YKYW - Nursing Student Blog

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Since I’m currently job hunting, I need to spruce up my resume a bit. I never noticed it is stuck in a rut! I added my last job and it horribly borked my layout. I decided that I don’t really need a 2 page technical resume for an entry level clinical job, so I can remove some stuff. But, what do I remove?

‘Developing and maintaining technology operating budget and resource scheduling; fostering and facilitating relationships with hardware, software and VOIP partners; Developing and implementing a cost-saving process for issue management’ — That sounds pretty important, right?

‘Ensuring quality of calls by monitoring network alarms and initiating, directing, and coordinating troubleshooting activities in support of T1 data/voice services; testing performed using TBERD and Sage test sets; Designing, testing and installing more efficient wiring scheme from the point of demarcation throughout entire network, including installing and configuring racks, routers, patch panels, Crystal boxes, 65 UNIX servers and 150 DS3 lines’ — Wow, there are some big words in there. Maybe I should leave that?

And then it hit me. These offices won’t really care about any of this. Maybe I should just change my whole layout? I’ve seen those resumes that have a section with ‘relevant’ experience, but my problem is that I don’t really have any of that. I guess I will Google around for different resume layouts.

Well, I finally did it. I submitted my application for nursing school yesterday and my future as a nurse is out of my hands for the next couple of months. They will send out notification letters in mid-October. I wonder if I will have any fingernails by then?

The fall semester starts on Monday. Originally, I was going to work full time and take the semester off from school. Since I really didn’t want to get out of the studying habit, my current plan is to go to school full time and find a part time job. I’m taking Anatomy and Physiology II, Statistics, US Government and Texas Government. With the two government classes, I will qualify for an AA degree at the end of the semester.

I hate writing resumes. Right now I’m trying to tone down some of the technical stuff on my resume and then see if I can get a job in a hospital.

Egads! Where’s the time gone?

Yes, yes. I’m still alive and I have been trying to keep up with my friend’s list. I started my new job last week and things are going…okay. I’m the first person in this position, and so I don’t have a job description. This also means they don’t really have a specific idea of things for me to do. When I ask for direction, I’m told to “become an expert on this software.” Uhm, okay. To make matters worse, my supervisor left for 2 weeks of vacation. While he’s gone, I’m supposed to “get comfortable” with their systems. But, there’s no documentation, no idea of what I’m supposed to do once I’m in the systems. Just…get comfortable.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love a job that says, “This is what we want done. Here are your resources. Project is due 2 weeks from now.” I think I’m just a little frustrated because I am on 30 days probation, and with my boss out of the country, I still won’t have a good idea of what my job looks like 3 weeks into it. But, I’m trying my best to make it up as I go

On the flip side, my boss seems to be as good to work with as I originally thought. My team is a diverse group of guys who are good at what they do. I’ll probably be traveling to Austin near the end of August to meet some more of my team in person. I think things will be great at work once I get a better idea of what I’m supposed to do.

Something else has been keeping me extremely busy lately: His name is Toby. He weighs about 14 pounds and he is around 3 years old. He is a beagle mix that SK and I rescued from the animal shelter last week. He is the sweetest dog! Sadly, he started making these awful noises this weekend. He kept dry heaving. Poor thing! It turns out he has kennel cough. I’m so glad we rescued him because the shelter usually puts down dogs with kennel cough. He is just WAY too adorable. So, poor Toby is keeping SK and I awake hacking and coughing his poor lungs up, but he should be better soon. I have lots of funny dog stories to share, but they will have to wait until later.

Sunday the air conditioner went out and we had to get a new one installed. People who live in Texas without AC are insane.

I’m working on a few different projects during my “spare” time that I will share once they are ready.

How are things in your world?

/rawr!

I got the job! I start on the 18th. More money, but most importantly, they are willing to work around my school schedule!

/squee!

I can hardly sit still. I am sooo excited I will be doing web traffic analysis, essentially acting as a liaison between the web developers and the marketing group.

SK is coming home for a long lunch. We are off the celebrate!

/happy dance

Today’s is my last day of work here. Oddly enough, I feel like I am graduating from high school again. I have the same nervous jitters, the same sense of awe concerning my future. With all these emotions swirling around, it seems like I should have something to say, something powerful and wondrous. But, I stare at the blank screen and all I can think of is “thank you.”

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
Thank you to SK for believing in me, and believing in us. Without your help, I wouldn’t be taking this leap of faith. Because I know your love is constant regardless of whether I have a 3.8 GPA, a 1.4 GPA or no GPA at all, I can go forward with confidence. I’m the kind of person who prefers to do something full force, or not at all. Half-hearted just doesn’t work well for me. But those gremlins! They nag me, and so I doubt myself. Even when I lose hope, you remind me of what is really important. Your strength of heart amazes me and I respect you more than you can ever know. You are the most selfless person I know, and motivate me to do the same. Thank you for teaching me to trust in the beauty of my dreams.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.
Thank you to my sister for inspiring me. You didn’t even do it intentionally. The funny part is that you don’t even have to try. You have come so far from that one-bedroom house we lived in as children. And when I want to sit down like a stubborn mule and rail against the injustice in the world, your life reminds me that my past is not an excuse for giving up. Even as toddlers, your sons are generous, kind and loving. While a certain part of that may be their inherent nature, I believe it takes a good parent to nurture and develop their tender personalities. With people like you raising children, I can believe there is hope for the world. You’ve walked a difficult road. And instead of complaining about the landscape, you brought your own flowers and planted them along the way. Thank you for brightening my life and everyone else’s you touch.
It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon…
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.
Thank you to my friends for being constant in your regard. Some of you have listened to my shameful secrets at 3am and still answer the phone when I call. Some of you hardly know me, and still leave words of encouragement when my spirits are low. Some of you have picked me up off the ground, and never asked for anything in return. All of these things are important and appreciated. Thank you for your constant friendship.
It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

When I stop to think about, how can I fail? With such fantastic people in my life, I can do anything. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

I know I’m not the only one hating daylight savings time. How can I be expected to climb out of bed when I wake up snuggled up to a beautiful nekkid woman and it’s still dark outside!? There should be a law against that.

I did manage to have a productive evening last night. I unpacked and organized quite a bit while SK napped. After being attacked by the hanger monster, I decided I’d been productive enough for the evening. I played poker and worked on my website. Later, we had a picnic on the living room floor and watched TV. Have I mentioned how much I love my Tivo?

This weekend was beautiful. We went out the art gallery and bought stuff to fill the few remaining empty places on our walls. I got this sweet necklace that is made out of an old typewriter key. Sunday, we played miniature golf with SK’s dad and then went out to eat dinner on the lake. I cannot wait until the water warms up!

I hate work more and more, but for some reason I am not motivated to update my resume. What is wrong with me?

On another note, do you think it’s possible to make myself sick on maple-glazed donuts?

I’m back!

My weekend was beautiful. I wish I could bottle it up to have on days when my spirits are low. More details coming soon, but I have a lot of work to catch up on.

Speaking of work, this is what my white board at work says:

If you have the ability to reach,
The top is always vacant.

Do you think my boss is nervous?

Well, the Astros didn’t manage to hold on. Figures. Ah well, it was fun while it lasted. I got to go see game 5 at Minute Maid park - awesome seats and even better company! I found out today that my dad and my little brother were at the game too. If the ‘Stros had made it to the playoffs, I’d have been auctioning off my first born child for tickets. As I was leaving my review today, I was talking sports with my Team Lead and Sup. They were surprised I liked sports and the sup says “A girl that likes all sports? Are you married?” I’m not sure how he’s missed the clues. I guess it’s time to post my picture of Dorothy at my desk again.

Speaking of my dad, I talked to him on my way home today. He is hilarious. He’s complaining about the size of the restroom in his travel trailer. “It’s so small in there, you can’t even relax when you gotta take a grunt, much less reach around to wash in the shower!” I don’t know about you, but unless I’m talking to my dad, there isn’t much discussion about “grunts” or any other bodily functions. Ah, the things that keep us humble. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised here either - I bet my family is the only one who regularly plays dodge ball with cow pies. The key to cow pie fights is to find the ones firm enough to handle, but still moist on the inside, so they splatter when they hit!

Yes, yes, I’m in a straaaange mood.

Next weekend my youngest nephew is turning two *insert awwws here* So, I’m going to Houston, not only to see TG, but also to attend the family dinner. AND - TG got tickets to see the Texans! I’m so stoked! Pro footbal is the ONLY major sport I have not seen in person. I’ve even seen playoff games for the Rockets, Stars and now the Astros, but no pro football. Crazy, since I’ve lived 25 years in one football town or another.

In other news, I think I am a horrible person. See, I go to get on the elevator at work a few days ago and I see this preggers Indian lady (dot-on-the-forehead kind, not the teepee kind [yes, I know that’s not PC, but I told you I am horrible, didn’t I?]) and I look down at her feet. She is wearing sandals. Her toenails are soooo scary. Long, dirty and just general all-around funkified! And I think to myself:

Devil Voice: Girl needs to do something about that!
Good Girl Voice: Oh, she’s preggers, she cannot reach her toes.
DV: Well, she didn’t wind up preggers on her own. She needs to have that fella help a sister out!
GGV: What if she got knocked up and left? I should just give her $50 so she can get her toes done.
DV: She’d just pocket the money and you’d still have to deal with her skanky toes.

Yeah, I’m such a jerk.
Tie me up and beat me.
Punish me.
Thank you, may I have another.

Oh wait, was that the response you were looking for?

I’m in a good mood. My girl called me this morning, and I’d much rather wake up to her voice than my alarm. And, I get to see her next weekend! Also, is coming into town this weekend. Wahoo! We are going to have breakfast on Saturday. My brother finally created a LJ account, too. It is gorgeous outside. 64 degrees and lovely skies.

Not everything is peachy…I scheduled an oil service on my car for Saturday morning. It’s going to cost me ~$200! /faints I think I need to bat my eyes at the BMW service guy or something. I think a spider bit me. It’s this weird spot that is very tender above my heart. This morning, I asked this girl and guy I work with if they had ever been bit by a spider. She said, “Where? What does it look like?” I said, “I think I can show you without…” And she said, “Without looking like a lesbian?” Me: “Well, it’s hard for me to avoid that!” Ha! They all think it looks like a spider bite. I have insurance, but I am not in the system yet, so I have to pay up front and get reimbursed.

I stopped and got breakfast this morning: A chocolate pie, a Vanilla Coke and a Red Bull. Doesn’t that just sound yummy?