White Bleeding Heart

Etsy Shop and Easy-to-make Fridge Magnets

2012-01-24T23:18:00.000-08:00

What's new? Well lots, aaaactually. ))) First off, I FINALLY listed a few items on my Etsy shop, White Bleeding Heart.

Yes. I need a unique logo. Yes, I need to take better pictures. But hey, I figured getting up and running was a good start. No? ))

The three listed items are all necklaces. Earrings will be coming in February... or at least that's the plan. ))

Here's what I've listed

Remember this? My Hand-knotted freshwater pearl necklace w/ white, pink, and peach pearls. I love this necklace so much. You can read more about it on the Etsy posting page, if you'd like. ))

This second hand-knotted freshwater pearl necklace is super unique because of it's a buttercream coloring. They've been dyed, but still. I have yet to see pearls in this shade before. And their hughes are gold and peach, so depending on what you wear with it, the necklace will look a little different in coloring. Lustrous pearls are great like that. )))

Don't you just love the rose clasp that each of these necklaces have? It's so pretty and feminine. ^_^

I've called my 3rd item The Jasmine Necklace. It's made entirely out of faceted stones, both genuine coral and turquoise. It's also been a struggle to list this one because I like it so much.

One of the hardest things about this whole 'selling your handmade jewelry' is actually letting it go. I feel like I've put quite a bit of time and effort into these pieces... that's partly why I didn't price them super cheap. All of the details have been carefully considered, icky pearls or stones were thrown out. The pieces were made and re-made until they were just right.

I don't ever want to make jewelry I won't, myself, wear. After all, if I wouldn't wear it, what am I going to do with it if it doesn't sell? That's probably why I'm 100% ok with all of these items not selling. =D If they do sell, I'll be ecstatic too because that means someone likes these necklaces just as much as I do. ))))

What else I've been up to.... Hrmmmm. I've made my own fridge magnets--which was super easy to do.

Materials: tacky glue, magnets you're ok with mutilating (like the flimsy free ones companies used to advertise with i.e. Gentle Dental or Pizza Hut), and art scissors to cut the magnets with.

Items I wanted to make magnets out of: pretty buttons, a 'love' stamp, and a glass ladybug.

All you have to do is: cut the magnets up and glue them to the back of your desired items. Then, let dry for 4-12 hours.

And tada! You're finished. See what I mean by super easy?!

This little project seems like it could be on Pinterest's DIY postings. I still have yet to venture into Pinterest Land... I have a feeling it's pretty addicting though. ^_^

Anyone else have an Etsy shop? I'd love to hear suggestions or stories about your Etsy adventures. :)

Last Minute Trip To SoCal

2012-01-24T02:50:00.000-08:00

Soooo..... I got put on standby for work the other week... (They didn't need all of the scheduled nurses for that shift so being put on 'standby' means you must be 30 minutes from the hospital during your scheduled shift. If they call you in, you get time-and-a-half pay. There are pluses and minuses.) Anyways, I was stuck at home and thought to myself, "I think I'll look into cheap flights online."

End result: I booked a last minute flight to LAX so that I could spend Friday-Monday morning with some friends I hadn't seen in almost 2 years (since my trip to Costa Rica--where we initially met).

How awesome is that?! I booked a flight and flew out 3 days later! My returning flight was only $99 AND I stayed with a friend the whole time. So, this little adventure was actually quite cheap.

I've never done anything like this before. ^_^ I must say, it was pretty exciting. The whole night before (I worked the night before and drove straight to the airport right after I got off), I had knots in my stomach--I was so nervous/excited. Plus, the friend I stayed with is one of my absolute best friends. Lets just say it had been a long nearly two years.)))

Because it was so last minute and I couldn't find my camera, all of these photos were taken with my iPhone. They turned out ok, though.))

So here we go, photos from my

trip to Santa Barbara, California

Oh.My.Goodness. This place is beautiful. I kept thinking to myself, "This city does not look like it's part of the U.S. I feel like I'm somewhere abroad, like Spain or maybe somewhere in Central or South America."

Santa Barbara is not only on the california coastline, but there's a mountain range bordering it as well. So, everywhere you turn, there's something beautiful to look at. )))

Walking down the street we saw a tiled bench, full of bright colors.

And arches were everywhere. The architecture in this city is absolutely beautiful.

What's a trip without doing a few touristy things? ))) Here's a few pictures of the court house. Murals on the walls, a stunningly detailed ceiling, and pretty tiles accenting the floor.

Oh! Oh! This was a lovely evening. Eating huge gourmet sub sandwiches on a cliff, overlooking the ocean at sunset.

I did my best to take pictures of everything surrounding me... nothing cool and panoramic (too bad).. but still. Here's my view, in a choppy 360 degrees. )))

I still can't get over how gorgeous everything is in Santa Barbara.

The sunsets there are phenomenal.

The monarch butterflies were stopping through on their migration up north from Mexico. So we woke up early to check them out.

Sadly, it was too early in the morning (aka too cool of temperature) and they were all still sleeping. In the above photo, those dark cone-shaped things hanging from the trees are thousands of butterflies--sleeping. We weren't about ready to give up on them though, so we walked around for a while, hung out on a cliff, looked out at the beautiful blue ocean....

... laid in the ice plants. ^_^ The sun was warming up, so these plants were perfect. Nice and cool underneath you while sunshine beamed down and warmed your skin. *sigh* (Apparently, these plants grow like weeds.)

Eventually, the butterflies woke up. )) They were everywhere. Flying all around us. I've never seen anything like it.

Absolutely breathtaking.

Then we picked up lunch at an authentic mexican taco place. It wasn't until looking up at the menu that I realized how "authentic" this place really was.))) They had tacos with eye, cheek, and tongue... Say whaaaa?

You can't pass up trying stuff like this. You just can't. So, I asked the lady working there which was her favorite. It was tongue. I hesitated for MAYBE a fraction of a second and then said, "Tongue it is."

From left to right:

Taco 1: pork

Taco 2: tongue

Taco 3: cheek

I don't know why, but I was expecting to see tastebuds... O_o The sheer fact that it was shredded meat eased my senses quite a bit. After we finished, I was wishing I hadn't gotten the pork and instead maybe another tongue. Funny how that happened... I disliked what was most familiar to me. Tongue was definitely the best. Mm.

We had a beautiful view of the beach from the pier, where we ate our tacos.

And we stopped by a shell shop where my friend helped me pick out a Santa Barbara Red Abalone shell with lots of red and turquoise in it.

Back on the beach, there was an outdoor skatepark:

It was Sunday, so there was an art sale on the street. Very cool. The entire length of the beach had a walking path with a line down the middle, separating directions--like a street. ^_^

The homeless guy in the corner (photo below) was sculpting a soldier out of sand. I'm told that he sculpts all kinds of amazing things. Also, very cool.

How awesome would that be if THIS (below) was your bank?! Sometimes, this place didn't even feel real.... it's SO different from the Northwest (where I'm from--Portland).

What a perfect place to get away from the gloomy rain from home. The sunshine itself lifted my mood tremendously. More than anything though, it was good to be reunited with my friends. <3

Did I mention that this trip was the FIRST time I'd ever been to the state of California (not counting a layover in LAX in the middle of the night)?! Best first trip to California, ever! :D

I'll leave you with a photo similar

to the one I opened this post with

Palm trees. Ohmygosh, I love them. <3

Who You Are

2012-01-10T05:22:00.000-08:00

I may not know
everywhere you've been
or understand
everything you've said and done.
But I see right through you.
Down to the bone.

I see who you are.

So save us both
and don't bother
with the pretending.

Love This... piece of art

2012-01-02T22:39:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love this piece by SIT, an artist from Amsterdam. It's a part of his Noir (2011) series. If he still had it for sale, I would have snatched it up. No such luck though. Maybe next time. ))

I came across SIT on T-SQUAT -- a super cool website that you should totally check out.)))

Other favorite pieces of SIT's:

From Unwired (2008).

This next one is from the series OPPORTUNISTS (2009) and done on cardboard. How awesome is that?!

And lastly, I want to show you this one, from the series 9 (2010).

Altered Perceptions -- Memories

2012-01-01T02:04:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, what we consider to be 'memories' are really just perceptions of reality that have been altered in order to give us excuses for how we feel.

Why do we do that? Why can't we acknowledge the source of our pain and the seemingly irrational ways that we are connecting the two. It doesn't have to 'all make sense.' And we don't always make the right decisions. Own it. All that is you, own it. At least that's being real.

(photo 2: persian buttercup)

Happenings of 2011

2011-12-30T03:09:00.000-08:00

Nursing-related monumental happenings of 2011:

--Started my career as a nurse in the field of my dreams (family birth) at an amazing hospital. Couldn't be happier with my job right now. Not. One. Bit.))))

--"Flew solo" at work for the first time in August. It's been intimidating, but I've grown so much. Very excited to continue my growth as a nurse.))

--Fell 100% in love with my new 'work family.' Seriously, I work with some of the most intelligent, hard-working, hilarious, loving women I've ever met. I feel blessed every time I step foot on my unit.

Among the thousands of new birthing experiences, for the first time, I :

------- helped a woman have a successful water birth. It was a beautiful experience.

------- delivered a known fetal demise (dead baby). It was so hard to see a family hurting.. to be there in the moments when the unthinkable and seemingly unbearable has happened... At the same time, I feel privileged to care for families in their brokenness.

------ helped successfully deliver twins, vaginally. Baby 1 was vertex (head first), Baby 2 was breech (butt first). Wow. Women are amazing.

------ had a patient who had a cord prolapse (the umbilical cord came before the baby's head) and rushed back to the OR (operating room) for a c-section. This was my first emergency c-section and it gave me diarrhea afterwards. Haha. Scared the crap out of me ;) but everything turned out beautifully.

Other (non-nursing) monumental happenings:

--Moved out of my parents house for the first time... EVER. I've got my own cute little apartment that's super close to my hospital. I LOVE it.

--Paid off my beast of a private loan (with 12% interest!!) in 9 months. Heck yes. Feeling like a rockstar! ^_^ Now to pay off my federal and nursing loans. 2012? Maybe :D

--Had my 25th birthday. Eesh. No longer can I consider myself to be in my 'early 20s.' So old. ;)

--Paid my first round of 'adult' bills: rent, auto and home insurance, electricity, internet, etc.

--Saw a movie by myself for the first time. Twilight. Yea, I enjoyed it! ... bad acting and all. Sitting by myself was wonderful. I got to completely absorb myself into the movie. You should totally try it!

--Got my first smart phone with Internet, the iPhone 4S -- "4 Steve." :D I've been told that I've now been pulled from 1995 to 2011. Haha. Feels good to be up to date. ^_~

--Experienced live dubstep music for the first time at a Skrillex concert. Sonny Moore came to Portland and it was probably the best show I've been to, ever.

--Pumped my own gas for the first time! I'm pretty sure Oregon is one of the only states that employs people to pump your gas. Moving to the state of Washington this last summer, I gained a skill that most other Americans acquire while learning how to drive in high school. ^_^

That's a pretty awesome year, if you ask me.))

2012 is gonna be ever better, I can feel it!

Needing New Music

2011-12-20T21:36:00.000-08:00

Being picky about the music I like can be rough. Rarely do I find an artist where I like more than a few of their songs. I guess most people are probably like that though...

Idk.. I'm kind of weird. I usually have to listen to music for a little while before I can warm up to it (ex: like with The Postal Service; I took a good year to like them). Sure, there are songs I take and immediate liking to. However, those little gems are too few and far between.

Somebody That I Used To Know is one of those gems. Oh my gosh, I love this song (and the video!)

Gotye's album, Making Mirrors, we shall see. In time. )

I have a confession to make...... ready... here it is:

Not one bit. I don't dislike 'them,' personally. But their music. It does nothing for me. Iconic. Whatever. I don't care. Maybe they have good lyrics. But they aren't good enough (to me) for me to listen to their music by choice. I'd prefer to simply read them. Really though, I don't care for MOST oldies. Hate all you want. I don' kerr. )))

Why bring this up? Beats me. Maybe there's a tiny part of me that thinks of The Beatles when I hear Gotye.... or not. Haha. Really, idk.)))

The original purpose of this post: I need new music. So, please share. Comment. Email. How ever you'd like to share it. I'm open to most genres (except screamo and oldies.... and country).... with a preference toward electro-related genres. Oh, and anything that makes the listener feel strong emotion / something that's 'moving' = yes. Doesn't even need words... and doesn't need to be in English. I listen to Arabic, Turkish, Swedish... many languages. ^_^

Thank youuuuuuuuuu! :D

Second Wind

2011-12-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

I just love short films, like this one. )

One of the most 'liked' comments on YouTube --54 likes:

try not to cry try not to cry try not to cry....ah damn it.
MANLY TEARS HAVE BEEN SHED.

What "If I" recognized everyone as someone's everything?

2011-11-28T02:12:00.000-08:00

Would I take better care of the people around me, knowing how much they mean (or will *someday* mean) to another person? This is what I will strive for, seeing all individuals as someone's absolute everything.

Song: Lament. By Phaeleh.

2011-11-25T23:21:00.000-08:00

Experience it.

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

Link

It's When Imagination and Reality Collide That Our World Is Filled With The Most Vividness

2011-11-25T22:54:00.000-08:00

Our minds are part of reality, after all. ))

There's Green In The Skies and Water In Her Eyes

2011-11-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

Do you ever think of a phrase and then play with all the possibilities of how it could be interpreted? I do, all the time :) It's especially fun when you pair the phrase with a photo set.

This photo-and-phrase-set, for example... there are so many mays to see it. Not quite sure what I mean? Let me show you (:

_____________________________________________

The very first thing I do is read the quote, look at the images, and then stop for a moment to let myself feel something. No thinking, no imagining. Just feeling. It's hard to explain because it's a raw and untouched experience... Fuzzy around the edges because the details have been left unformed--the kind that exist before your mind has a chance to chisel away at what it thinks about all of it.

Now for the thinking part. ))))

When I hear/read the word 'green', sometimes I think of 'life'... living things, creatures, organisms, trees. Living things are always changing. If the green represents 'life' and life is a representation of constant change, then change is above us in the skies, below our feet (like when looking at the globe), completely surrounding us (like with the turquoise water). The written focus, though, is on the "Green In The Skies." The change is something we gaze up into, something we never fully understand. It's what filters what we do and don't see lying beyond it.

"Water in her eyes." My first thought is purely analytical. Tears aren't 'water', they're fluid. So this cant be talking about tears. Maybe the water is from that beautiful ocean in the 3rd image. Maybe the girl just had an adventure... or a relaxing tread with the fishies. Or, maybe the 'water in her eyes' means she's looking at it, she desires it, or is possibly even starved from it. Does water represent something to her? Again, is it a representation of life? Vitality? Is water the obstacle or something scary to her? Does she even want the water in her eyes?

The middle image throws everything for a loop. How does it tie to either piece of the phrase? If she's the one holding the world-marble, is she in control of those skies and the water under them? Is she playing games with them? Using the world to compete for something, like kids used to do when my mom was little? Does she bring the world with her in her pocket or leave it at home, safe, where no one can tell her what to think about it... where no one can break it or take it?

If green is primarily matched with land and blue with skies, is there more about this that has been flip-flopped? Maybe her eyes are the skies and they're being filled to the brim with water. Well well, we'd have a whole different set of thoughts if that were the case. ^_^

_____________________________________________

You think I'm a total weirdo now, huh? At least I'm a weirdo with creative ways to amuse my imagination, no? ))) I've done this with quite a few of my 'photos' posts--made a photo set and posted it all by itself or paired it with a quote I either made up or found somewhere. Until now though, I've never shared my thoughts on them. Guess I realized that I was probably the only one who knew about my fun little mind / imagination / creativity exercise. ^_^

Do I have a lot of time on my hands? Not really. It look me less than 10 minutes to think of all of those things. And it was fun. Other people might watch something on t.v. or mess around on facebook... I don't have a t.v. ... but I do spend too much time on facebook. Haha. Anyways, I'm just saying, imagining is fun, at least to me. And it doesn't take THAT MUCH time. )))

Now that you know about it, do you want to play along? You might enjoy it. (:

Read the quote, look at the photos, and then pause. Let all of it give you that feeling I talked about--focus on 'thoughts' after having at least some sort of feeling... *sigh* It's hard to explain the feeling part, especially when you're trying to take a moment to not think about them. But definitely try to have a feeling. It's one of the best parts about this process, experiencing something in such a pure way. ^_^

After you've taken a moment to soak everything in, start thinking of what the set could be saying, a story it could be telling, secrets it has within it. Anything really. Adventures. Emotions. Moods.

If you're brave (and you want to make my day), share your thoughts from this post / exercise with me. :)

I {Heart} Skrillex

2011-11-20T05:03:00.000-08:00

My most recent obsession: Skrillex.

Skrillex, aka Sonny Moore is my very favorite dubstep / electronic artist and DJ. He started out as a lead singer for the band From First To Last, suffered from vocal problems, had surgery, and shortly after decided to work on a solo career. He released songs on MySpace and later took on various tours and gigs, establishing his name and growing his fan base. Mau5trap recordings (aka DeadMau5) signed him in 2010 and the demand for his music has only exploded since.

Here are a few silly images of DeadMau5 and Skrillex. Fans might appreciate them... I definitely giggled. ^^

The first Skrillex song I found was the remix of La Roux's In For The Kill:

Initially, I was mesmerized at the unique drop @ 1:30... After YouTubing more of Sonny Moore's music, I was hooked. Mostly just to the 'remixes' ... it took a little while to warm up to his original stuff--as I was newer to the dubstep scene. Now, I can't get enough of it... One by one, my friends are getting hooked too. ^_~

Skrillex came to Portland last month. Did I go? Yes. Yes I did! :D It was amazing. Here's a photo from that night. Can you find me? Brunette in front of the guy with a beard... can't really see my whole face.))

As fun as it was being smashed by a bunch of shirtless sweaty dudes, I only stayed in that craziness long enough to see Sonny Moore up close. After about one song, we headed to a more spacious location where I danced my little dubstep heart out! :D

That night was my first time experiencing dubstep music live, 'in concert' with loud high-quality speakers. I'd fly to another city to see this show again, it was that good.

____________________________________

After experiencing the show, I developed:

1. A love for this song

A previous FB status of mine: this girl will be singin' "You are a cinema. I could watch you foreverrrrrr" at the top of her lungs in the shower in about 5 minutes <3Skrillex!

2. A fondness of cherry flavored chapstick. I bought it before the concert, so the smell now reminds me of all that entailed 'that night.' <3

____________________________________

I'm definitely not as crazy as some of his other fans. Check this out, this girl got 'Skrillex' tattooed on her chest! She's probably gonna regret that later... at least it'll make for an amusing icebreaker topic when she's older... ? Haha )))

He's got quite a few haters too--as with anyone with such a broad and fanatic fan base. Some people call his music 'brostep' instead of dubstep. "It's nothing like the original dubstep." Blah blah blah. Seriously, who cares? If you like it, listen to it. If you don't, don't. Whiners and complainers are annoying.

More Skrillex Love: Some are calling him The Prince of Dubstep. The one to bring "the sounds of dubstep to the masses, building a tribe of fans who truly love him as a DJ and also as a person. He is Sonny Moore, the greatest American dubstepper in the history of civilization." --via some random article I found online. ^^

Any of you also Skrillex fans? Heard his music before reading this post? Which songs do you like? Other dubstep / electronic artists you'd like to share with me? ))

Listening to: Skrillex -- SCREAM AND SHOUT (Live Last Dubstep Mix)

Current Desktop Background: Cup Fern, Blurred

2011-11-20T02:47:00.000-08:00

Dennstaedtia sp. (cup fern) longitudinal rhizome section

(10x). Technique: polarized light. Image of distinction.

Photographer: Dr. Stephen Lowry

I've used this one before, only un-blurred. The blurry one is more in line with my mood right now. ))

I'm Afraid You Don't Exist In The Way I Need You To

2011-11-18T02:18:00.000-08:00

If You Really Aren't Out There, I'll Just Wander This World Alone.

I'm not like so many around me seem to be, looking for someone who meets their superficial checklist. Fuck those checklists. I want my soulmate. I want to feel like a whole person.

I Refuse Anything Less... It's scaring me because in that refusal is the possibility of loneliness for a lifetime. I wasn't made for that either. But I absolutely hate dating. I hate meeting men and never feeling interested. I hate everyone around me trying to hook me up with "this really great guy they know" ... It's exhausting, trying so hard not to hurt people's feelings...

Mostly, I hate the fact that I don't see you anywhere. None of them are ever even a glimmer of what my soul needs. The fact that there are so many 'wrong' ones and you're still nowhere... it scares me.

Love Paintings -- My New Monet

2011-11-05T05:17:00.000-07:00

One of the main reason's I enjoy looking at paintings: they can easily evoke emotion and help you explore a whole new world of thoughts. ))

This is my newest painting... well... it's not a real painting... I lack both the money and personal connections for the original. ))) It's an image of a Monet painting that has been transfered onto canvas.

Like it on my wall?! It got put up just the other day. ))) Under it is the only thing festive in my entire apartment. A closer look:

A pumpkin my mom grew in her garden, and a bear dressed up as a CANDYCORN! Ha. How cute is that?!? Anyyyyways... back to the topic of paintings.. ^_^

I love how, with paintings, the possible interpretations and reactions are infinite. It's like that with other forms of art, as well. However, there's something special about paintings. They're visual and textural. The colors and brush strokes.... oh man. I love it. )))

This one is by Monet and it's titled The Cliff, Etretat. Sunset. Here's a close up:

You know what else? I love talking to people about paintings. Here's tidbits of a skype conversation I had earlier, about this painting:

Friend: I see an elephant there

Me: never saw that 'til just now )))

Friend: interesting isn't it, the way our minds are?

Me: mmhmm)

Me: sometimes, it makes me think of the Peter Pan... Captain Hook and Princess Tigerlily

(pause) -- no response from my friend -- which NOW makes sense because he spent most of his life in Azerbaijan... Disney movies probably weren't a part of his childhood like they were mine ^_^

Me (again): metaphorically speaking, the cliff is my unknown

Me: the sun rises and sets on it every day

Friend: could be

Friend: sun is needed

Friend: the only time u feel it's real is when there is sun. Otherwise it feels uncomfortable.

(pause while I looked at it from a new perspective)

I'll let your mind run with how/why this image would feel uncomfortable without the sun. It's fun to think about.)))

I also see the cliff as representing intimidating obstacles in front of me. Things I don't quite know how to conquer. The sun is my hope. My consistency. My warmth and light. In ways, the sun is like a representation of God, to me.

That, and sometimes I stare at the water and wonder what kind of creatures live in it... and what the ocean floor looks like... like if it's super rocky or sandy... or too deep to tell. ))

What comes to mind when you see this painting? I'd love to read your thoughts. <3

Live Dreaming, Preparing and Fighting For What's Important To Your Heart

2011-10-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

I refuse to create expectations for my life based on what I see around me. I am a dreamer. I see beyond this tangible reality into potential and strive to achieve it. Do these dreams seem impossible? Who am I to determine what is and isn't possible? Not having it yet doesn't make it impossible. That's my stance.

Dream big. Plan for something more amazing than you could ever even imagine. Be the best you can. Constantly improve. Work hard, pursue the passions of your heart. And when God gives you something better than you could have ever imagined for yourself, embrace His love for you. Fight for it, invest your life into taking good care of what is precious. It's worth it. <3

You have passions for a reason. Think outside the box. Think bigger than you're thinking. Be open to what you don't understand. Seek truth. Seek what makes you feel alive. You're amazing. Beyond precious. Accept it. Embrace it. Sacrifice less important things in order to live it.

{drawing by: Burdge}

Thoughts Lately

2011-10-18T04:18:00.000-07:00

Not so sure what I think about the blog lately. I don't really care to post things you could find / learn about for yourself just as easily via google searches... I've definitely done posts like that in the past. I also don't want to make this the place where I share my 'social life'... Pieces of 'me' though... I'd like to do that. *sigh* Honestly, I don't really know what I want this blog to be anymore.

In the mean time, recent thoughts I've been having:

HA! How awesome would it be to see this on the road?! Or better yet, to be that driver?! I totally would!

You ever see something in a photo online that you love but have no idea how to actually find. That's how I feel about this swim-suit. How cute are those ruffles?!?!

Currently reading: Water For Elephants. I watched the movie and loved it. I'm told the book is even better, but I'm having such a hard time getting into it. It's a tad too wordy for me... and I seem to get distracted with all of the descriptive stuff... Idk.. I don't tend to be a lover of literature in the novel sense..

The apartment has been feeling a little cold... or maybe I've finally been bit by the 'nesting' bug... but I've finally started putting things on the wall... and I'm currently looking for both artwork and interesting ways to decorate my space in a way that feels 'me'.

Currently considering purchasing this print: one of my very favorite of Monet's work:

Markers frustrate me. They mess up the paper every time I try to draw something. I'm pretty close to giving up on them all together... or maybe I'll only use them for my Disney Princess coloring book. ^_^ That's about all they'll work well for.

Just finished watching Season 3 of Criminal Minds... Looking back, it would have been more fun to start at Season 1 and proceed from there. I won't re-watch Season 3, but Season 1 is next on my list. )))

Latest TED talks I've found interesting:
-- How To Spot A Liar
-- What Do Babies Think
-- How Beauty Feels

Favorite new song: Take Over Control

What else is new? I almost adopted myself a new kitty... 'til the lady decided to change her mind and keep it. :(

You know what?

Seriously, last week sucked for so many reasons -- none of which I care to share in any grave detail. Lets just say...

There was one decision I put careful thought into. In my heart, I know I did the right thing... but man did it suck!

The other decision... gosh that was stupid. Luckily. Nothing bad happened as a result... still though, I hate it when I make poor choices :( Live and learn and OH DID I LEARN. Guess that's the glass half full. ^_^ Won't do it again!

In the end, I have peace in my heart. You wanna know why?

Thank goodness, because I can't do this little thing called 'life' very well on my own. <3

2011-10-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, things just suck. For me, it's this week in particular. ((( I'm crawling into bed right now, sad, exhausted and fatigued. There's always tomorrow though.. Well.. today actually.. being nocturnal throws it all off for me... my "tomorrow" is your today... )) Whatever, I'm just glad the last 48 hours are over with. Goodnight.

If More People Saw It

2011-10-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

I can't be with someone who believes that humans will destroy themselves. Someone who only sees all of the evil in the world and is convinced that we're mutilating everything and turning this planet into filth.

Sure, there is evil in this world. Sure, there's waste and corruption. Destruction. Violence. I have eyes and a functional brain. I see and understand that the world, right now, is hurting. But I can't build a life with someone who has lost hope.

This world, there is hope for. This world has a chance to be beautiful and I can be a part of making it that way. My choices right now are shaping the future of this world because I have faith in the potential of humans. We are all children of God. He has destined us to live our lives changing the world, making it better.

That is who I am, someone with hope and faith that the future of people is bright. It may be dark right now, but I see the potential... and if more people saw what I see, maybe we could meet that potential a little faster.

These Feathers Don't Free Me

2011-10-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

{+}

Current Desktop Background: dinosaur feathers

2011-09-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

Wait, what? Dinosaur's had feathers? It seems so... well, some of them at least. ))

This is an image of dinosaur feathers preserved in amber, found in Canada. How cool is that? Here's the source, if you'd like to read the article.

I'm also learning that scientists believe most dinosaurs were warm-blooded, and that the ones with feathers were probably the smaller breeds. :D

What I've Been Making

2011-09-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest pearl necklace. Isn't she a beauty?! White, light grey, and dark grey (with peacock luster--purples, blues, and greens).

After taking the above photo, I saw this:

Eeeeeek! ... I snapped a quick shot (because my camera was in my hands, so why not?) and then I ran like a mad man into the bathroom, grabbed some toilet paper, picked up the intruder, and put him outside. Ick. I don't like bugs in my apartment. :P

Anyyyyywayyyys.... back to my necklace. ))) Check out the sterling silver and pearl clasp. It goes really well with the other pearls, don't you think? ^_^

This is the longest necklace I've made yet. Since it's so long, I double it up and still have a fairly long "princess-length" necklace.

Here are the three different ways it can be worn:

What else I've been making.. I didn't get a shot of the jumbo-birthday-card I made yesterday... but it was bright red (to match the red velvet cupcakes that are baking in my oven right now)... and super girly--with a ribbon and lace-paper-punched edges. ^_^

Baking is a form of 'making' ... Guess I can share the only photo I have of that project:

I love how red the cupcake batter was. It matched my mixer! The cupcakes smell amazing btw. Hopefully they taste as good as they smell.

Lastly, I've been attempting to draw anime... it hasn't been going very smoothly. But, I'll get better. Maybe I'll post pictures when I draw something decent. >_< For now though, this'll have to do. <3

Early Mornings -- Like My Late Evenings ))

2011-09-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

Now that I've been working night shift for a couple weeks, I've become fully nocturnal -- sleeping most days from 8am-4:30pm. My late evenings are most people's 'early mornings'... which means I spend quite a bit of time with myself. I'm ok with that though. I like me time.

I get to be cozy on this loveseat filled with my blankets and pillows ))

I can drink coffee / tea undisturbed, make jewelry, watch movies ....

The other night (pictured above), I watched Breakfast At Tiffany's, organized beads, and read some of a book about reading and the brain.

I also have time to paint my nails--which I'm getting better and better at. I used to be such a messy nail-painter >_<

My newest favorite colors: OPI's Bubble Bath and Dulce De Lece

Nudes are classy and match any outfit. What's not to love about that?!?)))

Right now, I'm contemplating making another pearl necklace.

The warm color of these pearls is gorgeous. I'm not quite sure they'll look good on my skin tone, but I think I know someone they'll look perfect on ;)

Favorite song at the moment: Medina -- Addiction

Currently working on: being awake during the day. I have a two day OB ACLS (intensive certification course for work) DURING THE DAY in a few days here. I can't sleep though it... so I'm trying to stay up during the day until it's over this weekend. Eesh.

Currently drinking: blended coffee (Starbucks Sumatra with Godiva Chocolate Truffle)

Newest favorite photo:

Currently excited about:
1. Discovering the garbage grinder in my kitchen this morning! I went over a month not knowing it was there. That discovery alone made my day today awesome. :D
2. Making red velvet cupcakes for a friend's birthday. I'll post the recipe if they turn out yummy.))
3. Seeing my family today (:

Hope you have an awesome rest of your week!

Every Drop Of Me

2011-09-17T06:26:00.000-07:00

Hope was devoured long ago.
Empty selfishness is all I have
left to feed on.
It's blackness temporarily fills me,
shredding my everything
until it reaches the throbbing tear.
There it manages to make
an even wider gash.

The already gaping hole that drains my life,
my vibrancy, my peace of mind--emptiness
corrodes the edges of that wound into razors,
making sure every drop of me is slashed
one extra time.

Just as it divorces my senses and
begins it's descent to the floor, it leaves me
with the harshest sensation--a token
of it's excruciating end.

What's left exists only in fear,
fear of the blades of my failed responsibility.

You Look Pretty, Love

2011-09-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

My Creative Week ))

2011-09-06T15:58:00.000-07:00

I'm surprised as to how much creating I've been doing lately... and I didn't even realize it until this morning.))) Hopefully I keep this up because it's been so much fun.))

I'm smitten over this first piece, long irregular super-lustery cream / peach / pink pearl bracelet. This is the second one I've made; the first being a birthday gift for a friend. You ever do that? Give something to someone and then decide you love it so much that you need one too?!)))

The other bracelet I made this week is sweet and simple. Rectangular abalone shell beads were strung on black silk cord. The toggle clasp has an antique design to it. I'll be keeping this one, than you very much!)))

Remember these from years ago?! The little plastic pieces you make designs out of and then melt with an iron--yeah, I made one of those the other night with my friend's 15-year-old sister. In the first picture, you can see that I tried to make a diatom.... but the pattern-board-piece I was using to design it wasn't workin' out so well.))

Too much fun.))) I should add, just because someone is 15 (while I'm 25) does NOT make them lame to hang out with. This girl is awesome. I see many craft dates in your future. ^_^

Mine turned out to be a big fat failure. Haha. *sigh* Next time, I will improve.)))

This heart locket wasn't actually made by me... I found it at a holiday bazaar last winter for $4. It was finally added to my keys the other day though. Not sure why it took me so long because it's lovely.))

My next project: long freshwater pearl necklace. Colors: white, light grey, peacock grey, and lustery copper.

I have the perfect clasp picked out too. Pictures will be posted when it's finished... but I work three 12's... so it might be a good few days before I even start it.))

How 'bout you? Have you made / drawn / created / designed anything lately? Taken any good photos? Anything artsy at all? I'd love to hear about it! :D

The Issue Of Social Learning As 'Visual Theft', What We've Done About It, And Where We Might Be Going From Here

2011-09-05T16:55:00.000-07:00

It gets interesting at 7:18, when he introduces the overarching topic of language and what he calls "social learning" and the issue of it being 'visual theft.'

"If I can learn by watching you, I can steal your best ideas and I can benefit from your efforts without having to put in the time and energy that you did into developing them." Then he goes on to say "language evolved to solve the crisis of visual theft. Language is a piece of social technology for enhancing the benefits of cooperation--for reaching agreements, for striking deals, and for coordinating our activities."

"Once we have language, we can put our ideas together and cooperate to have a property that we couldn't have before we acquired it. And this is why our species has prospered around the world while the rest of the animals sit behind bars in zoos languishing. That's why we build space shuttles and cathedrals while the rest of the world sticks sticks into the ground to extract termites."

"Language really is the most potent trait that has ever evolved."

There are other interesting points made in this TED talk, but I'll let you watch it if you're interested. )))

Thoughts on what was said at the end of this talk:

I'm not so sure that we're inevitably moving towards a one-world-language. Sure, I see his point that standardizing language may be necessary in order to maximally promote "cooperation and exchange" among people. But there's so much about people that would be lost if the world was to transition into a global-one-language-society. I have friends who speak english as their second, third, or even fourth language. I've heard every single one of them explain that there are words in their native tongue, (and ultimately their culture) that do not translate into other languages.

Is it worth it to lose the richness and diversity of our cultures? Is the gain of better 'cooperation and exchange' worth such a loss? I'd say no, absolutely not. But maybe I'm thinking too extreme here. What if all people kept their native language and learned some additional global language? That could be a positive thing... but that might also be romanticizing the idea--placing it under an unrealistic rosy light by assuming people would maintain their separate cultures outside of what is practical and convenient. *sigh*

Well, I've rambled. )))) Your turn... if you're still reading ;) What do you think--about any of it: language, the concept of visual theft, having a one-world-language?

Tattoos On The Inside Of The Finger

2011-09-02T05:31:00.000-07:00

Side of the finger tattoos. They aren't loud or in your face--they don't make everyone stare the minute the person walks in the room. Instead, they're like subtleties you have to pay close attention to in order to notice. I like that about them. Out of all these tattoos, the feather one is my favorite. )))

Laughter Over Lipstick

2011-09-02T04:29:00.000-07:00

"Carry laughter with you wherever you go."

Current Desktop Background: dodeconoic acid

2011-09-02T03:57:00.000-07:00

Fusion preparation of dodeconoic acid (25x) under polarized light; found from the Nikon Small World Gallery -- 17th place in 1991.

It looks a little like two feathers. )) I like how feathers have come back into style. Many of my friends and coworkers have those subtle feather attachments in their hair. There are some really cool ones out there. And to think, feathers are part of what make the flight of birds possible. Still something that boggles my mind.

Listening to: KT Tunstall -- Black Horse & the Cherry Tree. Awesome song. It's a favorite, definitely.

Floral Print Makes It Prettier ))

2011-08-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

Manbabies

2011-08-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

Sleeping all day today after my first night shift was a success. Now, I'm ready for my second night with a few spare minutes to share this silly video with you. ))))

"You kinda, with that whooping cough... sound like a baby with sudden infant death syndrome." Too freagin' funny.)))

Maybe night shift won't be so bad. ^_^ Wishing you all a wonderful evening. I'm gettin' in on a c-section!

Stronger Than Anything, But Weak All The Same

2011-08-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

All I am is bone.
A skeletal structure
held together by nothing
but stronger than anything.

The strength is useless
with this lack of ligaments.
How can I withstand such
pressure and stress
but still be unable to
move myself forward?

How is it that my pieces
are so strong
but I, as a being,
am weak and motionless?

-Trisha

Poem: Tempest

2011-08-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

Today I set sail to the open sea
Beyond the horizon I planned to be
Where sun rays could warm me
And darkness not find me
That is where I planned to be.
But like my heart the sky turned black
Cold, and bleak, in sudden lack
And so I thought, I must go back
But something held me
It was that strange beauty
That was the storm which made me
With ominous power it overcame me
It shook me and took me away
Menacing torrents and blustery weather
Strained me and lead me astray
My plans to be
Where there shone the sun
Were departed
But remained but one
Reminder and tale of who I am now
From the hurricane which made me.

by Ashley

I liked it. Instinctively, there are places I can see myself changing what's been written... but I won't because someone else wrote it. It's a piece of them, and I want it to stay that way. That's the best way to connect with someone--to leave them as they are, no changes made, and then try to connect and understand them. And in that way, you two will share something that no one else ever will--an understanding never stolen and never replicated. ))

Assume that.

2011-08-25T03:13:00.000-07:00

Stop putting everyone you meet
and everything you see
in a preconceived box.

You know nothing.
Assume that.
Assume nothing,
and fill in the space
as you learn
what's actually real.

My night ends with a mood like this? How'd That Happen?

2011-08-25T02:58:00.000-07:00

Creativity helps me dig further into myself. This is my attempt at drawing a slide of hyaline cartilage...

I'd call it a failed attempt, mostly because I was looking at this:

I've done a better job at drawing this before, during our histology unit in anatomy lab. Oh well though.... *sigh* Man, listening to Death Cab can be depressing.

With burnt out coals and a deflated mood, my night ends gloomy. How'd that happen?

Life Update: Preparing for night shift

2011-08-25T00:40:00.000-07:00

Hello, hello )))

I hope you've all been well. I've been great. Loving the new apartment. There are dishes in the sink that need to be washed, and you know what?! I'll wash them whenever I get around to it. :D

It's almost 1am and I'm struggling to stay awake... probably because I just finished working three 12-hour shifts in a row... but today was my last day working day shift. This weekend I switch to working nights. So, in attempt to prepare myself, I'm staying up as late as I can each night (starting tonight) and then sleeping in as late as I can in the mornings.

I've also got to get better lighting for my living room, and something to black out the window in my bedroom. I've been told cardboard does the trick... that and tin foil... think I'll pass on that though. Don't want to look like a pot house. ))))))

I've never done a night shift before, so this'll be interesting--to say the least. And the increase in pay is awesome! :D

What else, what else?! Now that it's midnight, my apartment has cooled down and I'm wearing a loose hijab. I've been playing around with my scarves, making interesting folding patterns. Here's the one I'm wearing right now.

It's super loose fitting and flowy.... and a little messy, admittedly. I love it though. The black lace scarf is soft and stretchy--which should make for many pretty possibilities. I'll post pictures if you'd like to see. ))))

These delicious treats were sitting at the nurses station today:

That's a thin layer of caramel sandwiched between two fluffy marshmallow-ish layers dipped in chocolate. Yeah, I had three. ^_^ The writing on the wrapper is cyrillic, so I'm guessing a Russian patient brought them as a thank you. We get all kinds of Russian chocolates / sugary-treats at work. I love the Russian / Ukrainian patients we get. They're so dang nice! )))

Borders is going out of business, if you hadn't already heard. )) Bought myself a few more books on the brain. Good reading material for when I do the stationary bike at the gym! Anyone else going to miss Borders and their 40% off coupons? >_<

Lately, I haven't been making jewelry... all of this working has been keeping me busy. That and socializing. Maybe I'll make something tonight, if I can stay up. ^_^ Or maybe I'll draw. )) I've been thinking about painting something to put on the wall in my bathroom. Maybe hyaline cartilage. The colors of the stained tissue could look good with the rest of the room. ))) Idk though... we'll see.

Looks like I'm full of 'we'll just have to wait and see's. ^^ Gotta keep you interested somehow. ;) Haha, no but really, most of what's going on in my life right now is a 'wait and see' kind of thing. Guess I'm ok with that. What about you? How have you been? Have you done anything fun or new? )))

You Know Your Day At Work Was Exhausting When...

2011-08-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

... you drive home, park your car, and just sit there... staring blankly past anything actually in front of you.

Thank goodness for eating leftovers and watching movies on my laptop in bed. (:

Mmmm. <3 my bed. Happy Friday night. :)

Just Enough Time To Just 'Be'

2011-08-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

Today has been full of 'me time'. Cleaning. Cooking. Grocery shopping. Miscellaneous tasks to most, but I soaked them up. I like being by myself sometimes. )) There was even time for a little drawing session (for pretty much the first time!). I've always wanted to learn how to draw, and my friend got me a sketch pad last week for my birthday. So I've been attempting to draw inanimate objects. )))

Right now, the wind is rustling the leaves outside and the sun is poking through those leaves in patches, making a pretty design on my porch. Maybe I'll sit outside for a while tonight. (:

I know life gets busy and super crazy sometimes. All you want to do is sleep... or just not have to think. >_< But in that business (maybe not the craziness, but the business), if you can, find that quiet place in your mind that allows you to enjoy the simple things. It might fill you up (:

Listening to: Christina Aguilera -- Genie In A Bottle ))))

Trip To The Grocery Store -- Wearing My Scarf

2011-08-18T15:29:00.000-07:00

Today's trip to the grocery store was different from all the the rest in one way: I wore my head scarf out in public for the first time! (:

Until today, I've always just worn my scarf in the privacy of my own apartment. Traditionally, hijab is worn in reverse--out in public but not always in the privacy of your own home. Buuuut, living in a Western culture, many of the people around me place a negative stigma on wearing hijab. They see it as something that oppresses women, degrades them, and takes away their equality.

Clearly, that's not the way everyone sees it. Sure, there are more people across the world that have placed this negative stigma on the hijab. However, I'd argue that there are probably millions of women who love wearing hijab, who see it as a freedom and a comfort.

How do I see it? Well... I'll have to put more time into writing that post. Until then though, I'll just say that I see the hijab as something beautiful. The various ways women fold their scarves and mix and match colors is it's own form of art.

In the privacy of my apartment, I've always felt so beautiful in my headscarf. Today, when I wore my headscarf out for the first time, I still felt beautiful... but a little insecure also. I don't want people to stare or judge me. Then again, people will judge you no matter what. So, why don't I wear what makes me feel beautiful, you know? (:

Most of my friends haven't even seen me wearing a head scarf yet.. Like I said, until now, it's always been a pretty private thing. ))) Might as well go all out and show the world via internet >_< My friends and family are bound to see it sooner or later. (:

Here's a few more photos, at different angles:

Pretty, huh? I really like this print, and I have two underscarves (aka 'bones') on, one plain white, the other lace. These help keep the scarf in place. ^_^

There was a woman wearing full hijab in the store this afternoon. I smiled at her and she didn't smile back... which could have just been her normal reaction to people she doesn't know. But it still got me thinking, *hmm, what if she thinks I'm doing it wrong? This scarf is quite shear... and I'm wearing both a form fitted shirt and snug jeans... which is clearly not full hijab.* Then I tried to remind myself that it doesn't matter. I'm stepping out with this whole head-scarf-in-public thing. It's not my intension to wear full hijab or become a full fledged hijabi. If I was to be too serious about this and require myself to wear full hijab, I might try it once and then never again. That's too big of a leap for me and I know it--especially because I don't know anyone else who wears a headscarf. Oh how I wish I did!

*Sigh* Well, that was my little adventure this afternoon. It went quite well, and I felt beautiful. What do you think? Any hijabis reading this? Have you always worn hijab? Any tips or suggestions for wearing a head scarf? This is all very new to me! (:

White Scales and Black Eyes, While Blue Falls -- Within Me, Out of Me, All Around Me

2011-08-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

25 Years in August

2011-08-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

August has been a pretty big month for me. I moved away from home for the first time and into my very own apartment. I turned 25. Ekk! I can no longer argue that I'm in my early 20s >_< And in less than two weeks, I make the transition into working night shift. ))

I haven't been blogging much at all lately. So, I thought I'd update you with what I've been up to in pictures. Sound fun? Guess we'll see :D

First, my apartment... the walls are completely naked, except for their taupe paint... but it's still super cute. These couple pictures won't be interior design worthy by any means... or maybe they'll sever as before shots? ;)

Here's my living room. See the armoire to the right? My mom got that for me for my birthday! I love it!

Here's my craft area... with the desk I found on Craigslist! Isn't it adorable?! I was told that it was "the Mr. Formal's desk" ... you know, the men's suit store? Yea, didn't do much for me either.. but it's perfect!

More pictures will have to come later, once I do more with the walls. (:

Here's my birthday weekend in pictures... well, some of it (;

Got all packed up to spend the night at my parents. I tried to pack light, really. But how can you leave your favorite pillow at home and expect to sleep well? ;)

A friend of mine took me out to thai for lunch before heading to the parents. Mmm thai tea. )))

It was a warm and sunny day, so I spent some time poking around in my parents garden shortly after I got there. It's gorgeous! Hundreds of flowers everywhere, all different kinds and a rainbow of colors. Bumble bees, honey bees, and hummingbirds love it!

There's our little male hummingbird (below). We call him "The Hummer." He's got a little lady he brings around sometime too. ))) You should hear him chirp up a storm. He's a feisty little bird, that's for sure. Hummingbirds are territorial, but they're also playful with their siblings.

More of my mom's gorgeous flowers.

I wanted to cut all three of these pink and white ones and put them in a vase.... but that would have left the bush naked... can't have that. (:

We still have tadpoles living in out man-made pond... and little baby froggies hopping around the backyard. Every once and a while, when walking in the grass, you can see 'em hop away from you, trying not to be stepped on. )))

Corn.... tomatoes in the corner there... and zinnias. I love zinnias.

In this next photo, I want you to notice the strangeness...

Yes, that is a pumpkin hanging from the apple tree. Haha. It's vine grew up that post and into the tree. Now we have a pumpkin growing from a tree! >_<

Black Eyed Susan's (the yellow daisy-looking flowers), purple sweet peas... and I'm not sure what the long purple ones with the fluffy purple on the ends are called. Purple and yellow. Such lovely colors together.

The morning after my birthday, my mom and I went blueberry picking. I'm eating some right now, actually. They go great with Godiva Chocolate truffle coffee. Mmm.

After blueberry picking, we stopped at a few garage sales, one of which was next to the cutest house! It has Victorian Style detail mixed with a cottage-look... Idk.. maybe it's just the porch that makes me think cottage... hehe... either way, it's a cute home.

Oh, and don't let me forget my birthday desert: baklava. My mom and I made it with blackberry honey and pictachios. MmmMmm. Turned out so good. I was proud as punch when a friend of mine said it tasted like authentic baklava, like the kind he had as a kid growing up in the UAE. Yep. That comment made me glow. I love making yummy food.))))

There are other things I didn't get pictures of. Liiiiiike, I made a Pearl Daisy purchase. New scarves, underscarves, and headbands are being shipped to my place from the UK as we speak! Oh yea, did I mention that I've started to wear hijab sometimes? Hm. Probably not. I'll delve into that more in a different post. Maybe I'll even post pictures of me wearing my hijab. )))

Also, a friend installed HID headlights in my car. He brought a hookah outside to keep us company and I helped him the best I could. )) I got to learn a little about my car. And I don't have one headlight burnt out anymore, so I no longer drive illegally.

Oh, oh, and I got a ticket to a dubstep / electronic concert I'll be going to next month with a group of people. I'll be 9th wheel, but I'm ok with that because it's going to be so much fun!

Off the birthday topic, remember that list I made of 25 things I wanted to do by 25? Well, without telling you, I abandoned that list months ago. There's been so many changes happening in my life these past 6 months and I didn't want to cram all of those things in just to 'get them checked off'.. you know?

I still plan to do all of the things on that list, but not in a rushed manor. I want to enjoy each one of those things to the fullest, and I don't think I could have if I would have pushed to do them all ASAP.

Right now, I'm blogging (ha! clearly) and waiting for the Comcast guy to show up.. he's supposed to install something to do with a t.v. set up... even though I don't have a television... but I might get one later, so why not?! The price was the same if I got just internet. This keeps my options open.

Yesterday, at work, I got to be a part of a vaginal twin delivery. It was my first time ever seeing twins delivered! Super exciting. At my hospital, twins are always delivered in the OR, just incase something goes wrong with baby 2 after baby 1 is born. Sometimes they have to do an emergency cesarean section to save the second baby because it's not always safe to take the time to vaginally deliver. I can't say anything about the patients themselves, but all went well and I was high on excitement! :D

Anyways, I've rambled for a while here.

Have a wonderful rest of your week!

Cut Him Out In Little Stars

2011-08-13T23:17:00.000-07:00

"... when he hall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun."

One of my favorite lines from Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (:

Making Things Happen With Only Your Mind

2011-08-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

Of all the organs in the body, I find the brain to be to most interesting. It's super exciting to see how technology is advancing in the area of neuroscience. Like this headset that allows you to do things like move visual objects with you mind. It also reads your emotions and/or how much it is you're enjoying what it is you're doing.

How cool is that?!? If you want to learn more about it, there's a TED talk by Tan Le that you'd probably enjoy. ^_^

Have a wonderful day! My goal for the day is to find a shower curtain and a microwave.... I heated my left overs up in sunlight on the windowsill yesterday. Haha. It worked pretty well. >_< Toodles (:

{Whoops, thought I pushed 'publish'.... got the microwave... still no shower curtain though ^_^ }

Pool Love In The Summer Time

2011-08-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

There's no A/C in my apartment. So, I have a feeling I'll be using the pool quite a bit this summer. All I need is a blow-up pool raft to float around on and I'm golden. (:

How 'bout you? Is it hot where you are? How are you keepin' cool?

On another note, I'm all moved in!! This little apartment is so cute. Then again, surely I'm biased... kind of like when you have a baby (not that I know, but I see it all the time!): you think your baby is the most beautiful baby that's ever been born. Well, my apartment is pretty much the cutest apartment ever! ;)

Haha. Well... maybe not that cute. But I love it--mostly because it's my own. <3

p.s. No, this heart pool is not at my apartment.... psh, I wish! ;)

Sitting on my bed but 'between rooms'

2011-07-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

The phase I'm in could be referred to as a life "transition" but calling it that makes me think of the stages of labor. >_< So, we'll stick with "between rooms." )))

Currently, I'm surrounded by borrowed plastic storage bins, my closet is smack dab in the middle of being completely gutted, and my favorite pictures have been removed from the walls. The bed I'm sitting in is the only thing left unchanged, for tonight that is.

Earlier today, I laid in this bed for nearly an hour. Not wanting to move, I knew the next thing I'd do was start removing things from my room. From there on out, nothing would be like that again and I wanted just a few more moments of my life how it was.

Those moments were nice. I wasn't reliving memories or looking around trying to take mental pictures of how everything looked. Nope. I was just laying there, mostly with my eyes closed. Just being there. In my room.

Luckily, I'm bringing this bed with me. So that's one thing I can count on staying the same. The rest of it though, it's all about to change.

I say this with anticipation and excitement... but I also have a weird feeling--like it's not really happening... I guess it makes sense why I'm feeling weird. I don't have a 'feeling' to attach to this whole "moving out of your parents house for the first time" thing. Guess I'm in the process of forming that feeling right now. :)

Eeeeeeeee! ))) I'm moving into my new apartment tomorrow! Wonder if I'll sleep much tonight. ;)

Moving Soon ))

2011-07-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'll be moving out of my parents house and into my very own apartment next weekend. Eeeeeee! I'm so excited. :) Packing has been keeping me pretty busy... and there are so many things I still need.... like a shower curtain... a craft desk.... a microwave.. *sigh* Guess It'll still be a work-in-progress after I move in. That's ok though. It'll be fun, looking for just the right pieces. (:

I've gotta get all kinds of things figured out in the next few days... like getting internet at my place.. and my own car insurance. Don't mind my absence. It'll be fairly short.. hopefully. ^_^

Today Was Great

2011-07-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

Well... I should really say, "Work was wonderful." Most of my life is focused on work right now... sooo yeah (: Life was wonderful today. I did well (with my preceptor semi-with-me). I had a scheduled c-section patient I cared for pre-op, in the OR (operating room), and in the PACU. After transferring the mom and new baby to our postpartum unit, I was assigned to a labor patient (woman in labor).... More than anything, I learned a lot and I actually feel like I did ok. ))) This whole nurse thing, I got this. ;) ... or... more so.. I'm starting to ^_^

*yawn* ... and now I'm exhausted and ready to sleep--for as long as I want! No work for me tomorrow, yessss! Hope you had a wonderful Monday as well. *yawn again* Night Night (:

People Can Be So Great Sometimes )))

2011-07-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

So.... I was catching up on my blog reading and Amanda's blog, 101 Things To Do Before You Die lead me to this: a story about a man finding a roll of film, the adventure it took him on, and the amazing people he met along the way.

Isn't this such a wonderful story? I really love people sometimes. I love how helpful and caring they are. How nice they can be to perfect strangers. Sure, there are jerks and icky people out there... but things like this restore my faith in the human race.

Thanks Amanda! I loved watching these clips. They made me smile, inside and out. (:

Running on Water )))

2011-07-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

A friend just sent me this video about people trying to learn how to run on water using only technique and speed... and waterproof shoes... Riiiiight. ;)

The Jesus they had hanging from the rear-view mirror... ahahaha.. ^_^ Jesus walked on water, so I guess He's an inspiration. )))

Oh man. These people made me laugh. :D

Yemen and Shake The Dust

2011-07-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

(Photo by: Adam Sjoberg, published May 2011)

An hour (or so) ago, I was watching a TED Talk interviewing Nadia Al-Sakkaf titled See Yemen through my eyes. Before this morning, I had never heard of Yemen. If it's new to you as well, Yemen is a country located in the middle east, below Saudi Arabia.

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Nadia Al-Sakkaf ended the interview talking about the hope she has for her country in the next couple years. She believes the young people of Yemen will be on the frontier of the revolution; the ones who will be a major part of establishing democracy and making their country better.

Al-Sakkaf also mentioned Shake The Dust, a global hip-hop documentary that young people in Yemen have been a part of.

Taken from the website: "Hip-hop culture... was born out of the Bronx in the 1970s from people that were underrepresented, impoverished, and surrounded by violence. From its inception, hip-hop was a source of energy, community, strength, expression, and passion. And in the years since its inception, hip-hop has become far more than just a musical genre or style of dance– it has stretched itself across the globe as one of the most influential and trend-setting sub-cultures that exist.

Hip-hop music, through rhythm and poetry, tells a unique story–it balances on a line between party music and prophesy. ”Shake the Dust” is one piece of that story– a story of wildness and grace. A story that seeks to show the beauty of individuals in places like Sana’a, Yemen, Kampala Uganda, and Port au Prince, Haiti. A story that shows how breakdancing– which seems to be transcending even hip-hop itself– ties them together and gives them hope."

Here's the Yemen clip:

To learn more about Shake The Dust (or watch other clips--from New York and Uganda), check out the media page on their website.

If you'd like to read more about what's happening in Yemen, this article is full of fairly recent information. ))

I'm excited to see more from this documentary, and even more excited to see the great things in store for Yemen and the young people that will be changing it.

Your faults vs. other people's faults; it's all in how you look at it ))

2011-07-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

There was a quote I really liked on someone's facebook status the other day. It got me thinking about balance and how important it is to our self-esteem in relation to self improvement.

Here's the copy-pasted status, and then I'll explain what I mean after. (Ignore the fact that it's talking so specifically to Muslim people. Instead, think about the concept as applying to all people):

‎"Thinking about things that one shouldn't be thinking about is considered prohibited. Including that would be weaknesses/faults of Muslims whether they be absent or present. A hadith: there's a tree in paradise for the one whose preoccupation with his OWN faults causes him to forget the faults of others. Everybody's got faults & if you start thinking about other peoples' faults, you're just a fool."

- Hamza Yusuf

After reading this, I felt like I've been doing a pretty good job of focusing on my own faults and overlooking everyone else's. It's nice, actually, because you end up seeing most people under a very positive light.

With a little more thought though, I realized I do TOO good of job at focusing on my faults. So good in fact, that it's a hinderance to my self-esteem. I struggle with feeling good about myself as a person because I'm constantly picking apart my faults and working-on areas where I need to improve. And just when I feel like I've fixed something about myself, there's a new part of me that I learn needs fixing--a part I didn't see before. It can be draining, seeing everyone around you in such a positive way and yourself in such a negative way.

This is where seeing other people's faults actually helps me (seeing, not dwelling on them and letting yourself have negative/judgmental thoughts about others based on those faults). Recognizing that other people have problems helps remind me that I'm ok to have faults of my own. It helps me view struggles with self-improvement as part of being human.

So, yes, it's bad to focus on other people's faults. But it can also be bad to focus on your faults so much that you don't see other people realistically, and in turn grow to you hate yourself.

It's not that a disagree with this quote... Really, it just helped me to recognize my need for balance.

I'm too hard on myself and I know it. Guess I need to always remind myself: I'm human. Thank goodness I'm not alone in having things I need to work on. )))

Bracelet Problems and Smokey Quartz

2011-07-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at a bracelet. It turned out well.... except for the length problem: it's too long. :(

I've been told that the biggest hurdle with making bracelets is making them the right length. It's so hard to gage how long the piece will be while making it, and with bracelets 1/2 inch variatione is a pretty big deal.

For now, I'm leaving this pearl bracelet how it is. I'd rather have my friend try it on first to see how many pearls I need to take out instead of possibly needing to re-make it a 3rd time. *sigh* At least it's easily fixed--in this case. ))

What else, what else? Well, I've got a new strand of faceted teardrop smokey quarts to work with.

Originally, I bought them to go with these peach-pink coin shaped pearls (my mom has a similar necklace I'd like to duplicate):

But I don't think they flow as well as I'd like them too.... The pearls are too small.. So I'm not sure how the faceted quartz will end up being used... with pearls, definitely. Which color / shape / size ? That's what I'll have to decide on. ))

What else I've been up to: the moving process, more specifically packing up. Who knew I had so much stuff?! I think having a garage sale is in my future.... or maybe a trip to the Goodwill drop-off? ^_^

Last TED Talk I watched: Mikko Hypponen:
Fighting viruses, defending the net

What I've been listening to: Skrillex--My Name Is Skrillex EP

Last movie I watched: I am number Four. Have you seen it? I actually really liked it... the series might be my next Twilight ;) ... I've also been getting into anime.... but that's for another post. )))

Exhausted Lately

2011-07-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

It wasn't until waking a little bit ago (at noon!) that I realized how exhausted I've been lately. Needing to sleep the 13 hours I just slept doesn't happen very often. Being super stressed, busy, and not getting a full night sleep on a regular basis takes a real toll on me.

I have all these things I want to do and not enough time or energy for any of them. Wish I had super interesting things to share with you..... but I've been working (and learning A TON), preparing to move out of my parents house and into an apartment closer to work (very exciting!), and.... well, keeping up on all of the things I have to do--like errands and bills.... *sigh* oh the life of an adult. )))

I'm not complaining though... I know this will only last a little while. Things will settle down soon and I'll get back to normal (aka interacting with friends, having more 'me' time, and all that fun stuff).

Plus, I've got a lot to be excited about right now. :D This week, I signed my first lease on an apartment. I did more on my own at work than ever before, my friend got the nursing job she's been wanting (so excited for her!), and garage sales have been treating me well--I've found a darling love seat and another chair.

Our strawberry and raspberry crops both produced enough for making the freezer jam that now fills our freezer. Pretty excited about that too. ))

Tomorrow I switch to a new preceptor, where I start learning how to care for higher acuity patients and being in the OR / PACU for our c-section patients. All very exciting. )))

Because off all this, my social life has been a little neglected, and so has my blogging... at least more neglected than I'd like it to be. :P It'll change though. Life will settle down. In the mean time, all of this craziness is actually fun. :)

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. I hope your summer (or whatever season you're in right now) has been going well!

Finished Dangly Cream Pearl Earrings

2011-07-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

All finished with making these dangly cream pearl earrings. :)

A friend of mine liked the first pair I made but wanted me to make her pair slightly shorter. So, this second pair (below right) is 1/2 inch shorter than the other pair (below left).

Not everyone likes super long earrings.... admittedly, they can be limiting because you need just-the-right-outfit to go with them. This shorter pair is much easier to accessorize with. It's amazing how much of a difference only 1/2 an inch can make.

I'm thinking about making an even shorter pair--for my mom. It would also be fun to play around with dyed pearls and make the earrings different colors, like teal or burgundy. We'll see how all that turns out. ;) Any suggestions on pearl colors you think would look good?

What Most People Probably Feel Like....

2011-07-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

I bet this is what most people feel like ....

... when meeting Adriana Lima (:

She's so dang gorgeous.

Pain Makes People Change

2011-07-10T22:57:00.000-07:00

Pain is a powerful thing. It has the ability to change people -- change perspective, heart, actions, even entire lifestyles. For this, I try to appreciate the pain I suffer. It shows me where my heart is, what my values are, and the consequences of my actions.

Some things are worth the painful fight. Other things that inflict pain need to be quickly stopped or changed. It's my responsibility to decide what to do with the pain I endure.

Jewelry Making Updates: dangly pearl earrings, pearl bracelet, and 3 new pendants ))

2011-07-10T18:51:00.000-07:00

I've got a few jewelry pieces currently 'in-the-making.' Remember those dangly pearl earrings I made last year?

Well, one of my nurse-friends is having me make her a pair. So that's one thing I've been working on. ))

Coffee and blueberries would have been a great snack for this evening's crafting-time.... Too bad this is all my blueberry bush made this year:

Yes. One measly berry. >_< Such a sad little bush. They say blueberries take a year or two to establish themselves.... hopefully there'll be more next year. ))) Luckily, our strawberry plants produced more this season than the last. The strawberries are currently chillin' out in the freezer--waiting to be made into jam. Mmm. ))

Right now, I'm trying to decide among these three clasps for this pearl bracelet:

They all look pretty, in their own way. Really, it should be up to my friend, as I'm making it for her birthday. I've packaged it all up to bring with me tomorrow because I'm meeting up with her. I'll post photos showing you the one she picks when it's finished. )))

My three newest pendants, which I'm super excited about: oval faceted coral stone with a matte polish, giant smooth teardrop turquoise stone, faceted rubellite tourmaline. Each one is so different <3 Love all three :)

The turquoise pendant will probably be made into a necklace first, as I'm still on the hunt for complimentary beads to go with the coral pendant... and I have no idea what I'll do with the tourmaline... maybe just strand it on a plain silver chain? That would be pretty.

Well, back to working on those dangly pearl earrings. Hope you have a lovely week. (:

Listening to: Skrillex -- Rock N' Roll (favorite song at the moment)

Electronic music on the radio? Kinda )))

2011-07-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

Not that I'm a music snob or anything, but I tend to prefer my music (cds or ipod) over whatever the radio plays. I like all different kinds of music, and I'm definitely guilty of sometimes liking the 'latest-it-song'... but electronic-type-music always gets me so much more excited than other genres. :D

On my commute home the other day, when my music no longer interested me, I flipped the radio on and was surprised when I heard this playing:

The song was already half way through and just happened to be at one of the electronic parts. Confused, I changed the channel, checking to see if I was really on the radio and what station it was. *107.5? No way! I've never heard this kind of music on the 'pop' / hip hop / rap station.* )))

Immediately after realizing this music was really on the radio, I started dancing in the car. (: What I really wanted to do was bust out the rave moves... but I was trying to drive. So, I restrained myself and did the standard 'dancing-while-paying-attention-to-my-driving' moves. The rest of the drive home was great, as my energy had been recharged. )))

Latest songs I've been listening to: Mostly Armin van Buuren mixes

Happy 4th of July Weekend!

2011-07-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

It may not be the most 'patriotic' dessert to have made today, but the baklava I'm savoring goes so well with this hot cup of strong black tea. MmmMmm. What's a holiday without sweets, really? )))

Edit in, July 4th: I can't seem to get enough baklava. ))) I've skipped breakfast so I could eat it all morning. ^_^ What else I've been doing: making a bracelet for a friend:

Aren't these pearls gorgeous?! Peach, pink, and cream hues. I'm so excited to finish this piece, just need to decide on the right clasp. )))

Wishing you a wonderful 4th of July! As many people living in the Northwest say, "Now that we've gotten to July 4th, summer has truly begun."... it doesn't usually get very warm around here until then. ^_^

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Seahorse Tattoos--On The Side Of The Hand: Too Cool ))

2011-07-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

Seahorse tattoos can be very interesting. They're intricate and elegant, and there are various meanings behind them.

"A seahorse tattoo symbolizes strength of the horse as well as ruler of the sea. Actually looking at it, it is a creature of myth and fantasy and a symbol of imagination and creative spirit. Seahorse was given the name by the Greeks and was called as Hippocampus, which stands for horse + sea monster. Coincidentally, the part of the human brain, which is associated with memory is also known as hippocampus. Perhaps, this is the reason a seahorse tattoo is associated with creativity. The monster aspect comes from its bony armor. This sea animal has a head, that has obvious equine features. The seahorse has two eyes, which are able to look in different directions simultaneously. Therefore, it is said to be a symbol of vigilance. In a number of cultures, grace and confidence is the other seahorse tattoo symbolism. It is also a symbol of strength, guidance and transformation. The Celts look at seahorse as a symbol of courage and forbearance at sea. It is also a symbol of good luck for sailors. In some civilization, the seahorse was revered as a therapeutic animal, that has magical and mystical powers."

Women tend to choose seahorse tattoos more often than men do. Maybe this is because seahorses can represent a calm elegant demeanor, something very feminine in nature. Some view the seahorse as representing feminism in the form of female supremacy because, with seahorses, the male is the one to carry the young. This is also why men have been known to get seahorse tattoos when they become fathers for the first time--because the male in this species represents full dedication to protecting their babies as they grow.

I really like the idea of having a seahorse tattooed to the side of the hand with the tail extending down the finger (image 1). That way, you can make the tail curl!! ^_^

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What I'm Actually Worried About

2011-07-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

In the last post, I mentioned being worried about apartment hunting.... but there's more to my concerns than just finding an apartment...

I'm worried about living away

from my family for the first time.

I've lived with my family for my entire life. My brother (one of my favorite people in the whole world) has always slept in the room right next to mine. My family has managed to continue eating dinner together 4 or more times a week--even though we're all adults with busy schedules now. )) My mom has morning coffee with me when I don't have to work that day. Her and I run errands together. We garage sale together, watch movies, cook, hang out... she's one of my best-friends.

My family is a huge part of my every-day-life.

What will life be like without them living in the same home as me?

Change. Change is good. It's inevitable... and I'm excited for it. But it's also intimidating.

What if I don't like living on my own? What if my apartment just feels like an empty place I try to sleep at night? My loved ones won't be there... I'm sure I'll adjust (and probably visit them A LOT!)... but what if I can't make my apartment feel like my own? I've never done this before.

Stop Thinking, Just Live

2011-06-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

I need a break from my thoughts. Really. They've been driving me nuts lately... and distracting me... messing up my cookies... I left out a key ingredient while baking today (granulated sugar... really?!?! Hhhhhh.... I frustrate myself sometimes). So much for taking cookies to work tomorrow. :P

There are so many things out of my control. I've been worrying about finding the right place to live and being a nurse all by myself (without a preceptor).. Worrying is exhausting... and completely pointless--it doesn't solve anything. I should try to stop all of the thinking for a little while... just take things as they come and enjoy the present moment. ))

First Day Of Summer

2011-06-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

It was officially the first day of summer yesterday. Heck yes! I've needed the warmth and sunshine of summer so badly after having such an unseasonably cold and rainy spring.

Yesterday, here in Portland, it was sunny and in the 80s all day. <3 (:

I spent the day having breakfast with my fellow Family Birth Nurse Residents, working on our project at a coffee shop after the meal, and then we spent a little time in the sun before attending a 4 hour fetal-heart-monitoring training course. The drive home was warm and sunny and I was asleep by 9.

Can't say that anything terribly exciting happened... but it was a wonderful day.

I'm so excited for summer time! I finish my residency program at the end of June and start apartment hunting in July.

A friend recommended I buy the book, Apartment Therapy. Do you have any suggestions for me on apartment hunting and/or decorating?

Another reason I'm excited for summer: I plan on doing a Summer in Portland series--full of posts on fun places to eat and things to do in my city. It'll give me a reason to do as many fun things as possible! :D

What about you? Any fun summer plans? Trips? BBQs? Boating? The beach?

Listening to: Don't Worry, I'm Yours (Remastered)

Better, Not Bitter

2011-06-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Let your past make you better, not bitter.

It's your choice, and only yours.

People do hurtful things. Wonderful people do some of those things. As humans, most of us don't walk around wanting to hurt others. But it happens. Not that this makes it ok to do so.... realistically though, we've all made some pretty crappy mistakes. We've all been hurt and we've all hurt someone we care about.

I used to hate myself for my mistakes... and I've hated other people for their mistakes. Now, I'm learning to see the good in people... the good in myself.... the good all around me... slowly but surely.

Don't hate yourself or others for the mistakes of the past.

The hatred only makes your heart bitter... and who wants to live with a bitter heart? I don't. I want my heart full of joy, hope, excitement and love. I choose to make myself better instead of letting my heart be bitter. <3

Happy Father's Day Weekend!

2011-06-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

I see daddys at work all the time tearing up when they see their baby for the first time. Dads might not always know how to show us, but they really do love us. So much <3

Now for a couple silly daddy - baby photos that might make you laugh.))))

Happy Father's Day Weekend Everyone!!

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Faceted Coral and Turquoise Necklace

2011-06-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

(It's hard to see but my rose coral earrings match perfectly)

Finally, after all of the making, cutting up, rethinking / redesigning, and remaking, it's finished!! It's prettier than I could have ever expected. I'm completely smitten, to say the least >_<

This is what it looked the the first time it was made:

The turquoise didn't hang right... and it didn't seem quite balanced. So, I took out over half of the turquoise stones--making them more of a focus, like a pendant.

Here's the necklace, finished and currently being worn for the first time -- I like to wear them at least once before I sell them to make sure there aren't any snags. ))

Here it is at different lengths (because it's silver chain makes it adjustable):

Short:

Long:

And my favorite, right in the middle:

I do plan on selling it... eventually. ))) That's another thing I need to do, get my Etsy shop up and running. *sigh* So many things to do >_<

Friday Garage Sale Treasures

2011-06-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Friday (prime garage sale day). I had the day off, so my mom and I drove around town looking for new treasures.

Here are photos of what we found (+ the chair I told you about the other day):

Little cardboard pieces to wrap string / yarn / thread around. Free.

Buckskin Breyer horse. Not only did I collect these as a kid, but I was OBSESSED with them (and horses in general). How could I say no when this was in mint condition and priced at 50 cents?! I mean really?))

Interesting summer reading. I've been meaning to buy 'Running With Scissors'--we read Dry (also by Augusten Burroughs) in nursing school. His rawness is what drew me in most. I'm excited for the other books too. 5 for $2.00

While gathering everything for this little photo shoot, I learned a very good lesson: Don't leave nail polish in your purse all day. :(

Luckily, this was all that got messy. Praise Jesus.

The nail polish could have ruined so many things. Glad that no real damage was caused. Again, a lesson well learned.

The beads I wanted to show you, $1 per little ziplock.

I would have had twice as many, but garage-sale-people are ruthless. There was a lady going through the assorted bead bags before I showed up. As I approached the basket she was looking through, she crouched over it, hovering her arms. A non-verbal, "Back off. I found them first and you WILL wait your turn" look was in her eyes. I've seen that look before... you think I'm kidding.... I'm not. People are crazy. Especially garage-sale people. So I waited patiently.... which I think made her end up buying more :( I should have acted like I wasn't interested... that usually works better. Haha.. and now you're beginning to see the skill in being good at both finding and getting the best items. )))

I kicked myself for nearly an hour. She got two baggies of beautiful coral beads. If only I had gotten there two minutes earlier. *sigh* Oh well though. I still left with these beauties:

Orange faceted carnelian. They'll make for a beautiful bracelet.

I think these are jasper? Idk.. but they're pretty. ))

These blue ones are faceted tear-drop died jade. I'm thinkin' they'll make pretty dangly earrings... and maybe a necklace too.

Light pink disc-shaped rose quartz. Also bracelet material. ))

Tropical-ocean-blue faceted rectangular amazonite.

These next two photos are of wood beads. I've never used wood in my jewelry, but there's a first for everything. ^_^

And now for the grand finale. These two pieces of furniture were found at different garage sales on completely different weeks. They both need some fixin' up, and they were both absolutely FREE. ))))

How cute are they?!? The lady who gave me the chair was so excited for me to drive away with it, which made my day even better. We were doing each other huge favors. :D

It may not look like much to some people. But this chair has so many lovely qualities... and I'm pretty sure it's real leather.

First off (and my favorite part), check out those cute buttons!

The details don't stop there. This buckle on the side.... and the gathering of the leather in various places....

I can't get over how cute this chair is! The legs are a little beat up. But look at those cute little wheels:

They're the antique kind. The chair itself is 100% level. I checked it by sitting in it in the lady's smooth cement garage and they rolling around in it a bit. Not one wobble or drag.

The part that needs some work: the seat cushion. How perfect is that though?! All I have to do is reupholster it with a pretty fabric. I was thinking floral. A friend of mine suggested a floral-paisley print. That's so perfect! I just need to find a fabric that matches the leather and my taste. )))

Now, for the cute little stool. It has a leg that falls out. All I have to do is research the best kind of glue to use and glue it back in. I also plan on reupholstering the cushion. This way, the fabric on the stool can match the chair and I can stuff it with more fluff, making it more cushy.

Can you believe these two pieces were absolutely free?!? This should be a super fun little project. I'll post picture when it's finished. Don't hold your breath though. I've got a residency to finish this month (for work)... expect to see it finished by August / September. Hopefully, by then, I'll have had enough time to find the perfect fabric.

Fun! Fun! ^_^

June Treasure Hunting

2011-06-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

Treasure hunting these last couple weekends has been a success. )) There was a neighborhood garage sale in my area, but this was no ordinary neighborhood. It was more like a cluster of estate sales, full of antiques and super interesting items.

Here's what I found:

This little baby is so '90's... or earlier (I can't remember anything before the 90s). It's used to tighten your shirt by clipping fabric into both sides leaving the extra fabric to drape/fold in between. 50 cents.

Tiny glass perfume bottle, perfect for small beads. 1 cent.

Acorn tea infuser, brand new. 5 cents. Heck yes.

Turquoise and sterling silver flower. I love how it's both a pendant and a pin. $6

Antique screw-on earrings. Quite pretty, and very unique. $1

This antique bracelet is quite old. The beads aren't pearls... I'm pretty sure they are plastic. The clasp is what drew me in. Isn't it lovely? There's a big green center gem with tiny sparkly light green gems all the way around it. None of them are 'real', but I like it! Because one of the bead strands was broken, I got it for free. Can't beat that. ))) Now I can either restore it or use the pieces to make something else. I am still undecided as to which I'll do.

This shell necklace was originally purchased in Maui. Isn't it pretty? I really like the pinks and peach colors. It should be very pretty this summer, especially when I have a little more color to my skin )) $4.

Magazine-like cook books--some from New Zealand. Can't say it's full of authentic 'New Zealand' recipes... but the pictures looked good, so I went for it. 25 cents a piece. Crazy good deal. )))

Mint green floral glass jar. I don't know what I'll put in it... cotton balls? Beads? Craft supplies? The possibilities are endless. )))

There's one more item I still have to show you, but I haven't taken pictures of it yet. It's a leather chair with super cute buttons. The main cushion is ripped up, so I plan on reupholstering it. Pictures soon!

Newborn Resuscitation

2011-06-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was trained in neonatal resuscitation--caring for babies immediately after birth. Some babies come out seeming a little stunned from the delivery process; not breathing, not moving, completely limp. Even when they come out fairly pink with good tone, many take more than a couple seconds to start breathing.

It's the nurses job to help the baby in those first crucial minutes of life. After the umbilical cord is clamped and cut, baby's mouth and nose are cleared with a bulb syringe. If baby still isn't breathing (which is totally normal), the nurse takes baby to the nearby warmer where she rubs baby with a blanket trying to stimulate him/her to breathe. If that isn't working, the nurse will assess baby's airway again while using a bulb syringe to remove any extra fluids from baby's nose and mouth.

If baby still isn't breathing.... well.... I don't need to teach you all that I learned in my class ^_^ But I do want to share this video with you (our instructor showed it to us part way through our training) :

If you get queazy when seeing bodily fluids / birth, maybe you just want to skip to 2:30--to see the real action ;)

The momma elephant is doing just what we were taught in class! A lot of babies come out appearing to be "absolutely lifeless," like this baby elephant. At 2:45, the momma begins pushing her baby around with her feet--looking like she's kicking it. This stimulation is equivalent to the rubbing we do to our babies after birth. When the baby elephant still doesn't breathe, she opens her baby's airway (at 3:30)!! And it works! How amazing is that?! They were able to capture nature bringing life into this world and then resuscitating it. This video was too great not to share with you ^_^

Lately, all I think about it work. There's nothing wrong with that, I guess. Everyone goes through stages in life where their focus is zeroed in on one thing--like school, work, a new marriage, a new baby, etc. Well, my thoughts are popping up in my dreams now. )))

Last night, I went to sleep around 7pm (pretty early for not having to work today). Two hours later, I half-wake-up. Confused and not in my right mind, I saw that it was light outside and came to the conclusion that I was pregnant (how, I don't know). As I walked downstairs, I felt my tummy... I thought to myself "it feels too small." Walking into my mom's room half asleep, while feeling my stomach, I lifted up my shirt and looked in her mirror and said, "I'm barely showing." :D My mom was confused and said, "Whaat?" That's when I woke up the rest of the way and realize I had just walked myself all the way downstairs while still dreaming that I was pregnant. )))

I felt pretty silly. We both laughed. My brother came in the room shortly after and we all laughed some more. *sigh* Oh, maternity nursing.... :D

Listening to: Armin Van Buuren -- In and Out of Love

No Cure For Curiosity

2011-06-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."

--Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)

Speed Minimums

2011-06-11T22:02:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Texas has speed minimums. Genius. Portland should adopt them too. That would be so nice. :D

Red Leather Gloves

2011-06-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

I think I need a pair of cute leather gloves in a bright color. Don't her red ones look great? The matching clutch and fur accessories too... *sigh*))

Your Glowing Petals

2011-06-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Your Glowing Petals

Your tiny pink petals flutter,

rain hitting them—pushing and dragging

them downward.

Once your petals hit bottom,

heavy drops beat out the delicate shades,

eventually turning them white.

Transparent.

They disintegrate

becoming dust once again,

just as you started.

The transformation renews, refreshes, and returns

your ashy particles back to this thirsty world.

But, don’t fret—my dear,

You reflection will always exist.

Moments or light-years away

You will always exist

As you once were,

Soft pink petals glowing in the light.

I wrote this in March, 2010 (:

Never, Ever Too Late

2011-06-09T10:12:00.000-07:00

Actually, forget that. Be even better than who you might have been. It's never too late to surpass your perceived potential.

Redefine it. Meet it. And then, surpass it again.

You're more amazing than you could ever realize. So much more.

Explore it, pursue it, live it <3

Nursing Residency Programs

2011-06-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

As you all might know, I'm currently enrolled in a residency program for newly graduated nurses. I don't go into details much about my job / training process, so I thought you might enjoy watching this clip. The residency program in this video has been tailored to pediatric nursing (health care for children), as it is a children's hospital. I'm being trained in family birth, so my training is a little different... but the basic elements are the same. ^_^

Not sure if you actually watched the whole 10 minutes... )))) but that's what I've been doing since March. I finish the program at the end of June (this month!!). I won't fly solo until September (because my labor training takes a little longer), but the program itself will be done in a matter of weeks. Because of that, my June is busy busy... and I probably won't be blogging as much as I'd like to.

There are a few nursing things I'd like to share with you, but that'll be on another day. )) Until then, I hope you're enjoying your week. (:

50 State Stereotypes

2011-06-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

Oregon: dreadlocks on caucasians. Too funny... and true.. I've known a handful of caucasians with dreadlocks. )))

Have you seen this yet? Did it make you giggle when they mentioned your state? ^_^

'Speechless' from The Women Of Allah series

2011-06-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

This piece of art, titled 'Speechless', was created by Shirin Neshat and is a part of her 'Women Of Allah' series.

I haven't been able to find an official website that presents the series, as a whole. Which is sad, because it's a powerful series. (If you do find a site, please put it in the comments. I'd love to have it.)

This piece, though, in particular, has stayed with me. It hits me every time I look at it. I wish I could articulate what I feel, but nothing seems to align. Maybe, after a while, I'll have words. Until then, you might find the following interpretation interesting. ))

"Speechless, created by Shirin Neshat in 1996(moma.org), represents the oppression of women in present-day Islamic countries. The hijaab and the gun are the symbols of her subordination although they are meant to be mistaken as her hair and a piece of jewelry at first glance(moma.org). Her hijaab is the first thing that stands out about her, and it is what defines her. The sadness in her eyes and the dejection in her face are evident. While some are ready to embrace the religion and conform to it willingly, she is not. However, her expression is not one of resentment or a passionate desire for things to change; it is a look of hopelessness. There are verses of Arabic poetry written across her face representing everything that she thinks of and wishes to speak of, but does not dare to(moma.org). She is speechless not because she cannot find the words, but because to break the silence would be breaking convention, tradition, and the harsh law she must abide by in order to survive. Her submission is the silence, and she can only wish to be heard."

Taken from The Sound of Silence blog.

2011-06-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

I plant my hands in the small garden:

I will grow green.

I know, I know, I know.

And the birds

will lay eggs

in the grooves

of my inky fingers.

Forough Farokhzad

Set This World On Fire

2011-06-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

Set the world on fire with your love.

Ashes will fall away, cleansing everything.

The beautiful part: What's left will never burn out.

Happy and Healthy... and Completely Blown Away )))

2011-05-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day training on Labor and I LOVED IT! I'm still surprised as to how blown away I am. My new preceptor is amazing. The love that I saw today between my patient and her partner / family made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. (: I got to be a circulating nurse in the OR during the C-section, a recovery nurse in the PACU, and a postpartum nurse after all of the craziness calmed down. The nurses working on our Family Birthing Unit resume all of these roles fairly regularly. .... I'm still.... wow... yeah... *in awe* Lets just say I work with women that really do blow me away.

While we're on the topic of nursing, I've got something very special that I'd like to share with you. Sometimes, high school students spend a few hours on our unit shadowing us; I had one of them with me a few weeks ago. Well, there was a 'Thank You' from her in my work mail-box the other day:

Inspiring??? )))) Yep. I've been beaming ever since. )))

Topic change: not that my health was ever in question, but the blood work I had done at my physical (because I have health insurance now!) came back.

Total Cholesterol (goal is to be less than 200): 156
HDL (good) Cholesterol (goal is more than 40): 51
LDL (bad) Cholesterol (normal is under 130): 97
Triglycerides (normal is less than 200): 41

It may be so good because I'm young.... Young people tend to be healthier by default. Either way, it feels good to know I'm healthy. (:

Currently, I'm in bed with my wet clean hair up in a towel, blogging, snuggling with both my kitty and my heating pad, eating a brownie, and high on life. I'll be sleeping soon (yesssss) and back at work tomorrow. Super excited for day 2 of labor training! ))

Life is full of highs and lows. Right now, I'm on a mountain of a high. There's no way this feeling will last long... as the endorphins are bound to wear off sooner or later... but I'm gonna enjoy them while they last.

Excuse me while I go sing on my hill-top. ))))

Turquoise, Thimbles, and A Jade Elephant

2011-05-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

Sooooo.... that coral and turquoise necklace I said I'd be fixing.... well... I cut it up to make those changes and I might have changed my mind about it.... again! Gosh dangit! >_<

As pretty as it looks with the coral, doesn't it look nice by itself on this black silk cord? The black matches the black crackles in the turquoise.

It's super simple. Simple is good..... but... sometimes 'simple' doesn't get achieved and the piece looks more 'unfinished' than anything else. Idk. Guess it'll sit on my desk until I figure ou what I want to do with it.))

On other crafty topics, I found two cute little thimbles at an estate sale a little while ago.

I'm sure they'll come in handy soon. )) I really like the flowers around and on top of the silver one. Very pretty. ))

This light green carved jade elephant pendant was my great grandmother's.

I haven't found anything to strand it on yet, but I want it to be special. Heirlooms should be kept precious, don't you think? ))

Caution Is Worth It Because Many People Pretend

2011-05-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

Don't you wish people would just act like who they really are and say what they really mean?

*Sigh* People sure can be deceptive... So often, I can't tell what's real and what's pretend... It's gotten me into trouble in the past, believing people I shouldn't--trusting them. I used to see people exactly as they would say they are because I trusted that they were being honest.... Honest with their words, their representation of themselves.

Hesitating with people used to get so annoying, but now it's a learned habit. Very rarely do I let my guard down enough to put absolute trust in someone. Really though, it should be like that. Shouldn't it? If you let yourself carelessly put that kind of trust in the people around you, you get screwed over.

Then again, I don't want to be someone who trusts no one. You know? Sure, there are ill-intentioned people out there. Not everyone is out to get you though. Not everyone pretends to be someone else. I don't like assuming negative things about people. Instead, I work really hard to assume nothing--leaving the unknowns as big giant blanks that can be filled in whenever the occasion lends it.

It's been working out well for me lately. )) I give people the benefit of the doubt, but keep them at an arms distance until I feel like I've gathered enough information to make some kind of legitimate decision on how honest they are--to both other people and themselves. Of course, I'm bound to get hurt again... some time or another. But I feel like I'm finally being smart about trusting people. It's a nice feeling. )))

Listening to: Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites by Skrillex

TED Talk: Art In Exile

2011-05-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

The image at 5:02, I wish there was a way for me to see it in person. That woman's expression, the depth, pain, numbness; the resilience inside her. I tried to describe it, but no words could ever fully express what I feel when looking at this woman's face.... *clears throat* .... Enough of my little moment there. ))

I can't stop thinking about what an honor it would be to meet the artist, Shirin Neshat. She is one of many Iranian female voices finally being heard.

Her movie, Women Without Men -- I want to see it....like, really want to see it... more than I've wanted to see any given movie in quite some time. ))

Here's the trailer. If it moves you, I encourage you to see it and then email me your thoughts. I've got a feeling it's one of those films I'll want to talk about. )))

Pink Coral and Turquoise, and Dollar Ribbon ))

2011-05-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago, I made this faceted coral and turquoise necklace. Initially, I was pleased with it... but as it's been sitting in a clear ziplock on my desk, I've been scrutinizing it.

The way the turquoise hang is glaringly imperfect. Hours were spent trying to get it right, trying to make the biggest stone in the center. The neighboring beads were supposed to gradually get smaller. It didn't work. Bleh. I'm totally cutting it up and making it all over again... I'll probably take out a few of the center gems. Only then will it be good enough to sell in my Etsy shop... whenever I get around to opening it.)

Just today, Michael's had a bin of $1 ribbon... so I bought 13 of them. :D

The two-toned ones in the 3rd photo (directly above) are going to be used to make ribbon flowers.... once I learn how to do it. ^_^

There were a few at a slightly higher price, too. But not by much. ))

The two solid shades will be used in the jewelry bags I've been sewing; and the yellow and strawberry one will the the ribbon I used on the jewelry bag I'll make for the 'Peaches and Cream' pearl necklace I'm planning on making. ^_^

That's pretty much it for now. )) Figured I'd start doing more 'craft'/ creativity/jewelry-making updates as I do little things here and there. )))

It's All Simple, It's All Beautiful

2011-05-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

There is often far more beauty in the simple than the complex. When you look close enough though, all things that seem 'complex' are really quite simple. It just takes a lot of effort and thought to see them as such. Effort well worth it, I think. )))

Free Of Bites From The Baby Bug

2011-05-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't been bit by the baby bug yet, thank goodness.

Everyone I talk to tends to ask me something along the lines of, "You work with babies and new families all day. Doesn't being a maternity nurse makes me want to start having babies of your own?!"

My answer is always the same: No..... *I flash a big grin as they stare at me blankly... wondering if I don't like children or if my job has made me not want them.* Of course, I always go on to explain myself. Otherwise, they'll make their own assumptions... which will ALWAYS be wrong... to some extent, at least. )))

It's a good thing for me, not pining over having babies right now. I mean, I'm not married. Wanting to start a family right now would be depressing. First I need the man... and I'd rather not obsess about step number 32 when I should be thinking about step number 1 (aka knowing what to look for when it comes to the man I want to marry).

Living life always wanting to jump ahead to the 'big'

moments robs you of fully enjoying the steps inbetween.

Sure, I want to have babies some day. Heck, I've planned my entire life (career, goals, aspirations, dreams) around being a wife and a mother. But I don't need to have those things yet. Currently, I'm a pretty busy bee... preparing for them.

Everything I do is an investment into my future. Right now, I am working on being molded into a woman who will one day be a great wife and mother. I'm working on my patience. I'm learning how to problem solve and have clear communication with people from all walks of life. I'm paying off school loans as fast as possible so that I'll be debt free.

There are so many things going on right now. I'm taking life one step at a time, not wishing I was any further along. Of course, I'm looking forward, towards my future. But I'm living in the present.

I love where I'm at right now. I love having a new job where I'm learning a bajillion things everyday. I love the fact that I'm moving out of my parents house and into an apartment in August. I love how I have been blessed with the ability to pay off my loans so quickly..... relatively speaking.... I hope to have them paid off after 2 years of being employed. That's pretty freaking awesome, I think.

And in the moments inbetween all of that, I'm creating. I'm being with people. Learning about all kinds of things. Enjoying art, music, food, nature (Portland is lush and beautiful in the summer!).

You could always be more content than you are now. Always. I could have a husband to fall asleep with every night... and have sex with ;) I could have beautiful little babies / children to love, nurture, and teach how to grow. I could be a knowlegable well-seasoned maternity nurse.

Currently. I have / am none of those things. But, I'm living life in a way that helps me get there. I'm making investments into every single one of those things. And for that, I am excited.

When I think about my future, I beam with excitement and tell myself, "Trisha, you're life is going to be friggin' amazing." And then, I think about that statement and realize, it already is. )))

Baby bug, I'm looking forward to your bite. Beware though because right now, I've got skin of steel. )))

Jewelry Making Tid-Bits )))

2011-05-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

There's always some kind of little project I'm working on, even if it's just taking old jewelry and deciding to break it down into smaller pieces for a future jewelry piece. Rarely do they seem like enough to post about on their own... so I'll post a few at once. (:

This is a peach coin pearl necklace. It's simple and pretty.... but not quite what I want... which shows in the number of times I've worn it... which is zero. ^_^

Soooooo..... I cut it up. The pearls themselves are far to pretty to leave on a necklace that never gets worn. I'll make something with them.. I'm not sure what yet, but it'll happen. In the mean time, I'll leave them in the back of my mind. (:

This filigree nautilus shell ring was found at a Tibetan gift shop off NW 23rd Ave, in Portland this weekend. It's actually from Nepal.)) Isn't it unique?

It fits my middle finger perfectly. However, at $8.75, the metal turns my skin green. :( A friend suggested coating it with clear nail polish.

I've coated earrings with clear nail polish, but never a ring. We'll see if it peels... so far so good, though. ))

My other friend loved the teardrop necklace I made her for her birthday. ))) The stone is mostly malachite (the blue color) with ruby on one side (red) and a little bit of black onyx throughout.

See how you could flip the necklace over and have a totally different looking stone, solid blue? ))

My friend likes short necklaces, and she tends to be fond of pendants over an even strand of stones / pearls. I wasn't sure she'd like it... but she totally did. :D So, I'm happy.

Lastly, I used my 50% off coupon at Borders this weekend. I've been wanting to learn how to knit and crochet. This book is great because it has step-by-step images, explanations of various textiles and tools, and TONS of pattern options.

It'll probably be a while before I tackle this new hobby. But now, I have a book to guide me whenever I decide it's time. )))

Have you found any interesting items lately? Pick up any new hobbies or interests?

Going Somewhere New

2011-05-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not flying to another country, nor am I taking any type of vacation. But I'm definitely going somewhere new--in a metaphorical sense anyways. ))

I've already talked about it quite a bit... but transitioning into working as a Labor and Delivery nurse is a pretty big deal, I think. It's a fast-pace high-stress environment. There's so much to learn and I'm going to work like hell to eventually become amazing at it.

Today, I had a pow-wow with both my manager and my current nurse-preceptor. It was a meeting to evaluate my progress in postpartum and to talk about my transition into labor. I've only ever seen two births--one was a C-section and one a vaginal delivery... both of which were in nursing school. So this will all be a completely new experience for me.

It's all very exciting. Stressing, yeah. But so friggin' exciting! :D

{+ , +}

Pink, Peach, and White Pearl Necklace

2011-05-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

I mentioned drinking coffee and working on a necklace the other day. Weeeeeell, after almost three weeks of bouncing back and forth between a pattern, it's finished! :D

First though, here are the three color sequences I spent so long deciding on:

1. White, White, Peach, Pink, White, White

2. Peach, White, Pink, White (white every other)

3. White, White, Pink, White, Peach, White, White

The final choice was #3. The one that jived the least with me was #1. And #2 (with white every other) was pretty, but it's sequence was more pronounced. #3 is balanced but doesn't strike you as a sequence when you first look at it. I like that. ))

Knotting pearls has gotten fairly easy for me. So I was able to finish knotting this necklace in one sitting. ))) Because it's a long necklace though, my left hand got pretty tired and my last knot was loose. :P Can't have loose knots, especially at the very end of a necklace. It makes the whole piece look poorly done... at least to a perfectionist. )))

With my hands as tired as they were, I wasn't going to attempt un-knotting it that night. Luckily, that next day, I managed to get a pin through it. Yessssss!

When you can do this, there is hope for undoing the knot... as long as it's actually between the threads and not merely pierced though the middle of the strands themselves. ))

Both of these pretty clasps have been being saved for something special.

Deciding which one to use wasn't as hard as deciding on the color sequence of the pearls, thankfully. Otherwise, it would have taken me a couple more weeks to finish!

The heart window box is lovely, but I think it will look even better on something else. The little flower, on the other hand, went perfectly. It's girly, so it goes with the pink and peach color palette. And it's round, so the necklace is geometrically balanced. ))

The finished product (it was too bright out for photos of me wearing it--my skin being too blinding.. teehee):

It's my newest favorite, and I'm keeping it for myself! The last few necklaces were gifts. )) This time though, I made it with only myself in mind--what I like, the color sequence I wanted, all of it. :D

Sometimes, spoiling yourself is just what you need. ^_^

Listening to: Such Great Heights, by The Postal service (def. a favorite)

Current Desktop Background: vivid blue diatom

2011-05-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

Currently: working on a necklace

Drinking: black coffee (sumatra and godiva chocolate truffle blend)

Listening to: Lollipop, by Lil Wayne

"She even wear her herr down 'er back like mine." ))))

I Wish I Was A Tea Bag

2011-05-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

I Wish I Was A Tea Bag

I wish I was a tea bag
I'd live in a little box
I'd never have to wash my face
or change my dirty socks

I wish I was a tea bag
I'd stay at home all day
and talk to other tea bags
fine little old chaps

I wish I was a tea bag
to live a life of bliss you see
except that once in all my life
I'd make a cup of tea!

Author: unknown

Pretty cute, huh? ^_^

2011-05-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

Love Re-Organizing ))

2011-05-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

I just love organizing things. This is where I envy the 'neat and tidy' people because neatness doesn't 'just happen' with me. ^_^ Being the messy person that I tend to be, I need strategies to make 'neatness' more automated. I need a system that does some of the work for me. Establishing some kind of organized layout is my preferred system.))

I've been needing to organize my jewelry for quite some time now. It ends up pilled up in a drawer, pieces get lost or become difficult to locate. Then I end up not wearing them because I don't give myself enough time in the morning to look for them.

See what I mean? Drawer before: jumbled messyness

Drawer after: so muuuuuch better

See how much easier it will be for me to keep things tidy? There's a spot for everything. ))

No before shot for the neighboring drawer, only after. It used to be full of office supplies and other totally random items. Now, it's a place for my necklaces. As nice as a beautiful armoire would be, I have little money and have yet to find a specific one I want. In the mean time, I've made my own. )) I cut some old fabric to loosely line the drawer with... fancy it up a bit. :D

Now, all of my favorite jewelry is organized in such a way that I can see all that I have and assess what goes best with what I'm wearing that day. Pretty happy about that.

A couple months back, I moved nearly half of my room around. )) Originally, the bed was in this corner:

It worked fine there... but the window was behind the headboard, making it a hassle to look out of when I was in bed. Sooooo.... with a little rearranging.... / moving everything to one side of the room...

... my brother helped me rotate my bed like this:

It's in such a great spot because I can wake up and look out the window first thing. I can lay in bed and marvel over the fog that sometimes blankets the field behind us in the morning, and I can look up at the moon at night. It's perfect. <3

What actually got me wanting to move my bed around was my search for lost keys. They ended us being in a coat pocket... *sigh* all that effort! ))) Turned out for the best though. ))

Secret, by Seal

2011-05-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

Wow. I don't know about you, but I was entranced for the entire 3 minutes and 28 seconds. Touch. Affection. Intimacy. Mmmm. ))

This video is a great reminder of the Amazingness I'm fighting for. Someday, I will be one of his secrets and he mine. Someday. <3

Tee Time: I have the ENTIRE weekend off!!!

2011-05-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

*Awkward noise I make while stretching* ))) Mmm.

Yes. It's 7am... and yes, I'm awake when I don't have to be... but I've been getting up at either 0430 or 0600 for quite some time now. 0700 is like sleeping in for me... that and I passed out last night round 9pm :) If there's one thing I've learned about myself, it's that a full-night-sleep is necessary for my overall well being. I can handle anything if I get enough sleep. Not enough sleep.... I get crabby, irritated, and my level of functioning / focusing plummets.

A few times in the past month, I've gone to sleep WAY TOO LATE the night before work. Twice, I've overslept. On my frantic drive to work, I definitely felt like life was laughing and saying this to me:

This is where having to be on the road at 0500 is a plus though: no traffic. But still, I was worried about being late the ENTIRE drive there. Luckily, for both days, I was not late. It's completely unacceptable to be late for your job, especially for nurses. There are too many people depending on you. Being late is like slapping the rest of your team in the face with the strong hand of disrespect. I pray to God that I'm never late for work, EVER.

Anyways, I've suffered enough sleep-deprivation to motivate myself to put great efforts towards never going to bed late the night before work.)) Now, I will almost always pick sleeping over socializing. )))

Plans for the weekend aren't terribly exciting: being in the sunshine today (while we still have it!), relaxing, being with people, possibly using my "50% off any one item" Borders coupon, maybe making a necklace, and studying.

"Wait, studying?! But you're out of school? You're a nurse now. Why would you study on your weekend off?!"

Weeeeeell, I've been a postpartum nurse for over two and a half months now and next week I'm making the transition into becoming a labor and delivery nurse. There is so much to learn and I currently know very little about the specialty area. This weekend is my chance to bone up on the little I do know so that I can learn the new stuff as best as I can. Plus, I've never minded studying. This time around, the studying is a direct investment into my career, instead of the 'A' I'd strive for in school. There's more of an impact coming from my studying now--making it even better! ^_^

Expect a few posts here and there this weekend. I've got a few things to share with you. (:

Last thing before I run downstairs to find food: is this little Harry Potter baby not the cutest?! :D

Quit Trying To Scare Me -- I Don't Care, It's Worth It

2011-05-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

Going into college, they told us, "Trying to figure out what to do with your life will probably be one of the most frustrating and difficult things you'll ever do. You'll more than likely go through multiple careers, and you might end up coming back to school for something else, even if you think you're happy now."

At the beginning of nursing school, they told us, "Get ready for the most challenging and stressful years of your life. I guarantee some of the people in this room will lose relationships and a couple might even get divorced while in this program. It's rigorous and tough. You will frequently be tired and it might make you cry. Nursing school requires dedication--and with that comes sacrifice." Yep... they said nursing school is intense enough to break up marriages. Thanks for the encouragement, really. It helped.... *serious face*

In the first week of my RN Residency program, they told us, "Get ready for the biggest roller coaster of your lives. You're all going to have huge ups and downs. One day, you'll feel on top of the world; the next day, you'll feel like the village idiot."

Next week I begin training in Labor and Delivery. I've been told the first two years will be "the worst years of your life" ...

Seriously?!? Screw that. This whole shpeel is getting obnoxiously redundant. True, life is stressful. But so what if it's hard?! So what if I struggle?! The best things in life are worth sacrificing for--worth fighting like hell for. Quit saying, "this will be the hardest time of your life."

You know what? Marriage isn't going to be all hugs and kisses. Hard times are inevitable. Having kids is going to be difficult too, both literally and metaphorically speaking. I can tell you right now: I don't care. To me, it'll all be worth it.

Life is hard, but it's also completely amazing. Our struggles make us human, and in ways, there is beauty in our suffering.... it sucks while it's happening.... and sometimes it's still rough after... but we survive them. For me, I end up appreciating my struggles... or at least the better person they help me become.

There are so many things worth fighting for. When you work hard enough, the accomplishment alone is a satisfying reward.

Labor and Delivery nursing: I have a lot to learn but I'm ready for you.

Memebase Made Me Laugh Tonight ))

2011-05-11T20:19:00.000-07:00

A friend introduced me to the website, Memebase. If you enjoy silliness and don't take things too seriously, check it out. ))

^Caption: Overshadowed yet again

Ahaha. "It all makes sense now."

Fresh Vaggies. )))))))) OB nursing has

skewed my sense of humor. I love it.))

Carmen SanDiego?!? ))))))

Hope your week's been going great.

As of today, mine has gotten exponentially better. ))

Listening to: Miss New Booty by Bubba Sparxx. It's almost over.... Over The Rainbow by Celtic Woman is up next ))