Dr. Burke is a Jerk!

Hi everyone. Haven't had much to post about the last few days. Now that baseball season is over for us I've done a lot of nothing. Well, nothing exciting enough to write on the blog about atleast. I do want to mention Isaiah Washington getting fired fron Grey's Anatomy and it's about damn time he did too! Here is why I believe he should have been fired. 1) He grabbed Patrick Dempsey by the throat and told him he wasn't his "faggot" like TR Knight. 2) He called TR Knight a faggot and basically outed him to the ENTIRE WORLD! 3) He denied saying he called TR Knight a "faggot" at the Golden Globes...in front of those who actually heard him say it (LIAR) 4) He seemed like a real asshole.

Now he is going around to all of the media outlets whining like a big ole baby that he was "wronged" and TR (George) should have been fired and not him. He stating that he was fired because of his race and saying some people just can't handle it when he isn't saying things like "Yessa Massa Sir and No, Sir Massa" to everyone. WHAT!!???!!! Who in the hell does he think he is whenever the woman who hired him (Shonda Rhimes) is a strong, African American woman and more than half the cast is racially diverse?? What a whacko! Read this article if you're interested in more of his tirades: http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=267322>1=7703

He should be fired because he layed his hate mongering hands on another person AT WORK, on the set of the most popular tv show, while making BANK MONEY, and not only slandered one man, but a whole community of people. Don Imus was fired for his nasty comments, why shouldn't Washington be as well? Well, he was and guess what? He knows he ruined his OWN reputation and no one is going to want to work with someone so self righteous, arrogant, and looking to cause trouble. Black, white, purple or green, it doesn't matter..hate is hate and he needs to shut the hell up and stop blaming everyone else for his mistakes. I'm all for freedome of speech, BUT he was at work when this happened and I know if I grabbed someone by the throat while at work I'd be escorted off of the property PRONTO. What makes him think he shouldn't have been? It just goes to show that all of the public apologies was just a facade. If he was truly sorry he wouldn't still be opening his big traitorous, biggoted mouth. THERE, I ranted and now I'll shut my own mouth about that. :0)

I have been playing the Sims 2 for a couple of days. Anyone else play this time consuming game? I used to play it a lot and haven't for a year or two because it just takes too much time. One minute you're creating a family, the next minute you're building their house, and the next minute it's been 420 minutes and you had no idea you'd been sitting in the same spot for hours, save the fact that your back feels like hell. Anyway, the Sims 2 is like crack. It's addicting as hell and the Sim people look so real it's a little freaky. The fun part is you can download loads of fun stuff for your game such as celebs:

Homes or... er Castles:


The possibilities are endless in the game. For instance you can make two people fall in love or hate eachother, fight, scratch eachothers eyes out. Be slovenly pigs, neat freaks, have house fires, give birth, get married, grow old, die, haunt your house, get fat, go to college, get a job, get your kids taken away (LOL), adopt pets, have twins, throw parties, drive your Fararri (or Chevette) to the city and dance at a club, go on a date to a fancy restaurant, shop at the mall....I mean the list goes on and on. It's over-freakin-whelming I'm tellin' ya! It is a fun game, make no mistake, but gosh dang it anyway, it's as addicting as hell! Don't play it unless you have a lot of free time on your hands because you'll end up doing things such as this person did: Don't worry...I'm not this obsessed:

How much are we worth?

Update: Championship game went great, but we lost 9-13. Either way, the kids were happy. Hey, 2nd place ain't bad eh? I'll post some pics as soon as I upload them.

I was reading on today that in some places starting pay for an RN is around $16 an hour. Huh? Are you kidding me? If someone offered that pay to me after all I've been through I'd laugh myself right on outta my chair! I know that a lot of it has to do with the cost of living in some areas, but dayum...that's just being cheap if you ask me. Not that the starting pay here is all that great or anything, but it's a lot better than that malarchy. We work way too hard and stress too dang much for wages like that. Exactly what are those people trying to play at? Do they not realize that nurses are indispensable?

In my neck of the woods starting pay is at around $18.50.....with nights you get about a $1.50 differential and weekends a $2.00 diff. So if you work nights and weekends you can make around $22 an hour or more because of the shift changes. So you can average around $42,000 a year. Not too shabby I suppose for working 3 days a week. The cost of living in my area is not bad at all, so it's all relative.

On the other hand....I also read that some new nurses start out at around $40 and hour (California) and $26 and hour in bigger cities across the US. I guess $40/hr in Cali would be like making $20 here b/c of the cost of living.

I hope wherever you choose to work they compensate you well...because you deserve it!

My Nursing Mates

Check out the vid I made. I'm thinking of giving it as a graduation gift to my classmates. What do you think?
p.s the quality is a lot better on the dvd version I made. Unfortunately that version wouldn't fit on here so I had to scale the quality down for the blog. :-(

Nursing: A World of Opportunity

I don't know about you, but I love diversity in the workplace. If you know any man, or women as well, who want to go into nursing but aren't sure, show them this video. It speaks a lot about the field, including benefits, a nurses role, and the rewards of helping those who are ill. WE NEED MORE MURSES! :-) It's not just a woman's profession anymore.



On the other hand...if you want them to become a nurse DON'T show them this video...LOL

Show me the monaaaay!

I am currently writing a 500 word essay for a nursing scholarship. Actually, I'm just staring at a blank document in Word, but I'm trying. I have no idea what to say. I must have writers block, or non-writers block since I'm not a writer. Or would I just have block? Anyway, I can normally bs a paper with the best of them...but I'm blank. I have to tell why I'm a good candidate, tell a little about myself, why I chose to go to nursing school, what my goals are blah blah. I'm devoid of any self glorification at the moment. I can't even think how to begin the essay. Hi....I'm Christy, I want your money, I need your money and I'll even write a paper with exactly 500 words to get it. Here goes........
That's not a good starting point huh?


Why I want to become a nurse? Hmmm, good question...you'd think I'd know this answer by now wouldn't you?
What are my goals? Well, past school I hadn't really thought about goals. My goal is to graduate and after that...
Tell us about yourself... Getting a little personal aren't ya? Would you like for me to start at the beginning? Because I think it's going to take more than 500 words.
What skills do you have? Let me grab the thesaurus and I'll give you some.

Really, who is going to say that they suck? No one, so why not just get my transcripts and let the grades speak for themselves? I'm worthy damnit, but because my mind has been fried from too much summertime fun I cannot come up with one good answer why I deserve your money. I mean, this scholarship is a contract stating that I will work for you in 6 months for your generous offer. That's what you want isn't it? Fresh meat? Fresh green, dear in the headlight looking, meat? That's me! So, let's cut out the chitty chat and get down to business. I need money, you got money. I can work, you're going to make me. Deal complete. See, we're all happy now....

I had better get back to this essay... so far my ideas are crap. ARG! And just incase there is anyone on the scholarship committee reading this...just kiddin'.

p.s Ideas are welcome!

EDIT: Here is a rough draft...I know, super cheese, but it's all true and I was encouraged to list all of my good qualities. My husband may debate a few of these ...ha! I know the end is kinda cut off, but I was at my word limit. Anyway...I guess this is what I'm turning in, hope it's ok.

Why I am Seeking a Career in Nursing and My Goals upon Completion of the Program

The decision to go back to college and become a nurse is one I had contemplated for a long time. As a married, thirty-one year old mother of four boys, I had little time to devote to my own education. Before making the commitment to return to school, I worked as a medical secretary and assistant. My compassion for others and my desire to gain more knowledge is what prompted me to choose a career in nursing. Once the time was right, I took a leap of faith and went back to college to pursue my personal and professional goals.
Balancing family and education was a challenge, but one that I welcomed. It has taught me how to prioritize my time and to polish my organizational skills. I have also learned that you can attain success with hard work and determination, regardless of the obstacles. After attending (BLEEP) as a full-time student for over a year, I applied to (BLEEP) nursing program while holding a 4.0 GPA. I was accepted for the RN program upon my first application. I began Nursing 101 in the Spring of 2006 and am coming upon my fourth and final semester in August of this year. Since school began, I have dedicated all of myself to the nursing program and its demands. I am a member of (BLEEP), NSNA, the National Honor Society and was just awarded the Dean’s List Award in the Spring 2007.
I want to become a nurse so that I can utilize the skills I have acquired from my education and personal life and apply them in my professional career. Being a mother of four has taught me patience and empathy, both traits I feel are important in healthcare. I have also learned how important it is to work as a team, but to also have strong leadership qualities and independence. I feel I have good communication skills and have experience interacting with a wide variety of people. I have the sense of mind to not be judgmental and have obtained the critical thinking skills to perform under pressure. I believe I am a good candidate for the (BLEEP) Education Assistance Scholarship Program because I take my role as a student and as a future nurse seriously. I always try to put forth my best effort to give the quality of care that the patients’ deserve. I know how important of a career I am undertaking and I want to give it the utmost respect it also deserves.
After graduation this December, my goals are to find my niche in a field that matches my personality and will be fulfilling and rewarding. I would like a career in OB, so that I may care for others the way I was cared for.

Thank you for your time and consideration,
Christy (BLEEP)

Time is going by, really, really slow

This is hilarious! A cop makes pot brownies, eats them all, freaks out, calls 911 for help. The funnier part is the news anchor who can't keep her composure. Check it out:

Goodbye Sopranos

So, I watched the Soprano's season finale and I thought it sucked...kinda, but maybe not. We are led to believe that something major will happen to the Soprano's family in the finale. We already know that Silvio is almost dead, Bobby was shot, Phil was killed then accidentally crushed by his own car...eeewwww. It's a New Jersey vs' New York killing spree. So, we know that something is bound to happen to Tony or Carmella, or one of his kids. All of the foreshadowing leads us to believe this but....In the final scene Tony walks into a diner he looks around at the people to see if anyone looks suspicious. He puts a quarter in the juke box and plays Don't stop Believin' by Journey. As this song blasts in the background, Carmella walks in and your assume something may happen to her, then AJ comes in right after a suspicious looking fellow who the audience believes may be the one that's going to start shooting up some people...namely someone in the Soprano fam. Then we see Meadow on the street trying unsuccessfully to parallel park her car. We assume she may get hit by a car, or hit by a mobster...something...b/c she keeps trying and trying and she just can't seem to get her damn car parked. Finally..she runs into the restaurant to meet her family and as the door bell chimes her entrance, Tony looks up, the music is at the "don't stop" part and it cuts to black. End of show. Forever!

Before this, when Tony walks into the restaurant he sees himself sitting at the booth before he sits down...weird. I don't get it. I didn't see this until I replayed the scene. Thank you DVR. Also, before Meadow walks in, suspicious looking man goes to the bathroom which just happens to be right next to Tony's table. Did he walk out and kill Tony right as Meadow walks in the restaurant? Some say the reason it cut to black was b/c this may have been the last thing Tony see's before he dies. I dunno..it's all too artsy fartsy for me. Is he freakin' dead or not? There was a lot of foreshadowing that Tony would die soon. Especially when he went to Vegas and did peyote in the desert and thought he saw God. I thought that was a big clue...but I guess everyone on peyote sees God when they're in the desert, well except for Jim Morrison, he just saw that old indian man and a man who looked like the devil, but whatever.

David Chase, the creator, never was one to tie up loose ends, which I guess it what kept us watching, in real life are the loose ends always tied up? No, but there is stuff I wanna know. And what was with that cat staring at Chrissy's picture in the episode? He just sat there...staring. Was is Christopher reincarnated? Was is Adriana getting the last laugh? What was the stinkin' point? Wasting a whole 10 minutes of the finale on a cat.... pffft. I'm sure there was some symbolic significance there, but I didn't see it. Paulie was freaked out by the cat, he wanted to kill it but Tony wouldn't let him. Speaking of Paulie Walnuts...how did he end up alive? Could we really trust him?? He seemed a little shady huh? I felt bad for Paulie when he spilled his guts to Tone about seeing the Virgin Mary and Tony mocked him...If I remember correctly, after Tony was shot previously, he tried explaining his own near death experience to ppl (remember the monks?)and got no sympathy. They all just looked uncomfortable and changed the subject. You'd think Tony would understand...guess not...or maybe all of these near death experiences was a sign and Tony was the one uncomfortable. He knew something was coming. This last season was about his spiritual awareness and he tried to ignore it, but God wouldn't let him would he? If Tony is dead, did he go to hell? Carmella always said he would...

Guess we'll never really know what happened unless they make a movie, which I can see, but they've practically whacked all the main characters so who knows. Well, goodbye to an epic television show, arguably the best show in history.

Here's a lil tribute:

Put On Your Roller Skates....

I got my final semester's class calendar today in the mail. You can imagine my excitement as I opened it. Why? I don't know, probably because everything we'll be doing is written there and I can truly see that the end is near. The first thing I did was skip to December to see when our final exam is going to be. I didn't see anything..hmm... Skipped back to November scouring, scanning the days searching for the date....not there either. Huh? Skipped back again to October and there it was. Written in small font at the bottom of the page...Final Exam October 31st. Yippy! October? Really? The last exam ever? The last test I'll have to take until NCLEX is on Halloween? Is this true? Is it real? Oh my!

I am so excited that the end is near. My stomach was, is, in excited little butterfly knots. Fear, joy, nerves, happiness all rolled in one. According to our calendar, the last semester is going to be a busy ass time. Class begins August 20th...cool, it normally begins 2 weeks before that. Our math exam is the 24th, the same week class begins and you all know how that goes....you have to pass and you only get 2 shots or it's adios amigos for you. I'm not worried, because I've never failed before and hope that I don't now that it's almost over. It covers IV drip rates, dosages and equivelents, IV administration etc... Nothing we don't already have down pat at this point.

We begin lecture with OB-Intrapartum care. Our first exam is on the 31st..one day after my b-day. (OMG I'll be 32...how'd this happen? Not fair!) By this time we have to come up with our cap and gown money, buy our pins for the pinning ceremony, put our deposits down for our graduating photos, (Yes, we must wear those silly nurse hats...it's tradition), of course buy our books pay our tuition, and pay for our ATI testing fees. Grand total= A lot of dinero $$$!

OB clinicals begin in the 1st week of September. We have 4 OB clinicals total and I believe we're also on call incase one of our pt's goes into labor. Yes, on call, which means no matter where you are or what you're doing..you're off for the races. Out of my way folks, a baby is coming! I will more than likely be an hour or so away, so this may present a problem. Not to mention I have my own "babies" at home who can't be left at home alone. I'll have to have a sitter on call for me when I'm on call. 2nd exam....Sept 17th. (Eeek...that's a long time between tests= lots of meterial=cramming and stressing).

2nd week of October is our fall break and signifies the end of our OB rotations. After fall break we begin our Peds clinical. There are 4 of them total as well. BUT because I was one of the volunteers from our class (along with others) that chose to do this camp, we're exempt from the last clinical day...meaning only 3 peds clinicals. Yay! PLUS those of us who volunteer also get the opportunity for 5 extra bonus points, and we all know how important those are! This coming Monday we have to go to a meeting with our instructors regarding asthma camp. The camp is on the 20th from 8-3...not too bad. After October 15th we begin our precepting hours. We have to have 120 by the end of the semester. You can either choose your preceptor or they'll assign you one. I hope I can find someone on my own, otherwise I'm afraid I'll get a Nurse Ratched, Ugh! Horror stories... We have to go to work when they go to work and they will grade us just as our instructors have done. Hopefully I get someone decent who doesn't loathe students.

OCT 4th is exam III and Oct 31st is the final exam (WOOT!). It looks as though the month of November is lots of seminars and activities preparing us for graduation and NCLEX. Lots of assignments to turn in, evaluations, etc, etc. Beginning the 21st is Thanksgiving and it looks as though the Monday after the break is our last and final day of anything class related...EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

December 7th and the 14th are the chosen days for our pinning ceremony...final date still pending. SO basically, this semester, my last semester of being a student nurse, will be a total of 3 months. That's a short amount of time and it will be so hectic our heads will spin, but I'm glad...I'm so incredibly glad.

Went to see the movie Knocked Up..it's hilarious....and sweet and sometimes a lil sad. Here's the trailer:

Forbidden Love...

I finished reading The Thorn Birds today and I must say that I think this is the best book I have ever read in my life. 10 stars!!!!!!!!!!! I will try my best to articulate my feelings about this classic and give an accurate synopsis without giving away the whole book.

The book begins:

There is a legend about a bird which just sings once in it's life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves it's nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above it's own agony to outcarol the lark and the nightengale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in his heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain... Or says the legend. (The Thorn Birds, p.1)

From the moment the first page is opened it transports you into another world, a world where faith and love are tested and hard lessons are learned... and not learned. The book centers around the Cleary family, but focuses mostly on seven year old Meggie Cleary, the only daughter amongst a lot of brothers. Born into a poor, Irish sheep shearing family in New Zealand, Meggie is taught right away that she must look after herself and finds that the only person she can really rely on is her oldest brother Frank. Neither mother or father coddle the young girl or show any affection, only Frank, and she clings to him as if he's the only person who will ever love her.

Fast forward 3 years later...the family recieves a letter from their wealthy, wicked Aunt Mary from Australia asking them to move there and learn to man her sheep and tend to her farm. In return, when she dies she will leave them with a life they never could have dreamed before. Mary is old and knows she hasn't much longer to live, but she's also greedy and wants the money to stay in the family once she's dead. They soon leave New Zealand in hope for prosperity and a new future. After a long journey by land and sea they arrive in the Outback, unsure of what their new future holds.

At 10 years old, Meggie has never seen such a place. Going from New Zealand, where the lands are green and the rain is abundant, to the dry, brown landscape of Autralia was a culture shock for all of the family. Meeting them at the train station, is Father Ralph De Bricassart, Aunt Mary's long time confidante and friend. Standing there in the dusty breeze, long black soutane billowing around him, Meggie felt as if she was seeing God in the flesh. She described him as a beautiful man, full of charm and his blue eyes....what kind, warm eyes. Father Ralph is immediately taken with Meggie, just as she is to him. From that very moment of their meeting, a connection of the spirit and soul was made between them and from that moment on it remained. Father Ralph couldn't put a name to his feelings for Meggie, but he immediately felt protective of her and wanted only the best for her. He saw the wisdom in her grey, child-like eyes and they touched a part of him he couldn't understand.

As Meggie grew older Father Ralph was there to help ease her growing pains and be the "father", and sometimes mother, she never really had. Life on Drogheda (their new home) was hard and rought with difficulties, strife, sorrow and heartache and Ralph was there for Meggie through all of her troubles and her family's pain.

As Meggie grew older, their bond strenghtened, changed, evolved into something he or she couldn't control, but had been there all along...stirring, growing, stifled. Their love was born from the soul, it couldn't be denied, smothered or ignored, not matter who stood in the way...God or man. With that comes the story of forbidden love and human nature that drives us all. Many think that hate is like a cancer that can eat away at you until there is nothing left. But love, a love that cannot be materialized for worldly or material reasons can also eat away at one's soul. This story depicts that fine line between love and hate and demonstrates the rot of the soul that not only comes from ambition, greed and hate, but also from an intense love that is plucked away, never allowed to bloom again.

Father Ralph and Meggie's love for one another is so palpable and heartbreaking. Loving what you cannot have, having what you do not want. Decades of longing, yearning, unable to express their feelings because he is married to the church and God(faithfully) and she must face it to move on. But does one ever move on? How can one move on when a part of your soul rests in another human being? Yes, they do get the chance to express their fleshly desires, their untamed love, but at what price? Selling your soul to the devil? Forsaking God Almighty? What price does one pay when such a vow is broken? Well, you get to find out if you read the book. ;-)

This isn't just a story of a priest and his undying love of a woman...this is a saga that spans across 54 years of a family and their struggles, their sorrows and their loss. It's a story of revenge, jealousy, faith, will, love, life, death, ambition and the cost of one's heart and soul. It's a poetic masterpiece the way Colleen McCullough described the landscape, the inner strife and the emotions of the human condition. From New Zealand to Australia. From Australia to Rome. From Rome to Greece...it's a beautful book. I highly recommend it and personally think that everyone should read it in their lifetime.

Next I am going to watch the mini-series. I have to now damnit! I can't stop thinking of this book and the emotions it brought out in me. It had better be good and it looks as though it might be. I found this little snippet on ...where else? You tube.