Gween Tuhhhhhhduulll

SO, really quick story. I can't get over it and I'm LOLing right now just thinking about it. hahaha 

...OK, So, when I first got here I unpacked all of my stuff, and I realized that I forgot my beach bag! At the time, I was so excited to hit the sand that I didn't really worry about it and I just brought my Coach purse. Yeah... not such a good idea... I couldn't even go into the water because I was too nervous to leave my bag there! There are bums ALL over the place here that would snatch that thing up in a heartbeat. Needless to say, I needed to buy a beach bag. 

So anyway, after my first day at the beach I was walking into the hotel lobby past this little convenience store when this cute little beach bag caught my eye. It was the color that I LOVE (this purpley, pinkish color) with hawaiian flowers all over it. So I walked into the convenience store to buy the bag. Like most places, it was crowded with about 10 Japanese people. (They are ALL OVERRRRRRRR) Visual: 6 foot blonde girl in a sea of 4-foot-10 Japanese people. LOL. gosh. So anyway, I picked up the bag and walked up to the counter to pay. The man that was working the register was Japanese as well. So I was standing in line with all these crazy asians surrounding me. They are very nosey by the way. If you get into an elevator with them, walk next to them on the street, anything, they are ALL up in your business, checkin everything out. 

I handed the bag to the chubby japanese man working at the register. Then, out of nowhere, the man looks up at me through his HUGE coke bottle glasses, gives me a HUGE SMILE, points at my bag, and basically screams: "GWEEN TUHHHH-DULL!!!!!" *HUGE GRIN!!* 

So me, I have NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

ME: *polite smile* "Whaaaaaaaat?" 

JAP MAN: again, *HUGE GRIN , pointing to my bag* "GWEEN TUH-DULL!!!!" 

I look down at the bag and I and see that there are a few hawaiian green sea turtles on the bag as well!! I didn't even notice before! THEN, to top it off, this LITTLE TEENY japanese boy that was in his dad's arms, mimicking the man, looks at me and says " GWEEN TUH-DULL!!!!" 

OMG I DIEDDDDDDD!! I was like YEAH!! GWEEN TUH-DULL!! LOL. 

Hilarious. I literally can not look at that bag without thinking about gween tuh-dulls. LOL. Ok, now I'm going to drink rum on the beach! YAY! :) 

ALOOOOOHA!

Aloha from HAWAII!!! Gosh. This is the most beautiful place on earth! I guess I will start from the beginning...

The whole journey began when I hopped on a crop duster in Ithaca, NY for a loud, bumpy, air-sickening (but short!) ride to Newark Airport. When I arrived in Newark I had about an hour to get some food and then I got on a MUCH BIGGER 767 to Honolulu. All was good and I was excited. I had taken a lot of time looking for the perfect plane ticket. Cheap, a connecting flight close to home, and most importantly, the fewest stops and shortest layover time. I thought I had it ALL figured out. That is, until I was 40,000 feet in the air, in a single tiny cramped seat, on a plane that was over-airconditioned at a frosty 55ish degrees, next to a mean old german man whose english vocabulary consisted of the words "sprite" and "coke, diet" for ELEVEN HOURS STRAIGHT.  FML. This is how I felt. 

To make it worse, I didn't plan ahead with snacks or anything. The only thing I had in Newark was the cheese off of a slice of pizza that ended up having hidden onions on it (gross.. and why would you hide them!? A very unpleasant suprise). The "meal" on the plane consisted of a teeny little TURKEY hotdog (wtf), chips, and a mini pack of Milano cookies. THATS IT. The pretzels and cheese and crackers that also appeared didn't do much for me either. Needless to say, I was starving. Borderline hypoglycemic. And then, right when I thought for sure I was going to pass out (or SNAP), german Grouchy Mc Groucherson reaches down into his bag and pulls out a grocery bag.  I creeped over his shoulder to see what had and about died. A WHOLE BAG OF CANDY!!!! I'm talkin' king sized reese cups, hershey bars, snickers, everything you could imagine! TEASE!!!!!!!!! This guy didn't even acknowledge that I was ON the plane the entire flight let alone offer me a damn candy bar!! I spent the rest of the flight contemplating my stealth candy bag sabotage. Boy is he lucky he didn't fall asleep. 

Anyway, after we landed in Honolulu it was all better. I was FINALLY IN HAWAII!! I made my way to the baggage claim and waited for my new purple suitcase to appear. You know those signs that are posted everywhere with the broken-in-half stick figures that say "Lift with your legs, NOT your back!"???  Yeah well, my advice would be to follow that rule. I underestimated the weight of all my shit and basically ripped my shoulder out of it's socket as I pulled my bag off of the carousel. OUCH! I was all by myself so there was nothing I could do but deal with the pain, whining and swearing (out loud) the whole way to the taxi pick up. As I walked, the pain intensified, and I began to whine louder. A LOT louder. FINALLY these 2 guys noticed my misery and came over to help me. 

I shared a cab with them and learned that they were from NYC and here to surf. They paid for the cab ride and then invited me to go to dinner with them! They were so nice! They paid for my dinner as well and then we made plans to meet up the next afternoon so that they could teach me to surf!! And that is where Amanda's Amazing Surfing Adventures come in to play. More on that later. 

Anyway, so I learned to surf! And I LOVE it. Dave and Eddie left to go back home today but they took me out for dinner once more in the three days that they were here. Guess over-packing pays off! View from the expensive hotel that Dave and Eddie stayed at: 

More stories to come, including the Pearl Harbor Tour, Vladimir, "Gween Turtle", and several installments of Amanda's Amazing Surfing Adventures! Too long for one post. 

In other news, today was the first day of my rotation! It is basically AMAZING. I don't have to be there until NINE (time to surf before work! yay!) and today I got out at 330! I'm def not expecting THAT every day... Dr. Kalauawa (lol) had a light schedule today. The only thing that sucks is I'm pretty much moving backward as far is clinical stuff when compared to my other rotations. I didn't get to see ONE patient today. I had to "observe." I was like dude wtf. I'm gonna be a PA in 2 freakin months. I think I know how to do a history and physical by now. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. It's all good though, I will worm my way into the exam rooms before they know it. No problems! ('A 'ole pilikia!)... lol It's actually what they say instead of "you're welcome" in response to Mahalo which means Thank You. I learned that one from my pearl harbor tour guide, "Cousin Ted". haha. 

A hui hou, Until we meet again! Aloha! :) 

Wrapping up the ROC

I can not believe this rotation is over already. I have 2 more days here in the ROC before I go home and then back to school for my test on Thursday. Once again, this rotation has followed suit with all the others: I live a lonely sad existence for the first 3 weeks and then the very END of my stay, I start making friends and really get a chance to go out and have some fun. Then, as has happened before, I get, "Oh man! Well, it's too bad you're LEAVING, or else I would invite you to (INSERT FUN ACTIVITY HERE)" How annoying!! I can NOT let this happen for my next one. 

Speaking of my next rotation, OH MY GOD I'M GOING TO HAWAIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!! I am so excited! I definitely have that "little kid at Christmas" feeling right now. I can't sit still when I start thinking about it! This time next week I will be lounging in the white sand on the beaches of Hawaii! My DREAM life!! Gosh. I don't even know what to do with myself. 

You should see my suitcase. Its so ridiculous. I packed TWELVE BATHING SUITS. Yes, you heard me, TWELVE. Do I REALLY need to  bring that many bathing suits?? Really? The answer is NO! But I'm doing it anyway. Jeez, I hope I have time to fit my rotation in to all of my plans. 

The only thing I really wish is that someone would come with me! Even visit for a short time.  A month is a LONG TIME to be all alone even if it IS in Hawaii. I'm trying to get my momma to come and visit me while I am there :) I REALLY hope that works out! It would make me SO HAPPY! 

Anyway, I'm going to run off some of this excited energy (and maybe some chub while I'm at it HA), and then PACK ALL MY STUFF. Probably should study too while I'm at it since I DO have a test in like 4 days. fml! 

ahh!!! I can not WAIT!!!!!!! :D

MY DAY OFF aka: Day of Nothingness.

I feel so BLAH today! I don't know what is wrong with me! I haven't done ONE THING the whole entire day. I was going to go to the gym. I didn't. I was going to do my homework. I didn't. I was going to take a shower. I didn't. I was going to take a nap --- well, I did THAT. But wth, really? I think I have a vitamin deficiency. 

Anyway. I'm sick of Rochester. It's not that I dislike it here or anything, because I don't. I think it might be that I'm going to HAWAII next and I want this one to be OVER!!! Yeah, I think that's it. 

PS, I love the ER. I applied for a job that was posted in Hawaii, just for the heck of it, to see if I could get an interview while I am there. I emailed the HR person my CV and stuff. The person sent me a very nice email back that basically said thanks for applying but we don't want someone fresh out of school. 3 years experience required. Oh well, guess that means I'll have to try again. Maybe they will get desperate and call me back later. 

So, the whole Hawaii beach body thing is REALLY not coming together as planned. Jim and Pat feed me like there is no tomorrow, and I literally have NO self control whatsoever. I got a gym membership and started getting trained by this huge like 300lb musclehead dude last week. He basically KILLS me every other day, which would be GREAT if anything was happening to my body. But it isn't. I only have 2 more weeks! It's crunch time. Maybe I should lay off the oreo cookies that are in the patient room at work.... hmm ....or not. I guess Hawaii will just have to deal with the whole albino beached whale look that I've got going on. Gross. 

Anywho. I guess I'll go do something. Probably eat..... fml. HURRY UP MAY 23!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Rochester, NY

6 rotations down, 3 to go! I'm now in Rochester, NY for my Emergency Med rotation at Rochester General Hospital. Yesterday was my first day so I'm still kind of feelin' it out. I like it so far! My one preceptor is really cool and very laid back. He told me about a bunch of places that I should go while I am here in Rochester, then he made up my schedule. What a shitshow! I'm never going to have time to SLEEP, let alone do all the things he was telling me about! Sheesh.  

Right now I'm working evenings which aren't TOO bad... I mean, I get to sleep in every day at least. My schedule changes all the time, but I think I'm getting hazed this first week. 7 days straight, 3 evenings and then 3 nights. ICK. This doc seems like he is going to be a great teacher though. He makes me give a definitive diagnosis before I even see the chart. I suck at it and it's not fair because I realize how wrong I am the second I look at labs, but he doesn't expect me to be correct all the time. So that's good. Yesterday was all chest pain and CHF and crap like that... (boringgggg!).....Maybe there will be a big gun fight in the hood right before I go to work today. One can only hope... 

So I'm staying with these people that my mom hooked me up with. They are the parents of a girl that works with her. (Jim and Pat) They are very nice and a little on the crazy side, but I'm just grateful to have a place to stay. Did I mention they are VERY Italian, VERY loud, and VERY hungry all the time? haha. I got here on Sunday evening around 7:30, and they were like, "Heyyyy sit down, have a beer!" (as they throw me a Keystone Light). Jim then proceeded to interrogate me....

*Scene: Jim is a short dark-haired italian man with a mild NYC accent speaking incredibly loudly to a slightly nervous blonde-haired girl sitting at a small kitchen table. Pat listens from the back room where she is smoking a cigarette.

 

JIM: "I have a serious SERIOUS question to ask you before you can move in to my house." 

PAT: (mumbling) "Oh jesus, here we go." *walks out to the back room and lights her cigarette*

ME: "ok...Let's hear it." 

JIM: "Are you weird?"

ME: "What?"

PAT: (yells from the back room) "JIM! GOD DAMMIT! LEAVE HER ALONE! DON'T BE SCARIN THE POOR GIRL AWAY!"

JIM: (to Pat) "I'M NOT SCARIN HER JESUS CHRIST!!" (Back to me:)... I mean, like, you're not a vegetarian or anything right?" 

ME: "Well.. No, I eat meat...." 

JIM: "Alright, well I mean, what kind of food do you like?" 

ME: "I'm not picky I eat just about everything!" 

JIM: "Stew?"

ME: "Yes"

JIM: "Chicken Parm?" 

ME: "Yes"

JIM: "Lasagna?" 

ME: "Yes" 

JIM: "Steak?"

ME: "YES" 

(This continued for a good 10 minutes. Then FINALLY:) 

JIM: "ALRIGHT SHE CAN STAY!!" 

LOL. So that's how it is. So much for losing 20 lbs before I go to Hawaii!! EFF! I'm going to do my best, but last night Jim made these cornish hens in the rotisserie with asparagus. He also made me a meatball sub with mozzarella cheese to take to work with me today. He is retired and every day he goes to the store, gets food, makes dinner, and packs lunches for his daughter, his wife, and now ME for the next day. haha! Best place EVER. 

I also went to the bar on my first night here with Melissa (Jim and Pat's daughter) and had a great time. I got to meet some of her friends and see a few of the places down town. It was very nice. This should definitely be an interesting rotation! :)

RECAP

Well, I am officially the worst blogger ever. Or maybe I'm just lazy... Probably a little of both. Anyway, I am no longer in Bridgeport!! YAY!!! I got the heck out of there, passed my surgery exam, and now I am stationed in Harrisburg, PA for my internal medicine rotation. I just started my THIRD WEEK (holy crap I didn't even realize I've been here this long until now!). This rotation is going VERY well. The hours are SOOO much better than surgery, although I REALLY do miss being in the OR. IM is nice too, but not quite as exciting. 

I'm living with 2 really great girls named Lauren and Amanda. I got SOOO lucky to find this place! (thanks mom!)  I think we get along pretty great. And the setup is AMAZING. Hurray for no more JAIL CELL!!! woo! It's also great that I'm close enough to friends that I can visit them on the weekends.  :) 

Speaking of weekends. This past weekend I went to Philly for this thing that Lauren told me about called Kegs for Cancer. (sweet right?) It was $20 for open bar for 2 hours and all proceeds went to charity! What a great idea! It was such a good way to attract the younger crowd. Yeah, well leave it to me to cheat the system. Even if it was for a good cause. I met up with Ashley (yay!) and we had one heck of a night.

Somehow, we ended up drinking the ENTIRE NIGHT on $20. (We got there around 8:30) The bartenders just were not checking our wristbands. This was a very bad idea. Especially since I was thinking, "I only have 2 hours! Better get them in while I can!!" and then "while I can" turned into THE WHOLE NIGHT. What a MESS that turned out to be!  Not going to get into details, but lets just say it involved a forgotten cab ride, getting completely lost for 2 1/2 hours, and one pretty serious leg trauma. LOL. Needless to say, it was  hysterical! However, it was not so funny on Sunday when we all wanted to DIE. I will NOT be drinking that much again for a very VERY long time. (ever said THAT before??) mmmmhmm.

Anywho, I got out early today, so I am SUPPOSED to be working on my paper... but I am blogging instead.... and thinking about napping... haha. OOPS. I guess I really should do something productive. I will try to blog more often! 

I'z Just a Country Girl.. Don't Killz Meh!!

Yesterday, I had one of the most terrifying experiences in my LIFE. I'm going to get a permit to carry a handgun I think. This is a long story, but I think it is worth reading.

I had a very relaxing (but still lonely) day planned. I woke up late, went to the gym, showered, made a new weemee, dicked around on the computer, and then finally decided to get dressed and head to Panera Bread (aka my favorite place in the WORLD) to get some food, sit in a corner and read my study guide. Panera is a nice quiet studying atmosphere around 4:00 after the lunch rush. So that was the plan. 

I planted myself in this nice little seat around the corner from most of the rest of the restaurant and near the door. I ate my lunch/dinner, and then leaned back in my chair and started reading my study guide. I planned on just sitting there until the place closed at like 8:30 because, as we all well know, I have nothing better to do with my life. As I was sitting there, I saw someone come through the door out of the corner of my eye. I glanced up just for a second and saw this short, kind of stocky, muscular black man walking in. Nothing out of the ordinary, except for the fact that he was dressed a little bit strangely, "gangsta" I guess you could say (lol) - really baggy black sweatpants, a wife beater, a white zip-up hoodie with the hood up, and something, really weird, BLACK TEARDROP TATOOS on his face. So, whatever, other than the tatoos, nothing really out of the ordinary.. Oh yeah, except for the fact that he was STARING AT  ME with one of the scariest looks I have ever seen. It tripped my creeper radar immediately, and I got that panicky feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

I looked back down and tried to completely ignore the guy, but out of the corner of my eye I saw him walking briskly toward me, instead of going to the counter to get food. He walked RIGHT NEXT to my table, leaned down 2 inches away from my head, and (this is going to sound weird) he SMELLED ME. Thats right. Smelled me. Sniffed my hair. I was so scared because I actually thought he was going to GRAB me! My heart was pounding out of my chest. I literally thought I was going to have a heart attack. He just stared down at me with this serial killer-like grin. I almost died. After that, the guy walked up to the counter and bought a drink or something. I decided he was just a really scary creeper and tried to calm myself down and read my study guide... But I couldn't.

Creeper Man got a cup from the counter and walked into the bathroom. When he came out, he had BEER in his Panera Bread cup. That's right. BEER. At first I thought it had to be iced tea or something like that. But trust me, I know beer when I see it. And it was BEER. 

Mr. Creeper sat down in a chair right around the corner from me. I couldn't actually SEE him so that made me even more nervous. Again, I pretended to study. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I see the guy sloooowwwwllllyyy lean back in his chair, and peek around the corner at me. I pretended not to notice. He disappeared back around the corner. Ten seconds later, I see his teardrop tattoo-stained face peeking around the corner again. I pretended not to notice. After about the tenth time this happened I got fed up with this guy and I stared back at him when he looked. Apparently, that is all the invitation he needed. The man got up, picked up his black backpack, and walked over to my table. I went into SVT. He didn't say anything to me. Just set his backpack down in the chair across from me at my table. (On top of my stuff btw) I just looked at him like, "What the hell are you DOING??" I started shaking my head "NO." This is how it went after that: 

 

*Note: I am speaking in a meek, feeble, scared girly voice. Creeper is slurring his speech and speaking gangsterly. He is also getting louder as this conversation goes on. *

ME: *shaking head NO* 

CREEPER: "Oh, Oh, What? What? Whatchu sayin' "NO" for? 

ME: "Please don't put your stuff there, I am sitting here." 

CREEPER: "I see you sitting there. What do you want me to do? Put my stuff on the GROUND??? You want ME to put my stuff on the GROUND?!?!" 

ME: "Yes, I think that would be the best thing." (*shitting pants*) 

CREEPER: "Sweetheart, (he kept calling me "sweetheart" ...ew) You don't even KNOW who you are messing with. I was born in 1976, and when were you born like, 1989?? Just so you know sweetheart, 76 come before 89. You just young and STUPID thats what-chu are. Young. And. Stupid. You's a spoiled little brat that's exactly whatchu are. Spoiled little snot. I'ma go have a cigarette. You just sit there like a good girl and watch my shit, Sweetheart." 

*CREEPER exits scene to patio where he begins smoking cigarette. Blonde girl sits there with her mouth hanging open deciding who to call to say goodbye to before she DIES.* 

I didn't know WHAT to do!! This girl 2 tables down was sitting there with her boyfriend (who I like to call my SAVIOR) and she was like "Um, That was sooo weird! Are you OK?" I'm like,  "NO! not really! I think I have to leave but I'd have to walk right past him! I'm scared he is going to follow me!" 

After that, the girl's boyfriend (SAVIOR), told me to just sit there like nothing happened and he was going to go get the manager. 

A few minutes later, this 5-foot-5 forty-year-old FAT MAN in a Panera Bread apron comes WADDLING around the corner, and stops at my table. He stood up super straight, put his hands on his hips, and made a gesture to Creeper on the patio. "Is that guy bothering you, M'aam?" he says. I almost just got up, walked out to the patio and asked Creeper to just shoot me and get it over with. I'm like GREAT. What is THIS GUY going to do. I went over what happened briefly with the manager, and then he went out to "talk" to Creeper, as I sit there pooping myself waiting for inevitable death. 

The manager kicked Creeper out because he had his stuff all over the floor. He asked him to gather his things and please leave (nothing about me thank goodness). I thought it was over and he was going to leave. ... It wasn't over. 

He walked in from the patio, grabbed his stuff off of the floor, and PLOPPED IT BACK ONTO MY TABLE as he was putting things into it!! More convo: 

ME: "What are you DOING!?!" 

CREEPER: "Oh what, is this a PROBLEM for you??" 

ME: "Well, could you possibly use one of the other EMPTY tables to pack your things on, please?" 

CREEPER: *pssshhhhhhhhh hahahahahahah* "Yeah Sweetheart, guess I can do that for your pretty little face." 

ME: "Thanks." 

The guy finished packing his things and left. I waited like 15 minutes to make sure he was gone and then basically RAN to my car. I seriously considered having a mall cop walk me out to my car. I then proceeded to drive down a bunch of random back roads, go to the grocery store, and drive around the block a few times (just in case) before going home. 

That was seriously one of the scariest experiences of my life! The guy kept reaching into his backpack and every single time I'm thinking "Here it comes, here comes the GUN!!" AH! And those black tear tattoos on his face did not ease my mind. Apparently black tear tattoos either symbolize: 1) how many people you have killed, 2) how many years you have been in jail, 3) That you are in a gang, or 4) ALL OF THE ABOVE. Not good in any case. 

I come from a town that has more cows than people. I mean honestly. I guess this just gives me good reason to never live in a city like Bridgeport EVER!! AHH!