So I've posted about pretty much everything under the sun, and figured I'd get back to what this blog was intended for this time out. There have been huge moves in my status over the last month or so. I got accepting into a nursing program for starters. That's big...huge...colossal! About a year ago when I chose not to go work on the Honeywell factory for an absurd amount of money it was without knowing for certain if I would even get a spot in nursing school. Now that I have, there's no more need for worry or speculation. Now it's just a matter of time and effort, (almost) completely under my control. This semester is winding down, only a few weeks to go. Despite having a pretty brutal schedule it looks like I'm going to knock down another semester of straight A's, go me! Just had my first evaluation at work, and was told to just keep doing what I do, don't change a thing. Now I know I don't have the most complicated job in the world but it is still a nice confidence boost to hear something like that with a job you've just started. I found out for sure that I get a scholarship worth 14k over 2 years, not quite enough to cover what student loans don't but hell...it's 14k. I'm also set for a relatively easy summer, I have a couple classes to take, both online, few days of work a week, and a computer game that I've been waiting 10MFING YEARS FOR is being released the week after finals. So yeah...the last two months have pretty much been the polar opposite of the couple years that preceded them. I could stop here, with everything being all sunshine and daisy's, but if you've read any of my previous posts you know that's not going to happen.
The other purpose of this blog was to keep track of how people reacted to me becoming a nurse, and how I was treated in this new environment. I expected a pretty profound difference in treatment from construction, and there's no doubt there has been one...just not the one I was expecting. Sure, I've gotten the "you're doing what?!" reaction more than once, but it's all from my old friends. The new people? They treat me like a freaking rock star. I'm talking open, accepting, encouraging, helpful, all that crap you see in a Disney movie and don't think is real. It's made me realize, I pretty much hate all of my old friends. You guys are all a bunch of pricks. Screw you soooo much. Yeah, some of you kept me from drowning when I chugged too much vodka, but it wasn't because you wanted to save me, it was because you wanted to use me as a prop in your homoerotic fantasies. And I'll admit that some of you put up with my twisted sense of humor, but I think that's only because I cook for you. Don't get me wrong here, I'm still going to hang out with you, I'm just going to hate every second of it. While we are drinking, joking, and laughing just remember that I'm actually seething inside and hoping that 2 lightning bugs get lodged in your ear while they're having sex and the eggs hatch in your sleep 3 months later. There is still hope however, I'm willing to once again consider you good friends but the simple truth is, you're going to have to try harder.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
God vs Science
Since I've been particularly lazy the last month and haven't posted at all, I figured I would tackle an abnormally large topic to make up for it. The religion vs science debate is as old as...well, religion and science, and despite a few thousand years of trying neither side has made much headway. There are a few things to keep in mind when talking about something like this. 1, there is no definitive answer, at least not yet. In fact, there probably never will be since God can never be disproven, and the only way to absolutely prove God is if he shows up one day taking a dump on the hood of your Volvo. 2, there is room for both. In simplistic terms science serves to tell us how, religion is there to tell us why. 3, there are roughly 7,004,351,812 opinions on the subject, as there are roughly 7,004,351,812 people on the planet. However, the vast majority of these people are not me, so their opinions don't count here.
Since returning to school I've been loaded up on science classes, which is cool because I love science. Generally speaking though scientists aren't really believers in a higher power. When I go to work though, even non believers stop sometimes and consider a higher power. Sometimes it's the only way our...well your, tiny human brains can comprehend some things. The fact is, when it comes to healing sometimes people do what we do best. We act like giant assholes and have our bodies do the exact opposite of what they should.
There's also the fact that science is full of shit. I mean, sure we have figured out some amazing things. We can do the impossible, we can build the unbuildable, we can make the snozberries taste like snozberries. We can launch people into space, whisper across the planet, and show how every cell in our body performs the mechanical functions required of it. However, we're no closer than Isaac Newton was explaining WHY that apple hurt when it fell on his head, WHY it pissed him off, or even how in the hell we can remember who Isaac Newton is anyways. That last one is likely a matter of time, and the reason we haven't figured it out yet is most likely because we just don't have the technology to see it very well. Once we do figure out how memory works though it will still leave us miles away from knowing anything about the whys.
Our bodies aren't the only place this happens either. Every once in a while science will be tooling around on a Sunday drive, things looking great, explaining the shit out of everything, then it will hit a little pot hole...And in science a little pothole is something that bounces your car off a 100 foot cliff, causes it to explode mid air, then randomly rearrange its particles into a sperm whale and a petunia that crash into a fiery black hole of doom at the bottom.
Here is an actual video:
So what about me you ask? You are asking that right? Of course you are, everyone wants to know what I think. I stand firmly in the category of "It's above my pay grade". I believe in God, no I don't have any proof, no I'm not going to go find you any proof, it's just a feeling...you know, one of those things science doesn't have the first clue about how to figure out. I love science too. Hell, science and I are tighter than Snookies pillows in a 3 sizes too small spandex shirt. It hasn't done a thing to convince me that we will ever be able to figure out certain things though. So for now, I'm going to use science to fix anything I can, and pray for the rest.
Since returning to school I've been loaded up on science classes, which is cool because I love science. Generally speaking though scientists aren't really believers in a higher power. When I go to work though, even non believers stop sometimes and consider a higher power. Sometimes it's the only way our...well your, tiny human brains can comprehend some things. The fact is, when it comes to healing sometimes people do what we do best. We act like giant assholes and have our bodies do the exact opposite of what they should.
There's also the fact that science is full of shit. I mean, sure we have figured out some amazing things. We can do the impossible, we can build the unbuildable, we can make the snozberries taste like snozberries. We can launch people into space, whisper across the planet, and show how every cell in our body performs the mechanical functions required of it. However, we're no closer than Isaac Newton was explaining WHY that apple hurt when it fell on his head, WHY it pissed him off, or even how in the hell we can remember who Isaac Newton is anyways. That last one is likely a matter of time, and the reason we haven't figured it out yet is most likely because we just don't have the technology to see it very well. Once we do figure out how memory works though it will still leave us miles away from knowing anything about the whys.
Our bodies aren't the only place this happens either. Every once in a while science will be tooling around on a Sunday drive, things looking great, explaining the shit out of everything, then it will hit a little pot hole...And in science a little pothole is something that bounces your car off a 100 foot cliff, causes it to explode mid air, then randomly rearrange its particles into a sperm whale and a petunia that crash into a fiery black hole of doom at the bottom.
Here is an actual video:
So what about me you ask? You are asking that right? Of course you are, everyone wants to know what I think. I stand firmly in the category of "It's above my pay grade". I believe in God, no I don't have any proof, no I'm not going to go find you any proof, it's just a feeling...you know, one of those things science doesn't have the first clue about how to figure out. I love science too. Hell, science and I are tighter than Snookies pillows in a 3 sizes too small spandex shirt. It hasn't done a thing to convince me that we will ever be able to figure out certain things though. So for now, I'm going to use science to fix anything I can, and pray for the rest.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Medical advice for dummies.
Pretty much everyone has had a loved one in the hospital at some point. It's tiring, stressful, and sometimes downright scary. You want to make sure your person is being treated properly, comfortable, safe, and just getting the best care possible. Working with patients I've learned that a persons family can be your best friend or your worst enemy, so here's a handy dandy list of dos and don'ts the next time you're visiting someone in the hospital.
Sometimes it's ok to interfere. Hell, sometimes it's the best thing you can do. As it turns out, doctors and nurses are human. Sometimes they make mistakes. They might miss a symptom completely, misread one, attribute one problem to the wrong disease, a lot can happen. There's also the fact that diseases don't always like to cooperate. Virus 1 may have symptom A, virus 2 has symptom B, and virus 3 has both. Sneaky bastard. And if this wasn't enough, our own bodies are kind of assholes too. We misrepresent signs, reject treatments, have allergies, reactions, and just generally muck up the whole process.
With so many things that can go wrong, it's great to have an extra set of eyes helping out. Here's a few things that families can do that really....REALLY...help.
Watch for signs and symptoms all the time. A tremor in the hand that's never been there, slurred speech, failing memory, loss of balance, anything really. Sure if these problems get bad enough any one will see them, but you know this person the best so you're in the best position to catch them early.
Fill in gaps in medical history. When someone is sick they may forget something, either a medication, an allergy, past visit, whatever it happens. Another thing that happens is, people lie. They think they'll get some extra drugs, avoid trouble, or outsmart the doctors. What they really do is undermine the whole healing process, increase their time in the hospital, and often times cause more damage. You can help by stepping in and filling these holes.
Get your hands dirty. Take an active part in the care. Sure, wiping a butt may not be how you intended to spend your night, but almost every patient I've had would prefer help from family if given the choice. When it comes to the more embarrassing things, such as bathing or toileting, having a complete stranger help can be added stress the patient just doesn't need.
Address problems that you see. If you think someone isn't doing their job, talk to someone. Let me repeat that, TALK to someone. Don't start screaming and yelling and threatening to sue without knowing what's going on. Odds are, the person was doing exactly what they were supposed to. There is the chance though that you just got a crappy nurse/tech/doctor. Find who is the next person up and politely bring it up, trust me, if someone was actually doing something wrong it will be fixed. The hospitals have too much money on the line to cover for a bad employee.
Unfortunately, I witness the wrong way to do things much more often than the right way. Some of these things are somewhat understandable, some are just not thinking it through, and some are full retard.
Don't bring in food. At least not without clearing it with a nurse. Yeah hospital food isn't the best, but most patients are on a very specific diet for a reason. Nurses don't limit the types of food because they think it's funny, and if your person doesn't have any restrictions everyone is more than happy for you to bring in that bucket of extra crispy.
Don't cause stress. This one can be hard. It's best not to cry in front of the patient, or (unintentionally) seeking comfort from them. On the easy side, don't talk about not having money for bills, the ex girlfriend, don't finish the fight you had last week, just let it go for a few days. Stress is a real medical issue. It affects your immune system, causes you to stay sick longer, and affects wound healing. Being in the hospital is stressful, stress keeps you in the hospital...doh!
Don't sneak in drugs. It's amazing how common this is. He needs his <insert drug here>! If you won't give it to him I will! So you come to the hospital for their medical expertise, then you won't listen to it when they give it. Usually when this happens, the patient is already getting the drug under a different name. Sometimes it was discontinued because it will have a negative interaction with a new medicine. This is one of the most blatantly idiotic things I've seen. You can cause an overdose, a bad reaction, slow the healing process, and quite possibly kill them. Good job, see what you did.
Don't assume the patient is telling you the truth. Especially when that person is on mind altering drugs, or has a disease that affects cognition, or when you know that they're a big fat liar. The doctors and nurses aren't going to lie about a treatment. They can't, every little thing they do is documented. I've seen patients lie about every aspect of treatment, get their families mad at the staff, and no one in the family takes a second to think the situation through.
And this last one is for certain patients, well their families should listen too. If you came to the hospital because you couldn't take care of yourself, such as a diabetic plowing through a dozen ice cream and butter donuts, don't give your advice. You can't tell the staff what's best for you, because you don't have a clue. If you do have a clue and just choose to ignore it, then you're just there long enough to get stabilized so you can go home and screw up again. Either way it's fastest if you just let us do our job for a few days.
Sometimes it's ok to interfere. Hell, sometimes it's the best thing you can do. As it turns out, doctors and nurses are human. Sometimes they make mistakes. They might miss a symptom completely, misread one, attribute one problem to the wrong disease, a lot can happen. There's also the fact that diseases don't always like to cooperate. Virus 1 may have symptom A, virus 2 has symptom B, and virus 3 has both. Sneaky bastard. And if this wasn't enough, our own bodies are kind of assholes too. We misrepresent signs, reject treatments, have allergies, reactions, and just generally muck up the whole process.
With so many things that can go wrong, it's great to have an extra set of eyes helping out. Here's a few things that families can do that really....REALLY...help.
Watch for signs and symptoms all the time. A tremor in the hand that's never been there, slurred speech, failing memory, loss of balance, anything really. Sure if these problems get bad enough any one will see them, but you know this person the best so you're in the best position to catch them early.
Fill in gaps in medical history. When someone is sick they may forget something, either a medication, an allergy, past visit, whatever it happens. Another thing that happens is, people lie. They think they'll get some extra drugs, avoid trouble, or outsmart the doctors. What they really do is undermine the whole healing process, increase their time in the hospital, and often times cause more damage. You can help by stepping in and filling these holes.
Get your hands dirty. Take an active part in the care. Sure, wiping a butt may not be how you intended to spend your night, but almost every patient I've had would prefer help from family if given the choice. When it comes to the more embarrassing things, such as bathing or toileting, having a complete stranger help can be added stress the patient just doesn't need.
Address problems that you see. If you think someone isn't doing their job, talk to someone. Let me repeat that, TALK to someone. Don't start screaming and yelling and threatening to sue without knowing what's going on. Odds are, the person was doing exactly what they were supposed to. There is the chance though that you just got a crappy nurse/tech/doctor. Find who is the next person up and politely bring it up, trust me, if someone was actually doing something wrong it will be fixed. The hospitals have too much money on the line to cover for a bad employee.
Unfortunately, I witness the wrong way to do things much more often than the right way. Some of these things are somewhat understandable, some are just not thinking it through, and some are full retard.
Don't bring in food. At least not without clearing it with a nurse. Yeah hospital food isn't the best, but most patients are on a very specific diet for a reason. Nurses don't limit the types of food because they think it's funny, and if your person doesn't have any restrictions everyone is more than happy for you to bring in that bucket of extra crispy.
Don't cause stress. This one can be hard. It's best not to cry in front of the patient, or (unintentionally) seeking comfort from them. On the easy side, don't talk about not having money for bills, the ex girlfriend, don't finish the fight you had last week, just let it go for a few days. Stress is a real medical issue. It affects your immune system, causes you to stay sick longer, and affects wound healing. Being in the hospital is stressful, stress keeps you in the hospital...doh!
Don't sneak in drugs. It's amazing how common this is. He needs his <insert drug here>! If you won't give it to him I will! So you come to the hospital for their medical expertise, then you won't listen to it when they give it. Usually when this happens, the patient is already getting the drug under a different name. Sometimes it was discontinued because it will have a negative interaction with a new medicine. This is one of the most blatantly idiotic things I've seen. You can cause an overdose, a bad reaction, slow the healing process, and quite possibly kill them. Good job, see what you did.
Don't assume the patient is telling you the truth. Especially when that person is on mind altering drugs, or has a disease that affects cognition, or when you know that they're a big fat liar. The doctors and nurses aren't going to lie about a treatment. They can't, every little thing they do is documented. I've seen patients lie about every aspect of treatment, get their families mad at the staff, and no one in the family takes a second to think the situation through.
And this last one is for certain patients, well their families should listen too. If you came to the hospital because you couldn't take care of yourself, such as a diabetic plowing through a dozen ice cream and butter donuts, don't give your advice. You can't tell the staff what's best for you, because you don't have a clue. If you do have a clue and just choose to ignore it, then you're just there long enough to get stabilized so you can go home and screw up again. Either way it's fastest if you just let us do our job for a few days.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week.
Well I knew it was coming eventually. With school and work things were bound to line up just right to not leave an extra second. Toss in something unexpected, and another pretty intense experience that was expected in the same week and bam.
First it was school. This semester is very intensive, but overall tolerable. However, throw 4 exams into an 8 day period and things just got real. If I was taking classes like dummy math or ethics or something then they wouldn't be a big deal. Unfortunately it's a pair of anatomy and physiology exams, a biopsychology, and a pathophysiology for good measure. FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.
Work isn't too bad this week, but still taking up a couple days of my time, and they tossed in a staff meeting on a day I usually wouldn't have to be there, and a new employee lunch for being there 90 days. Neither of which are that big of a deal really, except you're really expected to show and by the time you get ready, drive, do the meeting thing, you've just dropped at least 2 hours that you didn't have to begin with.
Then there's the interview to get into nursing school. Pfffff, like that means anything. It's just that my whole decision to go back to school hinges on that one hour. No pressure.
An hour after that interview I have to be at the hospital because Denise is getting 2 vertebrae fused.
Then, just in case that wasn't enough, she wrecked her car, likely totaling it, leaving us with 3925734958734957 other things to take care of in all of our free time this week.
The strange part is, I'm actually kind of enjoying it. I think after the couple years of being mostly useless the excitement and pressure of it all is a little exhilarating. 2 of the tests are already done, both near 100%. Work is half done for the week. Denise wasn't hurt in the wreck, and even though it's a hassle it's insured. It's fun to be under pressure again and to be able to kick the hell out of it.
You can't touch this.
First it was school. This semester is very intensive, but overall tolerable. However, throw 4 exams into an 8 day period and things just got real. If I was taking classes like dummy math or ethics or something then they wouldn't be a big deal. Unfortunately it's a pair of anatomy and physiology exams, a biopsychology, and a pathophysiology for good measure. FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.
Work isn't too bad this week, but still taking up a couple days of my time, and they tossed in a staff meeting on a day I usually wouldn't have to be there, and a new employee lunch for being there 90 days. Neither of which are that big of a deal really, except you're really expected to show and by the time you get ready, drive, do the meeting thing, you've just dropped at least 2 hours that you didn't have to begin with.
Then there's the interview to get into nursing school. Pfffff, like that means anything. It's just that my whole decision to go back to school hinges on that one hour. No pressure.
An hour after that interview I have to be at the hospital because Denise is getting 2 vertebrae fused.
Then, just in case that wasn't enough, she wrecked her car, likely totaling it, leaving us with 3925734958734957 other things to take care of in all of our free time this week.
The strange part is, I'm actually kind of enjoying it. I think after the couple years of being mostly useless the excitement and pressure of it all is a little exhilarating. 2 of the tests are already done, both near 100%. Work is half done for the week. Denise wasn't hurt in the wreck, and even though it's a hassle it's insured. It's fun to be under pressure again and to be able to kick the hell out of it.
You can't touch this.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
HEY HEY HEY!
It's not quite as fat Albert. I had set a goal for myself to lose 20 lbs over Christmas break. Pretty ambitious goal, and of course I didn't hit it, but I did drop about 15. That puts me an an even 30 since this time last year. I've gone through spurts of trying, usually only for a couple weeks, then mostly maintaining in between. This time though the motivation has held much higher, and it shows. 5 weeks, consistent 3 lbs per week, eating a little better, and keeping the workouts going.
Now that school has started it will get a bit tougher, with time at a premium convenience food will become more tempting, and finding workout time will be less tempting. There are some little things I can do to help of course, school has a subway on campus, just gotta avoid the meatball and go with the turkey and ham, most of my time between classes will be used for homework, but I can get in a mile or two walk when time allows.
What I really need is some workout options that are more exciting. Hopefully this spring I'll have enough loot to buy a kayak, I know fishing trips will keep me working out all summer. Finding someone to play tennis, or basketball with would be great too. Much more entertaining than lifting weights in the basement, which would help keep motivation up, plus then you have a commitment to someone else that you don't want to break.
Time and money will be a problem for any of these, but I think the outcome will be worth it. So...who's up for tennis?
Now that school has started it will get a bit tougher, with time at a premium convenience food will become more tempting, and finding workout time will be less tempting. There are some little things I can do to help of course, school has a subway on campus, just gotta avoid the meatball and go with the turkey and ham, most of my time between classes will be used for homework, but I can get in a mile or two walk when time allows.
What I really need is some workout options that are more exciting. Hopefully this spring I'll have enough loot to buy a kayak, I know fishing trips will keep me working out all summer. Finding someone to play tennis, or basketball with would be great too. Much more entertaining than lifting weights in the basement, which would help keep motivation up, plus then you have a commitment to someone else that you don't want to break.
Time and money will be a problem for any of these, but I think the outcome will be worth it. So...who's up for tennis?
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Don't tell me, bout your business...
Everyone thinks they know someone that gives away information way too freely. They get into their personal lives in a group of strangers, giving painful details about themselves, or even worse, you. It's bad when it's a friend, worse when it's a sibling, and downright terrifying when it's a parent. Everyone thinks that they're big mouth is worse than everyone else's. I'm here to tell you all though, you're wrong.
Since working in the hospital I've seen some people that will publicly and very loudly air any and all dirty laundry. Sometimes it even gets to the point that I would wonder if it's even real, or if they're just a couple people like me that will say anything to get a rise out of someone else. Now sometimes it's mostly harmless, quite humorous, and really nothing wrong, just stuff you don't expect to hear when you wake up in the morning. Things like the old lady watching a Curious George cartoon with the sound off and providing her own sound track. "NOW LOOK AT THAT LITTLE BASTARD! NASTY MOTHER FUCKER CLIMBING ALL UP ON THE KITCHEN TABLE! I'D SLAP THE SHIT OUT OF THE LITTLE BLACK SON OF A BITCH! YOU STUPID MOTHER FUCKER YOU CAN'T SOLVE NO CRIME, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS CSI, BITCH? NOW LOOK WHAT YOU DONE DID, THE CAT IS UP THERE TOO! THAT'S OK THOUGH, THAT LITTLE WHITE MOTHER FUCKER WON'T GET IN TROUBLE LIKE YOUR BLACK ASS! YOUR SHIT WILL BE LOCKED IN YOUR ROOM FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS AND HIS ASS WILL GO TO COLLEGE FOR FREE AND BECOME A LAWYER, MAYBE THEN HE'LL GET YOU THE FUCK OUT!"
For a full 30 minute episode. If I had the motivation I'm fairly certain I could turn that into a youtube sensation. As funny as it was, it kind of lost its luster when 12 hours of conversation turned into this exact same thing. Whether it was about tv shows, lunch, family, nurses, friends, or changing the sheets. 12 hours of endless yelling was a bit much. She wasn't really yelling at anyone, that's just how she talked, and there was absolutely zero filter.
On the other side of the spectrum are the people that publicly fight, dragging each other through the mud, and constantly try to one up each other in front of others. These are like sitting on stage at a Jerry Springer showing, and Jerry walking away wondering what the hell he got himself into. They usually start mild, someone brought the wrong pair of shoes, didn't show up early enough, didn't stay late enough, and I can understand the agitation. If you're stuck in the hospital for a few days, drugged up, sick, tired because you can't sleep with people coming in to poke and prod you all the time, it makes sense that you can get mad about things you normally wouldn't notice. On the other hand, your visitor is probably stressed because they're worried about you, they're tired too, their schedule is all messed up from the extra time spent on you, and they don't want to be criticized over something trivial. I get all that, so I can see where some minor flare ups could occur. With some people though these automatically turn into World War III.
Here is a sample that I have actually heard, much condensed:
Wife brought wrong socks.
H: "You can't even find the time to take care of me when I'm sick?"
W: "Well you never even find time to help me cook!"
H: "Well I do stuff with your kid and you never do anything with mine!"
W: "But you cheated on me with her mom and showed my mom your junk while you were passed out!"
H: "At least I didn't screw the damn dog when I was smoking crack!"
Now this argument was much, much longer. Close to 2 hours, and it involved them breaking up and getting back together at least 3 times, crying because they loved each other, crying because they hated each other, and me, sitting in the corner of the room because I was assigned to a 1:1 that day and couldn't run away. Funny thing is, my friends and I say some absolutely terrible things to each other. Worse than anything that comes out of these arguments. Things go to a whole new level though when you realize that these conversations are real.
I mean honestly, did I really need to know that he never helps her cook?
Since working in the hospital I've seen some people that will publicly and very loudly air any and all dirty laundry. Sometimes it even gets to the point that I would wonder if it's even real, or if they're just a couple people like me that will say anything to get a rise out of someone else. Now sometimes it's mostly harmless, quite humorous, and really nothing wrong, just stuff you don't expect to hear when you wake up in the morning. Things like the old lady watching a Curious George cartoon with the sound off and providing her own sound track. "NOW LOOK AT THAT LITTLE BASTARD! NASTY MOTHER FUCKER CLIMBING ALL UP ON THE KITCHEN TABLE! I'D SLAP THE SHIT OUT OF THE LITTLE BLACK SON OF A BITCH! YOU STUPID MOTHER FUCKER YOU CAN'T SOLVE NO CRIME, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS CSI, BITCH? NOW LOOK WHAT YOU DONE DID, THE CAT IS UP THERE TOO! THAT'S OK THOUGH, THAT LITTLE WHITE MOTHER FUCKER WON'T GET IN TROUBLE LIKE YOUR BLACK ASS! YOUR SHIT WILL BE LOCKED IN YOUR ROOM FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS AND HIS ASS WILL GO TO COLLEGE FOR FREE AND BECOME A LAWYER, MAYBE THEN HE'LL GET YOU THE FUCK OUT!"
For a full 30 minute episode. If I had the motivation I'm fairly certain I could turn that into a youtube sensation. As funny as it was, it kind of lost its luster when 12 hours of conversation turned into this exact same thing. Whether it was about tv shows, lunch, family, nurses, friends, or changing the sheets. 12 hours of endless yelling was a bit much. She wasn't really yelling at anyone, that's just how she talked, and there was absolutely zero filter.
On the other side of the spectrum are the people that publicly fight, dragging each other through the mud, and constantly try to one up each other in front of others. These are like sitting on stage at a Jerry Springer showing, and Jerry walking away wondering what the hell he got himself into. They usually start mild, someone brought the wrong pair of shoes, didn't show up early enough, didn't stay late enough, and I can understand the agitation. If you're stuck in the hospital for a few days, drugged up, sick, tired because you can't sleep with people coming in to poke and prod you all the time, it makes sense that you can get mad about things you normally wouldn't notice. On the other hand, your visitor is probably stressed because they're worried about you, they're tired too, their schedule is all messed up from the extra time spent on you, and they don't want to be criticized over something trivial. I get all that, so I can see where some minor flare ups could occur. With some people though these automatically turn into World War III.
Here is a sample that I have actually heard, much condensed:
Wife brought wrong socks.
H: "You can't even find the time to take care of me when I'm sick?"
W: "Well you never even find time to help me cook!"
H: "Well I do stuff with your kid and you never do anything with mine!"
W: "But you cheated on me with her mom and showed my mom your junk while you were passed out!"
H: "At least I didn't screw the damn dog when I was smoking crack!"
Now this argument was much, much longer. Close to 2 hours, and it involved them breaking up and getting back together at least 3 times, crying because they loved each other, crying because they hated each other, and me, sitting in the corner of the room because I was assigned to a 1:1 that day and couldn't run away. Funny thing is, my friends and I say some absolutely terrible things to each other. Worse than anything that comes out of these arguments. Things go to a whole new level though when you realize that these conversations are real.
I mean honestly, did I really need to know that he never helps her cook?
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Facebook and you.
I was reading an article today about the proper way to use facebook as it applied to work and school. It covered how you deal with what you post on facebook and your employer/teachers, and whether or not you should friend anyone in an authority position over you. I thought the answers should be pretty evident, but looking at some of the advice they gave, apparently not. Now, what makes me better suited to give advice over this subject than the yahoo that wrote the article? Well, as anyone who reads this probably knows, I'm quite the expert on what you shouldn't say. Hell, at least 50% of the crap that comes out of my face is inappropriate, sometimes because I don't know better (and by that I mean I don't care), and the rest just trying to get a rise out of someone.
The first piece of advice they gave...it's ok to friend a professor or employer if they're ok with it.
Wrong...just...wrong. If you're going to do this, at least have the common sense to create a new account just for this purpose. Giving someone that has a little power over you access to all of your stupid shit, as well as your friend's stupid shit, is just...well, stupid. I don't care how "cool" the person in question is, or how hard you try to censor yourself, one little slip from you or a friend about that one time at band camp, and you can kiss your standing with the prof/boss goodbye. There is absolutely nothing to gain from giving someone in this position access to your personal life.
The second thing they said, giving them insight into your personal life can be a benefit, showing that you have more in common as people. Best case scenario? You have a perfect facebook page and it confirms what they already thought about you. Realistic scenario? One of your asshole friends posts the picture of you wearing the stuffed moosehead as a hat while you do the electric slide in a purple speedo. Just...no. Don't ever ever ever ever give people access to this.
Now I'm not saying you can't be friends with a teacher or boss. I am. One of my old high school teachers is a facebook friend. As you get older I think it's only natural. The age difference seems to melt away, you have more in common than you possibly could have at the time you were in the class. You realize that it's someone you look up to, or they had much more of an impact on your life than you could appreciate at the time. I have another professor right now that also fits all of those traits. I honestly hope to be friends with her well after I have graduated. For now though, hell no she isn't looking at my facebook page.
Getting too personal at this point is bad for me, and bad for her. It could affect my grades, my reputation with other teachers, even getting accepting into the nursing program. For her it could affect her job. Not that I'd do anything to hurt her, but if someone else saw us talking casually as a problem you never know. People jump to conclusions way too fast to even take a chance.
In essence, use facebook for what it is. A casual place to chat with friends, share stupid jokes/stories, and keep in touch with those that live far away. It's not a business networking site, it's not an educational site, it's a timekiller and nothing more.
The first piece of advice they gave...it's ok to friend a professor or employer if they're ok with it.
Wrong...just...wrong. If you're going to do this, at least have the common sense to create a new account just for this purpose. Giving someone that has a little power over you access to all of your stupid shit, as well as your friend's stupid shit, is just...well, stupid. I don't care how "cool" the person in question is, or how hard you try to censor yourself, one little slip from you or a friend about that one time at band camp, and you can kiss your standing with the prof/boss goodbye. There is absolutely nothing to gain from giving someone in this position access to your personal life.
The second thing they said, giving them insight into your personal life can be a benefit, showing that you have more in common as people. Best case scenario? You have a perfect facebook page and it confirms what they already thought about you. Realistic scenario? One of your asshole friends posts the picture of you wearing the stuffed moosehead as a hat while you do the electric slide in a purple speedo. Just...no. Don't ever ever ever ever give people access to this.
Now I'm not saying you can't be friends with a teacher or boss. I am. One of my old high school teachers is a facebook friend. As you get older I think it's only natural. The age difference seems to melt away, you have more in common than you possibly could have at the time you were in the class. You realize that it's someone you look up to, or they had much more of an impact on your life than you could appreciate at the time. I have another professor right now that also fits all of those traits. I honestly hope to be friends with her well after I have graduated. For now though, hell no she isn't looking at my facebook page.
Getting too personal at this point is bad for me, and bad for her. It could affect my grades, my reputation with other teachers, even getting accepting into the nursing program. For her it could affect her job. Not that I'd do anything to hurt her, but if someone else saw us talking casually as a problem you never know. People jump to conclusions way too fast to even take a chance.
In essence, use facebook for what it is. A casual place to chat with friends, share stupid jokes/stories, and keep in touch with those that live far away. It's not a business networking site, it's not an educational site, it's a timekiller and nothing more.
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