The LA River

I felt a touch nostalgic the other night when I saw this. During PA school I sometimes commuted to LA on the Metrolink train (as seen in the clip). A few minutes before we pulled into Union Station, the conductor would give us our wake-up call as we crossed the "beeeeeeaauutiful LA river." A fond memory.

The Life A-Quad-ic

Last week I spent another afternoon with 4 very cute babies. It's amazing how much they've grown since I first saw them a few months ago. There's a feeling that all is right with the world when you see 4 happy or sleeping babies. I debated stopping by the grocery store on the way home but figured my shirt was a bit too messy. I played "Name that stain" and my mom got it right on the second guess: sweet potatos! They are such a great family and the parents are wonderful. You can check them out on their family blog here.

A Public Service Announcement for Socially-Inept Men

Last week at a social activity I noticed that one of my friends, who is still a bit of a novice to the single social scene, seemed a bit uncomfortable around a guy that she had just met. I swooped in and removed her from the awkward situation. I've had my times of similar situations when I needed rescuing too, even from "Superman" (a guy once introduced himself as Superman). She was a bit weirded out by the guy who seemed a bit forward and "touchy." I had to reassure her while she had just met a couple of weird guys, there are plenty of decent ones too, and she just happened to come across a couple "outliers." Those are the kinds of guys that stand out the most. I have met quite a few of them myself, and would like to take a moment to turn this post into a type of Public Service Announcement for guys who might be one of those left side outliers on the socially appropriate scale. This advice is based on personal experiences. Feel free to include your own ( for guys and gals).

1. Never grab a woman's waist unless you are 1.dating and she's comfortable with it or 2. you are dancing to actual music (imagined music or humming doesn't count) and only after you have asked her to dance.

2. If you invite her over for some home-cooked food to show off some mad cooking skills, make sure the food is decent. Gravy should not have the appearance nor the consistency of wet cement. I'd rather settle for a bowl of cereal. Cooking skills are definitly a plus, but I'm actually quite content with just a PB&J that is made with love.

3. Weapons do not have their place in most social conversation, especially when you have known the other person for only 5 minutes. Do not mention the machete and rope you keep in the back of the car. That is just creepy.

4. Beware of a flat affect. This can also come across as creepy. Show some facial expresion. Smile. Use a little voice inflection.

5. Do not claim that you have "special healing powers" or that you have "The Prophet" as a nickname.

6. Never underestimate the value of smelling good, or just even the absence of B.O.

7. Don't stare. Open mouth staring is even worse. Even if you don't think she notices, one of her girlfriends will and she will mention it to her.

8. Do not use Facebook applications to express your feelings about your crush or ask her out (not an actual experience, but I still find it really lame.)

9. On the first date, use discretion if you want to mention that you like to play "Dungeons and Dragons".

"Pleasure Music"

I love coming across "creative English grammar." Having learned a second language I have had my share of funny mistakes and I do sympathize with those who have English as a second language. I recently received a free pedometer (15,830 steps so far today!!) and decided to look at the directions after I had it put together. The instructions were in English only and I didn't come across anything that said "Made in Hong Kong" or any other country on the device. Here is just a sample - as written:

"The paces are detected via the Movement of waist Mounting. Attach the pedometer to your waist band or belt, you will enjoy pleasure music or get news when climbing mountain or walking."

"...please change the battery when the LCD screen black or can't clear voice of radio, if the device is not working, please take out battery after 3 seconds, please fix battery again, it will be work properly."

"Don't use it in too low temperature condition, Maybe it affect its work of step count."

Words of "Experience"

This weekend a friend and I drove through the town of Daggett to get some awesome shakes at Peggy Sue's Diner. The name of Daggett reminded me of the familiar expression of my parent's, "dagnabbit," and I used it as I thought we had missed the diner. In honor of my mom's recent birthday, I want to share some other words (most of them exclamations) of "experience."
I'm trying to refrain from the term "old fashioned."
If you have parents/relatives/friends that have other "words of experience," feel free to share them. Here is just a sample. Please forgive the spelling, as I don't come across these words very often:

dagnabbit
gol
criminey
shiminey louise (one of my favorites)
spiffy
looney
cattywompus
for the birds
golly willickers
Holy Toledo!

A Dollar Store Discovery

A few weeks ago I was getting new tires on my car and had a bit of time to kill. I could have planned this a little better so that I could be killing time at the mall instead of the shopping center across the street. Oh well... Part of that time was spent in one of those "Everything's a dollar" type stores. My inner child wanted to go to the toy section because that must be the most entertaining section of the store. You'll never know what you'll find, like my Crespo (Argentine soccer player) bobble head and a squishy miniature kidney key chain. I really wish I had a camera/camera phone to capture these discoveries, but you may have to check them out yourself:

The first item is something called "Grow-ems," those little toys that you put in water and they expand. There was "The Perfect Husband" and the "Perfect Wife". On the packaging it said that she will never nag you or run up your credit cards. And she was purple. I don't get that, especially since the man had a normal skin tone. So, if any of you are reeeeally desperate this Valentine's Day, this could be an option...

The second item that got my attention was a finger puppet. There were some finger puppets based on a couple of stories, being "1001 Nights" and - this is it - "The Emperor's New Clothes." It was the Emperor I was a bit concerned about. Fortunately this finger puppet was not anatomically correct, but still... I guess there was a reason I didn't have my camera. If I posted a picture, would it be considered puppet porn?

You know it's time to switch your emergency food supply when...

In my attempt to be recessionist chic (and hopefully avoid a trip to the grocery store) I decided to go through my emergency food supply, or mostly my 72-hour food supply that I have kept in my car. I actually had more food than I expected. Luckily, much of the food is high in preservatives but some I did have to toss because it was either questionable or just tasted bad. One kit had a suggested rotation of 2 years, but I suggest sooner. Yesterday I triple-dog dared myself to live off of the recommended "menu" of my 72 hour kit for a day. Here are some things that I learned as I completed this challenge and went through some of the other food that I kept for who knows how long.

You know it's time to switch your 72 hour food supply when:

*You wonder if your granola bars have fermented.
*Beef jerky is crunchy (or dissolves easily)
*Your Lipton noodle soup package has been infiltrated with the smell/taste of the wintergreen gum that was also in your kit. (Note: keep gum in a separate plastic bag). wintergreen + salt + chicken broth tastes really bad.
* Vanilla pudding has turned a weird shade of brown.
*Fruit cups say "Best Before September 2006". Enough said.

I heart APL

Here's a good reason to love being a card-carrying library-goer at Arlington Public Library.
And it has nothing to do with the selection of books, because unfortunately, for a library, it's not that great. Luckily the La Sierra branch has a better selection.

It's the DVDs. Move over Hollywood Video, because you have some competition. Although there is not a huge selection, it has some decent videos - many that I haven't seen -- to satisfy my occasional audio-visual needs (I am still without a TV, so I settle for my laptop).
Recently I have watched:
"Beyond the Sea" - one of those musical bio-pics similar to "Ray"and "Walk the Line" profiling the life of Bobby Darrin. I have to admit Kevin Spacey does a pretty good job with the singing.
"Stranger than Fiction" - a pretty clever and decent movie as well and I liked Will Farrel's character.
I am not much of a movie reviewer, I just want to express my joy that there are some quality movies available to check out at the local public library.

And best of all: It is free!!!!!

Hmmm....maybe not...

One of my biggest obstacles I have had in my job search is my lack of experience. If I had one or two years of experience, I would be hired by now, no doubt. I have been paying close attention to jobs that do offer training and are accepting new grads. Those words are music to my ears and an Ansel Adams landscape to my eyes. Most of these jobs have been in orthopedics and pain management, but I did come across one tonight that made me crack up. I told my mother that since it was in Florida, I could still probably use my Spanish skills. She said it is not worth the 6-digit cost of PA school. Here it is:

"Are you a recent graduate (::cue visual euphoria::) and eager to work in the aesthetic field? Are you a seasoned PA who is interested in more independence at work without a Doctor’s constant supervision? If so, then Body Details is the place for you. Body Details is the largest provider of laser hair & tattoo removal services in South Florida and the Official Laser Hair Removal Center of the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders. Body Details was named “THE place to get rid of unwanted body art and body hair” by Deco Drive. (Oh, the prestige!!) The laser hair and tattoo removal industry is growing rapidly. Come and join the experts. Contact us about starting your new and exciting career today. We are seeking interested PA’s to fill open positions to cater to our increasing client demand. Full training is provided, no experience necessary."

On a positive note, I am going to check out a job position on Monday. I'm not sure if I'll accept the job if I am offered it, I still have some questions and concerns. Nevertheless, it still is some progress. All I want for Christmas is a job...a job...

Typo

For the record: Not long ago my mother pointed out a typo in a previous blog. I have changed it since then, but it had not been caught for a while. The opening sentence was meant to be, "Job hunting can be a bit monotonous..." It was pointed out that I had typed, "Jon hunting...". For those readers who have been wondering, my financial situation has not become as grim to force me into soliciting myself to Jons (or Johns) for money. I will not be found strolling the streets at night wearing a mini-skirt and fishnet stockings, hunting for Jons. That is one job I am not applying for. Sorry Jons.

50th Post: 50 "Little" Things to be Thankful For

I can't believe I made it to my 50th post. I was looking back on some of my old posts last night, and I laughed at some of the memories that came back even if they happened only a few months ago. I think one of the joys of blogging is being able to find humor in the little things of daily life. So, in the spirit of this weekend, I want to give a list of 50 "little" things that I am thankful for. Of course I am thankful the most for the big things like family, faith, freedom, friends, and other things that start with letters other than "f". These are the most important things in life, but for this post I want to acknowledge some of the more "overlooked" blessings and joys of life. This week I came across a journal that I haven't seen in at least five years. I had written in quite a few pages a list of things that I was grateful. Many of them were roommate and school-oriented, and refelective of the daily blessings of my early 20-something life; nevertheless my gratitude for these things still stand years later. Here are 50 of them, in no particular order, taken from that journal:

1. Sunday phone calls from the family.
2. The way the grass looks a little bit greener after I water it.
3. Plumbing that works
4. Professors who remember my name
5. Being able to laugh everyday
6. Air conditioning, even if it freezes me in class/church/work
7. Performing in a good concert.
8. Left-overs
9. Eating ice cream with friends.
10. October daylight savings time when I get an extra hour of sleep.
11. High-5's.
12. Wintergreen mints.
13. Seeing people that I know in the temple.
14. Walking to school when it's still dark and seeing the moon and stars still out.
15. Laughing at myself when I am soaking wet from rain or snow.
16. Coming home from a long day at school and seeing that my roommates (or mom) have already finished making dinner.
17. Sales on bananas, especially when they're slightly under-ripe.
18. Remembering good/funny dreams the morning after.
19. Making homemade hot chocolate.
20. Dancing silly with roommates.
21. Movie nights with friends.
22. Clean restrooms.
23. Sharing a new CD with friends.
24. Getting email from people from the mission.
25. Evening conversations with a friend on the porch.
26. Being able to stay awake in the most boring classes.
27. Being involved in the education of others and watching them succeed.
28. Beautiful Sunday weather.
29. Free bus fare in Utah.
30. Rain, especially the sound of it at night.
31. The feeling of confidence and relief after a test.
32. New sweatshirts.
33. Laugh attacks.
34. When people understand and laugh at my jokes.
35. Cool-looking clouds on full-moon nights.
36. Smell of fresh-dried laundary.
37. Hearing the weather report before leaving the house.
38. Catching the bus or train just in time.
39. Flannel pants.
40. A camera with a new roll of film (this was before digital of course)
41. The silence that hangs in the night air after a fresh snow fall.
42. The feel of new socks.
43. Eating cold cereal at any time of the day.
44. Hearing a frog croak.
45. Roadtrips.
46. Making homemade tomato soup.
47. The feeling after a funeral of wanting to become a better person.
48. Canadian geese.
49. Walking in soft grass barefoot.
50. The moment of the day before the sun goes down when the landscape glows for one last moment.

I could feel the breeze in their hair...what??

Job hunting can be a bit monotonous. Some people do try to add an informal touch or advertise "community features" to encourage relocation. These are a few actual statements that I have come across in job listings:


For a job in Oklahoma: "Saddle up and lets get started."

Washington: "If you are tired of a big city we can help. If you are looking for an outdoor oriented lifestyle we can really help."

And this one is my favorite...
For a job in Nebraska: "Buffalo used to roam this land in the famous frontier days. If you listen closely in the quiet of the night you can still hear the settlers wagons cutting new ground and feel the breeze in their hair."

THIS is what I want to do...

This is something I want to add to my bucket list. I thought it was worth sharing...

One week later...

It's been a full week since I've joined the ranks of the unemployed. Things are going better. No job prospects yet, but I am getting things organized, working on updating my BLS/ACLS certifications and resume, and making the most out of my time.
Here are a few things that did put a smile on my face this past week:
*I went jogging yesterday (it's been a very long time) and I discovered a lovely, quiet avenue that is lined with willows and orange groves as well as rose bushes on the median. It's been my highlight of Riverside so far.
*A friend bought me a super delicious cinnamon bagel with hazelnut cream cheese. It was reeeeaaaly good.
*I also was treated to a wonderful lunch at a Mexican restaurant called Anchos, very delicious.
* A fantastic Halloween party with lots of familiar faces and some new faces as well. And lots of candy.
*More cute nephew pictures on my sister's blog.
*Stopped by a health fair hosted by a local church. There were a lot of volunteers so my help wasn't needed much, but my Spanish did come in handy when I told a man that he had to ge to the doctor ASAP because his blood sugar was super high.
* I did finish watching the first season of "Flight of the Conchords."
*I Reviewed a research paper for a friend, anything to help. I'm still open for service opportunities, just let me know.
*I saved $2.75 with coupons yesterday, which means I can get almost a gallon of gas. Gas being below $3 is enough to put a smile on anyone's face.

For The Fans: Eyes Eyes Baby

During my PA-school years I discovered a talent for rapping and writing medical-related song parodies. I guess I could be described as a female, medical version of Weird Al Yankovic. Weird Al has been an inspiration to me for many years (in fact, the first CD I ever bought was his "Alapalooza") and I did enjoy some late nights listening to the Dr. Demento show back in the day. Despite time constraints with my busy student schedule, I realized that I still needed a creative outlet. Due to my extreme right-brain-ness and occasional boredom, I started organizing the information I was studying into rhymes and rhythms. This was taking mnemonics to the next level. It started with "G6PD-yeah you know me... G6PD with my Heinz body..." to the iron deficiency rap to a parody of Dave Matthews Band "Crash into me" called "Don't crash on me." and another take on the Fray's "How to Save a Life." I soon received the nickname "Rapper J" and a few others from my classmates and coworkers. One of the class favorites was "Eyes,Eyes, Bab," which is to the tune of "Ice, Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice. I did my first public performance of it at a church talent show last month and was fortunate to have some beat-boxing back up. I added a few more lyrics since its original circulation . Enjoy!

"Eyes Eyes Baby"
Yo PA-C lets kick it!
Eyes, Eyes Baby... Check out those eyes, eyes, baby...
Okay stop, grab your scope and listen,
My eye is red and it has some itchin'.
What's this stuff in my eye it's kinda goopy,
When I look around now everything's real loopy.
Quick to the doc, to the doc we're running fast as we can cuz my vision is blurrin'.
PA on the scene, you know what I mean,
Asking all those questions now everything is coming clean.
If you got a problem, yo I'll solve it:
Fill out these forms and we'll talk in a minute.
Eyes, eyes, baby... Check out those eyes, eyes, baby...
First things first is check acuity;
20/20 vision is not my ability.
Holy hordeolum! What's that stye I got on my eye?
Could it be chalazion -inflammation of the gland meibomian?
Reddish or grayish and it's enlargin' on the lid margin.
Eyes, eyes, baby...
Encroachin' on the cornea: possibly ptyergium but not pinguecula.
If it's hammer time - better wear safety glasses,
Cover yo' globes and lids and eyelashes.
If your blood pressure's high, I shouldn't fail to mention -
Papilledema is a sign of malignant hypertension.
Diabetes - is the leading cause of new blindness.
I'm running out of lyrics so I appreciate your kindness.
If you have a problem, yo I'll solve it,
Check out this brochure and this drug will resolve it.
Eyes, eyes baby... Take care those eyes, eyes baby....
Yo, let's get out of here.
Word to your ophthalmologist.

One of the best science documentaries EVER!

In one of my zoology classes in college I watched a film from the 1980's called "Cane Toads: An Unnatural History." Roger Ebert summarizes the plot as, "An assault of sex-mad giant toads munching their way across Australia." One of the funniest things about the movie is the people that they interview, some are included in the clips below. Enjoy!

An alternative use for cane toads


A man who loves cane toads:

"...and that's what I like about them."

I've been tagged!

My darling sister tagged me. I guess it shouldn't be too hard to come up with weird things about me....

1. I have trauma shears and The Alchemist in my purse and a stroller in the trunk of my car.

2. I have a pink stuffed elephant named "Brother Hirschi." It was a gift from him and now a memorial to him.

3. I have never been able to blow a bubble with gum. I've tried many times and have blown the gum out of my mouth. Be careful if you make me attempt this again.

4. I spent quite a few Friday and Saturday nights in the cadaver lab at Weber State University. Alone. I see dead people... they smell bad...

5. I was bit by an ostrich.

6. The muse that inspired my third-grade writing assignments was Bud the class guinea pig.

7. While I was in the MTC I developed an addiction to wintergreen breathsavers (I think it was the retzin buzz). I once consumed a whole roll in under 2 hours. I've also been known to get a little buzzed off of Orange Bang. It's probably the sugar.

Hmmm... who am I going to tag next??

5th post = 5 things that made me smile this week

To commemorate my 5th post, I'm including 5 things that made me smile this week. I did smile more than 5 times, by the way... Feel free to leave a comment with 5 things that made YOU smile this week. Here we go, yo!

1. A *very special* Easter package from my sis, I love you Becky!!
2. Waterballoon volleyball
3. Strawberries at Liborio for $0.99/lb.
4. The beautiful yellow wildflowers on the hills around Covina that I see as I drive on the 10 fwy.
5. Cute kids that I saw at work, especially this toddler that kept waving and saying "Hi" to me. Who could resist smiling at that??
5.1 Receiving comments on my blog!!