Whooped

Man, the nursing test today was a beatdown. I ended up with an 89, and I was glad to get it. I'm tired, and I'd like to go to bed. I have to work tomorrow night 11p-7a, which leaves me to either go to bed soon and try to get in a nap before work tomorrow night (and class Thursday, by the way) or if I should try to stay up & stay on a "regular" schedule (as if there is such an animal for me right now...

Coming thru the speakers tonight:

AAF's cover of "Smooth Criminal"

Brilliant.

It's too early...

... or late, depending on your point of view, to be posting stuff. It's not yet 4am here, and I'm up to go to clinicals in a few minutes. Since I live in Central time - and the hospital where we do RN clinicals is in Eastern time - I have to get up at o'-butt-crack-of-dawn-thirty in order to get there at 7am Eastern.

Ugh.

Recent passing

Have you heard of the journalist who died recently? I don't need to tell you his name -- his face and story have been plastered on the TV screen for days now. He died in an office, after vacationing in Italy.

It's funny how we're led to revere some people in death, while others go almost unnoticed.

*McGINNIS, ROSS A.


Rank and Organization: Private First Class, United States
Army



For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an M2 .50-caliber Machine Gunner, 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, in connection with combat operations against an armed enemy in Adhamiyah, Northeast Baghdad, Iraq, on 4 December 2006.



That afternoon his platoon was conducting combat control operations in an effort to reduce and control sectarian violence in the area. While Private McGinnis was manning the M2 .50-caliber Machine Gun, a fragmentation grenade thrown by an insurgent fell through the gunner's hatch into the vehicle. Reacting quickly, he yelled "grenade," allowing all four members of his crew to prepare for the grenade's blast. Then, rather than leaping from the gunner's hatch to safety, Private McGinnis made the courageous decision to protect his crew. In a selfless act of bravery, in which he was mortally wounded, Private McGinnis covered the live grenade, pinning it between his body and the vehicle and absorbing most of the explosion.



Private McGinnis' gallant action directly saved four men from certain serious injury or death. Private First Class McGinnis' extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

Who do you think deserved more media coverage? A journalist or a Medal of Honor winner? Who do you think got more? What's wrong with us?

Return of...

I've got an ... eclectic ... taste in music.

After getting my Gretch guitar, I've been playing lots of guitar-based music.

Right now, though, coming through the speakers ....

Return of the Mack by Mark Morrison

One of my many theme songs...

Don't ask me to explain.

Singles

There's a big, soft, mushy spot in my heart for Seattle, Washington... which is weird, considering my politics.

The first trip I took as an independent adult was to Seattle, to climb the first "big mountain" I ever did. It was the first time I ever crashed on the living room floor of people I had never met before. I saw the Blair Witch Project - on opening night - in Seattle, in a little theatre just off the University of Washington campus, which was full of snarky, smart-assed progressives who actually seemed to enjoy the film. I bought my kilt in Seattle.

I can't quite articulate what Seattle means to me. It probably sounds completely stupid to pretty much everybody, but after I recovered from cancer, Seattle was the first "destination" I ever reached. Hey, Seattle was the center of the world in 1992, when I graduated from high school.

Let me put it this way ... when I was getting chemo before my bone marrow transplant, I decided I would try mountaineering if I got out of the hospital alive. I did, indeed, try mountaineering, though it wasn't in Seattle first (that honor goes to North Conway, NH.) Seattle, though, was on the "other" coast ... a world away from what I was used to. You couldn't drive there... not practically, anyway. Getting to Seattle was the first airline ticket I bought on my own. Mt. Adams was my Mt. Everest. I had never seen a mountain that big before with my own eyes. I hate the Mt. Adams slog, but I still manage to love the mountain itself.

I love Seattle.

Before tonight, I had never actually seen Singles all the way through. I loved Pearl Jam "Ten". Everything after that was a disappointment. Layne Stayley overdosed. Seattle was over before it got famous, but I don't care. I recognized parts of the city in the movie, though it's not like I could say, "I know exactly where that is!!" But I recognized the character of parts of the city in the movie.

Damn. I didn't enjoy the 90s until it was over.

I still love Seattle. I hate its politics, but I swear ... if I could move to any major U.S. city...

I'd choose Seattle.

Anyway, I watched Singles tonight all the way through, and it made me remember how much I love Seattle.

I can't wait to go back.

Catch-up

Wow - hectic weekend. I had left home Thursday morning with plans to go to class, then straight to my parents' to say the night. I had a dermatologist appointment on Friday, and I had planned to stay with my parents again Friday night and then go to my first RN clinical on Saturday.

Not so fast ... Clinicals were cancelled. Evidently (due to a school or hospital policy - I'm not sure which) we can't be in the clinical setting without name tags. Our name tags hadn't come in. With that, I got on the phone. My first cousin was getting married on Saturday, and this meant I could go ... but I had left home without anything to wear. I had to get Miss Fluffy to bring my suit and more clothes, and I ended up riding to the wedding with my parents and Aunt, then staying with Miss Fluffy's parents Saturday night (well, what was left of Saturday night ... It was more Sunday morning by then. Indians can party, but that's another story entirely...)

So now I'm playing catch-up. I need to get my yard mowed before it takes over (and considering we have storms in the forecast for the next couple of days, it'll most certainly take over if I don't get to it now...) I also have laundry to do and a test tomorrow ... oh, and work tonight.

Sleep is overrated.

Cult of Personality

Look into my eyes, what do you see?

Cult of personality

I know your anger, I know your dreams

I’ve been everything you want to be

I’m the cult of personality

Like Mussolini and Kennedy

I’m the cult of personality

Cult of personality

Cult of personality



Neon lights, a Nobel prize

The mirror speaks, the reflection lies

You don’t have to follow me

Only you can set me free

I sell the things you need to be

I’m the smiling face on your t.v.

I’m the cult of personality

I exploit you still you love me

I tell you one and one makes three

I’m the cult of personality

Like Joseph Stalin and Ghandi

I’m the cult of personality

Cult of personality

Cult of personality



Neon lights a Nobel prize

A leader speaks, that leader dies

You won’t have to follow me

Only you can set you free



You gave me fortune

You gave me fame

You me power in your God’s name

I’m every person you need to be

I’m the cult of personality...

--Living Colour "Cult of Personality"

Stinkin' schedule...

I'm going to assume it's kind of a right of passage for the new nurses to be the ones who get screwed when it comes to scheduling. I'm OK with that, for the most part. I wish they could stick with one shift, though. I'm scheduled to work 7 of 8 consecutive days. All but one of those days is 11pm - 7am. The oddball day is 7am to 3pm. That's tomorrow. I worked 11pm - 7am yesterday (well, the day before yesterday by this point...) I need to be up in about 4 hours, but I can't sleep to save my neck.

I'm using the time to finish some laundry and study (and blog, obviously.)

Coming through the speakers: "Fly From the Inside" by Shinedown.