A Lesson

After handing out a syllabus at the first day of class and going over all class requirements, I don't think it's appropriate for the teacher to add on an additional requirement.

Our maternity lab instructor put together a fund raiser movie showing that is scheduled for next monday. Anyone taking maternity, she says, is required to attend this movie and discussion.

There are two showings, and one of our classes runs right through both showings (so a total of 33 out of about 97 students would not be able to contribute to the fundraiser). Some classmates told the lab instructor, "OH! We have psych that night! during both times!"

To which she said, "Hm.. I'll email your teacher and ask that you get out early."

GRRR.

This would make my day really long.

Before the requirement was issued, I had already signed up for an OR field experience.

With the movie requirement my Monday will look like this:

6:45 am: be in hospital (which means waking up at 4:45am to get there in time)

11:30am: leave hospital

12:20-2:00pm: class

4:40-7:10pm: class

7:00-9:00pm: movie and discussion

Then I would have TUESDAY'S load to handle (see previous post).

But anyways...yesterday I emailed my professor to say, "I have a course that runs through both showings. How does this affect the requirement?"

She says I won't be penalized for not attending. If it wasn't for my classmates jumping the gun and telling the lab instructor about our class, she wouldn't have begun working on getting us out of our psych class early, and we wouldn't have had to go to the movie.

I wouldn't mind seeing the movie...but not after a long day, only to be followed by an even longer day filled with class and lab. Anyways. done complaining. I really need to study now. sigh.

Where I've Been...

I wish this was a travel post about all the places I've visted lately.

hardly.

squint and you will see that class doesn't end at 6. Monday till 7 and 8 for tuesday. Yes, I'm whining.

That's this semester's crazy hellish class schedule. But Rachel, you say, it's not that bad! You only have one class on Wednesdays and Fridays!

Right...but that's *supposed* to be for field experiences and labs. Again, hardly. labs are everyday. Monday was easy since classes didn't officially start until after 4pm. On Tuesday I started the day with my first lab (O2 therapy) prior to the three classes. Wednesday had a lab before and after class. Today was another lab. As of this moment, I don't have ANY labs tomorrow...that's a blessing. But I will be in the computer lab for about 4 hours to try and finish an out of class assignment.

I think next week I have two labs on Monday...or is that Tuesday? I don't remember...Wednesday night is a field experience and no labs, but I'm sure that will change between now and then. It's crazy!

But not as crazy as this:

What is the deal with the undergrads and sweats?? I don't remember this being a big style at Florida (granted Florida was a bonafide swamp). But sweats and Uggs DO NOT GO.

Neither do sweats and Wellies.

and the kicker: wearing sweats over shorts, and making sure the sweats only cover half the bottom so that everyone knows you're wearing shorts under the sweats (much like the boxers visible under too large shorts/pants)...it's all made worse with uggs or wellies + sweat shirt/hoodie layering combo.

Ok. time to start pharm.

Time for a Change

There was a pre-class discussion with some classmates the other day. There is one in my class who apparantly believes the ridiculous emails that have been going around for the past year and a half about a certain canidate. In SC, I could expect this. xenophobes read things about people that don't look like the 'norm' and believe whatever malicious things are in print, no matter how outlandish. Female canidate running for president? the emails went out about. Man with funny sounding name? the emails went out. Thankfully, there are very few of 'those' people in my class (only one that we know of).

Anyways, after a classmate told me his wife saw A Certain Senator's Wife speak and became fired up (she signed up to be a volunteer that day), and after hearing that the senator himself was coming to a rally in Wilmington, I thought, "Hey, it's either stay at home, study, and read the NYTimes, or do something different."

so I decided it was time for a change.

At 10:15 I was heading up to Wilmington thinking, "I'm going to be late!" At the time I thought it was slightly foolish to be thinking that I was running 'late' to an event where the gates didn't open until 11:30 and the speaker wasn't arriving until 1:15...but still.

Parked the car. walked down the street with a lady I met in the garage, and then, saw. a HUGE line. BLOCKS long line. Fortunately for me, I ran into mentioned classmate, his wife, and her siblings & coworkers. Naturally they were glad I was able to 'find them' and cut in line :)

Once in the square, we found a great spot underneath the senator's center stage (it was a 360 speech). the man would have been able to spit on us. I would have been able to see up his nose.




Fortuantely, (or not), we were asked if we wanted to be on the risers. The RISERS?! YES WE DO! we said.

And so we went on the risers. Calls to the parents & friends were placed...especially since I was under the HA of the CHANGE poster. In other words, I was nearly dead center (my brother and mother/father saw a blurry version of me on CNN).

At about 1:15 I heard, "THERE HE IS!" and honestly started shaking. maybe it was the fact that I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since the early morning. maybe it was because I really had to use the bathroom. Or maybe it was because it was so damn exciting. Yeah, it was the excitement.


I just wanted to get down the risers and say, "TALK TO ME! I want to hear what you are thinking!"

The new camera was fabulous for a point and shoot, and has an incredible zoom. That and the man is incredibly photogenic (this is why I can never run for office).

We saw The Senator speak (and speak he did...for about 45 minutes). It was GREAT. not as great as his Iowa speech (can anything top that?), but great.

I'm still in awe that I went to such a large event, and one that was, to me, incredibly meaningful. A teacher I worked with was nominated four years ago to go to the democratic convention. She came back in awe from seeing the then little known Senator speak.

Never have I participated in a political event, and I hope to participate in more. There's something to be said about those who complain and who fail to do anything. Talking and blogging on little blogs (ie those not read by the mainstream such as this one) are allright, but if you don't take the time get up, get out, and show up, what's talking going to accomplish?

Get up, get out, and show up!

If I learned anything when working with congressmen in SC, it's this: Every bill that's introduced to congress is introduced because a citizen did something. The citizen wrote letters and made phone calls to make that congressman aware of a problem. That citizen can be you.

Which ever way you chose to cast your vote, make sure you do.

Today's Plan

A conversation between me & my father:

Me: Did you hear what I'm doing Sunday?

Father: Yes. That's allright...we all make mistakes.

Me: You're right. We voted for Bush.

Toxic

This is the kind of piano music I really enjoyed playing when I took lessons. Not necessarily the pop turned classical/jazz, but the slow, slinky, sexy jazz. This is what my alter ego looks (sounds) like.

I Miss...

I'm feeling reminiscent right now....here are all the things I miss about Charleston (Modern Marie: take this list to school with you...and wait until you are 21 to hit the bars)

in no order at all....:

1. FRIENDS. Seriously...whether it was drinks on one of the Rooftops, runs in Ion, or twirling on a pole that twirled. Friends made Charleston rock.

2. Basil's Cashew Chicken

3. Basil's Pineapple Cake Martini.

4. Chai's...the place you would go to drink your Pineapple Cake Martini if Basil had a long wait.

5. Oddly enough, Red's Ice House. I miss the idea of being able to have a drink OUTSIDE and not freeze. I don't miss the fact that people brought their own coozies to the bar. Actually, that's an unfair call because I never knew people brought their own coozies to bars until I got friendly with my new neighbors, who apparantly spent a lot more time at Reds. With their own coozies. (sorry I think coozies are a bit on the redneck side)

6. Publix.

7. Whole Foods

8. The bars on Market. Whether it be Purple Tree (which oddly enough did not have any sort of purple trees inside) or Steves. Shoot. That's not the name. clearly the wine has gotten to my head. There is a bar on North Market (and in Mt. P) with a name....anyways. I miss going with friends.

9. Strangely enough, Tommy Condons where there was a 'band' that basically played the same songs every week. And yeah, the 'kid' is only '16.' If that 'kid' is '16', then I drink 3 glasses of milk a day, 1 glass of wine, 8 glassees of water, and eat 5 servings of veggies and 5 servings of fruit. every day. Don't kid yourself. The drinks and music is better than the food. Unless you're wearing shorts and the 'band' sees you. Cassidy, this one is for you.

10. The bridge. yeah, they think it's great...what's great is that you can walk the bridge every day, at any time. Just be sure not to wear shorts that can be blown upwards by the wind. Unless you like doing that sort of thing...

11. Being near a bookstore.

12. King Street. Even if I couldn't afford anything...in particular, Luna luna was my favorite (I thought copper penny was a bit too snooty).

13. The Whale of a Sale put on by the charleston Junior League. I won't tell you what I got, or for how much. Just know that it's worth waiting an hour or two to get in. And remember that the prices arent' set in stone...

14. Family Thrift on Rivers Ave. You might not want to tell your friends about this if they are a bit snooty. It's not in the best of neighborhoods...but yes, real Versace jeans can be found. Along with lots of clothing from Saks.

15. The charleston library sale. Again, worth going. be green and bring your own bag.

16. Did I mention food already?

Cassidy, Frances, Dawn....what am I missing???

Fried

Between school and Verizon FIOS, I haven't had much time for blogging lately. Plus it seems like there's nothing to blog about...unless you want to hear about the Verizon fiasco (still working on it) or the day a classmate completely took off her pants in class to show us where her femoral artery was located. Yes, that's right. comando. As in, Ashley later told me, "I wouldn't have noticed except her underwear was bright green!"

Ahh, the joys of nursing school.

I have one more week of winter session, and then I can begin the official, "one year until graduation" countdown. I should probably hold off on that until I get through spring though.

This week we had two exams, which now that we're at the end of the week, really wasn't that bad. Now we focus on next week, "which is just going to be awful" with the two exams, test out, and two assignments to turn in. Plus I have to watch 6 lectures (3 modules each= 18 lectures) for Friday's test. But it's ok, because by next Friday, I'll say, "Eh, it wasn't so bad"

Last day of winter session is next friday, and hell (aka spring) begins Monday night. Here is a picture of the textbooks I have accumulated for Spring semester. And don't laugh, but there's one more textbook that I need: psych. As in, the psych book that was originally required was RECALLED by the publisher. Maybe the pages contain lead based paint and the previuos nursing students went so crazy as to eat the book.

Yes, that's a ruler leaning against the books. Yes, the ruler has a full 12 inches. I have 15 1/2 " of textbooks...and will still be needing more.

I would have much rather spent my money on something like this: