watch. He is just learning so much and getting so big! I love every minute of it. Check out my sister's blog (link on the right - Melanie Ross) for pictures of him. (I will have to check with Melanie first before I post pictures of him on my blog. I'm sure it's fine, but I want to make sure!).
My number #2 favorite addiction is my shoe collection. I will always maintain that there is not a problem in the world that a new pair of shoes will not either completely fix or at least alleviate for some period of time. I recently went to The Container Store (a whole new post in and of itself!) to buy the new shoe racks I had seen in the summer sale catalog. I bought 2 of them and I was ridiculously excited to get home, put them together, and organize my shoes. I had a blast doing this! A few days later, I went and bought another one...for expansion purposes. My closet isn't quite up to par with the Sex and the City penthouse closet that Big built for Carrie, or the Overboard ship closet that Dean built for Joanna....but I'm working on it!
And finally, my #3 favorite addiction is Red Bull. Many of you know that for quite some time I was seriously addicted to Starbuck's. And I mean, close to needing to go to meetings-type addicted. Well, on my quest to become more financially responsible, I managed to give up the everyday habit. Sigh. I do treat myself every now and again, and I'm sure those treats will become more frequent when the holidays roll around, but for the most part, I would say I am a recovered coffee-holic. However, working nights I still need a little kick going into the shift. One day on my way to work, I had only been able to sleep for a few hours. I stopped at the local (somewhat ghetto) 7 Eleven to get some water, and I decided to try a Red Bull to give me a little pep in my step. :) I'm completely addicted!! I love the stuff! Benefits of the justifiable Red Bull addiction are... a) cheaper than Starbucks, b) MUCH fewer calories than Starbucks, c) I started out on the sugar free kind, so I don't even know the difference, d) it gives me the push going into work that gets me through about 2 or 3 am, and e) (probably the best reason) you can buy it at the grocery store so I no longer have to stop at the ghetto-fabulous, somewhat scary 7 Eleven a few blocks from my place. (Yes I live in the ghetto...again a whole new post in and of itself).
I'm curious as to what everyone else's favorite addictions are and how you justify them....let me know! Have a great day!!!
July 22, 2008
July 14, 2008
The 6 month rule
A few years ago, after hauling all my stuff from place to place when I moved, I decided I should lighten the load. I began implementing the 6 month rule. This is where I go to my closet and drawers, and if something has not been worn in the last 6 months...it goes in the Goodwill pile. It was difficult at first. I would always resort to the, "well, I may wear that at some point" excuse. I finally realized that most likely, it will never be worn by me again. I also started doing this with books, saved documents and letters, other closets, and the junk drawer.
There are exceptions to the rule though. And these are definitely valid. Feel free to use them yourself or find your own.
Exception #1 - shoes absolutely do not count in the 6 month rule. Why? Because you may have one pair of shoes that only goes with one particular outfit, but when you wear that outfit (once a year or 2 years or so) you HAVE to have THOSE shoes to go with it. Completely understandable.
Exception #2 - seasons can throw the 6 month rule off a little. For example, if I haven't worn a sweater in the last six months, it is probably because Texas really only has a few months of sweater wearing weather. Same goes for summer. If you clean out in the winter and haven't worn that tank top because it is 30 below outside...good reason, save it for summer.
Exception #3 - tshirts are usually excluded as well. For me, this is because I tend to be on the sentimental side. So I keep the majority of my tshirts. Plus there are great ways to save them so they don't take up tons of space. My mom made my high school tshirts into a blanket and I love it! If you are ambitious, you could make it yourself. If you are wondering why I don't do this myself, see # 68 on my list of 100 things about me.
Exception #4 - DVDs, music, and Christmas decoration are completely exempt. Now we all know that some of those Christmas sweaters probably should be donated, but to each his own. I may watch the same movies over and over, but I doubt I will ever deplete my DVD collection or my itunes library. You never know when you may need them!
I used to save all of the discarded items for a future, potential garage sale. I decided to forego that whole process because it is too much work, I don't figure I would make that much money anyway, and I don't have a place to have one. Plus when storing one of my clean out batches, I found the stuff from the last clean out. And if applying the 6 month rule....I will probably never have the intended garage sale.
Let me know how your first clean out goes! I could so work on that TLC show Clean Sweep! Have a great day!
There are exceptions to the rule though. And these are definitely valid. Feel free to use them yourself or find your own.
Exception #1 - shoes absolutely do not count in the 6 month rule. Why? Because you may have one pair of shoes that only goes with one particular outfit, but when you wear that outfit (once a year or 2 years or so) you HAVE to have THOSE shoes to go with it. Completely understandable.
Exception #2 - seasons can throw the 6 month rule off a little. For example, if I haven't worn a sweater in the last six months, it is probably because Texas really only has a few months of sweater wearing weather. Same goes for summer. If you clean out in the winter and haven't worn that tank top because it is 30 below outside...good reason, save it for summer.
Exception #3 - tshirts are usually excluded as well. For me, this is because I tend to be on the sentimental side. So I keep the majority of my tshirts. Plus there are great ways to save them so they don't take up tons of space. My mom made my high school tshirts into a blanket and I love it! If you are ambitious, you could make it yourself. If you are wondering why I don't do this myself, see # 68 on my list of 100 things about me.
Exception #4 - DVDs, music, and Christmas decoration are completely exempt. Now we all know that some of those Christmas sweaters probably should be donated, but to each his own. I may watch the same movies over and over, but I doubt I will ever deplete my DVD collection or my itunes library. You never know when you may need them!
I used to save all of the discarded items for a future, potential garage sale. I decided to forego that whole process because it is too much work, I don't figure I would make that much money anyway, and I don't have a place to have one. Plus when storing one of my clean out batches, I found the stuff from the last clean out. And if applying the 6 month rule....I will probably never have the intended garage sale.
Let me know how your first clean out goes! I could so work on that TLC show Clean Sweep! Have a great day!
July 8, 2008
You know you are a NICU nurse if....
Well, I didn't start this blog with the intention of blogging something everyday, but so far, I think I have. I just couldn't pass this up. As most of you know, I am a NICU nurse. One of my fellow NICU nurse friends emailed this to me and I had to share. I love my babies and I love what I do. However, like any job, it comes with it's own territory of things non-NICU people don't understand. Some people may not get it, but believe me, this is absolutely hysterical! I can say with 100% honesty that everything on this list has applied to me at some point in my career. Keep in mind that even through all the frustrating times, I love my kiddos with all my heart!
42 things that remind you that you are a NICU nurse
1. You've eaten hamburger patties bigger than most of your patients.
2. You define colors by the color of stool you've seen- i.e.baby poop green/yellow
3. You don't understand why talking about sticking a needle in a baby's head is making other people at the dinner table ill
4. At one time or another have had breast milk, poop or urine on your work clothes
5. You have affectionately called a patient cletus the fetus,wimpy white boy, troll or FLK (funny lookin' kid) in report
6. You can change your patient's bed linens with one handwhile holding your patient in the other
7. You can make an IV arm board out of some 4x4 gauze and tape
8. You've almost caught your hair on fire while in your patient's bed...a.k.a. radiant warmer
9. You've used a sock or a piece of tape for a restraint
10. You check out the scalp veins, cap refill and fontanels on afriend's new baby
11. You use a cotton ball to obtain urine samples
12. You use saran wrap to keep your food fresh and yourpatient's warm
13. You think all crying babies need Benadryl, Versed orintubation
14. You think the pulse oximeter, CPAP and those crappy nosticking leads were created by the devil
15. You have ever shown a doctor a green residual while they were eating
16. You have obtained a 10cc residual when the patient only gets 1cc
17. You have put an intensive care patient in a swing
18. You don't get excited if your patient has a heart rate of 180
19. You do chest compressions with two fingers
20. Most of your meds come in TB/1cc syringes
21. You prepare your patient's bath water in a Dixie cup
22. You draw blood from your patient's heel
23. You use a rubber band for a tourniquet
24. You've seen two complexes on the EKG screen and not been excited-you merely pat your patient on the butt and it's all good
25. Newborn babies look like preschoolers to you
26. You tell people what you do and they think you sit around and rock babies all day
27. When you tell people what you really do they start to cry and/or vomit
28. You have assisted with surgery on your patient in their bed and on the unit
29. You have at one time or another in the heat of frustration threatened to throw your patient in the trashcan
30. You have considered using duct tape to hold a pacifier in a screaming baby's mouth
31. You have met your patient's father, mother's boyfriend, and husband all in one day
32. When you get excited over a baby's 10g weight gain
33. Patients that you can't hold in one hand are too big for you to take care of
34. When getting blood (or anything else) on your freshly made bed stresses you out more than when it gets on you
35. When you truly believe that your patients listen to you when you're yelling at them from across the room to save themselves because you're busy feeding another baby
36. When your pregnant friends hit 28 weeks you relax, because that's practically term
37. It takes 30 minutes to run a 20 cc bolus
38. You can get away with calling your patients Mr. Crankypants--to their faces
39. You empty catheters into a medicine cup
40. After baths, you get the fun of giving all your patients Mohawks
41. Constant alarming doesn't faze you, but you can't get the lullabies from the mobiles out of your head
42. You have made a mental note that no matter how stupid people are they still know how to get their groove on
42 things that remind you that you are a NICU nurse
1. You've eaten hamburger patties bigger than most of your patients.
2. You define colors by the color of stool you've seen- i.e.baby poop green/yellow
3. You don't understand why talking about sticking a needle in a baby's head is making other people at the dinner table ill
4. At one time or another have had breast milk, poop or urine on your work clothes
5. You have affectionately called a patient cletus the fetus,wimpy white boy, troll or FLK (funny lookin' kid) in report
6. You can change your patient's bed linens with one handwhile holding your patient in the other
7. You can make an IV arm board out of some 4x4 gauze and tape
8. You've almost caught your hair on fire while in your patient's bed...a.k.a. radiant warmer
9. You've used a sock or a piece of tape for a restraint
10. You check out the scalp veins, cap refill and fontanels on afriend's new baby
11. You use a cotton ball to obtain urine samples
12. You use saran wrap to keep your food fresh and yourpatient's warm
13. You think all crying babies need Benadryl, Versed orintubation
14. You think the pulse oximeter, CPAP and those crappy nosticking leads were created by the devil
15. You have ever shown a doctor a green residual while they were eating
16. You have obtained a 10cc residual when the patient only gets 1cc
17. You have put an intensive care patient in a swing
18. You don't get excited if your patient has a heart rate of 180
19. You do chest compressions with two fingers
20. Most of your meds come in TB/1cc syringes
21. You prepare your patient's bath water in a Dixie cup
22. You draw blood from your patient's heel
23. You use a rubber band for a tourniquet
24. You've seen two complexes on the EKG screen and not been excited-you merely pat your patient on the butt and it's all good
25. Newborn babies look like preschoolers to you
26. You tell people what you do and they think you sit around and rock babies all day
27. When you tell people what you really do they start to cry and/or vomit
28. You have assisted with surgery on your patient in their bed and on the unit
29. You have at one time or another in the heat of frustration threatened to throw your patient in the trashcan
30. You have considered using duct tape to hold a pacifier in a screaming baby's mouth
31. You have met your patient's father, mother's boyfriend, and husband all in one day
32. When you get excited over a baby's 10g weight gain
33. Patients that you can't hold in one hand are too big for you to take care of
34. When getting blood (or anything else) on your freshly made bed stresses you out more than when it gets on you
35. When you truly believe that your patients listen to you when you're yelling at them from across the room to save themselves because you're busy feeding another baby
36. When your pregnant friends hit 28 weeks you relax, because that's practically term
37. It takes 30 minutes to run a 20 cc bolus
38. You can get away with calling your patients Mr. Crankypants--to their faces
39. You empty catheters into a medicine cup
40. After baths, you get the fun of giving all your patients Mohawks
41. Constant alarming doesn't faze you, but you can't get the lullabies from the mobiles out of your head
42. You have made a mental note that no matter how stupid people are they still know how to get their groove on
July 6, 2008
A new look...
I am definitely technologically challenged. You may notice the new look of my blog. My sister, Melanie, helped me put together the heading with her digital scrapbooking files. The little guy in the picture is my nephew, Cohen. He is SO sweet and definitely has me wrapped around his cute little finger! My brother-in-law, Christian, is extremely talented with computers. He helped me put it together. Let me rephrase that. He put it together. So a great big thank you to Melanie and Christian for helping me! I love you guys!
July 4, 2008
100 things about me
I decided to join the blogging world. I'm really not sure why. I thought I would start out with a list of 100 things about me. My sister did this on her blog a year or so ago and she challenged me to do it as well. It was interesting to me how some of the things on my list have changed. Such is life, I guess!
1. The smell, taste, texture, and anything else about bananas makes me gag and almost throw up.
2. I am always cold.
3. Chips and queso are the reasons I don't wear a bathing suit.
4. Dark chocolate is the best indulgence ever.
5. It frustrates me that I have a job I absolutely love, which unfortunately forces me to work a schedule that tends to push all my friends away. Thus my theory that nurses must be friends with nurses.
6. I don't understand why the "Christian" friends you have are often the first ones to bail one you when you really need them.
7. I love to watch movies, except scary ones because I'm a scaredy cat!
8. My nephew is the apple of my eye. I just can't get enough of the little guy!
9. My brother, Kyle, is an Air Force airman, and I'm SO SO proud of him.
10. I am extremely tender hearted and can be very emotional.
11. It takes a WHOLE lot to make me really mad.
12. School is one of my top priorities.
13. I will finish my Master's of Science in Nursing in December through Texas Tech.
14. I worry way too much.
15. I love to organize and plan.
16. I love to travel...whether it's just a weekend trip or overseas.
17. I feel that laughter is great therapy.
18. I couldn't sleep for a week after I watched The Life of David Gale.
19. I vividly remember the day my mom went into anaphylactic shock from shellfish. I was maybe 3 years old.
20.
21. I took a travel nursing assignment in New York City from November 2007 to February 2008. It was tons of fun!
22. I love taking bubble baths.
23. I will admit that when I look for a place to live, the lack of walk in closets is a deal breaker.
24. When I go to the movies, I like to get popcorn without butter, and Reese's Pieces.
25. I finally have matching bedroom furniture.
26. I could probably teach a class on how to cut wedding cake.
27. There is not a problem in the world that a new pair of shoes will not either fix or at least alleviate for a short period of time.
28. I love to watch the old cartoons I used to watch growing up, like Tom & Jerry.
29. I own the first 3 seasons of Grey's Anatomy. And I actually watch them!
30. I sweat like a man when I work out.
31. People ask my sister and I if we are twins all the time. We are not.
32. I am, for the most part, technologically challenged.
33. After I have worked for several days in a row, I have to make a concious effort not to sign RN after my name.
34. I will be in debt for the rest of my life with school loans.
35. I have been to Greece, Italy, and Ireland.
36. I was 5'9 in junior high, but never grew taller after that.
37. I have a complex that I cannot date guys shorter than me or skinnier than me.
38. I have broken my everyday Starbuck's habit.
39. I start counting down the days until Christmas around July.
40. I have lots of really cute, nice clothes but I usually go with a Tshirt, jeans, and tennis shoes.
41. I look through the baby section at Target everytime I go just in case I find something I need to get for my kiddos at work.
42. I get so super excited about March Madness.
43. I am going to marry Dirk Nowitzki, only he doesn't know it yet.
44. I will have no respect for you if you lie to me in any way.
45. I have higher expectations of myself than anyone else ever did.
46. I am an extreme perfectionist.
47. I love all different kinds of stationary.
48. I hate the fact that I am a hopeless romantic.
49. I don't think anyone looks good in skinny jeans, no matter how skinny you are.
50. One of the main reasons I keep my hair long is so I can get up and put it up without a hassel.
51. My eyeliner is permanent.
52. I have 2 tattoos.
53. I am very close to my family.
54. I enjoy running.
55. Failure is not an option in my life.
56. I love to dance.
57. I love working from lists, but my OCD nature makes me rewrite them as things get crossed off because I don't like for it to look messy.
58. I'm a complete neat freak.
59. I actually enjoy cleaning, enough that I have thought of working for Merry Maids when I retire.
60. I want to skydive someday.
61. I am learning how to be more financially responsible.
62. I am a serious shopaholic...see above. I'm really trying I promise!
63. I can spend hours at a time in any of the following places: Barnes & Noble, Target, Linens N Things, The Container Store, Bed Bath & Beyond.
64. I think that smoking during pregnancy is a form of child abuse.
65. I am very passionate about my job...I love my kiddos!
66. I cried during the last 2 Harry Potter books.
67. I can eat a whole pint of ice cream in one sitting.
68. I am the most undomestic woman in the entire world.
69. I am a terrible softball player.
70. Las Vegas is a place everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.
71. I love dessert!
72. I have been an athlete all my life.
73. I quit drinking sodas when I was in high school, only because my sister did.
74. I am relatively clumsy.
75. I am kind of a germaphobe, so I am constantly washing my hands.
76. I wish I had been more outgoing and (a little) less studious in college.
77. I went on Wilderness Trek in Colorado twice in high school, and those are some of my best memories of that time of my life.
78. I try not to regret or dread anything.
79. I work with babies because I don't like my patients talking to me.
80. I don't collect anything.
81. Of all the sick things I had to do in nursing school, the thing that would make me want to vomit was helping people brush their teeth or cleaning dentures.
82. I have a circumcision story that would make every man in this world cringe!
83. I don't get embarrassed very easily.
84. My sense of humor can be on the morbid side, seeing as I am a nurse and I grew up around funeral homes.
85. I am not now, nor have I ever been a major party person.
86. I enjoy being at home.
87. I absolutely hate it when people drive 50 in the fast lane.
88. I like watching football and basketball.
89. I don't think things like poker or pool should be shown on ESPN.
90. I want to be the person who rates resorts.
91. I tend to be a people pleaser and a peace maker.
92. I am pretty easily entertained and amused.
93. People who try to tell me how to do my job, who clearly know nothing about my job, really irritate me.
94. Don't use a condescending tone with me. Just don't do it.
95. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people leave ONE fork or ONE cup in the sink. Is it really that much more effort to put it in the dishwasher?
96. I have to make myself not buy cereal or that will seriously be all I eat.
97. I think you should have to have a degree to have children.
98. I think that in order to be a candidate for any high management position in a hospital, you should have to have been a nurse on the floor or unit so that you really understand what it's like.
99. Absolutely do not treat me like I am stupid.
100. I have learned that prayer is extremely powerful!
1. The smell, taste, texture, and anything else about bananas makes me gag and almost throw up.
2. I am always cold.
3. Chips and queso are the reasons I don't wear a bathing suit.
4. Dark chocolate is the best indulgence ever.
5. It frustrates me that I have a job I absolutely love, which unfortunately forces me to work a schedule that tends to push all my friends away. Thus my theory that nurses must be friends with nurses.
6. I don't understand why the "Christian" friends you have are often the first ones to bail one you when you really need them.
7. I love to watch movies, except scary ones because I'm a scaredy cat!
8. My nephew is the apple of my eye. I just can't get enough of the little guy!
9. My brother, Kyle, is an Air Force airman, and I'm SO SO proud of him.
10. I am extremely tender hearted and can be very emotional.
11. It takes a WHOLE lot to make me really mad.
12. School is one of my top priorities.
13. I will finish my Master's of Science in Nursing in December through Texas Tech.
14. I worry way too much.
15. I love to organize and plan.
16. I love to travel...whether it's just a weekend trip or overseas.
17. I feel that laughter is great therapy.
18. I couldn't sleep for a week after I watched The Life of David Gale.
19. I vividly remember the day my mom went into anaphylactic shock from shellfish. I was maybe 3 years old.
20.
21. I took a travel nursing assignment in New York City from November 2007 to February 2008. It was tons of fun!
22. I love taking bubble baths.
23. I will admit that when I look for a place to live, the lack of walk in closets is a deal breaker.
24. When I go to the movies, I like to get popcorn without butter, and Reese's Pieces.
25. I finally have matching bedroom furniture.
26. I could probably teach a class on how to cut wedding cake.
27. There is not a problem in the world that a new pair of shoes will not either fix or at least alleviate for a short period of time.
28. I love to watch the old cartoons I used to watch growing up, like Tom & Jerry.
29. I own the first 3 seasons of Grey's Anatomy. And I actually watch them!
30. I sweat like a man when I work out.
31. People ask my sister and I if we are twins all the time. We are not.
32. I am, for the most part, technologically challenged.
33. After I have worked for several days in a row, I have to make a concious effort not to sign RN after my name.
34. I will be in debt for the rest of my life with school loans.
35. I have been to Greece, Italy, and Ireland.
36. I was 5'9 in junior high, but never grew taller after that.
37. I have a complex that I cannot date guys shorter than me or skinnier than me.
38. I have broken my everyday Starbuck's habit.
39. I start counting down the days until Christmas around July.
40. I have lots of really cute, nice clothes but I usually go with a Tshirt, jeans, and tennis shoes.
41. I look through the baby section at Target everytime I go just in case I find something I need to get for my kiddos at work.
42. I get so super excited about March Madness.
43. I am going to marry Dirk Nowitzki, only he doesn't know it yet.
44. I will have no respect for you if you lie to me in any way.
45. I have higher expectations of myself than anyone else ever did.
46. I am an extreme perfectionist.
47. I love all different kinds of stationary.
48. I hate the fact that I am a hopeless romantic.
49. I don't think anyone looks good in skinny jeans, no matter how skinny you are.
50. One of the main reasons I keep my hair long is so I can get up and put it up without a hassel.
51. My eyeliner is permanent.
52. I have 2 tattoos.
53. I am very close to my family.
54. I enjoy running.
55. Failure is not an option in my life.
56. I love to dance.
57. I love working from lists, but my OCD nature makes me rewrite them as things get crossed off because I don't like for it to look messy.
58. I'm a complete neat freak.
59. I actually enjoy cleaning, enough that I have thought of working for Merry Maids when I retire.
60. I want to skydive someday.
61. I am learning how to be more financially responsible.
62. I am a serious shopaholic...see above. I'm really trying I promise!
63. I can spend hours at a time in any of the following places: Barnes & Noble, Target, Linens N Things, The Container Store, Bed Bath & Beyond.
64. I think that smoking during pregnancy is a form of child abuse.
65. I am very passionate about my job...I love my kiddos!
66. I cried during the last 2 Harry Potter books.
67. I can eat a whole pint of ice cream in one sitting.
68. I am the most undomestic woman in the entire world.
69. I am a terrible softball player.
70. Las Vegas is a place everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.
71. I love dessert!
72. I have been an athlete all my life.
73. I quit drinking sodas when I was in high school, only because my sister did.
74. I am relatively clumsy.
75. I am kind of a germaphobe, so I am constantly washing my hands.
76. I wish I had been more outgoing and (a little) less studious in college.
77. I went on Wilderness Trek in Colorado twice in high school, and those are some of my best memories of that time of my life.
78. I try not to regret or dread anything.
79. I work with babies because I don't like my patients talking to me.
80. I don't collect anything.
81. Of all the sick things I had to do in nursing school, the thing that would make me want to vomit was helping people brush their teeth or cleaning dentures.
82. I have a circumcision story that would make every man in this world cringe!
83. I don't get embarrassed very easily.
84. My sense of humor can be on the morbid side, seeing as I am a nurse and I grew up around funeral homes.
85. I am not now, nor have I ever been a major party person.
86. I enjoy being at home.
87. I absolutely hate it when people drive 50 in the fast lane.
88. I like watching football and basketball.
89. I don't think things like poker or pool should be shown on ESPN.
90. I want to be the person who rates resorts.
91. I tend to be a people pleaser and a peace maker.
92. I am pretty easily entertained and amused.
93. People who try to tell me how to do my job, who clearly know nothing about my job, really irritate me.
94. Don't use a condescending tone with me. Just don't do it.
95. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people leave ONE fork or ONE cup in the sink. Is it really that much more effort to put it in the dishwasher?
96. I have to make myself not buy cereal or that will seriously be all I eat.
97. I think you should have to have a degree to have children.
98. I think that in order to be a candidate for any high management position in a hospital, you should have to have been a nurse on the floor or unit so that you really understand what it's like.
99. Absolutely do not treat me like I am stupid.
100. I have learned that prayer is extremely powerful!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)