Phlebotomy and EKG are out of the way.

I passed phlebotomy and the EKG test. So I’m certified in both of those. I though the class was easy, but grueling it was just so many hours. I have 15 ceu from taking it. The class was three times a week, three hours at a time. Dang endless. but the course was pretty interesting, and now I can do a decent blood draw. one less thing I need to learn when I get into the nursing side of the house.

I’m number two on the nursing class list. I’m pretty sure I’ll get in. The class usually loses about seven or so people. Some of my A&P classmates never signed up for the class once they were accepted. that’s a mystery to me. Maybe they were young and confident. There’s always time when you’re twenty. I’m 48, and I’m looking forward to being a nurse.
I was walking through the Catholic cemetery this morning, and I noticed besides the usual military markers, and the nuns markers, there was one identified as an R.N. I think that’s pretty unusual. I don’t really see that in any cemetery I wander though.
I’m off to school. I have just one class the rest of this semester. That’s accounting. I had taken chemistry, but I was just not getting it. Maybe next time. I’ll take it again, if I don’t get into nursing this time. The accounting class was hard at the beginning, but has gotten a lot easier since I learned that everything is just the opposite of normal.

Take care, Beth

Phlebotomy and ECG

I’ve been in this class for a month now. I was scared to take it. My son has to give himself intervenous injections, and has for a long, long time. I swore since I did everything else, I would not do that. But now, as a person who wants to be a nurse, here I am learning all I can. I did not get picked up for the nursing program this time around, so I signed up for the most mentally challenging courses of my life. Algebra, chemistry, and statistics. Also I threw in a couple of fun ones. one I need for my degree, a health course, and one that looked like fun, a commercial art course. I plan to make Polish style posters for my home.

I got my other property rented, which is a very good thing. I turned it over to a property management place. That simplifies my life a great deal. Worth every bit of the 10%  I pay them. I listed it with them one day, and bam, I drove by the next day, and people were moving in. I saw the Cable guy there, which seemed really ambitious for squatters.

I’m still on target for my five-year plan. I gave myself two years to get into nursing, and when this semester is done, I’ll be at 18 months. I have some more classes towards my BSN. That’s all good. And I’m taking an interesting class this summer. It’s keeping my mind busy, and I’m seeing what phlebotomy is all about. I really wa nt to be able to do that well.

Take care, all.  Beth

Time to schedule classes for summer.

I don’t get financial aid over the summer, so I can take classes I’ve taken before, like welding. And I can take classes I think all college folk should have like business. Neither of them get Pell assistance. So, my plan is this. Take welding and business classes, so I can stay in the game. I’ll pay for these classes on my own (Ouch), then take the classes in my degree path, like sociology, when I get them  paid for.

Welding is a very fun class. I’ve taken it before, but it’s been so, so long. It’ll feel good getting the leather and shield on again. I looked up my transcripts and it’s been 5 years since I’ve taken welding. I’m locked in, and good to go. Maybe I can pick up a little side job welding.

As for planing, I finally got the last assignments for A&P. He’s not very deadline driven, so a lot of course material is at the end of the course. I know it now, and that makes it a lot easier to aim for.

Now, for working. I need some little jobs for the summer and until I get into nursing. Some idea’s…dog walking at the new apt I’m moving into. Babysitting, night and or/ day. Speaking of sitting, dog sitting for people who are going on Va-cay for a period of time. What else, what else…  HA! I’ve got it. I can sell stuff I weld at the farmers market. Perfect. I have made some really cool stuff. Like a dragon weather vane for the top of my barn. I had to leave it when I moved. To bad, it was a very nice piece of art. Okay, I’ve got some things in mind. That’s a start.

Take care, all.

Beth

Hello Twitter Folk!

I really am enjoying your twits online. I’m learning a ton. It’s my new favorite thing. Besides studying for the A&P and nursing career ahead of me.

I found a very nice apartment with outstanding amenities. Hey, free coffee? I am so there. The place has a pool, weight room, internet cafe, free printing, both black and white and color. There’s a theater with a 105 inch screen and 24 seat, on three levels. Too cool.

 So I can sell my printer, and my coffee maker. I’ll save myself 40 bucks a month on working out, and swimming. The place is dog friendly, too. Not that big of a deal one way or another, since I have a cat. However my friends have dogs. The management told my buddy she could drop her dog sitting cards off. They’d put the cards in the move in packages. My friend is also an interior decorator, and she can drop off her cards for that, too.

I’ll be selling all the lawn equipment so I don’t even have to worry about a lawn. What freedom. All these years of mowing acres of lawn. That’s all behind me, for now at any rate.

I’m going to invite the kids over whan  my oldest son is commissioned into the Army on the 8th. They can hang out in the theater on pool area. Big fun will be had by all. Thinking about it makes me hungry. That and it’s dinner time. I’ll eat and walk over to a meeting. All is good.

Take care, Beth

I took the test

I got an on the fence score. If I get an A in A&P, I might get in nursing. If I get a B in A&P, I will not get in nursing. There are ups and downs to both senarios.

1. if I get in nursing school, I’m about 2 years away from my RN, and 4 years away from being a traveling nurse. Wonderful! That even feels good to write. the thing about that is, I also want to have a BSN in nursing. I’m more than halfway done on that.

2. If I don’t get in, I can take the rest of the classes for the BSN, and accumulate points towards the nursing class.

Either way I expect to be in the nursing class no later than next spring.

My plan as it is right now…get an A in A&P if possible. I am a B student usually. I’m giving it my best right now. I still might not get in. It just depends on the competition. Last year it took 103 points to get in the semester before that it only took 101 points. I have 98 with a B in A&P, and I’ll have 103 with the A in A&P.

And the rest of my right now plan is to take as many classes as reasonable. No crazy 22 credit hours or anything. Heh, it’ll take all my strength not to get as many credits as I can. I’ll strive for that BSN. That takes care of summer.  IF I’m in, then it’s nursing classes, of course.

If I don’t get into nursing this semester…I’ll take art 111, mat 080, soc 210, and a computer programing class. That’s all that’s really available for the summer. And the wonderful thing about 2 of the classes is that I already have the textbook. Big savings there.

Then for the fall semester, I’ll take algebra (finally), chm 131,132, bio 155 (nutrition) and either microbiology or stats. I’ll get either 10 or 15 more points toward my nursing tests, and I’ll get in the class.

That will leave me with one more chm class, a lit class, and I think that might be it for my BSN. This will work out very nicely either way it rolls. So towards my five-year plan, I’m still dead on target for being a traveling nurse and a BSN! 

My life is looking good!

Oh, and I took up barefoot running.

Take care.

Beth

I’m going to build the raised garden today. Or at least get the stuff.

I’m off to get the stuff I need for the square foot garden. I’ll need a couple of 2×6’s and some garden cloth. Also some dirt and vermicuilte. It’s been wonderful weather for the past couple of days. I want to get my cool stuff in the ground before it’s too late. We can go from cold to hot here in a few days. So it’s time to get the spinach in, and the onions, and broccoli.

After I get all dirty, then I’ll study for class. We’re doing the digestive system, so today’s work kind of goes hand and hand with that, wouldn’t you say?

I read this nice blog entry on how to eat on only 36 dollars a week. I doubt I’ll give it a try. I hate beans. Except Bushes Baked Beans. those are pretty good. I have a bag of lentils in the pantry that I bought last time i read an entry like that. And a bag of polenta from the time before. if I don’t eat real cheap this time, I’m getting rid of them. Seeing as I probably never will eat them.

The garden will be a way for me to think I’m doing my best to eat cheap. But, really, fifty dollars or so to get the garden set up, is not cheap. However, if I use the bed year after year, it’ll be okay. And I don’t think It’ll be that much anyway. Just a guess. I’ll know in an hour.

Take care, all!

Beth

I think I need to make a class change

I’m going to drop algebra, and pick up a math that’s two back from that, Mat 070. I took that class 6 years ago, and I just do not feel comfortable with taking Mat-161, without taking the classes that lead to it. I think it’s prescription for failure. It’d be like taking French 3 with French 1 & 2. School is stressful enough without taking classes I don’t have any business taking.

Five more days until the Teas test. I’ve been studying. I went all thorough the practice book. I feel pretty good about where I am so far. I’ve been making good use of the local library. It’s such a good place to study. And here is an important point, when i need a rest from studying, I leave the library. if I was at home studying, I’d still be in the same environment. I would not be able to get away. So the library it is. With ear plugs.

The weather is getting better here in eastern NC. There is some frost on the cars, but I’ll be able to take a nice walk around 10 a.m. or so. I look forward to it. It’s so nice and sunny. A nice day lifts my spirits.

Take care,

Beth

Operating on a two-hour delay

Our schools in this area are operating on a two-hour delay. I got a call at 5:50 this morning. I could not imagine who would be calling. Even my crazy ex doesn’t do that anymore. It was the school. Mumbles of joy were heard throughout the house. I got back up late. Way late. All this studying is wearing me out. I forgot how taxing it is.

I need to learn that having a human body doesn’t always let me just do what my human mind thinks I should be doing. So I’ve rested a lot today. It’s nice I can do that. I’m very lucky in that regard. I have a lot of support.

Not a long post today, but I wanted to get something down, so no one thinks I’ve forgotten them.

Take are, really.

Beth

Gardening

It’s almost spring here, and t’s time to start thinking about planting a garden. I read this book, All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space, by Mel Bartholomew.  I had read this book before, when it was not the ‘All New’ version. It’s good both ways. I’m going to give the method a try. Usually when I see a new way of dong something, I jump in with both feet. You know what happens? Broken heels. So, I’m taking this slow, and by that  mean I’m only making one garden box. t’s a four by four square. I’ll put one plant in each square. Everything will be much more manageable. I asked a friend of mine to go into with me, and she’s going to. here on the coast of NC we have some very hot humid weather. I’m thinking all the gardening is going to be early morning. I’m up early, so it’s all good.

What should I put in it? Well, onions and broccoli will be good for now. Which means I need to get going on the frame. So pretending the frame is ready, and It’s soon to be summer, I’ll be trying to grow tomatoes, eggplant, basil, bell peppers, and I can’t think of anything else at the moment. I’m sure it’ll come to me though.

We’ve gotten a lot of rain this winter, and my lawn has been soggy since last fall. I know, because we put off the last lawn mowing until the lawn dried. We are still waiting. Which is okay, since I have since lost the key to the shed. I’ll get the shed open, and then it’s no holds barred.

Take care, and keep warm.

Beth

This morning, I’m only going to read five things online before I start my day.

I notice that I spend a lot of time on the computer doing a lot of nothing. I probably don’t need to read a newspaper from a town I lived in 19 years ago. I mean,what meaning can it really have to me? I’ll tell you what meaning it has, it keeps me from what I need to be doing. Like homework, or house work, or putting marl in the driveway. Fake stuff is keeping me from real stuff. I want to really take a good look at how I waste my time, while seeming to be doing something worthwhile. So, starting today, I’m only going to read five things online in the morning before I start my real stuff. That’s instead of five hours of reading online.

I got nine books from the library yesterday. I would rather read junk online than Algebra Demystified. well, I guess, to be fair, who wouldn’t? but the thing is, if I go into my algebra class with some background, I can pass the class and move on with my plan. That would only take eight weeks. Eight weeks! I have dreaded that class since I was in high school. I can get that off my back, never to worry about again, if I put some time into it now. doing the pre-work will free me of math, which has been such a burden to me all these years. It has keep my from school. it has kept me in low paying jobs, because I thought I didn’t have the smarts tp go any further in school that a welding diploma. And I never even used that. Algebra and the very thought of higher math has been a shackle to me. Time to get focused, stop making excuses, and learn what I can.

Wish me luck. I’m off to dig into this math book. Oh, and it’s PRE algrebra first. I was too embarrassed to write that. algebra is later this week.

Take care! Beth