Bayfield and stuff

N and I spent the weekend in Bayfield, WI. I had to go to see the Indigo Girls concert, and we decided to make a weekend of it. It was funny, just having come back from this amazing week in Alaska, to take a mini vacation in a place that is in some ways similar, but on a much smaller scale. It was pretty, and we had fun in two hotels (it was a booking issue, but we liked it!) And the Indigo Girls were awesome, of course.

Then I come back to work today - after getting up at five and driving all the way back, because the concert was on a Sunday night - and don't get out of work until almost 8pm. It's not all the fault of the idiots who got fired last week - some of it was just crazy stuff that happened today - but I'm choosing to blame them, because it makes me feel better. Damn morally questionable coworkers!

I did a quiz on Facebook, and I actually thought the results were true. Here's a description of me based on the week I was born:
You appear to be normal but are attracted to the unusual and bizarre. You let few people into your secret world. You can be wacky and zany and have a wilder side that only close friends get to see. You are a collector, reader, and movie watcher and are drawn to the dark side of human experience. It is hard for you to control your desires and you can become obsessive. You often retreat into your own world, you value your privacy and your home is your sanctuary. You ask little more then to be left alone but you are a great deal of fun for your close friends and family. You are sensitive, thoughtful and caring. Strengths: Fantasy Rich – Fun – Psychologically Astute Weaknesses: Self destructive – Obsessive – Embarrassing

work drama

Wow, has there been some crazy drama at work. Although it's a matter of public record, due to a related law suit, I won't go into a lot of detail here. Suffice it to say that a couple of individuals in upper level nurse management took it into their heads to open their own business. Not a business of the exact same nature as ours, but a similar one. That would not have been an issue - many people have second jobs- but they did not disclose the business. And then they proceeded to use our resources (time, mostly, by doing work on their business while supposedly on the clock, but also paperwork and supplies) for their own business. This was discovered, computers were tracked, then seized at an opportune moment. The two individuals were stuck in a room with the boss for hours, as a team of lawyers and a computer analyst reviewed their computers, flash drives, cell phones, etc. Then they were escorted out of the building, never to be seen again.

I was affected, in terms of having worked closely with one of them. And of course the whole team was affected in terms of having to cover the gaps, and make up for a lot of backwork that they didn't get to because they were too busy building their business. I don't mind doing the extra work, but it does make for a long day. Also, I got some compliments from my boss during the fray, which makes me feel good. But so far, this week has been a lot of catch up work, interspersed with a lot of discussion about the crazy events. Usually, when a person is let go, we are not privy to the whys and wherefores, but the lawsuit gave them the freedom to discuss this, and people cannot stop discussing. Really, even though I know they brought it on themselves, it just makes me feel fortunate to still have a job. Go me!

Alaska Pics

The troll under the bridge in Seattle.

This is our ship, the Norwegian Sun, from the Space Needle.
The view from under the Space Needle.

The sunken gardens in Prince Rupert, BC.
This was a show about the songs and stories of the Tsmishian people of BC...very cool.

And a view of the harbor in Prince Rupert.

These were views of the White Pass from the train.

The train we were on for the White Pass Scenic Railway.

This is a glacier we saw from the ship...can't remember the name.

I bought these shoes for the trip...I love them!

Here you can see the color change in the water as we approach the glacier.

This is Mendenhall Glacier, in Juneau, and some ice floes from it.

This is in the Misty Fjords National Park.

And Eddystone Rock is near the entrance.

This sign is in Ketchikan and it's hilarious.

This is Olyve Oyl, the octopus at the Aquarium in Seattle.

Okay, so the whole thing is backwards, because the pictures I downloaded last ended up at the top. And I have no idea how it will look when I publish it, but there are some Alaska pictures. Enjoy!

EDIT: I had to go back and move almost every caption to make it line up...at the end I got a bit lazy, but you get the general idea...

more books!

I keep meaning to post pictures of Alaska/ Seattle on facebook...I'll try to remember to post some here too.

Today is day 3 back at work, and I am still not used to it. I need another week, I think. :)

So when my mom was here a few weeks ago, she left me a book on CD that she had already listened to. I wasn't going to listen to it, because I never have listened to a book on CD before, and it was by Mary Higgins Clark. Nothing against her, she's just not my cup of tea. But I decided to try and I really liked it! The book was A Mount Vernon Love Story -- a fictional account of George and Martha Washington. So it wasn't the normal Clark thing, and I enjoyed the story. And it was fun to listen to on the way to work and the way home. Since I have a long drive, I always wish I could read on the way, and this way I did! I don't know why I always rejected the idea before. Also, while I enjoyed the story, I probably would have had more complaints if I were reading it myself. It wasn't the most well-written thing I've ever read. Excessive amounts of sentences were started with adverbs, which bugs me. But I liked the lady's voice, and I got a little lost in the story and forgot to criticize. So today the story ended and I was sad. I'm headed to the library after work to find a new one. Yay for trying new things! And I think that since it's a different experience than reading a book on my own, I may choose books to listen to that I wouldn't neccesarily pick to read - which is a good thing.

Today's the birthday party for all residents with a June birthday, and I never say no to cake, so off I go...

home from vacation

Last week we were on a cruise in Alaska, and today I am back at work and I want to go back!! Alaska is so beautiful. I know in the winter it gets harsh, but I could see myself living there May-October.

I always rant about people not knowing what Minnesota is really like - thinking it's a frozen tundra or something. And I guess that's true about everywhere - I mean, you don't know what a place is like until you've actually been there. And Alaska was different than what I had pictured. It was very green and the sun was out (for 18 hours a day) and we had wonderful weather while we were there- 60s and 70s, which is perfect for me. And we saw some beautiful scenery - fjords, and glaciers and icebergs. And I saw a pod of Orca whales, which was incredible. We really loved it.

We also saw a bit of Seattle, as we had time on the last day and one of my friends from college lives there. He and his partner showed us around. I'd like to spend more time there too. Also, I got to go up in the Space Needle, and I bought a copy of The Wheedle on the Needle, which was one of my favorite kids books. N was surprised they had it, but I said of course the gift shop at the Needle woud have it! Yay!

More later, but I need to work now (booo...)

random

There are so many moments when I think, "Oh, I have to blog about this." And right now, I can remember none of them. I know I threatened N with a blog about something he said last week, and now I have no idea what it was. I should really write this stuff down. Ha ha.

So Amber made a good point about my last post, which was that I am doing therapy for me, not for N. And I didn't mean to imply that I was, or that I wouldn't do it if he didn't get it. It's just that he and I talk about everything. And I don't want him to worry that I won't talk to him if I have a different outlet or something. I just want him to understand what really goes on there, ad I think that now he does. Do I think he'll make a return visit at any point? I highly doubt it. But at least now he's expressed an understanding that I need it, which helps.

We celebrated my mom's birthday last night. It's really on Thursday, but she's planning on leaving tomorrow and N has his softball game tonight. So I made a cake and balloon animals (I used to do clowning for birthday parties and I knew my mom would get a kick out of seeing the ballon animals again.) Before dinner we went to see Up in 3-D and I have to say, it was wonderful. I'm glad we saw it in 3-D, since it was available, but even without that, it was a beautiful story. I cried more than once, and I laughed a lot too. And my mom enjoyed it, which was the point. So go see it.

a case of the mondays

Today is a day of emotions. I'm back at work on a Monday, which usually puts me in a weird mood in the morning, but then I mellow out as the day goes one because I usually like my job, once I'm actually there. And Mondays can sometimes be really busy, depending on how the weekend went, so then I might not have time to be whiny if I'm running around all day.

But my mom is leaving soon, probably the day after tomorrow, which means the two weekends I had with her are over. While she is here I usually get really frustrated with her (although the more I grow up, the less we argue and the less I am angry with her while she is with me). And then as soon as she is talking about leaving I get all sad and want her to stay.

And to make matters worse, I had an appointment with my psychologist this morning. N went with me, which I think was a good thing. He is a little skeptical of the whole psych thing, but I wanted him to see what I do there, for him to understand why I need it. The thing is, I know we have anxiety and some depression relating to the fertility issues. And with him I think it is completely situational. With me, not so much. People have been telling me most of my life that I am probably depressed, but I haven't dealt with it. I've been okay on my own. Usually I'm a pretty upbeat person, and then I have down days, and I use my resources and move on with my life. But adding the infertility to the mix has made it more than I can handle on my own. And a stranger with no emotional investment in my life seems like the perfect person to talk to.

I can talk to N, and I do, all the time. But sometimes it's nice to have someone else. And when I'm in her office and feeling fine and then one question or comment from her brings on the tears, I know I'm wound a little too tightly. Plus, she can say things that he can't. This morning I told her about my mom's leg infection drama, and she made comments that I would have been angry with N for making, even though I know they are true. Sometimes you need a stranger.

So then we talked after the appointment and I think he finally gets why I want to continue with therapy, at least for now. But now I'm at work, and I just want to go hom and hang out with him and spend some time with my mom before she leaves. Mondays are so long!