tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217600132011-12-03T15:12:34.764-07:00Little of this, little of that.Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.comBlogger3771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-17148010475387443432011-03-25T20:07:00.000-06:002011-03-25T20:07:09.810-06:00

There's nothing like a letter or a call from an old friend. It's fun to get a blast from the past, to play catch up and learn what's happened in their story since you were last in it. These days, this is done differently. We are, in essence, in touch with almost everyone from our past via social networking sites. I no longer have to wonder what is going on in the world of my best friend from

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-25076228822896081852011-02-14T21:20:00.003-07:002011-03-25T21:51:46.665-06:00

Yesterday I went for my first outdoor run since November of 2009. It was amazing...ly hard. It felt great to be outside - just me, the pavement, my ipod, and some sunshine. In some ways, though, it felt like starting over. Two and a half miles had my lungs searing, and the extra weight on my frame made me feel like I was running in slow motion. Clearly, I have some work to do, if I'm going to

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-545667241136092742011-01-05T22:24:00.000-07:002011-01-05T22:24:44.116-07:00

2010 was an amazing year for me. Left a job. Started a family. I really began a new chapter in my life. Experienced new levels of happiness, new kinds of fear. My experiences over the year have helped me to recognize some of my best personal qualities, but also some of my worst. I am choosing to use this knowledge to learn, and hopefully to grow into a better person over the coming year. So with

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-11131347728751225522010-12-26T22:13:00.003-07:002010-12-26T22:19:35.508-07:00

We got plenty of happy, content baby photos, but this is still my favorite: Hope your Christmas was merry and bright!

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-62866563559277038712010-11-21T13:51:00.003-07:002010-11-29T21:25:52.176-07:00

I am breastfeeding my daughter. She took to nursing like a pro, latching on the delivery room just minutes after she was born. It is a wonderful bonding experience, and I enjoy it, despite the difficulties we've encountered along the way.Little bear has a sensitivity to both dairy and soy proteins, so I've had to eliminate all sources of dairy and soy from my diet - which unfortunately rules out

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-64403813961798425682010-11-17T22:49:00.004-07:002010-11-17T23:30:24.534-07:00

Why is it that we forget to be kind to those closest to us?I try to be polite and courteous. I'm sure there are plenty of times when I fail and don't even know it, but when I do notice I try to remember so I don't make the same mistake twice. But for some reason, it seems so much easier to make these mistakes with family than with anyone else.While I was back in my hometown, I went to visit my

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-63794087445279209732010-11-03T10:09:00.003-06:002010-11-03T10:25:43.617-06:00

Geez, it's like no one went to kindergarten. Be nice. No name calling. Share.On the most basic level, we are all more alike than we are different. We want to lead happy, peaceful lives. We want to be in good health, and we want our children to grow up safe and strong.All this shouting at the rain and blaming people - it's ridiculous. Stop being a part of the problem and start being a part of the

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-84705447149110049512010-10-25T21:51:00.005-06:002010-10-25T23:08:40.164-06:00

The moment I gave birth to my daughter, I loved her. She was my flesh, this tiny helpless thing, the realization of my husband's and my dreams and hopes during nine long months of pregnancy. She was the beginning of a new family. But in the two and a half months since she's been with us, I've grown not just to love her, but to like her as well. About a month ago the sleepy newborn began to give

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-52688884311243645242010-10-19T09:06:00.002-06:002010-10-19T10:00:29.490-06:00

At present, I am a stay at home mom. This won't likely be the case forever, but for now I am so very lucky that I am able to be at home with my baby bear. That being said...Ohmygod, it's lonely being at home with a newborn. What I miss the most are the interactions of daily life, like chatting with coworkers and patients or having lunch with friends. My girl is a great snuggler, but the

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-81998342144065968992010-10-10T21:09:00.005-06:002011-01-04T22:54:27.139-07:00

Fourteen months. I haven't written a proper blog post in fourteen months. During that time I've thought about it, played around with topics in my head, even logged into Blogger a few times - but somehow I just never got farther than that. But, enough with the excuses. This may be a one-night show, a fluke, a blip - but tonight I feel like writing.On to the big news - I had a baby! We decided last

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-69889138729461549122009-11-15T02:14:00.001-07:002009-11-15T02:30:36.874-07:00

I've written a good ten or so posts in my head over the past few months. There are a lot of things that I have felt like sharing, but for some reason I can't get myself to sit down and put fingers to keyboard. It's amazing, the number of changes my life has seen in the past year and a half - graduated college, got married, changed jobs, started traveling for work, bought a house, moved, turned (

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-59239774220114500932009-09-21T19:04:00.006-06:002009-09-21T19:15:17.386-06:00

In 1994, I got Dookie on cassette for Christmas. I played it so much I nearly wore the tape out. I love that fifteen years later, they still rock my socks off.

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-8653705558903727902009-08-18T09:29:00.002-06:002009-08-18T09:58:40.848-06:00

Once or twice a year we throw a tapas party. Luis and I both enjoy Spanish cuisine, and there isn't any place in Missoula to get it. Every time we prepare tapas we try new dishes, along with traditional tapas menu items. This year we made more dishes than we ever have, and everything came out great. Here's what we served:paella with chicken and chorizotuna tartlets (phyllo dough tart cups filled

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-26320696302527803992009-08-10T14:28:00.006-06:002009-10-27T11:20:23.597-06:00

Summer in western Montana is short, at least by my midwestern standards. I think of summer as the sweltering, endless days and warm muggy nights of my youth. Summer here means gorgeous, long sunny days, but the heat isn't the same. The month of July generally provides the only truly sizzling temperatures of our summer - frenzied, jam-packed days of sunshine and hiking and rivers and cheap beer

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-43224867645188717572009-08-09T23:00:00.006-06:002009-08-10T02:13:28.858-06:00

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-76272693935941922462009-08-02T09:29:00.003-06:002009-08-02T09:57:32.596-06:00

My new job is in another town. As such, I took a little apartment there - it's almost an hour and a half drive each way, and there is no way I could manage that with twelve hour shifts. I enjoy the job and I love the town where I'm staying, but having two "homes" has cleaved my life into two separate worlds.When I leave for work I am pretty much cut off from the world at large. I don't have

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-44365068131344239852009-08-02T09:16:00.004-06:002009-08-02T09:28:50.522-06:00

...but not the kind I was striving for.I went a whole month with no posts. There will be no "July 2009" in my blog archive sidebar.Sad.I love blogging, and I miss writing since being out of school. No assignments, no papers, no presentations. It's strange that I haven't been able to use this outlet to get my writing fix. :)Hoping to get my groove back. I miss you, internets.

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-36583040467944053082009-06-30T21:21:00.003-06:002009-06-30T22:10:24.206-06:00

Over the past few years, I've had periodic bouts of sore throats and sneezing come on during the spring and early summer months. Each time I assumed that I was coming down with a cold, and began a regimen of zinc, vitamin C and extra rest. Each time, the symptoms subsided after a couple of days, and I heartily congratulated myself on the successful thwarting of another cold virus. It wasn't until

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-70761640844501359092009-06-22T11:07:00.000-06:002009-06-22T12:37:05.300-06:00

Let me start first by saying that individuals should not stop or alter their medical treatment plans without first discussing it with their healthcare provider. Secondly, I am not against the use of pharmaceutical treatments - when used appropriately, they can be a useful tool in improving the health of an individual. Now, with the disclaimers out of the way...The other day I read an article on

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-73433343678261687752009-04-30T22:24:00.001-06:002009-04-30T22:25:21.893-06:00

Posts. Real ones.Stay tuned.

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-66053519471856460032009-04-13T12:26:00.004-06:002009-04-13T17:30:48.716-06:00

A very happy 30th birthday to my beautiful sister Rachael! Us, summer 2008.Us, spring 1997. Rachael is kind, thoughtful, generous, ridiculously witty, and amazingly beautiful. (And she's older than me!) I'm lucky to have such a wonderful sister and friend. Happy birthday sweetie!

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-14991018471348753852009-04-01T10:15:00.003-06:002009-04-01T10:44:31.872-06:00

I have always regarded April first warily - I'm very gullible, and thus always fall for at least one silly prank. Rest assured, there will be no jokes from me...______________________________________________I haven't written much lately, mostly because I haven't had much to report. I'm still job hunting, and I recently expanded my search to include positions in neighboring towns. My initial plan

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-41479430036738209512009-03-25T09:03:00.001-06:002009-03-25T09:03:53.924-06:00

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-21099742734829395772009-03-14T10:24:00.004-06:002009-03-14T10:49:09.042-06:00

I'm heading back to Kansas next week to help the family out after my dad's upcoming surgery. He's a trooper, and I'm sure he'll heal up just fine. :) I just want to be there to help out with whatever they might need. I'm looking forward to seeing family again - the downside of living so far away from my hometown is that I see my folks once, maybe twice a year. It's not enough, really, but we make

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-71800151254618070392009-03-13T18:15:00.000-06:002009-03-14T10:24:04.057-06:00

I haz one.:)

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-89866477610781669012009-03-10T10:07:00.002-06:002009-03-10T11:26:48.886-06:00

Tomorrow I take the NCLEX-RN (stands for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses). This is the exam that proves my competency to practice as a registered nurse, and upon passing I will receive my license to be a nurse in the great state of Montana.It would be much easier if I could just promise the state board that I'm safe and competent, but that doesn't appear to fly.

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-78967368466177093802009-03-01T08:54:00.004-07:002009-03-01T10:05:37.946-07:00

Boy, how time flies when you're in a freefall.The past few months have been very surreal. I have been mostly unemployed since January 1st (randomly picking up receptionist shifts for my old company when I can), living somewhere new and not going to school. Any of these changes alone would be stressful, but doing it all at once has thrown me way off balance. At times I've almost felt as though I

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-18507598040687181672009-02-14T21:33:00.005-07:002009-02-14T23:12:55.567-07:00

For your Valentine's listening enjoyment, I present two beautiful duets, sung in heart-tugging harmonies. Lucky - Jason Mraz featuring Colbie CaillatOnce - Falling Slowly

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-52607620691945903872009-02-09T10:38:00.004-07:002009-02-09T11:27:09.988-07:00

I woke up this morning, and my google blogstalker feature was inundated with new posts from my various subscriptions. I dove in and read everybody, and then felt guilty for all of the neglect my blog has seen since... well, last fall. It's a silly thing to feel guilty about, especially since there are no clamouring audiences waiting anxiously for my next words. There is only me, wishing I had the

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-7232710210003350242009-01-26T22:05:00.004-07:002009-01-26T22:14:03.997-07:00

President Barack Obama dancing at the Inaugural Ball. Photo by Jason Reed, Reuter's. As seen at news.yahoo.comYes he can... dance. :) Glad to see he's as excited as we are!

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-1370996608806676182009-01-25T09:03:00.010-07:002009-01-25T10:22:33.800-07:00

A week ago today an army of friends showed up at our apartment and proceeded to swiftly and artfully load our U-Haul, plus Creighton's pickup truck and Steve's flatbead trailer. Two hours later we were sitting amongst a sea of boxes in our new house, eating Pringles and gabbing. It was, without a doubt, the fastest move I've ever made. Thanks so much to Ashlee, Kate, another Kate, Steve,

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-46017628070702923742009-01-25T08:53:00.002-07:002009-01-25T09:03:07.140-07:00

After a week without, our new home is finally wired to the internet, phone, and cable. ...aaaaaand there goes my drive to unpack boxes. :)

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-75694640171805080592009-01-16T15:21:00.003-07:002009-01-16T15:28:21.779-07:00

We closed on our first house today!

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-64751468255150973832009-01-15T14:36:00.004-07:002009-01-15T14:48:34.182-07:00

It's a fantastic sunny day outside, but my poor iPod insists on being pensive.The past few songs, in reverse order:Fire Walk With Me - Angelo BadalamentiSomething to Believe In - Poison [...don't judge me]You Never Know - Dave Matthews BandIn Your Eyes - Jeffrey GainesReturn to Innocence - EnigmaNothing Better - The Postal ServiceNaughty Girl - Beyonce [this one definitely varies from the

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-68353273298140797632009-01-13T21:45:00.002-07:002009-01-13T22:36:14.697-07:00

It's difficult trying to find work as a new graduate nurse. Granted, I've only been looking for 2.5 business days, but still. Most places want experienced nurses, but I can't become an experienced nurse without a nursing job. And round and round the cycle goes... Honestly, I understand the hesitancy in hiring new graduates. A new employee for any company is a huge investment, and a new nurse even

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-3296181907669325032009-01-12T15:01:00.006-07:002009-01-12T18:16:23.083-07:00

I don't like this era of internet-aided job applications. Job hunting has never been high on my list of things I enjoy, but I definitely liked the old way better. Get all dressed up, have resumés and cover letters printed on fancy paper, then go use your people skills to secure an interview. Now you roll out of bed, step into your fluffy house slippers, grab a Clif bar and a cup of coffee, and

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-32648535023781167702009-01-11T09:07:00.002-07:002009-01-11T11:02:03.300-07:00

Okay, so we close on our new house next Friday, which means that we don't technically own it yet. (Just a minor detail...) I've been driving by every so often (okay, fairly often), trying to get a feel for it during different times of day, observe the neighborhood, check out the nearby traffic, that sort of thing. The other day as I was driving by, I noticed that the snow had melted enough for me

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-68201331152284344962009-01-01T14:27:00.004-07:002009-01-02T08:19:21.707-07:00

I didn't publicly post resolutions last year, but I had them. (My 2007 resolutions included some of the same things I focused on in 2008...) The coming of a new year has always given me a fresh, hopeful feeling - the sense good things can be even better, and that less good things can be remedied. I find January an opportunity to reflect inward and think about who I am and where I want my life to

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-36764105716725749402008-12-27T01:47:00.000-07:002008-12-27T12:35:09.822-07:00

This morning I woke to high humidity and temperatures in the upper 50's. By midday it was 65, with roughly the same level of humidity as the bottom of a swimming pool. Tonight, I retired to my room late after an evening chat with my sister, and I flipped on the weather channel as I got ready for bed. I noticed a severe weather alert - turns out we're under a tornado watch until 5:00 in the

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-52617780765708159852008-12-25T19:18:00.001-07:002008-12-25T19:21:17.057-07:00

From the New York Sun, 1897: Dear Editor— I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? Virginia O’Hanlon Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-44590722612662935552008-12-19T19:02:00.002-07:002008-12-19T19:11:35.656-07:00

...I finished the requirements for my degree and bought a house.It's been a busy past few weeks. :)Tomorrow is my pinning ceremony. I've had so many mixed emotions lately - it's been a lot to sort through. More on this later.I leave for Kansas on Sunday, and I'm looking forward to a little brain vacation. And blogging.

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-19517146429564583452008-12-02T21:24:00.003-07:002008-12-02T22:07:42.427-07:00

So that one last research paper I mentioned? Yeah, still working on that. Turns out it's the paper from hell. Tonight is going to be a red-eye research paper fest - one. last. time.

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-32015991958140038202008-11-30T12:22:00.004-07:002008-11-30T12:34:21.358-07:00

I am (taking a break from) working on the final research paper of my (very long) career as an undergrad. This one last paper followed by one more exam, a handful of assignments and self-evaluations, roughly forty more hours of clinicals, and I believe a total of five presentations - then I'm DONE.The closer the end gets, the antsier I become. I believe back in high school this was fondly referred

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-36086596168338962562008-11-23T12:55:00.001-07:002008-11-23T12:56:06.986-07:00

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-77133770384668503602008-11-21T13:55:00.003-07:002008-11-21T14:00:09.845-07:00

It's crazy crunch time. I have a massive paper due Monday, and another the following week. I think there's about 25 days left of this semester, and it's going to be a race clear until the end. I may pop in here and there, but as has been usual for the past few months, I won't be able to post regularly. I'm guessing that about Christmastime, I'll have recovered enough to be able to blog, go out

Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09094041850059410744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-49486787287063464972008-11-04T16:52:00.002-07:002008-11-04T17:15:34.812-07:00

This afternoon I cast my vote for Barack Obama. I think he is a good man with good ideas, and I think he would be good for our country.I believe many of those supporting Obama are there because of the way he makes them feel. Hopeful. Rejuvinated. Empowered. I suppose that on the surface that could seem silly, but I think it's indicative of our needs as a country. The last administration ruled by

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-88195925438622871852008-10-31T14:12:00.003-06:002008-10-31T14:20:01.349-06:00

My semester has me sequestered into stressed out manic homework crazytown. So I invite you to a topic I've been thinking about a great deal: What is your definition of health? I hope some of you will chime in with your thoughts. I have my opinions (which, after the craziness subsides, I hope to blog about), but for now I'd love to hear yours...

Mandinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-81257342832710614282008-10-20T15:42:00.000-06:002008-10-25T13:10:17.624-06:00

I, as those of you who know me already are much aware, am a nervous flier. And by "nervous", I mean that I cry on about a third of the flights I take, and panic at least briefly on probably 95% of them. Strange? Surprisingly not. Plenty of people on any given flight are wary at best, but in my own experience there are always others like me on board. Some of my favorite flying adventures have been

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-5751531449091444532008-10-20T00:40:00.003-06:002008-10-20T00:53:15.881-06:00

Senator Barack Obama speaks to the American Nurses Association. The ANA endorses Obama for President.This semester I am taking community and public health nursing, nursing leadership and management, and health policy and economics. This is an exciting time in our nation's history to be covering this content - especially the health policy course. When I have more time on my hands, I plan to pen a

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-7956979848890177712008-10-15T20:20:00.003-06:002008-10-15T20:58:18.709-06:00

I couldn't bring myself to watch the final debate - it's just too stressful. I hate this phase in the countdown to elections - the trash-talking, hateful, tearing down time. It's a time tested tactic of campaign strategists (yes, I know the difference too), but I really believe that it's detrimental to our society. Don't tell me what your opponent won't do for me - tell me what you will do. I

Mandinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-55341455297830897972008-10-10T18:39:00.002-06:002008-10-10T19:51:18.484-06:00

Buried. Buried alive, kicking and screaming, beneath a heaping helping of clinicals, projects, papers, and other craziness deemed by my esteemed professors to be important to my education. This, our final semester before we are turned loose on the "real world," appears to have been designed to kill us. If you live, then you get to be a nurse. The bulk of the work this semester is "self directed"

Mandinoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-23599015372133775392008-10-05T23:35:00.002-06:002008-10-05T23:38:35.242-06:00

Luis and I chose this song (the original Beatles version) for our first dance as husband and wife.I just came across this video today and I got a kick out of hearing it performed by Dave, although I still prefer the original.Don't let Luis hear it - it'll probably ruin the song for him :) (I know, can you believe I married someone who doesn't like Dave Matthews?)

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-7372903248592501172008-10-02T17:17:00.002-06:002008-10-02T17:20:09.732-06:00

This Slate article says exactly what I've been thinking about Mrs. Palin. I'm working this evening, but I'll be listening.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-66476713880529048082008-09-29T13:33:00.005-06:002008-09-29T13:48:32.919-06:00

Do yourself a favor, listen to This American Life #355; The giant pool of money. You probably aren't nearly as angry about the national financial crisis as you should be. I haven't heard this week's show, #365; Another frightening show about the economy, but it explains in more detail what went wrong and how it could have been avoided. Maybe if everyone gets angry, we can finally get people

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-69677874169442304932008-09-28T19:28:00.003-06:002008-09-28T19:43:12.041-06:00

It's not fair that I caught a monster cold just a couple of days before my weekend off. (I know life isn't fair - but dammit, I need a break.) I spent the weekend simultaneously trying to enjoy myself a little (we had tickets to the Griz football game), study for a test on Monday, and recuperate from this nasty bug. Trouble is, I don't think I did very well at any of the three. It's Sunday night,

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-84805078158176617102008-09-22T18:52:00.003-06:002008-09-22T19:11:38.847-06:00

The first official day of fall in Missoula was a chilly, windy, rainy one. I normally might gripe about such weather, but after the past couple weeks of unseasonably warm temperatures (it was in the 80's for several days!), I am ready for it to feel like autumn. I've been celebrating in my own little ways all day. This morning I donned a navy cableknit sweater (yay, yay and yay), and made a mug

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-40297310158022267092008-09-18T20:02:00.003-06:002008-09-18T20:47:35.725-06:00

I love Missoula, but one drawback of living in a town this size is the shopping. Really, lack of shopping would be a better way to describe our retail situation, at least for those of us in the 25-45 year old range.About a month ago our Express closed with little warning. I was sad to see it go – it was one of the few mall shops in Missoula where I enjoyed shopping. Last week posters went up for

Mandinoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-45178314474407920532008-09-18T13:53:00.002-06:002008-09-18T13:57:20.525-06:00

Smart, funny, sassy, beautiful, and smart. Did I already say smart?She rocks.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-30448878509003427632008-09-10T17:39:00.003-06:002008-09-10T17:46:58.122-06:00

Bear vs. bike: Teacher riding to school runs into bruin above Miller Creek(follow link for full story on the Missoulian website)And a flashback: the year we moved to Missoula, we watched this on the local news...

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-30932034067445420832008-09-08T21:29:00.007-06:002008-09-08T22:22:47.748-06:00

So it's been a busy evening. First, Elle solved a big murder case and snagged the cute lawyer boy. At the same time, Carrie was falling hard for Big, but he was dating lots of other women. Bad man. The overweight girl got her belly and arms taken in and bigger boobs added by the tiny Dr. Li. Carrie and Samantha talked about threesomes with Charlotte, but Miranda felt left out. Then Jenna woke up

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-81686438599123103352008-09-08T02:30:00.003-06:002008-09-08T02:42:51.357-06:00

It's 2:30 in the morning. I'd love to be asleep. I got up and poured a medicinal glass of chardonnay - it's too close to wake time to take a benadryl (my old restless night standby - it's actually the active ingredient in many over the counter sleep aids, such as Nytol, Sominex, and Tylenol PM).This promises to be a busy semester, but the reward is graduation. Seems like a fair trade-off.I am

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-69874124410604765082008-09-06T08:49:00.003-06:002008-09-06T11:36:12.903-06:00

Thus far I've managed to keep politics largely out of my blog, mostly because I understand that there are some issues that we as people will fundamentally disagree upon, and I'd rather not open that can of worms here. That being said, I would like to address Governor Sarah Palin's comment suggesting that, "maybe that glass ceiling will be broken after all" in this years' presidential election.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-90866115555008899112008-09-02T17:11:00.001-06:002008-09-03T10:31:27.144-06:00

Today was my last first day of school. Every autumn since 1985 I have carefully put on my favorite new outfit, gathered up my binders and pencils, and headed to a classroom for the first day of a new school year. It occurred to me the other day that perhaps this is why fall is my favorite season. Fall to me feels like a fresh start - with the crisp wind and leaves come new opportunities to learn,

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-61288215241632659392008-08-31T10:25:00.002-06:002008-08-31T13:01:10.051-06:00

Early this summer, my friend Theresa gave me a tea kettle as a birthday gift. Because of its' kitchen-ey nature, it found a home (still in its' box) in the pile of wedding gifts slowly taking over a corner of our dining area. Recently I finally started unpacking and organizing all of the wonderful gifts we received, and last week I unpacked the kettle. I have always been an iced tea drinker, but

Mandinoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-84138979826546472942008-08-26T21:47:00.005-06:002008-08-27T09:56:04.190-06:00

If you have never listened to it before, I highly recommend you check out This American Life, a weekly radio show distributed by Public Radio International. The show can be heard on public radio stations (it airs Tuesday evenings at 7:30 in Missoula), and is also available as a free podcast both on their website and through iTunes. Each week the show features a theme and tells stories that

Mandinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-8902870923805157022008-08-26T21:08:00.007-06:002008-08-27T10:52:31.902-06:00

Ira Glass is the host of This American Life, and I'm a big fan of both the show... and Ira himself. I am not alone in my crush on Ira - plenty of women (especially liberal, hipster, college girls) dig his geeky, intelligent persona and his soft, slightly froggy voice._________________________________My mom has a blog, and she recently wrote a post about Ira Glass' nonviolent takeover of her life.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-90372628041853588162008-08-24T14:04:00.009-06:002008-08-24T14:37:29.325-06:00

I had a breakthrough discovery yesterday: I’m a grown up. An adult. Old(ish)...Around two o'clock yesterday I left work and headed over to Subway to grab a quick lunch. As I was standing in line, I turned to my right just in time to see a teenage couple avidly making out. The guy wore this focused, intent expression; a “Yeah, I’m doing this” sort of look. The look, combined with the

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-9108237036024370762008-08-21T14:50:00.001-06:002008-08-21T14:50:05.285-06:00

So Damn Lucky is one of my favorite Dave Matthews songs. When Dave introduces this song in his performance at Radio City, he describes it as being about the frozen moment after you've tripped and realize that you're going to smack your face into the wall, but can't do anything to stop it. But, he says it's also remembering to count your blessings.(This version is from Farm Aid, but the version

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-59203923729588277142008-08-19T22:44:00.001-06:002008-08-19T22:46:00.596-06:00

LeRoi Moore, saxophonist for the Dave Matthews Band, died today.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-23592109751802599802008-08-15T22:37:00.003-06:002008-08-15T22:59:19.588-06:00

After nearly seven wonderful years together, Luis and I were married last Saturday. We were delighted to have friends and family from far and wide visit Missoula to join in our celebration - it was exciting (and a bit surreal) to have so many of the people we love here at the same time. We would like to thank everyone for their love, warmth and generosity, and for making our day so special.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-90406518222890806862008-07-27T14:52:00.002-06:002008-07-27T16:52:03.596-06:00

The Kinderarchy: Every child a dauphin, by Joseph Epstein. I agree. More on this topic later, as time allows.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-1290029986699450582008-07-26T15:06:00.004-06:002008-07-26T15:17:44.892-06:00

This article from MSN money has a woman trying to feed her family of four on $100 a week. It's an interesting read...

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-83665326545743097842008-07-17T11:49:00.006-06:002008-07-17T15:44:18.151-06:00

My finishing time was 2:17:48. I cut three minutes off my time of 2:20:50 from last year. Would have been more, but I wasted close to five minutes in line for the port-o-potty - I've never had to stop during a race for a bathroom break, but this time I wasn't convinced that I could wait until the end to tinkle... (How's that for too much information?)I'm proud of how much stronger I was at the

Mandinoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-54491885786439029142008-07-15T22:22:00.002-06:002008-07-15T22:30:23.825-06:00

Montag looked at the river. We'll go on the river. He looked at the old railroad tracks. Or we'll go that way. Or we'll walk on the highways now, and we'll have time to put things into ourselves. And someday, after it sets in us a long time, it'll come out our hands and our mouths. And a lot of it will be wrong, but just enough of it will be right. We'll just start walking today and see the world

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-43021098648491767632008-07-15T21:48:00.004-06:002008-07-15T22:20:10.335-06:00

For two months I've been meaning to get to the library to check out some books. I've been jonesing for something new to read lately, and I'm a fast enough reader that I hate to buy books - it's gets expensive quick. However, last week at work I was desperate for a story, so I went to Borders on my break. I bought three books; Fahrenheit 451, Wuthering Heights, and When You Are Engulfed in Flames.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-85443945577825274082008-07-12T22:17:00.002-06:002008-07-12T22:25:43.435-06:00

Tomorrow morning, 6:00 am - my second half marathon (13.1 miles).Forecast for race start is 49° and sunny. Should be a great day.race mapmissoula marathon websiteWish me luck!

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-51348260452276389202008-07-10T19:52:00.006-06:002008-07-10T23:21:21.448-06:00

The most recognizable landmark in Missoula caught fire last evening around 7pm. The grasses and brush covering the face of Mount Sentinel were perfect tinder, and the fire spread and sprawled across the mountainside as the evening wore on. The flames and smoke made for a spectacular show - it was mesmerizing to watch. All over town residents could be seen sitting on cars or in lawn chairs,

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-55129697366847824972008-07-08T17:22:00.005-06:002008-07-10T23:22:32.752-06:00

I was at a department store the other day and found a super cute little khaki skirt on sale. I took it to the fitting room and eagerly stepped into it, only to discover that there were tiny pants sneakily hidden on the inside. (I'll delve into the realm of "too much information" here and say that it felt a little bit like wearing a skirt with a giant diaper... bulky and unpleasant.) It's a

Mandinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-72490251805488328972008-07-04T16:57:00.006-06:002008-07-04T17:02:59.952-06:00

Sparklers. Photo taken July 4, 2006.My workday is finally drawing to a close... a Fat Tire and a hamburger await me at a barbecue with friends. Have a safe and happy 4th!

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-79709850092389434012008-06-26T18:30:00.002-06:002008-06-26T18:38:53.489-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I met my friend Andy for dinner. Andy is a preschool teacher - a rare twenty-something male who is passionate about education, human development, and kids in general. He has great stories about the random things little kids say - he made the mistake of telling me that one of the kids in his class can't pronounce either "teacher" or "Andy," and so she calls him "tee-shirt

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-5375968404554610882008-06-21T20:32:00.002-06:002008-06-21T21:32:38.178-06:00

Tomorrow Luis will compete at Ironman Coeur d'Alene, his second Ironman triathlon. He's pretty amazing.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-8124967744563916942008-06-20T21:29:00.004-06:002008-06-20T21:50:41.032-06:00

My office has been short handed the past few weeks, so I offered to cover a few extra shifts to help out. Due to an oversight on my part, I wound up working eleven days straight. Not much fun, and by yesterday I started feeling a little worn out. Today, however, was day eleven, and I'm thrilled to have a few days off.After nearly two weeks straight of high heels, my feet are killing me. Not too

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-51176231996000351812008-06-12T19:32:00.010-06:002008-06-12T22:06:36.384-06:00

(Author's note: snibble was my grandfather's word for a 'little bit', usually in reference to a snack or other food item. In his memory, I have decided to call short, single story posts "snibbles." Love you, gramps...) ____________________________________________________Last night before bed Luis was reading his Runner's World magazine, giving me some tidbits from the Human Race section. He told

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-11069333048850305702008-06-11T12:08:00.002-06:002008-06-12T14:13:23.228-06:00

My June 1st post may have jinxed us...Seriously. It snowed really hard for a while yesterday, and it was kind of funny. Today it's snowing really hard, and it makes me want to cry a little. I came to work in a sweater and slacks, and still froze my arse off as I tromped into the building through the snowy, 33° morning. As I drove to work I passed cars with several inches of snow piled against

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-44327307315649360452008-06-01T17:24:00.002-06:002008-06-01T17:26:29.589-06:00

Many parts of the country are enjoying summer weather by now. Not so here - we're hanging out in the sixties with lots of rain in the forecast. But at least it quit snowing. :)

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-1353625150353081352008-05-27T22:59:00.004-06:002008-05-27T23:04:37.367-06:00

measuring - in mandi unitsOriginally uploaded by mandapanda191 (Or International Mandi Units, as Luis calls it.)I needed to see how wide this space was, but I didn't have a tape meausure. HOWever - I know that I'm 64," so that works in a pinch.They call me MacGyver.(Actually, no - no one calls me MacGyver. I wish they would though. I'm resourceful, good at fixing things, and when I wake up in the

Mandinoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-18652784203204312612008-05-16T18:18:00.000-06:002008-05-17T13:25:13.357-06:00

It is fantastically beautiful outdoors, and either no one is sick or no one is willing to come indoors out of the sunshine to see a doctor - things are slow at the office tonight. Fine by me, I can happily sit and stare off into space for another three hours (seeing as how I don’t have any homework to do… I love summer). In a little bit maybe I’ll put The Little Mermaid in on the waiting room

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-74872393589637221582008-05-11T19:26:00.004-06:002008-05-11T19:38:53.284-06:00

When I was sick I bought myself a loaf of mushy, nutrient-free white bread, figuring it would be easier on an ailing tummy than would my usual high-fiber, no high-fructose-corn-syrup whole grain wheat. After I felt better I kept right on eating the white, under the guise that I didn't want to be wasteful. But I have to be honest - I effing love white bread. I eat almost strictly whole wheat,

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-14152558135666937882008-05-09T23:04:00.001-06:002008-05-10T08:06:26.610-06:00

Wedding. Three months from today. Eeek!

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-9381714431024283082008-05-08T10:12:00.004-06:002008-05-08T11:01:51.751-06:00

This afternoon I'm headed to Bozeman, Montana for the MSU College of Nursing graduation and recognition ceremony. The whole thing is sort of anticlimactic, seeing as how I still have another semester of classes to complete - but it seemed better to walk now rather than the May following my graduation. (I suppose I don't have to walk at all, but after nearly a decade in college it seems like a

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-2127616489348284372008-05-03T20:30:00.007-06:002008-05-04T13:47:30.773-06:00

...I must be close to burning up.I'm finally well enough to sit up for more than five minutes together, which is a welcome relief. I've been miserable sick the past few days - I'll spare details, but it suffices to say that I've lost four or five pounds. (Sadly, I know enough now to realize that it's water loss, probably most of my glycogen stores, and perhaps a little lean muscle mass if I'm

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-11578492855513392162008-04-27T20:12:00.005-06:002008-04-27T20:20:26.118-06:00

Photo from www.missoulian.comI finished the Trifecta. It hurt. :) I don't know my exact finish times, but I know that I ran the one mile race (which is the last of the races) in nine and some change. And that was after two other races totaling 9.3 miles. Nine minute miles may be slow to some people, but it makes me feel like a rock star.More soon, gotta write a paper now...

Mandinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-2714576538162862562008-04-22T22:18:00.002-06:002008-04-22T22:36:11.764-06:00

I have the Relay for Life Friday night, then the Riverbank Run on Saturday. I'm not sure where I'm going to stash all of my tees...Last year I ran the 10k at the Riverbank Run. It was my first road race - the one that got me hooked. This year I am doing the same event as Luis, the Trifecta. At the Riverbank they have three races - a 10k, a 5k, and a one mile fun run. The Trifecta is when you run

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-67905021090684998562008-04-22T22:15:00.002-06:002008-04-22T22:17:50.456-06:00

...is my last day of clinicals for the semester. Hallelujah!I'm in the emergency department this week. It kind of rocks. Not particularly what I want to do once I graduate, but it's a great learning experience.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-14287995362555385882008-04-20T09:25:00.000-06:002008-04-20T09:26:44.895-06:00

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-10970587637420921242008-04-18T19:46:00.001-06:002008-04-18T19:47:47.494-06:00

Mile High Festival.

Mandinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-71171276957243751662008-04-13T11:49:00.002-06:002008-04-13T12:07:01.837-06:00

After two good nights' sleep, I'm finally starting to feel less frantic. It's been a crazy week month semester, but I'm finally feeling caught up. Mostly. Except for these two papers I still have to write, and the group project we're presenting this week, and... (well, almost caught up.)Only three more weeks of classes, and then finals. And then graduation. I'm not actually done with school, but

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-85221132022510920152008-04-11T01:13:00.001-06:002008-04-11T01:13:25.006-06:00

YAY!

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-73925217006214251152008-04-11T00:59:00.001-06:002008-04-11T00:59:38.040-06:00

Mandinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21760013.post-21996800021825631652008-04-05T23:34:00.003-06:002008-04-05T23:43:19.932-06:00

Erica and David left this morning - I can't believe thirteen weeks have come and gone. After their first week in town, it felt to Luis and me as though they'd always been here. I've known them for so long now... I have lots of great friends in Montana, but there's something particularly special about old good friends. They ended up living in our apartment complex - convenient while they were here

Mandinoreply@blogger.com2