Everywhere I go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoaTl7IcFs8#

A lot has gone on in my life since the last time I blogged. This song reflects my thoughts right now. I am confused about my own life, but I am constantly growing and adapting while trying to live in the present.
It seems like everywhere I go, the more I see the less I know. But I know one thing, that I love you.

Shamrocks

In honor of Saint Patty's Day I am wearing a green shirt. Yes, that is all. But others seem to have more extravagant plans. While sitting on the porch with my housemate, a woman decked out in festive gear walked by on the phone, and we caught this snippet of her conversation:
"No one has any fucking corned beef."

That started us off on a tangent about how she should have done her Irish meal shopping earlier in the week:

The stores are probably also out of potatoes, Lucky Charms, and green food coloring.
Not to mention the banks would be out of gold coins, the liquor store out of Bailey's Irish Cream, and Irish Ale, the bars out of Irish Coffee, and the pet store is probably out of leprechauns.

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Next year do your shopping beforehand.

Under the Weather

In the past 7 months alone I have had mono, a cold, a sinus infection, bronchitis, a form of gastroenteritis, and now I have an ear infection, and I didn't even name everything.

A result of working in nursing and the Emergency Department? Maybe so...but that doesn't explain this pattern throughout my life and the fact that my nursing friends are not sick nearly as much as I am. And really, who gets an ear infection after they are 2 years old? My immune system just is not up to par.

Relatively healthy mommies and babies...I can't wait. Now for finding a job in Labor and Delivery as a new grad. Rare, but as I've been told "there are always exceptions." Wish me luck.

Be Present

Why can't people just take in and enjoy their surroundings? Walking on the sidewalk on a beautiful day, I almost run into too many people looking down sending text messages. If out for a walk, or just going from one thing to another, people find the need to call somebody just for conversation or distraction. What do you need to be distracted from? You can't tell me that the world itself is too boring. People walk around with headphones in their ears 24/7. What is wrong with the sound of life?

Observe, take it all in, enjoy it or criticize it, but live it. Be present.

Hope, Change, and all that Jazz

It has been almost 2 months since President Barack Obama took his oath to office. It was a momentous occasion that I had the opportunity to attend.

A group of friends and I took Amtrak (booked back in the beginning of November) to D.C. January 19th. We stayed overnight at another friend's studio apartment (a tight fit) and then headed out at 7am to the National Mall. The goal was to fend off the other millions of people walking to the National Mall from various D.C. locations to get as close as we possible could to the Capitol building.We gauged our success at the number of screens back we were, and kept trying to make it to just the next screen up. Naturally, we weren't the only ones...it was a big mosh as we laughed with our neighbors that we were pushed up against. Eventually we settled in to wait the now 4 hours until the Inauguration ceremony was supposed to start.

The screens played the concert of the past weekend and the crowd sang along during our wait. Eventually the San Francisco choir began to sing and I could make out little red dots on the Capitol building. The ceremony commenced. The mob waived our flags, watched the ceremony on the screens, and laughed every time they said "You may now be seated."

As we waived our free American flags at some point I looked up to see the monumental Capitol building in front with a sea of bodies between me and the building and blue skies up above, and it hit me, what an amazing moment in history to share with all those around me.

Catching Up

It's true, I've been MIA for awhile, and a lot has happened.
It is already Spring Break and graduation is right around the corner.

The next few posts will be catching up on my experiences, thoughts, and reflections.

Resolutions

1. Exercise a little every day.
2. Give others the benefit of the doubt.
3. Remember to breathe.


"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in being a...fool about it."
-W.C. Fields

'Twas the season

As the season goes we all get preoccupied. But now I have the time to record it.

The most relaxing part of my vacation, if you can believe it, was the time I spent in NYC. No school work to be done, no family to please, just three days to do whatever.

My NY Christmas gift was tickets to The Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular at the Radio City Music Hall. Turns out the very back row in the very highest balcony actually has a great view for getting the full effect of the formations and the flawless synchronization the Rockettes have to offer. However, my favorite part didn't even include the Rockettes. The set was complex, complete with an ice rink and skaters during a scene, and a 3-D animation of Santa's sleighride. A great way to get in the Christmas mood (despite the torrential rainstorm outside).

Between looking at stores' Christmas windows we decided to give the Wicked lottery another shot (my 4th try) just for kicks and giggles. We danced together to pass the time in the cold. It must have been good luck, because mine was the second name called! Two front row tickets to the most impressive show I've ever seen.

Arts and crafts, walking, baking, and lots of cuddling rounded at a Very Merry Pre-Christmas celebration.

Social Experiment

Walking in Manhattan on the outside of Central Park, my boyfriend and I came up with an idea. Have rich families adopt homeless persons. At first it was a laughable concept, but really thinking about it, it would be a great program, and an interesting experiment. Mental illnesses are rampant in the homeless population. In some circumstances the illness results in homelessness in others, the conditions of homelessness cause a mental illness. While mental health can be treated/stabilized and maintained through medications and therapy, it is difficult to make any progress if someone's life is unstable. Not to mention the vicious cycle of "you can't get a job without an address, and you can't get an address without a job." The "adoption" would provide this stability and additional resources.

Sure, the interactions may be appallingly comical, and if this idea ever came to fruition in our society it would most likely be in the form of a reality T.V. show, but it would be an interesting social experiment. Just a thought...

Babies in the Water

A man is walking alongside a river. He glances down to find babies in the water floating downstream. Instantly he jumps in the river and starts pulling babies out of the water. They continue to come, and he is frantically trying to save them all. A woman sitting nearby starts running upstream. "Where are you going?!" he exclaims "Get in here and help me save these babies!" She responds explaining "I am going upstream to see where these babies are coming from and who keeps on putting them in the water."

Upstream vs. Downstream thinking. We need both to function as a society. Which one are you?

For Dummies...

While sitting in a comfy chair, studying in the bookstore, I glanced up. There was a guy standing awkwardly looking for a place to sit and read. The book he was holding: "Dating For Dummies." Adorable. Now that's the type of guy girls should want to date.

Penn students take to the streets

A video of the excitement around Penn's campus and Philadelphia. Beautiful.

Hope

I remained skeptical as the results were still coming in. Calling a state with only 20% of precincts reporting just made me uncomfortable. A friend and I left our house on the way to a bar to finish watching the incoming results, when apparently the election was called. Obama had exceeded the 270 electoral votes needed. We ran into a large group of Penn students on campus with posters and balloons shouting and screaming, and walking with a seeming mission. Inspired, we ran to catch up and joined this spontaneous parade around West Philadelphia. People came out onto their porches and leaned out their windows in the neighborhood cheering along with us. Such a diverse population with people from so many different cliques came together to celebrate. The parade ended on Locust walk as we gathered into a cluster jumping up and down and cheering. The guy next to me got up on his friends shoulders and announced "McCain just conceded!" The crowd went wild. We dispersed to watch Obama's speech.

I was close to tears. The part about how our "generation plagued with being called apathetic, turned out in huge numbers to make their voices heard" especially made me so proud. After the speech a friend and I lead a group down to City Hall to celebrate. We were not alone. We were met by honking passing cars, cheered with and high-fived random people. A group was gathered outside of City Hall in the streets celebrating.

It was such a great moment in history that I will tell my children about. It was just so beautiful to see so many strangers brought together. I can't remember an election in my time where people were so celebratory about the results. Not to mention an election without controversy and recounts. I know some of you are skeptical, but you have to trust and hope. There is nothing wrong with that. That is what as brought our nation as far as it has come. As my sister in Switzerland said " You know what's great? I am no longer embarrassed to admit that I'm an American." This result resonates with the rest of the world, and for that reason alone, America has such a chance to regain the respect we once had.

Free Falling

Approximately 15,000 feet above the ground I squatted in the open doorway of a tiny plane. I crossed my arms, leaned my head back, and arched my back as instructed by the person strapped on my back. "1,2,3" and we were off. Leaving the plane in style with a back flip!

The whole experience was surreal. The extremity of what I was doing barely registered. Even as my tandem pro handed me the parachute straps, I mechanically did as told to make us spin. A nice smooth landing on our feet completed the smoothness of the entire jump.

Afterwards, my jumping friends and I could not wipe the huge smiles off our faces. It was a once in a lifetime experience...that I would most definitely do again.

What the future holds

Okay, well, the future that I am talking about is next semester. I found out my clinical placement for my senior clinical practicum in New York City: Emergency Department at New York Presbyterian!

Let the fun, stressful, busy, first aid times roll!(Hopefully no patients will die in the waiting room under my watch.)

The Days Go By

The other day in class I peered over to see my friend crossing off days in her planner. A smile crept over my face, finding joy in watching the days disappear. Closer to being done.

Then a thought occurred to me. How sick is that we are wishing our days to fly by, to be done with? What are we closer to being done with? Sure, school. But grass is always greener on the other side. Shouldn't we be enjoying each day to the best of our ability?

Media's Mixed Messages

John Stewart humorously shows how the Media dictates the course of the election.

Megabus

I'm now a big fan of Megabus over the Chinatown buses.

I paid $9.50 for a one-way ticket from NYC to Philly. If you book further in advance, the fares are even cheaper (They claim as low as $1). However, the fares don't ever get up much past $10.
Comparison: Megabus is just as cheap, if not cheaper than Chinatown buses

I picked the Megabus up outside of Penn Station in NYC, and was dropped off at 30th St. Station in Philly. They also had another stop option at 6th and Walnut in Philly.

Comparison: Megabus is much more convenient location-wise on both ends, and saves bus/trolley fares to and from Chinatown.

Megabuses were painted bold blue with the Megabus logo huge across the sides. There were official signs where Megabuses were allowed to park and load. The drivers were in uniform. The driver made an announcement at the beginning and end of the trip (where the bus was going, how long it would take, thanks for riding Megabus, etc). An employee helped load baggage underneath. We drove straight to Philly without any random stops.

Comparison: Megabus is a lot less sketchy than Chinatown buses

Birthday Bashing

I had a fabulous birthday this week.

I spent the morning by myself, slept well, ate ice cream for breakfast, watched movies, and took a bath instead of a shower. Relaxing and enjoyable.

I met up with my wonderful boyfriend after he got off work, and we went to a Ellen's Stardust Diner, where the wait staff take turns performing songs. It was fun, and this is where I got my birthday candle. Stuck in a plate a whipped cream with an Oreo and Sprinkles, I got to make my birthday wish (which, of course, is a secret)!

After dinner we ventured to a very nice bar on Rivington and Essex Street, with mood-lighting and comfy seating. I ordered some kind of coconut rum-mango concoction. Yummy. First legal drink in the US. Didn't even get carded.

Drinks were followed by the Laugh Lounge Monday madness. It was a small crowd, being a Monday and all. They had a fun variety of stand-up comics. We were laughing hysterically by the end...although that may have something to do with splitting a bottle of Zinfandel wine...

It was a really enjoyable evening of festivities. Good company, good drinks, and good laughs.

HAIR!

Finally got tickets to the free Public Theater performance of Hair in Central Park! Instead of waking up at 6am to wait in the line for free tickets that they give out at 1pm, I joined the "virtual line." After a week of trying, I finally got a pair of tickets!

I admit this Hippie love-rock-musical was way too long, and there wasn't much of a plot-line, but I had a good time. The actors maintained a high level of energy throughout, and the singing was great! Plus the rad costumes really set the scene. To finish it off - the curtain call turned into a giant dance party with the audience!

Let the sunshine in...