2012---Going, going, almost gone!

The end of December, the year 2012, and this particular blog draw near...but I would like to take this opportunity to reflect a bit and give thanks to those who helped make it one of the best, if not THE best of my life thus far.

First, to my friends....

My high school Facebook/texting buddies Michael, Brent, Eric, and Nicci who make me smile with each post or political comment!

A shout-out to my long distance/yet close friends Casey, Angie, Sylvia, and Corina.  I only got to see Sylvia and Corina this year but those weekend trips to Milwaukee and Cambria were loads of fun!!!!!!!!!!

Last but not least my California crew...you truly are the "A team"!!!  Never have I witnessed a more close-knit group of friends and coworkers.  We laugh uncontrollably, make fun of everything---mostly ourselves, and are there for each other day-in and day-out.  There are no vacation days, sick days, snow days or any other days off for our friendships.  It is a 24/7 gig.  I look back to all of the birthdays we celebrated, lunches we ate, and shifts we worked with nothing but admiration.  Missing a birthday is NOT an option for this group.  My birthday, falling in December (the busiest month of the year for many) is always a challenge to celebrate.  Yet, my fabulous group of friends took the time out of their family life, work, school, and Christmas planning to celebrate once (and many twice) with me.  Carolyn, Doug, Erin, Aron, Dr. Bindra, Dr. Weinstein, Zeke, Bulmaro, Sabrina, Lisa, Jessica, Jessie, Jesse, Laura, and Brenda----Thank you (and others who celebrated with me at work) for making my birthday so memorable. 

Next, to my family...

I am thankful that I have had this time at home to be my dad's sidekick each day.  We have spent our time reconnecting with relatives, running errands, going for walks, doing charitable projects, attending mass at church, and celebrating the Christmas season and birthdays.  We also watched 24 episodes of Homeland, the season finale of Dexter, 2 movies, and countless other shows----our body molds are forever imprinted in the couch!!!

I am grateful for my mom's best efforts to make me more domesticated.  No one can say she doesn't try---I just can't compete with her ability to bake and single-handedly prepare elaborate holiday meals.  I am glad that she did not murder my cousin, Leslie and I, as we attempted to contribute to her holiday baking.  I loved every second shopping with her, snacking on cookies and tea/coffee, reading our Advent devotional, and watching Revenge.

I anticipated and enjoyed every bite of pizza and each sip of beer with my brother at our favorite local pizza joint in Struthers, Ohio.  We had fun planning his upcoming trip to California next month.

I had a blast sleeping over at my Aunt Brenda's with my cousins Anna, Joessa, and Uncle Frank---eating pizza and watching Prancer, Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas, and Pretty Little Liars.  I even got a free manicure (blue, purple, and black--with glitter) from my youngest cousin Anna!

Above all, I give praise to the Lord for putting all of these fabulous people in my life.  I must remember that I have not achieved anything on my own but that all I am thankful for is a gift from Him.  For that, I owe the utmost gratitude.

See you in 2013 in a new blog!
~Rachel

It's been awhile.....

Oh my blog, how I've missed you.  Finally, I have some time where I can do fun writing on my own terms versus an assigned project with a deadline. 
It's official:  I've completed my first year of my Master's program and am proud to say, I kicked ass!  I enjoy being back in school and learning so many new things.  I love my classes, I love Drexel University, and I love working towards something.  Besides all of the things I learned in school, I learned a great deal about myself during my first year back in academia.  These are the best lessons of all.....

1.  I have an amazing family.  I mean amazing.  My parents make a point to check on me daily to see how things are going, how work is, how my class is going, what I'm doing to de-stress and have fun, and if I have any car or house questions (you know how dad's are!!!)  My brother, who already has his Master's Degree has also proven to be very helpful to me, even if I annoy him with my demands for immediate gratification.  Our calls sometime go like this:  Me:  Hey, Matt--I need you to proof read this assignment and tell me what you think.  Matt:  Can I do it later?  I'm at the market and my hands are full.  Me:  No, please do it now.  I want to submit it.  Matt:  But I'm not home.  Me:  You are talking to me on a smartphone.  It has email.  I emailed you.  Please check it.  Matt:  Ugh--ok...I'll call you back in a few.  Enough said.  You all rock.  I mean ROCK!

2.  I have fabulous friends.  Whether it's my seeeeesters out here in CA who are always here for me (and me for them), or catching up with my childhood friends, Casey, Brent, and Mike during election season, friends always make my day better.

3.  My week is incomplete without going to mass at least once during the week, and my day is better if I listen to the rosary while driving to work.

4.  I love to eat.  I associate food with happiness.  I have so much to be happy about, therefore I eat.  My love for food is the reason I am on an 11 day cleansing and detoxifying diet.  Today is day 6 and I'm going strong!!

5.  Politics interest me immensely.  Boy, did I have to juggle my time wisely during this political season.  I could watch politics all day!  If I had to abruptly change careers, I would love to (at least) attempt to become more involved in politics.  Maybe I could be Rachel Maddow's co-host---we do share the same name, afterall!

6.  Everything is better with some wine.  This actually is no new revelation to me, but was re-confirmed when my parents and I roadtripped it to Sonoma and Napa in October.

7.  There is such a stigma surrounding mental illness, psychiatrists, and psych nurses.  I see this every year when I ask for donations for the yearly NAMI walk that I participate.  I see it at work.  I see it with school.  I hate stigma.  It is so ugly.

8.  I have phenomenal will power.  When I set out to accomplish something, I will not stop until I achieve it.

9.  I have (sometimes too) high standards.

10.  No one is ever going to tell me that I have the patience of Job.

That's probably enough of my secrets.  What have you learned about yourself recently?

Fast forward 14 years and 3 months

In June of 1998, I graduated from nursing school.  I graduated on a Friday and began taking classes to complete my BSN on the very next Monday.  I started working on the infamous "5th floor" at St. Francis Hospital (which no longer even exists under that name).  As a 22 year old brand spanking new nurse, I decided to dive right into the specialty that I loved...psychiatry.  We only had, I believe, 8 or 10 weeks studying this specialty in school but after a few minutes on the unit I knew I wanted to be a psych nurse.  Lucky for me, I had some kick-ass experienced psych nurses to share their knowledge, experience, and skills with me.  I remember looking up to the nurses who were 5-10 years older than me and wanted to be just like them.  There was a quadruplet of girls (Michelle, Carolyn, Lesley, and Jill) that I remember specifically orienting with that forever helped mold me into the nurse I am today.  Each with their unique personalities, sense of humor, phenomenal nursing skills, and no-nonsense communication skills, they each taught me what I use every day at work.  Lucky for me, I was able to reconnect with Michelle and Lesley on Facebook, saw Carolyn at church this past December (while home in PA), and briefly reunited with Jill via Facebook before she passed away (which by the way I bawled my eyes out when I learned of her passing).  I hadn't seen her in over a decade but that is how much I loved and respected her and what she has added to my career.  In fact, it was Jill that went with me while I called the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing to see if a nursing license had been issued for me (meaning that if it had, I had passed my nursing boards---and since you all know I am a nurse--Yes, I did pass)!  These girls made my crucial first year of nursing such an awesome experience. 

I have oriented many nurses, myself, throughout my career, but just recently I have had the opportunity to train a few young, new graduates that allowed me to reflect on my early days as an RN.  One day it just hit me, that every nurse that I train takes a piece of me with him/her for the rest of his/her life.  Because I had such a great experience, I want him/her to look back on the experience with me favorably as I look back on mine.  Now, I am the one who is 5-10 years older (at least) and imparting my experiences, knowledge, and skills.  Hopefully these "kids" (hahaha) will remember the fun times they had in their early, novice days.  I remember learning so much but having a blast while doing so with my mentors so I aim to recreate that environment for my orientees.  My quick wit, no-nonsense communication, intuition, and the ability to laugh amongst the ever-present chaos of a psychiatric unit are the greatest gifts that Michelle, Carolyn, Lesley, and Jill could have given me. 

Picking up right where we left off....

I have been blessed with a very special type of friend--  A type of friend that you might have as well and to which you may relate.  Let me give you some background:  When I decided to pack all of my necessary belongings into my vehicle and accept a travel nursing assignment in Phoenix, Arizona back in September of 2006, I was filled with a variety of emotions--one of which was fear.  I drove across the country with my mother to a state where I knew absolutely nobody.  A few days after settling in, my mom flew back to Pennsylvania and I was alone.  No family.  No friends.  A new job.  Enter Miss Corina Garcia into the picture.....
Corina was finishing up her MSW degree and was working as a behavioral counseling technician at the hospital where I just had accepted a 3 month nursing assignment.  Corina and I hit it off immediately.  We worked the afternoon shift together and quickly became friends.  We often went out to eat, grabbed a drink or two, or went swimming in our free time.  Being 6 years older than Corina, I saw myself not only as a friend but as a big sister to her as well.  Often, I saw her about to make the same mistakes that I had several years before and would try to subtly warn her or if I needed to up the ante, lecture her relentlessly until I realized that I could and should merely state the facts and let her make her own decisions, even if they may not be what I consider to be in her best interest.
I ended up renewing my contract 3 times in Phoenix, staying for a total of 10 months.  Then, off to my next adventure...California.
Once in California, I went from talking to Corina every day to a few times a day, then to a few times a month, and less and less.  Of course, I missed my friend and thought of her often, but our lives kept going on miles apart.  Until one day in 2008, (I don't remember whose idea it was) she decided to plan a trip out to CA to see me.  This one trip ended up being an every year event.  We have gone many places...Newport Beach, Knotts "scary" Farm, San Luis Obispo, Ojai, Long Beach, Catalina Island, Carpenteria, and just this weekend we went to Cambria.
Corina has come to visit me 5 consecutive years like clockwork...every year around this time, give or take a month.
The unique thing about my friendship with Corina is that her yearly visit is basically the only time we talk!!!!  I am certain that I did not speak to her once on the phone this entire year.  Our minimal communication is via Facebook or text messages and those are few and far between.  The super awesome thing about it is that each year I pick her up at the airport, we pick up right where we left off---we don't miss a beat.  We fill each other in on how our families are doing, how our careers are going, and about any boyfriends we have had over the last year.  We laugh hysterically at our relationship mishaps and I still get in my mini lectures that I actually think Corina has grown to like---she must because I see her making progress.  As if I should be lecturing anyone regarding relationships, right????   It's not that I want to lecture anyone.  I just see what a fabulous catch Corina is and I never, ever want her to sell herself short and settle.  Corina is undoubtedly one of the most kind-hearted, fair, smart, and sincere individuals I have ever met...plus she is the little sister I never had so of course I believe she should have/be with only the best and the brightest.
I just returned from the airport after dropping Corina off to catch her flight back to Phoenix.  As I hugged her goodbye, I sadly realized that I probably won't talk to her for a while...but that's ok...because I know that when I do, we will commence without skipping a beat and we will fill each other in on the faux pas of the next 12 months laughing on our way to our next California retreat.

Do you have a friend that you can effortlessly pick up from where you left off?????

A reason to celebrate?....I'll find one!

I've realized as of late, I am particularly good at something...finding a reason to celebrate.  I'll celebrate anything....the start of a quarter of school, the end of a quarter, wrapping up a work stretch, cleaning my house, births, birthdays, new relationships, "it's about time" break-ups---you name it, I celebrate it!  We celebrate shifts at work when we have a stellar crew (we even have a name for them---FIESTAS)...we start the shift with the most important question of the day...WHAT'S FOR LUNCH?  

Even if there is no particular reason to celebrate, I will invent one.  For example, my great friend Brenda and I went out for dinner last night and told the waiter it was our 5 year anniversary of being friends.  We randomly selected the day a few months back when we were reminiscing about how time flies and that we had been working at our current job for 5 years.  

This morning I continued my celebration of the holiday weekend with another great friend, Laura.  We woke up early to jog (to celebrate our health and our ability to do so) and even convinced her mom to go!  After a good workout, we headed for Jamba Juice for a fruit smoothie to celebrate making it through our cardio workout!  

Next, I met another friend for lunch to celebrate that she is almost done with school and expecting her first child.  

My last celebration of the day took place at church where I was able to celebrate all of the people, places, experiences, and things I am thankful for in my life.  

My point is, if you look at life as a reason to celebrate, you'll enjoy it more.  You don't just go through the motions, but rather appreciate every little task or encounter.  As you can see, in my eyes, I celebrated all weekend.  Did I win a million dollars or travel to a new exotic location???  No.  I took everyday experiences and (with the help of others involved) transformed them into awesome events.  What kind of things do you have to celebrate?  Remember, sometimes our worst experiences are really blessings in disguise that we celebrate later.

Celebratory photos (above) from the weekend!!!!!

Breaking News: Classmate gives writer the motivation needed to start blog!

Finally got the motivation I needed to begin my first blogging experience.  Thank you, Nicci Micco for your encouragement today!!!  I knew I wanted to start my own blog after reading my friend's Diary of an Educational Diva by Maria Ayon and again after reading Nicci's 366 days of 36. 

What a perfect day to begin such a task...I only have a house to clean in preparation for Corina's arrival in the near future, a final exam due, a party to celebrate my dear friend Laura's brother's exit from active duty in the Army, and my yearly clinical ladder project for work.  However, if I didn't strike when the iron was hot, I would "find" something else to add to my list of ongoing chores and projects which would push back my blog further down my list. 

Soon after this is posted, I will dive into my final exam and wrap up my 3rd quarter of school after being out for over a decade.  I will enjoy my 3 weeks of freedom (hiatus from school) by truly treasuring my early morning runs followed by coffee and breakfast at my favorite post-workout restaurant, The Moo Creamery.  I will go home and take a nap with my cats and not have to worry about waking up at a certain time, I can catch up on my favorite TV shows, Breaking Bad and Damages.  I can enjoy lunch with my lunch friends...Sabrina, Lisa, Brenda, and Laura.  I can have happy hour with Favi and dinner with Jessie!  I can go to mass with Tristen, who I know needs a break from her studying!  I can talk politics with my family and get more psyched for the upcoming election.  Of course, three days a week, I will have to go to work---BUT, it helps that I love my job!  I will anticipate Corina's flight in from Phoenix and our escape to Cambria at the beach house where I can read for enjoyment and not because I have to.  I can commit to praying to the Rosary each day and to being thankful for all that I have been granted.

I will end my virgin blog with this...What do you think about starting but keep putting off???  Large task or small...Nike has a great point...JUST DO IT!