Mean People Stink!

The theme in my life over the past week has been dealing with mean, angry people. From school, to driving, to work, and well just about everywhere ... everybody seems to have lost the spirit of good will toward their fellow man. That's just not for Christmas ya' know! Case in point, here at school we have a study lab where students go for extra help, or just to study. Last week was a special week and the lab was closing early. It was still full of students when I entered and realized that they were setting up for a party, so I sat down and searched my bag for my keys. After I found them I got up to leave and one of the ladies that works in there barked at me, "WE ARE CLO-SING!" she said. I held up my keys, smiled and shook them so she would see that I was leaving. With a humph she sat back down and went on about her buisness. I strolled to the restroom and came back, passed the lab only to see that I was the ONLY person she had attempted to throw out and I WAS LEAVING when she yelled at me. And no, the other students werent there for the meeting, at least not some because I know them and was going to study with them. I realize that in and of its self, that situation was no big deal but as the week drug on more angry people just came out of the woodwork.
Last night was the peak of "Angry Week". I was at work and a man died. I was there when it happened and then had to deal with the family when they came in to sign documents. It was a very difficult task for me and the family was very nice and polite, although some anger and pain would have been expected. Here I am trying to register this ladies husband so that we can bill her, and she has just lost her partner of almost 40 years. If she didnt have a right to be rude and angry, who does? Well my co-workers thought they did. According to them, our job isn't patient care. We're on the buisness side of things and shouldn't be bothered with the welfare of those people. WHAT!! I'm sorry, that does not compute! If it weren't for "those people" that bother them so much, we wouldnt have a job! Furthermore, shouldn't patient care start the minute you walk in the front door, not once you enter the exam room? Their complaining carried on even to the point of being glad that the man had passed on, actually wishing more would so they had less work to do. I am ashamed to admit that I did nothing but go home. I think, for the most part, I did nothing because it didn't sink in until I was gone just what they had been saying. The other part is, one of those people is my immediate supervisor. What DO you say to your supervisor? Who polices the police? So I take my lumps now so when I get out of the ACNA class in January I dont have to look at those people and I still have a job. But what has this world come to that people actually say and mean those kinds of things?? Are we so calous? Unfortunately I think so.

About 2 weeks ago now there was a horrible accident involving a motorcyclist. The cyclist was hit broadside and was thrown about a half a block before coming to rest in the middle of the road. My friend saw the accident and waited to see if anyone would stop to help, as she is pregnant and didn't feel safe getting out of her car. When it became apparent that no one would help, she parked her car and got out to rush to the mans side. People were honking at her and the cyclist, yelling at them to get out of the road as she dialed 911 and tried to keep the man still. He later died from his injuries. I understand that injured people have sued others for trying to help them and causing more injury in these cases and to some extent I understand not stopping. But then why were hoards of people gathered around the driver in the truck that hit the cyclist? Have we become so focused on survival of the fittest that we would sacrifice our neighbor to get ahead? Yes. I think we have. Its a sad, sad time in our history now. Thank goodness our forefathers can't see what we've become.

Trick or Treat ...

Not much new info to report. The Tweedles went out Wednesday to a collect some candy at my sisters churches "Trunk or Treat." They really enjoyed it. Church members lined the parking lot with their cars, leaving trunks open. As the children passed they handed out candy. There had to be at least 100 kids there, and at least 50 cars. We made it around once which filled the buckets. As we were getting ready for the event Tweedle-doh decided he no longer wanted to be Buzz Lightyear and instead wanted to be a red Power Ranger. So we switched costumes (he has a Red Power Ranger suit for dress-up), he grabbed his Power Ranger phone and off we went. Tweedle-dee was a tiger striped kitty and meowed at everyone. By the end of the night her whiskers where rubbed off and the I wound up carrying the phone. Fun was had by all! Now they think every night should be Trick or Treat night!

As for the "Bronco" and I --- this week starts my new Advanced CNA course. I am extatic! I finally get to learn the nitty gritty kinds of cares I will be giving on a floor in the hospital. When this course is over in January, I may just have an offer from a local hospital so stay tuned! He is working like crazy as Christmas isnt too far off, and alas the Rockies are behind so the World Series is no fun to watch. However, the Broncos are looking better as they won last week sooo maybe something better just around the bend like a bowl game??

Happy Days ...

Ahhh, the sites and sounds of Christmas ... wait isnt this OCTOBER?? I was confused for just a moment by all of the holiday decorations up in the department stores. Seriously, I was at Wal-Mart and in one isle Halloween costumes and in the next Christmas trees. Now everyone that knows me knows my favorite holidays in this order are ... Christmas, my birthday, and then the rest but isnt this a bit pushy??

Tweedle-doh and Tweedle-dee are very excited for Halloween. Tweedle-dee is going as a Cat and Tweedle-doh is going as Buzz Lightyear. I am busy in school and after just taking my midterms I am acheiving A's and B's in all of my classes. I recently recieved a letter and certificate for making the Dean's and Presidents lists here at school so I am pretty stoked about that. The bronco is doing well and is looking forward to the World Series as the Colorado Rockies made it this year. He made mention the other day that since the Denver Broncos are having a bad year (to put it nicely) that he is going to watch the Series. He usually doesn't get to as I am death on watching Baseball and I can be a pain when I want to be :) (who knew!) Tommorrow is his Birthday so Happy Birthday Baby! and that means I am getting that much older .. 6 months to 33!

Gateway to Where??

When I was a little girl Grandma and Grandpa would drive down to Iowa for two weeks every summer, I couldn't wait to see the Capitol building. It was like the gateway to family, friends and fun. I knew then that our trip would soon be over, I could stretch my legs and would see family and friends that I had missed so much. I also remember years of watching the scaffolding cling to the sides of the dome while they worked to get the gold leaf fixed. But I never noticed the surrounding neighborhoods, until the other day when I was driving to the southside. Now sadly the Capitol has lost its "magic" for me. I dont know, am I the only one that noticed that most of the houses around our Capitol are broken down, and the people are low-income? Instead of the Capitol being the "gateway" to Des Moines, it looks more like the "gateway" to skid row. Honestly I would rather have a plain old concrete and steel building serving as our home office and those peoples homes and lives helped, than the gaudy "Tage Mahal" we have now. I also have to wander what person in their right mind was standing around one day and said "AH-HA, a gold-leafed domed building is just what this city needs." Were we so well off back then that it didn't seem extravagant? Iowans at heart are simple farming family folk so how did this happen? Of course these are retorical questions as I don't believe any answers I would find would make it seem ok to me.

Hello World!

This is the first installment of the "Days of our Lives". Everyone keeps telling me I should start a blog so I finally did. In my blog you find updates on my family -the Bronco, tweedle-dee, tweedle-doh and myself- and my "deep" thoughts for the day, and maybe some not so deep.

Enjoy! Love you all,

Shann