Bug On a Page

Lets make one thing clear right now. There is one thing about me that I'm pretty sure will never change- And if it does change- then you can be sure the end of the world is coming. Probably.

When a bug flies anywhere within my twenty feet personal radius status, you might think I was training for the next alien form of martial arts, if you didn't know better. Between the high pitched squeals, running in every direction, and pointless swatting and protecting myself, you really might not have any idea what is truly happening.

I do not like bugs. I do not like anything that can crawl, particularly crawl on me. Besides babies. I like babies.

I think this fear started as a child when somewhere down the line we learned I was allergic to a bee sting. That instinctively taught me to how to run, and run fast- in general and away from all flying, crawling creatures. Particularly bees.

All this being said, there have been a couple times where I am reading outside, trying to enjoy my personal outdoor/reading time. I find outside time a personal enigma- being that I love the outdoors- I love the breeze, the sounds, the air, the smells, etc. But the outdoors comes hand in hand with....you guessed it, bugs. I'm afraid to lay on the grass because of them. Trees, tables, you name it. I'm constantly on the lookout. Total bug paranoia.

However, there comes a time on occasion where a small bug has landed on the page of my book. At first, my heart jumps- A bug! On my BOOK! A BUG! ITS A BUG! WAY TOO CLOSE. ITS CRAWLING.

But then I realize its so small.

And then my imagination kicks in as I watch the bug walk around the page. How interested, the bug seems....how interested it seems in the words on my page. As if he's actually reading it. So instead of letting my instinctual survival techniques of flinging the book ten feet away from me and making someone else go "make sure the situations all clear" before I return- I let the bug and I enjoy the same page for awhile.

Because, If I were reincarnated as a bug, ever, which- who knows-maybe this bug was a librarian in another life- I know I will make it my bug life goal to totally fly onto as many book pages as I can and read millions of words, strung together- plucked from thousands of stories. It would be lovely.

So believe it or not, I actually find it rather peaceful, allowing this small bug and I to enjoy the same page. I feel as If I made a connection with another living creature- kind of like when you realize your cat doesn't just want food from you- it actually likes you kind of thing. Sometimes, if I'm in a really good mood, I'll wait til he flies away until I turn the page.

But even that being said, I will never let anything bigger than the word "The" on an average font size walk around on my page. Ever. Especially bee's. A Girl's gotta have limits!

With love,

WNB

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Thinking Swedish...

Hey!

So, lately I've become obsessed with the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series.

Being that I'm a writer, every situation in my life has a backstory. So let me catch ya'll up.

A couple months ago, I was hanging out with friend #1. Friend #1 loved the GDT series, and he was telling me how they just finished the original version of the movies in Sweden and how they were soooooooo good and now they are making the American version and whatnot. None of it made sense to me. From what little I gathered from the plot, it didn't seem like a story series I'd like. Well, A couple weeks ago, I was hanging out with Friend #2. Friend #2 wanted to watch a movie, and we picked GDT, the original. Now, being that I had already made up my judgmental mind about this series that I didn't like it, I obviously didn't want to watch the movie. But whatever. I figured we had nothing else to do and I could at least give it a chance.

So the movie starts, and obviously we soon realize its in Swedish, with English subtitles. So Friend #2 decided he no longer wanted to watch it. However, at that point we were 30 minutes in, and well.....I was sucked in to the series. So I watched the rest of the movie by my lonesome, and it was SO.GOOD.  As many of you know, I'm sure.

So after that, I bought the book right away at the airport on the way home from seeing Friend #2, and started reading immediately. Throughout the course of reading, the American version was released and I felt I wanted to see it in theaters while it was out. Then, I decided I was so entirely obsessed with this series, that I had to keep watching. So I instant streamed the entire swedish set onto my netflix account, and watched all of them back to back, in what little spurts of time I had (so naturally it took a couple days to finish).

What the entire point of this blog is, is that I discovered a new language phenomenon. Well, discovered is a strong word. I'm sure really smart people already know about this for a bajillion years now, but I just figured it out so its cool.

Since I had watched the series and nothing but the series (no tv, no other netflix stuff- just the series), I had this really, really strange experience. After it had been off, I decided to go for my weekly run . While running, I literally heard my thoughts in Swedish and my brain "saw" English subtitles for me. Now, granted, my "Swedish thoughts" probably made no actual sense in Swedish,  but my brain knew enough after hearing nothing but Swedish language and reading english subtitles along with the language, that my brain was able to string together some Swedish words that it had picked up. But how wicked is that!?

So I sat thinking about this, and realized that the brain also does another neat trick. You get SO wrapped up in the movie plot, that you no longer even REALIZE you're reading English subtitles as you watch the movie. In fact, I forgot entirely that they were even speaking Swedish. My brain didn't even hear the Swedish. I think, the brain is smart enough to adapt. It adapts so that you understand things. And after all this time of reading the English subtitles, my brain got so used to it that it started "forgetting" that it was translating, and my brain "heard" the characters talking in English, because thats what my brain was reading. Does that make any sense?? How crazy is that though? The brain is meant to adapt, its part of the human condition. If it didn't adapt, we would constantly be going crazy that we had clothes on- because our skin nerves wouldn't be able to adapt and "get used to" the fact that we had clothes on our skin all the time. Weird!


So, as a little sidenote, I wanted to share something else pretty funny.
Does anyone else sort of "pick up" the entire movie setting, characters, plot, etc., onto themselves after the movie is done? Particularly good, long movies. Particularly ones with characters we identify with or fall in love with. You find yourself so wrapped up in the movie, that when you leave the movie, you totally feel like you are you're own character in that movie, or maybe you feel like you ARE a character from the movie, subconsciously. For example, ever drive faster and take more stupid risks while driving after watching "The Fast and Furious"? Have you ever felt that you can totally cast a spell on someone if you need to after watching "Harry Potter"?   Ever started talking in an English accent after watching Hugh Grant? Ever feel like you live in Europe after some crazy good European movie? Ever felt like a super secret spy after watching "Bourne Identity" or "James Bond"?  Ever felt like you had to solve some secret mystery (like where the hell did all the socks go?) after watching "Sherlock Holmes"?

It happens in good books too. After reading a plot nonstop, you suddenly feel like you're in their world. After reading the entire Hunger Games series, I suddenly found myself acting like Kat, trying to survive in the dreaded world. Silly, I know. It lasted for like a day. But still. Does anyone else do this ? I think its fascinating how our minds can get so engrossed like that.


Well, point is- I spent the other day after I finished the "Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest" (Last one of the movies), impersonating Lisbeth Salander. Which, is pretty kick ass fun- being that I spent at least half the day with my hoodie up- acting all....moody (in a kick ass way), looking for super-killers in the supermarket, etc...It was awesome.


I hope this is normal and everyone (or at least the great vast majority?) of the human species does this, or at least has done this. If not, you should let yourself try it. Next movie you go to, see if you find yourself subconsciously adapting to the movie after you leave. Its fun.


Thats all for now folks! Off to work tonight, yay. 


With love,




_WNB.





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YAY!

OK, Nightshift has mannyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy drawbacks. Excessive, even.

But, its really starting to illuminate its many advantages. Lets discuss.


Drawbacks:

• You're tired, all-the-time. Even on your days off. Just, all the time.
• You never know what day it is, ever.
• You never know when to eat and its confusing.
• Its lonely and there is no one to talk to, (people sleep when you re available to talk to, and you're asleep when they are available).
• Its really hard to go to doctor appointments, luncheons, or really do anything midday. Thats like asking you to go to a doctor appointment at 2 am and then go back to sleep for a couple hours and then be at work by 7 am. Do THAT.
•  Hospital Pharmacy isn't open at night. This. Sucks. (well, my hospital at least. I'm sure i'm in the minority here).
• You have to wake doctors up and get yelled at when all your patient needs is tylenol.
• You have to ethically debate first, if your problem is worth calling a doctor for/waking him up, and then debate if its doctor worthy or resident worthy.
• On nightshift, you are the nurse, the secretary, sometimes the aide, transport,  maintenance, IT dept, and anything else you could possibly think of. Especially in a smaller hospital like mine that doesn't staff completely at night, we do a lot. And make shit up when we don't know how to fix the heating.
• You miss prime-time tv. :(
• You get woken up by mailmen and maintenance workers (i live in an apartment) in the middle of the day and other random people.
• when a doctor orders some random test STAT in the middle of the night, guess who gets to wake your patient up, get them in a wheelchair, bring them down to the test, stay with them, and bring them back up. Thats right, you.
• You have no idea who the big-time doctors are because you only talk to residents, PAs and interns (most of the time).  (This is also an advantage though...)
• You actually get tired of writing narratives that say, "pt is sleeping. No signs of distress noted at this time. Pt appears comfortable. Respirations regular." and you actually kind of want something interesting to happen so you can write a narrative about it. I've actually written a narrative that my patient went to the bathroom. No joke. That was the highlight of my night.
• You have to wake your patients up for the randomest stuff and get punched, kicked, yelled at, etc. Its awesome.

ADVANTAGES:

• You get to drink wine for breakfast and its kind-of OK! Yay!
• You lose weight (sometimes. If you do it right.)
• You get out of doing random stuff because you have a good excuse: Sleep.
• You get to really know the nurses you work with at night. Because at 2 am when all else is quiet, what else to do but have serious conversations about the most random things?
• you get to be a LOT more autonomous and independent as a nurse. Some room to breathe, but yet resources are still there if you need them.
• You actually have *time* to research your patients history, their unique diagnosis, print out education packets for them and go over them, (learn about their condition more yourself), and overall, just spend more time with your patients.  Normally on day shift my morning assessment could only take 10 minutes because I was under serious time constraints. But now I let my initial assessments take up to 30 minutes sometimes because when I go in the room, I literally pull a chair up to their bed and sit and talk with them for a bit before I just jump in and listen to them with a stethoscope. The other day I sat with someone for an hour talking in the middle of the night because I could. It was awesome.
• It is so much less crowded and a lot more quiet. There is not a million doctors stealing all your computer space. There is no physical therapy, no food services, no transport whizzing by asking for charts, no residents, no case managers....its just....quiet. So quiet that I know if my patients up to something mischievous just by listening carefully from down the hall.
• I can literally take over an entire computer workspace (up front! at the nurses station). Normally I had to go find one in some dark dusty corner on day shift because everyone else and their mother had the nurses station computers. Now, I literally set up my binder, and steal the entire area and no one even cares because there is actually room to spare! Its awesoommeee.
• You can actually have legit- intelligent conversations with the residents about what is going on with your patients. Because what else do they have to do at 230 am? Besides sleep? :)
• Your shift FLIES BY. Day shift used to take FOREVER. Once you get the busy part of your shift over, (up until midnight), you do paperwork til 2,3ish, then break for your meal, then its 330 and you just chill til 5 and then from 5-7 it gets really busy again. Flies-by. Awesome.
• When your patients are all tucked in and happy and no one needs anything and you finished all your meds and paper work, researching, computer work, your fellow nurses don't need anything, (usually 2-4 am), the time is yours. To prevent yourself from falling asleep, its okay to keep yourself occupied in my opinion, providing that you listen very carefully for anything your patients are up to. So this is my newfound time to WRITE!!!!

WOOOOO! After all, thats half of what this is blog is about! Writing!!
I have been writing down little ideas for this novel for 4 years now. I planned a lot of it in high school but haven't really touched it since, besides the occasional idea. I have constantly had it on my mind and always think, "I really just have to get started, sit down and write it." But never could seem to. But now, that I (usually) have that 1-2 hour time window in the middle of the night now, I can writeeeeeeeeeeeeee. 

sooooooooooooooooooo happy to finally have an outline in. I'm about 1/4 of the book through. Yes!


Anyway, thats it. If you are blessed enough (lol) to work night shift as well, feel free to comment with some additional benefits/disadvantages of your own!



~WNB 

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A Worthwhile Trip!

I have been meaning to go to This Bookstore since I first saw a brochure for it last June, I just haven't been able to make the day trip out anytime since. (I know, sad.) But I finally saw an advertistment for a book festival they were having and I knew it, I had to finally go. No matter what. So I did.

It.was.heavenly.

Despite the two hour trip, it was so worth it. The city of Harrisburg was nice (sketchy in areas, but nice overall) and the bookstore was definitely something to write home about. You could just tell, the minute you walk in their doors, that every soul in there loves bookstores just as much as you. Its a passion, in fact. All the people in the world that go to bookstores to de-stress and just be in a happy, comfort-zone place, they are there. They are just like you...in that aspect.

There are millions of books. It reminds me a lot of The Strand Bookstore in New York City, where there are millions of books in very tight spaces. You can't come in the store necessarily looking for a particular book. As much as I loveeee Barnes & Noble, that kind of task is for a store such as that. You have to come into this store with an open mind. You're looking for a book but not sure what kind of book, what you feel like reading, maybe not even what genre. There are four levels to browse and this is the only type of store where you can let yourself just be free, and wander. Wander until your heart desires to stop, and turn to your side and pick a random book off the shelf. The books are in all forms, from used books in the 1800s to modern day releases. They are not in any order, nor are they even stacked neatly, but isn't that what makes it enjoyable? It makes it random, as if when you stumble upon a random book you want, you can consider it fate, or a "good find". PLus, the books in general are a lot less expensive than normal, being that a lot of them are used.

Also, they have an extensive and diverse collection of topics and genres to browse in, enough to keep you busy for at *least* two hours. It took us two hours just to walk up and down every aisle! Of course, that entailed continuously stopping to check out a new book you find, read a couple pages, etc. But still.

Andddd, they have TEA. But not just tea, but like 5,000 different types of tea! It was overwhelmingly glorious and tasted way too yummy to have been made on this planet.

Being that its become to be a pretty well known bookstore, they have famous authors come in and speak/read. They have a specific section for readings and poetry readings. Even a little stage, mics, lights, etc.

Throughout the upper level that overlooks the rest of Harrisburg, there are couches that they encourage you to stay awhile in and enjoy your book. Couches! And they have board games scattered about (scrabble, chess, checkers, monopoly, etc) that you can just start playing with at your pleasure.

It just felt heavenly, unrealistic. Like I was wandering around aimlessly in my created heaven, just happy. No problems in the world, they left when I opened the door. It was definitely a very cool, worthwhile trip. If you live within the 2-3hour radius of Harrisburg, PA, I highly encourage you to make the day trip if you like bookstores, this one is worth it!

Here are some magical pictures:

This legit cannot describe me any more perfectly, that is a fact.

also pretty true. Lovely quote

View of the whole store from the top level :)

They had LADDERS. Books to the CEILING! Like...BELLE!

With love, (so much love),



~ A Writer in a Nurses Body

What is Heaven?

I'm writing a very important book. Its going to be so ridiculously involved that despite planning since high school, I'm still planning the book. I have a couple scenes written but nothing extensive. A big question that revolves around the center of the book, is, what is heaven?


My answer, and one of the answers of many that arise in the book, is that heaven is many things, and heaven is different for every single being on this planet. Heaven is what you want it to be. Nobody is not happy in their heaven.

I don't think that you necessarily design your heaven. You don't sit in a waiting room and pick out everything you want and the architecture of it all and then you wait for it to be designed and then you go....I mean of course thats a possibility, but I think it runs more along the lines of you arrive to heaven and everything is just...exactly the way you want, even things you didnt even know you wanted until they were yours. Heaven doesn't have to make sense. For example, I hope my heaven is a bookstore that extends for miles and miles and miles and there is a neverending string of books. Outside the bookstore, if I so choose to ever leave, will be a beach, and it will always be just the perfect weather that I'm looking for. There will be a little cafe on the beach, with lots of green tea always available. And rice krispies.

Next to this bookstore and a beach, there will be mountainous hills with natury birds chirping and sun shining through the tops of the wooded trees...in the middle of it all will be a lake, and a kayak for me to roam around in, take daily naps. The distant sound of children playing will be on the shore.  Next to all this even more so, is a cute little town from the 1950s, where everyone I need to see or want to see is there, and everything is perfect. Not necessarily the human standard version of perfect, but my perfect. Sometimes one persons version of perfect is what someone else considers a flaw. 



But, thats all for when we pass away from this planet. But what about heaven on Earth? Does it exist? My answer is yes.


Heaven on Earth is when you are lost. Sometimes actually, literally lost, but also--sometimes just emotionally and mentally lost. Lets say you are in the woods, on a hiking trail. You are by yourself. Maybe you do know where you're going (you're on a trail) but your soul doesn't really know....its sort of just in limbo, wandering around. You keep walking and walking and walking just to find something, anything. You start to hear some distant, happy voices. You have to make a decision..do you stick to the trail or do you seize the day and go see who those voices belong to? You decide to seize the day and you set off to follow the happy voices. Through some thick brush and thorny thorns, you eventually come to a clearing, a lake. The lake has a beach, with tiny rippling currents washing upon it. There are lots of people there, having a picnic, plenty of food. People are kayaking, canoeing, tubing, there are children laughing and playing and swimming in the water. They see you and gladly invite you to join. Grab a hot dog! They say. Or grab a kayak and go for it! They say. And you do. Because you made the decision to leave the boring trail you were on and you found this new....unexpected, place that you didnt even know existed. And now, you're here. And you're not dreaming. But it seems so surreal, so surreal in fact that you walk slowly and carefully, because you don't want to "wake yourself up" from this apparant dream. So you forget your life you left behind on that trail, just for the next couple hours. You know you'll go back to it. And you'll tell your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, son, daughter, mother, father, whomever, all about the amazing unexpected day you had. Or maybe you won't. Maybe you'll eventually return to the trail and that little cozy niche in the woods will always be your secret. Your secret place to go back to.



The other day I was driving home from Long Island, New york. It was the first sunny day after two hurricanes had graced their presence upon us. I was ho humming, driving along the boring highway (think about the trail), and was stuck in some pretty heavy traffic. All of the sudden, I look up and I see a sign for "Jones Beach, this way" so I made the split second decision (I literally thought about it and made up my mind in all of about 10 seconds) to turn the car that way. Once on the new highway heading directly towards the beach, I felt estatic! Free! I thought to myself, am I crazy?? What, I'm just going to go to the beach by myself and sit there and walk around and smell and feel the ocean.....yes! Yes I am! Who cares!? Despite having absolutely no original intention of going to the beach on my way home, there I was. I had been to this beach before, quite some time ago and it represents some very good memories with many loved ones. So it felt so good to be heading back.

Once parked and out of my car, I started walking to the water. There was just the perfect amount of people there. The perfect sounds. Seagulls, the waves, people playing some frisbee, splashing in the water. And just the wind was perfect even. As soon as I stepped onto that sand, I knew I had found a miniature Heaven on Earth. It was surreal indeed, and I wasn't sure if I was even dreaming or not. One minute you're driving home to New Jersey and the next you're standing on a beautiful beach, with your toes in the water, looking at the atlantic ocean.

I've encountered a few "heaven on Earth's" in my life, and they will always be treasured in my heart. Some I will never get to go back to, but will forever remain in my memory. But sometimes thats the best part about finding a Heaven on Earth- sometimes it only exists that one time.  If you try and find it again, sometimes you won't. Sometimes it will change. Thats the magic of it. Heaven is always changing.


Have you ever found a Heaven on Earth? Its different for everyone. For some, its under a car fixing it. For others its driving across America on a complete whim. For some, its taking the next flight to wherever and finding peace and a new life in that new town. It can be anything!

Here are some glorious pictures from my little beach heaven excursion:

With so much love,

~A writer in a nurse's body

Don't Kill the Birthday Girl

Hey!

So update on my life....


I got an NCLEX date! Scary business right there. I have exactly one month, starting tomorrow, to study like I have never studied before to pass this test. Failing *is not* an option, as I am already scheduled for work orientation soon after the test! Ah!

Anyway, Saturday me and some new (and old) cool friends went for a hike up, and down, and up and back down, this hiking trail out in PA- "Hawk Mountain". Needless to say, "trail" was an understatement--It was seriously intense! Most of it was figuring out the best way not to die, jumping from rocks to rocks.....but it was the most fun I've had in a long, long time. Seriously needed. Funny how unexpected moments creep up on you like that. It was breathtaking, working so hard to climb up to the top of a mountain, and then to see the view....it was just incredible. To just turn off your phone, eat lunch on a rock overlooking miles and miles, listen to nature.....

I used to be the kid that when we went hiking as a family,  I wanted to take the hard routes. I wanted to climb over all the rocks. I wanted to go in the caves. I wanted to be in the lead and find the pathways. Well, since then my most epic hiking has been stuck with the local reservoir which is mostly all a laid out pathway around a lake reservoir thing. But this....this was what I missed. Seeing a rock ledge above you and its just you, your friends, your sneakers, your strength, your brain, your judgement, your depth perception....its all you. It was a good, well spent day. :-)








Anyway- about my stranggeeeeeeeee title, I read an excerpt in "psychology today" (favoritist magazine ever) about this new book, "Don't kill the Birthday Girl" by Sandra Beasley.

The excerpt was page turning from the very first word. It instantly caught my attention. What is it about? Me. Well, not me me, but my life. She has it a LOT worse, a LOT WORSE than I ever have or will, but I know exactly what she is talking about. This is a memoir written by a girl not much older than me that has lived her whole life trying to survive despite multiple severe food allergies. She has what is a true "allergy" (i.e. anaphylactic reaction). I only have one true allergy- (peanuts), the rest are all inconvenient "intolerances".   So in the excerpt I read she talked about dating in particular and how frustrating it is to expect a guy to ever, ever want to live, date, and take care, or marry someone like this. Beasley quotes, "There is a world of difference between having someone care about you and forcing him to be your caretaker." So true.  She talks of how she has to hide who she really is on dates, and how she has to be the annoying girl fighting with waiters at restaurants instead of just eating normally (I totally get that) and how she even hid a complete anaphylactic reaction on a date until she walked him home, and then she called 911 on the street! Crazy.

Beasley quotes, "Forty minutes passed by in a blur as I tried to keep the date going, pushing hummus around my plate as my body shut down." I've been there. Many, many times. It sucks.

A lot of times I find other people find my many food problems more annoying than I do. I'm used to it. I can find plenty of things to eat still. My closer friends get it, and put up with it. Its my family and new friends that I meet that find it annoying. People worry about me, "Well if we go here, can you eat anything?" The answer is yes, I will find something. If I cant, its not a big deal, you know? Life goes on!

I've blogged about this frustration before, but it sucks having to explain to new people that yes, I'm allergic to that, and no-I can't eat that that you just made for me-and yes, I'm allergic to that too, actually, and no-I'm not kidding, I can't eat that either. And by then all hope is gone of a nice relationship. It sucks denying food people made for you or are offering you because it has a shred of milk in it.

So I totally get where this girl is coming from. I get how hard her life is. She has it a lot worse than I do but I still get her 100%. Needless to say, I bought the book off Amazon 2 days after it was released to the public. So I am really excited to read the rest of this book and find out some of her ways to cope with these allergies. Like I said, I'm OK with it. I just need pointers on how to get others to be OK with it.

Well, this tiredlittlebean should probably get to bed. Tomorrow marks day one of intense, hardcore, no mercy, NCLEX studying. :-\ I need to find the will to just sit at a table all day and do it.....Endless amounts of tea at b&n, thats how :-)


~A Writer in a Nurses Body

PS- Here is a video the author made for the book:

Really good!!!



~WNB

One Day

This is really just a random update on everything.

I Just finished the book, "One Day" which is the novel I bought in Paris and will actually be a movie, soon! A good movie! The book was astounding, very funny, and just my type. Just my type of characters and form of dialogue. Just adorable. Here is the trailer for the movie, I can't wait to see it!

So, thats lovely. :-) Now just to start studying for my NCLEX now...








Have you ever quit something? Something that was bad for you? But then you really, really missed it but didn't even know why you missed it? Maybe you just missed the memories, or the package of what came with it, but did you actually miss...it? And then....just when you have reached your breaking point--you find a new "it". And then you realize, with all this happiness your new "it" brings, you realize how unhappy you were with the old? That you have spent the past year longing and missing something that wasn't actually there anymore, in the old place, but you had to start looking anew for it. Stuff that you were previously yelled at for or things that you did that others found annoying......well, now they are graciously accepted, cherished and found to be funny. New people join you in these activities because you have them in common, instead of being hated for it. Quirks that you always knew you had that you thought no one else in the world also shared--suddenly you find in new people and you can laugh about it, together. Are you following at all? Am I making any sense? No? Right then.

I am happy :-)



~WNB



(A Russian & A Britian) <3 :-)

Your Average Happy Read

So in case you don't like to read, Let me tell you a little bit about reading anyway. And if you do like to read, then hopefully you will agree with me and it will make you smile. Well, the inside type of smile, you probably won't actually smile.

1. Finding a book.

This is really hard. Sometimes you might have a list ....like, a "must read" list. You always have so much schoolwork, work, family stuff to do that you dream about finally getting to read this list. You dream about just lounging around, when the day comes that you can just read all day and how you are totally going to conquer all 56 books on your reading list. But then the time comes when you actually have a free day....to start a new book....and you find yourself staring at your bookshelf of 300 unread books and you suddenly feel overwhelmed. Your list has shipped out the window, they all look equally as good to you. Suddenly your books on your list seem too daunting, you might want more of an easy read, a quick read, a happy mindless read.

So after staring at the bookshelf for 45 minutes and maybe even dusting off the shelf because you stared at it long enough for you to be bothered by the dust, you finally pick a book you found at the back of your bookshelf that you bought five years ago at a book fair that you promised yourself you would read right away but you never actually did, obviously. But you are SO reading it now.

2. You start your book.

This is also hard. Unless its like Harry Potter or something marvelous and earth-shattering like that, then chances are you aren't going tto be swept in instantly. It will take some patience, work, energy, learning....you have to meet all these new characters, get to know them. The Why's, the Hows, the Whos, the Whats....its all so new. New settings, trying to figure out the plot line. Some people never make it past this stage. They get distracted after their first read by the kids or by work or by sleep or by an angry turtle or something and then the book gets tucked away under their carseat somewhere and they are haunted of the task of returning to it again one day. Or maybe you do have intentions of returning, but life distracts you so that by the time you finally return, like 5 weeks later, you go to your bookmark and you are obviously lost in whats happening. But you hate the thought of starting over, and you cant continue reading from where you are because you are lost, so you give it up entirely and tuck it back into its corner of the bookshelf.

Or maybe that didn't happen! Maybe after all the hard work, energy and effort it takes from a true reader to fight through the beginning stages of a book, you made it to the best part. Continue on.

3. The best part of the book.

This is when you are officially addicted to your read. You delight in the fact that you still have over THREE QUARTERS OF YOUR BOOK LEFT, YAY!!! You love your characters. You love reading about them. You think you practically KNOW them. They are like, your best friends.

You go about your day and do the tasks you have to do, but you spend this time thinking about your book. You think about the next time you can snuggle up under your covers and just read for no time limit, or bask in the sun tanning while reading all day. Your newfound character best friends float through your head all day and you envision what they would say or do if faced with the situation you are currently trying to actually solve in real life right now.

If you are really unique and rather um....special....like me, you go even farther in the addiction-taking-it-too-far-phase. Example: The book I am reading now, takes place in Australia and they obviously use Australian type slang and whatnot.

Well, guess who is greeting their patients with an Australian accent and going up to her friends saying, "Whats up, mate?" Yeah, me.

4. Your book ends abruptly.

This is extremely disappointing because you were so addicted during the addiction-phase that you forgot to read slowly and make it last. You tried! You did! But it was just SO GOOD that you read really fast and then all of the sudden it ENDS! How dare the book END? You check to see if there is some sort of sequel. Nothing. You might be depressed at this stage because you know you have parted with these characters forever. You will no longer read their quick banty humor all day and you will no longer long to read at your next opportunity. You find yourself longing for something that isn't there, like as if you've lost a friend and you can't call them anymore when something is wrong. Its rather terrible....mate.

5. Start over. Find a new book. *sigh*

~WNB

Best Birthday EVER

OH MY GOD. Please get comfortable in your seats because this WILL be a long post! I suggest you make some more popcorn. I am truly sorry if you used it all up on previous long posts! But here we go...

Yesterday! We woke  up really early (5 am- way too early for human being survival)- and trekked out to our bus like zombies. We had a 90 minute bus ride to the train station in Zurich, which took us to Paris! The train went really fast, but thats about all I can say about it besides the fact that It was uncomfortable and all the Parisians on it did not like us. It was hard to walk on the train, and when I went to the restaurant on board, someone laughed and called me a tourist (which, granted- I am, but still). I glared at him.

I wasn't exactly *thrilled* to be going to Paris and I saw it as something I had to survive on my way to LONDON! I have heard so many bad things about the Paris Reputation and their hatred for Americans, which is understandable, because Americans are annoying. Also, we are all tired and exhausted and not as ready-set-go for big cities, and Paris is a big city. Obviously. In case you like, lived under a rock or something, now you know.

Anyway, we arrived in Paris, still zombieish but not as much, and refreshed and set out on the town. We went on a miniature walking tour and got acquainted with the metro system (very similar to NYC but a little easier!) . After this we booked our hineys over to the cruise on the Siene River that travels around Paris. This was relaxing but not very picturesque (sp?). I think I maybe took 5 pictures in a time span of 45 minutes. My friend asked me, "Whats the matter? Why aren't you taking pictures?" And I told her that I see them with my eye first and I simply wasn't seeing anything. I don't want to take a picture of a pretty building just because its a pretty building. Instead, I zoomed in (a lot) and took a few pictures of people relaxing on the riverside. :-)

After that, we ran over to the Eiffel tower to make our reservations at 8 pm. I WAS SO EXCITED TO GO UP TO THE TOP!!! I thought the elevator was fascinating and this time I actually listened to some facts about the tower. As previously stated, I hate taking touristy pictures so I made a game with myself to pretend I was in a photography class, and my assignment was to take a picture(s) of the tower that no one else has ever taken before. It was challenging! The tower has been photographed for many many years now, and in many many ways. I think I got at least one or two unique ones and will share them asap! It was fun!

Also, we were just lucky enough to be able to see the sun set overtop the Paris skyline from the top of the Eiffel! If I had tried to have planned that, it wouldn't have worked! But we just got lucky! We got in line around 8:15 and by the time we made it to the third floor, it was only about a 30 minute wait til the sun set, around 9:50 pm. So of course I waited....I got about 400 pictures of the sun (minor exaggeration) and the pictures I am about to show you have not been enhanced by a computer, it is the actual sun! Just magnificent...kind of reminded me of the "Circle of Life" opening scene from the Lion King!

Goodbye Sun! See you tomorrow!

After the Eiffel, we all went out as a group to grab a drink or two, but I was a tired party zombie pooper and stayed out for just a little and caught a cab home. This is actually very meaningful because I have never flagged down a cab (not even in NY) and so this was a challenge at 12 am. It took me awhile to figure out how to flag one down, then some helpful Frenchian? told me to go to other side of street, where lots of them were waiting. I asked first one for ride and he pointed me to next one, as did the next three. I was confused and frustrated, but finally got a driver! So, that was the end of that night. I know, exciting. Be jealous.

Today, was my birthday!!! And it was AMAZING! I met up with a really good old friend back from NJ. I used to work with her about 4-5 years ago and we always had a good time. She is an au pair now in Paris, and has been living here for almost a year! So it just so happened that the day I visit she was free! Well, after going on a miniature bus tour (lame), I split off from my tour group and WALKED from the Eiffel Tower to where she was. Now, on the map, this looked really close. Also, by bus, I was tracing it with my finger and it went very fast. However, my feet and legs are tiny and I didnt realize how long of a walk it actually was. I budgeted myself 30 minutes based on the map, and it took......90 minutes. Walking very quickly. Oy!

This is what I did to my Paris map.....You can sort of see the large Eiffel tower icon in the second middle fold on the left...and I walked to the fourth fold, third square. Fun!

But it was worth it! We met up in the Luxembourg gardens, and I assure you--this was heaven. Oh my GOD! It was literally like walking into......a dream? Like the whole world just fell away and this was heaven, on a cloud. It was perfect. It was perfect weather and so many people were out on the gardens...It was just incredible.

Just young school boys...some in college....playing chess.....perfection....

People meeting here for conversations...

Heaven.

Just completely in LOVE!

 We walked around the gardens for awhile, before she took me to a secret (and also amazing) little cafe which had amazing (how many times can i say amazing!??) French baguettes, and a little raspberry tart. SO GOOD. Yay for Finally trying something new! (Raspberry tart). We sat outside for a long while and just caught up with one another, before her friend joined us and we instantly clicked together, it was perfect! So all three of us spent the rest of the day together walking all over Paris! They steered me away from Touristy-paris and showed me real-Paris...the daily life Paris. IT was fantastic. Also, they got me to try this french dessert- "Macaroons" (Sp?) which were SO GOOD. I can't really describe them.....it was kind of like a flavoured squishy oreo? Yay for another new food! 

After that we spent time by the river side, just chatting some more and watching boats go by. We ended our day with what I considered one of the best birthday presents of my life....My friend took the time to think of something I might like to do while in Paris, and due to my obvious obsession with Barnes and Noble, books and writing, she took me to the most PERFECT bookshop!! Its this little tiny bookshop called "Shakespeare & Company" That I never would have found if I were a tourist. All the books (well, most) were in English, and I bought three! Also, I got them stamped from the company. The books were all randomly placed and mismatched, and upstairs they had ancient books from centuries ago. They also had an adorable reading room, with antique couches with books everywhere, comfy places to sit on the floor, so many adorable things all at once. It was just the most amazing thing I have ever been too. Thank you RK!

Just so many...BOOKS! Reminds you of Belle, doesn't it?

More books.

The most adorable little typewriter area!!! So cute!

Completely random window display but fantastic all the same...

I want that sketch book now, in retrospect!

I WILL have a window ledge that looks just like this, one day in my life.

Outside the bookstore. :)

After that we sort of just said our goodbyes and I set off for my journey home, but wasn't exactly ready to retire for the day. So I stopped by the Louvre on my way home (hotel) and relaxed, took a couple pictures....it was just so relaxing! I love Paris.

Notice the guy? He looked extremely lonely :( If I were brave, I would have gone to say hi.

My main focus of this, obviously, was the two gentlemen that look like they are having a really bad day.

He looked like he was having a really good day!

So did she.

After that, I ventured to WALK home (about 3 miles) instead of taking the subway/metro. I had a metro ticket in my pocket but was stupidly determined to make it home by walking, so I could see more of Paris. I almost gave up at least 6 times, because my feet were tired, but the little angels on my shoulders told me to keep going, and I did......I made it all the way to where I thought my hotel was based on the address I have, but it turns out that wasn't the street at all. I was tired, grumpy and my feet really hurt at this point, and I could NOT figure anything out. I went to the address I had, and it was not there nor did I recognize anything. I looked for a couple people that looked like they spoke English, and got a 20 something year old couple that couldnt help at all. They pointed me right to the same place I already tried.

Ready to give up and crawl in a hole and die, I stood in one spot for a couple minutes, took a few deep breaths, and collected my thoughts and turned my thinking switch on. With all that thinking going on, I decided to flag down another taxi since I was such a pro at that now. I got one after about 15 minutes, but even the taxi driver was confused, and obviously there was a language barrier. But with her handy dandy map, and my sorrow face, we finally found it. I nearly kissed my hotel room floor!

AND THAT WAS MY BIRTHDAY!!!

THank you so much for reading if you made it to this point! Tomorrow, we take the Eurostar to LONDON!!! AHHHH MONKEEEEEEEEEES! So. Excited. :D

Goodnight, mis amigas.

Paris and I are totally friends again. I am sorry we ever had a misunderstanding! Thank you Paris for a wonderful birthday!

~A Writer in a Nurse's Body

Meeting A Celebrity

So in America, not many people get to meet celebrities if we don't have a special talent or aren't famous or don't get noticed by extreme publicity, or don't date a celebrity, or don't make movies or do something crazy like that. If you are really lucky, just maybe you'll see one in NYC strolling around or anywhere, really...airports, grocery stores, big events, political stuff, fundraisers, etc...but that never happens to me. I have only seen celebrities from a distance, and it has been musicians, and it has been because it was a scheduled event (i.e. concert). So I didn't really "meet" them, i just "saw" them. But even so, its pretty cool saying you are at least in the same breathing space as them.

I have "seen" Muse, Matchbox Twenty, Train, Rob Thomas (w/o MB20), Jewel, Alanis Morrissette...

But today I "met" famous bestselling author Jodi Picoult! I have "seen" her before at a bookfair in Washington D.C. by complete surprise, and also saw John Irving and Nicholas Sparks (dreamy!). But met none of them.

Before meeting a celebrity, or even going to a concert of theirs, if you're anything like me, you hype yourself up. "Oh my god, I'm going to meet them. I'm going to be in the same room. I'm going to actually SEE them. They are going to be right there! Ah!" In writing, it sounds a lot more creepy than it actually is, but you know what I mean. Then, when you finally do see them, (depending on the celebrity) at first its like OHMYGOD ITS REALLY THEM but then you calm down and actually listen to what they are singing/talking about. And then after an hour or so of being in the same breathing room as them (such as today), you realize they are actually just another real human being after all. Just like you and me except a lot of people know that same person. Like, 35 other countries know Jodi's name and books.

I don't know if this happens to you, but it happens to me. When I'm talking to a celebrity or standing close to them, or really close to them at a concert, I keep my cool. In my head, i'm like, I can't seem to grasp the fact that I am actually standing right next to a celebrity. But they are so normal, so its not that astounding. But it is a celebrity. This is huge. Why aren't I freaking out?  And then an hour after we leave, I'm all like Oh my god I met Jodi Picoult. Why didn't I take more pictures?????

We also had a chance to ask her questions, and for the life of me I could not think of a single good question. I am a writer. I have been since I was 5. I have novels half written, I have short stories everywhere....I am a writer for petes sake and I couldn't think of any good questions. And then at home I thought of at least five really good one's. Oh well. But anyway, She is a really good speaker and I really enjoyed meeting her! And I even got a picture and an autographed book, of her new book "Sing You Home" which I have started reading and it is excellent so far!

Pictures:

Jodi reading passage from new book "Sing You Home"

Signed my book! Personalized, too.

Getting ready to sign.

I brought House Rules with me to get signed, because thats my best book I have from her that survived me reading it. :)

One thing I thought was really astonishing....she mentioned at the end that she couldn't believe that every single day, there were people out there that actually wanted to read what she had to write. You could hear in the audience a plethora of small chuckles and astonishment because everyone was thinking the same thing in their head, "OF COURSE WE DO!!!! YOU ARE AMAZING!" I wonder if all writers feel like that....I know if I ever get published big time, I will be astonished that people actually want to read my books....I wonder if Meyer and Rowling feel like that too? Hmm..funny.


I have about six or seven blogs on my "to-write" list, so you can probably expect a blog every day this week....I hope this excites you, rather than makes you groan. Thanks for reading!!

~WNB