A Change Would Do You Good

So I was driving around this week and at a stoplight I realized something. My last year at Florida State, we had these parking decals that were placed on the lower left corner of the windshield. My FSU decal has been replaced by my new Tallahassee Memorial parking decal, since this week has been the first week in my new job. But I noticed that there was still an outline from the previous decal. It's funny how from one decal to the next, your life can change so much. Old markings can instantly remind of where you have come from, and a new decal can show you where you are heading.

I started a new job this week, and I'm already feeling better about it than I did at Archbold. It's a breath of fresh air to have support and work at a hospital that is trying so hard to make things better for the community. I hope that it turns out well. David is considering taking a job elsewhere. It would be great to have a similar schedule so we can actually eat dinner together.

We've begun a new stage in life this year. David and I are looking to buy a new home in town, away from campus. I love my house, and it has been great to live in for over four years, but it seems like it's time. We have also found a lot of places in town that we didn't know existed. My favorites include vintage stores, clothing boutiques, and restuarants. It seems like there are businesses in town that hide away from the mainstream and college students, and wait to be found by young professionals. It's sort of like discovering Tallahassee all over again. So it looks like we will be in Tallahassee for a little while longer. I think this will be okay.

For all the Tallahassee girls, check out these shops:
Cole Coulture
Velvet Vintage/Divas and Devils
Avant Garbe
Sick Boy Vintage

What a Long Strange Trip it's Been

It seems like it has been forever since we last made an entry. Actually, it has been forever. So I'll recap what has happened in the last 10 months! I began work at Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville. The first couple of months were enjoyable, and I didn't mind the long drive up there and back each shift. I worked the day shift for 3 months, and had nurses around me that were experienced and helpful for a new nurse just out of school. I took additional classes at the hospital which were also helpful. When it was time for me to begin working the night shift, I was excited and scared at the same time. The girls that I worked with at night were great, but had little experience. It was so hard at times when no one working knew how to troubleshoot or what to do when patients went downhill. It seemed like management would not support us either. Then, the drive began to wear down on me. When a 12 hour shift becomes a 15 hour shift, it drives you crazy. That added to being scared at work that something would go wrong was not worth it. So after 7 months of work, I ended my tenure at Archbold.




David has continued with school and working at Carrabba's. He has taken on more responsibility and is looked at as one of the top servers there. I know sometimes he gets so tired of that place, but he is good at it and has met some really interesting people in the process.





We got new neighbors this year. Gabriella and Shawnn moved in this summer. They are the best neighbors that I have had since moving in to this home over 4 years ago. We spend time with them and fortunately for David, Shawnn is a fellow Steelers fan. I enjoy them especially since Shawnn can cook and likes to feed me. But the best thing about Shawnn and Gabriella is a little creature named Milla. They have a dog that is part chocolate lab, part pit bull. She is awesome and a lot of fun. David and I even got to dog sit for a weekend. We love the 3 of them.





David and I went to Honduras this past June. We built houses, treated the sick, worked on water filters and interacted with the local community. It was hard for us since we went with a group from Gainesville, but I think it was overall a good trip. Oh, and right before we left for that trip, my sister Amy had her third baby, Brayden Kenneth Eisenson. He's a ham.







In July, we watched Kristen and Nate get married in Apalachicola. It was a great time with friends and we couldn't be happier for the two.

This past fall, we attended football games, watched the Dolphins lose every game, and went on a big trip to New Orleans. Right after I finished my job in Thomasville (I mean the morning after my last shift), we drove to New Orleans for Voodoo Music Festival. My good friend Jessica from Baltimore flew down to meet us, along with Steve, Jessica, and Richard from Tupelo. The festival was awesome. We got to see some of our favorite bands, including Mofro, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, and of course Wilco. It was a first for Jessica, but I think she loved Ben Harper and Wilco. We also got to see other bands from MIA to Spoon to Smashing Pumpkins. We also enjoyed great food and the Aquarium.


So now, I have been looking for a job (which I have two interviews for this upcoming week), watching friends get married, and preparing for our first Christmas married. We got a tree this year and decorated the house. We are looking forward to seeing family in a few weeks, and of course, spending our first anniversary together! Happy Holidays everyone.

A Hard Day's Night

So the next step in the game of life has occured for me. I just landed my first real job. It looks like I'm a grown-up now! I applied at Archbold Medical Center in Thomasville, Georgia. They quickly called back and I went the 40 miles north across state lines to check out the hospital. Everyone was very nice, and were interested in me coming up there to work. I came up a second time to shadow on two different floors. One floor I did not like at all, and the other one was great. The manager of that floor seems wonderful and the staff were excited to have me shadow. I came up a third time to interview with the manager, and before I could even say anything, she told me not to be worried, because I already had the job. I spent about 2 hours with her anyway just talking about what I wanted out of the job and what she expected out of me.
The floor is the Cardiac Progressive Unit, or CPU. It is a step down unit for patients that need to be monitored, but are not acute enough to be in the Intensive Care Unit. I will be working nights, 7pm to 7am, 3 days a week. I think this will be a good start for me. I need to get some medsurg nursing under my belt and build my foundation as a nurse. I take my board exam on March 1st.
So for the next few weeks, I will be taking a physical exam and drug screen, filling out paperwork, and orienting to the hospital. When I actually begin working, I will orient to the floor and take classes on critical care for 3 months.
So here's to beginning a new era in my life. I think it will take me some time to adjust to a new lifestyle of working, no homework, and working nights. I'm feeling positive, though. Part of me would love to just sit at home and make money doing nothing, but I know that would only lead to overdosing on Dr. Pepper and watching too much Reba. This is a good choice for us. It will be nice to have an income too. So here we go. Hope I don't kill anyone....just kidding.