Today I am Thankful For...

1. Raid spider killer
2. Guilty pleasure ChickLit books
3. My bedside fan
4. Morningstar Farms fake ground beef
5. Coffee <333
6. MD's that allow & appreciate harassment
7. I have PTO in the bank for days I'm stuck on call
8. The leaves are starting to change colors
9. Hoodies
10. Late-night BlogTV hilarity.
11. Coming home to floors that shine like the top of the Chrysler building
12. The realization, at the end of a 14-hr shift, that I'm off for 5 days!

Oktoberfest

Well, Oktoberfest was interesting. I drank too much and I'm mostly a little embarrassed by myself. Thankfully, it wasn't a scene like the lovely Y2K AT&T company holiday party. But it still wasn't pretty. Check out the video I've posted for some of what happened.

Not included, is me falling crashing into the bleachers while walking up out of the stadium. I know I'm already accident prone, but put a little too much alcohol in me, and dang.. it just makes it all the worse. I've got a few gnarly bruises from it. I'm tempted to take a pic, but then again, it wasn't but just a few weeks ago when I fell off the ladder... I just barely recovered from that ginormous monstrosity. (I still have a bit of what I'm calling a "bruise scar" there - faint light brown where the bruise was). People will begin to wonder about me! I swear, I'm not being beaten!

I seriously hope that all the alcohol I had will be a good antiseptic for any nasty saliva germs I exposed myself to.

They Shine Like the Top of the Chrysler Building!

If you look, you can see the reflection of the painting on the floor!
They shine like the top of the Chrysler Building!!
(bonus points if you get that movie reference!)

Thursdays are my favorite day of the week. I'm not really sure why, but they are.. and have been for years.

Today has been a kick-back do nothing kind of day. I polished my floors in the living room yesterday and I'm rediscovering the muscles between my ribs (the intercostals, for those anatomy geeks) from all the wax-on/wax-off action! It's a chilly day, and I'm lounging in a hoodie & a beanie listening to mellow music, and listening to the wind. The leaves are starting to turn, and it's hella windy out. I have a sinking feeling that I'm gonna find a tree branch through one of my windows this fall/winter.

Old Crappy Crappers

Let me preface this post by letting you know that I'm all in all a pretty tough chick. I kill spiders without batting an eyelash. And in my line of work, well, you know I'm surrounded by all kinds of excrements.

But one thing that really gives me the heebie-jeebies: having to reach into the tank of my crappy toilet to fix it! My toilet: HUGE. I live in a "handicapped house," (really!) and the toilet is BIG & tall. And it's probably original to the damn house. (Like 1/2 century!) I could stand to replace it with a smaller, more water efficient one, but I somehow feel guilt for removing the accessibility. (Like I need the accessibility!? But I digress..) The levers are coroded, and it looks like it's been all rigged to just barely work. I'm pretty sure there's a coat hanger that's been added to help pull the chain. So I know I'm going to need to replace the inner-workings of this damn toilet, if I don't replace the whole thing.

"If it's wet, and it's not yours, don't touch it" - Infection control rule of thumb.

Sticking my hands in here makes me feel like I'm plunging my hands into uncharted, dangerous territory! I don't exacly have a pair of gloves that go elbow-high, so I have to fix it all unprotected! Thankfully I'm up to date on my shots, but what other un-inocculable kind of nasty is in here?! I've had bleach tablets in there, but it still is grody... years of abuse/ neglect.

::warning:: scary photo of inside of toilet.



Anybody know how to get this dang thing clean?
I'll give you a dollar if you clean it. Twenty if you fix it, too!

Dear Uterus

Dear Uterus,
Why dost thou forsake me so? We'd gotten along so well the last year and a half, and now it seems you're reverting to your old ways. I made a promise to myself not to put up with any more shit from you - that if you acted up again, I'd have you ousted. Don't make me hold myself to it.
~kendra dawn.

Rough Week..

This past week was a rough one. Wednesday, when I left work, I got in my truck and cried while driving home. I hadn't felt that much like a punching bag since the abusive ex-mex days. I don't want to get into all the details, but it was ugly. Even my manager, who couldn't help because she was stuck in the CEO's office, felt awful for the crap that I was being put through. (By more than one person.) It was just a shit day all around. Thankfully, I was put on call Thursday morning.. I didn't go in until later in the day. Yes, *groan* using up more PTO, but I was GLAD to give it up after Wednesday. I decided Wed was to be renamed "asshole day". Hopefully it's annual, not weekly. I'm not up for another asshole day again anytime soon.

Right now I've got a headache, and I'm thinking of staying at home. I might've waited too long to take something, and it's starting to feel like it's going to turn into a full-on migraine. It's never a good sign when you start seeing the blurred vision... and yup... right eye is acting a little loopy. I took some Motrin, & I'll give it a bit, but if it's not feeling better, I'm not going to hesitate to stay home - I'm starting to feel like I'm shelling out PTO like it's a regular bill I've gotta pay.

I'm still considering the idea of quitting and traveling. I'd like to hit a big city and live & work there for a while. New York & Chicago are tempting me. Denver, & Boston are others I'd like to look at... (Told Mom I'd love to be an Irish Catholic in Boston for St. Paddies!) I'm just not sure if that's what I want to do at this moment. Keep waiting though, and I feel like life is passing me by while I'm here in dumb South Carolina.

Mr. Dad & I went to Price's Chicken Coop in Charlotte this weekend. Yum! If you've never heard of them, they won Gourmet magazine's "Best of" award in the fried chicken category. Bon Appetit chose them as runner up nationally last year for best Fried Chicken. You can read Gourmet's article here. They never disappoint. Cash only. Standing room only... order and carry the hell out. Don't talk on your cell phone, or they won't take your order- or at least they'll hate you publicly. I love the place. Mmm, I bet a piece of fried chicken straight outta the fryer would do wonders on a headache!

Ugly Rolls

i baked cinnamon rolls last night. From scratch... made my own dough and everything. There's something very primal about baking.. It involves all your senses, and creating something from virtually nothing is pretty amazing, when you think about it. Watching dough rise.. kneading it in your hands.. knowing that certain things can't be measured, but only "felt" - like how much flour you need, or whether things are ready. Anyone can follow a set of instructions, but to truly be in touch with what you're making - ah!

If you've never read the book "Like Water for Chocolate" I wholeheartedly recommend it. It's a short read, but a magical one. (There's a movie of it too. And the movie does the book some justice!) I think sometimes the romance of cooking and baking is lost in this microwave-age. I actually don't own a microwave. It wasn't intentional; it just started out that way by having an old kitchen with no room to put one. Now, mostly I don't miss it. Though sometimes I'd love to reheat a cup of coffee gone cold, I think not having a microwave is one thing that saves me from the world of nightly frozen crap.

I'm kinda disappointed in how UGLY these rolls turned out. I read a tip about how to "snip" the rolls so that they will bloom. I couldn't quite figure out which way to snip them - so I tried different ways with each of them. (FAIL) The proud girl in me is embarrassed at how dumb they look, but *shrug* they don't taste dumb!

* Verizon wireless called my house this morning to remind me to renew my contract and get a "new every 2" phone. Anyone see the irony of them calling my HOUSE? Hmm, if they called my cell phone, they might understand why I'm not in any hurry to renew a contract: the bloody thing has NO SIGNAL in my neighborhood. I have just enough to pick up txt msgs. Not even pics/flix. And definitely not enough to carry on a conversation. ::eyeroll::

* Got a note from a coworker that there were only 4 patients on the unit last night. I'm scheduled to work tomorrow. Something tells me I probably won't... I worked only one full day last week, and 2 part days. I can joke about having "healing hands" that kept anyone from being sick in the area, but this is kinda past the joking stage. Thankfully, I've got plenty of PTO to draw from, but still.. I'd rather use that for vacations, not to make up for the lost pay on days where I sit at the house "on call," under obligation to be @ the hospital within an hour on the off-chance that they'll need me. [/rant]

Nursisms, Dadisms, & Madness

Sunday, Late Summer...

I've got some kind of flowers growing on a tree in my backyard. I'm not sure what they are, but they sure look like a hibiscus! It's so nice to see things blooming this late in the season... Summer's last hurrah!

So, I should have woken up in Georgia this morning, played with my nephew-dog, gone to church with the Sis & Cunado.. but it didn't happen. Road trip cancelled because there just isn't any gas around here. I can't get over the mass hysteria! There were major "bad vibes" out on the town when I left work Friday night. People were lined up all the way down the street to fill up on gas, and you could hear fire engines & police sirens going almost constantly. (Glad I wasn't pulling a night shift in the ER; it would certainly be ugly.) For chrissakes, there's a hurricane in Texas, and people in South Carolina act like they need to get their milk, bread, and gas!

Poor Kace, she's pretty bummed about the whole thing, too. Clean house.. full of food... and nobody to share it with. Awww...

"Ike sucks. He beats women, and takes all their gas" ~keri colleen.

So, my lawn boy came over and mowed yesterday. He suggested I get dressed and come out to help him. Me? Help!? Damn that lawn boy, I should fire his ass! ... oh wait... Um, nevermind!! Anyway, I got to play with the weedwacker, so it was fun! And with all the playing outside, I didn't get bit this time. Not even once! (It's the little things in life, like not getting eaten, that make me smile!)

Considering a move. Seriously considering it. I've *got* to get out of the south for a while. I've got 150 hours of PTO and a case of wanderlust. Road trip, anyone? I'm sure there'll be gas by next weekend! Maybe I'll move somewhere cold for the winter.

Today I am Thankful For:

1. Remembering to bring bags to the grocery store
(that always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling!)
2. Finding a beautiful old mirror at Habitat for Humanity
3. Discovering I can cook Tilapia really well
4. My gigglesnort. I'm not ashamed...
5. Hot Sauce
6. Pedicures
7. Pumpkin spice coffee
8. Having a productive day.
9. The awareness, during a bad dream, that it's just a dream *
10. Being away from work long enough to look forward to going back!

*Don't let the pic mislead you. I'm not thankful for the evil Skeksis. I fell asleep watching the Dark Crystal. Had strange, creepy dreams with the Skeksis in it! I'm just thankful that, as creepy as it was, I was aware at the time that it was just a dream.

A-Z Getting to know me

A-Z getting to know me
Many of my answers are the same as Siouxzanney'sBut it's so late it's early, and I still can't sleep. Gotta love it.

★A is for age:
im not answering this one (what she said.I'm OLD)

★B is for beer of choice?
Blue Moon

★C is for career right now?
Nurse

★D is for your dog's name:
never had a dog

★E is for essential item you use everyday:
Toilet Paper (hey, siouxzanne said diapers, my mind is on the butt)

★F is for favorite TV channel:Food Network & yes, the History channel, too!
(Damn you, Su-san, and your similar answers!
You cost-a me money! ha xoxox)

★G is for favorite game to watch:
Football

★H is for Home town
VACAVILLE

★I is for instruments you play?
The radio. ...i've also been told i'm pretty good at the skin flute,
but you didn't hear that from me!

★K is for whose butt you'd like to be kicking?
I'm a lover, not a fighter

★L is for last place you ate:
At the computer desk

★M is for marriage:
what's that?

★N is for your full name:
Kendra Dawn

★O is for overnight hospital stay:
Upon the removal of Audrey II

★P is for people you were with today:
Just myself... though I chatted on the phone & online with some super-awesomes.

★Q is for quote:
"To love what you do and feel that it matters - how could anything be more fun?" - Katherine Graham

★R is for Biggest Regret:
*shrug* butterfly in the rainforest. I've made a LOT of mistakes in my life, but I don't live with regret.

★S is for relationship status:
Relationship with what!? B.O.B.?? We're well acquainted, k,thx. Yes, I'm single.

★T is for time you go to bed:
Depends on whether or not I work. It's nearly 7am, and I haven't gone yet.

★U is for underwear you have on now:
Ha! Actually, Strawberry Shortcake, because aparrently i'm 5 years old again.

★V is for vegetable you love:
Broccoli, squash, green beans, asparagus, artichoke.. i love veggies.

★W is for worst habits:
I think my worst is staying up too dang late.(like right now!)

★X is for x-rays you've had:
i've had a couple on my back & my chest. One of my tailbone. And of course, at the dentist.

★Y is for something yummy you ate today:
Well I ate leftover mac & cheese, but i added hot sauce & extra cheese to it, so that was pretty damn good. I think that was technically yesterday though. I haven't actually eaten anything today.. but if ya haven't slept, it's pretty much today still, right? (rambling!!!!)

★Z is for zodiac sign:
Aries

Today I am Thankful For

1. My new laptop (so what if i said that earlier)
2. SkullCandy earphones
3. Getting an afternoon nap in
4. Docs that appreciate twisted humor & harassment
5. Down cushion couch.
6. My pink galoshes
7. Mac & Cheese in the back of the pantry
8. The realization that all of my "thankfuls" have at least one food in 'em
9. Mellow music on Pandora
10. Getting the #22's in on the first stick.

late night sputterings

* I love my sister! It's been a bit since we've chatted, and that's shitty. But chatted for a bit tonight. Pissysue, chatting with you makes things more right in the world... and we shouldn't go that long without chatting, yo! ::my rock::

* I'm seriously all messed up with day/night. My body wants to sleep mid-afternoon, not at night or morning. Strange. It's so tempting to switch to night shift, but geez, I really enjoy the gals I work with. Wonder if this will subside once the weather changes.

* I think of myself as a pretty tough chick. I can handle a LOT of things. Blood, poop, spiders... but I draw the line at crickets inside the house!! Crickets are EVIL. I hate them with the white-hot heat of a thousand fiery suns.

* I'm completely in love with my new laptop. Picked it up Sunday. Been placed on call a lot lately, though, and I'm gonna have to tighten the budget now. Good thing I didn't get the one with all the bells and whistles.. this one is still rocktastic. Still waiting for a new mirror in my bathroom. Payday is Friday!

* Things I'm excited about: NKOTB reunion tour. (so what if their new stuff sucks.. i'm SOO going!) And I'm gonna do "The Right Stuff" dance while I'm there. Like a dumb 7th grader. And maybe finally tell Donnie that he was once the great love of my life. Also, super excited about Oktoberfest! Yay! I tried to go last year, but tix were sold out. I bought mine early this year :)

* 3 admissions in 3 hours at work today. Craziness. But I love the adrenaline. Thankfully, I had a few good gals with me. And I was glad to at least get a couple hours work in!!

* A neighbor called to check in today. She wanted to let me know that the one creepy freak-tard in my neighborhood has moved to the next town. (yay!) ~ Don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I've had a couple run-ins with him. It wasn't that long ago that I had to call the sheriff dept on him. Creepy bastard.. glad to know he's out of the neighborhood!!

Bathroom Project, etc.

I'm kinda proud of this video!
It's my first editing project... and it shows
some of the crap I've been dealing with while
trying to redo the bathroom! :)

...and now off to work...

Bathroom & Rainy Smiles

It's like the exact same color as my Twitter page! Ha!

Bathroom is sparkling. It's nearly 100% complete.. just needs a new mirror in where the old crappy one was. I've got a pretty one picked out, but it'll have to wait until after payday...

And in other news, I've gotten a video editing program! Yay. Working on piecing together a montage of the bathroom chaos beautification project.

Tonight I just did a quick <1min video, completely unplanned and un-edited, of something that just makes me smile. Was just thinking of doing another "Today I am Thankful for" but had this song in my head... *shrug* and so it was...

Babies?

It's weird. I have friends & coworkers the same ages as my baby cousins. And I guess by Baby, I mean younger - though I think our age gaps are shrinking through the years.

I remember when each of them were born. I've changed their diapers. I smiled as they botched my name (I was actually sullen when the oldest started pronouncing my name correctly!) *shrug* I've been at many soccer games, all their birthday parties, Christmas, Thanksgiving... I watched 'em grow up into the amazing fucked-up adults that they are! ~ (And I mean that with utmost love & respect - Hey I'm one too, ya know!)

Why is it, though, that these 2 are still babies to me, when I have friends their age I consider peers? *shrug* I love them wholeheartedly. unconditionally. i guess they'll always be babies to me?

Today I Am Thankful For:

1. Baby cousins (that aren't babies anymore!)
2. Getting out on time sometimes.
3. TV on DVD (watching 1st season of Dexter, & it rocks!)
4. Feeling a bit like "Norm" - when they call out your name when you walk in a room
5. Nor-Cal hoodies to come!
6. My chipper vac
7. Less hair = less hassle?
8. My bathroom is about the same color as my twitter page! <3
9. Cookies n Cream Ice Cream (..with cold coffee! mmm)
10. A super-awesome convo with a coworker today .. just to touch base.