The beginnings of our wedding website are up. Although right now it’s just a “coming soon” site, I’m still excited about it. My brother, of course, is designing it. Find it at davidandkathleen.net.
I don’t know if anyone was viewing my photo of the day, but you might have noticed that it hasn’t changed in awhile. This is because that feature isn’t working well and we can’t figure it out. So enjoy the coconut for awhile longer while we work on installing a photo of the day feature that actually works. When that time comes there will actually be a daily photo, not a monthly one.
I discovered Twitter, and I love it. Twitter is like mini-blogging; you basically update on what you’re doing. At first glance I thought it was stupid, but now I think it’s great. What changed my mind is the fact that you can set the updates from your friends to come to your phone, and you can send updates from your phone too. Also, updates don’t have to be boring! So anyway, I think it’s great but it would be awesome if I actually had friends doing it with me. At the moment I only have one. So find me and give it a try!
David and I took the three dogs to the dog park on Saturday. Our dogs include Cleo (of course), his dog Eddy who is a lab mix, and his brother Chris’s dog Sydney, a boxer. As soon as we got there Cleo went off on her own, making new friends, swimming, and basically having a grand old time. She didn’t need us so we let her go, and I kept an eye on her from time to time. Eddy and Sydney didn’t want to leave our side, so we started walking around the park so that they could enjoy it. David said that he would rather them not get in the water so we walked the other way instead. Unfortunately, that led us right by a giant mud pit which Sydney did not hesitate to wallow in.
She was also drinking the muddy water. At first we were upset because we really weren’t prepared to clean her up, but the more she played in it the happier she looked. Honestly I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.
Eddy got in the mud too, probably thinking that it looked like fun, but as soon as she got in she realized it was wet (Eddy doesn’t like to be wet) so she jumped out right away. Luckily there was a little shower there for them, although David did have to give them a full bath when he got home.
Later that night I noticed that something was wrong with Cleo. Her tail is now hanging limply behind her and doesn’t wag. I never realized how important the tail wag was until now. It’s like all the happiness has been drained from the apartment. So I examined her and even took her temperature and I can’t figure out what’s wrong. She isn’t moving around as much and when she goes to sit down it seems difficult for her. I’m hoping she just strained a muscle and it will get better in a few days.
She slept in my bed last night as usual, and this morning woke me up by throwing up. Then later on she threw up a couple times on my floor. I think this is unrelated to her other issue. Anyway, I really hope she recovers soon because looking at that sad little face and tail is so depressing, and I really can’t afford a vet bill right now!
I was so excited to pick up the mail yesterday and find this box:
And inside it:
This is a journal that three of my best college friends and I began in 2003. Angie, Julie, and I gave it to Becca for her birthday that year. They had recently graduated (I was a year behind), and we would no longer live close by each other. The idea is for one person to write in the journal and then mail it to the next person. Eventually it gets back to the person who started with it and another round begins.
Here is the inside cover, where we posted a picture of us with directions of how to use the journal. We also keep stickers there along with other miscellaneous things from time to time.
It’s the most fun when we put in pictures and other little things like that, and when we make notes in the margins of each others’ entries in response. Although we do keep up with each other through e-mail, some phone calls, and the occasional visit, the journal is infinitely more fun. I have to say that we aren’t always the best at keeping up with it, some of us keeping it for up to a year at a time without sending it on, but we try, and it is so worth it.
Here is an example of a page I entered back in 2006:
I encourage you to give it a try! For more information and ideas, visit the Circle Journey website.
I had a big day lined up today. After my morning class I planned to eat a hearty meal and then donate blood at noon, after which I was going to walk over to Baylor College of Medicine to have an MRI for cash. When I told David about this latest experiment he just said, “Oh Kat,” and smiled. He’s made his protests, and now he’s coming to terms with our differences.
Anyway, I ate the hearty meal as planned - a huge ham and provolone sandwich on a croissant, a banana, and two chocolate chocolate-chip cookies. I then meandered over to the blood drive to begin the screening process. At this point I was nervous about the whole blood-giving experience because I have had issues in the past, and I was already feeling bad with a headache and cramps. Also, I have an important soccer game tonight which I still planned to play despite my cells being drained of their oxygen source. Because I’m tough like that.
So I began the screening process. My vitals were good: pulse 60, blood pressure 102/70, temp 97.2. Yes. I got my finger stuck and my iron level was 39. On a roll! Now all the questions…no, I don’t have HIV, hepatitis, hemophilia, or anything of the like. No, I haven’t had sex with a man who has had sex with a man. No, I haven’t paid for sex. I got hung up on the travel questions. In 2006 I went to a small town in Mexico that isn’t in the database. We spent approximately ten minutes figuring out what state it’s in, enlisting the help of a supervisor for this process.
I was getting worried at this point that I would be late for my MRI, but after about thirty minutes of screening I was told that I can’t give blood for a year because of the unlicensed bird flu vaccine that I received the other week. My gift of life was denied. Should I worry that I had an unlicensed bird flu vaccine last year as well and donated blood three times without reporting it? Nah.
After this disappointment (although I was secretly relieved) I walked over to the neuroimaging lab. After a bit of waiting and paperwork I was loaded in to the MRI machine. First came a quick 10-second scan. No problem! Then I waited…and waited. This was a group study, and apparently the others were having issues with their scanner. I am still having cramps during all of this. After more than enough time had passed, I began a 4 1/2 minute scan so that they could get my basic structure…or something like that. This one was extremely loud and sounded like some kind of emergency alarm that gave me the serious urge to exit the building NOW. It also gave me the serious urge to vomit, because the magnetic field was so strong. I had to implement controlled breathing exercises to make it through that one. Afterwards, a voice asked me, “Are you comfortable? We want you to be as still as possible for the rest of the experiment.” Um, no. I am decidedly NOT comfortable, I am dreading the actual experimental scan (30-40 minutes! Torture!), and as soon as someone tells me not to move, that is ALL I want to do. But I replied “Sure,” with only a hint of sarcasm.
More waiting, and then it was time to begin. I was going to be playing a computer game against another person while they scanned me. This was to try to discover something about the brain and how people work together. I would explain the game to you, but it’s probably not interesting to 99% of the people reading this. But I guess I did alright on it, because I earned an extra $15 for my performance. Add to that the $20 flat rate for being involved in the study and the $10 extra they gave me for being a “good sport” with all the waiting, and I have myself 45 big ones. You may not think it was wort it, but to me it totally was, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Just wanted to share with you a few random images from the past week.
Here is the bulletin board at my school:
This is where I discover new clinical trials to take part in. Currently I’m involved in a 7-month bird flu vaccine study, and I’m also scheduled to go play some computer games while having an MRI done on Wednesday.
Here is Cleo playing with Riley, one of the dogs I pet-sit:
They got along great, and as you can see Cleo was not intimidated by Riley’s size. But unfortunately the two of them together caused a little more trouble than either of them on their own. The victims were two wooden chess pieces and a portion of a very nice floor rug.
Here is David and I on our Good Friday fishing trip:
We had a great time, and David caught 5 trout, but I came away with a sunburn on my thighs and some very chapped lips.
Well, I’m off to work a clinical shift. Happy Tuesday, everyone.
Watch out internet, my brother has a blog: Going Stagg.
You should really check it out. He designed it himself, and his writing is so entertaining. Also, my youngest brother Barry will be making guest posts from time to time which I’m sure will be hilarious.
I have been bugging him about starting his own website for a long time now, so I’m really excited about this. Please show your support, leave him a comment, and subscribe!
Hello, how is everyone doing today? I’m great, thank you. The internet is still not working at the house I’m staying at, so I’m writing from school. Today I have a test, a quiz, a presentation, and a paper due. I’ll be glad when it’s all over.
Since I haven’t been able to be in touch, I’m going to let you in on what has been going on with me. I guess I’m somewhat stressed out with all the stuff going on in my life, because lately I’ve just been crying at random times, over something that seems trivial. But I haven’t cried in the past two days, so things are looking up!
I finally found the perfect place to have my wedding, which is a huge relief. It’s called House Plantation, and it’s a home built in the 1890’s which was remodeled to hold events. It’s old but not run-down, antique but not gaudy. It’s beautiful, can accommodate all our guests, and the owners are flexible with letting us bring in any services from the outside that we want. Having this place makes me excited about planning the wedding again. Also, this means we finally have a date set - October 3 - which makes the whole thing seem more real.
So back to the whole crying/stressed-out thing. I think part of that had to do with the fact that I really needed a spring break and I didn’t get one. Yesterday I was supposed to work a clinical shift (I have 3 more to do), but then I realized that I hadn’t studied for my test, I needed to finish preparing for my presentation, and I was on the verge of a breakdown. So I decided to do the unthinkable for me - give myself a day off.
I didn’t leave the house yesterday, and it was great. Even though I slept horribly because three dogs all wanted to be in the bed with me, I got all my studying done, ordered pizza and watched a movie with David, had some time to relax, and got to bed early. And it turns out that Friday, which I was planning to work, is an office holiday. A forced day off! So David and I are going fishing in what is supposed to be perfect weather. This week is so much more of a spring break than last week, even if I do have all the school stuff due.
Well, my presentation is coming up, so I’d better get going. I’ll try to be in touch again soon!
So I’m house-sitting and the internet isn’t working very well. I had to drive home tonight just to submit an assignment that was due by midnight, but my roommate double-locked the door so I couldn’t get in. Fortunately the wireless is working outside the apartment, so I am currently sitting on the concrete in front of my door. Lovely.
Anyway, I hope to get it sorted out tomorrow and be back in touch with you.
Well there’s one less thing on my mind now…
I was hired yesterday at The Methodist Hospital as a graduate nurse on the oncology unit. I am SO excited. It’s perfect for me: oncology, eight-hour day shifts, and a great company (#10 on the Fortune 100 best companies to work for). I start June 2! Of course, I have to graduate first.
I think it was the easiest interview of all time. In fact, I’m pretty sure they knew they were going to give me an offer before I came in. The manager asked me one question (why do you want to do oncology?), told me about the unit, and gave me the job. I told her I would talk it over with my fiance (because I’m all grown up like that) and call her back later in the day. I accepted, and I’m so glad I did.
In other exciting news…
Decisions I’ve made about the wedding in the last two weeks: 0
Hours I’ve had to relax during “spring break”: about 4
Recent overdrafts on my checking account: 2
Clinical trials I’ve enrolled in to bring in some extra cash and prevent future overdrafts: 2
Hey everyone. I’ve been attending a review session for my board exam for the past three days from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tomorrow is the last day of it. It’s good but pretty tiring. Oh, and this is my spring break as well, but I will spend the rest of it working. Some things that I am thinking:
I want to do a triathlon and I want to train for it now, but there is no time. So I will postpone my plans.
I’m mad that for the second week in a row there have been no bikes left at the Spin class at the gym.
I have an interview with The Methodist Hospital oncology unit on Wednesday morning. If they offer me the job and it’s a day shift, I think I’m going to take it even though it’s in the medical center.
I miss my fiance. I hate days where we don’t see each other. I want to get married badly, but I don’t feel like planning a wedding right now.
Stephen King is a really good writer.
I could really go for some dutch chocolate ice cream right now. Easter is less than two weeks away…
