You'd think I'm a Libra...

...With how much I'm on the scale. The company I work for is doing a Biggest Loser type program where teams of 5 associates see who can loose the most weight. So far I've dropped a pound or 2 at each bi-weekly weigh-in (there have only been 3). However, I attribute that to natural fluctuations in my weight and whether or not I had coffee that morning. I need to go weigh in today, but I just hopped on my home scale, which happens to be the same brand work uses, and I'm a pound heavier than I was 2 weeks ago! This annoys me, because I really don't want my weight to go up, and lose what I've accumulated in the game thus far.

It's been in the 80's this week, and Ryan and I live on the third floor of our building. He asked me yesterday if I wanted to turn the a/c on, and if I was uncomfortable in the hot apartment. I responded that I used to live with Ang (my best friend), and she pretty much never turned the air on, so I was used to it. The funny thing about Ang and I is that she never wanted to use the air in the summer, and I never wanted to use the heat in the winter.

I started working 7-3 on the weekends all alone. This is what I was afraid of. It's been going ok so far. I am pretty stressed out in the mornings from about 7-10 because 8am is a huge med pass, but the day winds down in comparison after that.

Since Thailand has been having some political unrest, Ryan and I have decided that Vietnam would be a better honeymoon option. That reminds me, I want to go to Barnes and Noble later today and look at some travel books. I already connected with an American living in Hanoi via couchsurfing.com. He is willing to spend the afternoon with Ry and I when we get there, and show us around a bit.

I tried out a new ATC technique this weekend. It's called "Blind Drawing." I close my eyes and do my best to draw a face. Then, (eyes opened) I color it in and finish the background. I really like it; the cartoon-y product ends up better than if I would have tried the whole thing while looking. I should have taken pics before i colored them in, but here are a few:
I also signed up to be one of 365 artists contributing to an Artist Diary. We each design a page (I'm July 22!) The books will be sold as diaries with our faded designs on the pages for people to journal over. My design is due July 1 and I'm wracking my brain trying to com up with something! Suggestions welcome.

Getting a Handel on Things

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to announce the re-opening of Handel's Ice Cream in Powell, Ohio! Its only a 10-minute drive from our apartment, and Ryan and I have been waiting for it to open all winter. It's under new management. A guy from Youngstown is running it. Ryan and I split a 4-flavor sampler consisting of: Grape, Mint Choc-chip, Coconut Almond Fudge, and Peanut Butter Brownie. It was wonderful. I grew up on Handel's, my mom used to take my cousin and I there. We'd sit on milk crates on the side of the building. Sometimes we'd bring my dog and they would give him a baby cone.

I wish I had time to blog more than once a week, I feel as though I forget things that happened in the middle of the week. We did have some pretty tasty dinners this past week. Ryan and I made breaded cod and smashed pea paninis. Tonight we had a tangy three-bean soup that was so good we could have drunk the broth straight. We also had a Lebanese Stew. I obtained the recipe for the stew on a trade at ATCsforall.com.

Last night a friend of ours from college got married. We weren't able to make the ceremony, but the reception at the Blackwell was very nice. We dined on eggplant lasagna and listened to some great speeches for the newlyweds. Because we both had to work early, we weren't able to stay long, but still had a great time and met some cool people at our table. Alex looked beautiful and Shane was beaming. Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Cooper!



Work this weekend was long. I was there pretty much double the amount of time I usually am. It was pretty busy and kinda crazy all weekend, but I survived it. I still don;t feel comfortable with admissions, however.

I switched with someone so I will be able to go to my cousin's high school graduation. I'm excited, Ryan is coming to. I could use some home time.

Columbus Ink

... No, I'm not talking about a new reality show about tattoos in central Ohio. Unfortunately I am talking about our dryer. I left a pen in my pocket (and apparently a mini Hershey bar too) and it went through the dryer. Suffice it to say, I need a new lab coat, and we will only be drying our dark sheets for the next few cycles.
I'm trying not to get too annoyed about it. After all, we are lucky to have a dryer, and clothes to put in it. And we are lucky to have each other, and this little note sweetly reminded me today:
I worked quite a bit this weekend, including my first 7-3 shift, with the latter half by myself. It's my first solo 7-3 since the med-pass started last winter. It went pretty well, and I am just so happy that no one fell. A day of no falls is a good day in my book. Its also Nurses Week, so I scored some body lotion, hand sanitizer, a nail file, and some mints!

Saturday is my friend from OSU's wedding. I'm looking forward to it. I've never been to a wedding with Ryan, and maybe we'll get some ideas for our own. It's at the Blackwell, a great hotel right on campus. Its really pretty inside so I'm sure it will be a beautiful wedding. Plus Alex is sure to look great in her dress.

I slept way in today, I can't believe its already 11! I need to get moving. Have a great week, everyone!

Rio de Sal

...That's a lyric from "Ojos Asi" by Shakira, at one point she sings about her journey to find something as beautiful as a certain man's smile, eyes, etc. She crosses a "rio de sal," or "River of Salt."

I will try to do a week-in-review post tomorrow. Until then, please check out these links on some really, really neat salt-and-pepper shakers.

Modern S&P Shakers

For the handy-man in your life...

I think they are just the coolest! However, none compare to the salt-and-pepper shakers that my old boss at the OSU airport had at her house. They were slightly dome/egg-shaped, and totally smooth, with no holes on them whatsoever. You picked it up and shook it over your food, and -magically- salt or pepper came out! Right from the bottom! The rim of the bottom was curled under in such a way that a funnel system was created and a simple shake flung the salt from the bottom of the container to the underside of the top, and then onto your food through a small opening. I bet I'll never see anything like them again.

3 Years of L-O-V-E

This week marked the 3 year anniversary of Ryan and I's relationship, also the one year anniversary of our engagement! We celebrated by going to our favorite restaurant, Ted's Montana Grill. We splurged and got some onion rings with our burgers, and followed it up with frozen yogurt from UDF for dessert. While we finished up our cones (well, Ryan finished, mine was gone by the time we hit the driveway), we watched 60 minutes, and then a documentary on volcanoes.

Earlier in week I gave a presentation with some of my classmates at a Juvenile Detention Center about Pregnancy and STD prevention. It was pretty fun, and the kids seemed pretty receptive to it. Afterward, I headed home so Ryan and I could go to DDS Idol, the annual singing competition of the OSU Dental School. It was fun, I'm glad I was able to go. Some of Ryan's classmates participated. It was funny to see some of the performers acting all goofy and student-like on stage, then come back to their seat and bounce their toddler on their knee.

I worked this weekend, and I have to say, sometimes I forget that these residents are somebody's parents. I just know them as Mr. or Mrs. So-and-so. It hits me when I see family pictures on their walls, or see their children visiting. It has to be so hard to watch a parent decline into dementia. This is the person that loved and supported their child for the child's whole life. The person who the son or daughter looked to for wisdom and advice, not to mention countless memories and special moments. How can they watch their parents slowly loose so much mental (and physical) capacity? It looks heart breaking.

Pretty soon the schedule is going to change at work, and I will be working 7am-3pm Saturday and Sunday. Currently I only work 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday mornings, with another nurse. When this change happens, there will only be one nurse there (me!). I'm pretty nervous just because there are so many residents and such a hefty med pass. Hopefully the transition will be smooth.

I'll sign off with a few ATCs from the week.