#216 - new job

as you may know, i've been looking for a job for a long time now. although i was working part time and paying the bills, it was not what i wanted. i got my RN last june and have since not had much luck finding a job as one. bummer, right? yes. so i opened up my search to include more than just the hospitals in the portland area. i opened my job search to include CNA work as well, which is what i've been doing for 5 years now. you would think it would be easy to find a job in something i've been doing for that long. so did i. as soon as the potential employer found out i had my RN they dismissed me, knowing i would keep looking for work and eventually quit.

i applied to a CNA position i found on craigslist at Gateway Care & Retirement on 4/10. they called me on 4/12 and i interviewed on 4/13. they were just as baffled to find that i couldn't find a job as a RN but instead of thinking that me having my RN was bad, they were excited. i got the job, signed papers on 4/14 and started working as a CNA on 4/15. i talked to the DNS (director of nursing services) and he was encouraging. the plan/idea was for me to get some experience in the place and get to know the facility, then eventually train me to pass meds, do treatment nurse and eventually charge nurse. it was really exciting and encouraging to know that the DNS was looking out for me and welcomed me aboard "the team". at my previous job the DNS was scary and not encouraging at all. so this was new.

training for the CNA position was great, i just got back right into the dressing, feeding, wiping, cleaning, showering, etc. i trained for four days, then had two days off before i was to start full time on day shift. i showed up on 4/22 when i was scheduled and found out that their CMA (med aide) had just quit the day before. they were wondering what to do and someone was like, "why doesn't Brandi do it?" since i am a RN i can pass the medications on my license. i talked to the DNS again and he said it sounded good, it would be difficult but i would have lots of help if i needed it. so the next day i started training on passing meds. the day shift med position starts at 5am so we are able to pass the 6am meds. unfortunately the bus does not run that early. i live about 4.5 miles from work and so in order to get there on time, i need to ride my bike. i leave around 4:30am. at that time i am not yet awake but there are not many cars on the road. by the time i get to work i am wide awake.

training went quickly and i learned a lot. the person who trained me had been doing it for 9 years so she had a lot of experience. she knew all the residents' meds inside and out. she knew everything i needed to know. it went quickly and there was a lot to learn. after training for three days i had one day off, then started on my own today. although i felt like i was kind of drowning slowly, it also felt like i would get it down eventually and it would become doable. the day goes incredibly fast because there are meds at 0600, 0730, 0800, 0930, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400. there are over 40 residents and they all get lots of meds at different times. i actually like work that keeps me busy the whole time so it suits me.

two more days on my own for day shift then i train on evening shift for two days. eventually my schedule will be two days on, two evenings on, two off then repeat. so i have rotating "weekends" and don't have to get up at 4am every day of the week. i'm looking forward to when that starts on may 6. all in all, i am glad i am working again.

#215 - bicycle!

i just got my bike out for the first time in probably close to a year. both tires were really flat so i had to put air in them and be sure i was good to go. i was worried i would forget how to bike and i was definitely a little afraid of biking in traffic. of course i still remember HOW to ride but it was a little awkward.

the day that i took my first ride of 2010 was so gorgeous, almost knocking on summer's door. summers in oregon are so amazing and i am really excited for it to come. i thought for sure the sun and warmth would last.. unfortunately today it got really COLD! i had heard rumors about snow in the next couple days and did not believe it because i swear it was in the upper 60's the other day. so imagine my surprise when i looked out the window today and saw snow falling down! granted, it is probably in the low 40s right now but hey it's MARCH for crying out loud! the cherry blossoms are in bloom and flowers are popping out everywhere so dammit, snow, stay away! i am ready to go out in t-shirts and maybe a light sweatshirt. no more winter clothes...grrr... i do enjoy the winter and this one was quite short with not enough rain (yes, i said it!) or snow. the sun is such a tease! i was dreaming of summer days and nights, staying out till nine and it still being light out. oh yeah! picnics, hikes, bikes, parties, swimming, the coast, etc. summer is going to rock!

so my bike is out and ready to ride. i will ride in the cold but not rain or snow. i am so fair weather. but i have a bus pass so its all good and i don't care what you bike people think.. its for fun and not my main mode of transport. maybe someday that will change but for now it's just fun to ride. i can get some exercise while also getting fresh air and going from point A to B faster, not having to wait for the bus. OOH CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!! i should change the title to "summer"

#113 - about halfway

well i set a few goals for june. and now it's practically halfway through the month. boy how time flies!! i met goal #3 (pass my class) by getting an A...superstar! other than that, i have been doing pretty well i think, haven't spent any money at a bar yet. i did go to a few restaurants for lunch (3 times this month), bad planning on my part there. the only grocery shopping i've done all month was to get stuff for a camping trip. i still have lots of food from that because we ended up only staying one night instead of two and so i'm a little set back on goal #4 (cleaning out pantry). i fear that goal #2 (bikini body) is doomed but i still have a little over two weeks. i've been riding my bike all over the place and going to the gym regularly. i'd say the goal i am farthest from reaching right now is goal #5 (simplify) because i have been working a lot and been dead tired so not had energy to clean/organize much. i'm not really sure when that will happen. i have a feeling i'll come back from my trip and just get rid of everything cause i'll be so used to living out of a backpack. 17 days till i leave for mexico!!! i am so excited but not nearly ready. first of all, my spanish is horribly non-existent. also i have a rough itinerary but nothing set in stone. i have no reservations for places and will basically be very flexible.

i'm going to the coast to dog sit for 10 days. during this time i will be doing lots of things (some with dogs) besides hanging out at home with the little devils:

• hike neah-kah-nie mountain
• beach bonfire
• hang out with jake and kate
• golf with jake
• fishing
• workout at fitness center
• read books
• yoga
• eat at wanda's and bread & ocean
• bike ride to rockaway, garibaldi, cannon beach
• take photos
• go to beach with doggies
• watch sunsets
• hopefully avoid seeing sunrises
• avoid the tourists

it's gonna be a nice vacation from the city. as much as i love portland (and i really do for so many reasons) it is nice to get away for a little while. it's nice to not see a lot of cars or people if i don't want to. it's weird how your physical and emotional being totally changes when you're at the coast, or at least me. i think it must be the ocean. there is just so much power in the ocean and i become totally mesmerized. i feel a total awe and respect for the ocean and it definitely reminds me of home. even if the ocean looks cold, dark and scary out here sometimes, i look out at the horizon and feel the warm sands of waimanalo. no joke. i KNOW that 3000 miles away is my hawaii. it is comforting.

two more weeks for my goals. two weeks till i leave. two weeks to enjoy life before i go out and explore/discover the world!

#112 - so done!

i did it! i became a SUPERSTAR!! i took my final exam this morning and not only passed, but got an A. maybe my teachers were right...or maybe this time it was based on more than just three tests. there were quizzes and extra credit as well. why not last time? so frustrating, but it's over. i studied hard and now don't have to worry about pathophysiology ever again. what a great feeling! i called my parents and they were so relived and happy, my mom said she had tears of joy. so funny. the madness however is not over. first they told me that my summer class would be the second 5-week term of summer, from july 28 till the end of august. so i planned my trip around that time frame, foregoing the wedding that i was supposed to attend in costa rica. now they tell me it's only going to be one day of lab time and four days of clinicals at the hospital. and of course, the timing is horrible. if they had said this in the first place, i would be at a wedding in late august! bastards. um, no hard feelings of course. but why can't they get it together?

anyway, so now school is done for this term. it's gonna be work, play and then the trip. i have so much still to plan and prepare and only 3 weeks to do it. it's getting close! i'm so excited and now i don't have to worry about coming back to the same job forever because i passed my class and will go on with nursing school as planned.

it's june. it's supposed to be summery and sunny. today it's raining and cold. last week i got my bike out and rode it to work. on the way home afterwards i hit an oil slick on a turn and skidded out. luckily it was a little chilly so i was wearing a jacket and pants. if not, my left elbow and leg wouldn't have much skin on it. so it was my first bike wreck. i'm glad it wasn't bad and no one was around to witness the humiliation. i was more upset than anything really. now i am a little nervous as i hit the turns that may or may not have wet/oily spots. my tires are pretty thin and aren't made for crazy maneuvers. i hope that's the last of my accidents. that elbow has had it's share of owies, mostly skateboarding falls. when it's sunny i'll probably start trying to skate again. last summer i learned an ollie, a 180, pop shove it, and kickflip. i want to get better at those tricks and do a heel flip too. also i want to get good enough to ride at the skate park. i tried it when i was back home, but i was by myself and still felt embarrassed. it's hard to commit to dropping into the half pipe. i need to find some balls.

#110 - time to bike

the weather is finally turning nice. this for me means time to bike! i will admit, i am not one who likes to ride in the rain, or cold. it's misery. i haven't ridden since the end of summer last year. i blamed it on a bum bike. my wheel was bent when i was going downhill at top speed and ran over a big stick in the road. i tried to see if i could ride it, but it was no good. so basically, i kept it in the garage until last week. i took it to the bike shop and asked if they could fix it. they couldn't. i had to buy a new wheel which set me back a few, even if it was a used one. but now it's fixed and i am happy. it's nice out and i can bike!

i usually go everywhere on the bus or MAX train, which works. it's slow and you have to be used to waiting, a lot. i decided for the month of june i wouldn't get a bus pass so that i will force myself to ride my bike everywhere. it's not that i don't like biking but sometimes i can be lazy. it's nice to sit on the bus/MAX and read or sleep or listen to music. i've only got two more days of going to school, one of which i will get a ride. the other is for my final which i can take at the testing center, about a 5 mile ride away. i usually get a ride to work but i will probably start biking there. it's about 3 miles, which is a pretty quick ride.

generally portland is a great place to ride bikes. everyone bikes here. i don't particularly like biking through the city, but it's not too bad. i try to stick to the wide streets that are less busy. there is a great bike trail that i love to ride that goes right along the willamette river. the section i've done quite a bit is probably 6 miles long and i double back. it's a part of a larger 40-mile loop that also goes east out to gresham, north through troutdale, west along the columbia river to north portland, then south through forest park. my goal is to do that loop this summer sometime. there is also a shorter loop that is probably 20 miles that goes along the 205 instead of out to gresham. 40 miles sounds like a lot but if i've got water and music and it's a nice day, i just keep going. i may hurt in the butt the next day but it's fun and quite worth it.