11.29.2007

Got an A on my Microbiology exam yesterday! Didn't have time to post about this -- went to see The Mist after my exam (loved it!!), so we got home really late. Straight to bed, up early and just finished my 12-hour shift. So very very tired, but wanted to post about my grade! :-D

pixie.dust sprinkled at 9:32:00 PM • 2 witty remark(s)

11.21.2007

Ha ha -- this is too cool! I emailed Kipling West, the artist who did The Halloween Tarot, and sent along a couple of images -- the design we used, and the outline on my arm. I received a response with this link today:

http://7deadlysinners.typepad.com/foureyedbat/2007/11/my-art-on-your.html

That's Kipling's blog. :D

pixie.dust sprinkled at 1:01:00 PM • 2 witty remark(s)

11.20.2007

I re-rescheduled my Micro exam to 11/28 -- I just wasn't quite ready to test. I probably would have gotten a B, but eh ... I want an A. :) And this way I don't have to spend our entire Thanksgiving (that'll be tomorrow) with my nose in a book! I did get a ton of studying done at the tattoo convention -- yes, I was the only person there who was reading Microbiology Demystified. Ha ha! Seriously, for any Micro students, that is an excellent book ... it's almost -- dare I say it? -- enjoyable! Compared to some other really dry science texts I've read in my life, this one is actually engaging. Heh.

We had a great time at the Richmond tattoo convention, as usual! Michael tattooed all day Saturday, then did one piece Sunday. Then I was able to get some work done. Yay!! I got my first piece from The Halloween Tarot; I've had a design from it scanned in/slightly modified for more than two years, so it's really exciting to finally have it on me! :) Michael just did the outline on my left outer forearm; we'll fill it in some other time. Here's the design:

Yay! The illustrator of that tarot set is Kipling West -- I love her work! I had emailed her about using her images back in 2004, and I sent her a picture of the outline on my arm this morning. :)

So yeah, we're doing our "Turkey Day" on Wednesday, because I have to work on Thursday. Yay, time-and-a-half! But it sucks to not be able to spend the day with Michael. :( But we'll have all kinds of goodies on Wednesday -- turkey, mashed taters (for Michael), green beans, and an apple pie (also for Michael). And because I can't really have sugar, white flour, or yummy foods containing those things (reactive hypoglycemia, how I despise you!), I'll probably make myself a sugar-free pumpkin pie with a pecan crust. I'm also going to make a second apple pie to take to work on Thursday, where we will be feasting in the ER. :) A couple of years ago we were so freakin' busy on Thanksgiving that I don't think we even got to eat too much! Yikes.

My CPNE application has been all accepted, according to the college's website. Woo hooo! :) I got an automated email that said it had been received by the regional assessment center and that I'd get a test date in approximately 12 weeks, and that test date will likely be 6 to 8 months from my application date. I'm so glad I'm doing this now, instead of a few months from now -- the college had a HUGE increase in enrollment prior to October 1 because they're changing their curriculum a little bit and added another 3-part exam, so approximately 4,000 people enrolled! No wonder they've been taking a while to update student status reports. They must be swamped! They usually only get about 250 people enrolling in a month. Crazy! But a large number of those people will probably never finish -- it's not easy to do distance learning because it takes a lot of discipline to make yourself study, even when you enjoy the subject matter.

Anyway ... hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving! Please be careful and don't end up in an ER. If you do, bring presents. Cookies usually work! :D

pixie.dust sprinkled at 11:55:00 AM • 0 witty remark(s)

11.07.2007

Yes, we had to replace the furnace ... ouch. But we got a really nice one that is MUCH more efficient than the 20-year-old furnace we had (yes, really -- the date in it was 1987, holy crow!!), and we have a 10-year parts and labor warranty on it. The guy that did the job for us lives just a couple of miles away, so we have all his digits in case it conks out ever. LOL. He also wants to get some tattoo work from Michael, which works out nicely. :)

Went to an appointment yesterday with my doctor. Switched to a new birth control pill (one that will help with water retention), got a flu shot, and had my doc sign my health status report for my Clinical Performance in Nursing Exam (CPNE, the 2.5-day clinicals exam) application. Michael got a flu shot as well.

Came home, scanned in stuff for the CPNE application, got on the horn with Excelsior about applying the remaining balance of my scholarship ($260) to the whopping $1825 fee for the CPNE, then uploaded/submitted my application online. WOOO HOOO!! I should receive my test date in 12 weeks, and the test date will likely be 6-7 months from now. I'll be testing in Mansfield, Ohio. This is such a huge step ... the last hurdle, truly. I AM SO EXCITED. I hear about how stressful the CPNE is, and I imagine it will be like National Registry to the 10th power. LOL. But for now I'm more excited than nervous ... I'm sure that will change. Heh. I'm going to a workshop in December, so that will be VERY helpful. Once I complete (and pass!!) the CPNE, I'll have my ADN and will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN (nursing boards). I'm still working on three classes -- Micro, Life Span Development Psych, and Intro to Sociology, but I'll CLEP the last two and take the Micro exam on 11/19 (I rescheduled it from 11/14 due to too many things going on!). I plan on doing the CLEPs before January. :) Busy busy bee!

The Richmond Tattoo Arts Festival is coming up in just a couple of weeks! That'll be fun. Always good to see all the lovely artwork. Michael will be working, and I'll probably get a little bit of work done on the first day we're there. Then I'll spend a good chunk of the weekend studying for Micro. I'm such a party animal! Ha ha.

pixie.dust sprinkled at 10:54:00 AM • 1 witty remark(s)