i remember when

i remember when i lived in corpus and all i wanted was to live somewhere else. then i moved to arizona and at around 2 months into it i was ready to move to california. i dreamed about living there and going to the beach. i was excited when i attempted snowboarding and envisioned myself spending weekends in winter at some posh ski resort. i then moved to california and quickly realized that the lifestyle there didn't match my own. i'm not into fashion or cars or fancy things and i was definitely not a knockout as were the socal girls. after 9 months i realized that i missed my family and friends and everything i'd left behind.
haven't you already heard this story?
the other day while i was at a concert with "the gentleman" (the one i'm extremly infatuated with) i looked around and thought, finally i'm somewhere i want to be. and i wouldn't say it's ONLY because of him but he has made it a much nicer transition. i LOVE houston. i don't want to leave. i am a million times happier than i was in corpus, arizona and california...combined.
and for once, i love the ER. the people here are so friendly, like i-want-to-give-you-a-hug-friendly.
ahhh... a huge sigh of relief. i have missed this content person.

untitled

have you ever met someone and knew instantly that you'd be friends forever? without even knowing much about them such as their middle name or what their childhood dreams were? all you know about them, other than their first name, is how they laugh, their ability to be witty and confident in the middle of a large crowd, the way they stand out in a group as if they have some neon light under their feet illuminating their smile. and you know, without too much thought, that they were going to be your new best friend, or if it were a guy maybe you're boyfriend.
i do this often. i know almost immediately when i want someone in my circle of friends. i would say i'm picky about who i hang out with too, i don't want just anyone.
but i hate getting like this with guys. thinking too far in advance, putting too much pressure on them without even really thinking about it. but it's hard when you meet someone that is so great that no matter what you're doing the thought of them is always there.
i said this before about a certain someone in california. i thought he was the cat's meow but he turned out to be way less. and there were things i didn't like about him that i ignored: his beliefs on religion, his cube and they way he talked over people's heads.
this is different. and this time i don't want to get ahead of myself. i don't want to let you in just yet. i think he's great though. and so far, that's all you need to know.

the photos

here are some pics from the move. i was lucky enough to have two very strong men help load and unload the monstrosity of a bag that was attached to the roof. the car was jam packed with boxes of clothes, books, hangers, and kitchen items.
enjoy!

home

the move has been made, boxes unpacked. i spent what seems like a million hours in a car to make it though and i can honestly say, it was well worth it. i don't have internet connection in my apartment, i don't know if i'll hook it up or not. i think i spend too much time on the internet so in an attempt to free up wasted time on myspace, i won't have it connected. i won't have my cable connected either, lame i guess. or not, depending on how you look at it.
this city feels like home, even more than corpus. it's big and bright and gives the impression that it's full of life and fun and activities. i already know people here, already have family here so i guess it's just as much my home as anywhere. i've lived here before so it is familiar.
the apartment is just lovely and i feel so grown up in it. it overlooks the parking lot of another complex, a kind of ghetto one, but it's still nice. the gym is great, the internet is free in the business center along with a fax and printer.
tomorrow i start work and i'm excited and just as much, nervous. i am keeping my fingers crossed that everyone is friendly and welcoming, but then again, that's a lot of pressure to put on people. or myself to be the accomodating one.
i must though, thank my mom for making the drive with me. it was long and grueling and at one point dangerous (haha, thanks mom!) but i enjoy spending time with her. she endured my ghetto fabulous music and made the trip way more enjoyable.
i will upload photos of the move and the car on the next entry.

a chapter ends

it's 5am california time, 7am texas time and i'm just going to bed. they let me go an hour early from work, my last shift there, so i could come home and continue my packing.
the boxes are now neatly piled in one corner of the room and i've narrowed down what i have to take back. i also have a "maybe" pile consisting of a long mirror,a fan, a kitchen trash can and a broom. these are things i could throw or give away and buy again in houston so they're not taking up an enormous amount of space in the backseat. my clothes have been rolled so tight into balls and shoved in bags to make room for the ever-growing wardrobe of mine.
i didn't cry tonight when i said goodbye to my coworkers, i didn't think i would. there were times when i hated the hospital where i worked. the people were sometimes cruel and two faced and not as friendly as i'm used to. but it made me just a little stronger and for that i am grateful.
9 months have come and gone and my assignment is now officially over in california. i am headed back to texas, to the family, to my pregnant aunt who's about to pop, to my friends and to the heat. i miss heavy southern accents and "maam" and "sir" and friendly smiles and big hugs.
i am ready for 27 and 2008 and another chapter in the life of this traveling nurse.

a new year, a new start

i'm changing my name from stephanie to stevie. i've told my family and friends and now i'm telling the world. i also told a doctor at work who, at one point, started saying "stevie....stevie.... stevie..." then i finally responded. ha! my uncle had said it may happen, people actually using the name and me not responding. i'm that type of person though, kind of flaky, kind of ditzy. oh hell, very ditzy.
i just recently asked if you needed a passport to visit hawaii. yes, i know it's a u.s. state, that's what makes it worse.
i could say my resolution is to stop making ditzy comments but, honestly, who am i kidding?
the ER was horrible tonight. worse than i've ever seen it. i walked in at 3pm and the rack where we stick the charts from the patients in triage waiting for rooms was full from the top to the floor. there are probably 30 slots, so LOTS of people were waiting. including a 78 year old man with dizziness and his heart rate was 48. that is way slow, especially with no past history of heart problems and complaints of dizziness.
i spent the turn of the year in a patients room putting her on the bedpan. i then went to take it out and urine spilled all over her sheets and gown. i had to clean it all up and before i knew it everyone had already toasted with the faux champagne and plastic glasses i bought. needless to say i was irritated. oh well, i vow NEVER to work another new year's eve again. the rest of the night we saw mainly drunk people. i helped start a urinary catheter on a 28 year old man who was drinking and driving and in an accident. go figure. everything that came out of his mouth was straight up Scarface style. "you looking at me?" "what the expletive are you looking at me like that for" "hey officer, what the hell, who do you think you are" then he tried to start biting his neck brace off. sentences weren't making sense and his accent was just making me laugh. when we inserted the foley (urine catheter) he actually didn't do anything for a couple of minutes and then started squirming but he then said "man that felt good at first". i almost fell on the floor because i was laughing so hard.
we had 5 drunk patients in the ER when i left at close to 4:30am.
i'm tired and a little feisty and am ready for my bed.
happy 2008, may it bring on the best for us!!!