Shift work shortens one's life expectancy

I read an article once, that said shift workers die sooner than the Monday to Friday type.
I know the Circadian rhythm (normal sleep pattern) can get severely messed up when working nights, and I can never get even five hours of full sleep. I find that I'm tired and maybe even a little miserable the next day or so.
I think of the older nurses that I work with, and wonder how much they've actually shortened their lives by working a sometimes thankless job.
One of my patients actually told me that "We're keeping you employed. If I wasn't sick, you wouldn't have a job." True, but I didn't have the heart to tell him that people will be forever falling and breaking hips, smashing cars up, and falling off of ladders while attempting to put up Christmas lights or cleaning gutters. (Yes, those are the most common injuries!)

Which brings me to another point. One of my co-workers was saying that her son's boss took him aside, and told him he was doing a good job, and that he was a true asset to the company. I think of my place of employment, and see that there is rarely any team building or positive support offered to any of us. No, sorry, I take that back. Almost 7000 of us enjoy that awesome leathery "hot dog" that we get every year at our "Staff appreciation BBQ".

As I sit back and watch the Management give themselves a hefty pay raise every year, and wonder why it's necessary for assistants to have assistants, I wonder why they can't just spend a little more on the people below them. You know, the ones that actually DO something and are the people which represent the Hospital....

No matter what they say, I think a "job well done" is appropriate, and those 3 small words are frankly all the appreciation that I need. Keep the hot dogs.

This rant brought to you by Chuck Norris. Kicking ass since 1982.

Monday ramblings by a bored white guy

I finally registered my baseball team today. It looks like it's all finally coming together.

My parents were in the city overnight. It's funny how you live with them for years, and when you finally move out, you can only take them in small doses. I notice how much my mom nit-picks little things about my dad, how much married people bicker. Is this what I'm going to turn into?

I catch myself over-reacting to little things, but I am quick to laugh it off. For the most part.

As we were sitting in the waiting room in the hospital today, I noticed a few magazines that Ali did some freelance for. I was bragging it up to some total strangers, and they seemed impressed as they did that awkward laugh and nod....

One of my biggest pet peeves these days is people driving while talking on their cell phones. What the hell can be that important that these people carry on a full fledged conversation all the way down Portage Avenue?

As I grow up, I get along with my dad more and more. I always had tons of fun with him, but now we are always joking and laughing. It should be noted that my dad and I have the exact same laugh. Many people have tried to copy this laugh, but it's all ours. I look forward to going to lots of football games with him this year, and many more to come. Just don't ask me to move in with him.

My car finally decided to start. Out of the blue, I decided to try popping off the gas cap. To my surprise, my car started after 10 days. We have had similar problems with a few other cars, and I still don't know what an air lock can do to prevent a car from starting...

I am picking up one of Ali's (good) habits. I am rarely watching T.V. during the day now. I'd much rather listen to music, and play air drums to my favorite songs.

My sister has a very expensive drum set, and apparently she and her boyfriend are renting some prime real estate for jam space. I'll finally get to play drums for real.

Ali and I have decided on a few other names for our kids. Now we absolutely MUST have two boys, and two girls. These names are sweeeeeet!!!! And no, we won't tell anyone, so don't bother asking.

It is finally nice enough to wear shorts now. I'm sure glad we went to Mexico in February, because there's nothing that bugs me more than pale legs at the beginning of Spring. Besides cell phones in cars.

Happy Monday folks, now get ready for a wicked drum solo.

That reminds me of a little story. I used to play the "drums" at home by setting up couch cushions, and banging on them with drumsticks that my dad had, or hangers.
And yes, this WAS last week.

My (other) dream job

Today I was down at the Blue Bomber store looking at some of their new items.
I know the Manager, and we often talk about the latest player signings or rumours surrounding the team.
While I was there today, I offered my time during training camp, as I am there everyday when I'm not working anyway. I said if he needed help that I would volunteer my time. He said he doesn't have volunteers, he has employees.
Hmmmm. If he could match my salary, maybe I'll go full time. Wouldn't that be sweet?
I could hang out at the Stadium all day and get paid!!
Maybe Ali wouldn't like that so much.

Just over a month until Training camp boys and girls!

Famous friends and family

I was watching a hockey game with my dad the other day. The San Jose Sharks were playing, and when it showed the coach (Ron Wilson) I told my dad they looked alike and could be brothers.
To my surprise, my dad said they were neighbours here in Winnipeg. That got me to thinking.
Who else does my family know that are famous, or in the public eye?

In his earlier years, my dad dated a girl who's brother ended up playing in the NHL.
A 2nd cousin of mine was a member of Canada's National swim team for many years.
My wife will be a world famous writer of children's books.
And me? Well, I say that I'm the best damn nurse this side of ol' Florence Nightingale herself. Only I'm a guy.

What about you? Are you related to/know any famous people?

Today I turn another page in this thing called life

I turn 29 today. Birthdays used to be a big deal when we were young. First, there were the parties where boys would only invite other boys. As we age, we mix it up, and invite that 1 token girl to the party. Eventually, it's an even mix with guys and girls.
After 20, it seems that we are content just going out to dinner with a few friends, not even really celebrating a birthday, but using it as an excuse to go out and do something.
Nearing 30, I really don't know what to do. As you may know, today is also Tuesday, and nearly all my friends are either working, or far away (Mike!).
We're having friends over for dinner on Thursday, so that's good. Nothing says springtime like sunshine, the smell of BBQ, potato salad, and hockey playoffs in the background....

This almost got me killed

It was a 2 for 1 Sunday lunch. Me, my mother in law, and Ali's cousin all have birthdays in the next few days.
As we were finishing our meal, people started passing me birthday cards. Without hesitating, I began opening the card seen here in the picture. This is when the attack happened...
Just as though a flare had been shot into the night sky, the troops moved in. Ali, her mom, her Grandma, cousin, AND aunt all chimed in unison "Don't open it NOW, it's not your birthday!!"
Call me crazy, but as I looked around the room and noticed everybody eating the chocolate birthday cake and vanilla ice cream, just after they had finished singing "Happy Birthday" I thought I had the chance - nay - privilege of opening my birthday cards. What was I thinking?
Just another one of those great mysteries that one has to wonder about when it comes to his loving "other" family.
At my house growing up, we were never good at surprises. My parents always spilled the secret about a hidden gift, or they would buy us something in July and say Merry Christmas. I know this drives Ali crazy, and I must say I notice it a lot more now than ever.
Just yesterday my mom told us what Ali was getting for her birthday, and what we were getting for our Anniversary in June. Happy Birthday/Anniversary Chris/Ali.

P.S. I love my parents.

Happy Bunny Day

I'm heading to dial up land this weekend, so probably no posting.
Have a good Easter, and don't eat too much Turkey/ham.
I'll see everyone on Monday.

Karma is a bitch....

Remember when I posted a few days ago about it being slow at work? Please hold my stuff while I shoot myself in the foot.
Here's how it went down.....First, it was my turn to drive in our carpool. My car didn't start this morning, so my passenger became the driver.
After that, it was one of the busiest days ever at work. The only bad thing about 10 people going for surgery, is that every one of them have to go for X-rays on the following day. This means 10 people on stretchers, and 10 people back to bed after the X-ray is done. It wouldn't be a bad thing if we had full staffing on our ward, but we never do, and the float staff we have just complain about the amount of work that they have to do.
After a while, I had an "altercation" with a co-worker. She was surfing the Internet, and when somebody asked her to help, she suggested that they find someone else to help. This is when I snapped. I told her that while she was checking her e-mail, the rest of us were working our tails off, and she had to help out on the ward.
So, after that, Ali was supposed to pick me up when I was done work, as my ride had plans and left early. She called me when I was halfway down the hall, and said that she couldn't pick me up because her car had a flat....are you friggin' kidding me?
This meant only one option - public transportation. With me not fully trusting my piece-of-crap car, I put a few bus tickets in my wallet - just in case, and now I'm glad I did.
I finally arrived home, and have only one day off to enjoy before I go back and do it all again.
I'll have to spend it getting a flat tire fixed, and staring under the hood of my lifeless car, pretending that I know what I'm looking at. I wish everything could be resolved by topping up the windshield washer fluid, 'cause then I'd look like a genius.
Things will get better. It will warm up someday, my car will start again, and that fore mentioned co-worker will soon be Michigan's problem.
P.S. Stay away from Michigan.

Guys night out

Tonight I'm heading out to a local pub with a few friends of mine.
It's a chance to have a few beers, some wings, and watch some hockey.
The place we usually go to is my wife's personal favorite, because she absolutely LOVES the cute outfits those girls wear. Amazingly enough, every time I'm there, we get the 45 year old with four teeth....
Speaking of which, why is it that girls always compliment each other on their "cute tops"?
Ali was guilty of this a few times last night at our friend's social while we worked the door.
Men couldn't get away with this. I could hear it now - "Wow Reggie, that shirt makes your eyes dance!"
See what I mean? Although, I'm sure that shirt would be flattering.
At the social last night, I had yet to meet the groom. When I finally did bump into him, it was at the urinals, so needless to say, a handshake was not appropriate.
All in all, it was a fun night. I met some really nice people, and had some wicked "squeaky cheese" which, I believe, is a Manitoba hidden treasure.
So tonight, I'll kick back, talk hockey, eat some honey garlic wings, and complain about our co-workers. It's all in good fun, and I'm sure they do the same about us.

A new neighbour

Today it hit 8 degrees out, so I decided to go out and clean up our "yard" a little.
We have a little row of bushes right outside our patio door, and this seems to act as a magnet for garbage.
Our old neighbours above us used to throw away their empty beer cans, which would ultimately end up in OUR bushes, so I started bagging them and throwing them right back up to their patio.
Those pests have since moved out, now we just deal with the new tenants pouring gallons of rinse water down onto our pad.
Anyway, back to cleaning up. I picked up some old flyers, a plastic bag, and a tensor bandage...
It wasn't mine, so what the hell was it doing in our bushes? I wish I had the CSI do-it-yourself DNA kit, then I would find the lazy S.O.B. that decided to throw used medical supplies into our yard.
Our resident rabbit is now back. We've named him Darren. He looks rough.
There is also a new visitor in the area, a huge red Squirrel. He looks like a Gordie to me.
Gordie was snooping around our BBQ and patio looking for scraps yesterday while I was on the phone with a friend.
Suddenly, Gord was gone. I looked along the bushes, through the yard, down at my BBQ - nothing.
Out of nowhere, Gordie came roaring down our screen door, and I think I might have peed my pants a lillte. The last thing I expected to see was a huge Squirrel tearing down my screen door. The under-belly of a Squirrel isn't meant to be seen that close.
Welcome to the area Gordie. Just don't scare me like that again.

Excuse me sir, you lose something?

I went to Wal-Mart this morning to buy some milk, lightbulbs, and garbage bags. I wasn't there too early, around 9:30.
As I walked around the store, I couldn't help but notice people shopping in their p.j.'s. I wonder what they needed that bad, where they couldn't even wait to get dressed before going out.
An older fellow ahead of me was actually in a night gown! Like a night gown that Scrooge wore.
I had to look twice, and he caught me. I guess I must have had a look of sheer terror on my face, because he turned around and said "Nice weather out. You OK?"
I quickly fumbled around in my pockets, and told Ebeneezer that I think I lost my wallet.
I ducked out of line, and scurried down the nearest isle, which, luckily for me, was the over sized underwear isle.
I looked back, and the old guy was still watching me. He actually stepped out of line to watch me walk away. I immediately thought of the old guy from Family Guy, and just prayed that he didn't ask me if I liked Popsicles....
By now I was getting a little nervous, so I went to the electronics department. I was checking if there were any deals on video games, when I got that eerie feeling that somebody was watching me. I turned around - all I saw was the nightgown.....
He walked up to me and handed me a wallet!!!
I turns out this guy found a wallet in the store, and thought it belonged to me. So I did what any honest person would do - grab the big bills, and then turn it in to Customer service. Just kidding.
What are the chances of actually getting caught in my own little lie?!?

Why am I so tired? I didn't even do anything

Right now at work it's a little slow. I work Trauma/Orthopedics, and the doctors have decided to take a Spring break as well. Only emergency cases are coming onto our floor, so we have a few empty beds.
First let me say that I'm not complaining at all, but 12 hours usually goes by fairly fast when you're busy washing people, doing vital signs, doing assessments, handing out meds, getting people ready for surgery, getting people back from surgery, getting admissions, discharging people, dealing with pain issues, grumpy patients, and demanding family members. It's all in a day's work, and I wouldn't trade it for anything, but when it's this quiet, we just sit - and wait.
I think my patients know when it is quiet, because I'm constantly in their room asking if they need anything for pain, want to turn, want to get up, etc.
We have no choice but to sit there and watch the clock. Of course we can use this time to do our charting, update care plans, and finish our other paperwork, but the day just never seems to end!!
On the way home tonight, I felt as if I just hauled ass for the entire shift, when I did the complete opposite. I kind of feel guilty.
I did however go in on a sport-select ticket with a co-worker, so if my hockey/basketball teams win, my $1 donation will sprout into about $350. Not bad in a day's work.
So, here's the pressing issue.....It's 8:20 p.m. Is it too early for bed?

The boys of summer - Is that still politically correct?

At work today, my friend Aaron and I decided that we both wanted to play baseball this year.
I played a few years back with Ali's old co-workers, but she's since moved on, and now that I'm %95 percent fixed up from surgery, I think it's time to get back into the swing of things. No pun intended...
We decided to put out a list to gauge interest, and so far about seven people have signed up. It will be a mixed team, but I actually prefer these because it's not as competitive.
There's something about summertime and playing baseball. I rarely watch baseball on t.v. and can't stand to go to a Winnipeg Goldeyes game, but I enjoy playing. Maybe it's a chance to get out my aggression when I'm batting.
I used to play in a rec league in Calgary, and it was more of a beer fest than a baseball game. Our manager would pull out a huge cooler full of beer, charge $1 a piece, and if you didn't have money, he'd run a tab. A tab at a ball diamond!! How redneck is that?
Speaking of Calgary, there are a few things I miss about living there. I enjoyed seeing the mountains everyday. I miss my cousin, who is more like a big sister. I miss my friends. I miss the "battle of Alberta" in football and hockey.
I don't miss my first small apartment, which was hardly big enough for me and my cardboard box (which also doubled as my night table). I don't miss everyone who wore a Stetson cowboy hat during Stampede week (real cowboys excluded). Only certain people can pull a cowboy hat off.
Going back to my apartment, after Ali moved in with me, I never realized how important it was to have luxury items like pots/pans, a kitchen table, and she was right - my posters really were hideous on the walls!!
I honestly have to say, every bachelor's apartment needs a woman's touch. Just don't be present when she's throwing out all your stuff.

The drummer is the quiet one

So, as you may have read on one of Ali's earlier posts, she is excited about buying a guitar.
I got to thinking, and decided if I could pick just one instrument to learn, it would be the drums. Not the most practical in an apartment, but I always thought the drummer was the cool one of the group.
They're kind of tucked away in the back, and they just rock out without really saying anything.
They always have the crazy hair, and can totally get away with wearing jeans and a T-shirt, which is my staple.
Plus, I always think the coolest part of a concert is when the band finishes their set and the drummer tosses his/her drumsticks into the crowd.
That, and I'm lazy. Why stand to play an instrument, when you can have your own chair?
Now, I just have to master the spinning-of-the-drumstick-while-pointing-to-the-topless-chick move, and I'll be set. (If Ali says it's OK.)
Besides that, every good song needs a cowbell. Gotta have more cowbell........

I wish I could grow a moustache

Ever since I can remember, I was never able nor allowed to grow a moustache....
In high school, there were only a few guys who could pull of facial hair, my best friend Mike being one of them. There were those who tried desperately to have one, but when you can count the hairs on their face from across the room, it's time to let it go.
While in high school, I enlisted in the Military. It was a requirement to shave daily, whether I needed it or not. To this day, I still cringe at the smell of Gillette regular shaving foam...
After that, I worked in the oil fields for a few years. It was necessary to keep clean shaven in case of having to don a gas mask while on the job site.
I once had a chin goatee, that I kept short and neatly trimmed. This was my one and only stand against "the man". This of course quickly disappeared once I arrived in Southern Ontario to visit my sexy girlfriend while she was in college. She took one look at me, and said "no".
That was it. Gone in sixty seconds...
I got to thinking about moustaches today, and how few actors there are that can actually pull one off. Tom Sellick, Bruce Willis, and surprisingly enough, Ed Norton are a few that spring to mind.
These guys can also be described as "a man's man". I honestly can't recall many of those guys today. Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Charleton Heston are/were the last of a dying breed.
I thought of this today, because The Omega Man was on t.v. this morning. One of my favorites.
All of those guys could pull off facial hair. I wonder if they listened to THEIR wives if they said no.
Come to think of it, 'ol Blue eyes never did have facial hair......