HNT...The San Francisco Treat

I'm in San Francisco for a conference so I'm half assing HNT for the week. This first picture is from Alcatraz looking back across the Bay to San Francisco. Wind was blowing like crazy but at least there is no fog. It has been a great week and I'm off to bed in order to be up at 5:30 am to get ready to fly home. I miss the boy and the cats! So here's a little San Francisco treat for you...


I was briefly incarcerated here so I figured my mostly covered nekkid-ness would work from inside a jail cell. More pictures to follow once I'm home and get everything downloaded.

Ladies, Be happy...

I went to a lecture today on Female Sexuality: Satisfaction and What to do when you aren't? Ladies, be happy if you do NOT live in Australia. Several studies have been conducted asking woman about sexual dissatifaction related to both physical and nonphysical factors. Studies showed that 71% of woman in Australia were dissatisfied sexually! Only 24% of US woman were dissatisfied.

Unfortunately the rest of the lecture really wasn't all that interesting. It was sort of common sense...physical problems, stress, lack of interest/attraction, emotions...all can play a role in sexual satisfaction. Duh! At least I got an hour of continuing ed for it.

Now off to bed, I'm still on central time in my head and it's telling me it's late.

A little trip

First off, thank you to everyone who left encouragement, prayers, and well wishes yesterday. The next few weeks, months, whatever will probably see a lot more of me being vulnerable. All I can do is take care of what I can take care of and try not to worry about the rest.

With that in mind, I made the decision to go to the conference I had planned to go to. So, tomorrow morning I fly to San Francisco for a week. It is the annual national PA conference. This means a lot of my classmates from grad school will be there as well as some co-workers and professors. I'm excited. I'm rooming with a classmate and we plan to have just as much fun as we do education.

A little trek to Alcatrez, maybe an afternoon in Napa and about 30-40 hours of CME! And no work! I always use these trips as an escape anyway so this one couldn't be better planned. Oh yeah...I'm also going to eat a shitload of seafood!

Hopefully there will be a few photo opportunities as well. But again, thank you to everyone that has my family and I in your prayers. Thank you!!

HNT...most vulnerable

This is me at my most vulnerable...

For a few reasons. First because I think it is the most revealing picture I have ever shared with HNT but also because of what it means. I have mentioned a rant is on the way. I'm not sure if it will get published and those closest to me have already heard it. Instead of a rant, I think I'm going to rename it a "release" and this might be enough.

My mom is dying of cancer.

She has been for five years so one becomes numb a bit to the reality of it when death has been hovering for so long. Well, this past Friday her main oncologist called me at work to ask me if I could talk to her about why comfort care/hospice might be the best option at this point. I have medical training, I have a "good" understanding of the science behind treating or not treating an illness. But, my God, he just asked me to explain to my mom they why you should "give up".

I use the phrase "give up" because if my mom decides to NOT have any further chemo that is what she sees it as. Giving up, giving in, letting it win. However, you look at it. It no longer allows her to be involved in her care. So, how do you tell a strong, faith filled woman with a Midwestern grit that all the medical treatment in the world won't treat her cancer anymore?

So...I feel vulnerable. I have cried more in the last five days than I have in a long time. Remember, I don't cry a lot anymore. I have had "the" conversations with my mom and dad about life. I don't want to be the responsible, strong, educated, level headed one in this situation but it's falling on my shoulders somewhat. Someone has to do it right?

Well, over the last few days with people very close to me I have allowed myself to not be that person and to completely breakdown. Completely exposed my true emotions about the choices to be made. Tonight...I did that in front of a complete room of acquiantances...in the middle of bible study tonight I completely and totally fell apart talking about something unrelated to my mom's health and healthcare choices. Then as we were closing after I had finally composed myself, our group leader asked the group to pray for me and while they were praying I was blubbering, snorting and bawling my eyes out. I don't "DO" vulnerable well...

When I'm most vulnerable and feeling the most pain, I curl up with a stuffed animal and attempt to disappear within. I can outline a different stuffed animal for each of the most stressful or emotional low points in my life. This poor little guy has been stuck with a big task....the little panda bear just joined my collection after the boyfriend went to the San Diego Zoo. Poor little guy didn't know he was going to have to curl up in the arms of a scared, vulnerable woman.

I don't know what my mom's treatment choice will be. That's for her to make. I'll tell her what I think. I'll tell her why. But I can see both sides of her personal choice too. Cancer sucks! In her eyes, I will try to pull it all together. But this is what I'm really doing....

A rant to follow...

I'm working on a rant but until then some mindless word games will work better and are probably safer. So I stole this one from Lime.

I AM: a rock on the outside, scared on the inside

I SAID: "He broke his leg, he broke his leg" as Barbaro pulled up short today.

I WANT: to not be a smart, responsible adult some days

I WISH: Not very often

I HATE: Cancer, dishonesty, being helpless

I MISS: My mountains

I FEAR: being alone

I HEAR: my kitty pseudo snoring/purring next to me

I WONDER: will things ever calm down?

I REGRET: the lost of a first true love

I AM NOT: going to wallow

I DANCE: like Lime...pretty much anywhere. In the shower, around the kitchen, in the living room and any club we ever get too (and yes, I've danced ON the bar!)

I SING: all the time but never well :) "If God gave you a bad voice, sing twice as loud to punish him" (Aaron Alme)

I CRY: at all three of the Triple Crown Races as they make their last turn. Today I bawled through the whole race.

I AM NOT ALWAYS: Patient

I MADE: my first banana bread out of the Sesame Street cookbook when my mom wasn't home...the doggy wouldn't even eat it :(

I WRITE: with emotion

I CONFUSE: most people

I NEED: an escape.

I SHOULD: get off my butt and finishing cleaning my house.

I START: more than one thing at a time

I FINISH: when I get around to it

It's been a year of HNT????

I'm in no mood to be festive so all I'm able to get up tonight is my very first photo. My mom is in the hospital again with more complications related to her cancer and I'm sort of grumpy.

So here is my first picture. It tells you a few things about me right off the bat if you don't know me. I like my feet and I also have reoccuring injuries to my feet...this particular event involved a shampoo bottle in the shower leaving that evolving bruise at the base of my third and fourth toes. I also like to read...that is a copy of Cold Mountain. I also appreciate good looking men...that's Jude Law next to my big toe. I'm Christian...that's a toe ring with little crosses all the way around (it's been on since May of 4 years ago???) I watch a lot of TV...that's the TV remote next to my toes. The only change since that picture is I have removed the TV from my bedroom. Amazing what HNT reveals about us uh? Thanks fr sharing yourselves.

So Happy Anniversary to everyone that's been around since the beginning, thanks for joining to all those that made it such a success, and welcome to those continuing to join the madness. Happy HNT!

Why?

Marriage is a sacred vow. Have we as a society forgotten the commitment that "sacred" and "vow" imply? Why do people cheat? Why do intelligent, smart individuals find it impossible to be faithful. Characteristics like honesty, trust, faithfulness use to be taught, honored and respected. Where are we headed???

Please pray for my friend.

HNT...i've stuck with it

January 2005 I made a resolution to get more organized. I have always prided myself in my mental ability to remember dates, meetings, schedules, assignments, tasks, etc. I made it through high school without any form of written planner. In college I at least started using a planner to write my class schedule in but after the first week or two of classes I rarely used it. When assignments were due, I just "knew". I also don't make lists. Never have, still rarely don't. Drives certain people crazy that I don't write things down.

Over the last two years, my roles have changed. I have multiple responsibilities; larger career related roles, numerous separate groups at one church, more personal commitments. It become obvious I had to keep them straight because slowly I began dropping things here and there. It led to undue stress.

I first purchased a nice leather binder with a yearly calendar with two pages per week. I found it at Walmart for $20 and filled it with pages from Franklin Covey. A year later I was actually still using it. In fact, I purchased my 2006 calendar in August or September 2005 because I had dates going into it that far out. I have also started traveling a fair amount for work and have been hauling the same computer/carry-on bag since my senior year of undergrad. It has been extremely useful and has carried my laptop safely accompanied by some pretty robust textbooks through the years. But it is huge and heavy when full.

Now I'm taking the organizing one step further and streamlining. Don't pack as much, have my calendar always accessible (either in paper or electronic format), only take what I'm really going to have time to work on/read when I travel. It's been working so I decided I needed to use a smaller, classier bag to travel with for my computer, binder and light flight or meeting needs.

This is what I settled on....red (think power meeting), classic (think professional and "grown-up") and my computer, binder, keys, wallet and a small novel all fit! I love it!

T

Stole this from Os and he was gracious enough to give me a letter. So here it goes...

This is how it works: Comment on this entry and I will give you a letter. Write ten words beginning with that letter in your journal, including an explanation of what the word means to you and why, and then pass out letters to those who want to play along.

TENACIOUS: That sounds better than "hounding" right? Throughout life I have always been persistant when my mind is made up. I once wrote "The Greek" (the head trainer for the Denver Broncos) and Mike Shanahan letters every two weeks to try to get an intership with the team in athletic training. I didn't get an intership but when The Greek came to Helena that summer I had a personal audience with him. Last year when I had a boss who preferred I hadn't been there, I pulled up my boot straps and held to my morals to make it through. Tenaciousness is a good thing.

TACKLES: as in football. I LOVE the sound of a good hard hit on the football field. A bit on the morbid side but there is that sudden collision of forces that makes my blood rush. I don't want to play football, just revel in watching it. My favorite place to watch it from...the side line of course in case those tackles lead to an injury.

TEA: From late September until about mid April I have a hot cup of tea nearly every night before bed. It started in college when we had a hot pot to boil water. It use to just be plain Lipton Tea. As I have gotten older, my taste in tea has changed. I like tea that comes in silk tea bags, tin canisters, flavored. My current favorite is Ginger Peach. When I don't have hot tea, I have hot cocoa. Something about going to bed in the dead of winter with a little warmth right in your middle. Comforting.

TACOS: One of my favorite foods, but I'm picky about my tacos. My favorite is a homemade taco bravo. Start with a griddle, coat it a bit more than lightly with vegetable oil. When the oil gets hot, lay the small soft corn tortillas on it. Let them get slightly crisp on one side while the softer "up" side bubbles. When you take them off only lightly dab with a paper towel and fold in half. Then fill a regular hard taco shell with meat, then cheese, then onions and then only a VERY VERY light sprinkling of lettuce. Add sour cream, guac and black olives. Then smear the inside of the slightly cooled soft shell with refried beans. Fold it over your loaded hard shell. Enjoy with ice cold Kokanee (A Canadian Glacier brewed brew that I can not find for the life of me here in Minnesota)

TROUBLE: I was always called a goodie twoshoes growing up because I listened to my parents, got good grades, and didn't break the rules. Now, I'm an adult. I'm educated. Now...I like to cause trouble. I prefer to call it making waves, or causing a stir. When something strikes me as unjust or unsupported or simply opposes common sense I will make ruffles until I get the matter fixed. Some cause that "making trouble". If "making trouble" is what it takes to get ridiculous polices and procedures changed, I'm going to continue making trouble.

TRUSTWORTHY: I'm trustworthy to a fault. People can trust me to the core. But on the other hand, I trust others often too willingingly. I like to believe that others live their lives with the same morals, standards, and expectations which I have. I've been burned more than once...they don't. So if you are looking for someone to lean on, I'm a good bet but after getting burned too bad a few times don't be put off if I take a while to trust you.

THUNDERSTORM: My favorite weather anomaly. My favorite place to listen to a thunderstorm...in a TENT. I love the heaviness in the air just before the clouds let loose. I love the pounding of big, fat raindrops splatting on the side of my tent. And the smell of damp earth after the big storm. All my favorites. If there is a smell to "green" it is the smell that you smell in Glacier Park after a huge downpour complete with echoing thunder off the rocks.

TEARS: I don't cry very often anymore. Use to all the time...a happy Disney ending, a puppy or baby commercial, movies, someone being nice. A good two months of pretty much constant tears when my husband left me pretty much dried me up. Now, it just seems like too much energy to cry again. I cried today though. The one thing that can make me cry 100% of the time is when I get very very mad. It has happened for as long as I remember. I get thoroughly, completely ticked off and about the time I'm about to spew what I'm really thinking, the tears well up. Any one know how to turn that faucet off?

TOMATO: a favorite "little kid" memory. Old style school lunch ladies (they made things from scratch!), spring, fresh garden tomatos, sliced thick and sprinkled with sugar. Yummmy!!!

TRAILS: Where I like to go when I need to think, re-energize, re-organize my head. Preferrably a less frequently hiked trail, preferrably somewhat darkened with overhanging trees. I like to just walk, find a cool rock to sit on, write in my journal, take nature pictures and walk the trail. Feels better when I'm done.

Implied Intelligence

Through out one's life, we interact with many individuals. As we go through life, we chose to advance our education, pursue a career, work in that career field. At least that's the plan, right?

As students we look to our teachers and parents for guidance. We trust those educating us are providing us with the knowledge we need to pursue our desires. Not so much true in grade school and high school...there we are being taught more the of the basics, everyone focusing on the framework for future learning and moral development. For the lucky, something we are taught in those years catches our attention and we develop a desire to pursue that farther as we advance to college, trade school, apprenticeships, etc.

Again, we look to our professors, mentors, future colleagues to guide our learning. It becomes our responsibility to learn about our chosen profession and then venture into the career world armed with the knowledge to do well in one's career. Please stop me here if I have said something incorrect.

However, I'm starting to believe once we enter a career field we may be making an assumption that is kicking us all in the ass. Let's start with a simple example. When you walk into McDonald's you assume the clerk at the counter has the skills to take your order, make change, and tell you to have a nice day. You don't expect that person to offer you ethical advice, manage your business portfolio, or cure your illness. Now, let's go to a more complicated example. When you work in the healthcare profession, it is implied doctors, PAs, nurses, have a baseline higher level of education and when caring for patients should be able to do so with the knowledge they learned to rectify the situation. You don't expect a healthcare provider to advise your next stock purchase.

As my high school teachers always said..."when you assume something you only make an ass out of you and me". I wouldn't say I have become an ass but I have become disgruntled when dealing with fellow health care providers as of late. By implying a medical degree gives one superior skills in caring for one's health is becoming not always a certainity.

I am not claiming to be any smarter than those I work with on a daily basis. Not in a long shot...there is so much more I have to learn. I am quick to point out areas I do not have knowledge in, actually sometimes to fault. But, at the same time, I do my job to provide the best possible care to my patients and expect those other individuals charged with the same responsibility to do the same. Oops...big mistake!

The "title" of doctor, physician assistant, financial advisor, software engineer, mechanic implies a baseline knowledge in that area of the world. What it does not imply is the common sense to relate to patients, clients, customers, and maybe more crucially, colleagues. THAT is what we don't get taught and I have learned is not safe to assume everyone has it.

Is it too much to ask for respect from fellow co-workers when working towards the same goal in whatever your profession? Is it too much to ask very highly educated individuals to ignore their textbook knowledge to actually logically think through a situation? Do they still teach "logic" in school? Uhm....just a random Monday rant.

Have a great week everyone.

Soggy Bottom Ride...

right before christmas I decided that in order to stay motivated to go to the gym I needed something to work towards. I decided upon the Minnesota Ironman Bike ride to be held the last Sunday in April. I had a 30-60-and 100 mile option to choose from. i originally thought, "what the hell" and shot for the 100.

I realized very quickly the number of hours it takes to ride 100 miles on a bike and decided that wasn't for me. My attention span is bad enough without purposefully deciding to try to bike that far. So I thought, "Okay fine, I'll do the 60 miles". That was before I got so stinkin' ill as was documented here on this site. Two weeks of little to no lung capacity, no voice, and absolutely no gym time nearly ruled ou the idea of doing 60 miles.

Except that one little line on the registration form..."this year's 30 mile route is a bit hillier than the past". Uhm. I don't like hills. not that south eastern minnesota has that many but i much prefer to go over them at 75 mph in my car than under my own man power. So I was thinking of starting the 60 mile route and riding until I got to a half way point and then riding on a van back to avoid the hills.

My alarm went off bright and early at 5:30 this morning. I was on the road to Lakeville by 6:40 ish. I did some serious self talk as my windshield wipers whacked back and forth at high speed and the wind pushed against my car. "Why am I doing this?", "Screw the $35", "again, why?" I turned my turning signal on twice to pull off the interstate and turn around but I just couldn't bring my self to do it.

I'm stubborn. Horribly stubborn. i had told people I was doing this, I was going to do it. I had on my near the knee thigh length spandex, a pair of mesh capris, and a pair of lined windpants. On the top I had a fitted dry-fit tank. A long sleeve mesh top, a form fitting fleece, a nylon running jacket and the boys' flannel lined hooded industrial rain coat. Carroll College stocking cap under the helmet. Screw the biking gloves, I gloved up with my wool winter gloves. Everyone's spirits were high in the parking lot, it was sort of infectious. I visisted the ladies room, got my handlebar tag and off I sat.

No shit on the hills! but I was doing it. i was doing the ride, on my own in spite of the rain. I walked my bike up one hill but didn't feel so bad with about 10 other people walking with me. I got to the 18 mile point and was so wet my pants were now longer than when I had started and were hanging around my shoes about half way over them. My stocking cap underneath my helmet was starting to get wet. And the rain was starting to sting my face. As I wheeled up to the rest stop there was a sag van waiting and I said fuck it. I had attempted it, I was doing okay from a muscle stand point but I had reached my saturation point.

I crawled into the van with a half dozen other riders and then one guy swore he would vouch for all of us that we had biked the whole thing :) I felt bad, somewhat disappointed but I really did not want to continue in the rain.

I got my t-shirt which i paid for when I registered, I got my 40th anniversary Ironman Bike Ride pint glass, loaded the car and dropped the top two layers of pants and tops in a wet soggy puddle and drove home barefoot! My shoes weighed 10 lbs filled with water. I cranked the heat to full blast and home I came.

A hot shower later, lunch with a greasy burger and a nap and I'm still freezing. So...18 miles instead of 30.

Things I learned about myself today:

• I'm still stubborn
• I at least tried it
• I can do things I sat my mind too
• I get grumpy when soggy
• There is a human saturation point !

So back to wrapping up in my blanket. I'm watching Willy Wonka and trying to stay awake. i'll sign up for another ride when it's not so wet and windy!

Assumptions

I had to run a few errands this morning. I went to the post office first to mail two packages to friends. The counter clerk was friendly, made appropriate small talk, was efficient in my transaction. My packages are appropriately stamped priority and fragile to be delivered in two days time. Perfect.

I also stopped at the mall. I needed to go to Bath and Body Works but also wanted to just peruse through Barnes and Noble. I have several business trips coming up as well the framework for my summer vacation taking form. That means time to stock up on a few good books to haul along with me. I love new books. I have at times bought uses books off the internet when I wanted to buy an entire series at a time or what not but I also enjoy wandering through the bookstore looking at the new arrivals, suggested reads, and our recommendations table. While I was browsing the tables, two separate employees stopped me just long enough to ask if I was looking for something in particular. I answered no and they left me to my browsing. That's how I like to shop.

I walked out with Wicked, Memoirs of a Geisha, a book by the Dahli Lama's mother and Eat, Pray, Love. We are going to go see Wicked in July so I want to read the book. I skipped Geisha in the theaters because I hadn't read the book yet. Picked up the Dahli Lama book because it was on clearance and he was just here in town. The last one caught my eye with the cover and then drew me in with the subject. It was written by a thirty year old "I have it all" woman who found out she didn't and didn't know herself. She took a year to travel to Italy, India and Indonesia where she ate, prayed and fell in love respectfully. Looked interesting.

My final stop was Bath and Body works. How annoying to shop in there, but I needed a few things...lotion and a shower sponge. You are going to tell me I could go somewhere else but their really thick body cream is about the only lotion that works on my MN scaly dry legs. Anyway. As I was walking to the shower sponges an overly perky clerk asked me if I was gifting or coupon shopping. She makes two assumptions...I'm already on their mailing list and I must have a gift list. I am NOT one of those organized peoples with a gift closet full of things for upcoming birthdays etc. i answer no. She briefly walks away. Comes back two seconds later...oh, have you smelled our new fragrance as she shoves a bottle of magnolia blossom at my nose. No, I haven't, uh...I don't like that one.

So I get my few items and I go to the check out counter. Another clerk is checking me out and my persistent, assuming previous clerk comes up to me again. "Oh, if you spend over $25 you can buy this super soft robe for only $35? Are you sure you don't need it for an upcoming mother's day gift or bridal shower?" NO!!! I told her that the first time she asked if I was "gifting". Ugh!

I'm home with my new books, pear blossom lotion and sage green shower sponge. Now I am NOT going to organize my gift closet but I do have a couple belated birthday cards to write out.

Progressing

Since my eye looks like a little kid tried to put on purple eyeliner I might as well match it by wearing my purple glasses. The eye sees okay, the brow bone and that lower lid definitely are feeling it. I'm just a dork! Oh well...just one more story to tell.

Happy Birthday, Heather!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Heather...Happy Birthday to you!!!

Today is my best friend Heather's 28th birthday. This young woman is a rock. In her own life as well as in the lives of the student's she teaches, the friends she holds close and always for her family. The rock has a few cracks as any good weathered rock should have. It's been buried at times but it has always found it's way to the surface polished and shiny again. I can honestly say, without this young woman in my life, I'm not sure where I would be in my own life.

Heather and I met our freshman year of college at Carroll College in Helena, MT. I had spent the first semester with a completely incompatible roommate and Heather had spent a semester away from home and wasn't happy. At Christmas break she transferred to Carroll and I flew home from South Dakota to find a new roommate. I walked in the room and started crying immediately. She was so down to earth...I called my mom and exclaimed "Mom, she likes cows!" because she had all these cow and black/white decorations up. I was so excited. That was the start.

9 years later, we are still best friends. We have been through many things together in 9 years. Most recently this young woman, while teaching third grade full time, developing a wonderfully healthy relationship and still being there for her friends, she completed her Master's Degree online. She disciplined herself, followed a schedule and always stayed a head of the game. Way to go Heather!

This is Heather and I at a Phoenix Coyotes vs Colorado Avalanche game in Phoenix over Easter vacation 2002. She flew down to hang with us while I was in grad school.

Heather, Todd and I at the York Bar in Helena a couple summers ago. A trip back to Helena is not complete without a burger at York with friends.

Heather and I improvised a costume for her after I left my date crying in his truck in my driveway. he was a freak and I still wanted to go to the party. We raided her Dad's closet and off we went. Later that night she held me while I cried my eyes out in the ER. Thank you for that night!!! I love you Heather!!!

This is Heather and her Grandma Margaret at her "surprise" birthday party in April 2004. As I mentioned, Heather had been my rock for the year prior to this particular birthday and I needed to pay her back in some way. With the help of her mom, grandma, and Os I surprised her in her classroom with a party thrown from a distance! I got her a print that she has always wanted of a mountain goat jumping over a huge crevice. The title of the painting..."Faith". Heather gave me Faith when I couldn't find my own or trust that which I did have. Margaret gave Heather Faith often as well. Heather's grandma has passed away but she was a very very special woman.

Heather and I at York last summer. Like I said...a trip home to MT always means burgers at York. I'll be heading back this August and York is on the itinerary.

So Heather...bottom line: I am so proud of you this past year. You have come a long ways in more ways than one. Look at what you have accomplished! All my love to you, I'm thinking about you today.

Right there...

Freshly showered, hair still in a towel...5:45 am. Yup...that's when I shot this pic this morning. I was up and to work early. Anyway. Right there is my favorite spot. I don't know what it is about that little crook in my neck but if it's touched or kissed just right, I'm in heaven. Isn't it funny how a little spot like that can do that?

UPDATE: I had softball practice tonight. Guess I still need to practice. I pitched for about 40 minutes then decided I should take a turn at batting. On my second swing I hit the ball. Then the ball hit my eye. Yup! I hit the ball and fielded the ball all in the same play. I'm now without a contact lense and have this nice subtly devloping shiner. So a bonus HNT!

36 degrees!?!?!

BRRRRRRRRrrrr....The first of May is literally just days away and this morning when I walked out of the house it was a brisk 36 degrees! What the hell!?!?!? Good thing Minnesota spring tulips are hardy!

I've been busy with a few projects over the last couple days so I haven't had time to do much else. Going to try to get to the gym tonight and then maybe see if I think of anything inspiring. Hope you are all having a great week!

Are you listening...HNT?

I have a bad habit. I don't listen well.

My hearing is great. I can hear things that an entire room full of people will not hear. There is nothing wrong with my hearing. There is a listening issue.

I have been known to completely zone out while on the phone with friends. I'm talking losing entire portions of conversation because I didn't listen. In conversation I also interrupt. The boy has brought it more to my attention lately as one of my annoying habits.

I know about it, I'm completely aware when other people do it to me and how I feel when they do it to me. In spite of all of this, I still have listening issues. I'm working on it.

I have amazing interviewing skills at work. I can get things out of patients and strangers quite easily. Now I just have to let them finish their own sentences. Once I figure out where a person is going with a sentence or conversation I have this nasty habit of finishing their thought for them. I "hear" what they are going to say before they say it and say it myself....nasty habit!

So, I present to you an ear to listen...Happy HNT!

Wow...I work in a really cool place

Yesterday Sandi left me a comment asking if I saw the Dahli Lama...funny she should ask. i least at the time I sort of thought it was funny.

I had sort of spaced that he was going to be here because I was going to be traveling. So today, when I saw two of my coworkers standing at an exit window I stopped to say hi and ask them what they were doing. They said the Dahli Lama was getting ready to leave and they were waiting to see him. He has been here for the last week both as a speaker and a patient. There is a "special" floor where dignitaries go to receive their care...bullet proof glass, ID only access, etc. He had been up there.

So, there is an entourage' of course. A large group of suits (one chic suit...she was a grump) with shades and the little ear piece all talking and hand signaling to each other so I join my two friends to watch. We are about 15 feet from the door.

With a quick two fingers from "me to you" between two of the guards the front door opened and out walked the Dahli Lama in his traditional dress. There were four of us at the window standing like idiots gauking. He turned, flashed this beautiful huge smile and waved to us like a little kid and all four of us put our hands up and waved back just as enthusiatically and just as child like. Wow...the Dahli Lama!

His guards were attempting to usher him into his limo but he threw them for a loop. Completely nonchalantly he turned away from the car and stopped too speak with a young man in a wheelchair with a cast on his leg. Took a quick photo, smiled and waved and into the car he went.

Yes, I had tears in my eyes. Yes, I was giddy. Yes, it made me shiver. And over and over again I just said in my head "wow, the Dahli Lama!"

So Sandi...I did see him and even more amazing, he saw me and acknowledged my presence. Wow!

Honey, I'm Home

My brain is fried from driving a total of 1350 miles between Thursday morning at 10:40 (I left town a bit late) and tonight at 6:10 pm when I got home. So I used the miles of driving to take notice of a few things and take count....

• Total miles driving: 1350
• Total number of stops: 9 (to pee, to gas up, to sleep)
• Number of roadside naps as part of these stops: 3, yes, I sleep in my car
• Rivers crossed (that I can remember)
• Root River
• Cheyenne River
• Missouri River--6 times! Figure that one out!
• Time line crossed: just one but again, 6 times!
• Top price for a gallon of gas: $2.79 at Chamberlain, SD
• I-90 Driving Conditions: in Serious need of repair
• Number of Idiot Drivers between here and there: Too damn many to count!
  
• Road goodies consumed
• One old fashion chocolate donut
• One large cup of Karuba coffee with cream
• One liter of Mountain Dew
• Two liters of water
• One small bag gummy worms
• One small bag melted and re-gelled gummy bears (they taste the same but have little bitty bubbles in them)
• Half pound of Nibs (red ones)
• One junior bacon cheeseburger, small fry and a small Frosty (takes serious talent to eat a Frosty while driving 85 mph)
• One bag reduced fat Italian Gherdetto chips
• One six piece gas station mozarello sticks
• Half of a small package of peanut M&Ms
• One liter Cool Blue Powerade
• Two McD's cheese burgers
• Animals seen (dead or alive)
• Cows: in the thousands (and lots of fresh calves running and jumping in the sun)
  
• Tatonka: (that's Lakota for Buffalo if you haven't seen Dances of Wolves) in the hundreds
• Pheasants: in the hundreds, maybe a thousand total
• Bugs: A billion squished on my windshield (and that damn blue shit at the gas station does NOT take them off, just smears them good)
• Badger: one but he was PISSED OFF
• Horses: At least a 100 or 200
  
• Dinosaur: One, constructed out of scrap metal with a human on a leash
• Turkeys: there's a flock of about 17 in mom and dad's yard
• Raccoons: one scurrying out of the shed, a few dead along the road
• Farm cats: too many to count but one very pregnant one hanging out on the front porch at mom and dad's
• Sheep: again, hundreds and with fuzzy baby lambs
• Dogs: One at the nursing home, one dead on the interstate and a third on the shoulder looking at his dead buddy (YES, I CRIED and NO, I wasn't the one that hit it!) :(
• Naps taken at home: Too many to count
• Earliest I got up this weekend: 4:45 am! Sunrise Mass on Sunday :)
  
• Temperature range: 80+ degrees on Thrusday, in the mid 40's today
  
• Average MPH OVER the posted speed limit
• Going: at least 12-15 over
• Coming back: only about 7-10 over
• Number of speeding tickets: NONE!
• Two Minnesota Highway Patrol on the other side of the road
• One Tribal Sheriff in an SUV who played games with me for 10 miles before blowing by me
• One South Dakota Highway Patrol at the on ramp in Mitchell but he got stuck at the light :)
• Number of cats happy to have me home : 2!

Now, a hot cup of tea and to bed with myself a bit early! I'm on call tomorrow.

I'm not dead

I made it to South Dakota in one piece, I haven't even taken my own lap top out of it's bag, and other than to turn the cell on to call Os over analog roam to wish him a happy birthday I have done nothing but eat and sleep! i head back to MN tomorrow and will try to do a real post before I hit the hay tomorrow night.

Happy Easter to all of you though. Hope you all had time to relax, reflect and enjoy time with friends and family this weekend!