Today I'm grateful for.

- Long naps. I didn't get called into work today and therefore took full advantage by napping the late afternoon away.

- Almost dying from laughing so hard in kickboxing with Laura. Maybe it's the faces she makes. Maybe it's her right uppercut. I don't know. All I know is that she's awfully cute, and I can't help but laugh.

- Downtown Tacoma walks. Despite the many hundreds of times I've traipsed down Pacific Ave or Antique Row, I always see something beautiful and new. Today, the gorgeous hanging baskets on the many lamp posts caught my eye. Absolutely beautiful. Also, finding [new] old things. I bought neon yellow jellies and and a sparkly cocktail dress that seemingly came right out of 1974. All for $11.

- My sunroof.

- The [almost empty] bottle of lemon-honeybee conditioner I found in the bottom of my locker at the Y that made my curls fantastically springy today.

- Having the house, fridge, and stove to myself. Nectarines, chicken gyoza, garlic-broccoli, garbonzo beans, corn on the cob, and artichoke hearts. I am in my element. It's amazing how the jump from living off of an university cafeteria and residence hall microwave to coming to the Arkin kitchen turns me from college student to domestic goddess.

- Inspiration from cairns. I love pictures of them. I always wonder about the story behind them. I've chosen my floor theme off of some beautiful photographs of rock cairns.

 - Remembering to wear my glasses. Yes, it's about that time in my life where I should wear them alot more often that I do. The world [or at least the television, Pastor Rayburn's sermons (the pulpit is seeming to inch farther and farther away each Sunday), and baseball games] come to life.

- Psalm 34. My favorite Psalm. I come back to this chapter weekly and am continually encouraged and inspired.

nuun.

Ever since I started running, I get highs and lows. What runner/athlete doesn't? I am currently recovering from a low. What gets me out of a low?: a new weight workout, a new race to train for, new shoes, ect. 2/3 of these happened and *voila*. Welcome to running/workout high August '09. 

With two halfs on my race calendar, and my tubes of nuun in hand, I'm set. I'm finding that it isn't always what I eat that affects me (don't get me wrong, it does), but how I'm hydrating myself that really plays out in my workouts. After running around 5J or sitting by a patient's bed for 8 hours and then working out OR working out and then working the evening shift, my body tells me how much it loves me according to its hydration status. Nuun is a lifesaver. Nuun was a "sponsor" for the crew team freshmen year. It was addicting, pure hydration, sugar-free, full of electrolytes, and free. I think it goes for around $12 per tube. Therefore, free is good. Tubes and tubes of nuun. I would drink nuun ALL THE TIME. My nuun of choice is tri-berry. Nuun is not an "energy drink." It is purely electrolytes; which equals maximum hydration without drinking litres and litres of water (which is perfect for rowers [especially lt. weights]).

Check nuun out . . . http://www.nuun.com/index.php

The only downside. Each time I reach a running high, my what used to be a seemingly neverending nuun supply . . . is no longer neverending.

Dilemma.

Dilemma: I need to pick out a theme for my floor soon. The weeks are speeding by, and if you're like me (AKA someone who takes a long time in the creative process) then I need to start soon. Emerson is so different than Ashton. Easier to "theme" a floor in some ways, harder in others. I have $35 to make 35 door tags, and $45 for floor decs. Not much. I do not want to be cheesy. I refuse to be cheesy. I also want to be cheap. Last year I used newspaper, trash can lids, and spray paint. Cost me a whopping $7.

I've had some good ideas: (1) frames (credit to Joelle). This idea was nixed when I remembered that the amount of command strips it would take to hold up 35 frames would most likely take my entire budget (floor decorations love to fall off of walls [spoken from prior experience *ahem* trash can lids *ahem*]) (2) a CLUE theme. This could be interesting, but I have no idea how to pull it off without the "boardgame" feel that I would want to avoid. (3) Charlie Chaplin, bowler hats, mustache sillouettes, "silent film" theme. Still thinking about this one. (4) A "summit-base camp" theme. Just an excuse to use wear my chacos 24/7.

We'll see. I just might stick with the one idea that I've had since I've started this whole PA business a year and half ago. This I'll keep secret, in case I do in fact use it :)

Currently reading.

"Glimpses of Heaven," by Trudy Harris, RN. Not one given easily to tears, I cannot help myself as I read about the author's experiences as a hospice nurse. If you had asked me 3 months ago if I had ever thought about hospice nursing, I would have given you an emphatic "no." Now, after sitting with several patients who are either at the end of their life or are declining at an incredibly fast rate, my perspective on life, particularly the end of life, has changed. Individuals do have the power to impact ending lives. While incredibly sad, as I directly observed a few weeks ago as I held the pulseless wrist of my patient as his family stood watch, there is a redeeming grace that can be pulled from all situations.

It's hot.

It's hot out. When doing any sort of physical activity outside in temperatures above 87, I die. I just walked to the post office and back; a 10 minute walk. By the time I got home, I was done. I was planning on walking to the mall later today. Um, no, probably not.

In other news, my sister bought me a dress yesterday for $1. Yes, one dollar. It's gray, hits just below the knee, and helps me get one step closer to becoming a greek goddess (Nike herself would have worn this dress). From Plato's Closet, by south center; alot cheaper than Buffalo. Another dress; another thrift store find added to my closet. I am content.

And yes. I saw HP last night with Joe. My first time watching an HP movie in the theatre.  I was impressed. They didn't pack too much into this one (like it seemed in The Order of the Phoenix) and didn't leave any essential elements out. By the end, I had fallen in love with the Weasely twins (I was not satisfied with their amount of film time though) and Snape all over again. I need to read books 6 & 7 again. I read them so quickly, I had forgotten much: the appearance of Greyback, the reason for the vanishing cabinets, Slughorn and the tampered memory, ect. It all came back . . . but I still need to read them again.

Note of the Day: An advantage of 85+ weather: I'm becoming tanner by the day. Thank you, sun.

July.

July is here. This equals an abundance of fresh fruit and freckles. I am become more and more tan (yes, TAN) by the week. And fruit is finding its way to our dining room table by the boxful. My dad brought home a 10 lb-ish box of apricots the other day. I spent the evening sorting through them and halving the good ones for the dehydrater. YUM. 

Finished my two-week long orientation at MultiCare this past week. Learned alot of stuff that was "review." Blood glucose checks, patient charting on Epic, infection control. This is what I give thousands of dollars to SPU to learn. But I didn't mind the review. I was getting paid . . . and it was indeed a "review." 

Experienced the evening shift for the first time. 1500-2330 is so completely different than 0700-1530. Much more chill. No PT, OT, and RT, less MDs and procedures, and lots of patients sleeping. This "chillness" equals good for me; a nurse tech floating between 16 different departments. Don't get me wrong, I welcome the opportunity to experience different areas. At the same time, it is extremely hard to really know what you're doing when you're on 6K (pediatric med/surg) on one day and then the CVICU (cardiovascular ICU) the next. I just pray for understanding RNs each shift. I almost wish my ID badge said: "Hello, I'm Erin Arkin. I'm a nursing student with only 30 weeks of clinical experience. I know all about total hip precautions, how to hook a patient up to a portable tele and SCDs, and how to give IMs and blood transfusions, but please don't ask me to put in a foley or IV on a coherent patient. I also most likely do not know where the soiled utility room is. Thank you." Alas, no. Instead I fumble my way through eight hours of a "learning experience."

Note of the Day: No, I haven't seen HP yet.

It's Friday.

Goodbye, bum-life.  

I start work on Monday. My two weeks of unemployment (minus 3 days of working at the Y) are ending.

So, it's Friday. I just woke up from a nap, am about to make PIZZA, and then good evening Tacoma. Waterfront with friends. I guess I'm not much of a bum after all.

Note of the Day: 85 degrees is hot enough for me.