you forgot to pack your teddy.

Sundays are my only real days off in the week. They have also become my run errands\clean the house\do nothing days. This is both comforting and upsetting. While I need these 'empty' Sundays to finish said things like cleaning and the occasional homework, I want to do exciting and adventurous things on my day off. Trips to Target can only be so adventurous. And so, here is my empty day, full of things.


Went to Bath and Body Works for one thing, and came away with new room frangrances. But I also shopped for nonessential clothes and didn't buy any, so I suppose it all evens out.

Gathered the goods for the day.

Walked through downtown and soaked up some sun.

Drank Starbucks slowly by a fountain.

Painted pottery.

Blew bubbles of paint on my pottery.

Sunday. CleanDay.

Ampersand likes to unpack everything you pack.

Her prize she found. A paintbrush.

Fixed some of the frames I had made in the past, but that had been broken due to kitty mischief.


It's a nice night out. Maybe we will end this full emptyday with something fun. Or maybe I will just write my research paper.

I'm afraid you haven't noticed, you forgot to pack your teddy. Or perhaps he wasn't ready to leave all of it behind. The trains will keep on running. And they'll still think you look funny cause you're wearing your pajamas and you haven't lost your smile...

MRS. BSN.

Engaged.

February was quite the month. It seemed like every week there was something happening. Something wonderful. Valentine's day was fun. Miles made Pad-Thai, my favorite, and the fact that he made it, was even better.

Then literally a week later was my birthday. A mellow a day with the family, dinner and cake. A day to relax was the perfect present.

And then exactly a week later I got proposed to! If only every month was as special. But I think that would be a little too much to handle.



I have chubby little fingers, but now they have some decoration.

Every now and then I catch myself, stopped in my tracks, thinking about it, the question, my answer, the whole she-bang. It makes me feel so giddy, and happy, its almost surreal.

I put my application for nursing school in. I won't hear back for another three months. Three agonizing months. It shouldn't be too bad, as this is actually earlier than I thought I would be able to apply. I didn't think I would be eligible for a program until Spring, but alas, I was, and I threw together my application, letters of recommendation, personal statement and all that jazz, and sent it on it's merry way. So, I suppose if I don't get accepted for this Fall, all isn't lost, is it? I just need to keep telling myself this.

Now, onto the planning stages. Planning engagement parties, planning finances, dreaded student loans, weddings, graduation parties, vacations, it's all so exciting, I can't even wrap my head around it.

MRS and BSn Degree. The countdown has begun.

We like cemeteries. Obviously.

Mis-shapen Paws

Time both speeds by and drags on.

A cat is missing in our building. The sign says she has 'mis-shapen paws and cannot climb' Pretty much the saddest thing.

Today is V-Day. As in Valentine's day, not Victory in Europe day. I got the BEST mix cd. Our love is as giddy as two highschoolers, and Mix CDs make my day. Dinner is planned for when we both are not working, Wednesday the 16th is the new 14th.

Just as I thought work was going to be my constant, my control, the Big Boss Lady up and quit on us. I understand why, I don't blame her, I'm not mad, just frustrated. Our facility is large and daunting. The patients are demanding, the staff is not always the most supportive, and the administration is always in flux. Nonetheless, our department was solid, we had all been there for a good year and counting, which apparently was surprising to most. So now, here we are, not even a week into being 'on our own,' and already starting to sink. Today will be a real test, Valentine's Party for the patients amid the usual chaos.

On a better, more stable note, my classes are going surprisingly well. I am engaged and enjoying how challenging they are. I think I am more motivated than ever to get through this.

We planned a vacation! I have only been bitching and whining and yearning for one for over a year, and we finally did it. Ever since our epic journey through Europe I have the travel bug. I want to explore, I was to be on a plane for countless hours, I want to sleep in hotels and hostels and eat weird foods and see things that shock me. This next vacation is more 'American\Resort' but I am excited regardless. We are going to Hawaii in June for 8 days. Staying on Kona, renting a car to explore, hike the volcanoes and just be. I am so thankful for my family and that I enjoy being with them, and even more thankful that Miles does too. It makes things so much easier and enjoyable. This is where you'll find me.

The past few weeks have both dragged on and gone by in a flash. I can't decide which.

I have been enjoying the weather. For a few weeks it was so bitterly cold, it hurt to go outside. But it felt like winter, and I welcomed it. Now we are in the Zombie-fog. Fog so thick you can't see the car in front of you. Fog so dense you feel the moisture when you walk through it. Fog so white it looks like it snowing.

Today was sunny and warm. Maybe I have no concept of what the weather is like.




Everyday at work these guys wait for me.

But, sometimes they attack.


I thought this was a neat Google image. I'm excited to see the behind the scenes stuff of the Kennedy's on the 30th.


I need more of something, I'm just not sure of what. The next few months will be a big turning point, lots of things coming into place. Exciting. Terrifying.

R.I.P. 2010

The year is over. Ta-da!

Albums of note:
-Jonsi: Go
-Band of Horses: Infinite Arms
-Arcade Fire: The Suburbs
-The Dead Weather: Sea of Cowards
-Deftones: Diamond Eyes
-Far: At Night We Live
-MGMT: Congratulations

Books:
Dark Tower Series: Stephen King
Eating the Dinosaur: Chuck Klosterman
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life: Amy Rosenthal
The Year of Living Biblically: A.J. Jacobs
Bright Shiny Morning: James Frey

I definitely did not get to read as many books as I would have liked. Something to strive for in the new year.

2010 Let's Review:
Canada hosted the Olympics. People became obsessed with little red mittens.

The Gaints won the World Series.

Bulls took a stand.

Africa hosted the World Cup.

Iceland had a volcano erupt, and lightening strike.

Everyone was all up in this guy's business.

Haiti had an Earthquake. Then Cholera.

Mexico raged a war on drugs.

People were suddenly obsessed with her.

And her.

She lost.

BP spilled oil.

We're still at 'war.'


It seems like few people realized that this was the end of the first decade of the 00's, and so, to wrap it all up:

The biggest things to happen to me in the past decade:

-September 11th: The realization that we aren't safe, that the world is bigger than just what I was seeing in front of me, in my own little bubble.
-My Dad's Death: This both separated and brought together family. The family that stayed with us has never been stronger, the others have made us realize how lucky we are for the few we do have.
-iPod: The ability to have the best companion anyone could ask for, music, always with you, endlessly on shuffle, with entire discographies and musical careers at your fingertip.
-The Awkward Teenage Years: Full of angsty nonsense and lessons learned, although hard, I wouldn't trade what I went through for anything.
-Interwebs: MySpace, Facebook, LiveJournal, Blogger, Twitter, YouTube, Hulu, Wikipedia, there's just so much out there and so little time.


All in all the year was good to me, so I won't say 'here's to a new year!'... I only hope that this one is just as kind.

Holiday Haul

I cannot believe that Christmas has already come and gone. We did Meals on Wheels again, although for some reason it seemed more challenging than years past. Maybe because we don't speak Mandarin or Cantonese. We'll work on this for next year.

This year was definitely more about giving than receiving and it was so refreshing, although I did receive some amazing things...

Case en point:
Two new knitted hats. Notice the mustard :)

The calendar I wanted.

An amazing stencil of Ms. Ampersand herself, from Brad.

Even robots love me.

Powerberries, along with other sweet treats filled my stocking.

My Jonsi-esque scarf that Kristine got me.

Matryoshka measuring cups! It's nice when things fit so nicely into one another.


I also got tickets to see Against Me! at Slims in February, a nearly complete\to-be-finished drawing of me an Ampersand stippled, some pots and pans, a cookbook, a new coffee mug, and some other odds and ends. All of my gifts were so spot on, it was quite impressive and so loving.

Over the break I am hoping to take it easy. To hop from coffee shop to coffee shop, and catch up on my reading. I am sad to say that I have fallen behind in my reading, not that I had a schedule, but more that I have not had the free time to lounge and read for pleasure like I used to, and therefore have not powered through some of the books I had hoped I would. Next on the list are: (Finish) Dark Tower Series, (Finish) Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, The Chisellers, and maybe one more.

I want to learn how to play the violin, or cello, or ukulele, or guitar. Another hobby to add to my list of new ones. But for now, I suppose I'll stick to the other hobbies I have since abandoned during the daunting months of school.

The crazy inbetween

The crazy transition between Thanksgiving and Christmas, between Fall and Winter is in full swing.

I picked up some new hobbies along the way:


At my work we paint patients fingernails. We are getting really good. We can overcome any obstacle, IV's, tubes, tremors, we do it all.


Baked Brie with festive Poinsettia, which no matter how hard I try comes out as if I am trying to say Quincenera. I don't know why I don't know how. But I know it tastes good.



Baking, along with cheese, cake is a favorite. Checkerboard cake adds a special touch. For my first time, I think it came out pretty good.


Colonel Mustard. Just one more private in my army of Mustard Love. Bought this gem a few weeks back, and have gone on a couple bike rides. Looking forward to going on more with finals coming to an end.



Winter is here:


This is the bridge over the creek that I walk over everyday to come home. I love it, it's always so pretty and the sounds of the leaves blowing and water trickling are so stereotypically calming. On a darker note, there was also a dead squirrel that someone had put on the side of bridge after he was run over. I had been watching him decay over the last 2 months and he finally turned into bones and dirt. It was disgustingly cool. I'm disgustingly cool.


It has been raining. I love it, but wish I could enjoy it more. I have been either stuck in school or stuck in work, watching out the windows. My collection of rainboots have been put to good use thus far. Miles says no more boots, but I just love them so.


A throwback to kindergarten: Candy Cane Rudolph. I made these with my patients, they loved them; it's the simple things. When I asked one of them later that day what she had made, as she had it sticking out of her chest pocket, she said "a horse." A Christmas horse.


Christmas shopping has been 90% done since Thanksgiving. I finished my final items, stocking things and friends this weekend. The final put-together gifts are all that need to be completed.

Let's get through this week and then take some time to take in the holiday spirit.