My Personal Ad

making you an offer-
still runs great
looking for a brand new start
a special one time deal on a pre-owned heart
a special one time deal on a pre-owned heart


It's pretty, huh? I heard it today, the chorus of some song. I thought it was pretty and if I were going to post a personal ad it would totally work. I'll save it for later.

MOOP

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!! My Moop bag has arrived. I ordered this awesome little bag in early September and it was hand made especially for me in this lovely shade of red (it was previously only offered in other colors). I love making things from scratch and I love it when something is totally unique, but I don't own a heavy duty sewing machine. So I'm pretty happy about this little number. I can't wait until I can order a couple other Moop bags. Bytheway, don't you think Moop is a fantastic name? Mooooop. I love it.

Colin Powell is voting for Barack Obama!

When I was in 6th grade I wrote a paper on "Heroes" for a writing contest. I was one of the two winners at my school. The prize was getting to go see Colin Powell speak at one of the local highschools in Vancouver. He had just won the Congressional Medal of Honor and was touring the country. At the time I didn't really know who Colin Powell was, but since then I have learned about what an amazing man and hero he is. I was really excited when I heard he officially endorsed Barack Obama as president. I think it's pretty fantastic that the former Secretary of State, a General and a Republican, has said that Barack Obama is a "transformational figure" and would be an "exceptional" leader. I love it! I also love how he says McCain's choice of Palin, made him seriously wonder about McCain's judgement. Here is the transcript of his interview on Meet the Press, if you need to see it to believe it.

Baby Got Back!

I'm supposed to be working right now, but yesterday at work I threw out my back. I work 12 hour shifts and my job as a Nursing Student Intern, is essentially being a Nurse's slave. So, I take care of all my nurse's patients (up to 10 sickos). I take their vital signs, measure their urine, clean other bodily fluids up, change everyone's sheets, and help bathe and feed patients that can't do it themselves. It sucks, BIG TIME. Yesterday on top of all the regular craziness, a few of my patients were in isolation. This means, that every time I went into their rooms I had to put on a gown, and gloves and then of course scrub up every time I came out. It really puts a kink in trying to hurry in and out. Anyways, by about 6:15 I could see the end of the day and was just about to get my final tasks completed when I bent down to the ground to mop up some stuff. And then I couldn't stand up. I had to have a friend help me and when she tried to pull me up, my lower back seized up and there was some popping, and I could barely stand. Needless to say, being around a bunch of health care workers, there was a bunch of over-reacting and incident report paperwork and then a walk down to the EMERGENCY ROOM. Ahhh, humiliation and PAIN are a fantastic combo. I didn't want anyone pushing me in a wheelchair through the hospital where I work, so I walked like the hunchback of Notre Dame instead. And when I got to the ER, I was promptly admitted to a room where I was handed a cup to pee in, and a gown to change in to. It was great, especially since I can't remember the last time I shaved my legs (because of laser hair removal of course, not laziness or anything) and of course WHO doesn't love taking their bra off AT WORK!? A couple of hours later, urine test, x-rays, and muscle relaxers taken, I was sent home with a doctors note getting me out of work. So, now I have a bunch of crap to deal with because this was a work injury. Oh well, at least I got a prescription for Vicodin. I only have three more weeks of class before I start my preceptorship (that is if I pass my next test and final) so I'm just trying to keep the flood gates closed and the stress level low. I think the prescriptions will help with that.

P.S. Like my bracelet? It totally goes with my scrubs, don't ya think?

Can the election please just be TOMORROW?!

I can not wait ANYMORE for November 4th. I just want everyone to go vote already so my sweet little Grandma Caroline will stop sending me bullshit (excuse my french) email forwards about how Democrats are evil. Instead of dignifying her onslaught of propaganda with a response, I'm just going to complain here. Because, you know that's the mature thing to do. I don't want Grandma to have another heart attack. Here's a little tidbit that I found interesting for all you haters (Mom) to ponder...

How Racism Works In The Election

What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said "I do" to?
What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to painkillers, but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?
What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama were a member of the Keating-5? (S&L)
What if McCain were a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are? This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

You are The Boss. Which team would you hire with America facing historic debt, 2 wars, stumbling health care, a weakened dollar, all-time high prison population, a mortgage crisis, bank foreclosures & failing banks, a stock market melt-down, etc.?

Educational Background:

Obama:
Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude
Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Versus:

McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899
Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters – B.A. in Journalism

Now which team are you going to hire?

P.S. What if Barack Obama had an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?

Music That Matters Monday

The last time I posted "Music That Matters Monday" I featured the artist Bon Iver, who I love. If any of you watch the show Grey's Anatomy you would have heard some Bon Iver the last couple of episodes. It's some great listening, I think, obviously. Anywhooo, since the five of you that read my blog are probably bored with the music, I thought I'd update the player with my favorite tunes of the moment.

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova make up the Swell Season. They are also the stars of a great movie called Once. Their songs make up the soundtrack for this little movie. And if any of you watch the Oscars you might remember when they won the award for Best Song last year. Jon Stewart was hosting and the music cut off Marketa before she could say anything so he brought her back out after the commercial break so she could have a chance to make an acceptance speech. It was a pretty awesome moment. This is what she said....

"Hi everyone. I just want to thank you so much. This is such a big deal, not only for us, but for all other independent musicians and artists that spend most of their time struggling, and this, the fact that we're standing here tonight, the fact that we're able to hold this, it's just to prove no matter how far out your dreams are, it's possible. And, you know, fair play to those who dare to dream and don't give up. And this song was written from a perspective of hope, and hope at the end of the day connects us all, no matter how different we are. And so thank you so much those who helped us along way. Thank you."

After that moving speech, I netflixed Once and the movie was fantastic. Of course you all know how much I love anything with an English/Ireland accent, but I really loved this movie! It was just a sweet story about meeting the right person at the right time. And the music, which they wrote and performed themselves, made me feel my toes. So, when I saw that the couple from Once was performing at the Rialto here in Tucson, I freaked out and made Ben buy tickets. Which he did and we saw The Swell Season last week. It was such a great show! They even closed with an Irish folk song that they made the whole audience sing. I hope you like the new "Music That Matters!"

Salads

Tonight for dinner I made salads and I was so proud of myself I thought I'd share a picture. I'm going to try to make more food from scratch in an attempt to be healthier, or at least save money. Here is the recipe I modified for dinner from Everyday Food (a little magazine/tv show that I love).....I made it for two peeps and added a hard boiled egg. I also made a little fruit salad with some fresh pineapple, blueberries and raspberries. It was super good, sorry you guys couldn't come over!

Who wants a Cherry Dilly Bar?

I do! I love Dairy Queen for one reason only and it is the Cherry Dilly Bar. This sign might be evidence of someone smart working at a Dairy Queen...

Look Mom!

It's me as Grandma Tisso, Grandma Caroline, You, and Aunt Lisa! Just kidding...it's my yearbook pictures from when I went back in time on my time machine. Isn't my hair awesome? I've also included some pics of my WAY cute boyfriend Ben.

Frustration

I'm pretty frustrated right now, and I don't think that it's going to change until the election is over. After that Frontline video in my class last week, the teacher asked us to write up a little paragraph answering the question, "Does everyone in the U.S. have a right to health care?" My answer was yes. When we got to class today the teacher wanted to discuss what everyone thought. I was so frustrated and annoyed with some of the responses from my fellow classmates/future nurses. There was talk of "illegal aliens" and "why should I pay for them", and "why should prisoners get expensive chemo-therapy", and "if someone can't work to pay for it themselves, then why should I?" I was so frustrated and if I hadn't been so exhausted (I'm super sick right now) I might have put my two cents in and probably gotten even more upset.

The fact that these future nurses were saying "No" to the question, was totally ridiculous. I would say at least half of the patients we treat every day have little to no health care, or certainly will not be able to pay their medical bills. Does that mean they don't DESERVE to be treated? Give me a freakin break! Why even go to work? Why become a nurse, when half the people don't DESERVE to be treated?! I was so disappointed to hear my fellow classmates say that not everyone deserves health care. Not only are they going to be nurses in a few short months, but those particular classmates proclaim to be Christian. I'm sure most of you know the scripture from Matthew 25:40 ".....Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

This is something I wish I had been able to quote today to some of those idiots in my class. How could anyone going in to the health care profession not want EVERYONE IN THE WORLD to get the health care they need? Maybe I'm not expressing myself very well right now, I'm sick and frustrated (as I've already mentioned) and tired, and not a very good writer, but I'm voting Democrat. I think the war is horrible and wrong, the fence they're building between the U.S. and Mexico is a waste of money, and I want reformed education and health care, and a resolution to the mortgage crisis. I do not want someone who believes in abstinence only education and has a pregnant teenage daughter, in control....that's just stupid. For those of you that are politically minded, sorry, I realize that immigration is a separate issue from health care. I'm just upset by the discussion in class today. I feel that we are all children of God and wish, at the very least, that Nurses treated everyone that way.

Universal Healthcare

Today I had my first "Trends In Nursing" class. It's like an ethics in the workplace class. It should be interesting and a nice break from memorizing medications and physiology. Today we watched this great Frontline episode on Universal Health care. "Sick Around the World" shows the health care systems in the UK, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland and asks what America can learn about running a health care system. The answer: A LOT. On a normal day I want to go live abroad, but after discussing how stupid America is, I really REALLY want to move. We are the freakin' richest country on the planet and the dumbest. I've always wanted to live in the UK but after "Sick Around the World" I am seriously considering Germany as well. Not only do they have awesome food, but higher education is free and there is great health care. Since I won't be able to immigrate any time soon, I can't wait to vote for Obama! I hope he gets things moving around here! I wish he could make all the heath insurance companies and drug manufacturers non-profit like they are in some other countries. That would be just awesome, and maybe I'd feel better about being stuck here in America. Just in case none of you wants to check out the Frontline information, here's a little rundown of what those other countries have going on.....oh, and these are all countries that provide the same (if not better services) than here in the good ol' U.S.

	United Kingdom	Japan	Germany	Taiwan	Switzerland	U.S.
% of GDP spent on Health Care	8.3%	8%	10.7%	6.3%	11.6%	15.3%
Average Premium	NONE	$280	$750 (on a sliding scale)	$650 (per YEAR)	$750	Way too much
Co-payment	NONE	30% (on a sliding scale)	10 Euros (If you're Preggers, it's 0)	Super cheap (under 10 bucks)	10% up to $420 per year	ditto

Labor Day MOVIE REVIEW: Across the Universe and Atonement

I started school again this last week so I probably won't be blogging much at all, if ever for the next three and a half months. So, I thought I'd do a quick post before I have to get up for lecture in the morning. I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend. Mine was alright. I spent some time shopping for charms on Ebay for my charm bracelet and I watched two movies: Across the Universe and Atonement.

I happened to love both of these movies. I don't think some of you (my conservative friends) would like them, but I did. They both made me want to live in England even more than I already do. I love the Beatles, so it wasn't a stretch that I would enjoy Across the Universe. But the music was amazing (even Ben thought so, and he is NOT a fan). I also loved the story, especially considering that it took place during my favorite era in US history (late 60's). They worked in so many details from the songs into the characters. I'm going to have to watch it again sometime because I'm sure I missed something. The actors did all the singing, and if anything, you should listen to the soundtrack. It was awesome.

Atonement was a typical horribly heartbreaking drama. I love James McAvoy and thought he was great. Keira Knightly was the best I've ever seen her. It was an adaptation of the novel by Ian McEwan, which I can't wait to read now that I've seen the movie. It was a very sad movie about how one horrible event basically changed life for everyone involved. It was a beautiful movie that mostly took place in England (hi, favorite place) during World War II. Even though it was a heart wrenching movie I thought it was great and was glad that I finally was able to watch it.

The Olympics

Holy Cow, the Olympics were so awesome! I love the summer Olympics. I'm not sure why exactly. Growing up, my family didn't have cable, so when the Olympics came on, it was great tv! I think I always wanted to be an athlete too. I'm not a swimmer or a gymnast or anything and I'm not particularly found of hot weather, but to me the summer Olympics is where it's at. The Bejing Games have been super awesome. Hello? Did anyone watch the opening ceremonies? They were crazy out of control awesome. That's right...awesome. My favorite part by far was the tai chi masters all moving in unison. It was brilliant...well the whole thing was. And then there was Michael Phelps. If you didn't see his races you totally missed out. What an amazing guy. I loved it when he was screaming towards the end of the 4x4 relay. Um, and did anyone see the kids abs? Wowsers, those were some muscles! I watched the other swimming events, some gymnastics, some beach volleyball, a little track, the gold metal basketball games and the marathon. I DVR'ed the whole two weeks of coverage, so I fast-forwarded through everything else (like rhythmic gymnastics and table tennis). China looks ah-mazing too. Can't wait to see the Great Wall. It is definitely going on the "to-do" list! Besides everything Michael Phelps, here is a clip of my most favorite moment of the Olympic broadcast...



(Side note: Did anyone else find Nastia's name hilarious/unfortunate? Because, you know, she's in gymNASTIcs? It makes me think of that one movie preview where the girl goes, "It's not called gymNICEtics!" Love it!)

My High School Reunion

Well tonight was my high school reunion. Yes, I graduated 10 years ago. I didn't go. I was going to but plane tickets got to be too expensive. I figured it would be better to save money and just stay home and watch the Olympics. I'm bummed in a way, like I might have missed out on something.....like the chance to see some of the jerks I went to school with for 13 years. It's weird to think that I actually knew some of those kids that long. I mean I could name at least twenty kids that I knew the whole way. And I think it would've been interesting to see them all grown up. I'm sure this must be amusing to some of you that knew me then, considering it was almost impossible to get me to go to high school when I was actually IN high school. Whatever. I tried to rally some of the kids I actually was friends with at Prairie, but none of them cared enough to pay to show up either. I guess I get to see my most favorite person from high school all the time anyways (Ben). I keep telling myself that not going was probably better, like I saved myself from some neurosis. I guess I'll never know for sure. Here's a picture of one of my favorite memories from high school. (None of these kids were there either, so I guess I didn't miss that much!) And here I am with my sister, Becky, right after graduation over 10 years ago! AHH, I'm old!

Movie Review: Waitress

Waitress staring Keri Russell, and written and directed by Adrienne Shelly was a very sweet movie. At least I thought so. Keri Russell (who I love from Felicity) plays Jenna a waitress at Joe's Pie diner. She's in a horrible marriage, accidentally gets pregnant (is not happy about it) and has a fling with her married OB/GYN, all the while baking some excellent pies. There were some hilarious moments (like spontaneous poetry) that made me laugh out loud. The one thing that bugged me about the movie though, was that the pies didn't look as amazing as I thought they should have. I really wanted to eat some of them anyway, (because of their names) like Naughty pumpkin pie, or I hate my husband pie. Other than that, it was a sweet story with a great message...It's never too late for a fresh start. Favorite quote from the movie: "If I had a penny for everything that I loved about you, I'd have many pennys."

Seattle

Ben and I went to Seattle this weekend. It was great. I love Seattle and we had a really nice day Friday walking around being tourists. We went to one of my favorite places for coffee and cake, the B&O Cafe (this cafe was mentioned in my USA travel guide, and all of Vancouver was left out). I got a Valencia Mocha and a piece of Chocolate Raspberry torte and it was super good. Then Ben and I went down to Seattle Center and took some pictures of the Space Needle. I even bought a Space Needle charm for my charm bracelet. While we were walking around Seattle Center, KEXP 90.3, Ben's favorite radio station, was having a free outdoor concert. It was perfect timing! We didn't know the band, but it was just nice to sit outside, enjoy a cold beverage, and hear some great live music. It made me miss living in Seattle A LOT. We then drove down to the Pier and took a nice little walk along the water and ended up at one of the best book stores ever, The Elliot Bay Book Company. Ben and I could have easily spent a whole day there, but we had to keep it short so we could meet some old friends. Saturday we got breakfast with Ben's brothers before we got ready and headed out to his cousin's wedding (the reason for this visit) in Gig Harbor. The wedding was at a beautiful location, had excellent food, awesome pyrotechnics, great music, and as promised was a total love fest. It was great to be there and see all of Ben's family. On Sunday, Ben and I got breakfast with one of my good buddies, Steve-O. Then we walked around Jaunita Beach and did some window shopping before getting ready to come back to Tucson. It was a quick but nice time and I can't wait to go back!

Music That Matters Monday

I've added a new feature to my blog...a playlist player. I love music and going to concerts and festivals, but no one has ever heard of the artists I really enjoy. I thought this might be a good way to share some of the great music I love with all of you! Check out my first "music that matters"....Bon Iver.

Make sure to check out my other links too!

Lake Powell

This last weekend Ben and I drove 10 hours to Lake Powell (It's on the border of Arizona and Utah). One of Ben's good friends from college works in Ogden, and goes on a big house-boating trip each year. This was our second year driving up. The water wasn't as warm as last year, but it was more relaxing and fun and Lake Powell is beautiful. On the second night (we were there three nights) a storm came in and rain poured down on us for about 45 minutes. It was crazy! Here are a few shots from the weekend.

Summer Semester Is OVER!

I'm done with Summer Semester and am now officially on vacation! YAY! Summer Vacation usually lasts about two months, maybe even three when you're a student...NOT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS! But I'm going to make the most of it! I finished my Psychiatric rotation last week and took my final test of the semester early. I'm really hoping I passed, but I won't find out officially until Thursday, so I'm still slightly stressed. I learned a few things with this last rotation of the semester. One thing that I learned was, no matter how crazy I have felt in my life, I have NEVER EVER been crazy. NEVER EVER. So, that was nice to learn. I was also reminded what an integral part Psychology is in all our lives. I picked up this list while hanging out on the Psych ward and thought I would post it for all of you, but mostly for me.

HOW TO LOVE YOURSELF

1. STOP ALL CRITICISM. Criticism never changes a thing. Refuse to criticize yourself. Accept yourself as you are. Everybody changes. When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative. When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.

2. DON'T SCARE YOURSELF. Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. It's a dreadful way to live. Find a mental image that gives you pleasure, and immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought.

3. BE GENTLE AND KIND AND PATIENT. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn the new ways of thinking. Treat yourself as you would someone you really loved.

4. BE KIND TO YOUR MIND. Self hatred is only hating your own thoughts. Don't hate yourself for having the thoughts. Gently change your thoughts.

5. PRAISE YOURSELF. Criticism breaks down the inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.

6. SUPPORT YOURSELF. Find ways to support yourself. Reach out to friends and allow them to help you. it is being strong to ask for help when you need it.

7. BE LOVING TO YOUR NEGATIVES. Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill a need. Now you are finding new, positive ways to fulfill those needs. So lovingly release the old negative pattern.

8. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. Learn about nutrition. What kind of fuel does your body need to have optimum energy and vitality? Learn about exercises. What kind of exercise can you enjoy? Cherish and revere the temple you live in.

9. MIRROR WORK. Look into your eyes often. Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself. Forgive yourself looking into the mirror. Talk to your parents looking into the mirror. Forgive them too. At least once a day say: "I love you, I really love you!"

10. DO IT NOW. Don't wait until you get well, or lose the weight, or get the new job, or the new relationship. Begin now and do the best that you can.

I hate USAirways!

I hate USAirways. They suck BIG TIME! They have screwed both me and Ben over several times. When we flew to Europe this last Christmas they lost our bags and it took TWO days to get them. That infuriated me. I mean, it was totally preventable and there I was, stranded in one of the most expensive cities in the world (London, which I happen to love) on my PERIOD with no clean clothes. That pissed me off to no end, but now here I am dealing with their crap AGAIN.

USAirways is based out of Phoenix, we live close to Phoenix, their tickets are cheap, Ben flies with them a lot for business, we've racked up a ton of miles....these are the reasons we usually fly USAirways. I'm starting to think that NONE of these reasons are good enough to put up with this crap. Did you know that they are charging for WATER now!? That's just criminal! I mean, what if you were really, really poor, barely making ends meet and you had just enough to fly to get where you need to go. You can't bring water from home because they might think you're trying to blow up the plane or the airport. You are totally subject to paying the ridiculous fee for water on the plane or at the over-priced store in the airport. It's bullshit. The air on the plane totally dehydrates you. How are you supposed to take care of yourself? I suppose you just have to pay the damn five bucks for water. I thought we lived in a free country, but really we live in a FEE country.

I tried to get over the whole lost luggage debacle, I mean, I was in the greatest city in the world at the time. But now, all those old feelings are coming right back to the surface. When I flew to Salt Lake two weekends ago to visit the Sharps, I had an 11:45 flight. For any of you that have ever flown into Tucson, you know that there is one little security line and one little hallway that leads to the gates. It takes about five minutes from checking-in to walking to the gate. Ben and I never get to the airport more than an hour before our flight. NEVER, and we've never missed our flight. So, on Friday July 18, I was there, attempting to check in at about 11:07 for my 11:45 flight. I couldn't find my information. I stood at the kiosk patiently waiting for the one frazzled employee to assist me. "What the EFF...I got my stupid check-in online email just YESTERDAY, where's my reservation?" "Umm, it looks like we've bumped you to another flight." "WHHAAAAaat are you talking about, bumped me to another flight!?"

Apparently, because they didn't quite have a full flight they decided to re-route certain passengers so they could down-grade their plane size thus saving on fuel. Well that was all fine and dandy, except that they bumped me to an EARLIER flight, a flight that left a 11:27. I was finding all of this out at about 11:15. I was PISSED. I did all I could to get on a flight, but basically ended up waiting at the airport for FIVE hours until I was able to leave. I was so angry. And the best part is that USAirways' complaint/"customer relations" department is only open Monday through Friday 9-5, and they don't want to hear about ANYTHING until you've completed your travel. I was so angry, especially when the sad little employee at the counter AGREED with me about how I totally got screwed over. She gave me two 25 dollar coupons towards my next flight, which of course I have to use separately. ARGGGGHHH!!!

Well, I called the "customer relations" department and told them about my FIVE hour wait on Friday, I was presented with a 75 dollar coupon towards my next flight. And no, I can't combine it with my other coupons I got, and I have to use it to buy tickets over the phone where they charge a 25 dollar booking FEE!!! I am sooo pissed, it makes me want to just never fly anywhere ever, EVER again. I'm not even taking into account all the privacy invasion I had to suffer through in the security line after they switched my ticket, or how I can't bring my freaking toiletries or how I have to pay the stupid checked bag fee and risk not having my bags AT ALL! AHHHH!!!! I could go on forever, but I'm going to stop before I hurt something, like my poor innocent laptop. I guess I just won't be buying the tickets for my high school reunion today. I've got to move to Europe so I can just take the train everywhere.