It's been a while...

Most of you know I didn't fall off the face of the earth as it has been a while since I have written on here....sorry about that. 

I am at this place I've been meaning to check out for a while now, a Christian bookstore called "Tree of Life." It's pretty similar to most bookstores, but with really fun coffee and other drinks. There's this one that tastes just like a Milky Way, yum! Calorie count? Dont want to know haha. 

I tried the Almond and coffee frappe, it tastes pretty good. 

I've been bad since I have been here, totally got off the Twilight kick so I still have books 3 and 4 to read, that's what I hope to get accomplished today, but you know with my ADD that I have to check the computer from time to time.  I love to people watch too, and I usually do that at Starbucks which is just down the street but there are way more options of coffee at a cheaper price here, and a different group of people. Some guy next to me is working on a paper, the way the seating is set up he probably thinks I am staring at him, because it's kind of L-shaped, but I had to sit here to plug in, and I'm in the corner so I get to see all the views! Indiana Wesleyn University is right down the road so I'm sure this is a hangout to get away from campus, I would have come here all the time if it was me. 

Whoa, I just took a big sip, tastes a bit like Frangelico, which is great on the rocks! (Right Steph!?)

Work was busy last week and then slowed down again, it's always a rollercoaster here, I either have 15 people or 4. Friday was really slow, and unfortunately out of my 4 people, 2 weren't appropriate to be seen. People are very friendly at work, and I get along well with everyone, I almost know all the RN and PCA's names on each unit I work on. Everyone wants me to stay another 3 months, which makes me feel good that I am making a good impression, but I am not being challenged at this job, I feel at times that it is just a paycheck. I feel robotic some days, just screening and treating the patients to the best of my ability. I want to be challenged, and that is partly why I became a traveler, but on the other hand, I am scared to leap into an unfamiliar setting. If I was a new permanent employee somewhere, it would be different because the facility would take time to orient me and provide mentorship. But being a traveler, since I'm only in one place for 3 months, people dont want to spend 3-4 weeks mentoring a temporary employee. So, it's tough.

I am almost through 2 of my 3 months here in Marion, it has come by faster than I thought it would. Now, I am pressured to figure out where to next. That is something I need to do today, read my options and see what is the best fit.  

I am anticipating the start of thunderstorms here sometime soon. I went running outside today with 40mph winds.....not so smart since I am out of shape as it is! We might get snow tomorrow, but nothing to brag about, just a dusting, if that...but still...come on Mother Nature, I think thats enough!

I think I'll go see either Duplicity or Monsters vs Aliens tonight....Im not usually one to jump at Pixar movies but I'm in the mood for that today. 

Hope all is well with everyone, wherever you are!

TGIF

Month 1 out of 3 is complete of my first travel job.....what a journey so far. Sunday I am going to the WORLDS largest Childrens Museum in Indianapolis, Im excited. FINALLY, something worth taking pictures of!!

This week I found out what Euchre is....it's a very popular card game, apparently is is a midwest thing....there are tournaments and everything, like Texas Hold 'Em, guess I should investigate this game. 

I went to outpatient today with another OT, she does W/C clinic, it was slow at the hospital so she thought it would be good for me to see. Outpatient is a WHOLE 'NOTHA WORLD! Not sure if I would be interested or not. 

I finally saw someone else from "back east," well, at least cars from VT and MA....YAY! I feel like I am in another country or something, when I talk about being from NY, people are like "wow, really." They think highly of the east coast, like it is way better than the midwest....maybe it is haha. 

No more tornadoes lately, but it went from 70 degrees o 38 the other day overnight, brrrrrr. Woke up this AM and it was 24, at least this is the LAST weekend of WINTER, officially.

It's Just Another Manic Monday...ooWIooo

Monday....over...finally! It's not that I can't handle rehab and inpatient hospital patients, it just gets annoying because I have to schedule patients down in rehab around PT, SLP, and SW, then run up and down 3 flights of stairs all day to the hospital floors, then back to rehab, etc. I guess I can't complain since I am being exposed to rehab, which is something I never really did before, since my Level 2 fieldwork. Still......I got 15 minutes to scarf down my lunch while documenting (and texting AJF hehe).

I must say, I love Two and a Half Men...no matter how many times Ive seen the episodes....the one liners kill me. Could you imagine being a rich, alcoholic whore like Charlie? I guess that's better than the flannel wearing, pants hiking, accused of being gay Allen right? haha 

In case you didn't see the news...there were at least 3 tornadoes that touched down in Indiana yesterday.....EEEEEK....thankfully they were at least 2 hours from me, but the sirens still went off, boy did I jump for that! It's been 70s for the past few days then 50s today, and tomorrow it's going to be 70 again, then lower temps...and that sparks the severe weather, so the meteorologists are threatening possibly more tornadoes....ewwwwww! Well, at least I have a bathtub to hide in in case I ever have to!

Time for dinner. 

Who knew!?

So Nika, an OT I work with, gave me an Insider's Guide to Indiana....and Im reading about Northeast Indiana, which is technically where Marion falls under, and, turns out Lyle Lovett and Julia Roberts got married down the street, here in this town...WHAT? Marion, IN, population 31,000. Turns out this was a halfway meeting point at the time in 1993 from where he was on tour, and it was a private area, away from paparazzi (duh). So, I found that interesting.

It's been a wacky weather pattern all weekend, yesterday it was 67-76 all day but overcast, then last night we had huge thunder and lightening storms, and today the rain continued, but now it's sunny, humid, and windy. Oh yeh...and a TORNADO warning/watch for the entire state of Indiana... fabulous! Let me tell you, last night around 3am(technically this AM I guess), I was half asleep and the train blew its horn, boy did I jump up thinking it was the tornado siren. My heart rate must have been above 130BPM. 

I went to Starbucks today for a while to people watch, it seems like all of the "sophisticated" people go there, they are all in nice clothes, look wealthier than most of the rest of the townies, etc. Neko Case's CD is on sale there, fun, I like her. 

Pretty low key day today, did the typical Sunday thangs. I found out that until 3 years ago, Indiana did not participate in Daylight savings time, even to this day, the state is split between time zones, weird. I found out that, like most things, daylight savings is a government mandated thing to attempt to save money, but in reality, no money is saved. Google it. 

All for now

Solo is the new thing

Yay for Friday! Congratulations to me, today is my 1 month anniversary of being a Hoosier. Yes folks, that's right, I have been in Marion, IN for 4 weeks....dont get all excited! Today was stressful, a patient HAD to be seen at 415 per my boss, and I leave at 430, thanks a lot for that, got out at 5pm instead...bullshit!

The up side to it is it's been in the high 60s yesterday and today, and 70s tomorrow!! Of course the 40s will return next week, tease!

So I went to the movies tonight again alone, the first time caused me some anxiety, once again, caring what others thought of me for 5 minutes, " look at the girl all by herself." Well folks, I found out today, going to the movies solo isnt that big a deal! Out of the 16 people in the movie, 4 of us were alone...we could have started our own little solo movie goer group. I have made friends at work, dont get me wrong, but sometimes it's fun to do things alone, I didnt do it as much in Maine, but figure, since Im doing this travel bit for a while, Im going to have to just do things alone, not even thinking twice about it. 

Im really psyched about the recent weather, seeing that "back east" it's still wintah with temps in the 30s and 40s. But, Im bummed because it's gorgeous tonight, and all I want to do is be out on a deck of a bar overlooking the water like in Portland!! Not so much here in Marion. Oh well. 

I hope y'all (if anyone reads this thing) are just dandy!

Dont forget to turn the clocks forward...boo.

Ta ta ta Tuesday

So I just got home from work, time to veg for a while, at the same time convincing myself to go run later....

I am loving the cafeteria at the hospital, it is smaller than MMC's but not by much and the hospital is 1/6th the size! I love their salad bar, I eat it almost every day, but, dont think Im losing any weight by eating salad, because I load it with toppings....sesame seeds, cheese, eggs, dressing, and chinese noodles. I also love that they have both COKE and PEPSI. Now, I am usually an avid Pepsi gal, only drinking Coke when I have to, but now, I have a choice!! If I feel like a Diet Mountain Dew at work, I can have it! If I want Cherry Coke, I can have it!! Gotta love choices!

The snow has been gone for days here, but it's been cold, 5 degrees when I woke up this AM at 545. But, I'd rather deal with the cold than the snow....sorry to all my Northeast pals! 

I was totally into the Twilight series when I was home for a month, BORED, but now since Ive been here, working, getting into my groove, etc, I havent touched the 3rd book yet...oops! Better make that my project this week. 

What did y'all think of the Bachelor last night....staged? I think Jason better get bodyguards from what Ive been reading...the ladies are pissssssed! 

Im still bummin' that Indiana does not have deposits on cans/bottles, because they cant be redeemed. I feel so guilty throwing them out, because they dont recycle here in Marion either!! 

All for now....pretty boring I know!