I know I was supposed to blog about other things this time around but I have kinda had an unexplainably bad last few days at the hospital. I am not sure why or what but I have been in a little funk there and haven't wanted to go.
Despite this, I have been feeling very grateful for all that I have as I go home each day. I am grateful that I don't have HIV, Liver cirrhosis, schizophrenia, or Renal Disease. I am grateful that I have a home to go to, that I have food to eat, and that I actually have an appetite to eat it, sometimes too much of an appetite. And even though I just moved out to a strange city, I already have a handful of people...no change that to a few handfuls of people out here that I can turn to if I get into trouble or need anything. I truely am blessed in my life.
And thanks to all my friends and family back at home who are still watching out for me!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
My New Apartment
So the plan for this weekend was to clean my room and take pictures of my new apartment so everyone could see it finally but you all probably know me well enough to know that didn't happen. Sleep and other more fun things ranked higher on my list. Instead I will just give you a poetic description and you can pretend like it is in the olden days.
My apartment sits on a street called Park Avenue (sounds like monopoly right?). It is nice to finally have a street name after living on the grid in Utah. The street is quiet and lined with trees, one of the more calm streets in Richmond. Like most houses here it is old, and charming, and quaint...but old. The floors are wood, with arched entrances, and high ceilings. We have two fireplaces that we arent supposed to use, but they are fireplaces nonetheless. We have a neighbor downstairs who is in her late twenties and is very nice to us. Her cat named "Fats" comes to visit often, he looks like a small bear. We live in an area of town called, "the fan" because Richmond streets make a fan formation starting from downtown going out. This makes me get lost a lot... The fan is where most college students live and is supposedly full of youth and energy although I don't experience it much going to bed here at 9:30 usually. Driving down my streets I almost getting in accidents often because all the houses are beautiful and I see a knew interesting one that I had noticed before everytime I drive. It is a place that I am happy to call home for the next year.
And for those who wanted visuals, this is me and my roommate out for a night a couple of weeks ago with our two other intern friends Katie a
nd Anna:
Coming Soon: My experience at "The Byrd" and discovering a beautiful message...
Side Note to Michemily: It's okay you didn't recognize me because I didn't recognize you at first until Amanda reminded me so we will call it even. Keep reading!
My apartment sits on a street called Park Avenue (sounds like monopoly right?). It is nice to finally have a street name after living on the grid in Utah. The street is quiet and lined with trees, one of the more calm streets in Richmond. Like most houses here it is old, and charming, and quaint...but old. The floors are wood, with arched entrances, and high ceilings. We have two fireplaces that we arent supposed to use, but they are fireplaces nonetheless. We have a neighbor downstairs who is in her late twenties and is very nice to us. Her cat named "Fats" comes to visit often, he looks like a small bear. We live in an area of town called, "the fan" because Richmond streets make a fan formation starting from downtown going out. This makes me get lost a lot... The fan is where most college students live and is supposedly full of youth and energy although I don't experience it much going to bed here at 9:30 usually. Driving down my streets I almost getting in accidents often because all the houses are beautiful and I see a knew interesting one that I had noticed before everytime I drive. It is a place that I am happy to call home for the next year.
And for those who wanted visuals, this is me and my roommate out for a night a couple of weeks ago with our two other intern friends Katie a
nd Anna:
Coming Soon: My experience at "The Byrd" and discovering a beautiful message...
Side Note to Michemily: It's okay you didn't recognize me because I didn't recognize you at first until Amanda reminded me so we will call it even. Keep reading!
Lars and the Real Girl
This was my first week at the hospital where I wasn't doing orientation and I am glad that it is over! Not that it was bad but it is just information overload all the time. I need to stretch out my brain after all the dying it did working at the restaurants....
Anywho, Miranda and I decided that we were too tired to do anything exciting this weekend so we opted for watching a movie and eating candy instead with two other interns. The first week of internship our director had told us that one of her favorite movies was "Lars and the Real Girl." None of us had seen it so we decided to rent it.
I don't really remember when this movie came out except thinking that is looked kinda silly and dumb. My heart sank to think that Ryan Gosling had resorted to this after such a beautiful performance in The Notebook. But after seeing this movie, I have been put in my place. Just a quick synopsis:
Lars is kinda a socially weird guy living in the garage behind his brother's house. He buy a life size doll online and starts pretending it is his girlfriend. I know you are probably all thinking this sounds very inappropriate but he is very respectful and even has her sleep at his brothers house in the guest room. He is kind and caring towards her, and very sweet. Lars' family takes him to the doctor because they think he is crazy but the doctor recommends they go along with it for a while. Soon the whole town gets in on it and starts treating Lars' "girlfriend" like she is a real person.
This movie was kind of heart warming for me and my friends and at the end we all were saying what a great message it had...except we couldn't think of what the message was! I never really was good at this sort of thing in English class when we read novels and I guess I am still not so great. After a lot of pondering on the matter I decided the overall message was just simple kindness and love. The people in town loved Lars so much that they treated a doll like she was a person, and did it in a big way. They brought her flowers, they invited her to parties, they elected her to the school board, and just made her involved in their lives. I guess sometimes we expect the moral of the story to be something earth shattering or life changing but it doesn't always have to be that way.
Have you shown kindness to someone today?
Anywho, Miranda and I decided that we were too tired to do anything exciting this weekend so we opted for watching a movie and eating candy instead with two other interns. The first week of internship our director had told us that one of her favorite movies was "Lars and the Real Girl." None of us had seen it so we decided to rent it.
I don't really remember when this movie came out except thinking that is looked kinda silly and dumb. My heart sank to think that Ryan Gosling had resorted to this after such a beautiful performance in The Notebook. But after seeing this movie, I have been put in my place. Just a quick synopsis:
Lars is kinda a socially weird guy living in the garage behind his brother's house. He buy a life size doll online and starts pretending it is his girlfriend. I know you are probably all thinking this sounds very inappropriate but he is very respectful and even has her sleep at his brothers house in the guest room. He is kind and caring towards her, and very sweet. Lars' family takes him to the doctor because they think he is crazy but the doctor recommends they go along with it for a while. Soon the whole town gets in on it and starts treating Lars' "girlfriend" like she is a real person.
This movie was kind of heart warming for me and my friends and at the end we all were saying what a great message it had...except we couldn't think of what the message was! I never really was good at this sort of thing in English class when we read novels and I guess I am still not so great. After a lot of pondering on the matter I decided the overall message was just simple kindness and love. The people in town loved Lars so much that they treated a doll like she was a person, and did it in a big way. They brought her flowers, they invited her to parties, they elected her to the school board, and just made her involved in their lives. I guess sometimes we expect the moral of the story to be something earth shattering or life changing but it doesn't always have to be that way.
Have you shown kindness to someone today?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Why I Don't Go To Walmart...
So it seems like Virginia has been a series of unfortunate accidents for me since I got here...yet very comical as well. I have broken down and gone to Walmart about 5 times in the past week to get cheap junk for my new apartment...oh wait, I forgot to mention I found an apartment. More on that later. Anywhoooo, I was wandering around Walmart late at night while waiting for Miranda to pick out a rug and I spotted an ironing board which I actually did need so I tried to pull it out of the display. Right as a Walmart employee rounded the corner, I pulled the ironing board off and the whole display of about 20 ironing boards fell on me, and ripped open the package of forty hangers I was carrying and made a big mess everywhere. I really didn't want to help clean it up because it was wayyy past my bedtime (about 9:07 pm) which I didn't have to because all the employees were just so concerned I was hurt they didn't want me to do anything.
That's really the only interesting thing that has happened to me lately but Amanda has requested some more information so I am going to honor it since only her and my mom read this blog probably.
Of course she wanted to know about the inauguration. Well, watch CNN and then drive in really horrible freeway traffic and that is about the experience that I had with it. A lot of people had to stay in Richmond and commute so the roads were a little blocked up. But on a more positive note, now that its over I can go visit DC soon since they will be opening up roads into the city.
The internship is going well but nothing really exciting has been happening. We finished orientation yesterday and I officially started today but really I just followed my dietitian preceptor around and visited one patient with her. I will be with her for five weeks for my medicine rotation. I will just shadow for a few days then will slowly be let on my own to see patients and do a full diet work up. Most of the girls were nervous for today but I wasn't which was good because it is really easy so far and everyone is helpful and nice. I think the Utah State professors scared us a little too much.
More about my new apartment later...
That's really the only interesting thing that has happened to me lately but Amanda has requested some more information so I am going to honor it since only her and my mom read this blog probably.
Of course she wanted to know about the inauguration. Well, watch CNN and then drive in really horrible freeway traffic and that is about the experience that I had with it. A lot of people had to stay in Richmond and commute so the roads were a little blocked up. But on a more positive note, now that its over I can go visit DC soon since they will be opening up roads into the city.
The internship is going well but nothing really exciting has been happening. We finished orientation yesterday and I officially started today but really I just followed my dietitian preceptor around and visited one patient with her. I will be with her for five weeks for my medicine rotation. I will just shadow for a few days then will slowly be let on my own to see patients and do a full diet work up. Most of the girls were nervous for today but I wasn't which was good because it is really easy so far and everyone is helpful and nice. I think the Utah State professors scared us a little too much.
More about my new apartment later...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Hey Ya'll!
A lot has happened since I have moved to Richmond...way too much to write in a blog post. So I am going to give you the executive summary as best as I can.
My Current Residence:
I am staying with a family here in the suburbs of Richmond by a way random connection through my new roommate's friend's mom's friend.......... They are probably the nicest people I have ever met. And the craziest. Since I have gotten here it has been pretty much a constant party. There are always people coming to visit, coming to say hi to us, and constant talking and conversation. It is like living in a sorority house, except I don't have to pay dues, and our chapter mom is a real mom and now my new "mom" of Virginia named Beanie. I have searched for an apartment all weekend with my roommate Miranda, but we have had no success. To Be Continued...
My Roommate:
This is my new roommate Miranda. She is from Kentucky.
The Accent
Yes people, I was wrong when I told you I was moving to the east coast. Nope, I moved to the south, okay. It's too bad you can't tell from my blog but I am already picking up a sweet hybrid accent comprised of Utah, Virginia, Kentucky, and a little bit of Australian (thanks to my new GPS "Bruce"...)
An Unfortunate Incident:
One day Beanie's niece wanted to drive me around Richmond and show me different areas of town. Every so often I would see for rent signs and jump out to get the number. After writing down a number I was intently looking at my list while I walked back to the car. As soon as I opened the door I realized it wasn't the right car when the whole inside panel fell off the door. No one was in the car but I couldnt get the panel back on which made it so the door wouldn't shut...so I ran. And yes people were watching.
The Food:
Tonight I ate a dinner at the baptist church. We had black eyed peas, collard greens, stewed tomatoes, and salisbury steak with onions. Furthermore, I have never heard the words chicken wings or chick-fil-a more in my life than I have this week. People like their food here, and I am still getting used to it. Also, Cafe Rio has not made it out here so I am thinking about starting a franchise.
The Internship:
Today was the first day so there really isn't much to say except I passed my drug test (yay!) and we are in the heart of dowtown on the 17th floor so the view is amazing. It is a really old hospital that looks like it should be in a horror movie but a lot of things in Richmond are old...and charming.
First Day of Work:
Good-bye missionary uniform!
Miss you All!
My Current Residence:
I am staying with a family here in the suburbs of Richmond by a way random connection through my new roommate's friend's mom's friend.......... They are probably the nicest people I have ever met. And the craziest. Since I have gotten here it has been pretty much a constant party. There are always people coming to visit, coming to say hi to us, and constant talking and conversation. It is like living in a sorority house, except I don't have to pay dues, and our chapter mom is a real mom and now my new "mom" of Virginia named Beanie. I have searched for an apartment all weekend with my roommate Miranda, but we have had no success. To Be Continued...
My Roommate:
This is my new roommate Miranda. She is from Kentucky.
The Accent
Yes people, I was wrong when I told you I was moving to the east coast. Nope, I moved to the south, okay. It's too bad you can't tell from my blog but I am already picking up a sweet hybrid accent comprised of Utah, Virginia, Kentucky, and a little bit of Australian (thanks to my new GPS "Bruce"...)
An Unfortunate Incident:
One day Beanie's niece wanted to drive me around Richmond and show me different areas of town. Every so often I would see for rent signs and jump out to get the number. After writing down a number I was intently looking at my list while I walked back to the car. As soon as I opened the door I realized it wasn't the right car when the whole inside panel fell off the door. No one was in the car but I couldnt get the panel back on which made it so the door wouldn't shut...so I ran. And yes people were watching.
The Food:
Tonight I ate a dinner at the baptist church. We had black eyed peas, collard greens, stewed tomatoes, and salisbury steak with onions. Furthermore, I have never heard the words chicken wings or chick-fil-a more in my life than I have this week. People like their food here, and I am still getting used to it. Also, Cafe Rio has not made it out here so I am thinking about starting a franchise.
The Internship:
Today was the first day so there really isn't much to say except I passed my drug test (yay!) and we are in the heart of dowtown on the 17th floor so the view is amazing. It is a really old hospital that looks like it should be in a horror movie but a lot of things in Richmond are old...and charming.
First Day of Work:
Good-bye missionary uniform! Miss you All!
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