Friday Means Its Four Foods Time

Here are this week’s four questions. This week I’m doing something a little different by going with four questions that all share a theme. The theme is “dinner out”.

#1. When going out to dinner what items do your order? Appetizers, soup, salad, dinner, dessert.

Salad is a must. Depending on the type of restaurant, I usually order a vegetarian appetizer for dinner.

#2. How predictable are you when eating out? Do you usually order a meal that you’ve had before or do you like to try new things?

Always trying something new. I love tasting how flavors can be transformed depending on who cooks them

#3. When eating at a restaurant, what beverage do you like to order with your meal?
Water with lemon or a glass of red wine. Bring on the Mojhito's if I'm out for Mexican

#4. Name a meal that you ate at a restaurant that you liked so much you tried to recreate it, as well as the name of the restaurant and the recipe.
Tuscan Lasagna from Candle Cafe a vegan restaurant here in NYC.
Here's my take on it...
1 (16 oz.) pkg. curly edge lasagna
16oz. soy ricotta cheese
1 (8 oz.) pkg. soy cream cheese, softened (Tofutti Better'n'Cream Cheese)
1/2 c. minced onion
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 c. fresh vegetables (broccoli & mushrooms chopped)
2 large zucchini; 1 eggplant; 2 large carrots- each sliced thin on a mandolin
1 jar of mushroom spaghetti sauce
4 c. shredded soy Mozzarella cheese
3/4 c. grated soy Parmesan cheese

-Slice the eggplant and zucchini, lay eggplant out on large sheet, sprinkle with salt. Let sit 30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, set aside.

-Cook lasagna noodles as directed on package. Drain. Rinse with cold water, drain and lay flat on paper towels until needed.
-Meanwhile, mix together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, onion, basil and garlic powder. Stir in mushrooms and broccoli. Spread 3/4 cup on bottom of 9x13 inch baking dish.
-Arrange layer of sliced eggplant and zucchini.
-Pour 1/3 of sauce over the veggies.
-Arrange layer of noodles, then the cheese/ vegetable mixture.
A-arrange another eggplant/zucchini layer and cover with sauce.
-Arrange another layer of noodles.
-Top with sauce
-Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes covered with foil.
-Remove foil, sprinkle top with mozzarella/Parmesan mixture and put back in oven for 10 minutes.
-Let stand 10 minutes. 8 servings.
*Just because I made it vegan, doesn't mean you have too. This would be GREAT with all the "real stuff" ingredients.

If you would like to play this Four Foods on Friday MEME, pop on over to Valmg's blog and check it out. She's got a few other great blogs to check out as well.

How to Prove You are Sleep Deprived

In the past 5 days, Spring has sprung in New York; however, I've been oblivious as I've worked the last five nights. Today, as I walked down the street (in only a semi exhausted fog) I noticed the leaves on the trees and the birds a churping. It's a happy day. So while I've neglected to notice the entrance of spring, here are a few things that I have done the past five days...

1. Worn the same pair of sweatpants to and from work
2. Left my dinner at home, orderd out at work, gotten too busy to eat it, left the ordered dinner at work, brought in the forgotten home meal the next night, only to dicover my ordered food from the night before.
3. Stood at the Kronos macine furiously typing my ID # to punch in, getting annoyed that it wouldn't accept it, only to realize that I was typing in the residnet on call's beeper #
4. Called the pharmacy to complain that they still haven't sent up my patients antibiotics, told them I checked the drawer and patients room and was very frusterated for the delay...they told me to look in the refrigetor, th emedication needs to be kept cold. Whoops, my bad.
5. Not remembered walking home in the morning..autopilot anyone?
6. Tripped on my patients foley bag , leaped through the air, caught myself on the roley chair, and splat....faceplant. *ouch*
7. Answered my cell phone, " Burn Center how can I help you"
8. Showed up to pick up my new glasses at 8am on a Sunday morning, only to realize they aren't open. (In all honesty, can you blame them?)
9. Realized after I was nakey in the shower that I had no towel...thank God the roomate was at work that afternoon.
10. tried to use my license to swipe in the credit card machine
11. Fallen asleep sitting on the bus and missed my stop
12. Gone to bed with wet hair and woken up looking something like Don King
13. Shampood my hair conditioner and conditioned my hair with shampoo


Now, off to take advantge of this lovely weather. Happy Earth Day

Stuff You Didn't Learn in Nutrition Class

Sleep deprivation is killing me. I now spend what should be precious hours of sleep, surfing the net for fun food facts. Just thought I'd share some of them...

Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries

The onion is named after a Latin word meaning large pearl

Half of the world's population live on a staple diet of rice; there are over 44,000 varieties fown world wide

The first breakfast cereal ever produced was Shredded Wheat

There are about 100,000 bacteria in one litre of drinking water

Instant coffee has been in existence since the middle of the eighteenth century

The dish chop-suey does not come from China. It was created by Chinese immigrants in California

The Average Person Eats Almost 1500 Pounds Of Food A Year!
-->On average, that can be thought of as 150 pounds of meat, 290 pounds of milk and cream, 35 pounds of eggs, 48 pounds of chicken, 68 pounds of bread, 125 pounds of potatoes, and 80 pounds of fruit. That should be enough to fill your stomach.

6 out of every 10 apples that get eaten every day in the U.S. were grown in Washington State. The most popular varieties are Red Delicious, Gala, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Fuji.

Hawaii is the only state that grows pineppales

A hard boiled egg spins but a soft cooked or raw egg does not.

.007 calories are consumed while licking a stamp.

Buffalo wings have nothing to do with bison. They are spicy chicken wings that originated in Buffalo, New York.

The energy food of bikers and hikers is called Gorp: Good Old Raisins and Peanuts.

According to folklore, pretzels were given to children who knew their prayers. The pretzel shape was supposed to signify arms folded across the chest in prayer.

Mozzarella Cheese was first made in the 7th Century from the milk of the Indian Water Buffalo.


Credit where credit is due, and due, and due

You Guessed It, FFOF

Here are this week’s four questions. If you are inspired to play, go HERE

#1. Cottage cheese. Small curd, large curd, chunk or whipped?
I used to prefer small curd, but my job has pretty much turned me off from all chunky liquid substances, thankyouverymuch. :)

#2. Burgers. Made fresh, preformed fresh or preformed frozen?
It seems that preforned frozen veggie burgers stand up the best. Don't get me wrong, I've tried to make fresh but it was more of a disaster than a success. Anyone have any advice to share?


#3. If you could only buy one kind of salad dressing what would it be?
I usually just stick with pure aged balsamic vinegar, but there is nothing like Poppyseed Dressing, yum!

#4. Share a crockpot or slow cooker recipe.
Bell Peppers Stuffed With Salsa Rice And Beans

Serves: 4 *Use red, green, or yellow bell peppers and hot or mild salsa, according to your preference*

4 large bell peppers
1 1/2 cups cooked or one 15 1/2-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup tomato salsa
3 scallions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove and discard the stems, seeds, and membranes. Arrange the peppers upright in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine the rice, beans, salsa, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Fill the pepper cavities evenly with the rice mixture, packing lightly. Replace the pepper tops.

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes with the cumin, oregano, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over and around the peppers in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the peppers are tender but still hold their shape.

Excerpted from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson ©2004, The Harvard Common Press.

Why I Love New York

Last night was the first Friday night I've had off, aside from my vacation, since January 1st. I know, great social life, hunh?!?

I wound up on the lower east side at this really homey, eclectic (odd combination, right) Italian place. My friend and I met around 9 and the place was packed. The bar is on the left side of the restaurant and some really narrow tables on the right...the only way to make it to the back was to squeeze through this approximately 18 inch wide opening...thank god I skipped lunch, haha. We made out way to the back, put in our name, were told the wait was 35 minutes. Hey, not bad for a Friday night. We grabbed drinks and sat outside on the patio to wait. 45 minutes later, they called us, literally. This place takes your cell phone number!

We squeezed back through the 18 inch passage way and were taken through this small doorway to another part of the restaurant. Equally crowded, as the open kitchen took up more than 1/2 of the space. looking around, I was ratter bewildered as to where we would be seated, can we say full house? But because this city never ceases to amaze me, out host sat us at the bar/counter looking into the kitchen. Talk about a first class seat! The sights and smells were more than enough to offset that fact that were sharing this amazing view with 2 other people resulting in each of us with about 8 inches of personal space. Food was great, service was great, all in all a good way to spend a Friday night.

Only draw back to the night was our location. It's a haul from the UES to the LES...a 35 minute bus ride or a 20 minute subway ride plus a walk. I took the bus down, and figured I'd take the subway home. I get onto the packed 6 train and hold on for dear life...all the while thinking, AMEN that I have some purell in my purse. After 42nd Street the train cleared out. As I'm sitting there I look straight, to be met by an angry stare from a crazed woman dressed all in white; I look to the left to be glared back at by a thuggish guy all decked out in lots of gold bling; I look to the right and suddenly feel uncomfortable as this Mexican is looking me up and down. That's when I decided that I'd just look down at people's feet. After about 2 minutes of sizing up every one's shoes, I was already bored. And that's when I looked up and started reading all the advertisements: "Phoenix University", "Viagra: The Little Blue Pill", "Learn English in Comforts of your home" (wait, why is that sign written in Enlgihs???), "Depression and Anxiety Study", etc, etc. That's when it hit me. They don't put up all these ads to get a point across, they do it to help people like me feel less awkward. Sweet!
My night was topped off when I walked up to my building behind this guy and girl. They sort of paused outside the door, like they were hesitating. Thinking maybe they lost their keys in a drunken stupor, or that they were looking for a certain apartment to buzz, I asked, "Do you need to be let in?". Then with a straight face the guy looks right at me and says, "Nope, We're just waiting for you tro pass so we can make out for a while." I chuckled and thought, "you're a good man pal, a good man."

And with that, I entered the building tucked my little self into bed, all the while thinking...this is why I love New York.

Is this the answer to my want-ad?

I know you are all still on the lookout for me after reading my post/want ad....but now I'm not sure if I should give up now, or fight harder. Let me know what you think after reading this article. (See below)

The Eligible Bachelor

HOW ECONOMICS AND GAME THEORY EXPLAIN THE SHORTAGE OF AVAILABLE, APPEALING MEN.

By Mark Gimein
Posted Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at 4:23 PM ET


It is a truth universally acknowledged that the available, sociable, and genuinely attractive man is a character highly in demand in social settings. Dinner hosts are always looking for the man who fits all the criteria. When they don't find him (often), they throw up their hands and settle for the sociable but unattractive, the attractive but unsociable, and, as a last resort, for the merely available.

The shortage of appealing men is a century-plus-old commonplace of the society melodrama. The shortage—or—more exactly, the perception of a shortage—becomes evident as you hit your late 20s and more acute as you wander into the 30s. Some men explain their social fortune by believing they've become more attractive with age; many women prefer the far likelier explanation that male faults have become easier to overlook.

The problem of the eligible bachelor is one of the great riddles of social life. Shouldn't there be about as many highly eligible and appealing men as there are attractive, eligible women?

Actually, no—and here's why. Consider the classic version of the marriage proposal: A woman makes it known that she is open to a proposal, the man proposes, and the woman chooses to say yes or no. The structure of the proposal is not, "I choose you." It is, "Will you choose me?" A woman chooses to receive the question and chooses again once the question is asked.
The idea of the woman choosing expressed in the proposal is a resilient one. The woman picking among suitors is a rarely reversed archetype of romantic love that you'll find everywhere from Jane Austen to Desperate Housewives. Or take any comic wedding scene: Invariably, it'll have the man standing dazed at the altar, wondering just how it is he got there.

Obviously, this is simplified—in contemporary life, both sides get plenty of chances to be selective. But as a rough-and-ready model, it's not bad, and it contains a solution to the Eligible-Bachelor Paradox.

You can think of this traditional concept of the search for marriage partners as a kind of an auction. In this auction, some women will be more confident of their prospects, others less so. In game-theory terms, you would call the first group "strong bidders" and the second "weak bidders." Your first thought might be that the "strong bidders"—women who (whether because of looks, social ability, or any other reason) are conventionally deemed more of a catch—would consistently win this kind of auction.

But this is not true. In fact, game theory predicts, and empirical studies of auctions bear out, that auctions will often be won by "weak" bidders, who know that they can be outbid and so bid more aggressively, while the "strong" bidders will hold out for a really great deal. You can find a technical discussion of this here. (Be warned: "Bidding Behavior in Asymmetric Auctions" is not for everyone, and I certainly won't claim to have a handle on all the math.) But you can also see how this works intuitively if you just consider that with a lot at stake in getting it right in one shot, it's the women who are confident that they are holding a strong hand who are likely to hold out and wait for the perfect prospect.

This is how you come to the Eligible-Bachelor Paradox, which is no longer so paradoxical. The pool of appealing men shrinks as many are married off and taken out of the game, leaving a disproportionate number of men who are notably imperfect (perhaps they are short, socially awkward, underemployed). And at the same time, you get a pool of women weighted toward the attractive, desirable "strong bidders."

Where have all the most appealing men gone? Married young, most of them—and sometimes to women whose most salient characteristic was not their beauty, or passion, or intellect, but their decisiveness.

Evolutionary psychologists will remind us that there's a long line of writing about "female choosiness" going back to Darwin and the male peacocks competing to get noticed by "choosy" mates with their splendid plumage. But you don't have to buy that kind of reductive biological explanation (I don't) to see the force of the "women choose" model. You only have to accept that for whatever socially constructed reason, the choice of getting married is one in which the woman is usually the key player. It might be the man who's supposed to ask the official, down-on-the-knee question, but it usually comes after a woman has made the central decision. Of course, in this, as in all matters of love, your experience may vary.

There may be those who look at this and try to derive some sort of prescription, about when to "bid," when to hold out, and when (as this Atlantic story urges) to "settle." If you're inclined to do that, approach with care. Game theory deals with how best to win the prize, but it works only when you can decide what's worth winning.

What Would Friday Be Without FFOF??

Here are this week’s four questions.

#1. What’s your favorite food smell?
The Fall. If I could bottle up the scent of fresh, crisp air with the hint of newly fallen leaves, and the background undertones of a wood buring chimney....ahh yes, I think Yankee Candle would have a winner!

#2. What’s your favorite kind of apple?
Gala in the summer, Granny Smith in the spring, and Macintosh the Fall

#3. What veggies do you like in your salad?
Baby spinach, baby arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, white mushrooms, celery, grilled eggplant, broccoli, grated carrot, sun dried tomatoes, chickpeas. I know, not really "basic" but us vegetarians cannot survive on lettuce alone.

#4. Share a recipe that uses beef.
Stuffed Burgers
*Makes 6*

olive oil
2 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup green pepper, finely chopped
3 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
6 thick slices of sharp Cheddar

-Heat olive oil in skillet. When hot, add onions and pepper and cook until tender.
-In another bowl, combine beef, eggs, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Mix lightly and shape into 12 thin patties.
-Spoon onion and pepper mixture onto centers of 6 patties and top each with 2 tablespoons ketchup or chili sauce and some oregano.
-Cover with remaining patties and pinch the sides securely closed; place refrigerator until ready to cook.

When you're ready and the grill is hot, grill burgers about 3 inches from the coals for about 5–8 minutes on each side.
Top with a slice of cheese when you're just about done; cover the grill to melt the cheese.

Enjoy with a big soft bun, summer tomatoes, butter lettuce and the condiments of your choice. These burgers are so moist.

If you are hoping to do more low carb, use two large leaves of Boston lettuce in place of the bun!

Entitlement?

I would like to think that I have not become a hardened bitch and or nurse Ratchet, but tonight there seems to be a whole lot of "WTF" going on.
Explain to me this, if you are going to refuse services, why did you bother coming to the hospital. Why did you seek treatment.

Pt X, 61 year old obese female, admitted s/p flame burns to chest and right upper extremity. Burns noted to be mostly 2nd degree with some 3rd degree around the areola of her R breast. Pt went to the OR 5 days ago for autografting, donor site was the R upper thigh.

Where to begin with this patient...

#1: She's been primarily bed bound due to her bulky splint and dressing for the past 5 days; she's obese.
*She's been refusing her heparin shots.
Yes lady, I know they hurt like hell, but would you rather throw a clot and have a stroke or a heart attack, or both and die?

#2: Her blood sugars have been well over 200.
*She's been refusing her insulin.
Yes lady, I hear you when you say you weren't "diabetic" before you came to the hospital; however, you also do not have a primary care physician, nor were you testing you blood sugar at home. Did I mention that sometimes the stress of a burn injury can induce a temporary rise in your blood glucose level. Do you understand that the tighter we control your sugars, the better you wounds will heal?

#3: She's mal-odorous (I'm being nice here).
*She's been refusing her morning shower.
Lady, you sweat profusely, you have a weeping donor site, you have large breasts and abdominal folds that need to be washed so you don't get a fungal infection that will inevitably spread to your freshly grafted wounds and then you will be here getting IV antifungals that will turn your urine orange and you will pitch a fit because we will have to put in a foley catheter in order to accurately examine your kidney and liver function due to the toxicity of the medications you will be taking. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TAKE YOUR DAMN SHOWER!

#4: She complains about the food.
*She's been gobbling up every last morsel we put on her tray and mooches off of others.
*Lady, I'm sorry: that you think the mashed potatoes are too lumpy , that the chicken isn't tender enough, that the tea is a basic blend and not something of the organic variety, that we use smuckers peanut butter instead of jiff, that we serve oatmeal raisin not chocolate chip cookies, that we have Splenda not Equal, that we use white eggs not brown ones, that lunch and dinner are served on plastic trays, and that we supply plastic not metal silverware (it;s not like we are serving fillet Mignon)-wait, let me apologize for that too. Honestly, this isn't a five star restaurant. There are sick people here. Tell you what, if you hate the food that much, lie back and I'll put an NG tube in you. We'll pump you with liquid nutrition, you won;t have to taste anything.

#5: She complaints about the linens.
*She refuses to use hospital linens and/or wear a hospital gown.
Lady, I'll cut you a little slack on this, I agree, I wouldn't really want to lie on sheets that had previously been covered in god knows what, but your complaining about the thread count is out of line. And the issue about the gown, give me a break! The gowns allow for easy access. I have to change your dressings twice a day, It's not fair that I be required to strip you down like someone who's dressed to venture out in a blizzard. Please, for the love of god, and the sake of the patients who are really sick, cut the crap, and wear the gown.

Am I being unreasonable? I get that being hospitalized is stressful. I understand that you have lost control of your environment, that you endure painful procedures, that you experience aggravating delays in care, and that you really want to go home, but please, work with me here. I'm trying my best. Try and make the best of the situation. I want you to heal so you can go home but if you fight me on all the little things, time is going to stand still.

In case you happen to see one of these just hanging around...

Be on the lookout!

Wanted: fairly attractive, normal guy ,with a decent job,and a healthy sense of humor; who is a wine lover, adventerous eater,close with his family, an active and energetic person; who knows how to dress well, that money isn't everything, that sometimes I have to work on nights and weekends, and won't laugh at me we when he learns I can't drive stick shift or use a lighter.

If all else fails (aka reality, haha) , I'll settle for a completely and utterly "yup-tastic" guy. True fo my New England and Ivy League roots: summers on Nantucket, popped collars wtih embroidered shorts from J.Crew, loafers, aviators, and blazers...all make me weak in the knees.

So in case you happen to find someone who meets the above criteria, let me know. k, thanks. :)

"This Is My Confession"

So yeah, definitely stole that headline from Usher, but at least I'm giving him proper credit now.

I have to work tonight, so I tried to have a mellow day. I did laundry, cleaned, organized (compulsive, but I swear I'm working on it), read, ran 10 miles, etc. After all that was done, I found myself bored and reading many of the blogs that I follow. I came across one that was a good read and made me chuckle. Actually, most of her posts make my chuckle; nevertheless, I thought I'd also write about a few of my "secrets". And now.....drum roll please.....my confessions.

*Warning- reading these may seem like TMI. You have two choices: stop reading or read on and don't pass judgment, haha*

1. I wear sports bra's 98% of the time. I counted today, I have 18 of them. I have 4 real bras. Sometimes it's good to have the chest of a teenage boy.

2. I talked my way out of my first (and only) speeding ticket. I didn't cry. Actually, I sort of bribed the cop. When he saw that I was wearing my work uniform "Cridge Crew" and knew that I was coming home after a long night of scooping ice cream cones and that the lines are usually ridiculously long, I was happy to agree to giving him a free sundae and let him cut the line the next time he stopped by "The Ridge".

3. In second grade I stole a package of gum off my teachers desk. Whoops!

4. I am slightly obsessive compulsive about cleaning and organizing. I cannot go to sleep with a dirty kitchen, leave the house with a dirty bathroom, or enjoy doing nothing when my laundry isn't put away. I'm sure this will make me a very good hosuewifey one day, but in the meantime, it just comes off as psychotic.

5. I was pissed that I only graduated 4th in my high school class. That stupid B+ in Calculus I junior year.

6. In high school, my boyfriend's mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandmother and grandfather walked in on us. Apparently they forgot their house keys after a family dinner outing and had to come in through the garage. We made a conscious effort never to "snuggle" in the basement TV room again.

7. There are some pictures of me wearing a whip cream bikini top from a summer pool party gone very wrong. Thankfully I have the negatives and they will NEVER surface again.

8. I hate chest hair. So with respect to my dating life, "Gorillas need not apply"

9. The summer before my senior year in college I was eh, hooking up with one of the surgical residents who worked on the floor where I was externing. We thought we were sly, funny, most of the staff knew. Note to self, don't mix work and play

10. I'm an awful liar.

11. I have peed my pants as an adult

12. I didn't poo the entire first week of college because I "poop stress" aka the thought of using a public toilet was agony

13. I have body image issues.

14. I would rather wax my eyebrows and get it over in one quick "RIP" than to put myself through agony of the individual "pluck"

15. My freshman year of college, I passed out with my head in a trash barrel in the top bunk of my boyfriends bed.

16. I have the drinking tolerance of a 10 year old. 2 beer queer, if I'm lucky. Hey, it makes me a cheap date!

17. My ankles swell to tree trunks by my 4th 12 hour shift, despite the fact that I wear compression stockings. Sexy, hunh?

18. I've forgotten to take off my surgical cap before leaving work. I looked pretty damn sexy walking down 1st avenue...so that's what the taxi's were honking at

19. I've been locked out my apartment twice.
#1- 8am on a Saturday morning in west Philadelphia. I was wearing a boys lacrosse shorts and white tank top with my crocs. I had to walk 5 blocks to the locksmith. Boy what that a sight!
#2- 6pm on a Friday on the UES of Manhattan. I was wearing a skirt and flip flops. I had to run 12 blocks to the locksmith who had the proper information to make me a new set of keys. Turns out, his methods were faulty, and he really couldn't let me back in. However, the brother gave it his best sho, became my BFF and asked me to his sisters wedding after I had known him all of 25 minutes. For the record, I politely declined.

20. There is nothing like picking a good wedgie.

21. In St. Maarten while out for my morning run, I thought I could clear the chain separating the beach from the street. Nope! Face plant. Still have the bruises on my arm, shin, and hip to prove it.

22. My closet can be separated into J. Crew, Banana Republic, Gap, and Target. Classy, right?

23. I've got other "dirty laundry" but I'm not okay putting it 'out there' on the web.~ thankyouverymuch~

where did the time go?

Holy cow, I've been a real nurse for 9 months.


It's unbelieveable.
Overnight, (okay, four years, $210,000, numerous lost social hours, and more bed pans than I can count) I became a nurse.

Yup, on July 5th I went from Kelly, student nurse/"wanna be R.N." to Kelly R.N./"scared shitless to enter the real world of nursing because now people's lives actually depend on what I do."

I had a little less than a month after "becoming a nurse" to let it settle in. Before I knew it, I was taking on new challenges as a nurse in the Burn Intensive Care Unit.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, "My Life As a Nurse from A-Z"

a) It's been long, it's been hard, it's been frustrating, it's been rewarding.
b) There have been tears of laughter and those of sorrow.
c) I've been covered in every bodily fluid imaginable.
d) I've successfully resuscitated someone;
e) I've stood by as a family withdrew care and I watched the monitor flatline.
f) I've had patients reinstill in me the reasons I became a nurse;
g) I've had patients who made me question every decision I've made over the last four plus years.
h) I've worked days, I've worked nights, I've worked overtime.
i) I've been awake for 42 hours straight;
j) I've slept for 18 hours straight.
k) I've held a patients hand to let them know I care.
l) I've been karate chopped at by an angry/violent patient crying out for attention.
m) I've sounded idiotic when I've called pharmacy and cannot pronounce the name of the antibiotic that I'm requesting.
n) I've saved a life when I noticed that the antihypertensive agent (hydralazine) was ordered instead of the antihistamine (hydroxyzine).
o) I've gone 14 hours without urinating; I've urinated non stop after 5 beers.
p) I've missed out on parties/dinners/movies/social gatherings becuase of working night shift;
q) I've had 8 days off from work without ever having to take a vacation day.
r) I've been asked out by a patient
s) I've seen some mighty cute doctors roaming the halls.
t) I've passed gas in a patients room
u) I've been covered in every bodily fluid imaginageble (whoops, already said that one).
v) I've seen more male genetalia that all of my "promiscious" friends combined
w)I've sen what gravity does...NONE of us want to age.
x) I've stood in the med room talking to myself about what I need to do
y) I've talked to family and loved ones about death
z) I've come a long way, but my journey is just beginning.


Thanks for all the support along the way. Now hold on tight, this is only the warm-up!

It's Friday! You know what that means!

Here are this week’s four questions.

#1. American cheese. Sliced fresh or prepackaged processed cheese product?
I don't really like cheese, except for goat and The Laughing Cow swiss cubes. However, when I'm going to be serving it (American Cheese) up, it must be fresh sliced. That rubbery processed stuff scares me! Then again, maybe it has a loner shelf life, so I'm sure it works for someone.

#2. What is your favorite cracker?
Reduced Fat Wheat Thins. Oh that salt and crunch, yumm!

#3. What hot breakfast cereal do you like? Think oatmeal, farina, grits, etc.
McCanns Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal. Throw some chopped apples and cinnamon in it, yum!

#4. Share a recipe that uses corn.
Mardi Gras Jicama Slaw

1 1/2 pounds jicama
3/4 cup low fat sour cream or 0% Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, or 1 ear of fresh corn, shucked, kernels removed
1/2 cup (cooked) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/8 cup rice vinegar
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt

Peel and shred the jicama with a cheese grater, using the largest holes or the julienne blade of a food processor, and place in a bowl. Blend in the sour cream, scallions, corn, black beans, parsley, rice vinegar, cayenne pepper, and salt.

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