Musings
It's been a pretty satisfying couple of weeks as of late. Of course, now I feel like reflecting upon them. You know me: day-to-day musings on Facebook, novel-length summaries on here. Can't say I didn't warn you.
Last weekend, with my blood fully recharged, I went into the Blood and Tissue Center and finally donated platelets. It was my first time, but it went fairly well. The only issue I had was the temperature relative to the generosity of my small veins. Why they would keep a room like that chilled like a fridge is be - okay, I know why they do - but still, it was freakin' cold, so they had to keep my vein warm with a latex glove filled with hot water. Other than that, it went smashingly. In and out in less than 90 minutes. I was allowed to bring DVDs to watch (sometimes it takes longer), so I brought Spaceballs and Bubba Ho-Tep. The guy taking my donation called me "the coolest woman ever" for my choices. Maybe he was buttering me up, but it was a welcome compliment. It was pretty interesting watching the blood separating in the centrifuge, finding its way back into my arm. They put an anti-coagulating agent in it, which is room temperature and a bit colder than one's own blood, which makes it feel weird going back in. It also makes your lips tingle, which was an interesting sensation as well. After I was done I was swabbed for the bone marrow registry and left feeling pretty positive. It is my hope that by doing so, I am able to help someone. Selfish? Probably. Whatever -it felt good to do.
Work has also gone well. I finally feel like I am back in the swing of things. I have my moments, but who doesn't? I have had more than my share of patients blowing up at me this past week though. One woman exploded at me through the drive thru because the woman in front of her 'took too long" (insurance issues) and the other was livid because her doctor had changed her instructions. She didn't notice, and somehow it was our fault. She was yelling at me and cursing at me so much on her husband's cell phone that I had to give it back to him. It just reached a point where I didn't feel like I had to take the abuse. He gave it to my pharmacist who had an equally productive time trying to explain what "as directed" meant. Some things are just beyond words, I guess.
Meditation and Buddhism discussions are going well too. I have only gone to a couple of sessions, but in the meantime I am reading up on all things Buddhist. I am finding my spiritual journey exciting! It's good to have friends to go with as well. I just get so nervous and anti-social when I tread into unknown situations. My friend Earl accompanies me and we both seem to enjoy it. He has some experience with Buddhism, and although it is a little intimidating, I don't find my lack of experience inhibits me at all. The people there have been very friendly and easy to get along with (although one guy, whom I shall call "conspiracy guy", was partnered with me during one discussion, and I found his attitude a little off-putting, because I really didn't come to talk about "killing your TV" etc.). I requested to work only days on Wednesdays so that I can keep this up. If I fidn I don't like it anymore, I can always change.
This week, instead of going to Shambhala (they had a community meeting of sorts), Earl and I went out for some tea and sandwiches at a favorite local coffee shop called "the Green Muse." I love this place. You'd miss it if you drove by and blinked, but it really has a great atmosphere, and the food and drinks are delicious. We chatted for a little over an hour about many things, and it was refreshing to be able to sit and chat with someone whom I didn't feel a need to be "on guard" around. It's not something I am too accustomed to. I'm usually thinking 5 steps ahead, carefully planning what I say and how I say it, afraid to be judged. It's not like that with Earl.
On a side note: Jes and I were like that too, except that I kind of reached a point (before I hit a bit of mental and emotional enlightenment) that I began to filter myself, for fear of "annoying him" or "sounding too dramatic" or whatnot. (Honestly - I am not sure how he dealt with all that drama I was capable of (or how anyone did for that matter)). I hope when we get a chance to chat in the future, he notices how much (I feel) I have grown since then.
So, yeah. Earl is a pretty cool guy to chat with. I enjoy being able to engage in a lack of restraint once in a while. Matt and I have that sort of relationship for sure, but having friends who know you and like you any way is also nice. We talked a lot about or experiences, hopes, anxieties movies taste and life in general. I could have gone on all night, had it not been a "work night" (kind of like how school nights used to be, eh?), but we called it quits and it had only been an hour (it felt like we touched on so many cool things)! In keeping with my desire to "train" myself to take things at a reasonable pace (instead of sucking all of the life out of them at once), we agreed to do it again at a later time, preferably on a weekend or day when there is no work to wake up to the next morning. I'm curious to discover what topics will come up next!
Oh and before I go I have to also add that, in celebration of the Chinese New Year (Year of the Tiger) I am back on the healthy habit bandwagon. I figured since the Julian new year didn't work out so well, the Chinese/Lunar calendar was a different, yet fitting place to start over. I have done a class of spinning, kick boxing and body sculpt...and I am sore as hell. I signed back up at SparkPeople.com to track my progress, and took a "before" picture to put next to a picture from the end of grad school (when I was in my best shape) as motivation. I am hoping to lose a few before Jason and I go see Phantom of the Opera at the end of March, just so I can fit back into the one nice dress I have. Nothing like getting gussied up to inspire some healthier choices, eh?
If you aren't asleep or bored by now, bravo! And thanks for reading this far ;)
Last weekend, with my blood fully recharged, I went into the Blood and Tissue Center and finally donated platelets. It was my first time, but it went fairly well. The only issue I had was the temperature relative to the generosity of my small veins. Why they would keep a room like that chilled like a fridge is be - okay, I know why they do - but still, it was freakin' cold, so they had to keep my vein warm with a latex glove filled with hot water. Other than that, it went smashingly. In and out in less than 90 minutes. I was allowed to bring DVDs to watch (sometimes it takes longer), so I brought Spaceballs and Bubba Ho-Tep. The guy taking my donation called me "the coolest woman ever" for my choices. Maybe he was buttering me up, but it was a welcome compliment. It was pretty interesting watching the blood separating in the centrifuge, finding its way back into my arm. They put an anti-coagulating agent in it, which is room temperature and a bit colder than one's own blood, which makes it feel weird going back in. It also makes your lips tingle, which was an interesting sensation as well. After I was done I was swabbed for the bone marrow registry and left feeling pretty positive. It is my hope that by doing so, I am able to help someone. Selfish? Probably. Whatever -it felt good to do.
Work has also gone well. I finally feel like I am back in the swing of things. I have my moments, but who doesn't? I have had more than my share of patients blowing up at me this past week though. One woman exploded at me through the drive thru because the woman in front of her 'took too long" (insurance issues) and the other was livid because her doctor had changed her instructions. She didn't notice, and somehow it was our fault. She was yelling at me and cursing at me so much on her husband's cell phone that I had to give it back to him. It just reached a point where I didn't feel like I had to take the abuse. He gave it to my pharmacist who had an equally productive time trying to explain what "as directed" meant. Some things are just beyond words, I guess.
Meditation and Buddhism discussions are going well too. I have only gone to a couple of sessions, but in the meantime I am reading up on all things Buddhist. I am finding my spiritual journey exciting! It's good to have friends to go with as well. I just get so nervous and anti-social when I tread into unknown situations. My friend Earl accompanies me and we both seem to enjoy it. He has some experience with Buddhism, and although it is a little intimidating, I don't find my lack of experience inhibits me at all. The people there have been very friendly and easy to get along with (although one guy, whom I shall call "conspiracy guy", was partnered with me during one discussion, and I found his attitude a little off-putting, because I really didn't come to talk about "killing your TV" etc.). I requested to work only days on Wednesdays so that I can keep this up. If I fidn I don't like it anymore, I can always change.
This week, instead of going to Shambhala (they had a community meeting of sorts), Earl and I went out for some tea and sandwiches at a favorite local coffee shop called "the Green Muse." I love this place. You'd miss it if you drove by and blinked, but it really has a great atmosphere, and the food and drinks are delicious. We chatted for a little over an hour about many things, and it was refreshing to be able to sit and chat with someone whom I didn't feel a need to be "on guard" around. It's not something I am too accustomed to. I'm usually thinking 5 steps ahead, carefully planning what I say and how I say it, afraid to be judged. It's not like that with Earl.
On a side note: Jes and I were like that too, except that I kind of reached a point (before I hit a bit of mental and emotional enlightenment) that I began to filter myself, for fear of "annoying him" or "sounding too dramatic" or whatnot. (Honestly - I am not sure how he dealt with all that drama I was capable of (or how anyone did for that matter)). I hope when we get a chance to chat in the future, he notices how much (I feel) I have grown since then.
So, yeah. Earl is a pretty cool guy to chat with. I enjoy being able to engage in a lack of restraint once in a while. Matt and I have that sort of relationship for sure, but having friends who know you and like you any way is also nice. We talked a lot about or experiences, hopes, anxieties movies taste and life in general. I could have gone on all night, had it not been a "work night" (kind of like how school nights used to be, eh?), but we called it quits and it had only been an hour (it felt like we touched on so many cool things)! In keeping with my desire to "train" myself to take things at a reasonable pace (instead of sucking all of the life out of them at once), we agreed to do it again at a later time, preferably on a weekend or day when there is no work to wake up to the next morning. I'm curious to discover what topics will come up next!
Oh and before I go I have to also add that, in celebration of the Chinese New Year (Year of the Tiger) I am back on the healthy habit bandwagon. I figured since the Julian new year didn't work out so well, the Chinese/Lunar calendar was a different, yet fitting place to start over. I have done a class of spinning, kick boxing and body sculpt...and I am sore as hell. I signed back up at SparkPeople.com to track my progress, and took a "before" picture to put next to a picture from the end of grad school (when I was in my best shape) as motivation. I am hoping to lose a few before Jason and I go see Phantom of the Opera at the end of March, just so I can fit back into the one nice dress I have. Nothing like getting gussied up to inspire some healthier choices, eh?
If you aren't asleep or bored by now, bravo! And thanks for reading this far ;)