Feeling sort of contemplative...

So my schedule at work totally sucks, and I never, in a thousand years, thought that I would say that I miss 6AB... Oh, but I miss it so. I am already going back to nights next week... For three months! In addition, I can't get anyone to cover, or switch an on-call shift for me, so I can't go to Clarksville next weekend. Will's parents are going to be mad that he is coming to see me for Easter, rather than us going to Owensboro. Oh well, I guess they will get over it... Will and I haven't seen each other in a month, and time is getting short before deployment.

Anyhow, I feel that I must continue on with a few questions from Jamie's Journal Jar...

How many pets have you had over your lifetime? Types? Names?

I have had 6 pets in my lifetime so far. 1 cockateil, Sunny; 1 ginuea pig, Cookie; and 4 cats, Tiger, Charlie, Jinx and Monte.

Describe a friendship that has changed your life.

Really, there are two friendships in my life that have had the biggest impact on me. The first is my friendship with Misty. She taught me that it is really okay to be the person that I am, faults, bitchiness and all. She loves me for it, and she always laughs at my quirkiness. I have found that we can always pick up where we left off, and it seems as if no time has passed. I feel lucky that after 10 years, we have found ourselves in the same corner of the country once again. The second is my friendship with Danielle. She is literally the sister I never had, but always wanted. I will always remember what she said to me once; "We will be friends forever, because you were the first person that was nice to me when I moved to Monterey." In the eight years we have known each other, we have shared birthdays, heartbreak, kittens, many drinks, tears and joy. She is my best friend, and without knowing her, my life wouldn't be as bright and warm as it is.

Did you ever have to dissect anything in a science class?

Oh yeah! In the third grade, I dissected a grasshopper and a cow's eye. Senior year of high school, I dissected a fetal pig. Lastly, in my anatomy class, a pre-requisite for nursing school, I dissected a cat.

There we go... More things about me to know!

66H out...

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary...

Day 683 of my captivity:

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the floor.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. The audacity!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage. Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking... I must try this again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded! The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe... For now.

Thanks mom, totally funny and exactly what I needed today!

66H out...

So it's been awhile...

Wow, I just realized how long it has been since my last post... Sorry dudes and dudettes. A lot has transpired over the past two months, so I shall begin with the beginning.

The biggest news just happens to come first... Will proposed on the 7th of February, further confirming that 7 is one of my lucky numbers... He-he. He proposed after we unpacked boxes in the new house, ate dinner and were just chilling on the couch watching a movie. It was very unexpected and wonderful. Of course, I must post a picture of my beautiful ring... No date yet, but it will be sometime in Spring 2009. We are waiting to get deployments out of the way for both of us, and then we can focus on the festivities!

The next big event was my transition from 6AB, the medical-surgical floor that I worked on, to the emergency department in early February. It has been a huge learning experience for me, and I am still learning new things every day. I also took the Pediatric Advanced Life Support class, which went well. In addition, I am looking forward to teaching part of the Advanced Cardiac Life Support Class in April. It will be a bit nerve-wracking, since I have never taught it before, but I am looking forward to the challenge. I now get to wear scrubs every day, which is the most rewarding thing about the emergency department... And no, I am not kidding...

The next big event, bringing us up to date, is my promotion to First Lieutenant, which happened today. Two other Lieutenants that I came on station with also got promoted, so we had a little party and had a good time. Getting that first promotion out of the way was nice, now I feel like I have had a little experience in the Army, and people will look at me a little differently now with a silver bar, instead of a gold one. Since the Officer(s) getting promoted have to provide the food, we went all-out and bought a super-cool cake too, and each one of us got to take one of the Army vehicles off of the top for posterity. Because I am the coolest, and because I picked up the cake, I got to keep the old-school Apache helicopter. As you can see, after the party, Tas and I had a little too much fun with it... But as they say, if you leave something to Lieutenants, things can get out of control... Ha-ha.

Other than that, Will and I have been trying to spend as much time together as possible before deployment, which will be around mid-year. We have done a lot with the new house and it is really coming along, it is very much a home now. I just can't wait until BOTH of us can come home to it every night.

I will try to be more diligent about posting for those of you who still visit on a regular basis...

66H out...