Summer Vacation

Part "Vacation", part "Staycation", and entirely fabulous!!

It all started on my birthday...a few days in Seattle with long walks along beaches and up/down hills...a few days in Juneau Alaska seeing the sights...a few days back in Seattle kayaking and playing in the sun...it's been heaven!

Mom, Dad and I hopped aboard an Alaska Airlines jet early Thursday morning and took in the sights, sounds and tastes of Juneau for a few days: a walking/hiking tour of the town, a bus tour to the glaciers, a fabulous salmon bake, the Alaskan brewery tour, and some of the best sashimi I've ever tasted. It was an incredible time, and we're already planning a return trip for kayking, hiking and a little BBQing of our own! This was my first trip to Alaska, and it exceeded all of my expectations. The people were as friendly and the scenery was breathtaking.

I'm not going to be ready to go back to work on Wednesday...if only I could play all the time and never have to work! I am rested and rejuvenated...it's time to get back to real life :-)

Father's--& belated Mother's-- Day weekend!!!

I am so incredibly blessed to have my Mom & Dad in my life :-) They came up to visit this past weekend, and it was FABULOUS!!

We had a leisurely weekend, with Dad doing many "labors of love" for me...which include (but are not limited to):

oil change
fixing car clock
tire pressure check
vacuuming
Punkin-brushing
DEEP clean kitty litter box
mad Moth hunt throughout apartment

MULTIPLE grocery & home depot store runs to score:
Sunflowers
Kleenex
Oatmeal
Paper towels-- & install new holder!!
Tub drain fix
Sink drain fix
garbage out
recycling out

Mom & I cooked the following:
Roasted tomato/garlic/thyme risotto
Vertical Roasted chicken
Lemon-thyme Asparagus

Watched movies...drew Mom a bath...Dad& Punkin' time...........

It was an amazing weekend with the 'Rents' (haha) and can't wait for another weekend together to hang out & have fun!! :-)

YAY MOM & DAD!!!

Whew ! ! !

Wow, what a crazy few weeks! If you are still checking to see what I've written lately--sorry for the absence and thanks so much for reading my silly ramblings! Are you ready? Here is a not-so-short update :-)

This evening I am in DesMoines, Iowa. haha, "where in the world is Kari?" My dear Mom and Dad are used to calls that begin with: "guess where I am?" and the answer? ...The top of the Empire State Building...Niagra Falls...Hollywood beach in Florida...the rest escape me now, but it's pretty funny :-)

(See upcoming post on the Denver SVU annual conference!!!)

So I am in Iowa right now. I am at a very nice Hilton Garden something-or-other... I just killed the largest beetle I have seen in a long time...on the wall above the bed...and it left a lot of glow-in-the-dark goo. I'm not kidding. Neon green GLOW IN THE DARK goo. Ewwww. Here I sit...watching the coverage of Michael Jackson's death on CNN. Wow, Farrah Fawcett is nowhere to be found in the news. I don't have cable TV at home...now I see why! It's getting late and I just keep watching. Blast! I wasn't even an enormous Michael Jackson (or Farrah Fawcett, for that matter) fan. What am I doing!?

So I gave a 2+ hour lecture this evening on Renal Artery duplex scanning. I think it was very well recieved--It really went great! However, it is easy to fall prey to our insecurities, the fact that we're all harder on ourselves than anyone else is. I am very blessed to have had at my lecture the gentleman who's company invited me this weekend...he gave excellent constructive feedback, which is something I am very thankful for!!

The next business trip won't likely be until the autumn...and I'm looking forward to it! I like to think of it as a "field trip". I am so thankful to have these opportunities, and (aside from the sweaty palms, abdominal cramping, etc.) am doing what I LOVE: Hands-on training & consulting. What an incredible blessing!!

Laptop Computer in Stable Condition Following Scare

(OP) Seattle, Washington -- Kari Olmsted's laptop (Dell) is resting comfortably at home this evening, reportedly in good condition following a sudden BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) attack late Friday night. Dell was rushed to the Computer Hospital early Saturday morning to undergo emergency brain and heart transplantation. While in the ICU following surgery, Dell also recieved a hefty dose of antibiotics and a procedure the technicians would only describe as "optimization". Ms. Olmsted could not be reached for comment, as she is said to be working feverishly to compensate for the three lost days of lecture preparation time. A spokesperson for Ms. Olmsted released this statement hours ago: "The presentation will go on as schedules and is expected to be a huge success. Dell has never performed better, given his age, and is rising to the occasion, ready to meet the deadline head-on."

Urban Myths

Last night I was sitting at the drive-up ATM preparing to make a deposit when I got the mother of all papercuts on my tongue. I'm not kidding. I was still tasting blood an hour later.

It brought to mind something very disturbing--have you heard this story? Here goes:

Cockroaches are attracted to the glue on envelopes, and leave eggs wherever they go. Apparently someone cut their tongue on an envelope and these eggs got into their tongue...the eggs grew...eventually hatched...and, well...
EWWW.

Man, I really hope it's an urban myth and not an actual fact.

New Blog Links------------->

I found these on friends' blog lists and recommendations.

I warn you--you may not be able to stop laughing!

A few more things that come to mind...

~ Use extreme caution when lifting up the mat next to the patient bed (to cushion them in the event that they fall). You really never know what you will find. I can elaborate in person, just ask.

~ Is dryer lint clean or seriously very gross?

~ There are two guys here at the hospital who's job is to go from room to room and help patients turn or shift positions to prevent bedsores. All day, every day. Around and around they go. Reminds me of those old Motel6 commercials with Tom Bodett...something about remodeling all of their hotels and when they get finished they'll just start all over again. "We'll leave the light on for ya. "

~ Isolation Gowns. Yellow, plasticky, worn when working with certain patients to prevent infection (them, us, everyone else).
Good = Obvious reasons, plus I lose weight whilst working in plastic. Gallons of water weight.
Bad = Sweating. Sweating. Sweating. Oh--and some of them smell like they were left in the dark washer too long after the cycle was done. You know that smell? No, I never forget my laundry in the washer either.

~ Yes, that is the sound of the flow in your blood-veins. And yes, it sounds like a lion.


~ I've done a bit of research, and as it turns out, when I concentrate and really focus on something (like scanning) my nose gets cold and clammy, (like Punkin's or a puppy's). As if the amount of blood rushing from my nose into my brain really helps? My schnoz isn't that big...is it? Further research has shown that when my nose is warm I'm dumb as a post.


~ Why do some people always back into parking spots?


~ I have long hair for the first time in years and have been experimenting with ways to wake up with that "give a quick tousle it's ready to go" look. I spent a considerable amount of time last night rolling my freshly washed hair in to rag strips, and tying them into bows to sleep in (admittedly it was pretty cute). I think it's a work in progress. I'm willing to spend this much time to achieve that "effortless" look? Oh, right. My nose is warm. That must be it.


~ When someone tells you they fell off of a 4th story balcony, don't ask.