Madness

Recently (yesterday), you may have seen a news video of a bus hanging over the highway in Seattle.  Thankfully, I was not on that bus. However, I am quite annoyed with the state of things in this city right now. 

For some reason (I've heard several different explanations: it doesn't snow enough here to be worth the cost, salt runs into the Sound and harms the environment, there isn't enough money in the city budget...), Seattle is completely ill-equipped to deal with frozen water falling from the sky. Therefore, the 1.5 inches of snow we got on Thursday just stayed where it fell, was driven and walked on until it became a nice slick sheet of ice, then froze even more solidly overnight. The very steep hills are unmanageable (and the roads are closed, although people ignore that)...there is no getting up or down them by foot or by car without risking bodily injury. Coincidentally, the major hospitals in the area are all at the top of a giant hill. 

A very nice woman that I work with who lives nearby gave me a ride to and from work yesterday, otherwise I don't know how I would have gotten there. Her car has four wheel drive, but even so we averaged 22 mph and passed many, MANY abandoned cars on our way up the hill. We arrived to hear that 16 people had called-in 'sick' (being state employees we are legally not allowed to call in and say we can't get there because of weather), several of my fellow employees had spent the night at the hospital, and one guy fell on the ice when he was walking down the hill after work the night before. He had a splint on one hand, and when I asked what happened, he lifted up his phone to show me a picture of his hand...with his pinky finger bent at a 90 degree angle!!! That image is going to be seared into my brain forever.

So, now I'm trapped in my apartment until the temperature gets above freezing and this stuff melts off the roads and sidewalks. And it's supposed to sleet/snow again on Sunday :( All I want for Christmas is for that NOT to happen. If things get really bad, I will just call in 'sick' next week. I'm not going to risk my life to get to work. 

Please call and/or send me amusing internet videos to keep me entertained...my roommate just left for Portland for the holidays and I am going to go stir crazy.

Toboggans in the snow...

Recently there's been a lot of excitement about the weather. The threats of Cold and Snow have been looming for the last week. My roommate assured me that they always make a big deal about the possibility of snow here, and that it usually doesn't pan out. Lo and behold, it snowed! Only a little bit (and hardly any of it stuck to the roads since it's been so warm), but right now it is 28 degrees and it snowed and it's a BIG DEAL. It's supposed to stay below freezing for the next week, and the local newspeople can barely contain the excitement in their voices. I'm sure they are hoping for hazardous road conditions, accidents, and various other weather-related catastrophes. 

So yesterday I was planning to go to my church's Christmas concert, and I called Amy's friend Kara to see if she and her husband would be interested in joining me (they live about 50 minutes south of the city). Kara said that she was actually going to call me and see if I wanted to come to a concert downtown that she had two extra tickets to (she and a friend from work had been given 4 tickets for free from a client). I said yes, and invited my friend Wendy from work. Amy is back in Chicago for a few weeks for break, otherwise she would have been there, too :( 

It was the annual Winter Warmth concert, by 103.7 The Mountain, at the Paramount Theater downtown (www.theparamount.com).  The lineup included Matt Nathanson, Ingrid Michaelson, Augustana, and The Pretenders. All of them sounded familiar to me except the Pretenders. Sorry if that makes anybody feel old. The crowd was probably 75% middle-aged (and up) people. You could totally tell who was there for which artist. Matt Nathanson was great...he came out onstage with only an acoustic guitar. He was funny and a talented performer. Ingrid Michaelson was also impressive. A beautiful voice (although I've realized that I tend to like male voices just a little bit better than female ones), and some really moving lyrics. She was also funny, and seemed like somebody authentic that you could chat with in a bookstore or something. Augustana was...well they made me feel old. First of all, I don't think males need to wear jeans that tight, ever. Secondly, the lead singer appeared to be doing his best impression of Captain Jack Sparrow meets Michael Jackson. On several occasions he would let go of his guitar mid-song to wave his hands spastically around in the air (like out of control spirit fingers). I wondered if this was normal behavior for him, but Kara had seen them in concert before and verified that he was in fact "coked out of his mind." Pretty sad what 'success' can lead to. When the Pretenders finally came on, the old people went nuts. It was quite funny to see them all bobbing around, throwing the 'rock&roll' hand into the air, and singing along. I kept waiting for a song I recognized, but one never came. So we left before their set was over. I felt the judgmental looks of the middle-aged people around us, but chose not to feel guilty about the year of my birth. It's not my fault that I'm young, people. 

When we left the concert, the flurries had turned into genuine flakes. I walked 8 blocks through the city, about 10 feet behind Eyeball guy who was popping his eyeball out with a plastic spoon every time people approached going the opposite direction. Mostly people ignored him, which says a lot about this city. "I live in Seattle. I am completely unfazed by a stranger walking up to me on the street at 11 o'clock at night and popping his eyeball out." By the time I got to my bus stop, the flakes were HUGE (seriously the biggest I've ever seen). It was beautiful. Eyeball guy (of course he was getting on the same bus as me), turns to me and says, "Isn't it weird how when your hands get really cold they get all retarded? Like they don't work right...they're retarded." I nodded politely and then looked away when he popped his eyeball out at me. I almost offered him my gloves, but they were bright purple and I didn't want to offend him. In retrospect, he probably wouldn't have minded.

Christmastime means laughter...

When I returned to my apartment after Thanksgiving, this is the first thing I saw upon opening the door:

Bewildered by such hideousness and a bit startled, I stepped closer...

And felt the coal-black eyes of the sock reindeer peering into my very soul.

Thank goodness it was just a joke. I was worried that Kara and I had very different taste in Christmas decorations, and I couldn't think of anything positive to say that wouldn't be an outright lie. Of course, now we've decided to keep him up because he's grown on us, and we like to observe the varying reactions of our guests. They can be quite entertaining.

Yesterday I did a little Christmas shopping, and then decorated the apartment:

Found the perfect little tree at Target.

Here it is in the light.

And a garland for the 'kitchen.' 

It's very wonderful and Christmas-y feeling. I cannot wait to have the lights off and the tree on and sit by the fire drinking eggnog and listening to carols. I've already bought the eggnog...

I'm in love with a girl

And her name is Irene / AKA Sparky / AKA my Baby Niece (no longer tiny). I took these pictures while I was holding Irene in one arm and my camera in the other. She thought that my camera was the best and most interesting toy ever...which made it easy to get some cute close-ups.

So my trip home for Thanksgiving was pretty great, but a little too short. Thursday was a daze of turkey and family and dogs and the baby...I only managed about 2 1/2 hours of sleep during the red-eye flight (which, to be fair, was only 3 hours long), then a 30 minute nap on the second flight. Planning a trip around the thought that "I'll just sleep on the plane, it'll be fine," is a terrible idea.

A good chunk of Friday was spent at Jeff and Amie's place, putting together furniture from Ikea (which everyone knows I love to do). Then in the afternoon/evening all the family from Chicago who came to town for the baby shower came over to my parents' for pizza. Porca Fuera was played, and a fun time was had by all. 

Saturday was Amie's baby shower,which was really fun in spite of the fact that I did not win the celebrity baby names game. I left me wondering what kind of shower I could convince someone to throw me without getting married or having a baby. Perhaps a "6 month anniversary in Seattle" shower, or a "finished with orientation" shower, or a "becoming an aunt for the 2nd time" shower. Just so you know, if anybody wants to run with any of these ideas, they totally can.

My flight home on Sunday morning was slightly delayed due to the beautiful winter wonderland that I awoke to. They had to de-ice all the planes (how necessary is this, MGW?), and for some reason they can't do it until everyone is crammed onto the plane like overstuffed livestock. I was all the way in the back, surrounded by a sea of whiny kids (one of whom insisted on kicking my chair about every 2 minutes for the entire 4-hour flight). I felt sort of like one of those cranky, kid-hating people by the time I got to Seattle. Funny, considering the way this post began.

Anyway, coming home (to Seattle) did feel like 'coming home' which was kind of unexpected. I guess home is where your stuff is :) It was great to see my family, friends, and dog...but it's good to be back, too.

It's that time of year when people are thankful

Things that are great about my job:

1) I can wear whatever I want, since I change into scrubs when I get to the hospital.

2) I don't have to wash my hair because it lives under a surgical cap all day.

3) Most of the people that I work with are great.

4) I am learning how to do the job that I've wanted for the past few years...and it's very satisfying.

5) I get to walk through the city after I get off work, and on clear days (like today), I can see Mt Ranier in the distance.

Things that are not so great about my job:

1) Moving someone onto or off of the OR table and finding a 'surprise' left behind. Not their fault, but also not fun.

2) Co-workers who are lazy, crazy, bitter, catty, rude, or all of the above. Thankfully there are only a few like this.

3) Patients who have situations that are so tragic that I cannot forget about them when I come home from work. This mostly pertains to the pediatric patients that I have, which thankfully isn't many.

4) I have to walk through the city after I get off work, and on cold & rainy days...I get cold and wet.

Today I was about two blocks from my apartment (with my headphones in my ears but no music playing because it's usually a good deterrent for the crazies...but not today), and this homeless guy walking past holds up a long screw. "This is a metaphor!" he said quite loudly in spite of the fact that he was standing only about two feet away from me (I guess he wanted to make sure I heard him over the music that I appeared to be listening to). "This is a metaphor for what the Republicans did to me for the last 8 years! IT'S A METAPHOR!" he got louder with every word. I said "hmm" and kept walking. Then I enjoyed imagining what my mom would have done if she had been there. I think it's probably better that she wasn't. Just wanted to share that little slice of life in Seattle.

Yesterday I spent a few hours on the beach (along with half the population of the city and their dogs). I passed a baby seal on the sand, and at first I was really sad because it looked like it was dead. But on my way back, there was a crowd of people gathered around it and a park ranger was approaching. He poked at the little guy, and it reared back and tried to bite him. Reminded me sooooo much of a dog. I didn't hear everything the ranger said, but I think the seal was okay...maybe just dozing in the sun? Anyway, I'm glad he was okay, and here are some pictures:

The Olympics. The sight of those snow-capped peaks as I was driving home from church is actually what made me decide to go to the beach. 

A rare stretch of people-free sand.

Harold the Harbor Seal. Does he look dead to you? Cause he's just faking, I promise.

Product Placement Ad

I think living here might have turned me into a wimp regarding the weather. Last night when I got off work it was around 40 degrees, raining pretty steadily, and with a driving wind reminiscent of downtown Chicago. I was cold and wet before I'd walked a half a block...it was the perfect combination of weather elements that render an umbrella completely useless. I felt completely bedraggled and miserable when I got on the bus; the way that a wet dog seems to feel when it looks up at you from the bathtub.

It got me thinking. First, I'm glad that I'm not a homeless person. It must be really terrible for them when the weather is bad. Second, 40 degrees is really not that cold...I have become a West-Coast Mild Weather Wimp.

So earlier this week, I discovered a hair product that actually accomplishes what it claims to do. As someone who has unsuccessfully spent her whole life trying to make fine, straight hair have some kind of volume with a variety of 'volumizing' products...I had pretty much given up hope on changing what my genes gave me. Until I tried this:

And this was the immediate result:

I just looked in the mirror and laughed, then felt the need to document such momentous volume on film. I have to apologize for early morning Rachel who isn't wearing any makeup, and also to assure you that I didn't leave my hair like this.

In five days I'll be back in STL for a visit! There will be three dogs, my baby niece, and of course lots of people who I love. Cannot wait...

Pretty much just Farmer's Markets and Sunshine

After a few days of rain, the promised sunshine has arrived. It’s been mild and lovely this weekend, and the sun is shining. I spent some time refilling my Vitamin D storage cells sitting on the roof, writing this post.

I had a three-day work week because of Veteran’s Day, and I got all my errands out of the way on Tuesday, then spent Thursday morning at the beach. It was pretty cold when the sun ducked behind the clouds, but it was still the beach. Sand, and water, and seals barking off across the bay. It’s nice to have a beach 15 minutes away (even if the water is frigid), but I suspect I”ll feel differently next summer when I’m dreaming of a balmy Florida vacation. The upside is that flights to Hawaii are pretty cheap from Seattle, and the tourism industry there is suffering so badly right now that I could probably get a great deal. The downside being that my family (with assorted babies and dogs) would probably not be able to join me.

Also on Thursday I got my hair cut, and was (as usual) talked into purchasing the products that Richard used on my hair. I’ve realized that I’m sort of a sucker when it comes to things like that. The same character trait (flaw?) that makes it difficult for me to haggle over a price in a foreign country also kicks in whenever I get my hair done. I feel like refusing to buy the product is insulting to the stylist who just made my hair look really fabulous. I should work on that.

Amy and I went walking around Green Lake yesterday. We took some goofy pictures and videos, and watched the parade of people and dogs that passed by (stopping to pet the cutest of dogs, of course).  It’s so great that she lives here and we can do things like that on a regular basis.

Today we went to church (I now look forward to going to church each week!), then I headed to the Farmer's Market. I know I said this post was going to be about work, but I don't like thinking about work when I'm not there...as the tendency to think about it all the time and obsess over everything that happens is too tempting. So maybe next time. Here are pictures:

Introducing...ducks! They were pretty fearless, letting us come within inches before they waddled away, quacking in that disgruntled duck kind of way.

It's not often that you see giant inflatable turkeys on someone's porch, and I felt the need to document it.

Senior picture pose #1...

This was Amy's favorite picture of the entire 'shoot'...I think I look like a doofus, but the colors are nice :)

Senior picture pose #2

Our fellow walkers and some fall foliage. This trail circles the lake and is about 2.5 miles...and on nice days, it almost feels like you're marching in a parade with all the people.

Nature pictures...a giant Christmas tree!

I just really liked this bunch of trees.

Hm...looks like any other lake, but it's special because it's mine.

Couches and Concerts

Our couches finally arrived on Thursday, and my bunda can sit in comfort once again. I'm quite pleased with the way they fit into our apartment, as both Kara and I were worried (since we have a pretty teeny living room). But they fit nicely, and the apartment now has a cozier feel to it (just in time for the holidays!). 

The view when you first enter the room. It no longer looks like we have a third roommate squatting in our living room... a slightly accusatory suggestion made by our suspicious building manager.

The loveseat. That round table back behind it to the right is supposed to live on our patio, but we had to bring everything inside due to the construction.

The couch.  Three people can sit comfortably across it, or one person can lay (but no pants-less sleeping is allowed!)

Here is me, testing the couch for the first time. I give them a comfort score of 7.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. They are certainly not as comfortable as the leather monstrosity couches of my adolescent years, but slightly better than the armless sectional that now resides at 407.

I had another exciting Friday night this week; two in a row...it might be too much for me. After work I decided to try a traveling experiment. Normally, I wait about 20 minutes for a bus that takes me 7 blocks west (down a HUGE hill), then 12 blocks north where I disembark and walk 2 more blocks west to my next bus. On my 12-hour days, I usually leave the hospital around 7:10, get on the first bus around 7:30, and catch the second one at 7:50...putting me home at 8:30. On Friday I decided to walk it. I saw a truly spectacular view of the city at night (I will try and take a picture of it sometime), made it onto my 'second' bus by 7:30, and was home by 8:10...in spite of walking 25 blocks total when I usually walk 3. So, I'm probably going to do that every time from now on.

The reason for the experiment was that I had tickets to see Eric Hutchinson (www.erichutchinson.com), and wanted to get to the High Dive (www.highdiveseattle.com) by 9. Which I did, after driving around in the rain frantically looking for a parking space close to the venue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont,_Seattle,_Washington). 

I eventually got there, met up with Amy, Daniel, and Deb (a friend and former Segue who was in town for a conference), and calmed down during the very mellow opening acts. The place was packed, and it was hot and steamy the way it gets when there's a crowd of people in a small and poorly ventilated space and it's raining outside (sort of like the bus, which one nurse referred to as a Tuberculosis incubator). And there was the freakishly tall group of people standing directly in front of us who kept saying things like, "I hope this Eric Hutchinson guy is good...yeah this guy better be good" and sort of made me want to kick them. Then Eric came on, and he was amazing. A talented, funny, and energetic performer who was really too good for the crowd he was playing for (why is there always at least one drunken d-bag in every crowd?). I'm pretty sure this kid will be very famous one day, and encourage you to check out his album Sounds Like This on iTunes. 

This smudged stamp is the only proof of my being at the show. I forgot my camera :( and don't even have a ticket stub because Amy had my ticket and got there before I did.

Excited for the three-day week ahead. Leave me comments!

All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray

I know I've been slacking in my blogging duties, and I apologize. Most of my mental energy is going towards learning right now, and it doesn't leave much for creativity and expression. But I'll try...

Autumn is in full swing here, and there have been some truly spectacular days with blue skies and colorful foliage. But now the skies are grey and rainy, and I expect it to stay that way for the next 6 months. It's kind of weird to me that it can rain sooo much without flooding being an issue, but I guess that's one of the perks of being on the coast (haha, I stick my tongue out at you, midwest). I'm getting used to walking in the rain, and always having a hat and/or umbrella (depending on the force/amount of rain falling), and also being able to gauge whether or not I'll need to wear my rain boots by the sound of rain falling outside (since it's dark when I wake up). 

Here are my rain boots when they were still shiny and new:

Halloween was fun this year. My friend Amy lived in this community house for a couple months when she first moved here; it is huge...I think 10 or 12 people live there at a time. So, they have a costume party every year at Halloween, and charge people $5 at the door and then donate half the proceeds to charity. I wasn't expecting much; maybe a strobe light and some Jack 0'lanterns.  But these people go all out, apparently spend a week decorating the place, and it was awesome (the entrance was a dungeon, then there was a swamp room, and a disco room, even the bathroom was decorated and creepy). And it was packed with people. In spite of the fact that I'd woken up at 4:30 that morning and worked for 12 hours, I had a great time. I didn't take any pictures at the actually party, but everybody came over to our place to get ready, and here's a group shot:

From left to right, back row: Luke (Amy's roommate), Mike (Kara's friend), Brian (Kara's friend), then Daniel (Amy's other roommate). De (Amy's friend visiting from Chicago) and Amy are standing in front of them, then Kara is sitting on the floor. And I was taking the picture.

Here is me, De, and Amy getting ready in my bathroom. A princess, Peter Pan, and some sort of Jazzercising acrobat from the 80's (who ended up winning the dance contest!)

Here is my costume. $15 at a thrift store, with only one stain on the back and a slightly musty odor. I'm thinking it's a leftover from somebody's Renaissance-themed wedding many years ago. It's really too bad you can't see my gold shoes...they pulled the whole look together. 

So Tuesday night was interesting. First of all, on my bus ride home (around 8:20 pm Pacific) the bus driver came on the speaker and said "Ladies and Gentlemen on the bus, the new president of the United States of America is...Barack Obama!" And pandemonium erupted. Everybody started cheering and clapping...it was kind of crazy. Then this homeless guy (who was black) stood up and started raving about how finally his people were finally going to get some respect, and it was about time they started getting some respect. Then this homeless lady (who was white) started telling him how black people don't have it hard, but white people do. I believe she said something along the lines of "you don't have it hard, you don't need respect...we need respect, because everybody calls us racists all the time." It was kind of funny to watch two crazy homeless people have a debate. At least it didn't escalate into violence. And of course they both got off the bus at my stop...15th and Market NW = crazy homeless people capital of seattle.

Then it was like New Year's Eve or something. Fireworks going off, people cheering, and blowing those noisemaker things. They really, really do not like George Bush in this city...and they really, really believe that Barack Obama is going to make things better. Here's hoping they're right.

I'm spending the next few hours waiting for my couches to be delivered and cleaning the apartment...thrilling way to spend my day off. Especially since the construction on our building has begun, and there is constant LOUD noise all around me. I seriously wonder if I could bargain down my rent over this (considering the woman we are renting from never told us that the building would be under construction for the next 9 months). 

My next post will include pictures of the couches, and a list of things I love and things I hate about my job. 

Playing the Whale Waiting Game

Ahh, weekend. A chance to breathe and decompress and sleep. Last weekend was none of those things...but it was a wonderful, fun, fast-paced, car-filled, mini-reunion of siblings in Seattle.

Jeff and Amie arrived on Thursday (my day off), and I drove to the airport and snuck up on them at baggage claim. I could write a corny poem here about how great it is to see people that you love after a time apart....but I'll spare you all. The weather wasn't fabulous; kind of cloudy and drizzly, but they were excited for the cool temperatures. After a tour of my still couchless apartment, we went walking around Ballard. In my favorite store, Jeff found a thoroughly Seattle accessory that I'll let him talk about in his blog post. Although they were hesitant to go in at first, I think everybody ended up enjoying the weirdness at Archie McPhee (www.mcphee.com). 

We walked to the botanical garden and the Chittenden Locks (my third visit, but still enjoyable). They were draining one of the locks, and we got to see these huge starfish that were living at the bottom. The fish ladder was quite sad...apparently the great Salmon exodus is over by now, but there was one sad and tired-looking fish still trying to make his way up the ladder. I doubt he made it :( Rest in peace, my friend.

We stopped for lunch at Hamburger Harry's, so I now know a local place to go if I suddenly desire to watch sporting events on big tvs in public with strangers and tasty burgers. We also swung by Cupcake Royale for dessert. I think Jeff and Amie have a similar opinion to mine about said cupcakes: they look better than they taste. But the icing is delicious. 

We rested for awhile back at my place, and Jeff and Amie got to meet my roommate when she got home. We all sat and chatted for awhile, and entertained ourselves by reading the 'Missed Connections' on Craigslist. If you have never done this, it is quite amusing and a fun way to waste time. 

Dinner that night was at Ray's Cafe. The sunset was lovely, although blinding to Jeff who I had considerately seated facing the water :) Kara came with us, and Dora & Steven met us there when they got off work. Ray's has yet to disappoint me, and I think everyone else enjoyed the food (best calamari evah!), drinks, and ambience as well. 

Friday I had to work till 3:30, so I'll let Jeff tell you about their day in his post. In the evening, I picked up Jeff and Amie from their hotel, and we drove 10 miles north to his friend's house in Lynnwood. Normally, I love Lynnwood. There's a great mall there that I've been to several times, and it usually takes aroun 20 minutes by highway. Unfortunately, it was a Friday at rush hour, and there seem to be only three roads that run north-south. I started out on a four-lane (highway 94-ish, for those of you from the Lou) road. After an hour of the traffic and hitting pretty much every single red light, I decided to try the highway. Bad idea...as it was a parking lot. Then we wasted time trying to get back to our original road. It was painfully humerous, and we were all exhausted and famished. Eventually we made it, and after finding 1 1/2 hour plus wait times at a couple of restaurants, ended up eating at the Nordstrom bistro, which was pretty good.

Saturday was whale day. I picked up Jeff and Amie around 8, and we drove 77 miles to Anacortes (apparently pronounced Ana-cor-tiss, not Ana-cortez like I thought). We drove through some really heavy fog and clouds, but when we arrived at the coast it was sunny and beautiful. After checking in at the gift shop (where I found a stuffed whale that makes whale sounds when you push its tail that Amie wouldn't let me buy for my future nephew), we stopped for donuts on our way to the dock. We sat and took some pictures until the captain of the boat rounded up all 120 of us and gave his spiel about rules/safety/expectations, etc. Then we were off.

Amie and I, excited to begin our whale adventure. At this point, we were both at optimum body temperature in our light layers.

This is our boat, the Island Explorer 3. We mostly stayed on the top deck, in the back (aft) the whole time. 

Our second wildlife sighting of the day (the first was a mature bald eagle that we saw as we were setting sail from the marina). He's a California sea lion, and it seemed like he was posing for us as our boat circled his buoy.

Jeff, Amie, and little Xav's first ever whale-watching adventure. Here's hoping there will be many, many more in the years to come :)

Me and Amie. You can see that I've added a layer of clothing, because I don't have a mini-human inside my womb to keep me warm. Eventually I switched from cute hat to warm hat that covered my ears, switched to a warmer scarf, and zipped up my windbreaker. I should have worn long underwear.

Highlights of whale watching:

- Our eternally optimistic Captain Mike, who kept reminding us of all the wildlife we had seen so far, and encouraged us not to give up because we could still see a whale

- People watching our fellow passengers. Some of our favorites were the whale paparazzi with their giant cameras, and the large group of German (or maybe Dutch) people who were with us on the top deck. Our not-so-favorites included: cranky couple from Ohio, constantly making-out couple, and odd boy wearing a blanket as a cape.

- Being out on the water on a gorgeous day

- Chili cheese nachos from the galley

- Seeing: a bald eagle, several sea lions, several harbor seals (the friendly dogs of the ocean...love the way their little heads pop up out of the water, curious to see what's going on), a bunch of porpoises that I can't remember the name of, and two Minke whales

Lowlights of whale watching:

- We went whale watching, and the biggest thing we saw was a stinky Minke (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minke_Whale)

- Being really, REALLY cold at the end of the day

- Getting totally humpbacked by the humpbacks

Sunday we got up early and went to my church. Unfortunately for us, the service started at 8:30, not 8 like I thought, so we got up 30 minutes earlier than we needed to. More unfortunately, the early service is super traditional...meaning pews and organ music. But the message was still good, and we even got to meet the pastor because Amy knows him and we were there so early. 

Then it was off to the airport, where I bade fairwell to my family. Sad to see them go, but so glad that they were able to come. Hopefully they'll be back next summer for an Orca watching tour, and they'll bring the rest of the fam with them. 

 

It's not all farmer's markets and sunshine...

There are lots of very unpleasant people who ride the bus. Until today, I had observed but never been the object of said unpleasantness. But today, for no discernible reason, an older women sitting across from me called me some not nice names. She was speaking to the man with her, but loudly enough that I know she wanted me to hear and react. They were probably in their late 40's/early 50's, and looked like people who had not found many occasions to be joyful in life. I chose to ignore her and kept reading my book, and she didn't say anything else. After several minutes had gone by, I glanced up at her face as she stared out the window. There was a look of such incredible sorrow there; I could tell that this woman had been battered by the years of her life. Instead of anger or contempt or defensiveness, I felt pity for her. And I also felt thankful that I've been so blessed with the family and life that I've had. And I also felt a little ashamed that all I could do was ignore her. How would God have me respond to such blatant ugliness from a stranger? What words could I have said to her, if any, to 'turn the other cheek'? Thoughts??

Day of Rest

You know what's really heavy? 

Lead.

And for the last three days, I have spent the majority of my workday wearing a lead apron under my sterile scrub attire (to protect my unborn children from extra limbs and such). Getting out of bed in the morning I felt like a ninety-five-year-old with a monkey on my shoulders. Consequently, I was very VERY ready for this day off...and a massage. I didn't get the massage, but I did sleep for ten hours last night. And I've spent quite a relaxing day reading on the roof deck (it's a bit chilly, but the sun has been out off and on), and taking a quick field trip to the post office across the street. I'm trying to take it easy and rest because I seem to be having a little trouble kicking this cold, and my throat started hurting again last night. And I really must be healthy by next weekend because...Jeff and Amie are coming to visit! Soooo exciting!

Work has been going pretty well this week. It is challenging for sure, but as long as I remind myself to stay calm and that mistakes/imperfections are inevitable as I'm learning, it is do-able. It is both mentally and physically exhausting though. For anyone who has ever lived in another country and tried to learn the language, that is the kind of exhaustion I feel at the end of the day. It's like your mind is hyperaware or constantly tensed up (if your mind can be tense...you know what I mean?). As for the physical demands of standing for 8-12 hours (with the added weight of lead if you are in an ortho or spine case)...well, nothing that can't be dealt with by weight lifting and pilates, support hose, and a good pair of shoes.  The scrub person I was with yesterday has a bachelor's in kinesthesiology (sp?) and showed me some weights exercises that will build back/shoulder/upper body strength. I'm also probably going to buy a fitted lead set next time they offer us a discount, because if I get a vest/skirt combo, the weight is more evenly distributed across the hips and shoulders.

I had a dream right before I woke up that there was some kind of apocalypse (economic, perhaps?), and all the survivors were living in a warehouse-y Costco type store, and fighting over the goods. I found a whole rack of chocolate cakes and was standing guard over them with an axe. Weird...

Also experienced a moment of panic this morning when I put my sweatshirt on backwards. There's something about having your face trapped the wrong direction in a hood that is quite traumatic. 

No pictures this time, sorry.

Careful with that scalpel, Dr.

Because I was sick all weekend, and barely got to enjoy any of the beautiful weather, I was quite excited that the weather forecast for today (my day off) was sunny with a high of 78. Dora and I made plans to hang out, and I thought it would be a perfect day to have a picnic lunch on the beach. And then I woke up, and saw that my plans have been thwarted by this:

A giant cloud which has decided to park its fluffy white self right in the middle of my city, on my day off. I hope the sun comes and burns it away.

On a completely unrelated topic, I think I might be a farmer's market addict. I find myself longing to go the farmer's market, even when I don't need fresh and delicious produce and animal products. I love all the people, with their kids and their dogs and their re-usable canvas bags. I love the vendors with their home-made soap and jewelry, their artisan breads and cheeses and wine; even the hippy vendors with their assortment of colorful bongs. It's so reassuring to know there is a farmer's market a mere 6 blocks from my apartment, and that I can go there any Sunday of the year (rain or shine) and pick up some grass fed ground beef or home-made mozzarella cheese should I find myself in need.

Again, unrelated: For a city that is so 'green' and conscious of its carbon footprint, I've found that Seattle seems to have a curious obsession with disposable toilet seat covers. They reside in almost every bathroom that I've been in here, and I can always hear the tell-tale rustle of the tissue paper seat coming from inside the stall next to me. I've always had a strange relationship with toilet seat covers. Part of me does not want to sit where a stranger has sat/peed/who knows what else on the seat before me, but another part absolutely dreads fumbling with the cover (that will inevitably be too small for the seat and fall in before I can sit down) and trying to get the middle part separated from the seat part, usually ripping the whole thing apart accidentally...all with a full bladder. So in the past, my use of these covers has been pretty inconsistent. I don't recall learning about very many diseases which are transmitted by skin-to-toilet seat contact, but I could be wrong. I don't want to be the person who moved to Seattle and got a raging case of scabies because I didn't use a toilet seat cover. So tell me, what's your opinion, toilet seat covers good or bad and why?

Yesterday at work we did a mock surgery. Four of us scrubbed in and set up the back table and draped the 'patient' and performed the 'surgery' while the other four were circulators and got the room and patient ready and handed supplies to the scrub team. Then we switched. The goal of all this was to help us get comfortable with draping, passing instruments, loading blades and needles, and always having 'surgical conscience' and maintaining the sterility of the field and our tables. Well, I was in the circulator group first, and got to be the patient. It was weird, but relaxing. I was just zoning out behind the drape, while my peers stapled drapes around me and sutured my pants. Then we switched and I got to be the surgeon and demand instruments and make stitches in someone else's pants. The nurse who was watching us got very nervous when I picked up the scalpel and pretending to cut. The scalpel was clearly about 4 inches from the 'patient' and she jumped up and said "okay, enough with the scalpel." I guess I should accept that in the eyes of everyone else in the OR I am incompetent until proven otherwise. I will say, I am so SO thankful for the semester I spent in the OR in Saint Louis. At the time, I felt like an idiot who didn't know how to do anything, and was very insecure when I did do things, and moved really slowly because I was thinking SO much about what I doing and was paralyzed by self-doubt (which was quite frustrating for my preceptor). But I see how much that time helped, because now I do have confidence, and I can do things quickly and carefully, and its less annoying to the people trying to teach me.  Funny how I'm surprised when I look back and see that God did know what he was doing, after all.

Miscellaneous thoughts:

- Have you ever noticed the expression on someone's face right before they yawn? It's one of the grossest facial expressions I think I've ever seen, and I can't figure out why I never noticed that before. It's like they've smelled something disgusting, seen something terrifying, and are listening to the worst sound they've ever heard...all at once.

- Rachel's italics = Jeremy's CAPITALS

The Pictures Are Less Exciting When You Work

So, this week I worked four 10-hour days. It wasn't too bad, although the novelty of riding the bus is wearing off a bit. I have joined the legions of headphones-wearing, don't make eye contact with anyone, ignore anything out of the ordinary people on the bus. Because honestly, it's hard to put up with crazy at the end of a long day. 

As you can see, we are still using air mattresses for furniture, and I'm not happy about it. Our couches are now officially 'late' and Kara's mom is supposed to call and find out why/when we will get them. I just want to sit in comfort on a couch...

This is my trash can full of used tissues. My poor, midwestern immune system finally succumbed to one of the many pacific northwest bacteria/viruses, and I'm pretty sure I have a sinus infection. That was a self-diagnosis, based on my symptoms of: copious amounts of yellow mucus expelled from my nose, aching teeth, tender lymph nodes, and messed-up ear pressure. I started feeling bad on Wednesday night, but went to work anyway on Thursday and Friday. I apologize to any strangers/co-workers who I may have infected, but it's really too early to get behind in my program.

Pardon the extreme loveliness of sick Rachel whose already generously-sized nose is red and swollen from being blown all night long...but here I am with my first paycheck. Nevermind that it's only from the 1st week of orientation, and all of it will be used on rent/utilities. I have never earned this much money at once, and I'm quite excited for subsequent paychecks (which will be twice as much!). I need to buy a little ledger book and make a budget. And rip up the long list titled Things I Want to Buy Once I Have Money, which I compiled while I was bored one day during orientation.

Leave me comments, please!

Winter has descended upon us

First of all, I want to say thank you for everyone who commented, emailed, texted, sent a card, and/or called to wish me a happy birthday. I felt very loved and special on the 24th anniversary of my birth. I did have to work that day, but came home to Kara, Dora, and Christine jumping out yelling 'happy birthday!' followed by some delicious pizza (from the place on a magnet that was stuck to the side of our fridge when we moved in) and a home-made ice-cream cake. Amy came over after dinner, and we had another slumber party in my room. Altogether a fun night.

So, my first week of 'real' work went pretty well. There are 8 of us in the Periop 101 course. Seven girls, one guy, and I'm the youngest of the group. We all seem to get along well so far. Every day is some combination of: sitting at a computer completing modules for the AORN Periop 101 course (there's a post-test at the end of each module that must be passed with an 80% or better, and we'll have to take a final at the end that we also have to pass with an 80%), and sitting in a small, freezing cold classroom in the basement (next to the morgue!) watching videos that were filmed circa 1980 over the same material we completed the modules on. I guess they are trying to drill the information in through repetition. 

We have two educators who I think of as mama ducks (because the 8 of us trail after them everywhere like ducklings). They are funny and sarcastic and supportive and honest...and I'm excited for what's ahead. They don't sugar-coat things, but they also aren't bitter (unlike many nurses who have lots of experience). I already feel like I could come to them with any problems/concerns/whatever, and it's only been a week. 

On Thursday, one of the educators, D, was off that day, and the other educator, J, got sick and needed to go home. So J arranged for each of us to 'shadow' a different nurse in the OR. She told us sternly not to let them make us 'do' anything because we were just there to observe. Having logged 162 clinical hours in an OR in nursing school where I was able to do things, I was not so happy at the idea of observing for 5 1/2 hours. But it wasn't too bad. Aside from the techno/dance dance revolution type music on the surgeon's playlist (when Castles in the Sky came on, I almost couldn't contain the urge to pseudo-dance along), I really enjoyed being back in an OR. And I got to see them cut out a rib bone...kind of awesome.

So on the bus ride home that day, I made friends with this cute little kid. He had to be about 6 or 7 (or a small 8 or 9), and at first I thought he was alone.  I sat down next to him, and had my cell phone out because I was texting someone. He looks at me, with his little fro and his little thug outfit, and asks, "what kind of phone you got?" We talked for the duration of the 10 minute ride, and I found out that he was actually with his friend Germaine (who appeared to be about 10 and was sitting on the opposite side of the bus), and that he wants to work at McDonald's when he grows up. Probably my favorite part of the conversation was when he asked me how old my mom was ("how old she be?"), and I told him, and his eyes got huge (sorry Mom) and he asked "how she get to be that old?." He was kind of great, and I walked off that bus feeling blessed.

Miscellaneous thoughts:

- I'm pretty sure Seattle has a higher than average proportion of crazy people. Like, walking down the street talking to themselves kind of crazy. And I wonder why.

- Post lunch burping inside a surgical mask is really gross. Really, really gross. Especially if you had a banana at lunch. 

- I was helpfully given an acronym to remember the street names downtown. Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Protest: Jefferson, James, Cherry, Columbia, Marion, Madison, Spring, Seneca, University, Union, Pike, and Pine. Those of you coming to visit should try and memorize that, it will be useful.

- The last three days have been cloudy and gray, and I don't feel like throwing myself off the top of a building yet. Hopefully that's a good sign. 

- I think this weekend will include more relaxing than last weekend did. Kara is working all weekend (she's been off since Tuesday), so I will have the place to myself. I'm planning to just be a slug and read some books.

- Found out that I have all holidays off while I'm in the Orientation period, and promptly bought a plane ticket to StL for Thanksgiving. Can't say I'm excited to put up with (and be one of) annoying holiday travelers, but it will be great to see the fam (and Tessa).

- Sorry for the super-excessive use of parenthesis in this post. I will try to do better next time.

Busy Fun Weekend

My title says it all. I find that there's a strange conundrum regarding weekends when you enter the world of the full-time worker...to relax or to play? I guess ideally there would be equal parts of each, but that can be difficult to achieve in practice.

On Saturday, Kara and I slept in till around 9, and it was glorious. We spent some time cleaning the apartment, then I went up to the roof deck to work on my chapters (that I'm almost finished with!). After lunch we headed to Target and a scrub store. That night, Kara was going out for a birthday celebration with a girl we met at orientation who lives by us, and I was planning to hang out with Amy. She caught the bus from her place to mine (it's just one bus ride away, no transfers or anything), and we went out for Thai food at a place in Ballard called Thaiku. We might be Thai food junkies.

Amy and I watched a movie at my place, and tried to stay up and watch SNL (but were bored to sleep...unfortunate that Phelps had some pretty un-funny material with which to showcase his talents). I was able to squeeze a twin air mattress into my bedroom, and we had a slumber party. Poor Amy had three blankets on...because my Seattle air conditioner (aka window fan) brings in down to about 62 degrees at night. But the next morning she said it was a cozy nest, so that was good.

Sunday we got up and went to Bethany Community Church, ab

out a 10 minute drive from my place. I (surprisingly) really enjoyed it. After the service, Amy and I were talking, when somebody behind me exclaimed, "Rachel!" It was my friend Dora's mom. Come to find out, they've been attending the church for 30 years. She told us about a group for healthcare workers and students that is forming up, with the intent of doing some kind of healthcare focused outreach in the community. Amy and I are going to check that out in a couple of weeks. 

After church we went to the Fremont Sunday Market, where lots of vendors sell their craft. I found some very cool stuff, and decided that no one is getting any Christmas presents from a mall this year :)

Here are pictures:

This is a shot of me, Amy, and Kylie from last weekend. Just to prove that they do exist.

This is the canal near the Fremont Market. Amy and I ate slices of stone-oven pizza while sitting on the wall dangling our feet over the side. I really REALLY need to meet someone who has a boat, of any kind.

Entrance to the Market. It's not nearly as crowded/overwhelming as Pike's Place Market.

Me, in the clutches of the troll under the Fremont Bridge. Bonus points to anyone who can name the popular movie containing a scene filmed at the troll.

So the sink in my bathroom had been draining really slowly ever since I moved in. This is what I pulled out of it this morning.

Life on the Bus

- I passed a girl on the street earlier this week who was wearing a big yellow button that said "I'm on the bus." It made me smile and think of my brothers.

- I like riding the bus. I like being part of the throng of workers who flood into the city in the early hours of morning, and then clog all the buses and streets on their way home in the evening. It makes me feel like a productive little worker bee, and gives me a sense of camaraderie with the rest of the swarm. 

- I have a weird-0 magnet when it comes to the bus. One morning, I had the pleasure of sitting next to an elderly lady who alternated between snatching 'nothing' out of the air to put in her mouth, and stroking her long creepy hair. That same day, on the ride home, an older gentleman sat down in front of us and began talking, and didn't stop. He told us how he gets three free months at the hospital because, and I quote, "they mis-diagnosed me for being crazy." Because I could tell that this man was pretty harmless (and had mace in my bag if he wasn't), I utilized all the therapeutic communication skills I could remember from my psych clinical. I was treated to scintillating pontification about everything from politics to soldiers who get STD's because (another direct quote) "they didn't listen when they told 'em to wear a raincoat." He talked all the way to my stop, and I listened, while Kara sat rigidly next to me staring out the window and using every ounce of willpower not to burst out laughing. The encounter provided us with lots of entertainment for the rest of the night.

- Highlights of the week included: going to Pike's Market one afternoon when we got to leave work early; sitting up on the roof deck after work with Kara watching the sun go down and hearing her hilarious poop-related story (that is funnier than my Lego one); and going out for happy hour last night with Dora, Kara, and a girl we met at orientation who will be working on Kara's floor named Christine.

I get a three day weekend now, during which I plan to enjoy the beautiful weather (seriously, if anyone wants to come visit next year, I'm going to suggest late August/early September, but maybe spring is this awesome, too...guess I'll find out!) and figure out the benefits stuff, and get my car licensed :( 

That's it for now. I'll try to put pictures in my next post!

Workin' hard for the money

I have officially been a full-time employee at one of Seattle’s finest medical institutions for two days now. I’ve decided not to disclose the name of said institution, mostly so that when somebody googles _____ Hospital, this blog won’t come up.

Anyway, not a lot to say about work so far. It’s been two days of sitting in an auditorium eating free snacks and drinking free coffee and listening to people talk while earning money! I’m still excited about my job, even after realizing how much of the money I earn will get taken away. Aside from the usual insurance stuff, there’s also a bus pass, union dues (1.5% of my monthly salary), and other stuff I can’t remember right now. So much for the piles of money I’ve been dreaming of. I guess I need to learn how to make and live by a budget.

Also I totally feel unprepared for the world of choosing insurance and a retirement plan. Apparently the insurance is pretty good…not that I would know. And do I really need to pay for long-term disability? And is a pension plan better than a pension plan/403(b) hybrid? Pretty sure I don’t know the first thing about investing money. I’m planning on having an 8-hour long conversation about all this with my mom later this week,  but any advice would be appreciated. 

So I think the mystery of the singing neighbor may be solved. I heard it again today, and walked outside, and it’s definitely the guy next door, who seems like a quiet, unassuming Asian man in his 30’s. But I turned my fan off, and I can definitely hear him alternately coughing and giggling…so I think I can guess what he’s up to.

We're getting more comfortable with the whole bus situation, so that's good. I really, really, REALLY enjoy not having to drive to work. It kind of makes life less stressful. Most favorite thing about the bus: catching glimpses of the water and mountains while riding during sunrise and sunset. Least favorite thing about the bus: having to brace my legs to keep from sliding off the vinyl seats.  

That's all for today.

It's a big one

So, I'm not sure how long I can keep up this posting pace. It helps that I have no job to go to yet, and can fill the days with fun and exploring. Also I'm joining my friend Amy's crusade to get people to visit and see how great the city is, so I have an ulterior motive.

Yesterday Dora, Kara, and I walked down Market street into ‘downtown’ Ballard (area where I live in the city of Seattle). There are lots of cool little restaurants and boutiques and such. We stopped for some deliciousness at Cupcake Royale (http://www.cupcakeroyale.com/), then walked through the botanical garden and saw the Ballard Locks. The locks are where boats move from the Puget Sound out into the ocean. Or maybe where they move from Elliot Bay into the Puget Sound...I'm really not sure. We stood and watched the boats all pull into the lock; ranging from pleasure boats (yachts and such), to hard-core fishing boats. The one closest to where we were standing had been salmon fishing in Alaska for 95 days. Once all the boats were in, they closed the gate/wall and raised the water level about 15 feet, then opened the other gate and let the boats continue on their way. It was pretty cool.

 As we were crossing the water, Dora spotted something black and shiny come out of the water a few hundred feet out (towards the ocean not the sound). We saw a bunch of seagulls swarming and then the large black shiny thing thrashed and splashed for a while longer. I think it’s probably safe to assume that I saw my first Orca today! Pretty exciting.

 We also saw the fish ladder, where salmon make their way back up to the watershed to mate…and then they die, having expended all their energy to get there. Wah, wah, WAH (to the tune of Debbie Downer). The fish we saw through the glass didn’t seem to be making much progress, but I found myself internally rooting for them anyway. Overall it was a very fun day exploring our local area (and finding more places to take visitors). I found a ton of restaurants I want to try, and shops that I’d love to explore more thoroughly.

So that night, my friend Amy called to say she was back in town. She’s been out of town since I got here, so I drove right over to her place (~10 minutes away). It is surreal, and exciting, and wonderful to be living in the same city as her. Our friend Kylie (who was a Segue participant with us, and whom neither of us have seen since it ended) was in town for a wedding and had been staying at Amy’s house. So great to see her and catch up on life. We went out to a Thai restaurant in the heart of the University District (where Amy lives, Go Huskies!)…and over dinner we realized that it was exactly four years to the day that we all met each other. Kind of amazing.

Today was a big day, too. My first ever ride on a Metro bus in Seattle. Kara and I got up really early for our test run in preparation for Monday. We caught the 5:57 bus downtown. It’s a straight shot down to the center of the city, then we have walk two blocks to transfer to a bus that drops us off right in front of the hospital at 6:45. I’m sure it will get old pretty fast (especially in the winter), but I really liked not having to drive, and the chance to walk outside in the morning. Also there aren’t too many weirdos on the bus that early J

 After figuring out where we needed to be on Monday and exploring the area around the hospital (called First Hill), we walked 9 blocks down a huge hill to Pike’s Place Market. It was so cool! Stand after stand of fresh produce, fresh seafood, grains, and other homemade and homegrown products. People hand out samples so you can taste before you buy. I ended up buying: one bag of carrots, a bag of the sweetest juiciest nectarines ever, some chili/chive/onion gouda (which tastes amazing), and some delicious red pepper jelly (to use as a glaze for meats and/or to mix with cream cheese as a cracker spread). I am officially smitten with local markets. It’s great, too, because my bus transfer spot is about a block away from the Market, so I can stop and buy fresh bread and produce for dinner on my way home from work.

 Here are pictures:

Here is a grassy knoll at the Botanical gardens, a mere 15 minute walk from my building. Doesn't it look inviting? It's refreshing to see a grassy knoll that doesn't have a mini-herd of homeless people camped out on it. Okay, that's not entirely true...they mostly make their camps under tall bushes or trees.

Me posing with a cool sculpture at the Ballard Locks. I kind of want to commission a shrunken-down version of these waves, because I think they're awesome.

A persistent salmon, who I have dubbed Sir Sherman the Salmon. I hope he fights valiantly against the current and makes it back to the watershed against all odds. 

One of Seattle's most recognizable signs. This place is famous for a reason people. And that reason is awesomeness.

The fish counter. It was so funny...crowds of people standing around just staring. The guy in the orange fish-pants (or whatever they're called), said "so...does anybody want to buy some fish?" I wonder if they enjoy dealing with hoards of people every day, the majority of whom are not actually interested in buying anything but just want to block the walkway while they snap pictures? I think I would get irritated by that eventually.