Patriotic Thoughts by Maxine

  Stole this from RepublicanJen.   Gotta love Maxine!

Garfield is my Hero!

My new plans for this evening since I got canceled...

...what a life ;)

What Kind of American English Do You Speak

Was supposed to work...got canceled...*sigh*...guess i'll just take a quiz (yawn ;).  Found this over at Deb's Frosty Thoughts.

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Your Linguistic Profile:

60% General American English (I must have lived too much in the mid-west, i.e. OK)

25% Dixie  (is that all...I think I've been too long gone from Texas)

5% Midwestern

5% Upper Midwestern

5% Yankee (really?!)

Tuesday Two - Episode 1

How did I miss this one?   Well I found it at Patrick's Place, so go there and leave a link to your answers!

 

One last weekly meme.  Why?  Oh, I don't know...call me a glutton for punishment, I guess.

The concept for this one is one is pretty simple:  there is one topic, two different questions, but you pick the one you want to answer and answer only that one. 

Sounds easy enough, right?

Well, let's have a go of it, shall we?


THIS WEEK'S TOPIC:    AGE

QUESTION A:
When you were in high school, if you could have picked any age to jump to and stay that age forever, which would you have picked and why?

or

QUESTION B:
Do you feel your present age now?  In other words, do you feel that you are younger, older or right at your actual age emotionally and physically, and why?

I pick A:  I wanted to be 18….that meant I got to be out of the house, independent, on my own!  And I could stay young forever.  Okay, that only worked until they changed the legal drinking age to 19, so then I wanted to be 19 forever.  Today….I’ll pick 25.  But the really funny thing is that when I turned 25 I was really depressed and cried a lot.  Why?  Because someone thought they were being funny and told me “You’re a quarter of a century old now!”.  Oh to be “a quarter” again!  Ha!!  Life was so much simpler when I was young and naive. ;)

Okay...I was just reminded by the mere presence of my 12yr old daughter, who was born on my birthday, that now all of the birthdays are hers, thereby rendering me 29 forever.  Yipee!!

With a Rebel Yell

 

Update on my entry from the other night about work.  Its seems that the ER Nurse Director absolutely does not want me working in the ER with David (she hates him), so the hospital called my agency yesterday morning and made me a DNR (Do Not Return).  Now wait a minute!  That affects my reputation.  This hospital is the basically the only place I have worked since we moved to AZ and if they are making me a DNR it does not reflect very well on me and my abilities.  My agency jumped on that and said that wasn’t right and that they had better have write-ups and send it to them.  They told the hospital that they had never received any complaints about me; to the contrary they received nothing but compliments.  So to make me a DNR was plain slanderous.

 

Oh…the hospital backtracked a little on that issue and just said they couldn’t let David & I work together anymore.  Well, whatever that means.  They have nothing but made up lies.  No one has ever counseled David or me…. ever.  My agency said that it sounded to them like pure jealousy and hatred, and none of it had any merit.  But…. damage done and I guess I am out of there.  Course I am upset, but what can I do?  I am not an employee of the hospital.  All I can do is move on, unless of course they spread slanderous lies about me.

 

David was very upset and told the ER Medical Director that the hospital was slandering me and that we were thinking about legal action.  He was like…”hold on, all is not said and done on this issue yet”.  We’ll see.  I still don’t believe they will let us work together again.

 

So…tomorrow & Friday I go and try out a new ER.  It is a trauma center.  Here’s hoping that I have a better experience than I did at the last one I tried out.  I’m going to go in with a positive attitude and just do my job.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

 

Wish me luck!!

Obstacles

"Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have."  -- Norman Vincent Peale, Pastor, Speaker and Author

Hmmmm....I think I will! ;)

 

I Keep Getting Hit in the Head

"Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith."  -- Steve Jobs, Apple Computer

One of the best things about moving out here to AZ was that David and I have finally gotten to work together again.  Some people may not understand that, but we really love working together and we really work well together.  Well the phone call I got today may change all that.

I got a call about 5:00pm today telling me my shift was canceled, as I suspected it would be because I was the "extra" person.  But the other little tidbit was a huge surprise.  My agency informed me that the hospital I've been working at said I needed to rearrange my schedule because David & I would no longer be allowed to work together.  Whoa!  What the hell just happened?  They knew nothing and suggested I call the hospital, which I promptly did.  The girl in staffing said she didn't know what happened just that she was told to relay that message and that I should call the Nurse Director who was in the ER right then.  So, that I did.

She (I'll call her W) answers and I'm like "What's the deal?".  W informs me that there was an incident the other night and a patient made a complaint that we were arguing, and that it was not the first complaint regarding that fact.  Another thing W said was that David tends to come to my defense because we are married.  Okay...that's a crime?  But I'm still confused here so I say "What arguement?  David & I have never had an arguement the entire time we've worked together".  Well, W informs me, that is not the case, and she now has enough complaints to stop this, and that we should have never been allowed to work together in the first place, and if she had known we were married it would have never been allowed. 

Okay, now back up a minute.  I tell W that "I have been honest with you from Day #1 about David & I being married and nobody had a problem with it, including the ER Medical Director."  So W says "Well, I didn't know about it for 2weeks".  And my question back was "So if you had a problem with this why have you continued to allow us to work together for the last 7months?"  No good answer except that it hasn't been a problem, but now it is.

Okay...back to the arguement that David & I supposedly had.  I'm like "We didn't, nor have we ever had an arguement at work".  She like "well that is not what the patient said".  I told W that we had a disagreement because he jumped ahead of me and put in an EJ (external jugular) IV when I didn't have everything together and then got upset because we lost the vein.  But he wasn't mad at me and we didn't yell.  I told W that what I said to him was something that I would have said to any doctor.  It was not a fight, and we did not raise our voices.  Well...W says, that is not the report that I got.  Well, I say, you got wrong information.

So I'm like what else?  What other incident.  So W brings up this incident from 2months ago when I got into a fight with a surgeon in the ER.  He was inappropriate, rude, yelled at me, and called me a "stupid idiot little nurse!".  Okay....I yelled back.  The guy then physically came after me.  Then, and only then, did David step in and try to stop this other doctor.  Well, I'll back up, he had already tried to calm him down by telling him we were working as fast as we could, but I guess that didn't work.  I told W that David would have come to the defense of any of the nurses had this surgeon treated them the same way.  Well, it is perceived differently because we are married, W informs me.  Oh well, of course, how silly of me.

So basically you are telling me that because we are married we are held to a different standard, and that it is not okay for my husband to defend me, and it's not okay if we have a disagreement.  Bullshit!

David made a few phone calls before he went to work angry and upset.  He got off one phone call and said "I can't believe you told that patient we were married!".  I'm like "Whoa!  I did not!  I hardly had anything to do with her as I was working in triage and just brought her back and tried to get everything started as she was a chest pain with a significant cardiac history.  I never told her we were married, and she never asked me!"  Well...nowI know where the source of that information.  The nurse who took over and took care of that patient for the remainder of the night.  Pretty interesting cause she's like all buddy-buddy to David cause they used to work together in Muskogee.  I told David from the beginning there was something about her I couldn't trust and that he shouldn't either.  Well, Nurse B better watch her back is all I can say cause what goes around, comes around.  Not that I'm plotting revenge, but I've been around long enough to know that God evens up the score.

Another thing she brought up was an issue that David had with one of the FastTrack techs.  “How is that my problem?  I wasn’t even in the room at the time…I was in triage.  How does that involve me?”  No good answer on that one…just that W is “sure there is more to it.”  Really?  What?  If I’m not even in the room when the disagreement took place between two people, the subject didn’t concern me nor was it about me, how is that my fault?  W says “I’m looking into that”.  Well, you go ahead.  I knew this girl was going to complain though, she has a strong history of writing up PA’s and doctors when she feels she is in the right.  Now, just where is it that she gets all her medical training as she is going to school for criminal justice or something like that?  Makes you go hmmmm…

 

I found out after David went to work that the nurse for the FastTrack also made a complaint about us working together.  States that David went to FastTrack one night several weeks ago to look at little girl who had shoved a rubber band up her nose and that he was “inappropriate”.  Okay.  So I ask W again “How does that involve me?”  She said that this nurse stated that I went with him and escalated the situation.  What situation?  I wasn’t down there!  How is that escalating a situation…. and what was the situation.  I don’t even know if I was working that night cause I don’t distinctly remember the patient.  But if she was sent to FastTrack, I wouldn’t because I don’t work down there and it is down the hall from the ER.  The FastTrack nurse is difficult to work with, lazier then hell, and has been denied the renewal of his contract because of his incompetence.  He has been asked to help out when we were literally slammed and refused to come off his hour dinner break…which by the way is only supposed to be 30minutes if you are lucky enough to get one.  He was inappropriate with me on more than one occasion and finally David had enough of it and told him to stop his crude comments.  The next day he was like “I didn’t know that you and Dr were married?!”  So….that’s your excuse for being crude with me?  If you had known my husband was around you wouldn’t have said those nasty remarks and sexually harassed me?  Yeah, I thought so.  I don’t think much of him either.  So basically this is his comeback…making up a lie to “get even” with David calling him on being nasty to me.  Whatever.  I was going to make a formal complaint but David talked me out of it saying “I’ll take care of it quietly”.  Now I realize that was not the best approach with this guy.

 

So tell me again why David and I can’t work together?  W was like “I’ll check a little more into it and get back with you tomorrow.  How can I reach you?”  By telephone…isn’t that the most common way?  Basically this is bullshitting right down the middle cause she is not going to change her mind.  She doesn’t like David and has been looking for an excuse.  If there were legitimate incidences where there was cause for concern it would have been addressed long ago.  Fact is there are no legitimate issues.  But…I doubt we will be allowed to work together, and that really sucks!

 

The Journal Jar - Question 94

Leave links to your answers at Promise's The Journal Jar.

Describe your yard as a child.  Did you help with yard work?

Well....this should be relatively easy.  My first memory of our yard was when we lived in Chapel Hill, TX (right outside of Tyler) and we had a small farm.  Grew tons of stuff and had a dog named Butch.  I can very distinctly remember running through the corn rows that towered above me.  I think I must have been about 3 or 4.

Then in 1969, when I was 5, we moved to Tyler, TX and the house my Dad still lives in.  We have 3acres of land with the house sitting in the middle.  The front yard was landscaped with roses, pine trees, magnolias, and crepe myrtles.  The back yard slowly sloped up to boarder the woods.  We had a huge garden.  At the back edge of our property we had some pretty huge trees and took advantage of their presence by eagerly climbing them.  Once a limb broke and I fell.  To this day I can't believe all I broke was a finger.

My Dad had this huge tractor to mow the yard.  Being a tractor it didn't have a bagger.  Depending on how high the grass was at the time, depended on if we kids had to rake it up.  We did have to rake and gather leaves in the fall.  We also helped out in the garden quite a bit, plus we each had our own little "patch" we were supposed to take care of by ourselves.  My Mom would dump the scraps from dinner at the back edge of our lot and I used to love watching the fox come up and grab something to eat.  We used to wander through the woods and had our own private retreat under our "special tree".  One time we were being mischievous and trecked through the woods to the watermelon patch neighboring the woods and stole a watermelon.  We thought this was such a great idea we did it again...but God must have been getting onto us cause the next time we got lost.  We never stole anymore watermelons after that!

In 1980 we got a pool!  We each had to take turns cleaning the darn thing.  Hard to do before the days of the automatic cleaning devices that are available today.

I love our house and definitely as a kid...the yard was cool, cool, cool!

 

Oooooo I've been looking for a new diet plan!

 

Code Blue

I think I should clarify some issues from my previous entry entitled "Charge, Clear, Shock".  When I said that we coded this Patient for 2hrs and that brain damage is believed to begin at 4-6minutes without proper oxygenation and tissue perfusion, I should have made it clear that proper CPR can provide these two important elements.  My dismay was that we had conficting stories about how long this guy was down BEFORE CPR was initiated.  One story was that the wife found him face down and didn't know how long he had been lying there and first called a family member who is a nurse, then called 911.  Another story had the family member at the scene performing CPR.  At any rate, CPR was administered upon EMS arrival 6minutes after the 911 call was placed.

Proper CPR and an AED (automated electric defibulator) are lifesaving procedures.  And CPR alone initiated immediately can save more lives than not.  Sometimes all it takes to save a life is to clear someones airway, and that sometimes can be as simple as repositioning.

David is the BEST ER doctor I have worked with, bar none.  And, this opinion was made long before we dated and married.  I continue to hold this opinion after working with well over 50 doctors during my career.  If this man did not have a hope in the world of being saved, David would have called the code way before he did.  We've both seen patients pull through and live when it seemed impossible for this to happen.

When we got this patient and he was in astoyle, we immediately paced and shocked, administered cardiac drugs and got a blood pressure and viable rhythm.  So.....we had to keep trying.  I think this man wanted us to because he had sustained cardiac output for most of the 90minutes we coded him in the ER.  It just wasn't enough probably due to heart damage sustained by a prior MI and the current one that put him in arrest.  But....we always have to try!

I hope this makes everyone feel better.  I know after sitting back a few days I can say I feel better.  Sometimes it just gets to you, though!

Sunday Seven - Epidode 4

 

Don't forget to leave links to your answers at Patrick's Place!

 

Last week's question focused on television shows you wouldn't want to be stranded without.  I'd hate for the silver screen to get jealous of the small screen, so I thought I'd devote this question to something about movies.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Of the movies in your current DVD or VHS collection, name seven (in no particular order) that you have watched enough times to make your friends suspect that there might be something wrong with you but that you can't imagine not watching again.

1. When Harry Met Sally
2. While You Were Sleeping
3. Sleepless in Seattle
4. The Breakfast Club
5. The Princess Bride
6. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
7. My Fair Lady

             And of course I could go on and on!

My Plans For Today :)

 

Saturday Six - Episode 76

Leave links to your answer at Patrick's Place:

 

Here we are, up and running with the Spirit of 76...76 editions of the "Saturday Six," that is.

1. Of the following, which one best describes you at your worst?  (You can't select "None of the above!")
    a. One who doesn't finish what he/she starts
    b. One who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk
    c. One who always finds the worst in a situation
    d. One who generally knows what's right but does what's wrong

Very difficult to choose.  I can easily pick A occasionally, and C when I'm really stressed and depressed.

2. Not counting shows like Saturday morning cartoons designed specifically for kids, what single show that you grew up watching religiously is now the one you most hate to sit through?  Full House.  I can't believe how sappy that show was, and how successful.  I also can't believe I used to watch it religiously.

3. Have you ever been so angry with a company that you swore you'd never do business with them again?  If so, did you keep that promise?  Yeah...Sears.  I haven't darkened their doors in forever.  And this was after I worked for them for 5years.

4. Take this quiz:  Are you psychic?

You Are 60% Psychic
You are pretty psychic.
While you aren't Miss Cleo, you've got a little ESP going on.
And although you're sometimes off on your predictions...
You're more often right than wrong
So go with your instincts - you know more than you think

5. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #68 from Lily: What's the longest you've talked on the phone in a single phone call, and who were you talking to?  Oh this one is easy.  It goes back to my junior high days when my bestest friend, Anne, lived across the street from me.  We would talk all hours.  One night we talked and talked and ran out of things to talk about so she had me reading names to her out of the phone book (pitiful I know).  Well we both fell asleep and I woke up the next morning going "Anne...Anne...you there"  And there she was going "yeah...what was the last name you read me"  LOL  So I guess my answer is "all night long".

6. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #69 from Betty:   (She recently returned from a trip to Las Vegas!)  How do you feel about gambling?  I agree with Patrick.  Viewed as entertainment and done in moderation, gambling is harmless.  It is the excess that leads to trouble.

Charge, Clear, Shock

The following statement should tell you how the end of my shift went this morning. 

*Your idea of a good time is a full arrest at shift change

Approximately 0635:  Full Code - Cardiac/Respiratory Arrest.  Unknown length of time down; 60yr old male, Hx of Diabeties, Hypertension, MI (myocardial infarction - heart attack).  Chest Pain x2-3 days.  Began driving to another state yesterday to see his doctor, but felt so bad turned around and came back.  Didn't ever see a doctor until 0635 this morning.  Not the best time for him to have an initial evaluation - flat on his back, no rhythm (astoyle - flat line), CPR in progress, itubated with bagged respirations.  Eyes fixed and dilated.  Blue from the chest up - smurf.

Time down before CPR initiated: Unknown

Time from 911 call to first responder at scene: 6minutes.

Time from initial response to ER presentation: 20minutes.

Time spent in ER trying to revive patient: 90minutes.

Time when you believe a “supreme being consult” is your patient’s only hope: 5minutes from ER arrival.

What do you do?  David and I argued over the amount of time and effort put into this code.  I'm like "from time patient found until code ended was 2hrs - don't ever code me that long!"  He's like "I had to try, you never know if you can save that person.  And by trying we learn what we can do better in the next code and hopefully save that person.  It's not the amount of time, it's the effort that counts".  Good point, it really is, it just makes me uncomfortable.  I can see myself lying there sometimes.  But...

...what is your opinion?  How long would you want us to code you or your loved one?  Think about your answer considering that brain damage is believed to begin at 4minutes-6minutes without proper oxygenation and cardiac perfusion.  I am very interested in your honest opinion.

In the meantime...become informed, become trained, so that you will know what to do in case a loved once needs your help.  Check out the American Red Cross or The American Heart Association for more information.

Kids...you have it soooooo easy

OMG....this is sooo freakin funny! My husband sent this to me.  ROTFLMAO!!!

This is hilarious!!!  Warning....PG13!


If you are 30 or older you will think this is hilarious!

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning... uphill both ways through year 'round blizzards ... carrying their younger siblings on their backs... to their one-room schoolhouse, where they maintained a Straight-A average despite their full-time, after-school job at the local textile mill... where they worked for 35 cents an hour just to help keep their family from starving to death!

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids ... about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But...

Now that I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The Internet ...we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up urselves!

There was no email! We had to actually write somebody a letter....with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in
the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!

There were no MP3s or Napsters! You wanted to steal music, you had to go to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself! Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ'd usually talk over the beginning and f@#* it all up!

You want to hear about hardship? You couldn't just download porn! You had to bribe some homeless dude to buy you a copy of "Hustler" at the  7- 11! Those were your options!

We didn't have fancy shit like Call Waiting! If ! you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal! And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your boss, your mom, a collections agent, your drug dealer, you didn't know!!! You just had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

We didn't have any fancy Sony Play station video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like Space Invaders" and "Asteroids" and the graphics sucked ass! Your guy was a little square! You had to use your imagination! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen forever! And you could never win, the game just kept getting harder and faster until you died! ... Just like LIFE!

When you went to the movie theater there no such thing as stadium seating! All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy sat in front of you and you couldn't see you were just screwed!

Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 20 channels and there was no onscreen menu and no remote control! You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel and there was no Cartoon Network!

You could only get cartoons on Saturday morning... D'ya hear what I'm Saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK, you spoiled little bastards!

We didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up... we had to use the stove ... imagine that! If we wanted popcorn... we had to use that stupid jiffy pop and shake it over the stove like an idiot forever.

That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy.  You're spoiled, you guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!

Sunday Seven (On Monday) - Episode 3

 

I recently saw a meme elsewhere in the blogosphere asking people to name what they considered to be the ten most important television series of all-time.  The question that I read didn't ask specifically for their ten favorites, just the ten they thought were the best. 

(Sometimes we can acknowledge a show is a great show even if it isn't our cup of tea.)

That got me thinking about this week's "Sunday Seven" question.  

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
You will be locked in a tape vault for six months and you can only have seven choices of television programs to watch.  Name the seven shows -- present or past -- that you'd want to make sure were accessible by your remote control.   Don't worry about listing them in any particular order...just pick seven you wouldn't want to be without for six months.

1. Law & Order: SVU
2. CSI (Original - Las Vegas)
3. 24
4. Court TV
5. House MD
6. Grey’s Anatomy
7. Discovery Channels

 

Saturday Six (On Sunday) - Episode 75

  If this were years instead of weeks, the 75th edition of the "Saturday Six" would celebrate its Diamond Jubilee.  Since I'm pretty sure that no one is sending me a bunch of diamonds to celebrate the 75th edition of this weekly meme, I'll just move on after a quick thanks to those who play week after week.


1. When is the last time you took a vacation and went basically nowhere?  Was it as relaxing as previous vacations where you have actually planned a trip?  July 4th.  We were supposed to go to my Dad's in TX but airfare was too expensive, and we had just returned from Dallas the month before.  Didn't do much except watch fireworks from the top of a parking garage at Phoenix airport.  Not as much fun.  But on the flip side I did do a lot of sitting around doing nothing!

2. Take this quiz:  Which historical lunatic are you?  You are Gaius Caesar Germanicus - better known as Caligula! Third Emperor of Rome and ruler of one of the most powerful empires of all time, your common name means "little boots". Although you only reigned for four years, brief even by Roman standards, you still managed to garner a reputation as a cruel, extravagant and downright insane despot. Your father died in suspicious circumstances, you were not the intended heir, and one of your first acts as Emperor was to force the suicide of your father-in-law. Your sister Drusilla died that same year; faced with allegations that your relationship with her had been incestuous, you responded, bafflingly, by declaring her a god.   You revived a number of unpopular traditions, including auctions of properties left over from public shows. When a senator fell asleep at one such auction, you took each of his nods as bids, selling him 13 gladiators for a vast sum. You attempted to have your horse, Incitatus, made into a consul and hence one of the most powerful figures in Rome. It was granted a marble stable with jewels and a staff of servants. At one point you forced your comrade Macro to kill himself - in much the same vein as your father-in-law - accusing him of being his wife's pimp. You, of course, were having an affair with said wife at the time.   Things went from bad to worse. When supplies of condemned men ran short in the circus, you had innocent spectators dragged into the arena with the lions to fill their place. You claimed mastery of the sea by walking across a three-mile bridge of boats in the Bay of Naples; kissed the necks of your lovers, whispering sweet nothings like "This lovely neck will be chopped as soon as I say so,"; dallied with your sister's lover and made her pull her unborn child out of her womb prematurely. Towards the end of your reign, you had a golden statue of yourself made and dressed each day in the same clothes you yourself wore. When you eventually died, the terrified people of Rome refused to believe that such a cruel reign could ever end, and believed you to be alive for years afterwards.

  Well....okay then.

3. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #64 from Jaymi:   What is your favorite book from childhood and why?  Cinderella.  I was always dreaming of my prince to come and rescue me.  He finally did...I love you David!

4. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #65 from Hannah:  What book character do you most identify with and why?  Hannah, my darling daughter...you are hurting my brain.  I'm gonna have to think about this one for a little while.

5. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #66 from Holly:  What do you think is an appropriate gift to a party?  What do you consider a quality Christmas gift from an acquaintance to a party or get together, a friend, and a GREAT friend?  I'm gonna have to agree with Patrick and say a bottle of wine.

6. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #67 from Judi:  If you had to make a choice for the rest of your life between food and sex, which would you choose, provided the following conditions: If you chose sex, you would never feel hungry, but just wouldn't be able to enjoy a nice meal or the tastes of good food or drink; if you chose food, you would no longer have the physical intimacy and pleasure, but you still wouldn't feel deprived of it.  In other words, whichever one you choose to give up will be a series of pleasures you'll never be able to experience firsthand again.  Okay....toughy.  Hmmm.....food if it doesn't make me gain weight.  I've had some very intimate meals and then there is chocolate....need I say more?!  I would choose sex if the food made me gain weight because then I would at least being participating in some aerobic activity...LOL!

Educational Thought For The Day

My Uncle Fred forwarded this to me.  Finally, blame is put where it belongs...

Woulda, coulda, shoulda …

Maybe Bush is not such a failure after all.
‑fad‑

NewsMax.com

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/9/15/123648.shtml

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005 12:35 p.m. EDT <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"

Kathleen Blanco: I Should Have Called the Military

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco's abrupt decision Wednesday night to take responsibility for her state's inadequate response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster followed an inadvertent confession that was caught on camera where Blanco admitted she blew it.

"I really should have called for the military," Blanco said, while chatting with her press secretary in between TV interviews. "I really should have started that in the first call."

Unbeknownst to Blanco, her bombshell acknowledgment was recorded on a network satellite feed, and by Tuesday the clip was getting wide exposure in Louisiana news broadcasts.

In the early days of the Katrina crisis, disaster management experts repeatedly blamed the failure to send in the National Guard for the city's descent into chaos.

Most observers blamed the White House for the blunder - a misconception that was thoroughly dispelled by the governor's inadvertent confession.

Some say Blanco's blooper was responsible for the abrupt change of tone in her speech Wednesday night to the Louisiana legislature.

Where earlier she and her aides had openly blamed the Bush administration for bungling Katrina rescue efforts, Blanco announced: "The buck stops here, and as your governor, I take full responsibility."

Just as surprising were Blanco's words of praise for the White House: "I want the people of Louisiana to know that we have a friend and a partner in President George W. Bush. I thank you, Mr. President."

What American City Are You

Got this from Hannah, but I think I did this for Lily and got a different answer.  LOL....I guess I change with the wind!  Ha!

Which US City are you?

Cleveland
You are blue collar and Rock n Roll. You Work hard and party harder.

The Lord's Prayer

I found this over at Kathy's One Summer's Day.  I liked it a lot and thought I would copy it.  Reminds me (uncomfortably so) that I need to get straight with God about more than a few things myself.

Rather cleverly done.   This is in two parts,
The Prayer and GOD in response.

It is very, very good.

**********

Our Father Who Art In Heaven.
Yes?
Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
But -- you called ME!
Called you?
No, I didn't call you.
I'm praying.
Our Father who art! in Heaven.
There -- you did it again!
Did what?
Called ME.
You said, "Our Father who art in Heaven"
Well, here I am.
What's on your mind?
But I didn't mean anything by it.
I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day.
I always say the Lord's Prayer.
It makes me feel good, kind of like fulfilling a duty.
Well, all right.  Go on.
Okay, Hallowed be thy name.
Hold it right there.
What do you mean by that?
By what?
By "Hallowed be thy name"?
It means, it means . . good grief,
I don't know what it means.
How in the world should I know?
It's just a part of the prayer.
By the way, what does it mean?
It means honoured, holy and wonderful.
Hey, that makes sense.
I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before.
Thanks.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Do you really mean that?
Sure, why not?
What are you doing about it?
Doing? Why, nothing, I guess.
I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control,
of everything down here like you have up there.
We're! kinda in a mess down here you know.
Yes, I know; but, have I got control of you?
Well, I go to church.
That isn't what I asked you.
What about your bad temper?
You've really got a problem there, you know.
And then there's the way you spend your money --
all on yourself.
And what about the kind of books you read?
Now hold on just a minute!
Stop picking on me!
I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!
Excuse ME.
I thought you were praying for my will to be done.
If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones
who are praying for it.
Like you -- for example.
Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups.
Now that you mention it,
I could probably name some others.
So could I.
I haven't thought about it very much until now,
butI really would like to cut out some of those things.
I would like to, you know, be really free.
Good.
Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together -- You and ME.
I'm proud of You.
Look, Lord, if you don't mind, I need to finish up here.
This is taking a lot longer than it usually does.
Give us this day, our daily bread.
You need to cut out the bread. You're overweight as it is.
Hey, wait a minute! What is this?
Here I was doing my religious duty,
and all of a sudden you break in
and remind me of all my hang-ups.
Praying is a dangerous thing.
You just might get what you ask for.
Remember, you called ME -- and here I am.
It's too late to stop now.
Keep praying.  ( . . pause . . )
Well, go on.
I'm scared to.
Scared? Of what?
I know what you'll say.
Try ME.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
What about Ann?
See? I knew it!
I knew you would bring her up!
Why, Lord, she's told lies aboutme, spread stories.
She never paid back the money she owes me.
I've sworn to get even with her!
But -- your prayer --
What about your prayer?
I didn't -- mean it.
Well, at least you're honest.
But, it's quite a load carrying around all that bitterness
and resentment isn't it?
Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with her.
Boy, have I got some plans for her.
She'll wish she had never been born.
No, you won't feel any better. You'll feel worse.
Revenge isn't sweet. You know how unhappy you are --
Well, I can change that.
You can? How?
Forgive Ann. Then, I'll forgive you;
And the hate and the sin, will be Ann's problem -- not yours.
You will have settled the problem as far as you are concerned.
Oh, you know, you're right.
You always are.
And more than I want revenge,
I want to be right with You . (sigh).
All right, alright ...
I forgive her.
There now!  Wonderful!  How do you feel?
Hmmmm. Well, not bad.
Not bad at all!
In fact, I feel pretty great!
You know, I don't think I'll go to bed uptight tonight.
I haven't been getting much rest, you know.
Yeah, I know.
But, you're not through with your prayer are you? Go on.
Oh, all right.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Good! Good! I'll do that.  Just don't put yourself in a place
where you can be tempted.
What do you mean by that?
You know what I mean.
Yeah. I know.
Okay. Go ahead. Finish your prayer.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever.  Amen.
Do you know what would bring me glory --
What would really make me happy?
No, but I'd like to know.
I want to please you now.
I've really made a mess of things.
I want to truly follow you.
I can see now how great that would be.
So, tell me . . .How do I make you happy?
YOU just did...

                                                                   Author Unknown

 

What Horror Move Are You?

Another fun quiz from Patrick

Take the quiz: "Which Horror Movie Are You?"

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
You are very blunt and like being the centre of attention. You want people to know you're there - you like making show stopping entrances - and you don't care what people think about you. You're outspoken, you're often times, more than not, narsicistic, and you will never fade. People will always remember you.

Really?!!!  I don't think so....do you?

 

What's in a name?

Found this over at Patrick's Place: 

What does your name mean?  Click here to find out.

Mary (okay...I'm only admitting this is my first name because I was curious as to what it meant)  Bitter : Hebrew...You are charming, talented and have a very positive attitude to life so it is hardly surprising that you attract success and recognition. Focussed and patient you understand that material rewards are a result of discipline. Being so creative and with a need for self-expression you may be drawn towards the arts, travel is also likely to be important. A loyal friend, you are a person who must be allowed freedom and independence

DeLana   You have leadership ability and with your power of expression can be an influential speaker. Organization or management would suit you. Your energy, intellect and creativity overcome any challenging situations and assure your future success. Certainly with your emotions under control there is nothing which you cannot achieve. Your faith and vitality means that love and prosperity are naturally attracted to you.

I guess you could say I am easily a good combination of the two.

Tagged

Lily originally tagged me to do this one, so I figured I'd better give it a shot.  Then I saw Patrick joined in and thought, why not!  Ha!

 
Seven Things I Plan To Do Before I Die:
1. Get back to Church on a regular basis (very soon!)
2. See my children grow up to be successful, well balanced adults
3. Grow old gracefully with my husband
4. Get in shape so I can do #2 & #3
5. Beat anxiety about flying and see the world.
6. Become more organized
7. Make a million dollars all at one time so I can retire and not depend on anyone else to take care of me.

Seven Things I Can Do:
1. Save your life.
2. Be a good wife/mother/sister/daughter.
3. Be a good friend & like you for who you are.
4. Type really fast (but not as fast as I used to)
5. Not care if you aren't politically correct.
6. Listen (most of the time).
7. Surf the internet.

Seven Things I Cannot Do:
1. Be happy without my husband and family.
2. Speak Spanish.
3. Figure out how a computer is really supposed to work w/o cussing.
4. Tolerate intolerance, rudness, ignorance, laziness, people who lie and who "work the system", and left-wing Dems (oh wait...isn't that the same?).
5. Fix my car.
6. Tolerate people who blame the President for every little thing that goes wrong in the world.
7. Lose weight.

Seven Things That Attract Me To The Opposite Sex:
1. Eyes - the mirror to the soul.
2. Honesty.
3. Loyalty.
4. Compassion.
5. Inner beauty (okay....physical too)
6. Love me and my children.
7. Hard work ethic.

Seven Things I Say Most Often:
1. "Hey"
2. "I love you" (to my family).
3. "Everyone just throws their shit on my desk!"
4. "You don't need to get me that right now/do that right now" (to my husband).
5. "I need to get my windows tinted" (because of the hot AZ sun).
6. "Hannah you have to clean your room today...and do 4hours of school."
7. "Caleb Marc Brown!"

Seven Celebrity Crushes:
Honestly, I don't really do celebrity crushes because I'm in love with my husband.  I can give it a try for celebrities who I admire though...1. Johnny Depp   2. Sean Connery   3. Paul Newman   4. Mel Gibson   5. Vin Diesel   6. Lance Armstrong   7.  Andre Agassi.

Seven people I want to do this:
Anyone who wants to!

Sunday Seven - Episode 2

Post links to your answers at Patrick's Place!

Television lost an icon this past week with the passing of Bob Denver.  Denver, 70, died in North Carolina following complications of cancer treatment.  His co-stars describe him as a gentle intellect off-camera, but on the small screen he will always be associated with two less-than-intellectual roles: Maynard G. Krebs, the beatnik friend of the title character in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" and the bumbling Willie Gilligan from "Gilligan's Island."

Since there were seven main characters who left for that infamous three-hour cruise, I thought the show could make a good question for the "Sunday Seven" as we say farewell to the island's most famous resident.

For those who don't remember, here are the characters from the show.  (And if you don't remember them, shame on you!)

    Jonas Grumby, the Skipper
    Willie Gilligan, his First Mate
    Thurston Howell III, the Millionaire
    Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell, his Wife
    Ginger Grant, the Movie Star
    Roy Hinkley, the Professor
    Mary Anne Summers, the Farm Girl

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
You have to be stuck on a deserted island with the seven castaways.  Who would you most like to have as your immediate neighbors?  Rank the seven castaways with one being the person you'd most like to have as a neighbor and seven being the person you'd least like to have nearby.

1.  Roy Hinkley, the Professor - because he is the go-to know-it guy, the one with the brains.

2.  Jonas Grumby, the Skipper - because he knows about boats and could hopefully pair up with the Professor and get me off the island.

3.  Willie Gilligan, his First Mate - Not much for brains, but a willingness to help out and to work, and he ought to know a little about sailing (here's hoping).  Plus just an all-around nice guy.

4.  Mary Anne Summers, the Farm Girl - a smart girl with a mind of her own, not afraid of hard work.

5.  Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell, his Wife - a smarter-than-she-looks female with a kind heart for the most part, but too easily pursuaded by her husband.

6.  Ginger Grant, the Movie Star - not a brain cell in site, but sure does add "beauty" to the scenery.

7.  Thurston Howell III, the Millionaire - selfish, spoiled rich guy who only sometimes thinks of his wife and never thinks of the other "little people".  Could be useful only if he could be persuaded to pitch in with some muscle.  Ha - as if! 
     

Saturday Six - Episode 74

Don't forget to leave links to your answers at Patrick's Place!

1. You find out that you have to appear on a daytime talk show.  It doesn't matter whose show you choose, but you must appear on one.  Which show would you pick and why?  I think I would have to agree with Patrick on this one and say Dr. Phil.  He is a good 'ole Texas boy and shoots straight from the hip.  Otherwise, he tells it like it is.  I like that.  You know exactly where you stand.

2. Have you ever joined an online dating or penpal site?  If so, have you kept in touch with anyone that you met there; if not, have you ever thought about joining up?  Nope to each question.

3. Who was the last person you promised you'd keep in touch with following a move or job change?  Have you kept in touch?  Lena from Sumter, SC.  I did keep in touch for a little while...but that only lasted a few months.  She was my only friend while I was there for six months.  Now I feel bad...should try and find her.

4. Take this quiz:  What pizza best describes your personality?

Pepperoni Pizza Robust and dominant.
When you go for something, you go full force.
You tend to take control of situations easily.
And in return, you get a ton of respect.

Mmmmmmm.....one of my favs!

5. You're having dinner with friends at a restaurant.  Besides the company, what is the most important part of the meal:  the appetizer, the drinks, the salad, the entree, or the dessert?  The dessert with good coffee.  Best part of the dinner because you are not starving and pushing food down your throat.  You are now "lingering" and enjoying the conversation and company.

6. Have you ever submitted a Reader's Choice question to the "Saturday Six?"  If so, did the answers surprise you?  If not, why haven't you?  Yes, I was only surprised that you considered it a good enough question to include.  Thanx!

The American Naive

This was sent out by David's boss and I agree so I'm posting it.  So sorry if you don't consider this politically correct...cause I really don't care.  America has been taken advantage of for far too long.  Remember...my blog, my voice.  

If you are ready for the
"ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME"
TRY THIS!!

- Enter Mexico illegally.  Never mind immigration quotas, visas,  international law, or any of that nonsense.

- Once there, Demand that the local government provide free medical care for
you and your entire family.

- Demand 'bilingual' nurses and doctors.
- Demand free 'bilingual' local government forms, bulletins, etc.

Procreate abundantly.

- Deflect any criticism of this allegedly
irresponsible 'reproductive' behavior with, "It is a cultural U.S.A. thing.  You would not understand,  pal."

- Keep your American 'identity' strong.  Fly Old Glory from your rooftop, or  proudly display it in your front window or on your car bumper.

- Speak only English at home and in public and insist that your children do likewise.

- Demand classes on American 'culture'  in the Mexican school system.

- Demand a 'local'  Mexican driver license. This will afford other legal rights and will go far to 'legitimize' your unauthorized,
illegal, presence in Mexico

- Drive around with 'no liability insurance' and ignore 'local traffic laws.

- Insist that 'local' Mexican law enforcement teach English to all its
officers.
Good luck!! 
You'll be demanding for the rest of time or soon dead.

Because it will never happen. It will not happen in Mexico or any other country in the world except right here in the

"United  States".
Land of the naive!
LET'S PUT OUR FOOT DOWN!!

Sunday Seven #1 at Patrick's Place

Episode 1

Make sure you posts links to your answers at Patrick's Place!

Surprise, surprise!!  "The Saturday Six" now has a younger sibling.  Unlike the 'Six,' which features six questions each Saturday, "The Sunday Seven" will feature a single question with seven answers.  Sometimes, you'll have to rank seven things, other times you'll have to list seven things you come up with on your own to answer the question.

So here is the inaugural edition!


Here, in alphabetical order, are The Seven Deadly Sins: 

Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.

Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.


THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Rank the seven sins in the order that you most often commit them, one being the sin you're usually most guilty of, seven being the sin you're usually least guilty of.

Okay...hurting my brain because we are all guilty of these at some point and some degree.  Here is the best I can come up with...subject to change:

1. Pride - goeth before the fall.  The worst of all for me.  I frequently have the attitude that "I can do it better".

2. Sloth - Not so much the physical work (except around the house lol), but I have gotten very lazy about my spirital path.

3. Anger - Sometimes too quick and too sharp.  Goes right up there with Pride.

4. Envy - Who doesn't?  It's why I work so that we can have a better material life.

5. Greed - Again, it's why I work as much as I do.

6. Gluttony - Why I weigh 20lbs more than I want.

7. Lust - You know...I just don't find myself having a problem with this since I have been happily married for 7 1/2 years.  There is the occasional appreciation for someone who is physically attractive, but I don't find myself in reality desiring that person.

 

Work

Well...last night just crashed.  I got canceled at my regular gig for the 4th time this week, so I got brave and tried out another hospital ER.  I can honestly say I have never had a worse work experience in my entire life!!!  I called my agency last night at midnight crying saying I didn't know how I was going to work another 7hrs.  Then about 1:30am another nurse was laughing and joking said "DeLana I bet you are thinking I'm never coming back here again!".  I stopped and said (as loudly as possible), "No, I'm not thinking that at all...I am saying I WILL NEVER COME BACK HERE AGAIN!".   That made everyone in the ER turn around and stare at me, including the charge nurse.

Okay...now that we brought up the charge nurse, Pam (yes...I am naming names), I will have to say that I have never worked under someone who was that unprofessional, hostile, and a bitch in my life...and believe me when I say nurses can be real bitches.  When I got there she told me what my assignment was, got me an access code for the PIXIS (where all the drugs are kept) and then left me floundering.  I had to find out all the procedures for doing things on my own, including where my rooms were.  She didn't show me around, how the paper work system was, how to admit a patient (different at every hospital), nothing!  I had to take up my own patients (which is not a problem unless you are pushing a 200+lb pt plus a 100lb gurney on carpet, and you are 4'10 115lbs and you know where the hell you are going!).

I found out at 1:00am that I had a tech assigned to me by accident.  I was like "oh...you're my tech" and she goes "yes honey...but I'm too busy to help you".  So I was like "No problem...I've been doing without you all night".   How I found out she was my tech I asked a girl (who I assumed was a tech) to help a patient get dressed and out to their vehicle and she told me she was a medical scrib.  Now what the heck is that I ask.  "Oh I help the doctors by getting the pt's history".  Oh well...who helps me?  And then I found out about my tech.

I didn't know about "faxing" report instead of calling it.  I mean you had to fillout this form that including every pertinent thing in the patient's chart, fax it, then call.  How dumb and repetative is that?  Their charting was triple...I couldn't tell who was doing what where.  I had to hunt down doctors and I couldn't tell who they were (no one wore jackets).  I was insane.

I could go on and on and on, but you know what...it doesn't matter how nice you build it...it's the people on the inside that counts.  And that is why tonight I am going back to my regular gig and am happy about working in the "ghetto".