Why the bad rap?

So, our Nurses union fought to get us a more competitive wage. Part of the agreement was that we remain 4th highest paid in Canada. Saskatchewan was without a contract while this was settled, so it was decided that once Saskatchewan reached a deal, we would go back to the table and get 25 cents per hour more.
Sask. settled, and after crunching the numbers, we received an additional 5%, resulting in a 10.2 % for this year.
The local media took it upon themselves to announce this to everyone on last night's news telecast. They should have just left it at "Manitoba nurses received an additional 5% increase in their hourly pay today." Instead, they went on to break down our pay with full pay scales for everyone to see.
I can see it now - The public will again be complaining how much the nurses are paid. There will be a trickle down effect, and our health care aides will consider strike action.
How often does the average working slob have their pay announced on the news?
Why do our patients give us the same B.S line that they "pay our wages?" The last time I checked, I pay taxes too (probably a lot more than most).
I can't recall seeing the bus driver's annual salary on T.V. or the local newspaper (who is currently on strike) advertising their pay scale.
I think this is another way to give the nurses more unnecessary bad press.
Thanks for nothing, media. Maybe some day I'll have you on my ward to "pay my wages" and we can discuss this like adults.

ALI vs. PINK

No, not that Ali, my Ali....

As Ali, Ellery and I were driving in the car today, we were listening to one of those crappy top 40 music stations.
There is one particular "artist" that I really despise. Her name is Pink, and all of her stuff sounds the same. This got me to thinking how much I hate her, and who could do something about it?
Most of her songs, she's singing about how much of a bad ass she is, and that she hates authority. First of all, you're like 30 years old. Disliking authority is something a 13 year old does. Second, anyone who constantly carries on about how tough they are, really aren't tough at all.

I looked over to Ali, and proposed a cage fight - between my beloved wife, and that hack they call Pink. I think she could honestly take her. I've had my fair share of wrestling matches with Ali, and I think she would rag doll all 100 lbs. of that dye jobbed-nose pierced-always-frowning-always screaming-always-punching-the-air "musician".
I would pay big money to set that up. Then Ali could take over the role of tough singer, who could actually fight, and actually sing.

If I had my choice, I would love to go toe to toe with Ryan Seacrest. He thinks he's God's gift to men, and is waaay over paid. I'd punch him right back to puberty.

Election year

As we all know, there is a pending U.S. Presidential election happening this month.
Furthermore, there is a Canadian election brewing up this month as well.

I watched a poll on the news the other night, and the man was asking people if they knew there was an election. Everyone knew, the problem was that they knew about the US election, and NOTHING of the Canadian election.

This brings me back to high school. Our "world" geography consisted of mostly learning the American states, and where to find Asia and Africa on a map.
I've followed American politics, not enough to identify every state Senator, but enough to know who is running for President, and who their running mates are. I've heard their promises to the "working class" and their plan for Iraq/Afghanistan. (Send the troops home!)

Here in Canada, we are going to have a Federal election to see if Mr. Steven Harper remains in power as the Prime Minister, or if he can be de-throned. Personally, I think he will remain in power, with a minority government (as per) and nothing will change. His biggest challenger can hardly speak english, and is proposing a "carbon tax" that frankly sounds like it'll add extra taxes to anyone and everyone.....
The party I typically vote for has the right ideas, but can usually only muster up enough votes to hold 10-15 seats out of 100.
My party stands for the "working family", and fully supports the arts and healthcare.
We also have the Green party. They support all of the "green" alternatives to the environment, and want to re-negoitate NAFTA, which, thanks to former PM Brian Mulroney totally screws Canada...

Everyday, we're force fed news of meeting, lunches, and discussions involving the candidates. I can't wait for the elections to be done. Let's just hope that the new President and our PM can work together, and restore some good relations, just like our old friend Bill Clinton did. Just leave all sex toys (cigars) out of it.

Long live Queen Elizabeth!

Some truths about men

It is in our genes that we cannot fold sheets or towels properly.

What we think is "clean" really isn't clean at all.

A dirty car makes us want to shit ourselves.

We can cram 2500 more pieces of garbage in a trash can than the average woman. It's never too full.

Most of us are scheming how we could make a living playing video games or watching sports.

We subliminally make our wives suggest buying them flowers, moments before actually suggest it ourselves. By then it's too late, and it looks like we're buying out of guilt.

We can trick our noses into not smelling the disgusting odours that linger in our home.

We have a hard time leaving the house without having our hair brushed.

We flex in the mirror whenever we have no shirt on. And yes, we still suck in the gut, even though it's just us looking at ourselves.

Ladies, I hope that helps a little. A quick glance into the mind of a gentleman, or a little boy at heart.

Time to mix it up?

Lately I've been thinking of exploring my options in Nursing.
There are some other jobs available at a hospital which is literally 5 minutes away from my house.
Some pros of moving would be that I'm way closer, and would save the $105 per month in parking fees. The con would be that I wouldn't know what kind of nurses I would be with. (The brand new grads who think they're better than everyone else, or the old bitchy nurses that should have retired 10 years ago.)
My good friend Aaron is my acting manager right now. As luck would have it, I was talking about our current situation at my current job, and was saying that it feels like we're in a sinking ship, and things aren't looking up anytime soon. We have many nurses leaving all the time, and right now, we have about 8 vacant nursing positions. We're chronically short staffed, and the few full time nurses that we have (about 7 full time, and 30 part time) are getting worn out simply because the part time nurses are only working their scheduled shifts, and not picking up any extra hours. This leaves the full time staff to pick up the slack by ALWAYS being short staffed.
I really pity Aaron right now, and can see the stress mounting every single day. The kicker is, when he was asked if he was interested in the temporary management position, they told him that it was start in May, ending in September, with a tiny chance of it carrying on to January. Well, guess what....they've asked him to stay on until January.

I've always said that the work will be the same everywhere. It's always been the staff on my ward that have kept me where I am. How do I bring a better morale back to my ward? It seems like the fun is slowly draining away little by little each day.
Aaron and I have started the baseball team, but as soon as the season is over, there are no more activities planned.
I also told Aaron today that it would take a lot for me to leave, but I think I will fill out a few applications, just to see what is out there. Wish me luck!

Back

We've returned from Calgary. It was a fun filled week, with lots of quality time with my favorite cousin, sightseeing, and some shopping.

We ventured out for a little day trip to Lake Louise and Banff Alberta. If you ever have the chance, Lake Louise you must check it out.
The water is the most beautiful blue colour that you'll ever see, and the view is simply the best.
As we were walking around, with little miss Ellery in tow in her "Snugli" carrier, I noticed all of the tourists that were there. I heard some Dutch, some German, some Italian, and some other unknown language.

With rising gas prices, and the weaker American dollar than previous years, it was refreshing to see so many people making the trek North (or otherwise) to come to Canada. Even on the drive to Alberta, I noticed many RV's with American plates. Ali and I were talking about the prospect of renting an RV one year with some other friends and taking a nice leisurely drive down South somewhere.

It was a great trip, but I'm happy to return home to my own bed, my own comfy couch, and my own culinary prowess. Just for the record, we ordered Chinese 2 nights ago, and pizza last night.

ROAD TRIP!!!

As you may have heard, our little family is heading out West.
We lived in Calgary for 5 great years, and could see ourselves moving back there sometime.

My older cousin Kara still lives out there with her husband and two daughters. This is the cousin that I refer to as my older sister, because we grew up together, and are two peas in a pod.

Her husband Dave also keeps us in stitches. When the four of us are together, we always try to out-do each other, and it's one big laugh fest. They are how I picture Alison and I to be when we are around our other friends.

When I first moved to Calgary, I lived with Kara and Dave for the first six months. Everyday was an adventure, and there were always too many laughs to count. Dave is a musician (self taught), and is constantly writing songs. Some of his best hits include "Parking lot", "Welcome mat", and "You gotta make some room for Jesus". They are all equally hilarious....

Alison and I are both giddy at the thought of being around them for a week. We know we're going to have a blast, and just when we thought it couldn't get any better, we're also going to the Calgary zoo, and IKEA!!

Kara and Dave are two of my favorite relatives. They're the kind of people you want to always be around, and the kind of people who know how to make you laugh.

P.S. I know Alison will bring her "A" game too, so it'll be exciting to see what kind of shenanigans will ensue. I can't wait!

Retirement plans?

I'm fairly new at my chosen profession (only 4 years now), but from time to time, I think about when I retire.
I get quarterly statements about where my pension is at the moment, and it makes me laugh. It says I'm entitled to around $200 per month - so far. I can live on that right? Maybe in Mexico....
Thank heavens for savings accounts.
I think about when I was in the Military. Had I remained in my chosen field, I would have 12 years in, and a half decent pension.
When it comes time for me to "Hang 'em up", I hope to settle with Alison somewhere warm for the winter months, and remain in Canada through the summer months. Most Canadians do this, and they're appropriately called "snowbirds".
I would like to head South to Mexico, Texas, or maybe Florida, although is seems quite pricey.
All I know is, that I want a tan in February.

What plans do you have for retiring?

Summertime fun

Some of my favorite memories of when I was younger included going to the beach on sunny days.
Most of my childhood pictures show me in a canoe, or in the water, fishing with my sister, or sitting by a campfire.

We used to take long road trips for our "big" vacations every year. We made it down to the East coast of Canada, then ventured down to Kentucky. We headed the other way, driving to Arizona/New Mexico, and back home through the Canadian Rockies.

In a few short weeks, we will be taking our first family road trip, as we head to Alberta to visit my favorite cousin, and her awesome family.
I hope to show Ellery as many good times as I had growing up, and if I can fashion myself to be like my dad, she'll have a blast.

I know Ali will keep Ellery entertained during our drive, and I actually think that the drive there will be one of the most fun parts of our trip!

Respect is earned....unless you're over 65

Ali and I were at Wal-Mart yesterday buying some necessities, and like any other day, it must have been seniors day.
If I am walking through a store and see a mother with kids approaching, I get out of the way. They have enough to worry about, with their kids pointing at things, crying, sleeping in the cart, or trying to fit that chocolate bar under their shirt before you make it to the till.

As Ali made her way down an aisle, an older woman was looking at laundry detergents. She had her cart in the middle of the isle, and she was bent over with her ass sticking out way too far for a woman that age. She glanced up at us, and went back to comparing prices. As we passed, she gave a look to say "how dare you bother me", and it was Ali apologizing for going by. That's our fault as Canadians, we're too friendly.

Other older couples were rushing around the store. The thing that separates these seniors form the rest of us "normal" shoppers, is the fact that they walk shoulder to shoulder to block off the entire lane. Again, they give you a look because we're in their space.

To top it all off, they had 6 cashiers open (all at the same end) so everyone was crowded in one place, with the lines twisting and turning through the women's unmentionables.
I commented that they always seem to do this, and an older guy in front of me said the he works at Safeway, and this would never happen. We'll see. The last time I checked, seniors shopped at Safeway too. 10% Tuesdays is waaay too tempting.

Sure I'll sign your jersey....

Some athletes put themselves above all others. I guess if you have scouts drooling over you while you're in high school, making you all sorts of offers once you're eligible for College, giving you discreet "gifts" like cash and vehicles, signing you to a huge signing bonus once you are drafted, and then have legions of fans follow you around donning your name on their jerseys, it might be possible to get an attitude.

Alison has said before that professional athletes are one of the most over-paid professions around. I could not agree more.
Some are smart with their money and open a restaurant or sports bar. Others invest in the stock market. Then there are the few who take $80 000 in $1 bills to a strip club, or those who can't resist the temptation of drugs while they're playing....
If I had a multi million dollar deal to play a sport, that would be my main focus for the few years that I did play, then I would worry about everything else.

This post came to me as I heard about yet another football player who failed a third drug test, and is now suspended (without pay) for the entire year.

I was listening to the radio one day and they had a discussion about over paid professions. Dentists were another suggestion, saying that their dental hygenists do all the work, then the dentist come in, look at your mouth for 10 seconds, then say "see you in 6 months".

In our fair city, it seems as though the city bus drivers are always threatening the public with a strike vote. Their biggest complaint is wages, yet the bus fares go up each year, as do their wages.

I say if you want the best "gravy" job around, work for the Federal government. They've got it goooooood!!

Pets

I grew up with dogs and cats for most of my life.
I consider myself to be a dog person, and hopefully one day, my family will enjoy a dog, probably after we buy a house.
It's amazing how attached we get to our pets. When they die, it's like losing a part of your family.
My parents adopted a shepherd cross from the humane society a few years back, and finally old age caught up to her, and my parents had to euthanize her. The way they looked at it was that they gave her another 3 good years of life.
My parents are now talking about getting two new puppies. They are a Jack Russel/Westhighland Terrier cross, and will be a little easier to handle due to their size...
Now Ellery gets to (indirectly) have a dog. They will grow up with her, and she will know the joys of owning a dog, without dealing with the mess.

I've created (another) monster

My mom has been bugging me forever about Facebook. She always wants to go on there so she can see pictures of our family.
I finally explained to her that she needs to register, just like any other website.
Well, she has joined, and now it's Ali being bombarded with friend requests from my mom, and some other family that we really don't ever see.
Facebook is one of those things that we'd like to keep private. It's a chance to have some friendly banter with friends, and sometimes it's maybe some stuff that you don't want your parents to read.
Just like this blog, we keep this from certain people, because it's a chance to complain to your OTHER group of friends, without fear of backlash from family.

I just hope they keep it in control. Otherwise, I might have to take Facebook behind the barn and put it out of it's misery......

If you are who you say you are....

Why aren't Psychics weather forecasters?
They could say "It will rain until 11:07, then nothing but hot and sunny until 7:55 tonight."
We would never have any issues with the weather again.

I though of this at around 3 this morning, as I was in that half-awake-half-sleeping phase.

Furthermore, it is Friday night, time for a Bomber game, time for a win, and of course, there's rain in the forecast. Damn psychics. I want my money back.

When adults act like kids

One of my co-workers is turning 40 this weekend. She posted an open invitation in our staff room, so everyone knows that they're invited.
One of my other co-workers is celebrating her 5th year wedding anniversary this weekend. It's their tradition that they invite a bunch of their close friends to a BBQ, and have a friendly game of baseball.
The lady who's having her birthday party found out about this "other" party. She approached the other woman, and asked her to re-schedule her party because that was the day of her party....
The other woman was quick to respond that her get together was at noon and was expected to be done by 4 p.m. Suddenly, that was acceptable, and all is right with the world again.

The same woman who's having her 40th birthday this week was also mad at me.
One week before my birthday, I invited a few friends to join Ali and I, and go 5 pin bowling.
One of the girls that came out with us invited everyone back to her place afterwards for a few drinks. We declined, and headed home - unaware of the drama my actions were about to cause.
The next day, some of the people were talking about the bowling, and the shenanigans that followed at the "after party".
This woman overheard their conversation, and snipped "Chris never told me about this party. How come I wasn't invited?".
My first clue is, if somebody doesn't ask you to join them, you're probably not wanted. I guess that's just me...
Her next comment was priceless. She said "I WAS going to throw Chris a baby shower, but now he can forget it!".
What are we, eight?

So, my advise to everyone is to post a general invite, extended to all, even if you don't want everyone there. If you don't like the company, you can sneak out the back door.
There's never a shortage of drama at my workplace. It's a real-life soap opera, but with uglier people.