I've been entirely lazy today. Well, not completely so, considering I've completed the following:

--sent 9 emails worth of pictures (damn large files!) to Lindsay of pictures I took for Jackie's birthday this weekend

--uploaded and organized the rest of the photos I've taken into folders on my computer, deleting the less-than-great shots of the bunch

--made a pot of coffee and subsequently drank it

--clicked on the charity websites to give them free donations

--researched several DNP programs (doctor of nursing practice)

--applied for a job in the gastroenterology lab/unit at my hospital (in accordance with the post I wrote the other day about wanting more regular hours)

Other than that, I've been on the computer talking with my sister and others, and enjoying watching videos of various birds of paradise doing their silly little dances and intricate arranging of nests. If you've never seen them before, I highly recommend looking them up on Google. It's truly fascinating how hard these males try for a mate (and really amusing).

I plan to go to the gym here in a few minutes. After that, who knows? Unfortunately the weekend will be spent at work, so I've made no real plans for Saturday or Sunday night after I get home. Whatevs.

Picture of some icy grass after a freezing rain storm the other day:

Oh my....

How my writing has waned. Yuck. I can't do that again, where I take a break until literally the next year.

I'm unhappy today, and I don't really know why. It's not that I'm terribly unhappy...just a bit morose, gloomy, etc. Maybe it's the dreariness of the day. I think it's a combination of things. One of the biggest things I can pinpoint is my job. It's tiring, it is wearing me out. I don't feel like I get to really spend quality time with my patients anymore because we've become short staffed and, thus, busier. Management is also an issue. The director of our unit is very out of touch with what it's like to be a floor nurse, and our assistant director is very selfish. I don't feel like going into detail about either one of them. Suffice it to say that they don't do a lot for employee satisfaction on our unit.

I also long for a normal schedule again. I miss having eight hour days. I miss not having to work on weekends and holidays. I like the structure of the Monday-Friday routine, as mundane as that is for some.

So, I'm at a crossroads and I'm not sure what to do about it. I have filled out an internal job switch form for an outpatient surgery center at the hospital, which I plan on turning in today. I figure it can't hurt to see what else is available. A few of us on the unit are going to be trying an 8hour/day schedule coming up soon, though, so I may stick around to see how that goes. That would still have me working various weekends and holidays, though.

Oh, internal dilemmas.

On a happier note, I finished reading Wuthering Heights, which is an excellent novel, and I will be enjoying a lively discussion about it with my mom and sister soon. I also have started two new books, one of which is Primary Colors by Anonymous, and the other is Arts and Ideas by William Fleming. Both are very interesting at this point.

I started flute lessons last night and got through the scale going from B natural down to low C. That low C was a tough one to conquer, because you really have to control your breath well for the lower notes with the flute. The teacher and I were both proud of my progress and I was excited that I picked the notes back up so quickly. So, from here on out, it should only get better!

I think everyone who would read this would know by now, but just in case...Jason and I moved into our new apartment in December and we're loving it. Living with him is so easy and natural, just like the rest of our relationship. I love love love him.


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