So, I was at work and I was with three female students, one male student, and one female staff. We were all about to enter a door to a business, and the male student opened it and walked in, leaving the door to almost shut on the three female students. The female staff said, "I guess chivalry is dead hu?" and the three female students simultaneously asked, "Who's Chivalry?" and the female staff said, "MY POINT EXACTLY!"
Lol, sad day. GET WITH IT GUYS!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
An Old Friend.
They say the world is small in the Church. Well, it is. I had a friend from New Zealand in my analytical chemistry class get called to Colorado on his mission. I told him he should look out for my family. He was never in our ward though. It turns out that his married sister lived next to our apartment and we became good friends with her. She and her husband's name are Sarah and Tui, with a cute little boy named Malichi. Well, as it turns out, for my job, we meet at an LDS church on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and one day, low and behold, I find a flock of missionaries, buzzing about transfers. So I look around, and sure enough, I see my friend, Elder Brunton. He's pretty much awesome.... and he looks all grown up now! 
Now if it looks like I have some kind of metal machine in my mouth, I don't. I just took a picture with a camera that wasn't mine, and so the quality wasn't super good. But it was still a nice memory.
How do you like the picture Sarah? Doesn't he just look all grown up?
Now if it looks like I have some kind of metal machine in my mouth, I don't. I just took a picture with a camera that wasn't mine, and so the quality wasn't super good. But it was still a nice memory.
How do you like the picture Sarah? Doesn't he just look all grown up?
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Ok, finally its here
So I have a friend named Mikensi. Shes pregnant, and as a result, is sick all the time. She also has weird dreams. To make her feel better, I'm going to blog about my exceptionally weird dream because it all started with her.
So, I'm my dream, Lianna and I wanted to go visit Mikensi and Jimmy. Why would we want to go to Utah? I don't know, but that's where they are, and we wanted to go visit them, so off to Utah we went. However, before we could go to Utah, we had to go ask the Klingons for permission. (I don't even watch or like Star Trek, so why I'm dreaming about Klingons is beyond me.) So we take a odd flying vessel up to the Klingon mothership that is only hovering about 2000 feet about the earth overlooking a battlefield. As we arrive, I notice they are engaged in a vicious war with the Dutch. (Dutch hu? Alright, that's cool... but do they even have an army?) As I look closer, its the video game Call of Duty. So here the Klingons and Dutch are engaged in a mortal battle, Call of Duty style. As I look closer at the battle, I see the Soldiers. Yup, they're LEGO men. Dutch and Klingon LEGO men, duking it out.
So, as one would guess, the Klingons aren't very attentive to us, and when we ask if we can go to Utah to visit Mikensi, they quickly say "Yes," and get back to their battle.
However, before I go, my mom and I go to watch a Grandview High School basketball game. (Why am I dreaming about my old high school, let alone going to something as boring as a basketball game, I don't know.) So mom and I are sitting there and this little girl in front of us turns around and says "Hi Mrs. Hug-a-Caboose." I look at my mom with a quizzical look, and she says, "Oh, that's what the kids at school call me." Then she says "Hi" to the girl and introduces me. At this point, the girls mother sitting next to her turns around, and it turns out to be my high school Spanish teacher. So needless to say I'm surprised, and she is so happy to see me. She invites me to come visit her house in the Southern part of Colorado.
The scene cuts and I am down in Southern Colorado, at some university getting information. I pass by this strange place that I always dream about. Its off a highway, like on a small exit, and its a inn/restaurant in the side of a mountain. The restaurant is like Trail Dust, if you know that restaurant, but the wood is red rather than brown. So I pass by this old, shabby place that I has been in my dreams occasionally since I was a little boy, and I make my way to my Spanish teachers house. It is only then that I remembered that my teacher didn't actually tell me where she lived, just which city she lived in. So I decide that since I'm all the way down here, I was going to search for her house. So I go in and out of all these random people's houses, asking if its my Spanish teacher's house. I go through quite a bit, and I'm about to give up when I hear her voice from the house next door.
So I go over, and I find my teacher, and she's very happy to see me, but since I spent so long looking for her house, she has to go. But she takes me inside real quick to meet her daughter. She's on the sofa watching a movie with her boyfriend, and so we say hello, and the say something to me that was really weird to the point that it alienated me and I just said, "well, ya, uhmm... nice to meet you." (I don't remember what they said.) So as I'm about to leave, my teacher gives me a bunch of bedding. like 2 blankets and a pillow. I accept the things and I'm on my way out. But as I leave the house, I meet her husband who had just gotten home from Home Depot. I put my stuff down, introduce myself, and offer to help him bring in his things. So I help him, say my goodbyes to the family, then leave.
At this point, I get into my space ship (since Utah is a completely different world) and I take off. However, something goes wrong, and I crash land somewhere near New Mexico. It just so happens that I crash into a dinosaur cage, releasing the man-eating dinosaurs. So I run away into this glass building overlooking a lot of construction on the dinosaur park. From there I watch all the raptors devouring the fleeing construction workers, and I thought, "Man, I'm glad that I'm not down there."
And I woke up. Then I thought, "Man, that was a weird dream. I should tell that to Mikensi because she was the whole reason for that dream. That way she will know that she's not the only one that has weird dreams."
The end.
So, I'm my dream, Lianna and I wanted to go visit Mikensi and Jimmy. Why would we want to go to Utah? I don't know, but that's where they are, and we wanted to go visit them, so off to Utah we went. However, before we could go to Utah, we had to go ask the Klingons for permission. (I don't even watch or like Star Trek, so why I'm dreaming about Klingons is beyond me.) So we take a odd flying vessel up to the Klingon mothership that is only hovering about 2000 feet about the earth overlooking a battlefield. As we arrive, I notice they are engaged in a vicious war with the Dutch. (Dutch hu? Alright, that's cool... but do they even have an army?) As I look closer, its the video game Call of Duty. So here the Klingons and Dutch are engaged in a mortal battle, Call of Duty style. As I look closer at the battle, I see the Soldiers. Yup, they're LEGO men. Dutch and Klingon LEGO men, duking it out.
So, as one would guess, the Klingons aren't very attentive to us, and when we ask if we can go to Utah to visit Mikensi, they quickly say "Yes," and get back to their battle.
However, before I go, my mom and I go to watch a Grandview High School basketball game. (Why am I dreaming about my old high school, let alone going to something as boring as a basketball game, I don't know.) So mom and I are sitting there and this little girl in front of us turns around and says "Hi Mrs. Hug-a-Caboose." I look at my mom with a quizzical look, and she says, "Oh, that's what the kids at school call me." Then she says "Hi" to the girl and introduces me. At this point, the girls mother sitting next to her turns around, and it turns out to be my high school Spanish teacher. So needless to say I'm surprised, and she is so happy to see me. She invites me to come visit her house in the Southern part of Colorado.
The scene cuts and I am down in Southern Colorado, at some university getting information. I pass by this strange place that I always dream about. Its off a highway, like on a small exit, and its a inn/restaurant in the side of a mountain. The restaurant is like Trail Dust, if you know that restaurant, but the wood is red rather than brown. So I pass by this old, shabby place that I has been in my dreams occasionally since I was a little boy, and I make my way to my Spanish teachers house. It is only then that I remembered that my teacher didn't actually tell me where she lived, just which city she lived in. So I decide that since I'm all the way down here, I was going to search for her house. So I go in and out of all these random people's houses, asking if its my Spanish teacher's house. I go through quite a bit, and I'm about to give up when I hear her voice from the house next door.
So I go over, and I find my teacher, and she's very happy to see me, but since I spent so long looking for her house, she has to go. But she takes me inside real quick to meet her daughter. She's on the sofa watching a movie with her boyfriend, and so we say hello, and the say something to me that was really weird to the point that it alienated me and I just said, "well, ya, uhmm... nice to meet you." (I don't remember what they said.) So as I'm about to leave, my teacher gives me a bunch of bedding. like 2 blankets and a pillow. I accept the things and I'm on my way out. But as I leave the house, I meet her husband who had just gotten home from Home Depot. I put my stuff down, introduce myself, and offer to help him bring in his things. So I help him, say my goodbyes to the family, then leave.
At this point, I get into my space ship (since Utah is a completely different world) and I take off. However, something goes wrong, and I crash land somewhere near New Mexico. It just so happens that I crash into a dinosaur cage, releasing the man-eating dinosaurs. So I run away into this glass building overlooking a lot of construction on the dinosaur park. From there I watch all the raptors devouring the fleeing construction workers, and I thought, "Man, I'm glad that I'm not down there."
And I woke up. Then I thought, "Man, that was a weird dream. I should tell that to Mikensi because she was the whole reason for that dream. That way she will know that she's not the only one that has weird dreams."
The end.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
April
It's official, I'm homesick.
I haven't been homesick ever in my life. Missed certain things about home, yes. Wishing to go home every day to the point that I actually look up plane tickets for the next available time I have to go? Never until now.
Why? I think it's all the thinking I've been encouraged to do about my favorite thing about Easter. See, April is my favorite month of the year in California. Not just because it's my birthday month, because (and my family knows this about me) I often forget it's my birthday by the time it rolls around. But mostly because most of my best memories happened in April. Christmas in April - the best birthday ever for me because it was an entire day spent fixing up a home for someone I didn't know, and who would never know I was involved. The air smells like spring in Hercules, the cherry trees blossom in the beginning (it never grows cherries, but the blossoms make beautiful arrangements), the other fruit trees bloom and promise a delicious early-summer, the early roses bud and bloom toward the end of the month, and it rains while the sun is out, and even while the sun isn't out. It's a lighter rain than the winter months, and it leaves everything dewy and sparkling. It's the kind of rain you imagine when you sing the primary song "I like to look for rainbows".
Basically, it's a magical month. Plus, it's beginning to be strawberry season. Fruit of the Gods. And Demigods. And Goddesses. In fact, I'm sure Mt. Olympus rejoices when strawberries begin to grow. Anyway, I also miss the things I always miss: the food, my old friends, the ocean, the hills. I also miss my family, and though I know it's always a little stressful to try to spend time in California, it's also something I miss.
I love my time here, and it's probably because I'm enjoying it so much that I'm longing for my home and memories. It rains here, and strawberries are abundant. Plus, living with a family is really pleasant. =) This also serves to remind me of California in the spring, though. I doubt I'll be able to go back until after August of this year, so I'll settle for just good memories for now. But one day, Look out California, here I come!
I haven't been homesick ever in my life. Missed certain things about home, yes. Wishing to go home every day to the point that I actually look up plane tickets for the next available time I have to go? Never until now.
Why? I think it's all the thinking I've been encouraged to do about my favorite thing about Easter. See, April is my favorite month of the year in California. Not just because it's my birthday month, because (and my family knows this about me) I often forget it's my birthday by the time it rolls around. But mostly because most of my best memories happened in April. Christmas in April - the best birthday ever for me because it was an entire day spent fixing up a home for someone I didn't know, and who would never know I was involved. The air smells like spring in Hercules, the cherry trees blossom in the beginning (it never grows cherries, but the blossoms make beautiful arrangements), the other fruit trees bloom and promise a delicious early-summer, the early roses bud and bloom toward the end of the month, and it rains while the sun is out, and even while the sun isn't out. It's a lighter rain than the winter months, and it leaves everything dewy and sparkling. It's the kind of rain you imagine when you sing the primary song "I like to look for rainbows".
Basically, it's a magical month. Plus, it's beginning to be strawberry season. Fruit of the Gods. And Demigods. And Goddesses. In fact, I'm sure Mt. Olympus rejoices when strawberries begin to grow. Anyway, I also miss the things I always miss: the food, my old friends, the ocean, the hills. I also miss my family, and though I know it's always a little stressful to try to spend time in California, it's also something I miss.
I love my time here, and it's probably because I'm enjoying it so much that I'm longing for my home and memories. It rains here, and strawberries are abundant. Plus, living with a family is really pleasant. =) This also serves to remind me of California in the spring, though. I doubt I'll be able to go back until after August of this year, so I'll settle for just good memories for now. But one day, Look out California, here I come!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Soybeans and Goodwill
**Please note that at the end of this post, there is a significant segment of post that needs your attention and input. So if you're not going to read this ridiculously long post, scroll down and read the last part. Much thanks.
Do you ever get that feeling that you really should blog, but you have nothing to blog about... then when you finally sit down to blog, you have, like, a MILLION things to blog about? Well I sure do.
Anyway, for those of you who knew me, growing up I was a picky eater. When I say picky, i mean PIIIIICCCCCKKKKY. Basically, before my mission I would not eat ANY fruits or veggies. I survived on meat and pasta. Ok, exceptions were made. Whenever a girl tried to get me to eat a fruit, I would... but before my mission, I had only eaten 1/4 a strawberry, 3 and 1/2 grapes, (lots of apples), 1 sliver of a canned mandarin orange, one bite of a watermelon before I dry heaved and spit it out like it were arsenic, and thats about it. But to illustrate how far I've come, I love soybeans! Yup, now I thoroughly enjoy fruits of many varieties, and can often eat a wide assortment of veggies. I can eat almost all veggies as long as they are cooked. Raw ones are still a bit hard for me, but I can choke them down when needed (like a bowl of salad while eating over at someone's house.)
Additionally, Lianna and I are preparing for real live (We are currently living with my parents while we save up enough for our own place and Lianna finishes massage therapy school and gets a job. But we've started buying the essentials. Therefore we bought a TV. Not just any TV, but a great one for us. We bought a Toshiba 37 inch LCD HDTV. She's a beauty.
We also bought a bed and a bed frame, which we love. Took me quite a while to set up, but now that its done, it looks great.
I love the fact that it has drawers! Sweet. Anyway, we are enjoying buying stuff for us and can't wait to be able to afford our own space to put it all in.
Here is a short snippet of conversation that I had with my friend:
Joe: GOODWILL, where have you been all my life?
Jen: Right down the street, where it has always been.
Joe: Crap, you're right. Why have I not used you before!
End conversation.
I have recently discovered Goodwill. For those who may not know, its like a non-mormon D.I. Its great! I bought there an entertainment center for our new TV, a great DVD player, and 2 sweet DVDs (Stargate and X-Men 2), all for about $23. Not only that, but as Im looking through there, I'm seeing REALLY NICE CLOTHES! about 80% of them are a better quality then my current clothes, and they cost about 1/8th of what I paid for mine! Well shoot. I certainly know where I'm going to do my shopping now.
Ok, heres the important part. Im considering a career change. (Can I call it a change if I don't actually have a career right now?) Anyway, I am. For those who don't know, I didn't get into Med school this year. That is not a surprise, since many, many 1st year applicants are rejected. Such is life. But it may have been the hand of the Lord. I am seriously considering NURSING. Yup, nursing. Not TOO much of a change, (not like changing from wanting to be a doctor to being a Shakespeare professor,) but its still a change. So I NEED YOUR HELP and OPINIONS. If you read this, you must comment on it. Below I will put some of the pro's and con's of each choice. This is just a preliminary list, and I am wide open for suggestions.
NURSING:
Pro's
-Because I already have a degree, particularly a science degree, I can do an accelerated BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) in one year, which means I could be a full -fledged nurse in one year.
-There are a MILLION different aspects of nursing, and if I ever got tired of a specific nursing field, I could take some night classes, past a test, and I'd be an expert in the other nursing field (over-simplified, but thats the gist.)
-HUGE demand for nurses
-I'd be a male nurse (Obviously), something thats more or less different from the norm, but useful.
-I wouldn't have to run my own business, unlike many private practice doctors.
-No mal-practise insurance payments.
-I wouldn't have to hire someone specifically to hound, badger, pester, and pursue insurance companies to pay me for the work I've completed.
-Better (?) working hours. Im told that my nursing friend only workes 3, 12 hour shifts a week. Working 3 days a week and still being considered full time sounds good to me.
-I wouldn't have to be in school for the next 7 years of my life.
-Said 7 years of my life would be all-encompassing. I don't want to miss out of that... I mean im sure that within 7 years I will have at least one kid... I kinda wanna be there for that. =)
-Sweet job security... Theres never enough nurses.
-Shorter schooling.
Cons.
-I'd be a male nurse (kinda wimpy sounding)
-I'd have to take a few other classes in order to fulfill all the pre-req classes for the accelerated BSN programs. ( A little more than a semester's worth of classes, one of which is stats... i hate math.)
-I won't make oodles of money.
-A lot of what I would do would be the same or very similar to what doctors do, but get paid a LOT less that what doctors do.
-I may not be able to work for Doctors Without Borders. ( I'd think they'd need other people other than doctors right? Who knows.) ((doing something like that is my life-long dream.))
-Nurses are often over-worked because of the short supply of them.
DOCTOR
Pro's
-I could say, "My name is Dr, Quillen."
-I would make more money.
-I would be able to go on many humanitarian mission types of programs.
-I would have a more lasting relationship with my patients (the doctor I had growing up still knows my entire family by name and is up to date on many of the major events in our lives.)
-I would probably have a more "comfortable" lifestyle.
-I don't have to take more classes to get into med school.
-That's all I can really think of, but those are some seriously weighty pros...
Con's
-I'd have to get into medical school, something that is very hard to do.
-Med school costs a TON of money... I mean we're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars.
-The schooling takes a LONG time, and pretty much dominates your entire life.
-The bane of all doctors existence... MAL PRACTISE INSURANCE.
-I would have to work longer hours (probably).
-Unless I worked in a hospital, I'd have to run my own business if I did private practice.
-There is now that ever present, looming possibility of having socialized medicine, or some form thereof. If you think thats a good idea, I shake my fist at you and kick you in the shins. I'll probably post a rant about that some other time. Basically, if we move to socialized medicine, say goodbye to any type of competent medical care and say hello to going to the doctor to get advised to take Ibuprofen for EVERYTHING!
Anyway, thats a large and weighty decision that I have to make, and I'd LOVE all your opinions, suggestions, and anything else you have to offer. Please be blunt and truthful. You most likely won't offend me. =P
Hope that wasn't too long for you all.
Do you ever get that feeling that you really should blog, but you have nothing to blog about... then when you finally sit down to blog, you have, like, a MILLION things to blog about? Well I sure do.
Anyway, for those of you who knew me, growing up I was a picky eater. When I say picky, i mean PIIIIICCCCCKKKKY. Basically, before my mission I would not eat ANY fruits or veggies. I survived on meat and pasta. Ok, exceptions were made. Whenever a girl tried to get me to eat a fruit, I would... but before my mission, I had only eaten 1/4 a strawberry, 3 and 1/2 grapes, (lots of apples), 1 sliver of a canned mandarin orange, one bite of a watermelon before I dry heaved and spit it out like it were arsenic, and thats about it. But to illustrate how far I've come, I love soybeans! Yup, now I thoroughly enjoy fruits of many varieties, and can often eat a wide assortment of veggies. I can eat almost all veggies as long as they are cooked. Raw ones are still a bit hard for me, but I can choke them down when needed (like a bowl of salad while eating over at someone's house.)
Additionally, Lianna and I are preparing for real live (We are currently living with my parents while we save up enough for our own place and Lianna finishes massage therapy school and gets a job. But we've started buying the essentials. Therefore we bought a TV. Not just any TV, but a great one for us. We bought a Toshiba 37 inch LCD HDTV. She's a beauty.
We also bought a bed and a bed frame, which we love. Took me quite a while to set up, but now that its done, it looks great.
I love the fact that it has drawers! Sweet. Anyway, we are enjoying buying stuff for us and can't wait to be able to afford our own space to put it all in.
Here is a short snippet of conversation that I had with my friend:
Joe: GOODWILL, where have you been all my life?
Jen: Right down the street, where it has always been.
Joe: Crap, you're right. Why have I not used you before!
End conversation.
I have recently discovered Goodwill. For those who may not know, its like a non-mormon D.I. Its great! I bought there an entertainment center for our new TV, a great DVD player, and 2 sweet DVDs (Stargate and X-Men 2), all for about $23. Not only that, but as Im looking through there, I'm seeing REALLY NICE CLOTHES! about 80% of them are a better quality then my current clothes, and they cost about 1/8th of what I paid for mine! Well shoot. I certainly know where I'm going to do my shopping now.
Ok, heres the important part. Im considering a career change. (Can I call it a change if I don't actually have a career right now?) Anyway, I am. For those who don't know, I didn't get into Med school this year. That is not a surprise, since many, many 1st year applicants are rejected. Such is life. But it may have been the hand of the Lord. I am seriously considering NURSING. Yup, nursing. Not TOO much of a change, (not like changing from wanting to be a doctor to being a Shakespeare professor,) but its still a change. So I NEED YOUR HELP and OPINIONS. If you read this, you must comment on it. Below I will put some of the pro's and con's of each choice. This is just a preliminary list, and I am wide open for suggestions.
NURSING:
Pro's
-Because I already have a degree, particularly a science degree, I can do an accelerated BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) in one year, which means I could be a full -fledged nurse in one year.
-There are a MILLION different aspects of nursing, and if I ever got tired of a specific nursing field, I could take some night classes, past a test, and I'd be an expert in the other nursing field (over-simplified, but thats the gist.)
-HUGE demand for nurses
-I'd be a male nurse (Obviously), something thats more or less different from the norm, but useful.
-I wouldn't have to run my own business, unlike many private practice doctors.
-No mal-practise insurance payments.
-I wouldn't have to hire someone specifically to hound, badger, pester, and pursue insurance companies to pay me for the work I've completed.
-Better (?) working hours. Im told that my nursing friend only workes 3, 12 hour shifts a week. Working 3 days a week and still being considered full time sounds good to me.
-I wouldn't have to be in school for the next 7 years of my life.
-Said 7 years of my life would be all-encompassing. I don't want to miss out of that... I mean im sure that within 7 years I will have at least one kid... I kinda wanna be there for that. =)
-Sweet job security... Theres never enough nurses.
-Shorter schooling.
Cons.
-I'd be a male nurse (kinda wimpy sounding)
-I'd have to take a few other classes in order to fulfill all the pre-req classes for the accelerated BSN programs. ( A little more than a semester's worth of classes, one of which is stats... i hate math.)
-I won't make oodles of money.
-A lot of what I would do would be the same or very similar to what doctors do, but get paid a LOT less that what doctors do.
-I may not be able to work for Doctors Without Borders. ( I'd think they'd need other people other than doctors right? Who knows.) ((doing something like that is my life-long dream.))
-Nurses are often over-worked because of the short supply of them.
DOCTOR
Pro's
-I could say, "My name is Dr, Quillen."
-I would make more money.
-I would be able to go on many humanitarian mission types of programs.
-I would have a more lasting relationship with my patients (the doctor I had growing up still knows my entire family by name and is up to date on many of the major events in our lives.)
-I would probably have a more "comfortable" lifestyle.
-I don't have to take more classes to get into med school.
-That's all I can really think of, but those are some seriously weighty pros...
Con's
-I'd have to get into medical school, something that is very hard to do.
-Med school costs a TON of money... I mean we're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars.
-The schooling takes a LONG time, and pretty much dominates your entire life.
-The bane of all doctors existence... MAL PRACTISE INSURANCE.
-I would have to work longer hours (probably).
-Unless I worked in a hospital, I'd have to run my own business if I did private practice.
-There is now that ever present, looming possibility of having socialized medicine, or some form thereof. If you think thats a good idea, I shake my fist at you and kick you in the shins. I'll probably post a rant about that some other time. Basically, if we move to socialized medicine, say goodbye to any type of competent medical care and say hello to going to the doctor to get advised to take Ibuprofen for EVERYTHING!
Anyway, thats a large and weighty decision that I have to make, and I'd LOVE all your opinions, suggestions, and anything else you have to offer. Please be blunt and truthful. You most likely won't offend me. =P
Hope that wasn't too long for you all.
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