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Sunday, August 4, 2013
Day 11: Photo that makes me ANGRY/SAD
I don't think I'll ever be able to put into words the emotions I felt walking the grounds of Auschwitz/Birkenau. It's one of those places that ever single human being should be required to go to at some point in their lives. For me, I'm glad I went and hope I never have to go back again.
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Day 10: Me, recently
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Enjoying another great European beer in Krakow, Poland.
But, this was even more enjoyable... after searching DAYS for one...
Day 9: ME - ten years ago
Since the mainstream use of digital cameras, it's hard to find "old" pictures without having to sort through a gazillion photo albums, so this picture is from 2004, nine years ago. If I remember correctly, this is from our month long road trip and this particular stop was in one of our favorite places - Knoxville, TN.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Day 3: Book - REVISED!!!!
Sometimes, something happens in your life that changes everything. For some, it's getting married to their best friend, having their children, taking that trip they've always dreamed of. I waited almost 35 years for my "Ah ha moment".
I really hated to read until last May, like with a passion. My original post regarding this topic was back in April of 2010 and oh how things have changed since then. Before May of 2012 I had read a dozen or so books in my adult life. I remember reading the first Harry Potter book thinking "this is so painful" and it took so long to read it - close to a month. My first "I LOVE THIS BOOK" was A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I read it for the first time, and several more times since, at the beginning of last year after a few friends of mine had recommended it to me. It's a beast of a book, like 600 pages, and when I got it from the library I never thought I'd get through it. But I had read all the Twilight books and Harry Potter books by then so I knew, eventually, I would get it done. To my surprise, it only take a few days and those were the most magical days! I loved every single page of that book. Something awoke in me when I finished it. My "ah ha" moment was just around the corner...waiting patiently in all it's shades of grey!
For Mother's Day last year, after seeing me trying out this reading thing a little more and getting a few books on his Kindle, Rick thought it might be a great idea to get me my own Kindle and the new "Must Read" book out at the time. Boy, he's never gotten me a better gift..
THANK YOU SWEET BABY J for the creation of the Kindle and even more thanks to EL James for giving us Christen Grey!!!! Yeap, you guessed it, the Shades of Grey series gave me my "ah ha" moment. I found my love for the written word and I'll never look back. I devoured that series - twice in one week. No you didn't see that wrong - twice in one week. Since then I've read more than 150 books, 46 since January of this year. Something else happened with the SOG series. I realized at it's completion, that I'm a big fan of the series. I love series - really long, complicated and involved series. I love the continuation of the story, the fact that it's not over just yet, that the characters still have a journey to make and story to tell. And when it's done, it's like eating the biggest bowl of your favorite ice cream and lots of it! Heaven.
In addition to getting my Kindle, I also joined a Facebook group started by a friend of mine from high school, Karla. Boudreaux's Bookworms is a book club/group, a little happy place, for us gals to go to and talk about the books we are reading, have read or want to read. It's an open forum and there are no rules. We all have different likes and dislikes, but the one thing we have in common is that we all enjoy reading. I've found some of the most interesting reads from these ladies. They are my "go to"... well, them and Goodreads, for which I couldn't function without. Some great things have come from this group too. One of the members is also an author and a contributing writer on another blog called the "Ruby Slippered Sisterhood" (RSS). Because of one of the threads that started on Bookworms - "Why do you love to read?", Liz wanted to feature us on this blog. That was an exciting time for us all. We got to "talk" with other writers and give feedback/answer questions. I've read many of Liz's books as well as a several of the other RSS and loved them all.
Why do I love to read now? That's simple...here's how I answered it on Bookworms:
"... reading allows me to travel to foreign worlds, smell exotic fragrances, taste exquisite foods, wear stunning clothes, and explore the unimaginable. We journey with some of the most amazing people and experience things that words can only attempt to describe. We get swept away with love and passion, danger and fear. I love meeting these new people and embrace the excitement and imagination they spark in me. I can’t wait to read the next story and go on the next journey… I love hearing the music that plays in my head when I read. And… I love that I can carry my favorites around with me – our beloved Matthew, Jericho, Gideon, Dufrene brothers, Reyes, Wallbanger, and on and on. But honestly, I read for a selfish reason – it’s MY time. It’s my break from my reality, my quiet time, my time to escape. And I love sharing my new finds with others that love to read. Thank you Christian Grey for turning me into a reader and for wanting more! Since May of last year, I’ve logged hundreds of hours on over 120 books".
So my question for you is, why do you love to read???
I really hated to read until last May, like with a passion. My original post regarding this topic was back in April of 2010 and oh how things have changed since then. Before May of 2012 I had read a dozen or so books in my adult life. I remember reading the first Harry Potter book thinking "this is so painful" and it took so long to read it - close to a month. My first "I LOVE THIS BOOK" was A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I read it for the first time, and several more times since, at the beginning of last year after a few friends of mine had recommended it to me. It's a beast of a book, like 600 pages, and when I got it from the library I never thought I'd get through it. But I had read all the Twilight books and Harry Potter books by then so I knew, eventually, I would get it done. To my surprise, it only take a few days and those were the most magical days! I loved every single page of that book. Something awoke in me when I finished it. My "ah ha" moment was just around the corner...waiting patiently in all it's shades of grey!
For Mother's Day last year, after seeing me trying out this reading thing a little more and getting a few books on his Kindle, Rick thought it might be a great idea to get me my own Kindle and the new "Must Read" book out at the time. Boy, he's never gotten me a better gift..
THANK YOU SWEET BABY J for the creation of the Kindle and even more thanks to EL James for giving us Christen Grey!!!! Yeap, you guessed it, the Shades of Grey series gave me my "ah ha" moment. I found my love for the written word and I'll never look back. I devoured that series - twice in one week. No you didn't see that wrong - twice in one week. Since then I've read more than 150 books, 46 since January of this year. Something else happened with the SOG series. I realized at it's completion, that I'm a big fan of the series. I love series - really long, complicated and involved series. I love the continuation of the story, the fact that it's not over just yet, that the characters still have a journey to make and story to tell. And when it's done, it's like eating the biggest bowl of your favorite ice cream and lots of it! Heaven.
In addition to getting my Kindle, I also joined a Facebook group started by a friend of mine from high school, Karla. Boudreaux's Bookworms is a book club/group, a little happy place, for us gals to go to and talk about the books we are reading, have read or want to read. It's an open forum and there are no rules. We all have different likes and dislikes, but the one thing we have in common is that we all enjoy reading. I've found some of the most interesting reads from these ladies. They are my "go to"... well, them and Goodreads, for which I couldn't function without. Some great things have come from this group too. One of the members is also an author and a contributing writer on another blog called the "Ruby Slippered Sisterhood" (RSS). Because of one of the threads that started on Bookworms - "Why do you love to read?", Liz wanted to feature us on this blog. That was an exciting time for us all. We got to "talk" with other writers and give feedback/answer questions. I've read many of Liz's books as well as a several of the other RSS and loved them all.
Why do I love to read now? That's simple...here's how I answered it on Bookworms:
"... reading allows me to travel to foreign worlds, smell exotic fragrances, taste exquisite foods, wear stunning clothes, and explore the unimaginable. We journey with some of the most amazing people and experience things that words can only attempt to describe. We get swept away with love and passion, danger and fear. I love meeting these new people and embrace the excitement and imagination they spark in me. I can’t wait to read the next story and go on the next journey… I love hearing the music that plays in my head when I read. And… I love that I can carry my favorites around with me – our beloved Matthew, Jericho, Gideon, Dufrene brothers, Reyes, Wallbanger, and on and on. But honestly, I read for a selfish reason – it’s MY time. It’s my break from my reality, my quiet time, my time to escape. And I love sharing my new finds with others that love to read. Thank you Christian Grey for turning me into a reader and for wanting more! Since May of last year, I’ve logged hundreds of hours on over 120 books".
So my question for you is, why do you love to read???
Being a Nurse
Most people decide at a very young age what they "want" to be when they grow up - I don't think I was one of those people. I'm not sure when being a nurse came to mind... guess it just kinda happened one day. Hmmm, when was that???
My journey to being the big "RN" was one that went off the road a few times. I graduated from high school in 1994 and went to college at Southeastern Louisiana University majoring in nursing. I loved my time there - met some amazing people, experienced all things college and learned a few life's lessons. I also met Rick during that time. Well into my time at SLU, I realized that I would have to wait 2.5 years, yes years, before getting into the clinical part of the nursing program. What??? During Fall break a friend of mine asked me "What would you want to do/be if you couldn't be a nurse?". I'd never really thought about it to be honest, I still don't think I could answer that question if asked it again now. Tossing around a few ideas, I decided on Interior Design. Again, not really sure why, but that's what it ended up being. *shrug shoulders*. I took the Spring '97 semester off and worked at one of the local chemical plants as a receptionist before heading down the next fork in the road. Now this is where things get interesting. Not wanting to go to LSU I opted to move to Houston and attend the Art Institute. So off I went...my first apartment, all by myself in a city of millions. I was scared shitless, but determined to do it and be successful at it, and I was. I graduated with honors and got a job right away with an amazing Architectural firm in Houston. I began my professional career with the Interior Architecture, and eventually Healthcare teams at Kirksey. There are no words to describe that experience. It was amazing and I helped create some great spaces for our clients. Making myself at home with them was easy - I was welcomed with open arms and there was an abundance of talent and knowledge surrounding me every day. The people I worked with became my family and I became an adult in the real world with them. The friendships I made will be forever lasting in my mind (that is if dementia doesn't steal them away). I learned so many things in my short time with Kirksey and I never intended to leave there. It saddened my beyond comprehension to leave them and part of me still misses the people and work I did. I will always regret leaving, but alas, like they say, all good things must come to an end. The departure from Houston had me arriving in the Sonoran Desert/Tucson. I moved here in September 2000. Rick and I were at a point in our relationship where one of us had to make that big sacrifice, give up what we loved doing, and move. I pulled the short straw on that deal. Jumping into my job here was not as easy as it was in Houston. Working at a branch location of an internationally known firm, HDR was now my home. It was a decent size (40 people or so), but I was the only Interiors person and only one of 6 professional women in the firm I worked at. The others were architects or engineer. Not good... Needless to say my time, although some was great, with HDR was short lived. I no longer felt creative and my passion for interiors was fading thanks to the environment I was in.
So... back to nursing! I started taking classes again while still with HDR, but in January 2004, when Sydney was only 8 months old, I started clinicals and never looked back. Nursing school saved my sanity, forged great friendships, and gave me happiness again. I had found my purpose. YEAH! I graduated in December 2006, took some time off to recharge, hang out with the little person in my life and wait to see where the job hunt would end up.
Even on my worst day, after 12+ hours of walking the unit, rarely being able to eat or pee, it's worth it in the end. I take them all to heart - the crazy ones, the demented ones, the sad, scared and broken ones... being puked/pooped/bleed on. I love it and I love what I do. I'd never be something other than a surgical RN - drains, tubes, fluids, smells, sounds. Bring it on!!! Happy Nurses Week to you all.
My journey to being the big "RN" was one that went off the road a few times. I graduated from high school in 1994 and went to college at Southeastern Louisiana University majoring in nursing. I loved my time there - met some amazing people, experienced all things college and learned a few life's lessons. I also met Rick during that time. Well into my time at SLU, I realized that I would have to wait 2.5 years, yes years, before getting into the clinical part of the nursing program. What??? During Fall break a friend of mine asked me "What would you want to do/be if you couldn't be a nurse?". I'd never really thought about it to be honest, I still don't think I could answer that question if asked it again now. Tossing around a few ideas, I decided on Interior Design. Again, not really sure why, but that's what it ended up being. *shrug shoulders*. I took the Spring '97 semester off and worked at one of the local chemical plants as a receptionist before heading down the next fork in the road. Now this is where things get interesting. Not wanting to go to LSU I opted to move to Houston and attend the Art Institute. So off I went...my first apartment, all by myself in a city of millions. I was scared shitless, but determined to do it and be successful at it, and I was. I graduated with honors and got a job right away with an amazing Architectural firm in Houston. I began my professional career with the Interior Architecture, and eventually Healthcare teams at Kirksey. There are no words to describe that experience. It was amazing and I helped create some great spaces for our clients. Making myself at home with them was easy - I was welcomed with open arms and there was an abundance of talent and knowledge surrounding me every day. The people I worked with became my family and I became an adult in the real world with them. The friendships I made will be forever lasting in my mind (that is if dementia doesn't steal them away). I learned so many things in my short time with Kirksey and I never intended to leave there. It saddened my beyond comprehension to leave them and part of me still misses the people and work I did. I will always regret leaving, but alas, like they say, all good things must come to an end. The departure from Houston had me arriving in the Sonoran Desert/Tucson. I moved here in September 2000. Rick and I were at a point in our relationship where one of us had to make that big sacrifice, give up what we loved doing, and move. I pulled the short straw on that deal. Jumping into my job here was not as easy as it was in Houston. Working at a branch location of an internationally known firm, HDR was now my home. It was a decent size (40 people or so), but I was the only Interiors person and only one of 6 professional women in the firm I worked at. The others were architects or engineer. Not good... Needless to say my time, although some was great, with HDR was short lived. I no longer felt creative and my passion for interiors was fading thanks to the environment I was in.
So... back to nursing! I started taking classes again while still with HDR, but in January 2004, when Sydney was only 8 months old, I started clinicals and never looked back. Nursing school saved my sanity, forged great friendships, and gave me happiness again. I had found my purpose. YEAH! I graduated in December 2006, took some time off to recharge, hang out with the little person in my life and wait to see where the job hunt would end up.
Even on my worst day, after 12+ hours of walking the unit, rarely being able to eat or pee, it's worth it in the end. I take them all to heart - the crazy ones, the demented ones, the sad, scared and broken ones... being puked/pooped/bleed on. I love it and I love what I do. I'd never be something other than a surgical RN - drains, tubes, fluids, smells, sounds. Bring it on!!! Happy Nurses Week to you all.
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