I'd Like to Thank All the Little People

Last night was The Oscars. In Portland, Elizabeth had a party each year. Now that I'm in SLC, I decided to have one of my own. I decorated my apt with lights around the ceiling and lots of sliver and gold stars hanging from the ceiling. I have 10 foot ceilings so this required a ladder, moving most of my furniture, and lots of up and down. I'm embarrased to say my legs are sore today.

I invited lots of girls and lots of guys. None of the guys came, Lame! But it also meant we could talk about fashion, whose dress made their butt look big, whose showed off back fat, and whose made their boobs droop. Of course we also liked a few. Diane Keaton looked better than she had in years. And Helen Mirren might just be the female Dorian Grey, she looks amazing!

We each had one "shhhh" we could use to get everyone to be quiet. Lena used hers on Kate Winslet, Annette used hers on Daniel Craig, I used mine on Cate Blanchett and Clive Owens. One by one, we all used ours. And then, George Clooney happened... We decided this called for drastic measures, an additional group "shhhh", but it probably wasn't necessary, we had all been appropriately shocked and awed by his hotness. And then silly Jennifer Hudson, didn't even pause to walk off with him. He had to chase after her! Although maybe she knew what she was doing, guys love the chase and he did give her an amazing smile once he caught up to her.

The food was delish, baked brie with apricots, shrimp cocktail, a cheese plate with grapes and crackers, cream puffs, tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, strawberry yogurt pie, chocolate raspberry bars, chicken satay, and crostini with caramelized onions, goat cheese, and walnuts. For more on that, go to The Clean Plate Club.

All in all, it was a wonderful night, so fun, lots of laughter, good food, and great friends!

The food, or what was left of it...

I took a picture of Kaylyn taking a picture, so meta. That's my front door in the background.

More of my living room and my beloved fireplace.

More Bounce To The Ounce

It snowed yesterday, it's supposed to snow tomorrow. If you need a quick pick-me-up, watch either of these ads by Sony for their new TV (don't let that dissuade you). They make me think of color and being a kid and sunny summer days.

The Paint One

The Bouncy Ball One (this one's my favorite) And if you like the song, click here to have it for your very own. You're welcome.

And if you want to be truly amazed, watch the behind the scenes footage for either or these. They are all 100% real, no CGI, no special effects just lots of paint and bouncy balls... And lots of clean up too.

"Capital" Punishment

I'll freely admit I'm a grammar geek but don't you think everyone would use better grammar if there were more dire consequences for misuse?

It's Hard Out There For A Nurse

Or maybe I should say it's hard in there, at the hospital...

I really like my job but there are bad days and just plain interesting days.

Last week I decided to buy some new scrubs. Most of mine are just the plain v-neck solid color variety. I bought a new top - hot pink, empire waist with a ribbon that ties in the back. Well the first time I wore it, a patient (who weighed over 400 pounds) asked if I were pregnant. Then when I said, "No," she said, "When am I going to learn not to ask that question?" Her very next question was, "So did you just have a baby?" Uh no, and how is that not basically just as bad as the first question?

Then a few days later, I was getting report on my patients. The nurse I was replacing told me about her patient. She had told him I would be his nurse and that I was cute. Then when I walked in the room and introduced myself, the patient said, "You're my nurse?!" Now any cognitive behavioralist will tell you I am reading the italics into that sentence but it sure seemed like it didn't fit his idea of "cute."

On Valentine's, I had to work and stopped by my mom's on the way. My hair, which I was just about to get cut in 2 days, was in a ponytail. It's only long enough to do that for the few days before each haircut. My mom said, "Your bangs look really nice swept back like that." I said, "It's just a ponytail." She laughed and said, "I know. Did you notice I didn't say it looked nice the in the back?"

A few weeks ago I went to a blood drive on my way to work. I have given blood so many times before and never had a problem with it. Well, I was done around 6pm, went to work and at about 8pm, I was in a patient's room and felt light-headed. I excused myself, sat in the first chair I could find, and asked someone to get me some water. I felt better pretty quickly and had some apple juice and cookies. Then about an hour later, it happen again. But so much worse. I not only felt light-headed, but sweaty, couldn't hear very well and sitting down didn't help at all. Some co-workers helped me lie down on the floor at the nurse's station, in the middle of everything. After a few minutes I felt better and sat up. At that point, everyone could see me and asked what happened. So the charge nusre took me in the conference room and started an IV and ran in a liter of normal saline. Then I just stayed the rest of the night and did my job feeling much better but still with an IV in my hand.

But I guess I'm over it all... I will still wear the top, will try to give blood at least once more, and will definitely wear a ponytail for the few days I can every 6 weeks.

The Ungrinchification of Ansley

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, finally.

I have been a little grumpy for the last week, not really negative grumpy, just not overly positive and ready for Christmas. So what helped me kick the grump habit? I had tried having a Christmas party, going to Christmas parties, and decorating my apartment, all to only small avail. So here's what did it; making Christmas cookies while singing along to a new Christmas mix. And just in case you're still struggling to get Christmasy (or stay that way while fight crowds on the roads and in stores), here's the music and the recipe.

The music, click here if you want a copy:
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald
All I Want For Christmas Is You - Olivia Olson
Walking in a Winter Wonderland - Bing Crosby
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
Frosty the Snowman - Fiona Apple
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Dean Martin
Baby It’s Cold Outside
Jingle Bells - Ella Fitzgerald
Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) - U2
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
I’ll Be Home For Christmas - Aimee Mann
Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas - The Format
I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas - Bing Crosby
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Ella Fitzgerald
Last Christmas - Wham
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve - Ella Fitzgerald

The recipe:
Chocolate Mint Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen

2/3 C packed brown sugar
1/3 c margarine or butter
1 T water
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 ¼ C flour
1 egg
½ tsp baking soda
About 18-36 Andes mints

In a saucepan, heat brown sugar, margarine, and water over medium heat just until melted, stirring constantly. Stir in chocolate chips until melted. Put mixture in a large bowl and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Add about half of the flour, the egg, and baking soda to the chocolate mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in remaining flour (dough will be soft). Place tablespoon-sized blobs 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes. Let cool a bit but while still warm place ½ an Andes mint (or a whole one depending on what you like) on top of each cookie. As it melts, spread it around the cookie.

So that's the regular recipe. I wanted them to look more festive so I replaced part of the chocolate chips with the Andes mint so they had the same flavor but it was all in the cookie, then I melted white chocolate and spread it on top.This is my attempt at creating a double boiler. It worked and I love this photo because you can see my canisters from my grandma and also the CD player that was playing the mix. And my Portland mug, which always makes me smile.

While the white chocolate was still warm, I sprinkled red and green sugar on top.Lots and lots of cookies!

Then I wrapped small stacks in saran wrap and put then in red cellophane bags with the CD in it too, attached a homemade tag, and have gifts for friends and the Christmas spirit for myself.All ready to go for delivery. Happy Holidays!

Light in the Darkness

Today marks the winter solstice, the official start of winter, the shortest, darkest day of the year. While that seems dreary, I've been counting down the days as I count the accumulating snowflakes.

See it also marks the start of days getting longer. Whenever I feel cold or tired of the snow, or missing the warm weather, I can just go to weather.com, look at the sunrise and sunset times and see that the days are actually getting longer. Summer is coming!

Today also marks Tamara's birthday. It's like God knew if the earth would be the darkest today, it would need her light, her optimism, her smile to brighten it up. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!That's not her! It's her cute dog Watson. I thought his picture would make her smile more.

Getting Political As A Nurse, Sort Of

A few days ago I was thinking about all the funny things that have happened or that I have said in the 4 short months I've spent as a nurse. Sadly, right now I can only remember one, but it's my favorite. A little backstory without breaking the law and telling you too much about the patient. He had taken a mix of an estimated 75 anticonvulsants and psychiatric meds. He was very agitated and when asked any question would reply with full, coherent sentences that had nothing to do with the question asked.

Example: Q: Do you have any pain? A: When can I leave so I can meet my friends on safari in Africa?

So he hadn't peed the whole time in the ER so we bladder scanned him, a painless completely external procedure. He had almost a liter in his bladder but had no desire to try to pee. So the doctor asked us to place a catheter. No this is never fun for anyone but even less so with a patient who is delusional, irrational, thrashing around, and potentially violent.

So I agree to hold his arms and try to calm him down while the aide put it in. The whole time he is saying random stuff but right at the end this was the conversation:

Pt: What are you doing?
Me: We are putting in a catheter, we need to do this because you have so much urine in your bladder and that's dangerous.
Pt: My dad, the president, George Bush, wouldn't want you to do this to me
Me: You really need this and, yes, George Bush would want you to have this catheter.

You Don't Bring Me Flours Anymore

Earlier this week I saw Stranger Than Fiction instead of being outside in the cold and snow for Family Home Evening.

I loved this movie! I loved the premise, I loved Will Ferrell playing a different kind of character than usual, I loved all of the other characters, and I loved the attention to detail. Dustin Hoffman was hilarious as the Literature professor and I loved trying to figure out which novels he was mentioning as he questioned the events of Harold Crick's life. I love seeing Emma Thompson commit to her role of distracted, hermit author with all the idiosyncracies and affectations. I loved the architecture, color schemes, and the little details like when Harold is staying with his friend who loves space camp (Buster Bluth) the sleeping bag has the cosmos on it. I loved the play on words of flower/flour although it took me about 5 minutes to get the joke. But one of my favorite exchanges was this one...

Dr. Jules Hilbert: Hell Harold, you could just eat nothing but pancakes if you wanted.
Harold Crick: What is wrong with you? Hey, I don't want to eat nothing but pancakes, I want to live! I mean, who in their right mind, in a choice between pancakes and living, chooses pancakes?
Dr. Jules Hilbert: Harold, if you pause to think, you'd realize that that answer is inextricably contingent upon the type of life being led... and, of course, the quality of the pancakes.

And if you want that song that Harold plays, click here...

Brrrrrrr!

Winter is here and everyone keeps saying it'll be a bad one. It snowed last night. I was at work and through the hospital windows, it looked like a blizzard. The University Hospital is in the foothills so it gets more snow than the valley. Bacause the snow hit in the middle of the night, they hadn't cleared the streets yet in the morning and the day nurses couldn't get in. I had to stay at work almost an hour late to cover for some of them.

And then, to add insult to injury, I get into my car and Matt Costa's Cold December is playing..."It's going to be a cold december." I think he's right.

My Post-Halloween Post

Some friends started a CD club last year and October was the last month. It was also my month; my turn to create a mix CD and then send copies to the rest of the group. Some people made extremely varied mixes, some people had themes like songs about cities, states, and the United States for July, or Guilty Pleasures with everyting from Vanilla Ice to MC Hammer. I knew I could come up with a mix of Halloween songs but would they really be songs people would want to hear?

And then something really scary happened to me...My computer crashed. So here it is, my mix of songs I'm glad I still have, thanks to my trusty external hard drive. Some are old, some are fairly new, but all are favorites. If you want these songs, use this link to download them, the link should be active until Nov 11 or 12.

Here's the CD cover, this is what happens when you give a nerd a Mac...
1) Everyday is Halloween - The Postmarks - A very cotton-candy sweet version of the Ministry classic; had to throw a little Halloween in the mix

2) Come Around - Rhett Miller - One of my favorite singers, hard to pick just one song, so I picked the chorus to which I most relate.

3) The Greatest - Cat Power

4) Sick of Myself - Death Cab For Cutie - The original Matthew Sweet version has probably been on more of my mix tapes than any other song. And by using the cover I got in a DCFC song too. There's only so much space on a CD, folks.

5) Do The Whirlwind Metronomy Remix - Architecture in Helsinki - Neither Architects nor from Helsinki; they maybe liars but they are great musicians.

6) Could Be Anything - The Eames Era

7) Ooh Child - The Five Stairsteps - A great song, from a great soundtrack, from a great movie, from a great director - Crooklyn by Spike Lee

8) Coffee and TV - Blur - There's just something about a good Blur song, you have to sing along loudly in your car.

9) Cold December - Matt Costa - One of my new favorites by a cute boy who puts on a fun concert.

10) Baby I Know What You're Thinking - The Mendoza Line

11) Suddenly - Ryan Ferguson

12) Somebody I Used To Know - Elliott Smith - I was first introduced to Elliott Smith and this song on a mix CD by somebody I used to know. Life imitates art, I guess it's true.

13) Let's Stay Together - Al Green - A great song, from a great soundtrack, from a purportedly great movie and director, which I hated, Pulp Fiction - Still a great song.

14) Me and Mia - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists

15) Wild Horses - The Sundays - One of those songs that makes you get blurry-eyed and romantic, or is it just me...

16) I Know I Know I Know - Tegan & Sara - When it's done playing, I always hit repeat at least once. It's like Lay's potato chips, I can't have just one.

17) At Least I'm Honest - Tiger Baby

18) Tickets to Crickets - Ferraby Lionheart - Just found him a few days ago, but I like him so I thought I'd share.

19) Cold Hands Warm Heart - Brendan Benson

20) Naked As We Came - Iron & Wine - If you like it, buy their albums for more of the same beautiful lyrics and dream-inducing voice

21) Butterflies - The Arrogants - Just a cute little song by a band I like

22) Come Sing Me A Song - Sing-Sing - Wow lots of hyphens in this entry

23) I Turn My Camera On - Spoon - So hard to pick just one, I asked several friends and we all decided this was a good introduction if you don't know them and a favorite if you do.