basic human rights?

It's been a LOOOONG time since I posted... more on that later.....

So unbeknownst to me, this is banned book week... I apologize for not being "in the know" but if it doesn't involve human disease process, I'm not reading it these days... Anyway... I was reading an article in the paper this morning regarding banned book week and a program going on at a local college. The main point of interest to me a brief mention of the global discussion suggesting that perhaps the ability to READ should be a basic human right. Never thought about that!!! I did immediately think about all things that the ability to read can bring to a person... skills for employment, access to health information, education helps a woman (or girl) be more selective regarding whom she may choose to marry-- and it's all about choice, if a woman or girl CAN read she is more likely to even have a voice in that decision at all. The ability to read is literally life changing and is more likely to give individuals access to those rights that are already considered to be "basic human rights." What part can I do to bring about this change?

*insert funny aside*

Last Sunday afternoon my boyfriend Sam was here and was enjoying a lazy afternoon surfing the web and watching sports on TV. When he sensed my "jealousy" he commented "this what you get to do when you stick with your original career path!" HAHA... he was teasing me, but there was truth in it. Had I stuck with an original path and not gone back to school, I would have more free time, however, I am optimistic that this time next year, I too will have that free time!

*back to my original point*

When I'm done with school in EIGHT SHORT MONTHS (!!!!!!!!)... I want to give time (and my skills) to enhancing the lives of others... while I have long thought that would involve my health care training... it could involve literacy... I can't expect people to pursue personal wellness, if they can't read.

Parenthetically... I also look forward to reading more in EIGHT SHORT MONTHS (!!!!!!!).... fREADom is one of the rights guaranteed to me by Gramps' sacrifice (1942-1946)

norah jones... slightly modified

Wake me up when it's over,Wake me up when it's done...wake me up when the skies are clearing,When the water is still,'cause I will not watch the ships sail away so,Please say you will.If it were any other day,This wouldn't get the best of me.But today I'm not so strong,So lay me down with a sad song,And when it stops then you know I've been,Gone too long.But don't shake me awake,Don't bend me or I will break,Come find me somewhere between my dreams,With the sun on my face.I will still feel it later on,But for now I'd rather be asleep.

soooo... I'm thinking about a tattoo

I have long thought I would someday get a tattoo and that tattoo would have a decidedly scottish theme to it. I also always assumed I would get it on my foot... the more I thought about it tho... I didn't like it there. As I consider possible locations, I thought the inside of my wrist... can easily be hidden with a watch or bracelet... my foot--harder to hide in sandles. So I was thinking a simple scottish flag. It's 'plain' enough, that it can be done very small... and still look good.



Then a friend found this on line... I REALLY LOVE IT... but it is bigger and therefore... would have to go back to the foot... what to do what to do!?!?!? If I go with the heart and thistle... I think I would likely have it done with less detail... more clean lines... I'd like to hear your thoughts?!



Loyalty Thistle--Modeled after a very old kilt pin, the thistle of Scotland is enclosed within the arms of a heart, a symbol of love for country and kin.

sad... so sad

So here I sit at work in the ER... and there is a very confused, combative elderly man sitting in the waiting room. Apparently he was discharged from here today to go to a nursing home... and when he got there, he was so difficult the facility would not accept him. He has no children and is accompanied by two nieces and a nephew who are clearly beside themselves due to his behavior. He wants to go home. He doesn't understand he doesn't have one. No facility wants to accept him due to his current state. They say that growing old is like becoming a child again bc of the way people devolve back to dependence. So does that mean this man is an orphan? I'm not saying he is easy or not at fault... listening to him for over an hour is like listening to a shrill baby cry. You can't be mad at the child, but you can't really do anything to make it stop either. AYE AYE AYE. What to do... is there an answer here?

More about... blessings...

This is how our blessings come full circle... I'm a little stressed with Gramps stuff and have been stressed over school for a while... one of my biggest supporters... Mrs Kelman. She is a (geriatric) RN... and she always has the best advice and the perfect words of encouragement for school that only a nurse could offer. Well now that we this have health stuff going on with Gramps, she has continually offered to be a resource to me in anyway possible... and a week or so ago sent me the cutest facebook message... entitled "just so you know I'm serious" and she sent her her email, home number, AND cell number!!! Well I just called her, kinda upset, and she knew exactly what information I needed to know and helped me develop a game plan. The gameplan will need continually tweaking, but I have a plan for tomorrow and right now, I need to focus ONLY on tomorrow, not the day after, not a week from now. Why is this woman so kind to me? Well 5 years ago, her daughter, Sarah, was a Resident Assistant working under me at FSU. Well it was Sarah's first year as an RA and it was rough on her bc she was used to going home A LOT, which she could not do with this job. She also had some other transitional stuff she was dealing with... In supporting Sarah and helping her be successful... I was doing what I love-- being a resource (and it was my job too)... but Mrs. K. is still so appreciative of how I worked with her daughter and how I handled the whole situation that she has told me she considers me family and will be there to help in any way I need... One kindness repays another... and the circle continues.


(in the midst of my stress and anxiety,) Thank you God for this good life and forgive me if I do not love it enough.




Sarah got married last year and this is her little guy Caleb;)

old friends....

So my Paternal Grandfather... you know him as Gramps, married my grandmother, Dorthey upon returning from the war... she had a group of girlfriends who kept in touch over the years and while my grandmother passed away in the early 1960s this group of women and their husbands kept Gramps in their circle--his magnetic personality no doubt! One friend in particular was named Phyllis... Gramps was the God Father to one of her daughters and when this woman's father passed away, Gramps would help her mother out. By help her out I mean take her beer and throw a few back;) HAHA, I'm sure he did other things as well... Mrs. Stone lives in Erie PA, but keeps in touch with Gramps... So she and daughter Sande (the God Daughter) came to see Gramps last week. Here are the pics... How fun to meet a dear old friend of my grandparents... It's funny, Mrs. Stone is a very conservative old fashioned lady... she does not take well to Gramps' dirty jokes or swearing of any kind really... Typically she would just hang up on him. The funny part... she always came around and they have remained friends!

Is it true... have I really been this blessed today and it's only 12:54?

These are the blessings I have seen in my life today:
1. A casual friend from nursing school contacted me to buy tickets for a fund raiser that is near and dear to my heart.
2. A friend I only met in late fall (at the gym) texted me to check on Gramps... she has never met him and we have never even hung out together outside the gym... but her genuine concern (and enthusiasm for his progress) brought tears to my eyes.
3. A coworker gave up a vacation day so that the person covering her, could cover me, so I can be off the day Gramps gets out of rehab.
4. A friend, who happens to be my hair dresser, showed concern for my physical health, spiritual health, hair health today. To really top it off... she is now managing my basic car maintenance and road side safety--did I mention she was late for work to do it?
5. I paid off a credit card in January and of course there was the hidden $1.57 that they didn't tell me about that went into an obscene amount of late fees. I called the company today ... not only are they reversing all the fees... they took it off my credit report as well... what!?!?!?! I never get this lucky...

I'm looking forward to seeing gramps still today... anytime spent with him is a blessing... I love him so much and he loves me!