Disappointing results with the pedometer today. While I had expected to pass the 10,000 mark, I came quite short at only 7,734 steps. I attribute this to the fact that I left work early for a dinner with some family.
I know you find this stuff fascinating.
In other non-pedometer news...I'm seeing Madonna in concert in November! I'm flying back to Florida to see my family, but really it's just an excuse to the see Her Madgesty in concert. This will mark the third time I've see her live and this time around I sprung for some floor seats. Woo, hoo!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Steps
Today I wore a pedometer at work. I was curious to see how many steps I actually took in an average day. I set the pedometer to start when I exited my car and stopped it when I got back in my car at the end of the day.
The results?
After a 10 hour day I took 8,133 steps. I was actually expecting it to be much more. There's this movement of sort that says you should take 10,000 steps each day. I was really expecting to hit the 10,000 mark easily in 10 hours.
I researched a little how many miles 8,133 steps was. According to The Walking Site:
The results?
After a 10 hour day I took 8,133 steps. I was actually expecting it to be much more. There's this movement of sort that says you should take 10,000 steps each day. I was really expecting to hit the 10,000 mark easily in 10 hours.
I researched a little how many miles 8,133 steps was. According to The Walking Site:
The average person's stride length is approximately 2.5 feet long. That means it takes just over 2,000 steps to walk one mile, and 10,000 steps is close to 5 miles.So I walked about 4.1 miles. Since I was expecting more steps, I'm going to repeat this little experiment tomorrow. Today I was the charge nurse, which meant I hung around at the nurses station a bit more. Tomorrow I will have a full patient assignment. If my hunch is correct, I'll be hitting that 10,000 mark.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Observations
Just a few observations I made today...
-Why is that the man you least want to see naked at the gym is always the one who seems most comfortable with his own nudity?
-I saw a commercial for a company that promises to give you "beautiful garage floors." I wonder if it's every really necessary to have beautiful garage floors. Do the oil stains just look better if you paid thousands of dollars to have the floor finished?
-In fact my new shiny running shoes do NOT make me run faster. They do look cool though.
-I love The Price is Right.
-Why is that the man you least want to see naked at the gym is always the one who seems most comfortable with his own nudity?
-I saw a commercial for a company that promises to give you "beautiful garage floors." I wonder if it's every really necessary to have beautiful garage floors. Do the oil stains just look better if you paid thousands of dollars to have the floor finished?
-In fact my new shiny running shoes do NOT make me run faster. They do look cool though.
-I love The Price is Right.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
"Do you sing karaoke?"
This was the question posed to me by a patient whose bottom I was currently wiping. (Ah, the life of a nurse!) It was a strange question, but frequently patients will make conversation while your in the middle of doing something involving those areas of their body only spouses have seen in the last 20 years. I guess it helps to make them more comfortable.
I don't sing karaoke. In fact the last time I sang karaoke was in Florida about 10 years ago. I got on the stage of a crappy country bar with two female friends and did a version of Love Shack.
"I'm sure I've seen you doing karaoke before at..."
She pauses slightly.
"...at The Embers."
For the uninitiated, Embers is a gay club here in Portland. A gay club I have never even been to. I explain this. She is unconvinced.
She proceeds to tell me about people at the club. People I don't know. She tells me about their families, partners, karaoke selections. These are people I've never met, but I smile and nod at all the right places. It makes her feel good so I play along.
When I finish cleaning her up, I tidy the room a bit. She continues talking about her friends. Friends she is convinced we share. I break into her story.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
She needs nothing else. Just an ear to listen. I say goodbye and tell her to call if she needs anything.
"See you at karoke," she tells me as I leave.
I'm sure I won't, but I smile and nod.
"Maybe I will."
I don't sing karaoke. In fact the last time I sang karaoke was in Florida about 10 years ago. I got on the stage of a crappy country bar with two female friends and did a version of Love Shack.
"I'm sure I've seen you doing karaoke before at..."
She pauses slightly.
"...at The Embers."
For the uninitiated, Embers is a gay club here in Portland. A gay club I have never even been to. I explain this. She is unconvinced.
She proceeds to tell me about people at the club. People I don't know. She tells me about their families, partners, karaoke selections. These are people I've never met, but I smile and nod at all the right places. It makes her feel good so I play along.
When I finish cleaning her up, I tidy the room a bit. She continues talking about her friends. Friends she is convinced we share. I break into her story.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
She needs nothing else. Just an ear to listen. I say goodbye and tell her to call if she needs anything.
"See you at karoke," she tells me as I leave.
I'm sure I won't, but I smile and nod.
"Maybe I will."
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The long goodbye
So I got this new job.
My last day at my current position is next Friday. I've been at this job for three years. I love all the people I work with, I just decided it was time for a change. So I got a job working in the intensive care unit. It's a change I've wanted to make for awhile, so I'm pretty excited.
At any rate, I would really like to leave quietly and with little fuss. However my coworkers aren't going to make that easy. Today a sign up sheet was hung in our breakroom for the Mexican themed pot luck that's being planned on my final day. (There's something really strange about that last sentence but I can't figure out what it is...) Now I would prefer that no potluck be held, but if I protest than I know I'll just seem ungrateful. I'm not ungrateful, I just don't like the attention.
I hate being the center of attention. I was recently nominated for "Nurse of the Year" at my hospital (I didn't win). I had to go to this ceremony and was called up to accept a certificate and some flowers. I was terribly embarrassed and just wanted it to be over. I was honored by the nomination, but felt it completely unnecessary. I do my job because I love what I do. I don't need an award.
So I'm expecting that my last day will be filled with long, emotional goodbyes. I mean my manager actually cried when I handed her my resignation. I'll be grateful and have a smile on my face, but secretly I'll just really want it to be over.
My last day at my current position is next Friday. I've been at this job for three years. I love all the people I work with, I just decided it was time for a change. So I got a job working in the intensive care unit. It's a change I've wanted to make for awhile, so I'm pretty excited.
At any rate, I would really like to leave quietly and with little fuss. However my coworkers aren't going to make that easy. Today a sign up sheet was hung in our breakroom for the Mexican themed pot luck that's being planned on my final day. (There's something really strange about that last sentence but I can't figure out what it is...) Now I would prefer that no potluck be held, but if I protest than I know I'll just seem ungrateful. I'm not ungrateful, I just don't like the attention.
I hate being the center of attention. I was recently nominated for "Nurse of the Year" at my hospital (I didn't win). I had to go to this ceremony and was called up to accept a certificate and some flowers. I was terribly embarrassed and just wanted it to be over. I was honored by the nomination, but felt it completely unnecessary. I do my job because I love what I do. I don't need an award.
So I'm expecting that my last day will be filled with long, emotional goodbyes. I mean my manager actually cried when I handed her my resignation. I'll be grateful and have a smile on my face, but secretly I'll just really want it to be over.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Because I said so!
One of the greatest pleasures I get at work is telling a physician “no”. Most physicians are used to getting what they want. They order something and expect it to be done. Normally this is the case, but sometimes I get to exercise my big charge nurse muscles and tell them to keep dreaming when they’ve ordered something ridiculous.
One doc ordered us to transfer a patient to ICU because he didn’t want the patient to fall out of bed.
I literally laughed out loud and almost spit my coffee across the nurses station when I heard this request.
I calmly explained to this young doctor that we couldn’t occupy a critical care bed because he was afraid of the patient falling. We have lots of other tricks to prevent that sort of thing from happening.
Today, a physician ordered 1 to 1 care for a patient. This means that the physician wanted someone to be at the bedside with this patient 24 hours a day. Now normally this sort of thing is reserved for our suicidal patients; you know, the ones who swallowed a whole bottle of Excedrin in a lame attempt to off themselves.
“Why does this patient require one to one care,” I asked.
“I’m afraid the patient will fall.”
Sigh.
One doc ordered us to transfer a patient to ICU because he didn’t want the patient to fall out of bed.
I literally laughed out loud and almost spit my coffee across the nurses station when I heard this request.
I calmly explained to this young doctor that we couldn’t occupy a critical care bed because he was afraid of the patient falling. We have lots of other tricks to prevent that sort of thing from happening.
Today, a physician ordered 1 to 1 care for a patient. This means that the physician wanted someone to be at the bedside with this patient 24 hours a day. Now normally this sort of thing is reserved for our suicidal patients; you know, the ones who swallowed a whole bottle of Excedrin in a lame attempt to off themselves.
“Why does this patient require one to one care,” I asked.
“I’m afraid the patient will fall.”
Sigh.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
The full monty
Aaron and I saw Portland Center Stage's production of The Little Dog Laughed today. I just loved it. It was absolutely hysterical and and all the actors were great. As an added bonus there was some well placed full frontal male nudity.
As good gay men, we discussed all the merits of the show on our way home. The story. The sets. The lighting.
And yes...The male actor's genitalia.
I should mention that there was an audible gasp from the audience when the actors emerged in the buff.
I guess Aaron and I weren't the only ones impressed.
As good gay men, we discussed all the merits of the show on our way home. The story. The sets. The lighting.
And yes...The male actor's genitalia.
I should mention that there was an audible gasp from the audience when the actors emerged in the buff.
I guess Aaron and I weren't the only ones impressed.
A new habit
I'm such a shitty blog owner.
I leave for months without updating and here it just sits feeling unloved and neglected. I'm often envious of those bloggers who find something to post every day. I find it amazing that people keep their enthusiasm for their blog over an extended period. I also find it amazing that Marc continues to find something new to do each day and then proceeds to write a witty post about it.
Maybe I should come to terms with the fact that I'm just not that funny or interesting.
An old roommate of mine once told me that if you could do something consistently for a month that it would become a habit. I don't know if that's just a load of crap or not, but I'm going to give it a try. I'm going to post something every day for the next month and see if it becomes habit. I'm not making promises about the level or quality of the posts, but at least the two people who visit here will have something new to look at.
To start off my new project, I'm giving you a picture of David Beckham. He may sound like Mickey Mouse when he speaks, but I still think he's a hottie.
I leave for months without updating and here it just sits feeling unloved and neglected. I'm often envious of those bloggers who find something to post every day. I find it amazing that people keep their enthusiasm for their blog over an extended period. I also find it amazing that Marc continues to find something new to do each day and then proceeds to write a witty post about it.
Maybe I should come to terms with the fact that I'm just not that funny or interesting.
An old roommate of mine once told me that if you could do something consistently for a month that it would become a habit. I don't know if that's just a load of crap or not, but I'm going to give it a try. I'm going to post something every day for the next month and see if it becomes habit. I'm not making promises about the level or quality of the posts, but at least the two people who visit here will have something new to look at.
To start off my new project, I'm giving you a picture of David Beckham. He may sound like Mickey Mouse when he speaks, but I still think he's a hottie.
