So considering all the craziness of the last few months, I find myself in pretty good spirits lately. I've been taking some steps to fix the things I can and accept those I can't. (Go Serenity Pray! And Dr. Phil)
Fixing:
Full-Time Nursing Job: Applying, talking to my contacts, picking up as many hours as possible at both the volunteer clinic and as a school nurse substitute. The sewing gig is enough (barely) but I still don't have benefits (health insurance, life insurance, 401K). I might be able to get some minimal coverage elsewhere. It's on the To Do List.
Crappy Shoe-String Budget: Not going to go into all the details but I've contacted people to work on my debt. The relief from the strain of those monthly bills is amazing.
Accepting:
Teenagers: Currently have 3 and 2 pre-teens. It's going to be a long and bumpy ride... Just gotta buckle up, white knuckle it and get through to the other side.
Crappy Shoe-String Budget: Needs versus Wants. I have a list. And a plan. And sticking to it.
Dating: Not doing it right now. I'm good with being single at the moment (I reserve the right to change this mindset in the future) It's taken some time but I'm finally cool with just being with me. Plus I have so many amazing friends and family here that any time I really want to do something, I have a great bunch of people to contact.
Townhouse: It's good enough, it's smart enough, and doggone it, we like it. I do have to fight an internal feeling of "it's not a house, it's only 1450 square feet, it's not a house!" It is a little cramped with 6 people sometimes but the other half of the month, when it's just me and the cat, it's perfect. The location is amazing and I have a gym and a garden. I love it until the kids want friends over or I have to find an alternative location for my Girl Scout Troop meetings. I miss having a guest room and I miss entertaining. The accepting is especially tricky when our current town is known for it's 4000+ square foot McMansions and we're living in 1450 square foot townhouse. We're kinda the odd family out at the moment. Like I said, I'm working on the acceptance part.
Quote of the Day: "Don't look for your dreams to come true; look to become true to your dreams." -Michael Beckwith
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Interview #6 (and counting)
Alternate title: "Argh, give me a full time job with benefits please!"
(Follow-up from June's Nursing update)
Interview #1: Patient Care Coordinator (May) "filled position already, check back in 6 months"
Interview #2: 'Peace, Love, and Medicine' office RN (July) heard nothing, I think they went with somebody with experience
Interview #3: Long Term Care RN (July) heard nothing, but I don't think I sucked up enough during the 2 hour job shadow because I was kinda counting the minutes until I could escape
Interview #4: Substitute School Nurse, my kids' school system (August) GOT IT. Except I've only worked 1 day...
Interview #5: Full Time School Nurse, different school system (September) heard nothing (it's been 10 days now so it's probably a 'no')
Interview #6: Nights, Full Time, Med/Surg RN at hospital 40 miles away with mandatory overtime (means 4 twelves one week, 3 twelves the next week), weekends & holidays (Yesterday) at the end of the interview "filled position already, check back in a month"
And counting...
(Follow-up from June's Nursing update)
Interview #1: Patient Care Coordinator (May) "filled position already, check back in 6 months"
Interview #2: 'Peace, Love, and Medicine' office RN (July) heard nothing, I think they went with somebody with experience
Interview #3: Long Term Care RN (July) heard nothing, but I don't think I sucked up enough during the 2 hour job shadow because I was kinda counting the minutes until I could escape
Interview #4: Substitute School Nurse, my kids' school system (August) GOT IT. Except I've only worked 1 day...
Interview #5: Full Time School Nurse, different school system (September) heard nothing (it's been 10 days now so it's probably a 'no')
Interview #6: Nights, Full Time, Med/Surg RN at hospital 40 miles away with mandatory overtime (means 4 twelves one week, 3 twelves the next week), weekends & holidays (Yesterday) at the end of the interview "filled position already, check back in a month"
And counting...
Saturday, September 14, 2013
On being a Special Snowflake and relationships
So I'm really trying to avoid being a Special Snowflake with my self contemplation on the blog because those type of people are extremely annoying. I'd like to think I can find the balance between "I'm so awesome, look what I did, let's talk about me, me, me!" and the other cynical side of "life is meaningless, who gives a f*ck about anything ever, the world sucks." I know my small insignificant problems don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world but there's probably a little room for me to do some belly button gazing occasionally.
I remember years ago some random troll posted a comment on my Ramblings of a SAHM mom site about something kinda special snowflake I had written. Honestly it didn't bother me, obviously because I don't even remember what the comment was now. The troll was just being a troll and trying to stir up controversy. That's what they do. But my best friend got all up in arms on my behalf and it was kind of amusing to watch them duke it out in the comments. And then I went back to playing Mom Taxi or scrapbooking or something and forgot all about it.
The reason the troll's comment didn't bother me because it wasn't something that was even remotely true about me in my opinion. Like you could call me a 'slug licking scrawny green mermaid' and I'd be like "uh, okay" and easily move on. Because I'm not any of those things so the whole thing is silly and I could care less.
On the flip side, I've learned that if someone says something about me that I immediately strongly disagree with, I need to examine this a bit more closely. Cause there's usually a glimmer of truth in it and it's probably something I don't like about myself.
During the last few months, I was forced to take a hard look at myself and how I approach relationships. A lot of stuff was said and while some ideas I threw out pretty quick because it was blatantly obvious projection (after 4 years of psych classes, you aren't going to pull any Freudian moves over on me), a few items have stuck with me.
One of the things that has been the hardest to comes to terms with about myself is that I'm really scared of romantic love and commitment. But you were with S for 2.5 years, you say! Yeah but he's just as scared of romantic love and commitment as I am. If you put two of those type of people together, it kinda sorta works for awhile. If I'm avoiding falling in love and also avoiding someone else falling in love with me and he's doing the same, we have an unconscious 'not falling in love and avoid being loved by others' requirement in common. And that's a pretty strong trait that can bring two people together as oxymoron-ish as that sounds.
Of course we did fall in love anyways and into some sort of commitment that mostly worked for us most of the time. It was like that poem about the little girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead: When she was good, she was very very good. When she was bad, she was horrid. When we were good, it was the most amazing time I've ever had in my life. When we were bad, it was horrid. And then some.
I'm not going to go into our fights here but on my end going forward, I'm going to try to learn some better "this isn't going well, let's figure this out" skills. My usual MO is either ignore the problem (I do kinda like denial, it's one of my bigger character flaws) or attempt to hit a 'relationship reset button' (which also has an element of 'ignore' built in). Secondly I'm going to try to not be so extreme with "okay don't love me and I won't love you and let's just have fun!" in new relationships. But I'd like to delve into the second point deeper in another blog post mostly because today's dating world is so full of amusing advice to discuss and dissect.
Naval gazing done for another day. :)
I remember years ago some random troll posted a comment on my Ramblings of a SAHM mom site about something kinda special snowflake I had written. Honestly it didn't bother me, obviously because I don't even remember what the comment was now. The troll was just being a troll and trying to stir up controversy. That's what they do. But my best friend got all up in arms on my behalf and it was kind of amusing to watch them duke it out in the comments. And then I went back to playing Mom Taxi or scrapbooking or something and forgot all about it.
The reason the troll's comment didn't bother me because it wasn't something that was even remotely true about me in my opinion. Like you could call me a 'slug licking scrawny green mermaid' and I'd be like "uh, okay" and easily move on. Because I'm not any of those things so the whole thing is silly and I could care less.
On the flip side, I've learned that if someone says something about me that I immediately strongly disagree with, I need to examine this a bit more closely. Cause there's usually a glimmer of truth in it and it's probably something I don't like about myself.
During the last few months, I was forced to take a hard look at myself and how I approach relationships. A lot of stuff was said and while some ideas I threw out pretty quick because it was blatantly obvious projection (after 4 years of psych classes, you aren't going to pull any Freudian moves over on me), a few items have stuck with me.
One of the things that has been the hardest to comes to terms with about myself is that I'm really scared of romantic love and commitment. But you were with S for 2.5 years, you say! Yeah but he's just as scared of romantic love and commitment as I am. If you put two of those type of people together, it kinda sorta works for awhile. If I'm avoiding falling in love and also avoiding someone else falling in love with me and he's doing the same, we have an unconscious 'not falling in love and avoid being loved by others' requirement in common. And that's a pretty strong trait that can bring two people together as oxymoron-ish as that sounds.
Of course we did fall in love anyways and into some sort of commitment that mostly worked for us most of the time. It was like that poem about the little girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead: When she was good, she was very very good. When she was bad, she was horrid. When we were good, it was the most amazing time I've ever had in my life. When we were bad, it was horrid. And then some.
I'm not going to go into our fights here but on my end going forward, I'm going to try to learn some better "this isn't going well, let's figure this out" skills. My usual MO is either ignore the problem (I do kinda like denial, it's one of my bigger character flaws) or attempt to hit a 'relationship reset button' (which also has an element of 'ignore' built in). Secondly I'm going to try to not be so extreme with "okay don't love me and I won't love you and let's just have fun!" in new relationships. But I'd like to delve into the second point deeper in another blog post mostly because today's dating world is so full of amusing advice to discuss and dissect.
Naval gazing done for another day. :)
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
"Do Nothing" Day
All I have scheduled today is a Girl Scout Leader meeting this evening. No work, the house is pretty clean, I don't have any errands to run, kids are at G's...
I have a few writing ideas bouncing around in my head, something along the lines of 'things I've learned' or 'stuff I still need to work on' or 'where the hell do I go from here'.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who analyzes and over thinks life. I see so many people just going about their day as if they don't have a constant inner monologue questioning and wondering and pondering everything. But on the flip side, I've made some spectacular life changing decisions without even really thinking about them at all. Then as I deal with the fall out from those 'no thought actions' (moments, months, years later), I look back and ask "what the fuck was I thinking?" And the answer, I'm sad to say more often than not, is I wasn't thinking. One of my biggest lessons I've learned over the years is 'not making decision is still making a decision.' I try to avoid making that particular mistake nowadays. But no worries, there are a lot more mistakes that I continue to make over and over again (see 'my shoe string budget').
So of all the ideas and possibilities bouncing around in my head (which I'm sure I'll share with you eventually), I want to start writing again. I've been reading a lot of varied books lately, mostly because I'm broke and just borrow and download whatever is available from the local library onto my Kindle. It's kinda like blindly grabbing a couple of books off the shelf except I can do it at 2am without leaving my sofa. And no late fees when I forget to return them.*
Two books that I recently blindly grabbed and then really enjoyed reading are The Best American Travel Writing 2011
and Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert (you probably know her from Eat, Pray, Love)
And now I've been inspired to write again.
NaNoWriMo is coming up in November so that's definitely on the To Do List now. Until then, I'm going to work on getting my ducks in a row (job, shoe string budget, life goals, you know the little stuff...) and start making time to write again.
Although honest to God, even after all the tears and frustrating lonely nights, I'd still rather have a certain sexy older man with a Boston accent distracting me from writing.
Quote of the Day: "Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be." ~Thomas à Kempis
* I lovingly blame my mom for this. She always returned my library books for me since she was the town librarian. 'Returning library books' has therefore never been part of my 'borrowing library books' experience. I currently owe my local library $8.41
I have a few writing ideas bouncing around in my head, something along the lines of 'things I've learned' or 'stuff I still need to work on' or 'where the hell do I go from here'.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who analyzes and over thinks life. I see so many people just going about their day as if they don't have a constant inner monologue questioning and wondering and pondering everything. But on the flip side, I've made some spectacular life changing decisions without even really thinking about them at all. Then as I deal with the fall out from those 'no thought actions' (moments, months, years later), I look back and ask "what the fuck was I thinking?" And the answer, I'm sad to say more often than not, is I wasn't thinking. One of my biggest lessons I've learned over the years is 'not making decision is still making a decision.' I try to avoid making that particular mistake nowadays. But no worries, there are a lot more mistakes that I continue to make over and over again (see 'my shoe string budget').
So of all the ideas and possibilities bouncing around in my head (which I'm sure I'll share with you eventually), I want to start writing again. I've been reading a lot of varied books lately, mostly because I'm broke and just borrow and download whatever is available from the local library onto my Kindle. It's kinda like blindly grabbing a couple of books off the shelf except I can do it at 2am without leaving my sofa. And no late fees when I forget to return them.*
Two books that I recently blindly grabbed and then really enjoyed reading are The Best American Travel Writing 2011
and Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert (you probably know her from Eat, Pray, Love)And now I've been inspired to write again.
NaNoWriMo is coming up in November so that's definitely on the To Do List now. Until then, I'm going to work on getting my ducks in a row (job, shoe string budget, life goals, you know the little stuff...) and start making time to write again.
Although honest to God, even after all the tears and frustrating lonely nights, I'd still rather have a certain sexy older man with a Boston accent distracting me from writing.
Quote of the Day: "Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be." ~Thomas à Kempis
* I lovingly blame my mom for this. She always returned my library books for me since she was the town librarian. 'Returning library books' has therefore never been part of my 'borrowing library books' experience. I currently owe my local library $8.41
Friday, September 06, 2013
5 years
It's been a rough week.
Hell, it's been a rough few months.
My birthday is coming up at the end of this month and while I'm not turning a fantastic milestone age like 40 or 50 (I'll be 36), I realized I had hit another milestone a couple of months ago. I didn't have much time to think about it then because I was in the middle of prepping for the NCLEX and trying to find a job (and paying bills and dealing with kids on summer vacation and writing run-on sentences...)
I've lived here in Indiana again for 5 years.
Granted I've moved twice since the original move to this city but 5 years. A lot has happened in 5 years (in no particular order):
I've been a bucket of joy to be around honestly...
I'm going to try better to keep a positive attitude. The job will come. I'll likely fall in love again eventually. I won't be living on a shoe string budget forever. The gas won't be shut off because I don't even have gas at my current home. *shrugs* It's the little things sometimes.
The one big thing I'm looking forward to:
I'm going to be an aunt.
And that's more than enough to be super duper excited about right now. :)
Hell, it's been a rough few months.
My birthday is coming up at the end of this month and while I'm not turning a fantastic milestone age like 40 or 50 (I'll be 36), I realized I had hit another milestone a couple of months ago. I didn't have much time to think about it then because I was in the middle of prepping for the NCLEX and trying to find a job (and paying bills and dealing with kids on summer vacation and writing run-on sentences...)
I've lived here in Indiana again for 5 years.
Granted I've moved twice since the original move to this city but 5 years. A lot has happened in 5 years (in no particular order):
- Got divorced
- Applied, was accepted, and went to 4 years of nursing school
- Passed the NCLEX and became a registered nurse
- Learned to tango
- Shot a handgun (at a target, not a person. Although I've been tempted)
- Learned to ride a motorcycle and earned the motorcycle endorsement on my license
- Ran a 5K
- Painted 2 paintings
- Took a hot air balloon ride
- Worked 6 different jobs (Katie Fleck Designs, Flower Shop #2, Student Nurse, Nanny Gig, Sewing Gig, Substitute School Nurse)
- Traveled to Hong Kong and Beijing
- Went on a cruise to the Caribbean
- Learned to ice skate
- Had the gas and electric turned off (bills... I suck at paying them)
- Adopted my cat and readopted her when she ended up at the Humane Society
- Sewn curtains (inside joke, for years I've said I've sewn everything under the sun but 'never curtains')
- Had kidney stones
- Traveled inside the US to Chapel Hill NC, Outer Banks NC, Put-In-Bay OH, Chicago IL, Louisville KY, Colorado Springs CO, Savannah GA, Orlando FL (Disney World), Philadelphia PA, Cherry Hill NJ, Venice FL
- knit a bunch of stuff
- sewn a bunch of stuff
- read a bunch of books
- been to several music concerts
- been camping a few times
- eaten a lot of yummy food
- and hung out with the very best people on the planet (my family and friends)
I've been a bucket of joy to be around honestly...
I'm going to try better to keep a positive attitude. The job will come. I'll likely fall in love again eventually. I won't be living on a shoe string budget forever. The gas won't be shut off because I don't even have gas at my current home. *shrugs* It's the little things sometimes.
The one big thing I'm looking forward to:
I'm going to be an aunt.
And that's more than enough to be super duper excited about right now. :)
Sunday, September 01, 2013
Hello September!
I'm kinda tired of my life being mostly on hold still. I really thought 'graduate nursing school, get a full time job, yay my life is finally together!' And now almost 4 months later, I'm still not there. I truly apologize for being such a broken record. It's just I feel like most days I'm digging around for spare change to pay the bills while I'm applying to 5-10 RN jobs weekly and never hearing anything from anyone. It's super frustrating to say the least.
The 'on hold' part is probably mostly mental, sure I could possibly be making plans but in general everything I want to do costs money. Even the really little things. The kids' jean quilts, I need money for the flannel backs. Driving to see friends, I need gas money. The kids want fall clothes, I need new clothes and contact lenses, we need shampoo, laundry detergent, etc. I am so tired of waiting and there's nothing I can really do to make this better other than keep doing what I'm doing: applying for jobs, talking to my contacts (which are dwindling as people change jobs) and just racking up the days as a volunteer RN (my pseudo RN experience at the moment).
So far I've managed to keep myself out of depression but I'm not sure how much longer I can keep a Pollyanna attitude. The divorce was suppose to be the hardest part of my life. Nursing school was suppose to be the hardest part of my life. Now? Now, I'm suppose to be working and looking back and saying 'I've come so far!' Instead the hardest part of my life is still hanging on as I'm unemployed. This sucks. I'm so tired of it. I keep thinking, 'it could all change tomorrow!' and then several tomorrows come and go and I'm still unemployed.
It's a good thing I'm stubborn because if I wasn't, I think I would have given up a long long time ago.
The 'on hold' part is probably mostly mental, sure I could possibly be making plans but in general everything I want to do costs money. Even the really little things. The kids' jean quilts, I need money for the flannel backs. Driving to see friends, I need gas money. The kids want fall clothes, I need new clothes and contact lenses, we need shampoo, laundry detergent, etc. I am so tired of waiting and there's nothing I can really do to make this better other than keep doing what I'm doing: applying for jobs, talking to my contacts (which are dwindling as people change jobs) and just racking up the days as a volunteer RN (my pseudo RN experience at the moment).
So far I've managed to keep myself out of depression but I'm not sure how much longer I can keep a Pollyanna attitude. The divorce was suppose to be the hardest part of my life. Nursing school was suppose to be the hardest part of my life. Now? Now, I'm suppose to be working and looking back and saying 'I've come so far!' Instead the hardest part of my life is still hanging on as I'm unemployed. This sucks. I'm so tired of it. I keep thinking, 'it could all change tomorrow!' and then several tomorrows come and go and I'm still unemployed.
It's a good thing I'm stubborn because if I wasn't, I think I would have given up a long long time ago.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Moving on
Back to our regularly scheduled program.
Still no RN job.
Still sewing at the sewing gig.
Still mostly broke.
Hmm, nothing has really changed other than I recently got my heart broken.
Blah.
Where's the TV remote, I want to change the channel.
Still no RN job.
Still sewing at the sewing gig.
Still mostly broke.
Hmm, nothing has really changed other than I recently got my heart broken.
Blah.
Where's the TV remote, I want to change the channel.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Some Quotes
Subtitled: I probably think too much
It amuses me that you can always find a quote that fits your current attitude. And then find one that means the complete opposite of it. Like ‘Love means never giving up’ and then there’s the opposite, something like ‘Giving up doesn’t always mean you are weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough to let go.’
Okay so I have to pick between love and being strong? I can’t do both?
Recently I’ve felt myself turned upside down and inside out and I don’t know which way I’m heading anymore. There are three things that I know for sure right now:
I love him. I’m hurt. I have no fucking idea where to go from here.
So being the literary nerd that I am, I went searching for some answers. These quotes speak to me. And aren’t too conflicting with each other.
I want to feel wonderful again.
It amuses me that you can always find a quote that fits your current attitude. And then find one that means the complete opposite of it. Like ‘Love means never giving up’ and then there’s the opposite, something like ‘Giving up doesn’t always mean you are weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough to let go.’
Okay so I have to pick between love and being strong? I can’t do both?
Recently I’ve felt myself turned upside down and inside out and I don’t know which way I’m heading anymore. There are three things that I know for sure right now:
I love him. I’m hurt. I have no fucking idea where to go from here.
So being the literary nerd that I am, I went searching for some answers. These quotes speak to me. And aren’t too conflicting with each other.
- Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. (Course no one ever said I was sane in the first place.)
- Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime and falling into at night, I miss you like hell. –Edna St. Vincent Millary (I identify VERY strongly with this one right now. During the day, I’m mostly okay. But then I dream about him and us all night long. Thanks, stupid subconscious…)
- Every man needs a woman when his life is a mess. Because just like in a game of chess, the Queen protects the King.
- Everything happens for a reason. But sometimes the reason is you’re stupid and you make bad decisions. (I know this is true about me occasionally. I’m working on it.)
- I swear to you, there are divine things more beautiful than words can tell. –Walt Whitman
- As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen. -Winnie the Pooh
- Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for. –Bob Marley
- Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worse kind of suffering. –Paulo Coelho
- Love me when I least deserve it because that is when I really need it. –Swedish Proverb
- Everyone says that love hurts, but that’s not true. Loneliness hurts. Rejection hurts. Losing someone hurts. Everyone confuses these things with love, but in reality, LOVE is the only thing in this world that covers up all the pain and makes us feel wonderful again.
I want to feel wonderful again.
Friday, August 16, 2013
While the kids are away, the mom... cooks?
Occasionally I miss my 'stay at home mom' days. I didn't have work or the kids today and the cupboards (and fridge and freezer) have been kinda bare for awhile. My favorite grocery store was having a sale on a lot of basics so I figured, what the hell, I'll put together a big ass grocery list and do some freezer meal cooking. (I like this book as a good jumping off point for newbies: The Freezer Cooking Manual from 30 Day Gourmet, A Month of Meals Made Easy
)
I made it through the 10lbs of ground beef: 4 individually cooked one pound portions for chili, tacos, baked ziti, and taco soup and 2 meals of sloppy joes and 2 meals of meatloaf.
I'm halfway done with the chicken. I trimmed up and froze half the package and then cooked the other half for making 2 chicken pot pies and 2 meals of chicken tetrazzini. I'll probably put those together on Sunday.
Tomorrow I plan to cut up the pork loins to make several pork chops to freeze for later and then put the rest in the crockpot for pulled pork.
The store had a bunch of frozen veggies 10 for $10 so we should be good on side items for awhile too.
Oh and I put together a pasta salad for a cook-out that I'm invited to tomorrow night.
So of course for dinner, I ate 3 chocolate chip cookies and called it good.
)I made it through the 10lbs of ground beef: 4 individually cooked one pound portions for chili, tacos, baked ziti, and taco soup and 2 meals of sloppy joes and 2 meals of meatloaf.
I'm halfway done with the chicken. I trimmed up and froze half the package and then cooked the other half for making 2 chicken pot pies and 2 meals of chicken tetrazzini. I'll probably put those together on Sunday.
Tomorrow I plan to cut up the pork loins to make several pork chops to freeze for later and then put the rest in the crockpot for pulled pork.
The store had a bunch of frozen veggies 10 for $10 so we should be good on side items for awhile too.
Oh and I put together a pasta salad for a cook-out that I'm invited to tomorrow night.
So of course for dinner, I ate 3 chocolate chip cookies and called it good.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
August 11th
I haven't been much in a writing mood. I've been in a 'wait and see' mode for the last few weeks. It's not been very pleasant actually.
The sewing gig is going well. It doesn't pay enough and I can't get more than 18 hours a week (I've tried and next week I'm actually only scheduled for 12). I suppose it's better than nothing. I had an interview for the MOST PERFECT RN JOB EVER* about 2 weeks ago and then I haven't received a phone call back. I did call and leave a message about a week after saying that I'd love to have the position and please call back and let me know the status. Nothing. I have another upcoming interview for an assisted living/long term care facility (the new fancy word for 'nursing home'). I don't know much about that job other than where it's located and it's a RN position. I also applied to about 10 other new job listings on Thursday and Friday.
The kids start back to school in a few days. We're buying school supplies today. And doing laundry. And waiting.
* Local (less than 2 miles away), 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, new doctor's office opening in September with a very laid back, patient centered 'peace, love, and medicine' approach. So perfect...
The sewing gig is going well. It doesn't pay enough and I can't get more than 18 hours a week (I've tried and next week I'm actually only scheduled for 12). I suppose it's better than nothing. I had an interview for the MOST PERFECT RN JOB EVER* about 2 weeks ago and then I haven't received a phone call back. I did call and leave a message about a week after saying that I'd love to have the position and please call back and let me know the status. Nothing. I have another upcoming interview for an assisted living/long term care facility (the new fancy word for 'nursing home'). I don't know much about that job other than where it's located and it's a RN position. I also applied to about 10 other new job listings on Thursday and Friday.
The kids start back to school in a few days. We're buying school supplies today. And doing laundry. And waiting.
* Local (less than 2 miles away), 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, new doctor's office opening in September with a very laid back, patient centered 'peace, love, and medicine' approach. So perfect...
Sunday, July 21, 2013
"To Do List, in progress"
I survived 3 days of outdoor Girl Scout camp (2 nights in tents) with 90+ degree weather with 9 ten year olds (and 3 absolutely lovely Girl Scout moms). Whew, I'm glad that's over with!
I feel like I'm kinda back at square one now. No college classes in the fall, no big trips planned, no nursing job on the horizon. I've been struggling with finding a purpose for several weeks now. As cheesy as it sounds, I need to check things off a To Do List and I need to be working towards something.
So far I have "self defense class" and "solo trip to Redwood National Forest" on my "To Do List, in progress". It's something at least.
I feel like I'm kinda back at square one now. No college classes in the fall, no big trips planned, no nursing job on the horizon. I've been struggling with finding a purpose for several weeks now. As cheesy as it sounds, I need to check things off a To Do List and I need to be working towards something.
So far I have "self defense class" and "solo trip to Redwood National Forest" on my "To Do List, in progress". It's something at least.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Employed, sort of
On Monday, I hadn't heard from any nursing jobs so I started sewing at 9am. It's going really well, I also worked Tuesday, Wednesday, and a few hours yesterday. I've learned a few tricks the hard way (Hobbled Roman Shades, oh boy) but overall, I like it. Course I actually have no idea how much I'm getting paid yet because they didn't mention it and I never bothered to ask. I figure it's a bit more than minimum wage and I know it's less than RN pay so does it really matter the exact hourly number right now? Money is money at this point. I'll find out next Friday when I pick up my first paycheck.
Quote of the Day: "The number one sign you have nothing to do at work: The 4th Division of Paperclips has overrun the Pushpin Infantry and General White-Out has called for a new skirmish." ~Fred Barling
Quote of the Day: "The number one sign you have nothing to do at work: The 4th Division of Paperclips has overrun the Pushpin Infantry and General White-Out has called for a new skirmish." ~Fred Barling
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
Slow...
It's been kind of a slow 'Katie' week.
Sure I did a bunch of stuff with Shaun over the weekend but it was his suggested stuff. I'm definitely not complaining and I would have suggested 'Katie' stuff if I had any stuff to do. I just don't. I'm so caught up on the To Do list of my life that I'm kinda out of stuff.* The last 3 things on the random 'Do Someday To Do List' are organize recipes, make jean quilts (which are for the twins and they are going to help me with them), and sewing a thing for my dad. Damn. I don't think I've ever been this caught up with my life before. It's a very bizarre feeling. And slightly unsettling.
*(Granted I could come up with A LOT of things To Do but they all cost money and I'm still operating under the 'can't spend any money on anything besides food, gas, and bills' budget. It kinda sucks.)
Sure I did a bunch of stuff with Shaun over the weekend but it was his suggested stuff. I'm definitely not complaining and I would have suggested 'Katie' stuff if I had any stuff to do. I just don't. I'm so caught up on the To Do list of my life that I'm kinda out of stuff.* The last 3 things on the random 'Do Someday To Do List' are organize recipes, make jean quilts (which are for the twins and they are going to help me with them), and sewing a thing for my dad. Damn. I don't think I've ever been this caught up with my life before. It's a very bizarre feeling. And slightly unsettling.
*(Granted I could come up with A LOT of things To Do but they all cost money and I'm still operating under the 'can't spend any money on anything besides food, gas, and bills' budget. It kinda sucks.)
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Nursing update
So I graduated nursing school back in May...
At the time I was interviewing for a local physician office job (lots of patient education, some case management, M-F, 8-5, no weekends, no holidays) and I thought I was 'in' because I had two awesome interviews with HR and I already knew the nursing hiring manager (and her boss too!). Therefore I quit my student nurse job because 1. I hated it and 2. I was super busy the month of May plus studying for NCLEX test and I wasn't getting any hours in and 3. new awesome different RN job soon, woohoo!
Uh yeah, that job fell through.
So I passed the NCLEX on June 11th (last hoop of nursing school jumped!) and I have been applying my ass off to jobs ever since. I've lost count to exactly how many positions. 50+? 75+? I've applied to the health department, many hospitals, home health companies, and physician offices. And by 'many' hospitals, I mean 7 hospital systems, probably well over 15 hospitals if you count the individual different locations within one system.
I have not heard back from any of them...
Nursing shortage? What fucking nursing shortage?
To say I'm a little disheartened is an understatement. One entire hospital system is on a bit of a hiring 'blackout'. Another announced layoffs by the end of June. The rest? Literally have 1-3 positions open. Total. Last year, one of the largest most well known hospitals in Indy had 40-ish new RN jobs listed. (I've been watching for years. I also keep on eye on housing prices and used cars. I may need a job. Oh wait...). So great, there's not a lot of open positions out there. But it gets better. All of them have the criteria of 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE.'
Side rant: I hate the phrase 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE' more than I hate people driving under the speed limit with no passing zones, my old student nurse job, and the beeping from smoke detectors when the battery has died, all COMBINED. Because generally the position requirements follow up that phrase with '1 year' of said 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE.' 1 measly year? That's not 'EXPERIENCE.' That's barely out of orientation. So WTF?!?! How the hell does one get this crappy barely counts as 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE' for 1 year if you can't get job anywhere at all because you don't have this magical bullshit 'EXPERIENCE'?
*deep breath*
I apologize for all the yelling and cursing.
I've heard it takes time, hospital HR departments are notoriously slow with hiring new nurses. I've heard it'll turn around in a few months, hospitals can't operate without nurses no matter how much they want to cut costs. I've heard it's who you know, not what you know. (Hm, I know a lot of stuff but I don't know anybody, crap.) I've heard you need to poop glittery rainbows and sacrifice kittens on the blue moon during a July snowstorm to get a job... Wait, what?
A kind mom of a friend asked me a few weeks ago "so are you excited about getting a hiring bonus?" I almost cried. Those don't exist anymore! Yeah this is so not what I expected 4 years ago when I registered for nursing school pre-requisiste classes.
On a slightly more positive note, I do have a job offer. It's part time, days at a local sewing place (they do custom fabric interior design work, mostly window treatments, pillows, etc). And while a dollar earn anywhere is a dollar earned, I'm not super excited. Because damn, I just spent 4 long years and a lot of money and heartache to earn my RN, BSN and I'm not using it now or as it seems, any time soon.
So here it is, Universe. You have until July 8th to give me some sort of encouraging move towards a RN job anywhere (phone call? email? may I dare ask for an interview?) or I'm taking the sewing gig.
#kbyethanx
At the time I was interviewing for a local physician office job (lots of patient education, some case management, M-F, 8-5, no weekends, no holidays) and I thought I was 'in' because I had two awesome interviews with HR and I already knew the nursing hiring manager (and her boss too!). Therefore I quit my student nurse job because 1. I hated it and 2. I was super busy the month of May plus studying for NCLEX test and I wasn't getting any hours in and 3. new awesome different RN job soon, woohoo!
Uh yeah, that job fell through.
So I passed the NCLEX on June 11th (last hoop of nursing school jumped!) and I have been applying my ass off to jobs ever since. I've lost count to exactly how many positions. 50+? 75+? I've applied to the health department, many hospitals, home health companies, and physician offices. And by 'many' hospitals, I mean 7 hospital systems, probably well over 15 hospitals if you count the individual different locations within one system.
I have not heard back from any of them...
Nursing shortage? What fucking nursing shortage?
To say I'm a little disheartened is an understatement. One entire hospital system is on a bit of a hiring 'blackout'. Another announced layoffs by the end of June. The rest? Literally have 1-3 positions open. Total. Last year, one of the largest most well known hospitals in Indy had 40-ish new RN jobs listed. (I've been watching for years. I also keep on eye on housing prices and used cars. I may need a job. Oh wait...). So great, there's not a lot of open positions out there. But it gets better. All of them have the criteria of 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE.'
Side rant: I hate the phrase 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE' more than I hate people driving under the speed limit with no passing zones, my old student nurse job, and the beeping from smoke detectors when the battery has died, all COMBINED. Because generally the position requirements follow up that phrase with '1 year' of said 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE.' 1 measly year? That's not 'EXPERIENCE.' That's barely out of orientation. So WTF?!?! How the hell does one get this crappy barely counts as 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE' for 1 year if you can't get job anywhere at all because you don't have this magical bullshit 'EXPERIENCE'?
*deep breath*
I apologize for all the yelling and cursing.
I've heard it takes time, hospital HR departments are notoriously slow with hiring new nurses. I've heard it'll turn around in a few months, hospitals can't operate without nurses no matter how much they want to cut costs. I've heard it's who you know, not what you know. (Hm, I know a lot of stuff but I don't know anybody, crap.) I've heard you need to poop glittery rainbows and sacrifice kittens on the blue moon during a July snowstorm to get a job... Wait, what?
A kind mom of a friend asked me a few weeks ago "so are you excited about getting a hiring bonus?" I almost cried. Those don't exist anymore! Yeah this is so not what I expected 4 years ago when I registered for nursing school pre-requisiste classes.
On a slightly more positive note, I do have a job offer. It's part time, days at a local sewing place (they do custom fabric interior design work, mostly window treatments, pillows, etc). And while a dollar earn anywhere is a dollar earned, I'm not super excited. Because damn, I just spent 4 long years and a lot of money and heartache to earn my RN, BSN and I'm not using it now or as it seems, any time soon.
So here it is, Universe. You have until July 8th to give me some sort of encouraging move towards a RN job anywhere (phone call? email? may I dare ask for an interview?) or I'm taking the sewing gig.
#kbyethanx
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Another day, another 'not earning any dollars because I don't have a job yet'
Today:
Did 7 mock interviews with a friend's paralegal students. What do I know about interviewing? Next to nothing. Paralegal careers? Again, next to nothing. It was fun though!
Bought a new purse on clearance for $17, originally $59. Thought about buying some capris (I think I'm too short) and a v-neck blue sundress but ultimately I put all the clothes back and bought a iced grande white mocha no whip at Starbucks instead.
Drove Shaun's Camaro to all of the above. I love driving the Camaro! Although why does spellcheck not recognize the word Camaro?
The plan for the rest of the evening is to be super lazy, goof around on the internet, clean up some writings and websites, maybe take a bubble bath, and did I mention being super lazy? Yep, that's the plan.
Did 7 mock interviews with a friend's paralegal students. What do I know about interviewing? Next to nothing. Paralegal careers? Again, next to nothing. It was fun though!
Bought a new purse on clearance for $17, originally $59. Thought about buying some capris (I think I'm too short) and a v-neck blue sundress but ultimately I put all the clothes back and bought a iced grande white mocha no whip at Starbucks instead.
Drove Shaun's Camaro to all of the above. I love driving the Camaro! Although why does spellcheck not recognize the word Camaro?
The plan for the rest of the evening is to be super lazy, goof around on the internet, clean up some writings and websites, maybe take a bubble bath, and did I mention being super lazy? Yep, that's the plan.
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