RehabRN book club: Fall edition

Yes, the days are getting shorter, and since I'm burning the lights anyway, I might as well read. RehabLand has wonderful library folks, so check out your local library. You'll enjoy it and it's cheap.

Here are a few items on my current reading list:

1. The Great Escape by Angus Deaton. The newest Nobel laureate's book is on economics, but unlike it's common description (the dismal science), this book is very readable, even if you haven't sat through one, two, three (or like me, even more) economics classes. Professor Deaton writes a readable book that even a rehab nurse who's thinking of going to the dark side (insurance or anywhere outside the Hotel) could love.

Highly recommend this, especially if you want to learn something new, without trying too hard. Thank goodness he has a sense of humor.

2. The Joy of Work by Scott Adams. Dilbert at his 1990s finest.  Reminds me of the good old days before I was a nurse. Gives me street cred with the technical folks, even though many of the tricks mentioned are dated.

My favorite escape book: I keep a copy of this in my bathroom.

3. My secret fetish lately: cookbooks. I read any and all for ideas on how to snazz up meals and bake new cakes, cookies, etc. Bubba is becoming an eating machine (and a picky one at that) so this helps keep him fed and out of my cabinets (for a while). Yes, you can get these recipes on the internet, but since my kitchen is too small for a computer and dangerous for an iPad, etc., I'm erring on the side of caution with a real book.

My current favorite: the old, reliable, Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. I got a healthy one from work, but haven't tried it out yet.

Hope you enjoy these. Will keep you updated on the next exciting book. I will be attending a meet and greet at a bookstore this week, so I hope to have a new review soon.

Happy reading!

I was tempted

To do what this person did. Bubba was driving me nuts.

Pre-teens can be a handful in more ways than you think. Going to the mall and not being able to sell back your old game system really IS upsetting, but it just reflects the concepts of economics: supply and demand.

No demand for your game console (actually oversupply) means they won't buy yours back.

Whine, cry all you want, you need to think of something else.

That is all.

A little weekend fun

Bubba has gone to camp. It is suddenly quiet in our house. WildDog keeps looking at me as if to say, "Mom, where is he?" He looks in his room and around the house and sees no kid couch surfing or playing on the computer.

Alas, since I've had a few moments of quiet, not interrupted by movie reviews or the infamous game, "I'm hungry, what can I eat?" I surfed around and found this interesting article about women in economics and the next Fed chairman (or maybe -woman).

It gave me flashbacks to college, when, yes, I was contemplating going on for a master's degree in the dismal science. (Hey, I can still draw that diminishing marginal utility curve and explain it with the best of them!)

However, the best thing I found meandering around looking for information on women and economics was Economists Do It with Models. When you can use Dilbert cartoons as your lead-in for stories on long-term unemployment, you definitely have arrived.

That is all. Hope you enjoy the moments that are left of your weekend. I will, too.

Stay tuned...

I love chocolate, so...

I really loved this article I saw today about the Nobel Prize winners for economics (aka the dismal science).

One of them obviously, Alvin Roth, is not dismal at all...rather funny. He posted about Nobel prize winners and chocolate, then had to post a note Monday that his blog post would be delayed. (Maybe due to a really early wake up call).

Just in case...

Dear readers:

Please note: I did go out shopping on Black Friday, and no, I did not need pepper spray/knives/guns. I wait until THOSE people are gone before I shop. (I also take Bubba, and frankly, they are a bad influence to children.)

Since I actually paid attention in economics way back when I was in school, I figured out early, that getting beat up and spending thousands of dollars on a trip to the hospital for a $200 big screen just ain't worth it.

I'll be lurking around my computer bright and early for Cyber Monday, though.

Hoping there are no traffic jams on the internet before I go to work Monday. Happy shopping!

Yours truly,

RehabRN

Nuggets for May 5

Yes, it's Cinco de Mayo, folks. Sorry, no tacos, but I did find a few things of interest in the realm of the dismal science, economics, recently in my adventures in the blogosphere.

BTW I'm still waiting for my economic stimulus check. Hope you've got yours. Enjoy it, spend it, or save it, because it's yours!

Enjoy!

M.D.O.D. had this post about universal healthcare called Bar Stool Economics.

FatDoctor talks about how much fun it is to be on call in this post called Highly Paid Intern.

Yes, folks, there is even a publication called Nursing Economic$ (Yes, the dollar sign is supposed to be there).

This link to their Continuing Nursing Education articles gives you a look at some of the issues discussed in this magazine.

If this list of goodies has whetted your appetite for more economic-related material, check out this site for more links to all sorts of economic topics: http://economics.about.com/