Torn...

The dilemmas I've faced this week.

The first one was the dreaded certification renewal (one of them, anyway).

Getting a nursing certification is a little like qualifying for an equestrian event: lots of jumping over obstacles and looking perfectly put together.

After months of combing all my files for CE certificates to put in the application, making sure my membership was updated, then filling in the rest of the application and credit card info, I sent it off. A few hours later, I got the "we're reviewing it" e-mail.

Today, I got the all clear. I'm renewed for another five years. The hamster wheel starts again...

The last couple of days, not throttling some of my coworkers about the US presidential election has been another dilemma.

For those of you not in the know, we not only elected a new president this week, we will, on Bubba's birthday, January 20th, inaugurate the nation's first reality TV star, thrice divorced president married to only the second non-US citizen First Lady. Some of my coworkers want to talk about it all the time.

I'm not one of those people. We give out blood pressure meds for a reason at the Hotel. We're not supposed to be inducing conditions that will send people into rehab.

However, I'm looking forward to the weekend. I'm celebrating my favorite US veteran, Dahey.

Happy Veterans' Day to all of you who have served!

Dodging bullets

Dahey dodged one on Monday. He was not selected for layoff (or furlough) at his job. What's the reason? Working without a contract, the firm on his job site finally ran out of money. It closed one location. Federal contracting isn't all it's cracked up to be if the government can't decide.

I didn't dodge a bullet, but I missed one thing. My chance to get out of the Hotel is dashed for now. I just need to look at a few things, then decide when to try again. I told someone if they talked about it too much, it might not come true. (From years of experience, I keep my mouth shut). It was only a transfer opportunity, but after four years of this, I feel like moving on.

I hate it when I'm right.

More to come...

The waiting game

Is Bubba still sick or not? Will I be rudely awakened again tonight by diarrhea and vomiting?

Will I finally get the stool samples I've been waiting for all day?

Should be interesting to see what happens when Dahey does kid watch duty tomorrow. He couldn't even handle me showing him the 10 language instruction sheet ("I just ate dinner" he said indignantly). He'd never make it as a nurse.

Let's have a show of hands who hasn't discussed a stool sample over a meal. (I thought so...)

At least, I got some other doctors' appointments made and files sorted and filed that I needed to do for months.

Crossing fingers and playing the waiting game...the RehabLand camp out will be here before we know it!

Whole lotta shakin'

It's only March and the earthquakes just keep coming. The photos of the quake and tsunami in Japan and warnings in Hawaii are just unreal.

Having lots of nuclear discussions around the house with the expert, which makes life interesting.