New Year

It seems like I’m into nothing and I’m into a million things right now. There’s a shake-up at work right now because Mayo wants and needs to start hiring nurses again, but the balance of staff at the current ratios isn’t working. So some lucky souls get the boot to other units, an annoying interruption to what most people think is a planned-out year. We’ve got our vacation requests in already, people’s summers are filling up, people’s roles on the unit are fairly defined, but that will change for some. That’s a downer for them, and I think especially in a specialty like ours, people tend to be pretty passionate about work, as in, the idea of transplantation. I’m lucky to be one of the probably-safe ones, so I’ll wait with my colleagues to see what the weeks bring.

My duties at work are somewhat more involved this year as the Chair of my unit’s Practice Committee. It is going to force me to be organized, quit procrastinating, to be a leader of sorts, even though 75% of the committee membership is more senior then me. That being said, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to share what I’ve learned and to gather input from the others. I happen to believe that we have some of the best nurses at Mayo on our floor and to be able to hold a position like this for the year is pretty exciting stuff.

My days off are filled with working on a more efficient budget, reading for work and for fun, and trying to mix up the monotony that can be cold winter days. I’m itching for stroller walk/rides to the park, soccer season, swimming lessons and all the things that seem like inconveniences when the weather is warm.

I’m reading a Jodi Picoult novel right now, Nineteen Minutes, which isn’t holding my attention all too well. I’m beginning to think that I see through fiction too much. I picture the author sitting in some cabin in New Hampshire deciding why to name a character Courtney or Matthew and not what the story is about. On the other hand, maybe I just need a change of pace. I’ve got all kinds of non-fiction, biographies, politically-energized stuff waiting for me.

Nathan’s got Nickel Creek playing right now from his playlist, which I dig. I haven’t heard them forever. I told him it reminds me of when we weren’t dating, which was a total drag as I recall, but now I can enjoy them more thoroughly. I also made a CD in October of sing-along songs that I usually blast in the car. It includes Black Eyed Peas, MJ, Jonas Brothers, Beyonce, Lauryn Hill and everything in between. Sappy, yes. Excellent, yes.

That’s it this week. Stay tuned.