Study Break!!!!! (You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Antsy...)

Yes, I'm taking a moment to BLOG when I should be finishing my concept analysis paper on "coercion".    That's ok, though, because I'm antsy.  And you wouldn't like me when I'm antsy. (Cue the biggest greenest picture I can find of the Incredible Hulk...  "You're making me angry!  You wouldn't like me when I'm angry..."  tee hee hee!)  ANYWAY....

This is what my kitchen table looks like at 3:00 in the morning when I'm writing a paper....  It could be worse I suppose.  (Cue the big angry Hulk SMASHING the computer.)  Believe me, it crossed my mind. (sigh) Hopefully I'll be done before the sun comes up.  I sleep better when I go to sleep in the dark.  And no, I'm not actually cramming for a paper due in a matter of hours as was once my custom, back in the 90's.  (Gee, how old did I sound there?!?!)  I have this paper AND a power point presentation due exactly one day apart in 2 1/2 weeks.  I have recently joined the "I Hate Power Point" Fan Club. Charter member, right here.  I'm trying to plan ahead, you see. I'm off work (thanks to a nursing strike at my job) so I have 8 total days off that were unexpected, and I'm trying to use them wisely!!!  If it sounds like I'm complaining, let me reassure you that - yes, I am a little bit.  :-) I can think of a gazillion things I'd rather do with 8 days off, but alas.  Here I am.  I was prepared, I have no regrets, I actually LOVE my classes and am really happy and excited that I did this going back to school thing.  (I'm just not a very patient person and would love to fast forward to 2014).

Here's something that makes me happy!  My friend Vince!!  He's the guy who doesn't care what other people think, and if it means putting on a pirate suit on Halloween and coming to work to make his patients smile, then that's what he'll do!  I totally dig the parrot.....  Congrats on 2nd place! (You're first in my book, Matie!!)

 Daryle and Ma-lak watching Game 4 of the World Series. AGAIN.  And rewinding to all the good parts!   It was a very shiny moment, listening to my husband explain the ins and outs of baseball rules to our son....

Here's another thing that makes me happy!  Ni'ke!!!!  The fashionista strikes again....  It's been kinda cold and dreary and rainy this week, so Daryle told her, "Let's just stick with jeans and sweatshirts and boots for a few days, OK Sweetie?"   Well yesterday the sun came out, and Ni'ke wasted no time appealing to her parents.  And I quote:  "So I was thinking...  It's been awhile since I went all high-fashion and I wondered if it was ok to get back to my roots?"  Love it!  She laid out her outfit, complete with underwear and hand bag and all, and I gave her my stamp of motherly approval.  Knock 'em dead, kiddo!

Back to work!!!!

The Blue Ribbons

Where do I start?  Well, first let me confess that I should be writing a paper on empirical knowledge and theory development in nursing right now, but honestly, the blue ribbons are kind of consuming my mind lately.

It's not just the blue ribbons,  but what they stand for, what I stand for, and what I feel and think about it all.  It's a bumbled up mix of emotions, that's for sure!  These are the ribbons that the nurses at my hospital have been wearing as a show of unity and solidarity during a very tense month of contract negotiations between the hospital administration and the union that represents us. Things aren't going great as we just learned that if another strike occurs (which is a very real possibility) the hospital will lock us out for an additional 2 days, for a total of 5 days missed of work.  (I'm scheduled to work 3 12-hour shifts in that 5 day period....) 

(sigh)

I'm not thrilled at the prospect of losing an entire week's worth of wages, but I can honestly say that the money isn't what's bothering me. 

It's conflict!!! 

I hate it!  It unsettles me.  It twists its gnarled fingers around my happy heart and keeps me up at night.  It's what makes me write controversial papers for my class and spout off wild rantings of how "there HAS to be a better way!!" 

It's the thing that has caused me to turn to the only place I know to find peace and comfort and answers in a time where the atmosphere if full of bitterness, resentment, accusations, and discord.  The Scriptures.  What does God say about all this???  Not surprisingly I found no mention of strikes in the Bible.....

I'm not surprised that conflict exists.  We live in  a fallen world, and our God is a war-faring God, so therefore we must be a war-faring people!  God has a lot to say about the just and the unjust, and here's what I think.  If I look around at the world and see an unjustice, especially one that personally affects me, the welfare of my work, my livlihood, and thus my family, and I do nothing, what am I really saying??

As a child, I was raised in a very pacifistic, "non-resistant" way.  My parents are/were peaceful, my father a conscientious objector to the Vietnam war.  It's where I got my "can't we all just get along?" mentality, I guess.  Unions in the midwest were seen as a self-seeking form of rebellion to the powers that be and therefore generally NOT looked upon with favor.  You don't stir the pot, cause a ruckus, make waves, or tred into waters unknown.

BUT.

I have never before lived in a place where I felt that my employers were unjust and wanted to take things from me and fill their own pockets while simultaneously telling me that they "value" me. I've never felt threatened or cheapened.  And until now,  I've never thought that my one small voice would be one that could make a very big difference in light of a grave unjustice, but I'm finding that it does....

"He that ruleth men must be just." II Samuel 23:3  

But the "rulers" of my hospital are not just!  Lord, what do I do?

"The just man walketh in his integrity."  Proverbs 20:7 

OK, Lord, I will walk in integrity! But what will happen now?

"No evil shall happen to the just." Proverbs 12:21

"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things."  Matthew 6: 31-32

Thank you, Lord..... Show me the way!!!

"The way of the just is uprightness."  Isaiah 26:7 and

"The just shall live by faith."  Romans 1:17


What awesome promises God fills our hearts with!!

Please join me in praying for my hospital, the administrators, the union representatives, my community, my coworkers, and my patients.  I ask for  a speedy resolution that honors the employees without compromising the establishment they serve nor the safety of the patients within.  

Miscellaneous Musings

 Ya'shar lost one tooth, shortly followed by another last week.  He's very excited and keeps wiggling all other teeth hoping to get one loose.  I think his little lisp is quite possibly the cutest thing ever, especially when he's really serious or upset about something.  "Rea, you better th-top it right now or I'm thelling on you!"

Rea is the queen of sniffing out left overs.  If Daryle and I go out for sushi or eggs benedict and bring ANYthing home, you can believe that it'll be gone within seconds of her entering the house.  A girl after my own heart - she soaks it in soy sauce....

David gave Rea this lion one year for her birthday and it's one of her most prized possessions.  It's sort of become her own personal mascot, and she dresses it up for all kinds of occasions.  This one "look" was her favorite so she texted a picture of her and the lion to David, "just so he knows I love him."

This giant human sandwich was very entertaining at 8:00 in the morning on the way to take the kids to school the other day. This marketing ploy proved very effective on MY kids anyway, since they practically threw the car off the road with all their waving and bouncing and shouting.  Yes, we like Subway.  But not before I've even had my first cup of coffee!

How cute are these two?!!?!?  This is Eli and Ava, my brother Brent's two little ones.  He and Jess texted me this on their way to go trunk-or-treating at their church.  Oh how I wish we lived closer!!!

Rea has arrived at that age where she digs through my closet and drawers (only sometimes with permission) to see what cool things she can wear to school.  I'm not complaining, I actually find it endearing and pretty hilarious....  :) This was her "fall" outfit.  What can I say??  The girl's rockin' the hat and scarf!!

 And in stark contrast, this is what her MOTHER looks like in the morning on the way to school.  Hey, it's a definite improvement over the pajama pants I usually wear....  Rea was playing with the camera on my phone while we sat at the VERY long stop light that ALWAYS catches us in the morning.  These are the very best poses that a nocturnal-I-hate-mornings-eternal-night-shifter could muster at such an early hour.  Hey I tried.
 

And on a "sweet" note, this is my husbands idea of "a little snack".  That's right.  Two cupcakes with frosting, 3 scoops of butter pecan ice cream (his favorite), chocolate syrup, chopped nuts and cherries.

Here's MY idea of a little snack....  Notice how the bag of candy corn that I bought yesterday is now nearly empty.  Sweet tooth issues running in the family????  Ya think!!!???

"We're Nursing as Fast as We Can!!"

A coworker passed around this song a few weeks ago when we were on strike.  It was a hilarious (yet very accurate) comic relief during a stressful time, and I just had to share!!!

Horton Hears a Who!! (Starring Rea Smith)

 Well, it wasn't exactly the starring role, but she rocked that kangaroo part!!  (She's always a star!!!!)  I was sleeping after a long night at work and had been awake for 27 hours (EEK) so Daryle went to her play by himself and played the master "cheer-er" and videographer.  She had a bit of a sore throat yesterday morning before she left for school, and sure enough, by the time she got home in the evening she had a temp of 101.7 and was hoarse and congested....  (sigh) Today she's hanging at home with us, watching movies and reading and drinking gatorade!  :) 

I'm off for the next several days and have a huge list of errands to run - SO time-consuming!!!  I have big plans to start on a couple papers for school and get that going early, we'll see if those big plans come to fruition in light of me getting to be home with family for 5 whole days - this never happens!!

Work is going well - everything is back to usual (for now) after the strike last week.  On the surface it all seems the same, yet the atmosphere has changed and things FEEL different.  Hard to explain.  There are of course a lot of hard feelings and fear and bad attitudes and questions and unknowns going around that are run-of-the mill I supposed after something happens like this.  I'm grateful for being blessed with a job, but am exploring if God may have something different in mind in light of all the recent events!  School is leading me in a different direction than the area I'm currently in now, and maybe I'll be merging into a career change earlier than I thought.  We are prayerful. Grateful. Hopeful. Trusting.  And CONTENT!!

On Strike....

I never thought I'd see the day.  This day.  I knew that if I ever did go on strike, it'd have to be for something I really truly believed in.  So here we are.  And I, the person who hates conflict and confrontation (but will engage in it if necessary!)  am walking a picket line.  Please pray with me for a quick resolution between the hospital administration and the union's negotiating team.  Here are some articles from our local newspaper, the Press Democrat, that give a little more insight into what's happening.

 http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121002/OPINION/121009888

 http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121002/ARTICLES/121009932

Mr. & Mrs. Michael and Kami Puttock!!!

 Congratulations to two of the most beautiful people I know who married yesterday in one of the most beautiful settings ever!  I was so blessed to be a part of Michael and Kami's wedding in Oak Grove just outside of Occidental.  I decided that I really need to get out more! There are all of these little hidden treasures all over California, and lots of them are in my own back yard.  Yes, I will be road-tripping back to the redwoods in the middle of nowhere soon!

Husband and wife!!!  Yay!!!

 The instrumentalists!  A violin and acoustic guitar..... (sigh)

Kim, my "work mom"!  :)  She and Kami (her daughter!) have been such wonderful friends to me the past 10 years, and they hold such a special place in my heart. They have welcomed me into their home a number of times and let my children run around in their huge back yard!!  Thank you so much for including me in your special day!

I adore this cute little cake!  She put the fondant through a pasta maker to make strips, and then used this little tool to create a ribbon effect!  The cake tinker-er in me loved this idea.... Such lovely little details and perfect touches.  A thoughtful wedding full of love!!

Happy wedding day, Little Red!!  Enjoy your honeymoon in Belize!! Can't wait till you're back!

Happy Birthday & Happy Anniversary!!

September 12 marked a special day for us!  We celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary!!  I wish I could take credit for this delicious cake, but I had a little help from a yummy local bakery.  (I "heart" Olivers!!)  Happy birthday and blessed anniversary to the man God gave me, the one I prayed for for many years.  I could not be happier.......

"Strike"-ingly Difficult Situation

Below is an article recently posted in the local newspaper about the possible 4 days nurses strike at my hospital.  Negotiations are still presently underway.  We are hoping and praying for a positive outcome that will negate the need to strike, which would be an incredibly detrimental situation for the community we serve.

Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa.
Kent Porter / PD, 2012

By MARTIN ESPINOZA
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Published: Friday, September 21, 2012 at 6:44 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, September 21, 2012 at 6:44 p.m.

The union representing 660 nurses at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital has warned administrators that nurses may go on strike Oct. 2, two days after their labor contract expires.

The Santa Rosa-based Staff Nurses Association said Friday that its nurses will now vote on whether to stage a three-day walkout. If approved, the strike will begin at 5 a.m. on Oct. 2 and conclude at 5 a.m. on Oct. 5.

Both hospital administrators and the nurses union said they have disagreements over a number of labor issues, including pension benefits and on-call and night shift pay.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, the nurses union said hospital administrators are proposing, among other things, a cut in night shift pay and decrease in on-call pay. The union said the hospital is also trying to take away the union's right to negotiate benefits.

Debra Miller, vice president of human resources for St. Joseph Health Sonoma County, which runs Memorial Hospital, said the proposed changes to nurses' benefits are “not out of the realm of what other employers are doing,” including local governments.

In these tough economic times, she said, the hospital must take steps to bring its costs in line with its targets to ensure its financial stability.

Miller said the hospital has proposed reducing the night differential, the extra amount paid for working the night shift, from 25 to 15 percent of regular pay. Also, the hospital proposes reducing on-call pay from 50 to 30 percent of regular pay.

The union said the proposed cuts come at a time when the hospital is reporting a $38 million operating margin.

But Miller said that its current operating margin is about 6 percent, which is about what the hospital needs to invest in new technology and remain competitive.

“A new MRI machine can cost anywhere from $2 to $3 million,” she said.

The nurses union has proposed improvements to extended sick leave, retiree medical benefits (which it says are currently sub-market) and paid time-off. The changes would bring nurses' benefits in line with other hospitals.

In its statement released Friday, the union said it has proposed a 5 percent wage increase beginning Oct. 1 and 7 percent a year later. The increases would barely keep nurses' wages competitive with the lower tier of wages in the Bay Area, it said.

Miller said hospital administrators will continue to negotiate with the nurses union through next week and next weekend. The contract expires at midnight Sept. 30.

The nurses union has filed notices of intent to strike several times just before its contract was set to expire, Miller said.

“In 2010, we received the same notice on Sept. 23,” she said. “We bargained until Sept. 30, came to an agreement and the union rescinded the strike.”

Miller said that during the last six rounds of contract negotiations, the nurses union has filed five strike notices without striking once.

in for the fiscal year ended June 30.