I love mittens...

...but the worst part about them is that you can't give anyone the finger in them.

peace and love,
m

tipsy mentionings

• My parents are visiting my neurotic cat and me tomorrow!
• Speaking of my neurotic cat, Tux got his head stuck in the handle of a paper bag tonight, but by the time I got the camera, he had ripped the bag off.
• I need something to wear to a hippie-themed commitment ceremony on January 3rd [and I have to look good, you know what I mean?].
• It is cold here!
• I was in on a liver-kidney transplant today. It was amazing.
• Bulletpoints rock.
• Lovin' Ingrid Michaelson right now.

peace and love,
m

wednesday [saturday] picks

Well.

I have been very neglectful of my Saturday picks for the last, oh, let's say...8 months? Just a guess :) And since I have a few extra minutes this morning seeing as I actually got up when my alarm went off and didn't hit snooze 4 times [that 40 minutes really adds up, haha], I decided that I should do a Wednesday [Saturday] picks.

Book: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. I bought this in DC for the plane ride home, but after a 3 hour layover in Altanta I didn't want to read anymore; plus when you upgrade to business class on Air Tran, they give you complimentary drinks, and let's just say after 2 glasses of wine I wasn't in a state to read :)

So this book has been on the bestseller list, and has been featured on the lovely [snark] morning "news" shows. Normally I try to steer clear of the "live your life, it's the only one you've got" books because they're just so damn cheesy, but this one is good [also liked Eat, Pray, Love if you're looking for recommendations in this category]! He writes in an easy-going, funny, conversational style, which is probably because he is writing with a journalist; the chapters are short and engaging; it's sprinkled with photos; and best of all, he really seems genuine.

Music: Yo-Yo Ma and Friends Songs of Joy and Peace. One of the worst things about the holiday season is the AWFUL Christmas music that some radio stations insist on playing from November 1st to December 25th [I love December 26th for this reason alone: these stations go back to their regularly programmed John Tesh and Delilah shows, which, although are terrible in their own right, are infinitely better than listening to Madonna sing "Santa Baby" 38 times a day]. Now don't get me wrong, I love Christmas music. To be specific, good Christmas music: anything sung by a choir, Bing Crosby, or Josh Groban; anything by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and "Feliz Navidad" from Sesame Street. I am naturally skeptical of holiday albums, so when I saw this at Target, I had to reason with myself that a) it's Yo-Yo Ma, and b) no pop stars were listed as "friends."

Verdict: excellent choice! The music ranges from a cover of "Happy XMas (War is Over)" to improvisations on "Dona Nobis Pacem." Guests, from the bluegrass queen Alison Krauss to trumpeter Chris Botti, put their own spin on traditional and not-so-traditional Christmas songs. Plus, Yo-Yo Ma and his cello intertwine with Spanish guitars, Celtic jigs, and African-American spirituals to create a perfect background for putting up the tree, baking goodies, and wrapping gifts [don't you think I could write reviews?].

Covet: this fab update on the LBD...in a gorgeous pink silk! I think I need to have a Holidazzle party in my apartment...perfect opportunity to splurge on a new dress!

Okeydokey, time to save some lives. Off to work I go.

peace and love,

m

yum...or the height of laziness?

I ate ice cream, straight from the carton, for dinner tonight.

It was delicious.

peace and love,
m

overtime...

Must keep repeating: makes for a nice paycheck, makes for a nice paycheck...


BUT SERIOUSLY! On the same day that we are warned that our productivity is low [read: 90%] and too many people are sitting in the lounges [read: 1st shift is filled with lazy arses], I had to stay almost 2 hours past the end of my shift! Plus, the only reason I got fed today is because the 2nd person I was supposed to get out for lunch declined it, and I used that 30 minutes to feed myself.

Bollocks.

peace and love,
m

being thankful 2008

Well, in true Megan fashion, I'm a little late with this, but better late than not at all! Recent experiences have made me remember that I am a very lucky person with a lot to be thankful for [and what better way to express this than with a list...I love lists...hehe].

My number one thing I am thankful for is my AMAZING family. I know I keep saying that they are AMAZING, but that's the only way to describe them. My parents are always there for me, and support me no matter what I do. My aunts and uncles are willing to take me in when I need a place to stay. My cousins make me laugh and we always have a good time doing anything. My grandma is kind and caring and always thinking of others.

I'm also thankful for my great friends, especially Jenn. Even though we don't get to see each other very often, I can always count on her, whether I need to vent, cry, laugh, or shop :)

My job. In these tough economic times, I have to be thankful for having a job. And really, as much as I complain about it, I do like my job. I know I'm good at it, the majority of my coworkers are good people, and I like knowing that I am helping people.

Mr. Tux is the best furry, four-legged pal I could ask for. He waits up for me when I get called in, he's always up for a snuggle and bellyrub, and even though he breaks things [the latest was the mini-blinds in the bedroom], he's always sorry :) Plus, he's just plain neurotic, and everyone loves a neurotic cat!

President-elect Barack Obama, who I believe will turn this country around. He is set to inherit a host of SNAFUs from Iraq to Social Security to the financial crisis to state-endorsed torture to infringed civil liberties, but I can't think of another person who I would rather see sitting in the Oval Office.

And now, the lighter side of my thankful list.

-Chocolate and coffee, for being the ultimate quick pick-me-up.
-Pandora.com, for having great free music, and 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, for always playing the coolest music.
-Being carded by the kids younger than me at the liquor store, and then them being shocked at my age!
-Getting free extra espresso shots at Starbucks.
-Monkey cards. Actually, monkeys in general.
-http://www.icanhazcheezburger.com/
-National Geographic Picture of the Day.
-The funny things people say under the effects of Versed...it's good that they usually don't remember!
-Christmas lights and good Christmas music [Trans Siberian Orchestra, Sinatra-Martin-Crosby-etc, Josh Groban singing anything but especially O Holy Night...].
-Finding pants that are short enough for me [this is very rare].
-Good books, cozy blankets, and hot cocoa. I really like the salted caramel hot chocolate from Starbucks. Gasp, that's the 2nd Starbucks mention on this list, and I don't even really like Starbucks coffee!
-Alterra coffee. Now that's good coffee. I mean, Starbucks is easy to go to for me, being just down the street, but if I want really good coffee and to feel good about it [buy local!], I go to Alterra on the Lake. In fact, I only buy Alterra beans and happen to be drinking some Alterra Organic Second Harvest right now! Mmm, French press...one of my best investments...
-Have you noticed I really like coffee?
-People being kind to each other.
-Campfires and smores.
-Good, dark beer.

What are you thankful for?

Christmas tree!

I managed to get my tree up tonight, with no CATastrophes...hahah, oh I'm so clever :)

First, Tux thought the box was the best part:

[Isn't he just adorable?]

Then I finished decorating:

And yep, can you see him? I put the ornament box away, and came back to this:

Three of my favorite things! Gymnastics, Christmas, and Mr. Tux [see the reflection of the lights--kinda creepy, kinda cool]!!

I'm headed to the farm for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Hopefully Tux will behave himself with the tree and I won't come home on Sunday to...I don't even want to think about it!!!

peace and love,
m

mmm, chocolate!

I have discovered a new pie that is super easy to make, super delicious, and can be varied any way your heart desires! It got thumbs-up at the Glader Thanksgiving celebration. Unfortunately I cannot bring it to the Ziegler celebration because I have to work today. I should be a school nurse ;)

Triple Mud Pie
1 Oreo pie crust

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
3 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted

2 packages instant chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
1 8 ounce tub Cool Whip, divided in half

chopped pecans, M&Ms, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips...anything you want!

Mix the sweetened condensed milk and melted chocolate together; spread on crust. Sprinkle with nuts, candies, marshmallows, etc.

Whisk instant pudding and 2 cups milk for 2 minutes. Spoon a little more than 1/2 of pudding into crust.

Mix 1/2 tub of Cool Whip into remaining pudding; spread on top of pudding layer. Top with remaining Cool Whip and decorate with nuts, candies, marshmallows, etc.

Chill for at least 2 hours to allow to set. Serve and bask in the compliments!

life changes

Here's the deal: I have made some big life changes, and still have more in store [+1 for the rhyme, +2 for spelling 'rhyme' right on the first try]. However, today is not going to be the first day for the rest of my changes, because I am omnipotent and know I will be at work until 11 pm tonight. Okay, I'm not omnipotent, but I'm on end-of-shift call and I got a sneak peak at today's schedule yesterday [did you follow that?]. And it's BUSY. Hectic would be a better word. And that's not even with all the add-ons I'm sure we'll get. My hope is that I get put in a big case and won't have to bounce from room to room, getting people out and finishing the cases. When that happens, I don't know which room I'm in by the end of the night. There have been times when I have taken over and finished 4 rooms in a night because I finish one, take the patient to recovery, then go to another room, finish the case, drop the patient off, and so on and on and on...

But the point of this quasi-rant? I just want to put up my [sadly fake] Christmas tree, and I can't because I'm not going to get home until late, when I will just fall into bed and pass out!

Okay, done complaining. Must get ready for loooooooong day at work. I think that means a new pair of contacts :)

peace and love,
m

what a day

Approximately 12 miles away in Franklin, Bob is also getting drunk. See, this was our pact: we had a complete clusterf*ck of a case today [robotic laparoscopic partial nephrectomy], so we decided to get drunk together tonight, long-distance style.

Wowowowow. It was crazy today. My assignment was to give a lunch to one person and then staff OR 5. Well, the nurse I gave a lunch to took 45 minutes instead of 30, so then I had to rush to get this robotic laparoscopic partial nephrectomy set up. And seeing as we've only done 1 of these before, it took a loooooooonnnnnnnng time to set up...let's just say that we weren't 100% sure of what we needed. Surprisingly, we were only 15 minutes late. I'm not going to complain anymore though. You already know what the case was like [see 1st paragraph]. The surgeon had 2 nurses [Bob and me] running constantly for 4 hours.

Alrighty, after finally finishing that case, I grabbed some water and a bathroom break, then helped set up a room for an emergency AAA resection [this is scary, think about it: the biggest artery in your body being a potential heatbeat away from rupturing]. Then I started setting up a room for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy [gallbladder]. I got the medications from pharmacy and noticed that the patient had an allergy to latex, so I ran into the room screaming, "DON'T OPEN ANYTHING!!!!!!" Now this would have been good if anyone except the X-RAY techs had been in the room...they just laughed at me and promised not to open anything :) Hahahaha...okay. So then I called the front desk and talked to the team leader, asked if he knew anything about a latex allergy, he said no...then he ran over to holding, talked to the patient, and confirmed that she was indeed, allergic to latex. Stupid floor nurses, they don't know anything [apologies to any floor nurses reading who actually know anything about their patients]. And the room we were setting up in had not been latex-free for enough hours, so we had to move from the 2nd smallest room in the OR to the damn tiniest room ever...OR 14. Not only does it have a drain in the middle of the floor that makes it really hard to level the bed, it is absolutely microscopic. And to fit 2 towers for a laparoscopic case, X-RAY's C-arm and tower, and all the other stuff, well, let's just say, it's a tight fit. Oh, is this a good time to mention that I stayed half an hour late to set this up, because there was no one else to do it?

So there you go, that is why Bob and I are drinking, long-distance style, tonight.

Peace and love,
M

exclamation points

I am so excited!

GO OBAMA!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Things that make me smile

I need to write a list of things that make me smile because I'm quite sad and angry and frustrated and not in a very good place right now. And I'm on call for the rest of the night so I can't get sloppy drunk...not that that would help in the long run, but god, it would feel good now.

-my dear Tuxie cat
-summer campfires
-chubby babies
-warm autumn days
-sledding
-spring flowers
-fuzzy blankets
-shooting stars
-libraries
-fresh, hot coffee
-my wonderful family
-carving pumpkins and roasting the seeds
-finally being recognized by my boss for busting my arse
-having patients remember me when they see me outside of the hospital
-dry humor

Keith Ziegler, 1926-2008

In the early hours of 10/16/08, my Grandpa Ziegler passed away. He was nearly 82 years old and had enjoyed 58 wonderful years of marriage to his best friend and wife, Grandma Izzy [one of the strongest women I know]. Even though his later years were clouded by Alzheimer's, my Grandpa lived his life to the fullest. His sense of humor and zest for life were evident. I know he was laughing along with us as Uncle Mark asked if it was possible for the statue of Mary to hold his taxidermied muskie at the visitation [she does have the perfect outstretched arms to do it], and when Uncle Jim told the coffee mug as a telephone story. I know he was chuckling every time the priest said "our brodder Keed Zeeglar" and at the priest's initial surprise at the family's apparent irreverence [but then realized it was how Grandpa would have wanted it to be]. Grandpa loved hunting and fishing and continued to venture into the woods as long as he could, until the Parkinson's made it too difficult to trek up and down the hills of the his farm. Even then, he loved to sit in the windows and watch for the turkeys and deer, and then tell my Dad and uncles where to go hunting :)

I know he's in a better place, and that he's back to being the man I knew before the Alzheimer's and Parkinson's wreaked havoc on his body, but I can't help but be selfish and wish that he was still here. No matter how much we prepare and think we are ready to lose someone we love, we can never be prepared for the emotional fallout that follows that loss. I have to keep reminding myself that wherever this "better place" is, Grandpa is there, with a cold can of Old Style in one hand and a fishing pole in the other, looking for the best place to catch the biggest muskie...or that he's hidden away in a deer blind, and that ever-elusive monster buck is casually munching some grass right in front of him...wherever he is, he's having a good time. I'm sure of that.

the benefits of computer charting...

...well, besides the obvious cost efficiency and easy access [barring network crashes], is that I can blog for you from the OR! Just think, as I write this, a person is on the table and I can see their innards. Well, not really, as it's a laparoscopic case, but I can see their innards on a television screen :)

September 17??!

I can't believe we're halfway through September! I have so much to do! I have to start Christmas shopping for all of my special people, write my narrative for staging at the hospital, clean the house and make a menu for the debate party, and all sorts of piddly stuff like pay bills and rent, buy a new phone (I'm thinking a hot pink one), and deal with inept people who staff helplines (when the companies have 24 hour helplines...I'm talking about you, Alltel--seriously, a phone company without a 24 hour helpline?). Please.

And good lord, the Dow is down over 340 points.

Nick and I leave for Washington DC in 14 days! I'm so excited. It's going to be a blast. I plan to see the pandas :) And all that historic stuff too, I guess ;)

Well, I'm off to work. I leave you with what Tux dreams of when we go to the vet.

sick

Ugh. I was sick at this time last year too, with the same thing! Flu/cold = body aches, fever, sinus pressure, runny nose, cough,general malaise. Yesterday I had a man voice! It doesn't help that heat + humidity makes me cranky. Not fun :(

Hopefully I won't get called in tonight, can get some decent sleep, and will feel better tomorrow.

Peace and love,
M

Saturday! Saturday!

Since I'm spending quality time with my beloved Tux today, I've been doing some online browsing at my favorite shoppes.

Some time my senior year, my Mom emailed me the link to etsy, saying it was a really cool website, fully of handmade wonderful-ness, and I've been a etsy-browsing addict ever since! I've never bought anything, mostly because I'm too indecisive, but window shopping is lots of fun too :) My dear amiga Jessica has her own shop there with some of the cutest, well-made bits of crafty genius I've seen! I especially love this cheery dishtowel from her:

This table from deliafurniture, although a little out of my price range, and not at all my decorating scheme, is just plain neat and whimsical!

Moving on to CB2, the modern, funky sibling of Crate and Barrel. I really like this table, even though I think it would be a beast to dust. Still, I can't help but love a color that is called "kinky pink."

This mirror reminds me of one I posted earlier from Urban Outfitters. I love how CB2 has so many upcycled items!

To wrap it up, here's a picture of my darling Tux, home sweet home! You can see his his shaved belly from the ultrasound and the shaved part of his leg where he had his kitty IV! As you can see, he's quite comfortable and happy to be back :)

Tux is coming home!

I'm so happy! I'm off to pick up the little monster as I speak *ahem, type*!! I missed him so much the past two days.

His kitty Foley was removed around 11 last night, and he's been using the litter box, eating, and generally being Tux at the animal hospital. I got the call around 8:15 this morning [phone calls are not my choice of wake up calls, but in this case, I'll gladly accept!].

:D

Peace and love,
M

return

Fear not, I'm still around. Work and call has been swamping me lately, as have efforts to enjoy summer in MKE. The plus side of taking a lot of call is that the dinero inflow is quite nice...the downfall is being at the hospital more than my home.

This past weekend was lovely! I finally got to meet Nick's mother, and she is delightful! We had a great weekend, including an amazing 3-course breakfast at Bartolotta's Lakefront Bistro. I can't even put into words how delicious and wonderful it was. I had tomato-fennel soup, brioche French toast, and creme brulee. Nick's mom is really sweet. We went to the MKE Public Market on Sunday, which was lots of fun until it was rudely interrupted by the hospital calling me in.

So the rest of my Sunday was spent telling a woman on her 23rd wedding anniversary that she had ovarian cancer, and digging 1/2 chewed food out of an 89 year old woman's mouth and esophagus. Yeah. Not nice.

Monday I was lucky enough to get out an hour early, only to be called back in to the hospital right as I reached home. GRR! Monday evening was filled by 2 appendectomies. Tuesday went fine, but I called in on Wednesday as I was hit by what appears to be a 48 hour bug. Still wonky today and didn't go in again. OR nursing doesn't go well when you're running to the bathroom every 30 minutes. Eww, sorry for the overshare ;)

However, I am not the very sick one today, as I had to rush Mr. Tux to the animal emergency room this morning. He was vomiting, not eating, not going to the bathroom, hiding from us, and in pain when you touched his belly. I took him in and he has a blocked urethra. Poor boy! They sedated him [kitty anesthesia] and inserted a kitty Foley catheter to drain his bladder. Now he's getting fluid rescusitation through a kitty IV. It was so hard to leave my little guy there, but I know he's in good hands. But it broke my heart to leave him "hiding" in the back corner of the cage, meowing his little heart out :( Hopefully I'll be able to pick him up after work tomorrow. I'll miss the bugger tonight!

Well, time for a nap I think. I just wish I had my Tux to curl up with!

Peace and love,
M

Still here :)

Okay, so I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth...I've just been swamped with work, travel, moving, and most importantly, trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night [often not accomplished]. We'll forget maintaining sanity for the time being...I've discovered that it may not be possible!



Last weekend, I traveled to Monroe for my dear amiga Carmen's beautiful wedding on the 12th! She was gorgeous and everything went perfectly. It was wonderful to finally see my dear friends again. We've moved all throughout the country: New York [fashion designer], Washington DC [environmental law firm], Florida [Air Force battle manager], and this was the first time that the 5 of us have been back together in quite some time!



Also on the 12th, I celebrated birthday number 23...but there's nothing too special about that number. I'm waiting for number 25 so I can rent a car without paying an underage fee :)

Speaking of renting cars and July 12th, Shrek was backed into by a lady [who didn't bother looking behind her] in the parking lot at Carmen and John's reception. And while Shrek is being fixed in Monroe, Nick and I are driving Batman [black Dodge Caliber] around Milwaukee! So you see, this all ties in with my age and Carmen's wedding ;) But actually, since the lady's insurance is paying for Batman's rental, they waived the underage driver fee, so that's nice! I guess they assessed Shrek's damage at about $1200. Youch! But really, why would you be going fast enough backwards, in a parking lot, to do this? Grr.

Nick and I saw Dark Knight last night, and it was phenomenal. Wow. Just great. Go see it! Heath Ledger gives an amazing performance.

Well, I am on call almost all day [7 am-3:30 pm and 7 pm-7 am] so I'm going to try to get some stuff done around the new apartment. I still have things to unpack...

Peace and love, M

PS-To BB-Idaho, yes, UWEC Water Street!

I'm baaaaaaaaaack!

No worries, I didn't die, or get abducted by aliens, I wasn't washed away by the floods or blown away by a tornado...I've just been working the 11 am to 7:30 pm shift. Which in actuality means I am done any time between 7:45 and 9 pm. Gosh, even yesterday, I worked 9 am to 5:30 pm, but I didn't get out of my OR until 7:15 pm. But I got a nice call-in bonus for staying, so I guess I'm okay with it! Extra money is always welcome :)

A quick update on everything I can think of:

-Nick and I took a nice vacation to Bayfield, WI. Lake Superior is such a gorgeous lake!

-I responded to my first code at work. My hope is that I never have one in my own room, but well, that's kind of a pipe dream!

-I fell down my stairs and have a nice bruise on my bum :-P

-Tux broke my fan by jumping on it from the windowsill. I'm just glad he didn't get hurt!

-My Uncle Wolf had surgery for the tumor wrapped around his carotid artery, and it went even better than expected. The surgeon didn't have to bypass the artery at all, as he was able to get all the tumor off the carotid!

-Nick and I signed a lease! We are moving to the Eastside, and I couldn't be more excited! We have a gorgeous 2nd story apartment with hardwood floors, lots of windows, a much bigger kitchen, and as Dani says, the building looks like a castle!

Here is a picture from our trip to Lake Superior. I'm working on getting them uploaded to a Flickr page, but for now, this will have to do :)

Yep, that's right, there was still snow up there!

I stole this from Dani...

...because I could :) And I need a little R&R after dealing with the psycho nurse.

Single or taken? Taken

Is anything bothering you right now? I cut my finger peeling broccoli and it's hard to type. Also I can't figure out why my remote control is spazzing out.

Do you miss anyone right now? I miss Jenn and my family.

How's your heart lately? Well we were worried that something was wrong, but my redo myoglobin was fine. Seriously. I still have the bruises from the horrible phlebotomist.

Do you like the person you last kissed? I do :)

What's the best thing in your life right now? I'm not at work and I have Friday off.

Did you get any compliments today? Yep, after psycho nurse left the room and I got everything under control. What can I say? I'm that good.

When was the last time you cried and why? I cry a lot. It's usually because I'm tired and something stupid happens.

Do you want someone you can't have? Johnny Depp?

Does anyone hate you for no reason? Yes.

Are you a cuddler? Definitely.

Ever kissed someone whose name starts with an A? I don't think so.

What are you excited for? Vacation in the Apostle Islands Friday-Sunday!

Plans this weekend? See above :D

Last movie you watched? Nick and I watched The Good Shepherd a couple of weekends ago.

Favorite Disney movie? The Little Mermaid!

Favorite color? Green.

Do you prefer liquor or beer? Yes.

Do you have trust issues? Let's be honest. Yes.

Do you like scary movies? Not at all.

When was the last time you were disappointed? When I came home this evening and Ed McMahon wasn't at my door with a big check.

What is something stressful you will deal with next week? Work.

Are you a loud or quiet drunk? I'm giddy, and then I crash and fall asleep.

Do you tend to hug more than normal when you're wasted? Yes :)

Are you wearing jeans right now? Yes, they're old, and too big, but I don't care.

Do you live with both of your parents? Nooooo!!

Do you think too much or too little? I worry too much, does that count?

Do you dance in the car? Every time I'm in the car!

What is the price of gas where you live? $3.95...$3.92 if you're brave and go to the ghetto BP on 27th.

Do you prefer calls or texts? Calls. When someone texts me I feel obligated to reply, and it takes me forever to do that.

How many people do you trust 100%? A few.

Who is in your house right now? Nick and Tux. They are both lounging on the couch.

Do you go to church? No.

Favorite flower? Definitely tulips.
What was your first thought when you looked in the mirror this morning? I need a haircut.

Who is your favorite family member? No lie, it's Nicholas Ryan!

Name someone whose name starts with the letter K. My friend Kristin. She graduated from UWEC this past weekend!

What happened at 10:00 am today? I was trying to drink coffee and pet Tux at the same time.

Do you tend to rip the paper off waterbottles? I don't buy plastic bottles, and Al Gore is proud of me.

When you shut off your alarm clock, do you tend to fall back asleep? Yeah, even though I try to discourage that by putting the alarm clock across the room. But it doesn't work, I just crawl
back in bed.

If you were given the chance to take care of a monkey for a weekend, would you? Uh, no.

How many pillows are on your bed? 4, I think. Nick was watching TV there today.

Have you ever passed out from drinking? I plead the 5th.

What time did you wake up this morning? The first time was around 5:30, when Nick came in. Party boy. The alarm went off at 8:50. And I woke up a lot in between there, because Tux gets up around 5 am and starts playing in the blinds. He's a strange one.

Do you have any cousins? Yep, 15 on my Dad's side and like 10 on my Mom's. I don't really know them very well.

Who was the last person you talked to? Nick, to find out what time he came home last night.

If puppies stayed small forever, would you buy one? It would be very tempting, but I have Tux and I love him to death.

Ever liked someone that you didn't think you stood a chance with? Of course...that's called a high school crush!

Would you ever change for a boy/girl? If a boy doesn't like me the way I am, well that's just his problem, isn't it?!

Can you whistle? Not well.

Would you do anything for that special someone? There are a lot of things that I would do for him.

Do you know who Stewie Griffin is?Yep.

Do you hangout with more guys or girls? It's pretty evenly split. I work with mostly women, but hang out with Nick and our mutual friends.

What color is your toothbrush? I think it's blue and white. The important thing is that my toothpaste is purple with sparklies.

Have you ever been in a hotel room with your friends/opposite sex? I second Dani's answer: Um, yes? What does this even mean?

Diagnosis:

After several months of feeling crappy, I finally went to the doctor after waking up yesterday with intense shoulder pain coupled with intense dizziness and nausea. I thought I was going to pass out for sure. I was as white as a sheet of paper. The doc ran every frickin test, from a basic chem 7 panel to cardiac and liver enzymes, and a chest x-ray and 12 lead EKG. I even had to go back for a repeat draw on my cardiac enzymes because my myoglobin was elevated (I only expect RNs and med students to understand that)...however, that was okay. My doc and I thought that the elevated myoglobin was due to the muscle cramp I had in my shoulder. And the answer is: ... ... ...

I have vertigo coupled with panic attacks. And let me tell you, living while feeling like you're being swirled around a toilet bowl really sucks. Although the wine can't be helping...even though I've only had 1/2 a glass, it feels like I've been out on Water Street for a couple of hours! I suppose I'll have to cut the alcohol out until this is resolved.

Okay. Time for bed. Shrek (the car) has an appointment at 8 am tomorrow for new brakes. He doesn't like stupid city drivers that make him slam the breaks on all the time!

Peace and love,
m

my apologies...

...for a lack of updates : ) Work has been kicking my @$$ as of late, and working until 7:30 pm generally leaves me enough time and energy at night to cook something and collapse on the couch.

Essentially life has involved working hard and playing hard. I was on call last weekend and was called in both days, so I'm going on working my 12th day in a row, complete with having to stay late on the majority of those days. All I can say is...my paycheck will be lovely! And I got a raise! So it will be even more lovely!!

Nick and I are planning a vacation to Bayfield for Memorial Day weekend. I hope the weather is cooperative : )

Okay, more sometime later...must go to work. I'm going to try to get out early.

Spring for real!

It's so exciting, I just love spring! It's my second favorite season after autumn. I love the changes both seasons bring. It's really starting to green up around here. I'm looking forward to the different colors spring brings--the bright, light green of buds; the grass green of...grass; the bright splashes that are the blooming flowers; the robin egg blue of clear, sunny skies; the dark blue-green of Lake Michigan; all of it! No more sad, bare, black tree branches, scummy snowbanks, and grey waves of water crashing on a frozen beach.

If one thing says spring more to me than anything, it would have to be tulips. There is just something magical about them. I've decided that someday in my life I have to get to this tulip festival in the Skagit Valley of Washington. Can you imagine, fields and fields of tulips set against the Cascade Mountains?

Saturday Picks (yes, I know, I've missed several of these)
Music: Josh Groban. I love Josh Groban. Love love love!
Reading material: Not a book, as I haven't had enough spare time when I'm not asleep to finish the books I've already mentioned! Instead, it's a newspaper, The Shepherd Express, that is a weekly alternative paper here in MKE. This week they had the City Guide, which is chock-full of good restaurants, entertainment, and the like for the city and surrounding areas. Nick and I are going to be picking our Friday night dates from this for a while! Last night we went to Cafe Hollander, where we've been before, but is very good. I had a turkey sandwich with blackberry jam and giardiniera (pickled jalapenos). It sounds like a strange combination, but the sweet jam and spicy peppers play together very nicely!
Covet: the perfect bedroom set. I've been browsing the internets but haven't found something that is me yet. Everything is so big, or has leather, or is just plain ugly. I will find it though!


Peace and love,
M

perfect picture of my dad

Dad: "Mmm, saaaaaannnnnnnnddddddddddwwwwwwwiiiiiiiccccccccccccccchhhhhhhhhhh..."

Mom: "I don't know who this man is."

Peace and love,

M

going ons...

Well, seeing as I have been slacking here, an update is needed!

1. Today is my first day off of orientation! I am nervous, but I feel ready. I had originally asked for an extra week, but decided last week that I was ready and didn't need it. And I didn't want to have to get up at 5 again. haha, just kidding! Maybe ; ) But really, I do like my 9/11 am start times much better, even though it means working until 5:30/7:30 pm.

2. Nick and I went to the zoo on Saturday. It was family free day and while I love the fact that the zoo has them, because it is pretty expensive to go, I am now advocating adult free day. Seriously, no strollers, no one wearing those frickin ridiculous roller shoes (I just want to trip people in those), no one under 18...it would be glorious. I was also disappointed that the snow leopards and koalas weren't out. But the baby orangutan was so adorable with his crazy hair and one of the adults was showing off by swinging around the ceiling!

3. Nick came with me to Norwalk and survived my Dad's family! Not that we're mean...there's just a lot of people in a small space. And noisy children in the early AM. I, however, did not introduce him to my Mom's family. That will be left for ... ... ... a different time.

4. Tux is still a big goofball! His latest thing is scarfing down the food, so I've taken to feeding him 1/2 his food in the morning and 1/2 when I get home from work. Otherwise he leaves yucky half-eaten kitty puke surprises. This is sorta gross, but it wasn't even chewed...he just would hoover it in!! Okay, gross out factor over with. He's being very mischievious as of late. Twice yesterday I couldn't find him. The first time I was looking everywhere, when I noticed a lump in my newly made bed. Yes, the silly boy crawled under the quilt and was taking a snooze! The second time I found him sitting in my suitcase in the closet! I am finding places I didn't know existed in my apartment. His other big thing is climbing the window screens, which I am trying very hard to discourage!

5. In sad news, my Grandpa Z was taken to the nursing home. It was just too hard for my Grandma to take care of him by herself. He's very confused and doesn't move easily at all. She visits him every day though. One of the nurses is Megan, and he told them that he had a granddaughter Megan, which made me so happy! He does have his lucid moments, although they are far and few between. I'm so glad to have been one of them. Additionally, my Grandma D was diagnosed with stage IV lymphoma. It is in her bone marrow. The doctors are hopeful though. She's already had a mediport placed and had her first chemo treatment this past Friday. However, in good news on the sad news front, my Uncle Wolf is on his last week of radiation. Hopefully the tumor will have shrunk enough to do surgery.

Well, off to work for me. My Mom is staying over tomorrow night, so I have lots of cleaning to do!

Peace and love,
M

Spring has sprung!

And by sprung I mean Mother Nature shat on us:

16 inches of the god-forsaken white stuff fell yesterday here in Greenfield, on the 2nd day of spring. Words cannot express how furious I am. I mean, I know it's March in Wisconsin, and this is completely expected, but She teased us with a couple days of 40-50 degree weather...got our hopes up that we could start shaving our legs, start ironing the skirts that have been in storage, dig out the strappy sandals...instead, we're dragging out the ski parkas, buying more salt, and shoveling out our door stoops. They closed the airport all day yesterday, and it only opened up about 30 minutes ago today. Ridiculous!

In other, much happier news, it's time for a Tux update! Tux went to the vet on Thursday and is a healthy kittycat. However, I learned that he hates the cat carrier. It took me 30 minutes to get him into it so we could go to the appointment, and another 30 to get him back in after we were done...the appointment itself took all of 25 minutes! He handled the rabies shot just fine, but keep that cat carrier away! Here are some adorable pictures of the adorable boy!

Tux thinks he's a lion!

How can you not love this? My boy loves to sit in windows, "hide" in the blinds, and play with ribbons, shoelaces, and cords...I'm working on discouraging that last one! As I write this, Tux is playing with one of his mice...and eyeing up the iron cord!

In other news, I am off orientation in 3 weeks. Yesterday I did 3 cases by myself, which was great...makes me think that just maybe I can do this and will be good at it. This Easter weekend, I am staying in Milwaukee and going shopping. Things I am in the market for: a new alarm clock (this one finally broke and only having my cell phone makes me very nervous), a pink dress for Carmen's wedding (which happens to be on the best day of the year, July 12), some toys for the Tuxster (and a brush so he can have a shiny coat), new bathroom towels (lime green with bleach stains screams college), and anything else that grabs my fancy! I am getting a very nice tax return so I can afford to spend a little. Watch out Crate & Barrel!

Next weekend I will be going to my grandparents for our Easter celebration. The boyfriend may take the trip! This is BIG :) He's already met the parents, if he's still around after the family, I'll know I have a keeper, hehe! Danielle says he and Derek can hang out and be awkward together...it will probably happen ;)

Peace and love,
M

new family member!

Friends, meet Tux! He's 2.5 years old and a mischievious little guy! He likes to slide on the kitchen floor, have his belly rubbed, play with his catnip cigar (!), and head butt for more snuggles! He has a beautiful singing voice (alternate name was Meowzers) and can really purr up a storm.

He's already figured out his way around the apartment and is very interested in figuring out how to get on top of my cupboards. I imagine I'll come home to a kitty curled up next to the wine rack some day :)

like a lamb?

Well, I think March came in like a lamb...I mean, it wasn't snowing, but it was windy--what are the qualifications for lion versus lamb? I wish it was 60 degrees and sunny...instead we have a winter storm watch starting at 3 am.

no more snow!

Hello Saturday, weekend, how I love thee! Even though I'm on call, the weekend means I can sleep until I wake up...which thanks to my body panicking around 0730 because I'm not at work is still earlier than I would like. But hey, no alarm clock = lovely!

Currently, it is a balmy 24 degrees, a definite warm up from earlier this week; however, we're on track for another snowstorm on Monday. 4-8 inches on top of the 20ish we already have. ARGH!! Maybe the weather gods will smile on WI and send the storm over us...please?!!

Saturday Picks

Book: Stillll working on Eat, Pray, Love. I've just finished the "Eat" portion, and let me tell you, I am definitely craving some gelato!

Politics: GO BARACK! We are fired up and ready to go! Awesome results in MKE: we went 71.6% to Hillary's 27.45%, and 90:10 in the student areas. Fantastic results. In my suburb, they went for Hillary, but on the positive side, 48% of potential voters went to the polls. WI as a whole went nearly 60:40 for Obama, and we hit 37% voter participation. Ahh, that always disheartens me, that so few eligible voters participate in democracy, but this number is a definite improvement.

Music: Digging Sondre Lerche. Norwegian pop with swell lyrics.

Covet: The warmth and gorgeous promise of a Hawaiian vacation. I should plan one.

stream of consciousness

I voted today, did you?

I have to water my plants.

Washing dishes makes my fingers pruny.

It's cold in WI and I wish it would warm up. It's almost March...I think it's going to come in like a lion.

Whiny surgeons drive me crazy. I am not your babysitter.

I'm going to clean my bathroom now. And eat popcorn for dinner.

yes we can!

My presidential candidate:



If you live in Wisconsin, don't forget to vote in our primaries tomorrow! The polls are open 7 am to 8 pm. You can find your polling location here: http://vpa.wi.gov/

This is an incredible opportunity to change the political landscape of our country. Don't give it up.

Peace and love,
M

Chilly Saturday

BRR! I am so sick of this! Honestly, I'm a nurse, why didn't I move somewhere where I don't have to wear a ski jacket into April, where long underwear is not a vital part of one's wardrobe, where being fashionable is possible 12 months of the year, and so on?!! Especially that last part...I'm currently wrapped up in a down comforter while wearing sweatpants, a t-shirt, a sweater, and a puffy down vest. If that doesn't scream fashionista, well damn, I've got nothing. Yes, yes, after over 1.5 feet of snow, we are now under a wind chill warning until tomorrow afternoon. I just want to be warm, is that too much to ask?

Book of the week: Um...I'm still reading Eat, Pray, Love. It's still good!

Music of the week: Well, it was a sad day on Tuesday, as we didn't get to go to the matchbox twenty concert. Mother Nature conspired against us and dumped an ungodly amount of snow on southern WI. I was definitely disappointed, but it is much better to be alive than to see a show. Currently, I'm digging an old fave, Death Cab for Cutie. I just heard that they're going to be putting a new album out soon [which unfortunately means no new Postal Service album for now, but you take what you get]!

Covet of the week: This awesome pink tee from http://www.feminist.org/. I'm a fan.

Not a lazy Sunday

Today has been an interesting day. I went to Mass for the first time in over a year. It was strange to be there, but also familiar. Here is where I went to Mass: St. Josaphat's Basilica. I have to admit, I had a hard time paying attention at times because it is such a beautiful basilica!

On not such a serious note, I have been on a cleaning binge...actually, I still am, but I really needed a break. One can only vacuum so long before risking permanent hearing damage! I have discovered some things that I really, strongly, dislike.

1. Dusting. Hands down, my least favorite chore ever. My second least favorite, washing dishes, can't even compare. It takes too long, and I just feel like I'm spreading it around and stirring it up. Plus, I really don't like blowing black boogers...overshare I know, sorry, but YUCK!
2. Carpeted steps. Honestly, who in world thought that carpeted steps would be a good idea? Even if your vacuum fits on them, you have to lug the vacuum up and down them. And if your vacuum doesn't fit on them, you have to get out the various attachments, get down on your hands and knees, and s l o w l y work your way up them. Ugh.
3. Did I mention dusting?
4. Cleaning the toilet. Just gross.
5. Dusting.
6. Washing dishes. I try to keep up, but sometimes I get pretty apathetic about it. I try to rinse things out so they don't get nasty, but you know...
7. You know what goes here...
8. There are some things I like about cleaning though. I actually like cleaning in general. It's cathartic for me. I like the patterns the vacuum cleaner leaves, I like the fresh smell of what I use to mop my floors, I like organization!

Okay, back to it. 25% done!

Peace and love,
M

Slacker Saturday

So tired. I was called in at 1 this morning to do an ectopic pregnancy and a liver transplant to follow. The liver didn't go though, because the donor continued to breathe when they took him off the ventilator! It was very different being in the OR with almost no one there. I'm so used to my 100+ people first shift! I was able to come home "early," around 5 am, but I wasn't able to sleep past 8...per usual. I'm pretty tired now, and I imagine I'll be falling asleep on the couch soon!

Here are the Saturday picks...as best as I can. It's been a long week and I haven't had a lot of time to do much besides work and sleep.




Book of the week: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I just started this on the recommendation of my dear friend Jenn, and I'm enjoying it. It is the memoirs of a woman, who, following her divorce, travels to her "Three I's." That is, Italy (eat), India (pray), and Indonesia (love). I find it easy to read and conversational, and I like the premise of finding yourself. Apparently other people find it tripe and full of drivel, and apparently a "complete liberal agenda." Hahaha, this lady's other "reviews" make me laugh. Look at what her one positive review is...look closely at the author's name. You know she hated Gilbert's book because this is a strong woman who left her unsatisfactory marriage, the author has a healthy sex life, and she found God in a place besides a patriarchal Judeo-Christian environment.


Music of the week: It obviously must be matchbox twenty, who I will be seeing this Tuesday evening! I'm so glad Rob is back with the boys :)


Covets of the week: Jessica inspired me to make a little list of things that I covet...and just like her's, this is in no way a "hint, hint" for anyone! I just like to dream a little :) And besides, I'm allowed to!

• First, this fun umbrella. I'm so sick of my boring black one, and with spring coming up, this is just perfect.
  


• These ADORABLE flats from Banana Republic. I think they'd be great with jeans or a skirt!

• I desperately want an orange cat like this one to name Baxter. I miss my Marmalade so much.

Peace and love,
M

Meg's List of Insane Happiness

I was inspired this morning by one of my favorite columnists, Mark Morford of the San Francisco Chronicle, to do a list of things I'm insanely happy about. Sometimes I get so drawn into work and cold weather and trying to figure out where to put my 403 (b) money given the crappy options they give us, not to mention the tanking economy, that I forget that there are a lot of things that make me smile. Without further ado, I give you Meg's List of Insane Happiness!

1. Handwritten letters. This week I received a note from my dear friend Rachel, who made the awesome move to NYC where she works for American Eagle. There is nothing like opening the mailbox to find a cute envelope and the personal touch of a handwritten letter.
2. Body Worlds 1 at the Milwaukee Public Museum. This looks so amazing! I'm determined to go. All the bodies in the exhibit are from people who have willed their bodies to science. They're preserved through a process called Plastination, and you can see healthy vs. diseased tissues, how the body's joints work, and the wonder that is human anatomy. I personally think this should be a {paid} field trip for the OR employees at St. Luke's :)
3. www.pandora.com. I love this website! I know it's been around for quite some time now, but I still feel compelled to tell people about it, lest they live in caves and haven't heard about it :) The current song is: Carolina by Benjamin Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie).
4. Sleeping in, and not setting an alarm. After a long week of work, it's so nice to be able to go to bed without worrying about getting up at a specific time. Now granted, my body has trained itself to wake up at 7 am because it thinks it should be at work, but it's nice to not hear the obnoxious "beep beep beep" of the alarm.
5. My new television. It's 26", LCD, HD, has bells and whistles. But the thing I'm most excited about is that I can now see the picture from my couch, and not just shapes that vaguely resemble people. And I put the TV stand together by myself. I'm a handy girl!
6. Exclamation points. My 7th grade English teacher would be in a tizzy over all the exclamation points in this post. And in all of my posts. But I absolutely LOVE them!!!! They're just fun :)
7. My hot pink stethoscope. Even though I don't use a stethoscope anymore, since I work in the OR, it still makes me smile. I feel it's very important to have a sense of fun when it comes to work.
8. This mirror from Urban Outfitters. It's recycled, and I think it would add a lot of POP! to a room.
9. These stamps from the USPS. You tell me, is this something normal people want to commemorate with a stamp? Just makes me giggle a litte bit!
10. And finally, the promise of spring. 66 days til Opening Day!

Peace and love,
M

Blog for Choice Day

Today is January 22, 2008, the 35th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. Roe vs. Wade established that women are entitled to privacy regarding their health care choices, yet the anti-choice activists are hellbent on limiting those options. So why do I vote pro-choice?

I vote pro-choice because I am:

Angry and confused as to why other people think their religious and personal convictions regarding my body somehow outweigh mine, and perplexed as to why the majority of these people seem to have an XY chromosome and never, ever, will be faced with the decision to have an abortion.

Devastated that only 13 percent of women in the United States and only 7 percent of women in Wisconsin live in a county with an abortion provider.

Frustrated because abstinence-only sexual education DOES NOT WORK, yet the federal government refuses to fund anything but. Let's face it, kids are having sex. Shouldn't we arm them with the facts and information they need to be safe?! I simply cannot wrap my mind around the warped argument that talking about sex will make people have sex.

Highly concerned about the amount of misinformation regarding birth control methods and sexual education being distributed by anti-choice groups. Let me lay some facts out for you. Plan B does not cause abortions; it works by delaying the release of an egg or by preventing the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus. It cannot end a pregnancy. Depending on the method, birth control has a failure rate of 0.03 percent to nine percent, compared with the 85 percent failure rate of no birth control. Using a condom does not cause/increase the risk of STIs; in fact, besides abstinence, condoms are the only way to protect against STIs. Giving young girls the HPV vaccine will not encourage them to become sexually active. It will, however, protect them against the strain of the virus responsible for the majority of cervical cancer, and how is that a bad thing?

Disturbed because pharmacists can subject me to their morals and refuse to dispense Plan B, the FDA-approved emergency contraceptive, based on conscientious objection.

Scared because Wisconsin has not repealed its pre-Roe vs. Wade abortion ban, and should Roe vs. Wade be overturned, having an abortion in Wisconsin will become a felony.

Horrified that the US Supreme Court upheld the 2007 Federal Abortion Ban, which does not have a provision for the health of the mother! Just wait...SCOTUS will be performing your next pap smear.

But I do have hope. The Wisconsin State Assembly recently passed the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Bill, which requires all emergency departments to provide information on emergency contraception to all victims of rape. This was the first pro-choice bill to be passed by both houses in over a decade. With a pro-choice governor, it is expected that this will be signed into law in the coming month. The three Democratic candidates for President support Roe vs. Wade and a woman's right to choose (I can't say the same for the remaining Republican candidates).

In the end, I respect your morals and convictions. However, I do not share them. My body, my choice--not a pastor's, not the president's, not anyone but me and who I choose to make the decision with.

Peace and love,
M

cold and snowy

Well, after 2 days of bitter cold, we are getting dumped on by the snow gods! It has been snowing since this morning and it's still going strong.

Bad news: the water pipe to my shower burst this morning, and the plumbers have yet to come. I considered going to my Aunt's parents' home, but Nick and I don't want to drive in this weather. It took him 2 hours to travel what normally takes 3o minutes this afternoon! The plows haven't been out much since then either.

I think Hawaii sounds good...

yummy gyros

I know the Packers are playing right now, but I wanted to share my latest kitchen experiment with you. I absolutely love to cook, and having Nick around means I can make more than single-person food! Tonight I made chicken gyros, and they were delicious. Now I know, chicken gyros, but I just can't bring myself to eat lamb!! It's very easy and quick; you are able to easily make the yogurt sauce and slice the toppings while the chicken is marinating.

2 chicken breasts
2 TBSP olive oil
1 clove garlic
1-2 tsp lemon juice
~1/2 tsp (to taste) dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

Cube chicken. Marinate in above ingredients 15 minutes in refrigerator. Fry, stirring often, until done.

1 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt (very gross in any other situation!)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic
~1/2 tsp (again, to taste) dill weed
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped

Mix ingredients together.

Serve in warmed pitas, with feta cheese, onions, greens, and tomatoes. Top with yogurt sauce.

And in an update re: Cloverfield, I actually liked it! I was really tense the entire time...I burrowed into Nick's shoulder, and I jumped a couple of times, but at least I didn't scream like the girl sitting next to us! I wouldn't recommend it if you get motion sick though, as it's all filmed with hand-held cameras.

::ETA:: I forgot the author of the book I mentioned yesterday: Sera Beak.

Okay, back to the Pack!!

Peace and love,
M

A freezing cold Saturday

Today's political issue is...photo-shopping!!! I'm sorry, that just makes me giggle.

Funnies from work:
A resident while working on opening the abdomen of a larger patient: "I can't move my
bowels!" She realized what she said when we all burst out laughing.

A nurse to one of our docs: "S, if that IV pole had a skirt on, you would hit on it!"

The same doc as above, introducing himself to me: "Don't call me Dr. K. Well, only when the
patient's awake. We want some semblance of respect in this room, I guess."

Book pick- The Red Book: A Deliciously Unorthodox Approach to Igniting Your Diving Spark. I was really turned off to organized religion about a year ago, after a year of being really into it. This is written for women, by a woman. And she's fierce! There's nothing tripe and self-righteous about this, and it is focused on showing you how to tap into yourself and your spirituality, not someone else's religion.

Music pick- The Bahnan Brothers. This is the band of one of my friends from camp. Greg would really appreciate you checking them out at: www.myspace.com/bahnanbrothers! They're very eclectic, which, as you know, I love!

Movie pick- Well, it's not really my pick, as I don't like scary movies, but a relationship is all about compromises...tonight Nick and I are going to see Cloverfield. I'll give you my take on it later...that is, if I actually see any of it from between my fingers!

Peace and love [and stay warm],
M

Fun website

Every now and then, I find a website that is just off the wall zany. This one is just great: Map of Strange. It's crazy things people have found while surfing around on Google Earth and Google Maps. Really, I don't know who has the time to do this (they're obviously not nurses), but it's fun to see the strange sights!

In other news, there isn't too much going on. I'm working a lot and trying to keep up with housework. It's definitely a challenge to make myself clean when I come home from work and all I want to do is snuggle up on the couch! I have to start taking call soon too, which could definitely wreak some havoc on my already poor sleep schedule. EEP.

Nick took the first big plunge and came with me to Monroe and met my parents! It went very well; my parents only shared a few embarrassing stories about me, and Nick deemed my family "normal." I think he needs to hold off on that observation until he meets the rest of my relatives, for example, Uncle "What are your intentions with my god-daughter" Jim! ;)

Peace and love,
M

my sense of humor

I find it highly humorous that in Milwaukee, the television station BET is right next to all of the Christian stations. They're basically polar opposites.

Peace and love (and go Obama!),
Megan

My Marmalade, 1993-2008

Sad news to report: my dear kittycat, Marmalade, passed away on New Year's Day due to pneumonia. He got sick after Christmas and died in his sleep. He was such a sweetie and I miss him so much. If you didn't pet him enough, he would headbutt you for more. He also tried to eat a bee once, and it stung his throat on the way down, so he couldn't meow...instead he squawked. He was fat, orange, and perfect.

cutest pics you'll see all day

I might be biased, seeing as he's my cousin, but I still think Nicholas is the cutest kid ever!




Nick is two and a half years old, and loves reading, puppies, and fish. I took these at Thanksgiving this year after he discovered that dice are very fun because they make lots of noise!

Peace and love,
M