Langley's world

December 2011

2012-01-06T21:15:00.007-05:00

Wow- what a month!!! Christmas time at a children's hospital means donations, community groups wanting to get active in the hospital and donations!!! Did I mention donations?!?!?!??? About mid month, it would be a good day if I didn't snap at a co-worker of have someone cry in my office!!!! I am still having to bake a lot of cakes as thank you's to different departments in the hospital.

Some highlights:

Ritchie Sambora came to the hospital to visit the kids and staff- he was so nice to all!!! Here is a pic of him with some of the child life crew!

Christmas time also calls for a lot of parties for our kids!!! I got to be a part of the yearly Dialysis party and our yearly Love Jen Holiday Party, where past and present oncology patients get together and have an awesome time!!! I got on the dance for and pretty much never left- thankfully I brought a change of clothes for afterwards!!! I actually got to lead a conga line!!!

Another thing I did over the month was go to Santa's Enchanted Forest with Derek, Sam, Patrick and Sherrie!!! It was a theme park in Miami with tons of Chrismas lights, rides, and of course, fair food!!! I tried a fried oreo for the first time!!!

I got to go home for the holiday and spend time with my family!!! I was so glad to see my sweet little niece! Some pics of the family that I snagged from my cousin Corrie:

Needless to say, I had a great time at home with the family!!! I am also glad that the month is over and I can go back to working normally!!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

November 2011

2012-01-06T21:07:00.003-05:00

Well, November went by pretty smoothly, just trying to get prepared for what December would have in store at work- more on that next post. I was just trying to enjoy any peace and quiet that I could find!!!! For Thanksgiving, I went to Derek and his grandmother's to have a wonderful meal with some of his other family and his grandmother's friends and boyfriend. It was so funny- I pretty much spent the entire night showing Derek's grandmother's boyfriend how the iPhone works. He enjoyed it so much that he suggested I work as an iPhone sales person!!!

You know, the only thing that I really do not love about Thanksgiving down here in south Florida is that no one makes turkey and dressing. Everyone makes stuffing. It is nowhere near as delicious to me, so it is a little disappointing to not get it!!!!

Towards the end of the month, we had a man come to the hospital and bring a life-size working R2-D2. We took it around the hospital to show some of the kids. Here is a pic with me and his children.

October 2011

2011-12-31T19:15:00.011-05:00

Wow, I can't wait to get these all caught up!!! In October, I got to dress up in several Halloween outfits, which I love!!! Most of my memories from this month are work related- as the past few and coming couple of them!! I am still working on balancing supervising and seeing patients, so my mind is pretty much on work all the time!!!! But, I was able to escape to Mississippi for a nice weekend!

One cool thing that happened is the bank Neon Trees came to the hospital and met and sang for the kids in their rooms. They were really nice and I got to hang out with them for a couple of hours!!! Here are several of the child lifers with the band!

Mid October, Derek and I flew to Memphis and rode with Rachel and Daniel to Mississippi to go a Mississippi State game. Derek had never been to MSU before, so it was fun to walk around campus and show him where I used to go to class, the union, bookstore, etc. Hannah was also there in her MSU finest!!!! So sweet!! Derek actually got into the game, I am so proud!

Later in October, the hospital had a community open house where people in the community can come to the hospital, gets tours, learn about different things offered. It was packed!!! School had let out early, so there were tons of kids, everyone was in their Halloween costume, including staff, and it was crazy!!! I dressed in my old wicked witch of the west costume minus the green make-up, and downloaded the wisked witch of the west theme song and played it while i walked around from my phone that was hidden in my bra!!!!

Also, look at what my little sweet potato was for Halloween!!!! My favorite niece as my favorite animal!!!

One more thing that I did do in October- I got a new car!!! Well, not really new, just new to me!! I got a 2006 Honda Pilot in silver, with leather and a moonroof! Score! It is so cute!

September 2011

2011-12-31T17:26:00.004-05:00

So the month of September went pretty quickly- I had not major life adventures going on. At work, our clown, Lotsy Dotsy, celebrated her 25th anniversary of being a clown in style. We decorated the hallway with polka dots, had the mayor come speak, and had a HUGE party were we invited past patients to come and celebrate. We wore polka dots on our clothes and all wore a red dot on our noses. It was really a great time!!! Pictured is myslef, Lotsy Dotsy, and her apprentice, Little C!!!

August 2011

2011-12-29T23:19:00.004-05:00

Ok, so new hospital is opened and running, and my life was finally calming down with the grand opening and stuff when I got promoted to acting supervisor of my department!!! Totally exciting, and so fun- so a whole new set of challenges were presented to me. But I get it from my mama, I like to have a lot going on at once!!!

I didn't have any pics saved to cue me to what had been happening in August. Except for this one- I was driving to work one morning, and I noticed that the condensation running down the back of the car window spelled the word PRAY. For real. It is hard to see in the pic, cause I can ony take pictures of my rear glass and drive so well, but here is one to check out. You may have to really use your imagination here.
Oh yeah, Derek had his birthday in August, and so did my other little boo, sweet Hannah turned 1!!!!!

July 2011

2011-12-29T22:19:00.011-05:00

Whew what a month!!! I just about went to crazy town and took Derek with me with all the flash mob and new hospital business!!!

Here is a recap and then a bunch of pics-

I went home for the fourth of July weekend. We had quite a family reunion and enjoyed some barbequed chicken and hung out with the family!!!
Grand Opening of new Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital

VIP opening-July 15, 2011- what a fun night!! We had to dress up and showcase different areas of the new hospital to all the big donors and important people of the community- and they had a fireworks show and champagne. Mario and Luigi, two of my personal heroes, also showed up. Did I mention champagne???
Grand Opening Block Party- July 16, 2011- I had the pleasure of arriving super early, like around 7 in the morning, to get ready for the big day!!! It started off with a parade- which was so cool- then we had the flash mob, then I was inside for the day showcasing areas for the tours that lasted for around 5 hours!!! I think they may have said about 2000 people went through the building that day- good thing there were no patients!!!

Parade pictures- starting off with Lotsy Dotsy, our grand marshall!!! There is Joey D, our mascot as well. Notice the bubbles from the float!!! We also had fire trucks, policemen, motorcycles, and even spiderman and superman joined in!!!

Flash mob- it was like a dream come true during the flash mob I had to remember to not hyperventilate. Ok, quick sidebar- I have this curse of my life and here it is- when I want a pic of something that involves a fam ous person or something big I am doing, somehow the person taking the pic with my iphone will think they have taken a picture and when I go to review it, there is nothing there. This happened when Pharrell visited the hospital, My Chemical Romance, and the flash mob. My sweet Derek stood there and filmed the whole thing and then it wasn't there. The curse lives on.

Back to the flash mob- like so awesome. I helped teach around 700 employees the last two songs at new hospital orientation over the course of two weeks- it made me feel so awesome and mentally ill a little bit. I think it turned out really great!!! Some pics:
Ok, so I can not copy the video but here is a link to it- it is from the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital facebook page listed under videos.

It was just a unreal moment in my life!!!

June 2011

2011-12-29T22:12:00.005-05:00

Ok, here is a post of June-

I turned 31, that was pretty uneventful... I have to look back at pictures to recall all my happenings!!!

Derek and I went to Naples, on the west coast of Florida, and checked out the beach there and went to the zoo! What a cool town, and the beach was awesome, we got there, sat down, and after about 20 minutes I turned around and the blackest clouds ever were creeping up from the mainland!!!! I was freaking out and made Derek leave the beach! Also, as soon as we arrived in Naples my car wouldn't start in the parking lot of Books A Million. I had been having occasional car issues, and we walked down to a Panera to eat, I was a mess worrying over my car and boohooing all the way to Panera!!!
Nothing else is standing out for the month of June-- just kept getting ready for the flash mob and grand opening of the new hospital!!!

May 2011

2011-12-29T21:51:00.005-05:00

Here is what happened in May- I started working with a group of people to form a flash mob at the grand opening of the new Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital- and it was the bomb!!!!

It was a six-song medley, not the entire of each thankfully, and we were to perform it at a block party. It started out with about 12 of us, then on the third song, about 70 kids join in with us, then on the fifth song, all of the JDCH staff that was interested were to join in for the last two songs.

I was pretty busy, and I started weight watchers!!! I really kicked it off right, because going to flash mob practice twice weekly really helped me burn some calories!!! I was busy like crazy, but loving life!!!

Ooooh, I also helped chaperone the Unforgettable Prom, a yearly prom for oncology patients all over south Florida. We rode in limos and the kids were treated to a night out in style!!! Walking down a red carpet, photo shoots, and interviews by the news. It was pretty awesome, these kids just mingled and hung out together- not standing around with only the people from each of the hospitals. It really was kind of like a dream come true to be rocking out on a dance floor with a bunch of cool kids. Several of our boys had dance-offs! This pic is with a real Miami Dolphin!

Hmmm, what else happened? I got a feather put in my hair, and Derek and I started attending First Baptist Church of Hollywood pretty regularly!!!

Also, I was on the show designing spaces for about 3 seconds!!! They came to the hospital and remodeled our family center and teen room and playroom!

I also got to meet the members of My Chemical Romance, they were pretty nice and had some REALLY skinny pants!!!

Rarrrrr!!!

2011-04-13T22:08:00.003-04:00

I have been the worst poster for the blog ever!!!! I either have not had much happening, or every time I think of something good to blog about, I am not near the computer!!! So I am watching American Idol and in two weeks from today, I get to go see my niece!!!! I am so excited!! I will be in Memphis for five days!!! Ok, and I think tonight my new favorite for American Idol is the really country guy, Scotty- even though I am not really into country since I was a kid, his voice just blows me away!!! I would totally buy a CD of him singing some old country hits!!

Old school gum

2011-01-20T21:37:00.004-05:00

Ok, so I was at 7-11 with Derek and I noticed something. There were only two choices of bubble gum that was not a traditional breath freshener gum. There was plenty of Trident, Orbit, Extra, etc, but there were only two true bubble gums, and both of those were Hubba Bubba! No Bubblicious, no Bubble Yum!!!

What is up with that?

I can remember this type of gum that I used to chew as a kid and I wish it was still made!!!! It is Bubblicious Banana Split gum, and it was delicious!!!! I can still remember how it smelled and tasted. I think the first time I ever tried it was around the fourth grade at a Christmas get together at my Aunt Sylvia's house. I remember also rolling down the little hill in front of her house that year.

Anyway, does anyone remember that gum? I wish I had some now!!!

What's happening

2011-01-04T21:42:00.002-05:00

In my life? Thanks for asking!!!

1. I have switched units at work!! I was working in the Peds Emergency Dept on the evening/night shift (3:30-midnight), and now work in Peds Outpatient and on the day shift!!! I still do Child Life, where I teach kids about the hospital and offer support and entertainment, but my hours are now 7:30 -4 in the afternoon!!!! I am so excited about having normal work hours!!! At least some part of life can be considered normal. Ha!

2. Derek and I went home for Christmas! It was an awesome time, but was waaaay too short. We stayed in Orlando two night, and then flew to Mississippi!!! Derek got to meet Hannah, and she was so cute and sweet!!!! She ate applesauce for the first time during the holiday!!! I also got to see and visit with a lot of family members. We have to start getting on a family reunion rotation yo!!!!!

3. Ok, so boo I never got to see an of my friends while I was at home. It kinda stinks, but having to see two families (mine and Derek's) makes it very difficult to see everyone I want!!! Oh well, it is something I will have to get used to if I will eventually get married!

4. I got some awesome IKEA curtains! They are pretty cool, and so very pretty!!!!

5. I had a very nice new year's eve with Derek and some friends in Ft. Lauderdale, and I am looking forward to this year called 2011!!! My resolution is to exercise!!!! I just gotta do it!!!

6. I will post some pics when I take them!!!

Dragon?

2010-11-24T22:07:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I used to live in a different apartment in Hollywood, and there was a guy that lived on my block who had two different vehicles that were both covered in..... dragons. I always wanted to snap a picture of those cars, but just never got around to it. Well, one day, I was driving to work and I see him!!!! I was able to snap a quick pic of his jeep. It is kind of fuzzy, I zoomed in as much as possible to try to show his jeep. It has plastic dragons and Godzillas stuck to the front bumper and on the roof, and on the sideview mirrors, and on the sides of the jeep had flame stickers. This guy was serious.

Ok, the point of this blog is not to just show this kind of fuzzy pic, but to tell you a story. I lived in a duplex, and my neighbor one day tells me this- he and his buddies were hanging out on the front porch and the dragon guy came slowly driving down the street. Apparently, his back bumper was hanging off and dragging on the ground behind him. My neighbor yells out to him, "Hey man, you're dragging!"

His response? "Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!"

Holidays!!!

2010-11-19T13:46:00.003-05:00

Are here in my apartment!!! I put my tree up on Wednesday night, and even though it is early, I have been wanting to put it up for weeks!!!! This weekend I am gonna put out all my other decorations! My neighbors will probably think I am crazy already putting a wreath on my door!

So, I have not blogged in a while- for a couple of reasons I guess..... One, I have been so busy at work, I don't even think of blogging!!! We saw over 10,000 children in the ED in the months of September and October!!! And yes, I said 10000! Crazy!!! Ahhhh, I remember the old days of just regular paced work, where I used to get the cutest quotes! Ok, reason two- well, I guess there just hasn't been a whole lot to blog on!!! But actually, I bet there is, I just need to sit and blog!

Anywho, what a good last couple of months I have had! Derek and I dressed as nerds on Halloween, and he was the cutest nerd ever! I got to see my sweet, awesome, smart, super model niece and go to a MSU game!!! And I am really looking forward to seeing her again at Christmas!

And, one the best things, Harry Potter 7 part 1 starts today!!! I am going to see it with Derek tomorrow night, and then again on Sunday with some ladies from the ED!!!!

More blogging later!!!

Here is why I hate critters part 4- the beast

2010-10-20T19:33:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I really hope this is the last post I ever have on these nasty critters!!!! In Starkville I lived in a very interesting apartment that I totally knew was haunted and later found out it was (later post for all these ghost experiences will eventually come, but y'all gotta know by now how slow I have gotten at blogging), and it had recently been remodeled and two apartments had been put in the upstairs. I wish wish wish that I had taken pictures of this place, but it seems like I have almost no pictures from college!!!

Ok, so to try to quickly describe the place for anyone who never got to see it, there was a kind of stage in the middle of the living room, and a small set of stairs that led to it. We put bean bags and old school nintendo up there and never really used the stage area. Also once there was a cat stuck in the wall and when you would sit on the couch and watch tv the cat would meow in the wall right next to your head!!!! Freaky!!! Sad!!!! Anywho, more on that place later in the ghost edition. Also, this apartment is the one where the miracle happened with the spider crawling across the pillow (see a few posts ago for more information).

So, old house, recently converted into apartments, and here we go. My roommate, Georgia, and I started to realize we had a rodent when the chips or the bread would be torn into, crumbs scattered on the counter, etc. What we didn't know is that this particular rodent would be the largest rat I have EVER seen in my life. It was like a nutria.

So, la dee da, we get some rat poison and leave that up there. It gets eaten, and nothing changes. The rat is still eating our food. At this point, we have not seen it yet. One day, we arrive back at the apartment and upon walking in, the kitchen is on the left, and you can only see in it a little ways from the door without heading toward it. So we come in and I can see the cabinet door is open!! Like this thing opened the cabinet itself!!! Well, it is not bad enough that the rat had opened the cabinet door, but it was perched on the top to the cabinet door eating something!!! This was the first sighting, and all we could see was the flash of it scampering back into the hole in the wall inside the cabinet. All we could really see was it's tail, and it was long. Like really long. Seriously, it was at least six inches long, and I am staring at a ruler while I determine this, and it was honestly longer than that. Please remember I am just talking about the TAIL here. Try not to vomit.

Well of course we totally freak out once we realize what we are dealing with here. And if this house had not been used in probably ten-twenty years, a giant rat would be undisturbed for all that time. It was seriously like a mutant. Back to the story, we went out and bought some sticky paper that smelled like peanut butter, since the rat poison was like a Sunday afternoon candy store to this freak of nature. This was pretty good sticky paper, and we had two big pieces of it. We placed them in the cabinet and went about our business.

Lets fast forward to about 2 AM the next morning. Georgia and I are fast asleep in our beds, and this rat gets caught on the paper. The rat immediately starts shaking around trying to shake itself off the paper, trying to shake loose, I guess. It is making so much noise that it woke me up!!!! I ran over to the bottom of the stairs and called out, "Georgia?" She instantly says that she is not coming down and it woke her up too!!!!

Thankfully we knew our neighbors across the hallway. Georgia and I want and knocked on their door til they woke up. Brian, bless his heart, offered to come get it for us. We gave him our broom for protection, and when he nudged open the cabinet door, even he cowered back a step and said a bad word when he saw how big this thing was. I found an old packing box and Brian swept the rat on the paper into the box, and we put it out on the curb.

You may think that I am exaggerating the size, I am not kidding!!!! I am sure I will never see anything like that again except for maybe a cabin in the woods or in New Orleans or something....

Here is why I hate critters part 3 - the babies

2010-09-22T20:02:00.004-04:00

Ok, so while I was living in one of the many Starkville apartments through the years one of those places became infested with mice babies. I began to notice sounds coming from the vent hood and I just KNEW that it was a rat. Or a mouse. My suspicions began when I had been hearing noises in one of the air conditioning units right above my bed. I had my boyfriend at the time take a look at it, because there was no way I was going to go looking for a mouse. Well, guess what? It was a mouse in there and it came flying out of the AC unit, landed on my bed, and ran off. Uggghhh I can feel vomit trying to work its way up my throat just remembering this. Man was I glad I was not the one looking in there!!!!!!

Back to the vent hood, only a couple of weeks later. I had purchased some little sticky traps and decided to place them on the stove top and just see what happens. The next morning, I had two little baby mice stuck to them!!!! I could hear them in the vent hood still, so I quickly removed the two sticky traps to a garbage bag and placed that on the porch. Keep in mind that I am getting ready for class. So after I put the two babies outside and come back inside, there is a baby mouse just crawling around on the stove top!!! I very quietly get another little sticky trap and slide it up to where the baby mouse is. That thing just walked right onto it!!!! So gross!!! I added him to his brothers in the garbage bag, and just left it outside and went to class.

I ended up catching 7 baby mice in four days!!!! Never caught the mom though!!!

Absolutely delicious!!!!

2010-08-13T18:51:00.002-04:00

Ok, I am going to post one of the best recipes i have ever prepared!!! It is inspired by chicken Caesar pesto salad from the Grill in Starkville. I am going to put the Caesar dressing recipe first- i was not given measurements by the person who gave it to me, so I am guesstimating.....

Caesar salad dressing.

Best to make in a wooden bowl to bring out the flavors.

about 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/8-1/4 cup lemon juice- I count to ten in my head while squeezing it out of lemon juice container.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1-2 tbsp Tabasco- i shake it ten times into bowl
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup/a package of shredded Parmesan cheese- i use Parmesan and Romano
a bag of romaine hearts chopped up

First put the evoo and garlic into bowl and let sit 5-10 minutes
Then add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Tabasco and let sit 5-10 minutes
Lastly add Parmesan cheese and let sit 5-10 minutes
Toss lettuce in and serve!!!!
It is so delicious and goes with many Italian dishes!!!!!

Pesto sauce recipe

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups basil leaves
2 tbsp pine nuts
1-2 clove garlic
1 tbs salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Blend in blender or food processor. I put all the ingredients in my mini food processor.
Delicious!!!!!

Chicken Caesar Pesto Salad Recipe

To make this, use both recipes from above and you will also need

sun dried tomatoes
pine nuts
Parmesan cheese
pasta- I used bow tie pasta because that is what the grill uses on their version- I cooked half a box- which would be about two cups i think
grilled chicken breast

Boil pasta according to box directions, drain, and set aside-
Make Caesar salad dressing according to recipe above and toss with lettuce
Make pesto and toss with pasta

Layer the salad, then the pasta, then chicken on top--
Top with pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, and cheese

Enjoy!!!!!

Here is why I hate critters part 2- the miracle

2010-06-29T20:54:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I went to college and lived this tiny room in this awesome apartment and it was haunted and that will be discussed at a later blog and this is the setting for this story.

Alright, so my room was so small in length and width that my twin bed fit in exactly half the room. I say exactly as in the foot of the bed touched the wall and the small headboard was on the front wall. The room did have a closet so it had to be considered a real room- this is going off track.

My room was directly off the kitchen and one night while sleeping I was awakened by the fire alarm. Well, I thought I was. I had only heard one beep, the kind you hear when the battery needs replacing, y'all know what I am talking about? So, I just lay there awake to see if I will hear it again and sure enough, I hear it after about a minute. I decide to get up and sniff around just to be on the safe side. I had a small desk lamp on top of this twin headboard and I turned it on as I got up. After sniffing around, I realize that there is nothing burning or on fire. I also realize that since I have been up, I have not heard the smoke alarm beep again. I go back to bed and am sitting there and finally reach over to turn off the lamp.

As I am reaching for the lamp, I look down at the tie-dyed sheets, my fashion choice at the time, and see a huge spider crawling right across my pillow!!!! I scream and kill it quickly and realized that God had sent this little miracle of a smoke alarm beep to rouse me so the spider would not crawl across my face and maybe in my mouth!!!!

Here is why I hate critters part 1- the initial freak-out

2010-06-29T20:47:00.004-04:00

Ok, so when I was a kid, the night before I started my Junior year in high school, is when this story takes place.

I tell my parents goodnight and get in bed and turn off the light. I am rolling around trying to find a comfortable spot when i feel something on the bed down by my foot. I move my foot around and can feel it being moved back and forth by my foot, but can't figure out what it is. So, with my foot I start scooting this object up toward me in the bed and reach under the covers and grab it. I am feeling it with my hand and in my mind I am thinking, "What is this? It's making my hand all sweaty."

So I reach up and turn on my lamp and in my hand is a dead spider!!!! I had been squeezing it in my hand and it's guts came out a little bit. I am losing my mind, ran to my parents and told them what happened, and from that day forward, I have never, and I mean never, gotten into my bed without pulling all the covers down and checking for spiders. I have never seen one since. Also, this past weekend when I was at home with my man Derek, I even checked his bed for him!!!

Tales from an emergency room....

2010-06-19T00:31:00.002-04:00

Ok, so a six year old girl had a cut on the side of her face by her eyebrow and needed stitches, and her eight year old brother was with her along with their parents. The girl was so scared so I eased in the room to get on her good side, start teaching her about stitches, prepare her, etc.

Her brother had stitches before and kept trying to loudly ask me questions constantly while putting one hand to the side of his mouth so hopefully she would not hear him whisper "stitches."

- side note- most kids freak out to the word stitches, so i call them string bandaids. if ever in the situation, try it- unless your kid is totally afraid of bandaids, then it will backfire!!!!

Ok, so i was trying to prep her on the paper towel that they drape over the cut when doing stitches- and here is how it goes:

me- they are going to put a paper towel over your face. isn't that weird?

her brother, interrupting- I've seen them do that on tv!!!! It has a hole in it so they can put on the (hand to side of face) stitches.

the mother- where did you see this?

brother- (as if it was so obvious) animal planet

me and the parents- this isn't a vet!!!!!!

I had to take him into the hallway outside the room so he could continue to ask me questions that would frighten the little girl, and he was talking so loudly we had to go to the end of the hall!!!! Why do kids always want to yell?

Kids today.....

2010-06-15T18:12:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I put some new quotes on the quote blog but this little story was too long so I saved it for here.

I am a child life specialist, where I teach about to hospital for kids, try to reduce fears/anxieties, talk to siblings and families, all around patient advocate. I respond to traumas as well.

On this particular day, we had a child come in who had had a bike accident and had gotten quite a huge gash just to the right of his groin area. This gash was bad enough where they made him a trauma patient even though he came in the front door himself with his family. (Most traumas come by ambulance or helicopter.)

So, I am in the room, with a yellow paper gown, a hairnet and gloves on, and just explaining the different things that were happening- IV, XRAY, and so on. I told him he had quite a big cut right next to his, right next to his, I was at a loss for words!!! What does an eleven year old call his wee-wee? So I finally say- "well, you have quite a big cut next to your little peepee."

He jerks his head toward me and says, "Little!?!"

Clearly this boy no longer was needed my emotional support!!!!!

Things that make me excited!!!

2010-06-12T14:39:00.001-04:00

here is a list of things that i am excited about right now!!!
- this list!!! i just love making lists of things!!!!
- exclamation points!!! haha, when Derek and I first started dating, we would text each other. I remember one night at work when I sent him a text reply with only one exclamation point and he asked if everything was okay!!!! awwww
- Derek!!! Even though we have been dating almost ten months (!!!!), he is still so wonderful and totally nice to me, even when i am having serious pms episodes, girling out about trivial things, or being totally bossy!!!!!
- my birthday!!! not as excited about turning thirty, but i am PUMPED to go home!!! i think this may be the longest I have ever gone not being at home, this is for sure the longest I have ever gone without seeing dad!!!! I am so ready to see some family and have some fun!!!
- bringing Derek home to meet the fam/see where I grew up!!!!I know he is going to LOVE it, since he is a big fan of the country life/nature- he has lived in cities all his life!!! I am also excited for family to meet him too!!!! I have been prepping him for the number of people he will be meeting, hopefully it wont be too overwhelming!!!!
- Hannah Grace!!! my future niece!!! I can not wait for her to be born so I can let her see my baby magic (to be discussed at a later date)
- the ocean!!! it is so warm and beautiful!!!! and it is also a thief!!! it stole a pair of goggles from Derek as well as his cellular tellular!!!!! seriously, who puts their phone in their swim trunk pocket?
- lego harry potter!!!!! nuff said comin out june 25
- the end of the list!!!!

also, one thing i am not excited about!

- writitng this list twice because the first time i did this it did not post!!! poop!!! I just did ctrl c on this thang to prevent this from happening again!!!

Two hearts living in just one mind- that is a song

2010-05-17T23:31:00.003-04:00

So, over the weekend I told Derek my man that I was going to get him a present, and went over to Borders bookstore and picked out a book for him. I deliberated for a while, and finally decided on one. He has been telling me that he wants to start/expand his library, and I love books, so why not lend a hand?

Also, I love spilling the beans on surprises. It is really hard for me to not tell. So, after picking up the book, I asked Derek if he wanted to know what his present was, and of course he said no. So I gritted my teeth and kept my trap shut.

So guess what happens? Derek sends me a text today about this awesome book he found at Books A Million. I ask for the name and author, and wouldn't you know it, it was the same exact book!!!! SO, I had to tell him that it was the same as his present!!!!!

Great minds think alike, and I may have met my mind match!!!!!

Ghost community?

2010-04-02T00:57:00.002-04:00

So last night I was hanging with Derek my man and I was looking for pictures of ghosts online, then I looked for haunted places in south Florida. Well we found that there is this retirement community that apparently if you drive too fast toward the stop sign leaving the community a lady ghost will appear and motion you to slow down and look disgusted in your direction.

Well, long story short, this community is guarded and the lady would not let us in to drive too fast toward the stop sign. I also think we scared the security guard, and she said she had never heard that before.

Oh well, I guess we will have more ghost adventures later!!!!

How totally rude!!!

2010-03-28T09:05:00.002-04:00

So yesterday when I was sitting in ridiculous traffic, to be more specific the red light from the train after the train had passed but there were so many cars that of course not all of them can get through the light, and trying not to get crazy frustrated cause of traffic and whatnot (see previous post), I smile at the lady in the passenger seat of the car next to me. I think, "Just be friendly, smile, don't get mental Mel."
Well, you know what she does as I sit there trying to be friendly? Rolls up her window!!!!

In a rush?

2010-03-28T08:56:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I have this kind of recurring dream where I am trying to accomplish a task, for example, go to church or work, basically any situation where you want to be on time, and no matter what I do I can not get it together to accomplish this task. These dreams are extremely frustrating!!! One of the ones when I was trying to get to church on time, and I spend the whole dream looking for my shoes. Then I realize that I don't have my glasses on, and the dream gets fuzzy and I spend the rest of the time looking for my glasses. Annoying.

What is even more annoying is when this starts to happen in real life. I am trying to get somewhere on time and it seems like everything in the world is lining up to slow me down! This has happened twice in the last two weeks, the first time being when I was going to pick my mom and sister from the airport and I encounter two wrecks on the highway causing traffic to stand still. Then yesterday I was supposed to be meeting my boyfriend's family for dinner and even though it is totally my own fault for not leaving extra early, it is very frustrating!!!! First, there was a big boat coming by and the bridge was up, which is about a five minute process all on its own. Then there was a train at a train track where I had never seen a train before (and interestingly enough, there was also a train last night when I was on my way back home, weird.)
So it was like I was never going to get there. A road that you can get down in 3 minutes depending on traffic took me 19 last night. Why am I writing all this? Because I really wanted to blog about it while sitting there, but can't from my phone yet!!!

I used to get annoyed because my mom would make us be super early to things, but now I am just going to have to leave in an extremely early way as well!!!! I hate being late, and would much rather sit there than be the last to arrive!!!!

It's gonna be a good year

2010-02-20T14:28:00.003-05:00

For the Wii!!!!! In case you don't have one, now would be a good time to pick one up. Let me tell you why...

In March, you will be able to play Lego harry potter years 1-4. This is sure to be the pinnacle of my year. Every Lego game I have played on the Wii has proved to be super awesome. Here is a list of the Lego games I have played in order of the awesomeness
1- Lego star wars- there will be no beating the level of awesome
2- Lego batman- totally fun
3- Lego Indiana Jones- only ranked 3 because i bought the game used and it has a glitch on it and i cant get past a certain point.
also, they have released a second Lego Indiana Jones, but i refuse to buy games that are not mario for fifty bucks. i will wait til that one goes down to buy it. ooh i just realized i will be breaking my non mario fifty buck game rule when Lego harry potter comes out!

Ok, not only will Lego harry potter rock my wii world, i have recently picked up the new super mario bros. if you enjoyed the old school mario games one and three, then this is definitely a game for you- it is totally fun and i am on level three and it is kind of hard!!!!also, the multi player feature is awesome

finally, the wrap up this psa/commercial for wii, super mario galaxy 2 will be coming out later this year!!!! the first super mario galaxy is pretty fun, it takes a while to get used to the controls, but the graphics are so cool!!!! and it is very very difficult to complete all the levels!!! the next super mario galaxy should be really challenging!!!!

i will now list future Lego games that i would love to see:
1. Lego pirates of the Caribbean
2. Lego spiderman
3. Lego anything with a bunch of movies
4. oooh Lego twilight
5. Lego all Disney movies
6. Lego mario (whoa)

Yay 2010!!! hello kitty rocks!!!

2010-02-10T17:52:00.003-05:00

so it's the new year and i am finally blogging and have nothing good to blog about- i have not been up to much, just hanging out with my man derek who i have been seeing for six months this month!! that is a long time! other than that, just been working and attending a lot of work related type things- all in the month of december, i had to go to various parties for kids (it's a tough job, but hey) and this month we are having two fundraisers this weekend, one on valentine's day! oh well, derek will be working- ps, he gave me hello kitty mixing bowls for v day and that is so awesome!!! i totally needed some mixing bowls and i love hello kitty!!!!

Maxwell Stories Part 2

2009-11-24T19:46:00.002-05:00

So this is about something that happened another time I was living on Maxwell street in Starkville, in the same apartment as my earlier post.
I had been out during the night just in the area, either at BIN 612 or the Grill, or probably Dave's, and ran into different friends of mine. I went home instead of going to late night, and was just settling into bed when hear a BAM BAM BAM on the door. My heart is instantly racing and I run to the door and yell, "Who is it?"
The response was one not heard too often, "State Police!"
I laughed and threw open the door, expecting to see some friend that I had run into earlier in some form of stupor. Wouldn't you know that it was actually two police officers in plain clothes standing there.
I stop mid laugh and say, "Oh, you're serious!" The cop answers, "Yes, ma'am, we are. Is this apartment B?"
I think I was having a mini heart attack until I realized that he had the wrong place and was more than happy to direct him upstairs.

Funny thing is, I later asked the girl who lived upstairs what that was all about. She told me that they were friends of hers coming to visit. Doesn't this seem a bit weird to anyone else? Seriously, if they were friends they would probably know where she lived, and if they knew each other they wouldn't announce themselves not as state police but by the friendly name that they would obviously know each other by. If they were friends, like she claimed. Makes me wonder what kind of shady biz was going on upstairs?????

Maxwell Stories Part 1

2009-11-23T20:39:00.003-05:00

Ok, so when I was living in Starkville, on Maxwell Street, which btw, I heard today that the Grill on Maxwell is closing, possibly to open at the milk plant over on Russell and Col. Muldrow. Anywho, I used to live on Maxwell, which was an awesome area that was alive with college students at most hours of every night. The area is very safe, and I lived on the first floor of a two story building.
This one particular night I was settling in to go to sleep, and I hear a guy messing with my living room window. I immediately get super nervous and got my phone out and dialed 911 but did not hit the send button. I was going to be ready to call them if necessary. As I moved into the living room I can hear that it is two guys trying to get into my apartment, and they are very, very drunk. One was rattling the door knob and the other was hovering near the window. Once I realized that it was drunk guys, I relaxed a bit. There were several bars in the area.
I hear the guy who is at the door on his cell phone. He is saying, "I am at your door! Come to the door!!!" Obviously the guy on the other end of this phone call was standing outside looking for them, and then I realized these guys were trying to go to my neighbor's apartment, which was around the front from mine. So I go and start to open my door just as the guy on the other side is telling his friend on the phone, "I am at your front door let me in!!!" Well, it happened to be timed perfectly, but it was at that moment when I turned on my porch light and opened the door to be standing in front of this moron, and I said, "You have the wrong apartment. You need to walk around front."
The guy still had his cell phone in his hand, he holds it up to his head and says, into the cell phone no less, "Do what?" I started cracking up and much more slowly told him to walk around to the front of the building to see his friend. I can not think of the guys names that lived there but I used to hang out with them every now and then.

Anyway, I just thought of that today and thought I would post it!!!!

Recap

2009-11-23T14:04:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I am still a bad blogger, but here has been what has been happening in my life.

I moved!!!! I now live in a condo on the beach, actually right across the street on he intercoastal waterway, but I can see the ocean from my balcony, and it is not going to be any more expensive than the old place I had been living. The apartment is way bigger and totally nice.
The new place has a gym and a pool, so I decided to cancel my gym membership at LA fitness. That is quite an ordeal. I called the gym to cancel, and they told me I need to come up there and cancel in person. That was fine, just a quick trip to the old gym one last time. I get to the gym and tell the guy I want to cancel, and he prints me out a form that I must mail in order to cancel the membership. I can not believe that they will go to such lengths to try to get one more month's pay from people. And another reason that is so crazy is that I went almost a whole year paying for that gym and not going!!!!!

Ahhhhh, later!!!!

Posting!!!!!

2009-10-27T01:58:00.002-04:00

Well, I hopefully will be moving to a beach condo in the next month!!!! It all depends on my landlord, and how graceful he is going to be with me and my lease breakin ways!!!!

PS- I hate the stupid swine flu. It has made everyone crazy. It is now an official pandemic, which means that every parent in south Florida is certain that their child has swine flu at the first sign of snot beginning to form. If their child was coughing or sneezing ever, it is clearly the swine flu. Apparently, people have forgotten about the ole common cold!!!! Our waiting room has been jam packed with paranoid parents who refuse to make an appointment with their child's pediatrician because the two to three day wait for their appointment is just too long to wait to find out that their child has a cold. They are not even testing just for swine flu any more. If you are positive for the type of flu that could possibly be swine flu, they just send you home, cause you have the flu- swine or not.

Yay swine flu rant!!!!

Too white!!!

2009-10-15T11:56:00.002-04:00

I was at the grocery store yesterday and the bag boy, who happened to be not a boy but a 70 year old man, and ps- i was using reusable shopping bags, let's save the environment people!!!!!

Anyway- the bag man asked me if I was on vacation here. I told him no, I live here. He did not believe me, and when I asked him why he told me that most people down here have a tan. And then he suggested I go to the beach.

Just great!

Bustin a move

2009-10-07T01:58:00.002-04:00

Well, I am watching the snl with Ryan Renoylds, and I think it is pretty funny!!!!!

I am taking a week off from working out, because I am going on vacation this week. When I return, I have to really kick start my diet back up- I will be working out four times a week and really watching the ole food intake!!!!

Oooh, I was on the Marlins pre-game show talking about JDCH, the hospital where I work. I have yet to see it, but it aired last week!!! I must get a copy and post it here!!!!

I had some other things to blog about, but I did not write them down and now I have forgotten....

Oh, and I may be moving to a new apartment in about a month!!!! If this move takes place I will be across the street from the beach!!!! Who wants to come visit?

Museum Day!!!!

2009-09-29T00:29:00.003-04:00

Ok, so September 26 was museum day!!! You could go to certain museums for totally free, and the Miami Metro Zoo was one of the things to do for free!!!! So I went and it is totally awesome!!!! I love the zoo!!!!

Next weekend I will be heading to the real south!!!!! To Memphis for two days, Starkville for one, and Holly Bluff for two!!!! Yay I can't wait to eat some Mexican food!!!!!

My World

2009-09-14T23:47:00.003-04:00

So, I attended a my first ever Child Life conference. For a bunch of meetings and having to wake up at 7 every morning of the weekend, it was really fun!!!! I was invited by an old MSU professor to speak at a seminar and I was totally inspired to give presentations at next year's conference.

I have so far lost 14 pounds as of last Thursday (I think). I am still pretty motivated to continue going to the gym and eat right!!!! Also, last week was the first week I did not work out three times since I have started the diet almost 40 days ago, because of the conference, I did not get a chance to do my Friday morning water aerobics class.

I am also excited about the new season of shows coming on soon!!!!

Wow, the things that make me excited!!!!

Observation

2009-09-03T01:18:00.002-04:00

So, I have been working out and swimming a whole lot lately. Today I took notice of something kind of weird. There is a jacuzzi right next to the pool that people will get in after their workouts or whatever. I have never been a fan of hot tubs because of how much bacteria can grow in there. Anyway, I noticed an older gentleman as he was leaving the swim area and he was in whitie tighties. They had been his swim attire, and now they are soaking wet, and I can plainly see his butt crack as he walks away!!!!! It's a good thing I only noticed the back end of things!!!!! Later I saw another man, also an older gent, approaching the hot tub and it seemed as if his swim attire was nothing more than boxer-briefs!!!!!! I do not understand what the deal is, wouldn't it be easier to just work out in swim trunks then they would already be dressed for the hot tub!!!!!

Conclusion- There is no way I will EVER get in that jacuzzi!!!!!!!

Freaky

2009-08-26T00:51:00.002-04:00

Has anyone seen the commercial for dish washing detergent where the dishes inside the dishwasher look like a giant face made of dishes? That thing freaks me out. And if it freaks me out at 29 years old, imagine how freaky that would be to a kid!!!! If I were a kid and saw that, I would probably have nightmares and never go near a dishwasher.

Kind of makes me glad I don't have a dishwasher. Wow, that is a first time statement since I have been living in this apartment.

New Adventures!

2009-08-18T20:16:00.003-04:00

So, now that I am in new adult lifestyle mode, I am all over doing new stuff. I am not sure what my deal was the past few years, but anywho, irrelevant.

Last weekend, a couple of friends and I went out in Miami. This was my second time to go out in Miami, the first time was to South Beach, which was very disappointing. There were waaaaay too many tourists!!!! I would like to go back there sometime maybe in the middle of the week during the day and just look around.
Anyway, we went to downtown Miami where a friend of mine and his band were playing. I have known him for almost a year, and he is in several bands, plays several different instruments, and now has his own band! And it was very good!!!! My friends were impressed and the place they were playing was totally awesome!!!

This Thursday, I will be going to hear Crosby, Stills, and Nash at the Hard Rock! It is in celebration of my girl Abbie's birthday!!!! I can not wait- my favorite song of all time ever is "Suite Judy Blue Eyes" and the potential for me to hear it from the original people who performed it will be the monumental point of my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, this weekend, assuming there is no hurricane threat, some friends and I are going to drive down to Key West! I am pumped to go down to an island for the weekend!!!!!

Oh yeah, I also bought and sliced up a tomato and put it on a sandwich for two days in a row!!!!

Adult!

Adult life for me!!!!!

2009-08-12T22:43:00.002-04:00

Ok, so, I have been living my 'new adult lifestyle' where I eat healthy (or healthier) and exercise. I have been at it for 10 days now and I weigh myself on Wednesdays, and I have lost 3.34 pounds!!!!! The plan also includes the exercise three times a week. I am pretty pumped about it, and talk about it all the time. For exercise I swim, 35 minute each time. I have already gone twice this week, and am going again on Friday!!!! Ooh and I have an app on my IPhone (yes, I now have an IPhone and it is so totally awesome) where I can keep up with what I have eaten and the amount of exercise I do per day.

My biggest challenge is staying motivated, but I think I can do it!!!!!

Oh, and I am going to buy a tomato the next time I go to the grocery store!!!! Adult!!!!!

Beef, I got some

2009-08-05T00:01:00.002-04:00

Reading signs is soooooo overrated these days.

So I can not stand it when people are driving in their car, unsure of where they are going, and go at one mile per hour while trying to figure it out. This happens most often at the hospital, when I am arriving to work, and they will be directly in front of me, taking a century.

I understand the concept of not knowing where to go. That is cool. Many people are not sure where to go the first time they visit a new place. My issue is that if you are driving at 15 mph or 1 mph, you still will not know where to go. The normal smart people would just read the signs that are everywhere, but in south Florida, there are no normal smart people. The second smart thing would be to pull over and ask one of the millions of people who are out and about around the hospital. Sometimes, drivers realize that they should ask, but they fail to pull over, and just sit in the middle of the road. I have to resist the urge to honk. That's what she said.

This doesn't just happen on my way to work, either. Last night on my way out, I saw a car stopped in the middle of the lane getting directions. I waited patiently behind them. They clearly were not paying attention, because at the light they began driving away from the hospital. It was really sweet of them to slam on brakes in the middle of the intersection. The middle of the intersection. Once again, whether stopped in the middle of the intersection or driving and one mile per hour, you are still lost.

Siiiiigh.

Elevator blues

2009-07-30T19:23:00.002-04:00

So, I blog so much about things that happen to me in the elevators at work, I almost could start a blog on just that!!!!! However, since I have not been blogging as much, it would be pointless to add a third one.

I was on the elevator at work to head upstairs to start my day. I was with several other people, and we were going to floors two and four. My destination is four. I am in the back, where it is the most fun- that is for real, you can watch people and make little faces that they can not see. Anyway, the doors close so we can begin our ascent, and nothing happens. After a few seconds of sitting still, I tell a lady in the front, "Push two again." I figure this will get the elevator going. Well, she hits two again, and nothing happens. Hmmmmm. So I ask the same lady, "Press door open." I was curious if this button would work. The lady presses the door open button and voila, the doors open! I then said to the ladies on the elevator, "See ya!" and immediately exited from my position in the back and headed for the stairs.

Vacation!!!!

2009-07-27T15:19:00.002-04:00

So I have been at Gulf Shores, AL, for almost a week now and it has been GREAT!!!!! We have relaxed by the pool, beach, tore up the go kart track, and had some serious putt putt and scrabble action up in here. It really makes me want to move into an apartment that is next to the beach!!!! Maybe someday soon.... Nothing else happening, just some good times with the fam, mooning mom while the boys are out, playing in the pool with goggles temporarily stolen from some kids, playing "guess what dance i am doing underwater." Hilarious.

Ah, but tomorrow I head back. The ten to eleven hour drive is not too exciting, but I took an extra day off from work in case i need to recoop. I also have a bunch of tv shows I will have to catch up on!!!!! I can't wait to see some Big Brother!!!!!

Meet the Marlins!!!!

2009-07-21T23:17:00.005-04:00

So, I am sitting in my apartment tonight and watching Killer Klowns from Outer Space, an awesome old school flick that I used to watch as a kid. This may be the reason why I love zombie movies, but hate clowns, especially ones from outer space!!!!

So anyway, today I was interviewed for a segment that will appear on the pre-game show for the Marlins on FSN, and on the jumbotron before games in August. For now, I am not sure if this FSN is Fox Sports Network or Florida Sun Network. It really could be either, but I heard them mentioning Fox several times. No matter, I was asked about child life, our closed circuit channel where we do game shows, and about the Peds ER and how it is child-friendly. As if we need more kids up in that ER.

It was totally fun and cool, several other kids and families where interviewed, and lots of shots taken of kids in the hospital. I also got to meet Billy the Marlin and Jeff Conine, aka Mr. Marlin. He was totally cute. Oooh and I nerded out when he was leaving. Let me explain. I kind of lose it when I am around famous people. I really goob out to the max. So, when Jeff Conine was getting ready to go, he shook my hand, and I said, "Thank you so much." Then, to make sure I was the biggest nerd in the bunch, I gushed, "You are so cool!" Then I ran away embarrassed, classic movie nerd style. I was only made fun of the rest of the day. Oh well.....

If it becomes available, I will post it here!!!!!

no excuses

2009-07-07T21:32:00.002-04:00

wow, i have become such a bad blogger!!!!!

so, my life has been relatively uneventful lately. On the fourth of July, i went with some friends to the marlins game and we tailgated before it started. I felt like such a grown up!!!!! I get that feeling a lot more lately. I wonder if when the feeling stops occurring, does that mean i am officially a grown up? or, will i constantly be learning new things about myself and having new independent experiences that will continue throughout my life? hmmmmm. i like to wonder about things.

so anyway, the game was totally awesome. it was the third marlins game i have been to, and by far the best. we were with the ultimate marlins fan, dubbed mr. marlin, and he is a great person to go to games with!!!! plus, tailgating and hanging with friends is always fun.

i will try to become a better blogger. it is strict laziness that is keeping me from blogging, and the fact that interesting things are not happening as often......

but you never know, tomorrow could bring on a whole slew of intriguing things!!!!

adults say the darndest things

2009-06-13T21:19:00.002-04:00

so yesterday was apparently the day to overhear stuff....

i was walking along behind a guy that works CT and a lady is telling him rather loudly how her sister had put up a stripper pole in her bedroom and did not make sure to properly secure it or whatever and while attempting to do a strip dance in her room hurt herself badly enough to need a CT scan in the hospital. the CT guy looks over at me to see if i was hearing it and i had to turn away to keep from laughing at the look on his face!!!!

it is one of those things that you would see on youtube or america's funniest home videos- the adult version ha!

things i heard yesterday

2009-06-13T14:43:00.003-04:00

ok work was crazy yesterday. we had a trauma, a kid in the resuscitation room, i had teen night, and a million phone calls last night.....
i think people in the hospital sometimes have a sick sense of humor. i heard a doctor say yesterday- "through rain, sleet, snow, blizzards, and small children, there is no stopping the mail."
someone had been hit by a mail truck and was totally fine.

so i was out last night with a friend sam from work and there was a much older, very intoxicated man there. i knew him already, as over a year ago, a different friend from work and i had to call him a cab to keep him from driving. anywho, sam last night asked him, "on a scale of one to ten how drunk are you?" his response- "i don't understand"
i still think it is hilarious!!!

later sam comes out of the bathroom and says, "alright, i did it, and it came out really fast." she was talking about getting a booger out of her nose. not a flaker, but a tweener!!!! hahahaha

ok, as i am typing i am watching kill bill vol. 1 and i just found out that david carradine, who is bill in the movie, died june 3, 2009. he was a cool actor.

Famous much?

2009-06-06T01:07:00.002-04:00

Oh yes, i was on the news.... At the hospital we have a closed circuit televsion station that we use to broadcast game shows that the kids can play by watching and calling in from their rooms. The news people came and filmed me doing a game show and then a girl playing the game from her room. Here is a link to the story, click on "watch the video" to see it!!!!!

http://www4.wsvn.com/features/articles/medicalreports/MI122610/

Inappropriate!!!!

2009-06-06T00:58:00.002-04:00

Sometimes at work or in life in general I bust out some inappropriate sentences. I try to keep it cool at work, but sometimes Fridays get the best of me..... Tonight for example, I was about to go into a kid's room to introduce myself. He was 11 or 12, and getting an EKG, and had his shirt pulled way up. I walked in the room and said, "Hey, I heard a kid was about to take his shirt off so i had to come in!" I acknowledged the inappropriateness of the comment, and the family just laughed. Later, they continued laughing at me after everything I said. I found out that the parents did not speak English, and I had no idea!!!!

So, it has been raining like every single day here. It is rainy season, and it is no joke this year. Usually, rainy season involves one thunderstorm every day sometime in the afternoon. So far this rainy season, it has rained non stop almost every day!!!! Booooooo!!! I need to go to the beach!!!! Speaking of which, here is an awesome pic of the beach that I took.....

Kids rule!

2009-05-23T15:04:00.002-04:00

ok, here is a prime example of why i love kids so much:

first, some background. i am in holly bluff for a long weekend because i have a cousin getting married today. her niece and nephew are in the wedding, and they are four and three. well, apparently, yesterday after the rehearsal, little abbie ann said, "well noah (her three year old brother) it's time to get into your bear suit."

ps- i am having to paraphrase this because unfortunately i did not get to hear it firsthand

someone overheard abbie ann and asked why would noah have to wear a bear suit.

abbie ann said, "because he is the ring bear!"

Getting beat up by children

2009-05-17T08:31:00.003-04:00

I have been a bad blogger. Either I have been busy, which doesn't seem to be the case, or things have not been irritating me enough to blog about it.

So, the swine flu thang is kind of dying down finally!!!! I put on a mask only one time, and it was to talk to a kid who actually had it. I never wore a mask for show, like all other hospitals and people did, and I did not get it. Proper hand washing people!

I saw Star Trek last night. I have only seen one episode from the series in my life, and that was because it was a requirement for a class. I had seen one of the older movies, and I thought the new one was good!!!!

So I had some free time yesterday and decided to spend it holding babies, and this one 6 month old little girl grabbed my lip and squeezed it so hard that she drew blood. I got beat up by a baby. It's embarrassing.
Man, I just remembered, on Thursday I was struck by a small three year old. I was just minding my own business, trying to walk by her, and she was mad at her mom or something and then proceeded to take it out on me. Unprovoked!

Here are things that I have been enjoying slash obsessing over, another reason why I am not blogging....

1. Bubble town on msn games. I can not stop playing. It is like snood, but way awesomer. I may have a problem. I can quit anytime, I really can.

2. My shows. American Idol and others. How I Met Your Mother has been exceptionally good recently also.

3. I really thought this list would be longer. Well, I have also been going out quite a bit lately as well. Movies, dinners, friends in town, etc.

4. My town, Hollypoo, on Animal Crossing. I try to check on it everyday, but sometimes I skip. I am really working on breeding flowers right now. This is a wii game.

Enough for now!

here piggy, piggy, piggy

2009-05-07T02:55:00.004-04:00

ok, so i have been hating on the swine flu. the emergency department has been so busy that i am sometimes mentally ill. waiting room full all the time with people, and alot of them are wearing masks. grumpy people, long wait, endless patients. i have seen some interesting things:

-last Friday i saw a man in his car wearing a mask! and he was in there all by himself. it gets worse
-today a lady went off on me for 10 minutes about how and why her child was not getting the test immediately. i quit just walking into rooms without getting the heads up for crazy moms after that. and...
-this lady and her son wandered up to the nurses station wanting a swine flu test. we only do those on people who are symptomatic, according to the guidelines set by the cdc. well this mom was not only wanting a test because her son had had fever four days ago but not that day and was feeling good, she was also wearing a mask. This mask was actually an overnight eye mask that she was wearing over her mouth, partially over her nose. and it was silver.

Flattering?

2009-04-21T21:28:00.002-04:00

Well, I should be flattered, but I feel kind of awkward and uncomfortable when a young teen male hits on me. And lately, it's been happening alot. Too much, to be exact. Today, for example, I am in the office eating lunch and I hear a knock on the office door. I go to answer it, and it a young male around the age of 12 or 13 asking if he can use the computer in the office. Sidenote- our office is also a classroom, so there are six computers that only get used as part of the classroom. Anyway, earlier in the day the same guy had asked me the same question and I had told him he can only use the computers during classroom hours. I repeated this to him, and his response goes, "Oh, you can't make an exception for a cute guy like me?" What a player. I told him that as much as I would like to for every cute child, and I had put emphasis on the word child, that he could not use the computers.
Over the weekend, there was a 14 year old kid hanging by my side as much as possible.....

What can I say? I'm a hot commodity!

Great week!

2009-04-17T15:09:00.002-04:00

So far, I have had a fantastic week!!! Yesterday, I got to meet Dara Torres, 5 time Olympian and 12 time Olympic medalist! She came to the hospital to give a speech, and while she was there we did an interview with her on our on closed-circuit television station in the hospital. After the interview, I took her around to a couple of the kid's rooms that couldn't come out and see her... She was really nice and totally cool! In case you don't know about her she is 41 years old and in this past Olympics in Beijing she got the silver beating out many younger girls. Yay!!!

Post 100!

2009-04-13T20:42:00.002-04:00

So I am beginning to think that it may be possible that i am electric. Here is why, and until someone else has had this happen to them I will still think i am electric.
When I am at lunch at work, I listen to the radio. It is always just a little bit of static on the air, but if i put my hand close to the radio, the station instantly sounds clear. I will sit at lunch with my hand resting on the radio just so there will be no static. Also, it has nothing to do with antenna position as I have tinkered with this quite a bit. I have also learned that other objects do not make it clearer, just my body.
I can remember when i was a kid, and the same thing would happen with my radio at home. There may be a simple explanation here, but I do not know it....

So I am having a super awesome day at work!!!!! I was telling a kid about appendicitis and the appendectomy he would be having today, when the surgeon showed up ready to take the patient. I was helping wheel the bed up, still explaining on the way, when I spied the window of opportunity opening for me. The surgeon is a bit notorious for being brash, a mistake made by most people since this surgeon is just very efficient....
So anyway I took a chance and asked the surgeon if it would be possible for me to watch the surgery. He immediately said yes and let me into the locker area to put on surgical scrubs!!!! I had on all green and blue. Green scrubs, blue shoe covers, and a blue hair holder thing. I also had to wear a mask the whole time! It was totally awesome!!!!! I have always wanted to see this surgery since I teach about appendicitis just about every day, and I have always thought I could teach on it better if I have seen it first hand.
The surgeon was so cool about me being there, he introduced me to everyone and even let me come around by the nurse antethesis so I could see it close up!!!! And thank goodness he liked to teach, because i asked a lot of questions. The surgery was laproscopic, so I got to watch on the monitor and he explained everything to me!
I never even got close to feeling sick!!!! or faint!!!!!

Anyone need to know about appendectomies, just let me know!!!!

Going down?

2009-04-11T16:44:00.003-04:00

Ok so I am sitting here watching Twilight again and I want to just encourage everyone to read those books!!!! There is a reason it is a phenomenon people!!! Things that are terrible and suck do not become phenoms... The movie is pretty dang good too!!!

So I have not been on the ball lately for blogging, I think because I really haven't had a lot to blog about!!! But I did have some elevator experiences that inspired me....

I was on the children's floor and was headed downstairs so I went and pushed the the button to go down and when the doors opened there was a mom and her kid in there. I recognized the kid as a patient, and they were obviously on the way home.... You may think that they were stuck on there but no. She had just not pushed the floor button on the inside of the elevator and they were just hanging out inside there. I asked her if she was headed down and she said, "Oh, we are still on the fourth floor?" Apparently she had just been talking to her 3 year old and not noticed the elevator was still.

Ha, you know I can't laugh too much, last night when I got on to go home, I just stepped in and started checking my phone, then realized that I was not moving.

That is a really different feeling, just standing in a not moving elevator. It really feels like you are dangling in the air. It was like I could feel gravity pulling on me.....

A lot of times I will walk up to the elevator where people are waiting and no one has pressed the button to call the elevator. It has been so bad that I had actually had to maneuver through the crowd of people to go press the button.... Some People!!!

To the nerdmobile!

2009-03-28T15:04:00.003-04:00

I am not sure if this is weird, but I really have fun using the self checkout at the grocery store. I think it goes back to when I was in the fourth or fifth grade and I was in a group at school for the smart kids called Plus Class. It was a totally fun and awesome class, where we would take cool field trips. So anyway we took a field trip to Memphis and went to the Children's Museum, and in there was a pretend grocery store where you could shop around and then go check yourself out, all with fake plastic grocery stuff. I really got a kick out of that!!!! That museum had some other really cool other stuff too. Another awesome place we went was a science museum in Little Rock. That place was like a bunch of experiments that the kids can do. It was totally cool. Wow, I kind of feel like a nerd right now.

cartoon fever

2009-03-25T23:24:00.003-04:00

ok, does anyone remember this movie about the chipmunks meeting up with the female chipmunks and their adventure to save all the diamonds that are filling the plush chipmunk dolls? i really used to like this one and i remember we had taped it off of tv, i bet the video is still at my parent's house!!!

hahaha, i remembered another favorite movie from my childhood!!!! background- when my sister and i were young, we would get to rent movies about once a month or so. we were allowed to rent two movies each time, and my sister and i would always get the same movie every time as one of our choices... i can still remember the songs...

wouldn't it be cool to smell through the tv?

2009-03-25T23:01:00.012-04:00

so i am not sure if anyone else has seen the new quizno's commercial featuring 4 dollar sandwiches? but it is awful-- the machine is basically sexually harassing the main guy the whole time. i will try to add it later....

while trying to find the commercial i ran across possibly the first show i ever watched on cartoon network-- space ghost! i used to love that show!!!

so then i started thinking about other cartoons i used to watch--- i will see how many of them you remember....

btw, my dvr is not working so i will blog it out! also, i dressed up as a rapping doctor today at work! i will get my pictures together and make a post out of that!

there are many more i used to watch, that will be for a later day!!!

oh yeah and the cartoons are (in case you forgot)

Johnny Bravo

Alvin and the Chipmunks

The Snorks

Ducktales

The Wuzzles

Gummi Bears

Popples

Captain Caveman (and son)

well, well, well

2009-03-21T16:40:00.002-04:00

It finally happened.... I got thrown up on. It's not as bad as it sounds, but it still happened. So I have been in surgical scrub pants all day!!! Oh well, it was by a baby, which is waaaaay better than getting thrown up on by an older kid!

Hmmm, also I did something else today I have never done... I ate veal. It was ok, I just pretended it was fake meat and not baby cow.

Over the past few days my mom and sister have visited me and we had so so so much fun!!!! We went to the beach, the hard rock, outlet mall, and did an amateur photo shoot!!! We had a great time with lots of laughing. Even today when we were leaving my apartment... it was pouring down raining and all three of us had straightened our hair and did not want to get it wet because it would frizz. Well, Rachel disappeared into the back and came back in with a plastic Walgreen's sack on her head. We were cracking up, but mom and I also put a bag on our head and went out to the car, Mamaw style. We were cracking up so hard that mom said she could not hardly put her bag in the trunk cause of the heavy laughing!!!!

Might be famous?

2009-03-14T00:25:00.002-04:00

So today my youth advisory council and I were filmed for a news segment. The YAC was being interviewed about teen night and their involvement in the architecture meetings for the new future children's hospital. Then we got filmed walking around and looking at different plans. It airs in April, and I will try to get the clip and post it once it airs.....

Ok, this will be my fourth time to be on camera. The first time was when I was a junior in high school and I was in the movie Ghosts of Mississippi. Then, in 1999 or 2000 I can be seen in the music dvd called Joe Satriani Live at the Filmore in San Fransisco. And I can be seen during the first track on the first dvd of the first Bonnarroo!!!!!!

Woo Hoo I am well on my way!!!

BTW, I was approached last night about joining a roller derby team. To me, this is hilarious, but I don't think that I could do it....

Horray! I am back online!

2009-03-08T21:45:00.001-04:00

So, last weekend, my computer decided that it was done with it's time spent with me. Not to be discouraged, I got me a brand-spanking new computer today!!!! I have not had too much going on, other than hanging out at the beach and with friends.

Ooooh-- also, if you are not following American Idol.... Jasmine Murray from Mississippi got into the top thirteen on the WildCard show last week!!!

HAHAHAHA i just remembered... A friend of mine from work had her sister come to visit for her Spring Break. We all went out on her last night here, which was Friday, and while we were sitting there this guy across the bar motioned for my friend's sister to come over. She looked at him and went, "me?" Then she looked a me and the other girl on the side of her and again asked if he was talking to her. I immediately began to then say, "Me? Her? Me?" Just like the Night of the Roxbury guys used to do on SNL. Ahhh, I guess you will only find that funny if you used to watch it.

Laters!

Kind of unbelievable and weird

2009-02-25T19:25:00.002-05:00

So, earlier today at the hospital, I was standing in the hallway talking to a doctor, when a lady and her daughter came up and was talking to us. The daughter has been to several of my teen nights, so I knew who they were. Anyway, the mom was saying that her husband had to have surgery and had been having bad stomach pains. The doctor and I both asked if it was appendicitis, which happens all the time. But the mom said no, not appendicitis.

Ok, here comes the weird part. Brace yourself.

Apparently, the man, her husband, was supposed to be a twin, and when he and his twin were in the womb the twin did not make it. Also, apparently, the man, as a fetus, ate/absorbed the other twin, and had a little piece of it (his twin brother, that was never known of) in his intestines for the past forty-some-odd years. The lady said they thought it was a foot, but it erupted before being identified. So weird. I leaned over to the doctor after she left and whispered, "I am blogging about this during lunch." and here we are...

If this isn't something straight out of the X-Files, I don't know what is....

My computer is a dinosaur/small late night rant

2009-02-25T02:39:00.002-05:00

So tonight I am watching the Biggest Loser, and it is the first episode I have seen of this season, because American Idol has been coming on at the same time. I have always enjoyed watching the Biggest Loser, I think it is motivational and uplifting, and it really makes me want chocolate, especially tonight!! Anyway, in recent seasons, it seems that the show has been filled with more and more fluff, and unnecessary parts to the show. I mainly want to see them work out, do challenges, and weigh on the giant scale.

The point- on this particular episode, the group has to do a challenge which results in the teams being shuffled around and mixed up. This means that some of the contestants now have to use a different trainer than before. I have now watched for over ten minutes of the contestants and trainer crying and whining about how awful this is. Here is a small segment from the show...

Bob, trainer- "You gotta work hard, man, you gotta work hard."
Weepy male contestant- "How?"
(here comes the sappy music)
Bob- "I don't know." (sniff) "I'm gonna miss you guys" (sniff) "I've gotta go be a trainer"
Bam! now we are having a full blown sad song and seeing flashbacks of bob and his former contestants.

Really? the people should be so thankful that they are getting the opportunity to lose weight in a controlled environment with a full doctor staff available and pre planned meals, and all of this is free!!!! they are actually being paid!!!! and yet these people are crying outside because they have to train with a different, yet equally qualified trainer. siiiigh.

big girl- no more!

2009-02-22T14:24:00.003-05:00

ok, so i may like shrimp and that makes me feel all grown up, but there is something that i am afraid of and it is really stupid and makes me feel like a child. i am sure everyone has something like this that is insignificant and silly, but it still petrifies us!! just like on how i met your mother, in the very first episode, marshall is afraid to pop the cork on champagne. well, i am afraid to open a roll of biscuits, or crescent rolls, or, as in the case last night, pizza dough. i actually had to count to three and then hold my breath to open it. i am an idiot for this, but every time i have to open one of those, i cringe and try to hustle through it!

also, last night i was watching grease on abc family. i have to say that the end of that movie is so out there. i can deal with the spontaneous singing and choreographed dancing, as it IS a musical. but when sandy decides that the only way to get danny is to start teasing her hair, smoking, and wearing tight clothes, i feel like this is far-fetched. her family is going to want to send her straight back to Australia when they see what kind of tramp she has become and who she is hanging out with. finally, at the very very end of the movie, when sandy and danny are driving off in the car, i just wanted to point out that they are driving off in the dream car from the greased-lightning song, and then the car lifts off the ground and flies away. that's all, and sandy is not scared of this flying car, cause that is so typical in the olden days.

grease 2 still rocks my world though!!! i stayed up late watching it last night!!!!

i'm a big girl now (plus a great recipe)

2009-02-18T19:27:00.002-05:00

i love it when me or anyone else i know does something that is now considered "grown up." for example, the other day a co-worker told me she had made her own doctor's appointment and that now she is a grown up. well, here is mine. i now like shrimp. i just learned this fact a few weeks ago, and now i am a total grown up. i even bought some shrimp so that i can learn how to cook it in interesting (and hopefully delicious) ways.

here is a new recipe for everyone and it has nothing to do with shrimp.
i consider this candy, and i now make this regularly, it is gobbled up so quickly, and is not considered "rich" so people can eat a lot of it and not feel over-heavy.
this is very easy to make, but it can get extremely messy!!!!

ok, from my aunt lynda

toffee bars

saltine crackers
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
half cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
half cup of peanut butter chips

ok, so first, line a cookie sheet with foil. i do not have a cookie sheet, so i use a round pizza pan. the container shape is irrelevant.
the lining of the pan with foil is clutch!!!! especially is you are trying to avoid a giant mess. i make a huge sheet of foil that will fit on my pan, and try not to leave any open pan spaces anywhere.... here is why..

you melt the butter and sugar, until all the sugar is dissolved into a sweet, fattening, liquid

place saltines on the lined pan. all over, it takes usually 35-40 to cover it, it is ok for some of them to overlap.

then you pour the butter/sugar mix over the saltines.

put in oven at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes. actually, i leave mine in longer, but you really have to watch them the first time because they can burn quickly after 7 minutes.... you want the liquid to be bubbly and the saltines to be brown.

after you take them out of the oven, pour the chocolate and peanut butter chips on top and wait 5 minutes. after the 5 minutes are done, they will be all melty and you can spread them with a spatula all over the whole thang.

then put then entire pan in the freezer for half an hour.

after the 30 minutes are up, you break apart the candy and place in a container. this is where the foil lining will make or break you. haha, i have finished this and had crumbs all over myself and the kitchen. if the butter mix gets on the actual pan, you are going to have a tough time breaking that up, and foil is going to be stuck to everything!!!! just make sure that the foil is not sticking to the back of the candy, i have not had too much of a problem with that.

i swear it's really easy. and i like to keep mine in the refrigerator until people come over.

the end

careful now

2009-02-16T19:59:00.003-05:00

ok, so i am at lunch, enjoying a sandwich when i decide to check and see what else will be served in the cafeteria this week. background- once a month, the cafeteria will have cultural awareness day and serve foods native with a certain country- for example, we have had Cuban food, Argentinian items, Jamaica, and so on...
as i am looking at the menu for the week i notice that they will be celebrating black history month on Friday and Saturday. here is what will be served on these two days:

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN
OXTAIL STEW
FRIED CAT FISH
MACARONI AND CHEESE

SOUPS
BEAN WITH HAM
CHICKEN GUMBO

VEGETABLES
COLLARD GREENS
BLACK EYED PEAS
RICE
MASHED POTATOES
CORN BREAD
SWEET POTATO PIE

after reading over those menu choices, it seems to me that the cafeteria may be confused between black history and the south. all of those foods listed are foods of the south, not necessarily celebrating black history. many other options pop into my head. biscuits, sweet tea, ribs, wings, hogs head souse, watermelon, i am sure that there are many more.....kool-aid! just thought of that one... and now i am suddenly concerned...
is this blog appropriate?

very superstitious?

2009-02-14T00:45:00.003-05:00

well, since i have lived in Florida i can not recall another Friday the 13th, but the one i had today was enough!!!! the er was crazy busy, with heat stroke and car accidents out the wazz, thankfully everyone was ok, but i am so so glad for it to be over!!!!! and, next month, we get another friday the 13th! hopefully it can be redeemed!

oh yeah, and in case you are not watching American idol, i want to give you a heads up. there is a contestant that made it into the top 36 that is from starkville, ms. on top of that i think is pretty good!!!!! you will have to check her out!!!!

i also realize that the majority of my recent posts have been about television, obviously i need to get out more....

i am so glad it is the weekend! i am going to get some much needed rest, maybe go to the beach, and a one-year old's birthday party! woo hoo!!!

a must see!!

2009-02-09T02:36:00.004-05:00

here is what i think to be one of the funniest commercials on tv right now.....

please take 30 seconds to watch it in case i reference it with you later in life...

not only is the ending hilarious, i really like the part when he smacks his own face...

I was also thinking about this earlier today- what happened to Alanis Morisette? She really has seemed to drop off the planet.

Also, i am still hooked on Match Game and have decided that when I die, if it is possible that I could have the option, I may just go back and live in the seventies!

Peace

two peanuts were walking down an alley...

2009-02-04T00:56:00.002-05:00

i love it when things totally amaze me. i have recently gotten into watching match game. the old school game show from the seventies where two contestants try to match up answers with a panel of celebrities, and whoever gets the most points wins. the show is absolutely hilarious... the host will openly make fun of contestants for bad answers or just make fun of them in general. plus, i love everything seventies.....

anyway, so i recorded one episode once because it was so so funny and ever since my dvr has been recording the show... actually 3 a day. and i watch them. i promise i am not crazy. ok, so i am watching a show that recorded today and a new contestant joined the game and when asked where he is from, he said, "Yazoo City, MS." Who would have thought it???? His name is Bill Daniels, and i had to pause the show to immediately blog this, because it is so unbelievable, so i have no idea if he wins or not..... i can add it later....

By the way, if you checked out those recipes i put on earlier, the jalapeno popper one is fantastic!!! i made them for a super bowl party and they were very good!!! one person said the were "out of this world." oh yeah.

I have found...

2009-01-30T00:48:00.004-05:00

Some great recipes!!! I have not tried them yet but they look really good!!!

http://mywoodenspoon.com/2008/10/29/bacon-brunch-bites/

and

http://mywoodenspoon.com/2008/02/21/bacon-wrapped-stuffed-with-cream-cheese-jalapenos/

these things look ridiculously good!!!

feelin' a little bit country today

2009-01-26T00:54:00.006-05:00

well, well, well, i never thought i would but today i attended a country music festival/chili cook off in ft. lauderdale. and i had fun. the music lineup was as follows- some dude, little big town, jason aldean, jessica simpson, and alan jackson. i did not really enjoy any of the music, but the company was great!!!! it was really hot outside so i rolled my jeans up into long shorts, and next year, i will be rednecking it out!!!!! I saw multiple american flag and rebel flag bikinis, and i had no idea that there were so many rednecks in south florida. because i saw them all today.

hahaha i bet they all ate at applebee's after the festival!!!!

so also in my world i recently went to new york city for two nights for a conference. new york is totally awesome, even though i only had about 6 hours of free time total. my supervisor and i went to times square, walked the entire length of central park, shopped on 5th avenue, and tried to go to a museum but it was closed.... still, it was very cool and i just about froze!!!!

oh yeah, and by the way, at toys r us, which is possibly the store of my dreams, i could live there, i really could, they had an entire rack of space ice cream for sale!!!! heaven!!!

A model, idiot

2009-01-18T15:00:00.002-05:00

So yesterday I was in the hospital cafeteria and there is this girl who works here that is 6'5. No typo, she is very tall. I met her a while back one day in the cafeteria and we had a discussion about tall people clothes. Well, when I ran into her yesterday she told me that she has another female friend who is also 6'5 and that particular person's husband is a fashion designer and he has recently decided to start designing jeans for tall women. Of course, this is totally awesome for me, and she gave me the website so I could look at the jeans. Here is the website for you to check out.

http://www.tallgenez.com

Then she tells me that the jeans line is premiering in March, and she got my info so I could possibly model in the show!!! How funny would that be, me marching down the ole runway. I think it would be absolutely hilarious, me trying to walk and keep a straight face and not be grinning like an idiot. You know models are not allowed to smile! I would be concentrating so hard on not laughing the whole time!!!!

So I guess I am on a diet now. I had thought about starting another blog (yes, another). This blog would only last until the fashion show and would be a place where I put daily updates on my exercise and weight loss goals, and it would be like my own reality show. Then, I could have supporters and then I would send this story to the paper and get famous. For real.

I am mentally ill, and can not stop laughing. I am half serious about this!!!!

Top That (my first video to upload)

2009-01-13T01:26:00.003-05:00

Ok, so I was watching my dvr video of 30 Rock tonight and there was a very small part that was dedicated to the song, Top That, from the movie Teen Witch. If you have never seen the movie, I want to take a moment to strongly recommend it. It is the ultimate depiction of the early 90's. I believe Disney mode the movie, and I used to watch it like crazy. One of the best parts is when the main character uses her new found witch powers to get her best friend to rap battle the guy she had been crushing. I am including a video of this, even if the picture is not very good all the way through, bear with it, because the song is so awesome. The picture is only fuzzy at one part, and you can tell this was filmed off of ABC Family. Please enjoy!!!!

I may be wrong here

2009-01-11T23:36:00.002-05:00

But I hate Applebee's!!!

I ate there last night, and I have decided that I am racist against applebee's now. Please do not misunderstand me. The food was great, the service could not have been better. That is not the problem. I just feel like any old joe shmoe that walks through the door will be hired, and eating with the clientele is like being at the Clampett's family reunion, before striking it rich with that black gold. I have no reasoning behind these feelings. I am strictly a judgemental racist about this franchise. If you are not a big fan of going out to dinner, then this is educational for you. We all know what to expect when you go to Piccadilly- old people. Now you know what to expect when you go to Crapplebees- whoops, you get the point.

I heard a waiter telling some other diners the reason the place was so crowded was because of a conference going on. My question is, "who would go to a conference in south florida and choose to eat at Applebee's, when there are really great restaurants available?" It's like winning a trip to France and only eating at McDonald's.

I do not mean to offend anyone with this, and I send out an open invitation to anyone to challenge me to a dinner with all those hillbillies.

PS-- I was in CVS today, and was looking at the Valentine's candy and saw one thing missing- Spree Hearts. They used to come in an individual box and they were red and white, and possibly my favorite candy of all the holidays. If anyone comes across these, please let me know immediately so I can acquire them!!!! I have included a picture for reference.

Curious

2009-01-09T19:16:00.004-05:00

So I realized last night that I am an extreme over-user of exclamation points!!! Three is my minimum, and it can get ridiculous if I am really excited.

Also, I was on the instant messenger last night and this random starts chatting me up claiming to like the blog. He (or she) failed to answer my "who is this" question and so I quit talking to that person. I mean, who would not want to meet me?

Finally, how old, or rather, how much older do I have to be than a guy to be considered a cougar? Just curious....

Recipes!!! (part 1)

2009-01-06T01:10:00.002-05:00

Ok, so here are some recipes that have been HUGE hits for me over the years.... I will post more later, but I know these off the top of my head and don't need to look them up....

The first is for ranch dip. I used to make this in college. I actually learned how to make it in the year 2000 from my neighbor Lorien Elmore. This dip is very addictive, and is also better on day two, after being refrigerated overnight. You may also use the fat free version of the ingredients and it is still just as excellent!

Ranch Dip

16 oz. tub of sour cream.
One bag of shredded cheddar cheese.
Half a bottle of Bacos.
One package of ranch mix.

Just mix it all together. It is best with Frito's Scoops.
Beware, if you let others taste it, this dip may be requested from you a lot!!!!

Next recipe!!!

Chess squares. These have been described as very rich. And by the way, I have been debating with people as of recently about the definition of the word rich when associated with food. I think it means very sweet and on the heavy side. Some people call it flavorful. the debate continues. Ok, so chess squares are a great food to take where there will be a lot of people, because you can not eat very many of them.

One box of yellow cake mix.
One stick of butter.
One egg.
A half a cup of chopped pecans (optional).

Mix up these things and press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Not sure of those measurements, just use a brownie pan. Then get these ingredients:

One package of cream cheese.
2 more eggs.
4 cups of powdered sugar.

Ok, mix these ingredients well and pour over the first. Bake it for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Then let them cool before you cut them into squares.

Hooray!!!! I will post more recipes later!!!!!

Post Christmas Blog

2008-12-31T17:28:00.002-05:00

So I have not blogged in a while, but there has been a lot going on....

So I have this super cute carry-on piece of luggage. My carry-on has two little wheels in the back that I can use to transport the bag with ease. I was at the airport in Ft. Lauderdale waiting to board the plane when I decided to go to the bathroom. I get up and start pulling my bag behind me and thought, "Man, this bag is so heavy!" I was having to pull it so hard and it felt like I was dragging 30 pounds. Finally I turned around and looked at the bag and I had it turned around the wrong way so that the wheels are facing up and I actually am dragging the bag face-down behind me. A man had been sitting across from me watching this all go down, and when I looked over at him after realizing my ignorance, he just slowly shook his head at me. I was cracking up and could not stop laughing, even once I was in the bathroom stall!!!!!

All of my flights were delayed, and I had to run through the Atlanta airport. This was the second time in my life that I have ever had to run through an airport, and it was not fun. The first time was catching a flight from Dallas to Houston after being re-routed on the way home from San Fransisco with two of my friends. All three of us were running through the airport, I was in the back, and my backpack had come unzipped and my camera and a book had fallen out. A man was nice enough to pick them up for me, but since we were running, he was chasing me to give them back. So there we go, all three of us running through the airport with a man yelling "Miss, Miss" and running behind us!!!!

Ok, Christmas has now come and gone, and has been a lot of fun!!! I am still in Holly Bluff and hanging out with my parents. I am going to a New Year's party tonight, and I fly back on Saturday. I have gotten to eat my favorite foods, and am looking forward to once again going to the gym that I have been funding for the past 8 months.

I got my hair cut yesterday at Tickled Pink, and it is so so so cute!!! and pink!!!! That's right, I have pink streaks in my hair and I love them!!!

Gotta go to Huntsville

2008-12-20T13:50:00.005-05:00

I really, really, really want some space ice cream. You know, the freeze dried kind that is so delicious? I first tried it at the Space Center in Huntsville, AL. That was a historic moment in my life. Anyway, I was walking past a vending machine today and thought I saw some in there. What a dream that would be!!! A vending machine of space food products!!!! I have looked on eBay and they sell plenty of space food, so I guess I will get some from there. Look at how delicious it is!!!! And I totally remember it breaking apart like that!!!!!

There is a cafeteria at the hospital where I work. The cafeteria does not give out to-go plates, only regular Styrofoam plates. Instead of a very convenient to-go box, the cafeteria supplies saran wrap for patrons to wrap their plate to keep it safe and driving friendly.

Here's my deal- the people who work here like to saran-wrap their plates. A lot. I use a piece of wrap to cover my food as I walk to the office to eat. It makes sense, let's keep the germs out! But I mean these people are saran-wrapping their plates like I have never seen. I have seen one person wrap the same plate four times, then separately wrap their silverware and ketchup, then wrap it all together. I am just standing there in amazement with my mouth open. It's almost like the world was going to end and the only thing that would save our poor planet from total destruction was Memorial employees wrapping their plates like crazy. Well, they are getting plenty of practice in before the real deal!!!! I think I am going to try a sneak attack photo of this madness!

Something strange in the neighborhood- Who you gonna call?

2008-12-18T17:03:00.002-05:00

So I posted about some weird electrical happenings in my home a week ago or so. Now more weirdness is happening.....

Yesterday, as I was getting ready for work, my microwave just turned on. All by itself. And it apparently was going to go for five minutes. So I hit clear and turned it off. It immediately turned back on to five minutes again!!! This time, however, it would not let me clear it. It just kept going. I had to unplug the microwave to make it stop.

Last night, I needed to use the microwave to heat up something, and I left it plugged in. I figured if it kept turning on I would need to get a new one. It stayed off last night, until I was in my bed thinking about ghosts and aliens and how weird my microwave had been and then it turned back on and just about scared me to death!!!!!

So, the point is, I need a new microwave. I am not going to get one until next year, so I will just have to plug it in every time I need to use it!!!

Best Kept Secret? No More!!!!

2008-12-16T22:45:00.002-05:00

So I found out today that my job as a child life specialist is one of 11 best kept secret jobs according to US News and World Report. Cool, huh? I am going to put the link on here:

http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/best-careers/2008/12/11/11-best-kept-secret-careers.html

And not only that, I also found out that child life was featured on the show Jon and Kate plus 8. I do not watch the show regularly, but the episode is online on the tlc site.

I thought all this was pretty cool!!!!

Holiday Blog 4- Favorite Christmas Foods

2008-12-15T23:26:00.002-05:00

These only come around once a year!!!!

1. Biscuits with chocolate syrup- Please do not turn your nose up at this notion. It is one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted, and I only get it on Christmas morning breakfast. This food has been a tradition in the Langley household since I can remember. I used to turn my nose up at it too, until I decided to stop being an idiot and start enjoying the awesome.

2. Divinity- If I had to describe divinity to a person who does not speak, I would pretend to eat a piece of it and then rub my belly while pretending to melt into the ground in a blissful sugar rush. The person probably would not get it.

3. Millionaires- Chocolate, caramel, maybe a few pecans. Why are all my favorites sweet things?

4. Uncle Mike's grits- Actually made by my uncle. I don't know how he does it. And yes, I put sugar on them.

5. Chicken and dumplings- We would always have this on Christmas Eve down the river.

6. Bread spread- Oh baby, this is so good that I actually ate that for dinner tonight. For real.

7. Punch- I am not a fan of punch, but this stuff is so addictive! I can't wait to have some very soon!!!!

When it rains, it pours

2008-12-10T19:14:00.002-05:00

So remember how my refrigerator was broken? Well, now my toilet is giving me fits..... I am pretty savvy when it comes to rigging a toilet to keep it running, but the flusher piece totally broke off! Now I have to lift the lid off the back and pull the chain to get it to flush, which is not that bad, but as I did this the first time I discovered that water also comes shootin out of the top of the toilet when it flushes!!!! I never realized it before because the lid was on it, but I had noticed a little water at the bottom.... Now, I have to pull the chain, and replace the lid really fast so water doesn't spray all over!!! Hey, I just realized that now my title is literal!!!! It is pouring in the bathroom!!! Hahaha!!! Oh well, I won't let this little drizzle dampen my nerves (get it?)... Looks like the landlord will be making another visit to my apartment this weekend!

Weekend adventures

2008-12-09T14:45:00.003-05:00

So here are the adventures/thoughts I have been having lately:

First, is it wrong to like getting Christmas cards so much that I put up the one I got from Comcast advertising is new low prices for the upcoming year? From the outside of the card it looks like a regular Christmas card. On the same note, is it wrong to put up a Christmas card that was addressed to Sally, a lady who used to live at this address? She didn't get a card last year. I thought about sending one back to the people and signing it Sally, but I could only imagine the kind of shenanigans that would start if she has already sent them one..... I just really like getting Christmas cards!!!

Second, there have been some weird occurrences* around here of the electronic type.

Weird occurrence 1- I came home from work Friday night and my refrigerator* was making a clicking sound. No big deal, or so I think. Saturday morning I was chugging some milk straight from the container when I realized that the milk was not very cold anymore. Oh yes, the refrigerator has quit on me. I have since gotten it replaced, but I have not replaced the food yet. Last night I had soup and baked cheetos for dinner.

Weird occurrence 2- When my alarm went off on Sunday morning, no, wait. I need to give background first. I have a thing for cows. I really think they are cute and fun to be around. I have many cow decorations, including a little cow in my living room that sings carols when you push he left foot (hoof?) Ok, back to the story at hand. My alarm goes off at nine or a little after on Sunday morning, and as I hit the snooze, I hear another sound. It was the cow, singing Mooooory Christmas to me. I did not push it's little foot and no one else was in the house....

Third adventure of my weekend- I went to a holiday party for some old cancer patients from the hospital. I went as a volunteer, but they had so many volunteers that I got to enjoy the party also. It was probably one of the best parties I have ever been to! They had a cotton candy machine, hula hoops, dancing, a dj, mascots from the local professional teams, and it was totally super fun. It is impossible for me to express on this how much fun it was. Oh well.

*Editor's note- As I am spell checking this document, I have learned that i did not know how to spell occurrences or refrigerator. See, the blog is good for many reasons!!!!! Like teaching me to spell!!!!

FedEx Kinko's needs more employees (dust writing)!

2008-12-04T16:34:00.007-05:00

The title says it all.... I am at the moment on hold with them, but just a few moments ago was in the store. After being in the store for over 26 minutes talking to my sister and waiting for the proofs to be shown to me, I started to notice how dirty the back of the computers were. These things were covered with dust. Then I noticed the holiday gift of 12 assorted coffees that have been on display since I first went to the store last week were also covered in dust on the top. So the lady just came on the line and said they are over swamped and understaffed!!!! I knew it!!!!

So.... to ease my boredom and make the wait a little more enjoyable today while in the store, I started writing things in the dust when no one was looking. I was actually having to reach over the counter to write on the back of the computers with my finger in the dust. So here are the things I decided to put on the back of the computers and the holiday gifts.

Poo- I wrote this on all the computers. I have pictures and will put them up later.

Boobs- Hahaha I still think it is funny!

Fart- I was laughing hysterically during this writing venture, yet no one seemed to notice.

Dusty- Not very original, it was my first dust word.

I Y Bacon- Probably the strangest thing I dust wrote!!!

Oh yeah, by the way I am still on hold.....

Holiday Blog 3- Christmas Cards

2008-11-30T13:35:00.006-05:00

I thought I would post some funny Christmas cards. This first one I actually sent out last year.

And this one has got to be one of the funniest ones I have ever seen!!!!!

I was bored during lunch today at work.

Holiday Blog 2- Awesome Gifts

2008-11-29T08:39:00.002-05:00

Ok, so last night I had to get my blanket out in the middle of the night and put it on my bed, which can only mean two things: it was cold outside and it's time for the second in my series of holiday blogs!!!! Try to contain yourselves.

This will be a list of some of the best gifts I have ever received. For some reason, it is more difficult to think of the best than the worst. Also, these gifts are not necessarily from Christmas.

1. The blanket on my bed right now- it was made by my grandmother, and she crocheted the whole thing. I got it at Christmas a few years ago. It's huge and fits over my entire bed and really comes in handy on cold 58 degree nights here in Florida.

2. Cow print cowboy hat- This was a birthday gift from friends while in college. It's awesome, I still have it, but I don't wear it as much anymore... Ooh, this leads me to....

3. Taxi driver hat- I actually don't know what kind of hat it is, but the preacher for our church gave me this when he moved away from Holly Bluff. He wore a hat just like it and I would always wear it. I was in my early teens.

4. A stuffed cow- I got this at Christmas time probably around ten years ago from my cousin Molly. Back then we would draw names within all the cousins and exchange gifts with them. I remember that she had not drawn my name but had saved up her own money to get me this cow. It has been riding around with me in my car ever since, and is still there.

5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone- This was a college graduation gift from my then at the time boyfriend's mom. When I opened it I have to say I was not at all excited. Then I read it, and became the Harry Potter freak I am today.

6. The original Nintendo Entertainment System- I was in the age range of 9-11, and it was my birthday. Back then I was one of the few kids on the block to have my own TV in my room. On the morning of my birthday, I get up and went into the kitchen. My parents had taken my TV out of my room and set it up on the kitchen counter, and when I walked into the kitchen my Dad hit the power button so I saw the screen where you can choose to play Super Mario Bros. or Duck Hunt. Possibly the most thrilled I have ever been about a gift. I also remember being amazed that I did not notice my TV was missing from my room when I got up that morning.

7. The Nintendo Wii- This was my Christmas present last year, and was a compilation of Best Buy gift cards from my parents, sister and brother-in-law, and myself. Still to this day I believe it the best purchase I have made since living in Florida. It is so much fun!!!! I am hooked on playing Lego Star Wars at the moment...

And finally....

8. My ring- This was a high school graduation gift from my parents. It is so beautiful and I think it may be one of my favorite things that I own.

Expect the unexpected

2008-11-25T23:40:00.004-05:00

So I was reflecting in my bed last night but I refused to get up and post a late night rant because sometimes it just seems to be out of nowhere and going nowhere. I was just thinking about how different life can be in a year. Not necessarily for me, I am pretty much the same as last year. I guess my big difference is that I am more awesome. Same job, same place, same friends, a lot of the same. Which is totally fine.

I was thinking about this holiday open house that I went to in the beginning of December last year with some friends and thinking about how much different all their lives are almost exactly one year later. For instance, Heidi and Jonathan were about to be married back then and today Heidi gave birth to twin boys. My how their life has changed. Two of the girls at that dinner a year ago, Teresa and Tricia, were single at the time and now Tricia is engaged and Teresa is in a nice serious relationship probably close to being engaged. If I were to say a year ago that this would be their lives in 2008, hmmm. The other guy that was at dinner with us, Alex, worked as a police detail officer and was always on at the hospital on the late night shift. He died Saturday. I guess that is what started the reflective post.

It's kinda weird, I see kids pass away and it's like just another day. The last time I did a bereavement two hours later I thought, wow I totally forgot that I did a bereavement earlier today. But I don't know those kids and it is part of my job. Oh well. Alex was a really nice guy and always a pleasure to be around, even though I didn't know him that well.

Life is crazy y'all, so enjoy it!!!!!

Holiday Blog 1- Bad Gifts

2008-11-18T22:25:00.003-05:00

Ok, so this will be my first official holiday blog!!!! I am wearing my seasonal pajamas just for the occasion!

Ahhhh the holidays. A time for family, friends, food, and gift-giving. Of course let's not forget the crazy mall crowds, over-eating, and bad, bad gifts to be exchanged.

I would like to share with you some of the worst gifts I have ever received for Christmas.

List style.

I will also try to put them in order from worst to most worst gifts ever.

1. Scrabble- This one was a birthday gift from the year I turned 12. My mother had bought this at the last minute right before my Pizza-Hut party and gave it to me still in the K-Mart sack. She bought it mainly because she wanted to play it, and when I opened it she said, "Oh, I love that game!" I am talking to my mom just a moment ago to ask her how old I was when she bought this gift and at first she thought it was when I turned 11, but then she remembered that when I turned 11 she bought me some earrings from Essco that she liked. I told mom that I did not remember the earrings, and she said she has them in her jewelry box and I can see them next time I come home. Hmmmm, mom seems to like to buy me gifts that she really likes..... Oh, and by the way, I love playing Scrabble now and look forward to playing with mom every time I am at home.

2. Hand made underwear- I believe that I received these yearly from a lady in my town, and each time I can only express my feelings toward this gift in one word. Awkward.

3. Car-washing kit- This one would not be so bad, but what 15 year old wants to get a car washing kit when she doesn't even have a car?

4. Neck pillow- Now I may just sound unappreciative because I am sure that there are a lot of people in this world that would love to get a neck pillow. But, at 16, I think I found a few other things a little more interesting than being able to rest my neck comfortably.

5. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's Real Scents for Real Girls- I think the title may explain it all. This little bottle of perfume would be a delight to our future teens of America, but, and this is no lie, I was probably 21 or 22 when I received it.

6. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's Real Scents for Real Girls- No, this is not a mistake. Hey, remember when I said that when I got my fifth worst gift I was 21 or 22? Well, the sixth worst one I got when I was 22 or 23. Yeah. I got this gift two years in a row from the same person who had drawn my name. I really thought I was having a joke played on me but no.

And finally.....

7. A bag of dried fruit- No explanation necessary.

Just stuff

2008-11-17T22:04:00.002-05:00

So since I have nothing on my mind to blog about, I will just fill you in on some happenings that have been occurring down here in my neck of the woods.

and I'm gonna do it list style!!!!
word up.
this post just kicked it up a notch

1. I went to South Beach for the first time!!!! And dad gum it, I forgot to take my camera. Oh well, it was at night so the pics would not be super awesome. I was expecting to see hundreds of girls in their latest club gear trends, but it was nothing like that. There were plenty of tourists, and lots of folks wore their jeans. You just walk around and look at rich people eating 300 dollar entrees and the Versace Mansion with all the security and their lists.

2. It is cold!!!! It was 50-something degrees this morning and I had to turn my heater on in my car!!! That is outrageous!!! I m in long sleeves and pants at the moment and my little concrete rectangle known as my apartment is feeling the chill!

3. I pulled my Christmas stuff out today! Not the tree, which i have decided to put up this up and coming weekend.

4. I am re-studying my old Spanish books. It's kinda fun. Yo hablo espanol con los ninos en el hospital. los ninos gustan mi espanol! si si!!! es muy divertida!!!!

5. oooh, I am working on many projects to make me rich and famous in the future: a new kid's cartoon megahit, a super hilarious sitcom project, snl commercial parodies, and of course working on hearing more quotes to go on the quote blog.....

only at work

2008-11-12T00:38:00.002-05:00

Ok, so at work today I got a call from a nurse in the NICU in need of a mobile. After I checked around and found one, I gave the nurse a call back. He had said that he had some of the dangling ornaments that hang off a mobile, just no arm to hang them on. Well, I found an arm with nothing on it, but it had a loop you could hang things on, and some mobiles have a hook, and I did not know what he had to hang on it, so when I called him back, this is what I ask:

"Hey shawn, I found an arm. What kind of dangly thing do you have?"
- oh man, as soon as i said it, i knew that this was not the appropriate description....

so I said "ummmm, i mean, what do you call those things that hang from a mobile?"
he says, "i call them ornaments."
so i say, "ok then, well what does your ornament look like?"
- once again!!!! i start stuttering and trying to find a better way to explain myself, totally embarrassed!!!

We eventually got it figured out and I took him the mobile....

Yay I've been tagged

2008-11-07T23:31:00.003-05:00

5 things I was doing 10 years ago

1. Was finishing up my first semester of college.
2. Drove the old Bonneville, named the "Party wagon." I once fit 11 people in that baby.
3. Did not have a cell phone.
4. Had my first kiss!!!! Halloween night, Ole Miss campus, a guy named Dave from LSU that Ole Miss was playing that day. wow.
5. Wore a hat every day to cover up my bangs that I was growing out.

5 things on my to-do list

1. Clean the bathroom.
2. Fold my laundry.
3. Get my Christmas stuff out! Yes, it's a little early, but when you stare at Christmas stuff every day at work since September it makes you ready.
4. Beat Paper Mario.
5. Go to Best Buy's after hours sale on Sunday.

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire

1. Pay off my student loan.
2. Buy a car.
3. Buy a condo on the beach.
4. Buy a condo in Starkville even though it has not been built yet.
5. I've probably gone over budget, but the last thing would be..... liposuction!!!! Hahaha, maybe!

5 places I have lived

1. Greenville, MS. I barely remember it- lived there when I was four.
2. Holly Bluff, MS. It's real and on wikipedia.
3. Starkville, MS. Such an awesome place.
4. Arlington, TN. Thanks Claire and Michael!!!
5. Hollywood, FL. A year and a half and counting!!!

5 jobs I have had

1. Cashier/Helper at John Hines Grocery in between Yazoo and Holly Bluff. I was 17 years old and worked there for a couple of months. Not only did I run the register, I also sliced various meats and cheeses, including liver cheese and hog's head souse. Yuck!!! I worked with a man who introduced himself as Crazy Leo, and once he handed me a large bucket and said, "Separate these chicken necks, hearts, and livers." It wasn't a joke, like I was hoping. There was a gun on the shelf under the drawer. Just in case....
2. Cashier/Trainer at Abner's Famous Chicken in Starkville, MS. I started when I was 18 and worked there for a little over 3 years. Oh, man, the many different things I got to see and people I got to meet, many of which I am still friends with to this day. And pretty dang good chicken.
3. Supervisor at Gooch's in Starkville, MS. Worked for a little over 2 years. Met just about every athlete on MSU campus as well as a large percentage of the ROTC, and foreign students. Ahhh, meal plans.
4. Preschool Teacher in Starkville, MS. Worked there about the last 6 months I was in Starkville. This was an awesome job, teaching 3 year olds. Playground time was my favorite part of the day, next to nap time. And yes, I napped with them almost every day. Kids are fun.
5. Child Life Specialist at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, FL. This is my present job! Coping, support, teaching, distracting, entertaining. All for kids.

Ok, so I will tag Rachel and Alyson

Blogtastic

2008-11-05T01:33:00.003-05:00

Ok, so a nurse at work and I were talking cartoons tonight, and the subject drifted to one of my favorite questions for people and here I am now going to ask you....

If you were a cartoon character, who would you be?

I used to say I would be Red Fraggle, but in reality, Red Fraggle is a puppet and not a cartoon. So tonight I have made my official decision- I would be a Gummy Bear from the old cartoon. They are awesome, bouncing here and there and everywhere, high adventure that's beyond compare, yes I'd be a Gummy Bear! word.

So what would you be?

Adventures in Langleyland

2008-11-05T01:21:00.002-05:00

Yay voting fun!!!!

So I went to vote this morning, and I was only in line outside the building for about 20 minutes or so, but I got to observe some very interesting people.

First, this older man who kind of looked like the character on Friends who played the old man that lived in the apartment above the girls, except that he looked kind of like a hippie, ate a lot of candy in about 15 minutes. He was an election helper, and that man really liked his Reese's Cups.

Then, this old lady who was having trouble with pretty much life in general cracked me up a bit, but I tried to hide it. First, as she was driving up, she kept honking her horn as if to say, "move out of the way people!" However, there were no people in front of or near her car. Second, I had totally forgotten about her since it took her at least 5 minutes to place her car in a parking spot then she stood in the parking lot yelling, "hello?" until an election helper took notice. She was trying to make sure her car was not going to be hit in the parking lot. Third, she walked a bout a third of the way down the line of people waiting to vote and started with the yelling "hello?" again until yet another helper came along. She was yelling about how she is 72 years old and will not be able to stand up long enough to wait in line. I could not quit laughing.

Finally, as I was receiving my ballot from one of the two men at the ballot-giving table, the second man was explaining to his particular voter to "fill out the blanket," he said this at least 4 or 5 times- "fill out the blanket." Finally my voting helper said- "no, not blanket, it's ballot."

That's bad.

This is why I love CSI: Miami

2008-11-05T01:18:00.002-05:00

The newest medical examiner: "Horatio, why target a fashion boutique? It seems so random."

Horatio's spot on reply from a side face angle: "On the contrary, this was by design."

YEAH!!!!!!

Unexpected surprises

2008-11-03T01:05:00.004-05:00

I was on my way home today and saw in the park near my house a flea market so I decided to stop and check it out. It turned out not to be a flea market at all, but the world's largest drum event. There were about 500 drum sets and people of all ages getting ready to play. This group of drummers was getting ready to break a world record by playing a certain beat for 5 minutes with 9 other cities around the world. I got to watch it. It was totally cool watching a 6 or 7 year old playing his little heart out next to an old man, who was also equally invested in his instrument. If only I had had my camera so I could take a picture of the most authentic look of excitement I have ever seen on this kid's face.

Here are some pictures I took from my phone camera. They are not the best, but I think you can get the idea.

This one is of the drums that were in front of me under the tent.

This is the little kid I was watching.

So tonight I played my wii and found out that my wii age is 28, which is cool because that is my actual age. I also was cracking up because the wii person my sister made looks just like her and I noticed it when she was coming up to bat on my baseball team. So I got to sweat and jump up and down and cheer for about an hour tonight. Man, this was one of the times that I am glad my life is not on camera.

Some people!!!

2008-10-29T23:35:00.002-04:00

So check it....

This lady was at the nurse's station complaining that she could not understand what her child's doctor was saying. The doctor in question is from India, but has lived here for the majority of her life, and while she does have a bit of an accent, I have never had a problem understanding her at all.....

The mother at the nurses station that is complaining asks if she can have an American doctor come in and explain what is going on in English- as if the first doctor was not speaking English...

The charge nurse tells the mother that the only other doctor on staff at this time is from Jamaica and we would be happy to have him come into the room and tell her in English what is going on, but he will speak in a Jamaican accent, and that we have no American doctors on staff tonight...

The mom is not happy at all about this and leaves to go back to her child's room....

Oh yeah, did I mention that this mother was not American and spoke with a heavy accent?

Stop laying down on the job

2008-10-27T19:59:00.002-04:00

Have you ever heard that saying? I have, thankfully not directed at me.

I was just watching a band perform a song on television and the lead singer was laying down on the ground while singing. Kind of makes me wonder..... There are not many jobs where you can get away with laying down.

Maybe tomorrow at work I will walk into a patient's room and start explaining what I do and then mid-sentence lay down and finish what I was saying. I don't think that would fly.

So the only job I can think of where you get to lay down is when mechanics lay on those little rolling boards to get under a car. Maybe a mattress tester.....

Poor Uncle Duke

2008-10-26T22:22:00.002-04:00

Ok, so this is what has been going on.....

Last Thursday I flew to Nashville and stayed with Rachel and Daniel a night. The next day we drove to Starkville for the Homecoming football game and festivities. I stayed a night in Starkville, got to eat at some great places, got to eat Mexican food (finally), and see some old friends. After the game on Saturday, I rode back to Holly Bluff with the parents where I am staying til Monday, when I fly back to Hollywood.

So here is the point of this blog.

I was at church this morning and the prayer list was being read. Afterwards, everyone was asked if they had anyone to add to the prayer list. One little five year old girl speaks up and says:

"You need to add Uncle Duke, he has heartworms."

Apparently, her Uncle Duke is a dog. The dog's name is Duke, but since it is her grandparents dog, she calls him Uncle Duke. So her dad adds:

"Yes, my brother is a dog."

Hilarious!!!! All thirty people were cracking up!!!!!!

Walk on the wild side

2008-10-19T22:21:00.003-04:00

Ok, so I have found out about something that is super awesome and it must be shared with the universe!!!!!! I may be overly excited, but my girl Abbie got tired of me talking about it at work today so I thought I must blog about it. It is called WildCam Africa. National Geographic has this webcam out in the middle of a watering hole in Africa and it is live 24/7!!! So at any time of the day you can see what the animals are doing. Don't think it is boring, just watch it and see if you may like it!!! You have to have real player on your computer for it to load immediately. I have seen monkeys, elephants, baby elephants, impala, birds, more birds, an alligator, some sort of bison thing, and on and on....

http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/wildcamafrica/

You must check it out!!!! I can't stop watching it!!!!

Yes, I said 27

2008-10-15T23:17:00.002-04:00

I have an issue I need to talk about- the environment.

So lately, I have been trying to be more earth-friendly: I have reusable bags that I use at the grocery store and Target, and as of last weekend, I am now recycling all my cans and plastic bottles.

Here's my beef of the evening-

I was at lunch today at work and I noticed on the bottom of the receipt for my lunch that it said "Go green- recycle." I think it is great that the hospital is encouraging recycling. They have added recycling containers for different items, which is awesome. But you know what might also help the environment? Not giving every single employee that gets a meal from the cafeteria a receipt. Not only will this help the environment by not creating waste, but it may save the hospital a few bucks by not having to purchase so much cashier paper!

This one also blew my mind earlier today. I ran by CVS to pick up a couple of things after work. I only got TWO items. Then the cashier handed me my receipt. This was the longest receipt I had ever seen!!!!!! I mean ever!
I actually measured it just a moment ago and it is 27 inches long. Yes, that's right- I said 27. To put this in perspective, I can hold it on the floor and it comes up past my knee.

Ridiculous!!!!!