I hate it when this happens...

I'm pissed. I was at Mad Dog's (the sporting goods store) today and I saw my snowboard there. Well, not MY snowboard, but rather a 2004 Burton Indie 158. I saw this year's model. My board is a 2003 model. Well, the main difference is that the 2004 board is grey at the top instead of yellow and the middle part is blue instead of grey. Oh, and the 2004 board is $20 cheaper!!!! FUCK OFF! I hate it when this happens. I really shouldn't complain because I already got a few good days of boarding in with it and the colours on mine are a lot nicer and $20 isn't such a big deal. But still... *grumble grumble*. Anyway, $20 isn't such a big deal.

Missed Opportunities

I was supposed to go snowboarding yesterday. The sun was out, it was warm, it was definitely a t-shirt day. But on the way up my friend suddenly blurts out, "Oh shit! I forgot my boots!" So we turned around and said forget it. We'll go tomorrow. But now its tomorrow and its cloudy and a little rainy. I have 2 more days when I can possibly go. I think Rodney and I might be going to Baker on Thursday. Spring boarding is so great. You may not get the soft, dry powder but the freedom of snowboarding in a t-shirt and a pair of shorts under your snowpants is cool.

New Job

Ok, get this: I'm starting my new job on April 5th, but that weekend is a long weekend! So I work 4-8hr shifts (and they are just orientation shifts - easy money) and then I get 4 days off. Starting off pretty good, I'd say. Also, I got a message from my new manager and she said that she needed to talk to me about some changes in my benefits with the new position. But in the email she said it may be for the better. I'm hoping for more vacation time (wish me luck!).

Response

My family has a Yahoo Group where all my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, nieces, nephews, etc etc can all come and post messages for each other. We catch up on what's going on in each other's lives. Its a nice way to make the world a little smaller and for us to stay closer to the distant relatives. A little while ago, I posted the Globe and Mail article about Nanny TV and my aunt that used to work for ABS-CBN sent me this response from a reader of the Globe and Mail:



Reinforced stereotype


By JOHN JANUSZCZAK
Friday, February 20, 2004 - Page A20


Pickering, Ont. -- Re Filipino Broadcaster Plans To Air In Canada (Feb. 19): You introduced this article with the line "Call it Nanny TV." Talk about stereotypes. You "back up" your choice of words by pointing out that a lot (although you never quantify the number) of the women in the Filipino-Canadian community of approximately 375,000 have domestic jobs.

Yes, some Filipinas in Canada have domestic jobs, but many, if not the vast majority, do not. All the Filipinas I know hold jobs, well, just like the rest of us: executives, accountants, doctors, nurses, computer programmers, business analysts, bankers and store clerks.

Argh!

Tonight has been a very frustrating night. I'm tired, grumpy, my stomach hurts, I just want to go home, and I have to come back again tomorrow night. All the patients seem to be awake and no one wants to sleep. They are ringing non-stop! What is it about tonight that everyone needs to go to the bathroom 3 or 4 times? Seriously, how many times have you gotten up out of bed at 3am to go take a dump? And do you drink half a liter of water before going to bed? Probably not because if you did you'd have to get up and pee in less than an hour.

What is it about being in the hospital that people lose all their common sense and sense of personal pride? I understand that a surgery on a broken ankle hurts, but why would you need to have someone feed you? And why would you walk around the ward with the back of your gown wide open showing your ass to every nurse, doctor, and visitor? And, lastly, if a nurse told you not to eat before surgery, why would you try to sneak a chocolate bar? "oh, I was nervous. I thought it would help calm me down." Right, because that much sugar calms a lot of people down. "You're surgery has been cancelled until tomorrow because you ate something."

Word of advice to you all: when you go to the hospital, leave everything at home but bring two things: a pair of shoes and your brain.

I suck.

My parents came back from Mexico today. I've never been to Mexico. They went on a cruise. I've never been on a cruise. Last year they went on a European tour. I've never been to Europe.

I think I need to get out more.

101 Things About Me #76-80

76. Even though I don't like flavours screwing up my Coke, I do like Cherry Coke.
77. I wear my disposable contact lenses a lot longer than I'm supposed to.
78. I wish I was a better artist. Like drawing and painting and stuff.
79. I've killed 2 plants and have barely been able to keep 1 alive in my house.
80. Seeing, hearing, smelling, or thinking too much about people throwing up makes me gag.

Final thoughts

As I approach my last few days on the ward to leave (temporarily) for my new job, I've come to realize a few things:

1. I actually like my job. No matter how much I complain about it, I still find my job very satisfying.
2. The patients need me. Well, not just me, but they need someone to look after them, babysit them, console them, and discipline them. They are my children.
3. The people I work with are great. These are the people I'll miss the most. I've gone through a lot with them and I feel like I'm going to miss out on so much in the next year. Good luck, Jas!
4. I've come to see my ward as my "home" at the hospital. I've met many people around the hospital and when they see me, they know I'm from ortho. Its sortof who I am at the hospital. "You know Oliver, the guy from ortho." "Oh yeah! I know him. He has a nice ass." Man, I hear this all the time. :P

So, with 5 shifts left in the next week and a half, I've been cherishing every moment with my co-workers, friends, patients, peers, and peons. I'll miss you all. See you next year.

h.o.t. day at the mountain

Oh man, I have to tell you about my day snowboarding yesterday. I'll put it in easy-to-read point form:

1300hrs: arrived at mountain. pretty damn hot. decided to change the day from hot to h.o.t. and skip the jacket. yeah, no goggles either. just a sweatshirt and my sunglasses.

1400hrs: ok, the sunglasses and no jacket was great. cruising down the mountain without a care in the world. oh wait, just one. its too hot for this sweatshirt.

1430hrs: ditched the sweatshirt and went riding with just a long-sleeved t-shirt with the sleeves pulled up. with such a beautiful day up on the mountain its hard to believe this is a winter sport. i saw a chick at the terrain park with just a tank top on pulling 360's off a huge kicker. sweet.

1600hrs: damn! did that guy do a backflip 360? i actually stopped wearing my gloves too cuz my hands were sweating. i couldn't take my sunglasses off because the sun was too bright. darn.

1730hrs: all day the snow was kinda slushy and wet but that made it very soft when landing jumps or when falling after trying to hold a tailpress too long. now the sun is starting to go down and the runs are getting a little icy. time to call it a day. spring skiing/riding is just... cool.

The Code according to Maxim

Rule #85 (The Sergeant Schultz Rule): When queried by a buddy’s wife, girlfriend, mother, father, priest, shrink, dentist, accountant, or dog walker, you need not and should not provide any useful information whatsoever as to his whereabouts. You are even permitted to deny his very existence.

Rule #959: You may exaggerate any anecdote told in a bar by 50 percent without recrimination; beyond that, anyone within earshot is allowed to call bullshit. (Exception: When trying to pick up a girl, the allowable exaggeration rate rises to 400 percent.)

Rule #1,073: Under no circumstances may two men share an umbrella.

Rule #2,811: If a man’s zipper is down, that’s his problem—you didn’t see nothin’.

Rule #3,462: The universal compensation for buddies who help you move is beer. The reward formula is as follows: (hours of labor) x (number of boxes) x (flights of stairs) ÷ dollars, in hundreds, of damage to belongings = beers owed. Bonus for the friend who owns the truck: first crack at that hot new neighbor chick.

Rule #7,105: Unless you’re in prison, never fight naked

Rule #8,812: Never hesitate to reach for the last beer or the last slice of pizza, but not both. That’s just plain mean.

Rule #511: When asked, your best friend's girl is always beautiful-and never your type.

Rule #732: Sex with a hot stewardess is still cheating. But sex with hot Swedish stewardess twins, surprisingly, is not.

Rule #7,000: If a man compliments your "outfit," he is accusing you of being gay.

Rule #7,975: It's OK to like Fight Club, Seven, and Snatch. It is not OK to be a Brad Pitt fan.

Rule #8,746: Corollary: Never hug another man from behind or allow yourself to be so hugged.

Rule #8,820: Never talk to a man in a bathroom unless you’re on equal footing: both urinating, both waiting in line, etc. For all other situations, an almost imperceptible “I recognize you” nod is all the conversation you need.

I bet pasta sounds real good right now...

BTW, if you're pregnant or trying, check this out.

Marites, go have a sandwich or something. With extra bread. Maybe a pasta sandwich. With rice on the side.

Emotionally Unavailable

A friend of mine told me she was "emotionally unavailable" and thus was not able to have a relationship with any of the guys the had been dating recently. She didn't have the energy to put into something that wasn't "special". So if it meant going out of her way to spend time with someone, forget it. I thought about this and came to the following conclusions:

-I am emotionally unavailable.
-I blame this on my job. After putting so much of myself into my work and using so much of my energy communicating with those that are sick or injured, I don't have enough energy to put into my personal life.
-due to my emotional unavailability, I have not only suffered personally, but I have put myself at risk for early burn-out in my professional life.
-I am full of shit and being "emotionally unavailable" is an excuse for saying I am lazy, selfish, and unable to commit. I told my friend to get over it and to go find herself a boyfriend and quit making excuses for dating losers.

Movie Review

Monster starring Charlize Theron

This was good. Charlize was pretty amazing. You should see this movie.

Thank you.

Top Ten Reasons I Don't Like My Job

10. two words: Code Brown
9. people can be pretty stupid sometimes
8. I have to work long hours and half of them are graveyards shifts.
7. too much red tape
6. I meet people when they are at their worst.
5. people can be pretty annoying sometimes
4. the human body no longer holds any mystery to me
3. I work weekends and stat holidays a lot. 3 Christmases in a row!
2. I see the most disgusting things you've ever heard of
1. the thought of a major disaster is doubly terrifying.

Top Ten Reasons I Like My Job

10. between me and my patients, I'm the boss.
9. I feel cool walking into the hospital with scrubs on.
8. I have my own stethoscope and I know how to use it.
7. I make a worthwhile contribution to society.
6. I get 5 days off in a row, work a 34hr workweek, and I get a month of vacation.
5. I can tell exciting code blue stories (even though I never really like ending).
4. I work with, like, a gajillion women.
3. I meet thousands of interesting people.
2. I can work anywhere in the world if I wanted to.
1. I understand what they are saying in "ER".

Some people...

I just read the stupidest thing ever. There was this guy that decided he would commit suicide by crucifixion so he builds a big cross and makes a sign that says "suicide". He proceeds to nail one hand to the cross and then realizes the flaw in his plan. Unable to complete his mission, he dials 911. Seriously, did this guy not think this through? I mean, its not rocket science - you need at least one hand to use a hammer. To beat this kind of stupidity, I think I need to see someone shoot a gun in the air and miss.

Third Time

Last night was the third time I had to be the one to pronounce someone's death. The man dying wasn't a surprise at all, we were just waiting for him to go, but I hate being the one to do the pronouncing. I think every nurse has this fear of sending someone down to the morgue when they're not really dead. As we were preparing the body to go down to the morgue, I swear I saw his leg twitch from the corner of my eye. Then, while we were waiting for the porter, I thought I saw the bodybag move like he was breathing. Okay, when I first pronounced him dead I had another nurse just confirm it. After these creepy things I had another nurse check again for me. I was kinda freaked out about the whole thing. I couldn't wait until the body was gone. Another creepy thing is that the family (who was there when he died) told me that the man's son died exactly 11 months ago at exactly the same time. Weird.

Good day at work

I had a patient say to me, "Keep smiling." She didn't just mean to keep smiling - I think she meant keep smiling as you work. I guess she liked me. I really know how to charm these 82 year-old women. They're like putty in my hands... Anyway, its nice to know that some people recognize your efforts.

Movie Review

Starsky & Hutch starring Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson

Holy shit this was funny. These guys are hilarious. Redeeming social values? Deep insight into human nature? Screw that, this movie is here to make you laugh. You should see this movie. Do it. Watch the movie. Do it.

Portability

What would I do with a notebook computer? I have a wireless network at home so I figure I'd be able to use it anywhere in the house. I could surf the web from my bedroom or sitting on the couch or even in the bathroom! I could bring it around with me, but where would I bring it? Do I need a computer outside the house? I just want one because I think it would be cool to have. That would be 3 computers in the house with only 2 people living here. Hmm. I think a notebook would be too much. That's one expensive toy.

Suggestions

Randy suggested to me that if I'm going to have a long entry to break it up into easy-to-read paragraphs. That way its not such a chore to read I guess. I can see where he's coming from. This whole blog/internet/web stuff is his specialty so I'll concede to his seniority. He does take my snowboarding tips after all... ;)

Old friends

Its so nice to see old friends. Jeff and Gary are in town this weekend with Shauna and Diana. In the past 15 years I've seen Gary and Diana twice. Whenever I see them I'm reminded of growing up in Regina. It really makes me feel nostalgic when I see old friends. It makes me want to call up everybody I grew up with, except I don't even know where most of them are now. Well, if they somehow come by this blog: HI!!! How the hell did you find this?

Book Review

Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 5-book Trilogy
That's not a typo, there's five books. That's the kind of humour you can expect. Thoroughly entertaining and easy reading. This'll probably never be on any reading lists of literature classes, but you should read it. Very, very funny.

Margaret Atwood's Oryx & Crake
Have you ever read The Handmaid's Tale? I liked this better. I'm gonna read more Atwood.


J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion
If you liked Lord of the Rings so much you re-read The Hobbit, then you have to read this. All those references to characters and stories from the ancient days? They're all in this book. Required reading for all Tolkien fans. It explains why the elves had 3 rings of power and why the dwarves had 7, where the light in Frodo's vial came from, and the significance of the Arwen/Aragorn relationship.

New Job

Yup. Got the job. We're going out on Friday to celebrate this unlikely event. Stay tuned for details...

101 Things About Me # 71-75

71. I'm just average. I'm not really good at anything, and I don't totally suck at things I try.
72. I like the smell of coffee more than the taste, I end up putting lots of sugar and cream. But I can only drink 1 or 2 cups/day or else my stomach gets upset.
73. I can type 60wpm.
74. I've gained 20lbs in the past 4 years. Before that, I was 130lbs for 10 years.
75. I hate wearing suits and ties.

Logic

Let me tell you the most brilliant piece of logic I've ever heard: You have to be crazy to keep flying combat missions but the only way out of it is to ask. Just ask to be taken out of combat because you're crazy and they'll say you're crazy. But, by asking to be taken out of combat shows that you're not really crazy. (Catch-22, Joseph Heller). Logic is a funny thing, huh? You can use it in a twisted way to say whatever you want. In my life I think I've learned that when making decisions using logic is a terrible thing to do. Go with your gut. It never lies to you and it can never be turned against itself.

Book Review

So last night I finally finished reading a book that I had to struggle through for 3 months. Its not even a really long book or anything, it was just so hard to read. Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises isn't really a book with a great plot. Let me tell you what its about: Its about a writer named Jake who goes around different parts of Europe eating and drinking. He goes fishing once. Now you're probably waiting for me to tell you the hook. Well there isn't one. That's all the book is about. Eating and drinking in various cafes and restaurants, mainly in Spain and France. Isn't that great? Sounds interesting, huh? I'm guessing that Hemingway's other books are better but I'm not going to bother trying to find out.

Interview

I had my interview yesterday. It was okay, but not great. I don't know whether or not I got that job (I'm thinking I didn't), but from the moment I walked into the interview I got a bad vibe from the interviewers. Nothing I could put my finger on, but I don't think they liked me. They described the job in a little more detail for me and I now know that if I don't get this job I won't be really upset or anything. It sounds like something that I would enjoy for a couple of months, but to work on for a year would be difficult. I'd still like to do it because it would be something that really interests me. Clinical information, adult education, computer systems, only temporary, a little more money, away from patients for a while. Sounds perfect. But on the down side we have: adult education, only temporary, away from patients. Funny. Well I'll find out for sure probably by the end of the week. They're still doing interviews.

Code Blue!

Last night I was on my break talking to a friend of mine that works downstairs in maternity. Then I hear an overhead page, "Code blue South 3 Orthopedics" Oh crap, that's my ward! I ran upstairs because I knew that there were some other people on their break and they wouldn't have heard the page so there weren't very many people left on the ward. I go into the room and they've already started CPR. Seventy-two year old woman about 90 lbs soaking wet. I'm pretty sure some ribs were broken. Well, the code team got there, and based on this woman's medical history and her chances for survival, no one was very optimistic, but we did what we could. "Epi 1mg! Nothing yet... ok, everyone clear!" Its not exactly like on TV. When you shock the body it doesn't jump off the bed. It shakes a bit, that's all. We got a hold of the family and they said to stop. Always, we find this out AFTER we've got their heart pumping again. Everything stopped and the heartbeat was still there but she wasn't breathing. "Its not going to last long. The adrenaline we gave is keeping it going." Well, he was right. 10 minutes later no pulse, still no breathing. "Time of death 2235hrs." I think the strangest thing about codes is how when the person is pronounced dead everyone seems to just leave. All the energy and activity in the room seems to just disappear and we're left with this body laying naked on a bed in the middle of the room. There's garbage and dirty linens all over the floor, everything is a mess. It just seems so... cold. Everybody is out at the desk finishing the paperwork, clarifying details, calling other doctors, and restocking all the stuff that was used. Anyway, after everyone left we cleaned the body a little, toe-tagged her and bagged her. Its creepy zipping up the bag and seeing the outline of a body inside the white plastic body bag. I went with the porter down to the morgue because she needed help. With all the people working in the hospital and all the patients there, its kinda funny to think that the morgue is probably the most secure area in the hospital. No one goes in there alone.

The rest of the night was uneventful.

Bills

Who hates getting bills in the mail? Raise your hand. Come on, don't be shy, we all hate bills. Now, if your hand is up, put it down cuz if you're alone you must look like an idiot and if there are people around you they think you're strange. Anyway, I get tonnes of bills. Hydro, gas, phone, cable, credit cards, credit cards, and credit cards. I'm able to keep up (barely), but I'm proud to say that my hydro bill is actually paid up for 2 months in advance! I pay it month-to-month and usually what I do is just dump a certain amount in every paycheck so I don't even bother opening the bill when it comes. Well I opened it today and I had a huge credit because I've been paying too much over the past year. See? I'm so damn responsible it makes me sick. Now how do I get that money back?

Am I Busy?

A friend of mine asked me if I was busy for the next few days. Let's see, tonight is my friend Renee's last night in Vancouver so I think we're all going out, tomorrow I have to work (12 hours, mind you), then after work I'm going to a retirement party for a woman at work in Aldergrove, Sunday I have to work again (12 hours, mind you), then on Monday morning I have the dreaded interview, and then on Monday night I'm working again (12 hou...you know). I think when I'm complaining about too much to do I'm just being dumb. I really enjoy my time off and sitting around doing nothing, but staying busy helps me stay organized. This reminds of one time when a friend of mine (name omitted for anonymity) said to me, "I've been busy all day: I went to work, went shopping, took a shower, dropped off my car..." Okay Steve, when you list your activities for the day, you DON'T add "taking a shower". I know what he meant, but it just sounded funny. oops, so much for anonymity.

New links

You might notice a few new links on the right. Give their blogs a read, some are informative, some are inspiring, some are fun. I thought I'd add the links because I read them fairly regularly and I'm all for finding new ways to distract people from real work so they can sit at their computers and waste a lot of time (like me). I hope no one minds that I added their links.

Wish me luck

I have an interview on Monday for the new position I applied for. I haven't had an interview for years. I'm kinda nervous. What do I wear? I still have to find out where the office is in the hospital. What if I suck at interviews? I think I do. Wish me luck.

Mt. Baker

I had the most amazing day at Mt. Baker! It snowed all night there and was still snowing when we got there. Our first run was pure powder up to my thighs. I learned that its very difficult to ride in powder unless you have a lot of speed and going down on one edge isn't an option. You just have to ride down and float on top. It took a while to get used to all the powder but it was probably the best snow I've ever had. Thank God I have a new board that was made just for days like today! Its such a rush to be flying down the mountain and carving new tracks in untouched snow. I even did a couple of small jumps with Rodney and Greg. *sigh* unfortunately, the season is ending soon. What am I supposed to do in the spring and summer?

101 Things About Me #66-70

66. When I'm unsure, nervous, or scared, I become very withdrawn and quiet.
67. Blue Powerade is my favourite hangover drink.
68. as it turns out, I'm a typical gemini.
69. I've had 5 jobs in my life including my current one.
70. I have very bad eyesight.