Corrido Calavera

Tonight I went to a show put on by Teatro Milagro of Portland called Corrido Calavera. It is about a young married couple, Amanda and Manuel, who die in a car accident and are sent to the world of the dead. There, they meet a cast of characters who try to help them reconcile their deteriorating marriage (pun intended).

It was a great show. It even had musical numbers! The lighting, the costumes, and the characters were all fantastic. I just wish I could have taken more pictures!


It was a black box theater, meaning the entire room was painted black and the audience was seated in the same place as the staging area. I was lucky enough to be seated in the front row, toward the center of the theater, so I had pretty great view of everything.

The main characters hid in coffins on display when the house opened and emerged when called upon by the rest of the cast members to rise again. The cast members all wore black jumpsuits with hoods, gloves, and shoes with bones painted on with various distinguishing costume pieces. Although there were only eight or so cast members, each person played more than one character. It was so amusing to see how their costume changed with their character's voice and mannerisms!

Anyway, I laughed, I cried, I mourned... It was a great night.

The altar in the foyer with pictures of honored deceased.

Resourcefulness + Creativity = Surprise!

Don't judge me. I've never been very creative.
Plus, I didn't have any poster paper. Or many markers.
Or someplace completely dry to shelter it from the rain.

Today my aunt returned from a very long, arduous business trip. Having been away from home quite awhile, my aunt deserved a proper homecoming.  With the skills resulting from many years of procrastination and mischief, I made it my mission to provide a nice, if not amusing, reception.

It was surprising how easy it was to track her flight information down without her knowing. Long story short, I utilized her check-ins on Facebook and crossed the information with flight details from the departing and arriving airports.

Once I had her flight information, I sent her a few text messages to throw her off my scent. (Not really, I just figured I would check up on her while I could without seeming conspicuous.) Then I looked up streetcar and Max line schedules and formulated a plan to get to the airport at the appropriate time. After constructing my plans and setting the necessary timers, I proceeded to design a beautiful poster to present to my aunt upon arrival (or wave fanatically as I ran toward the escalator my aunt was descending, squealing). It turned out better than I expected. I even gathered a supply of Halloween candy for her, complete with a festive decorative bag!

My plan was foolproof! Despite the drizzle, I made it to the airport with just enough time to settle in at the designated baggage claim carousel for her flight. Instead of waiting to see her, I texted her to come to the carousel. Honestly, it would have been better if I had not texted her, but I was so afraid I had missed her arrival despite having check the arrivals compulsively on my journey to the airport.

Sesame bananas are ridiculously satisfying with tea...

Anyway, my aunt was pleasantly surprised by my presence and I was satisfied with her reaction - and with having her home, of course! Getting to walk around Portland in search of coffee and ending up at a Chinese restaurant at 10pm, catching up with my aunt over tea and fried bananas made all my efforts worth it.

Also, we both got the same fortune from the fortune cookies we gave each other... Coincidence? I think not.

A Tasty Halloween

Halloween this year was rather eventful - but not in the orthodox sense. I had been scheduled to man the Dia de Los Muertos corner from 10am until I left for clinical at 2pm. Typically clinical ends at 9:30pm. With such a long day before me, I did the one thing that could immediately make it better - I dressed up!

My costume this year was Snow White. I have always been keen on the Disney princess and after watching the television show Once Upon a Time I have become more and more attached to her. I made myself as pale as I could look without looking dead, and wore a bright shade of lipstick to complete the look.

My friend dressed up as Red Riding Hood, who, in Once Upon a Time is best friends with Snow White. It was a perfect match! We hung out pretty much all day just for effect. (Not really, we just like hanging out together - plus we are in the same clinical group). I even had the honor of curling her luscious blond hair! I think I had far too much fun helping her with her costume.

In fact, I helped put together costumes for several of my friends! If there's one thing I truly appreciate about Halloween, it's the opportunity to show off a great costume. Maybe it's from theatre withdrawals...

Anyway, one of my first tasks of the day included whipping up a batch of champurrado (Mexican hot chocolate) for our Dia de Los Muertos celebration. It was so easy to make and delicious! I decided not to post my own photos with the recipe because the ones I took did not do it justice.

As I mentioned, I was scheduled for the M.E.Ch.A. corner all morning, but some replacements came in time for me to complete a festive scavenger hunt around school. Of course, Red was my hunting companion. Scuttling around campus, we saw all sorts of costumes! The faculty and staff had some of the best costumes.

Unfortunately my day was cut short by clinical. Although I did end up throwing some swimming goggles around my neck to participate in the sports-themed festivities at the care facility, I did not feel quite so enthused about the holiday. Fortunately, we did get off early (by 15 minutes, but still).

As soon as I returned, I gathered my friends and we ventured out to 23rd to hit up Little Big Burger before it closed to get our beloved truffle fries. After satisfying our salty cravings, we then satisfied our sweet cravings through Salt'N'Straw. The icing on the cake was that Salt'N'Straw - pause for effect - did not have a line. The day could not have gotten any better.

From left: Tinkerbell (Milly), Esmeralda (Amanda),
Snow White (Me), and Red Riding Hood (Emily).

...And that was the extent of my Halloween festivities. I returned from the outing exhausted and heading towards a food coma, or as I recently learned, a postprandial somnolence. (What can I say? I'm still a nursing student.)

#Late

Today's Photo-a-day challenge hashtag is, coincidentally, "late" and so is this blogpost. I meant to write this last night, but I was terribly exhausted after a long, difficult day as well as battling a cold.

My powerful thought for the day came after the aforementioned day and receiving a text from a friend from the McMinnville campus about being in Portland for a show at a theater nearby. I was initially crestfallen, thinking I would not be able to meet up because I was heading to clinical at the time. It was only later that night that I realized I might have the chance to meet up afterward. Three guesses what I did after clinical!

Clarification: the thought itself was not powerful, but the meaning behind it was.

The thought was simply, "Man, I really missed Rhianna." I have not seen my friend in about 6 months and I was overwhelmingly glad to see her. Rhianna's presence has the effect one would think most friends would have - immediate and simultaneous inner calm and abounding joy. Needless to say, I was genuinely happy to be reunited.

My reaction made me think of missing people. I may be the only one that thinks about it this way, but when I miss people, I am either consciously or unconsciously doing so. When I consciously miss someone, I think about them often enough that I feel disheartened that they are not present or gleeful when I can communicate with them. It is more of a physical feeling than a mental thought. When I unconsciously miss someone, I may have a memory replay about the last time I saw them or a prominent characteristic of theirs, but there is no physical response.

Neither is worse nor better than the other - I am still thinking of the person fondly. I just thought it was interesting the different ways I miss people and thought I would share in case others felt the same way.

Portland Marathon Volunteering!

The event of the day was the Portland Marathon - people gathered from all over to complete the 26.2 mile marathon covering an expanse of Portland and crossing the Steel Bridge twice. It was a memorable day for friends of mine who were attempting the marathon and it was memorable for me to be at a race of that caliber for the first time. Although I was only a volunteer, I was qualified enough to be placed at a medic site.

I was initially peeved about my placement - the volunteer coordinator had placed me downtown in a shift that would have allowed me to participate in the weekly book club session with my mother and sister, but changed the mile marker and times last minute. According to the updated placement, I was to be across the bridge in an area of Portland I was not familiar with at a time directly interceding with the book club session. The volunteer coordinator failed to alert my other team members about the placement change and had some scrambling to get to the right location. Anyway, I underestimated how long it would take to get to the new location and arrived late. The remainder of the time was spent mostly treating blisters and administering water and trail mix to the walkers.

Although I had been in a poor mindset at the beginning of the day, I watched the marathoners with increasing admiration. The realization that walking 26.2 miles straight during the hottest part of the day on sometimes rough terrain was no small feat inspired me. I cheered on, congratulated, and encouraged the marathoners as they passed, acknowledging their strength in having made it that far in the marathon and even attempting the marathon.

Despite the lacking communication skills of the administration running (no pun intended) the marathon, the actual participants were a major part of my first marathon experience and for that I am extremely grateful. My experience today made me more determined to accomplish my goal of achieving a 30-minute 5k next June.

Tlatelolco

This weekend was the Portland Latin American Film Festival at the Hollywood Theatre in NE Portland. The major feature was Tlatelolco, based on the political upheaval in Mexico around the preparations for the 1968 summer Olympics. The year was a year to remember, particularly because the games were hosted for the first time by a "third world" country. Amidst the societal tension, two students from different classes fall in love and join the student-led rebellion. Sitting in the packed auditorium, I had an overwhelming feeling of being a part of something bigger than myself. Hearing the buzz of the audience, I realized Tlatelolco had built a 120-capacity community in an evening. Tlatelolco ability to move is just as powerful as it its ability to gather people and I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to see it.

After the viewing, there was a question and answer session with the director, Carlos Bolado. He has received numerous awards and nominations internationally including two Emmys. During the session, many of the audience members spoke in Spanish and Bolado responded in English. It was fascinating to hear about his thoughts of the film. Bolado spoke to the concerns for the younger generations losing interest and knowledge about Mexican and Mexican-American history. He advocated for more programs and events that would highlight historical events as well as culture. Bolado said he made the film as a seed to put out in the world that might grow into something bigger, something more useful. I appreciated his response because it is how I came to view the film - my friend invited me to go and I accepted because I had recently taken a class on Latin American revolutions in the 20th century and was interested in how the events surrounding the summer of 1968 were portrayed.

Director Carlos Bolado at the Q&A session.

From Left to Right:
Me, Carlos Bolado, and my friend.

I am still in the process of defining my identity as a Mexican-American. There are so many things that set me apart from many other Mexican-Americans my age, however, my interest in Mexican history and supporting the community helps me make connections. My friend and I had a great conversation following the events which reinforced my feelings of being a part of something larger. I have newfound enthusiasm for my position in the college's Hispanic/Latin@ club and I cannot wait to share it!

Sunday Morning: Rain Is Falling

Most would think Sunday mornings are the perfect time to sleep in, especially on a stormy day like today. Not for me! Every Sunday I decide which mass I would like to attend. As I mentioned briefly before, I am Roman Catholic and I make it a point to attend weekly mass at the local parish. I have been fortunate enough to have been welcomed into St. Mary's Cathedral Parish and have been walking there every week since moving to Portland. It's usually a nice walk - early mornings in Portland are like none other. I usually run into a few homeless people, but I continually forget to pack something to offer them.

Today I was running late because I overslept. I packed a scone in my purse, expecting to eat it after mass when I stopped for coffee at Starbucks. Yet on my way to church I saw a homeless man and had the overwhelming instinct to stop and talk to him. I offered him the scone and impulsively asked if he would like to join me in going to mass. He said yes.

Can we take a moment to appreciate that a homeless person, a stranger, accepted my offer to attend mass with me?

I have no idea why I asked or why he said yes, I just felt like crying out of joy. I knew - I knew! - the Holy Spirit had something to do with it. Why would I do that? I mean, I know I have a habit of talking to strangers (thanks Ma), but still... If I had not slept in I would have gone to an earlier mass and missed the man nor packed breakfast to go. If it had not been raining I would have walked faster to church (because I wouldn't have to worry about stepping in puddles and getting excessively wet). I am still slightly flabbergasted at what happened.

The man decided not to sit with me at mass. I figured I would not want to intrude on his time with the Lord. I did not see him after mass, but I hope the man was able to enjoy his time with God.

Anyway, the homily today partially had to do with the Pope's interview. If you have not read it, I highly suggest you do. Later on I think I will do a segmented review of the interview as I have not entirely finished reading it. It seems as though there are some misunderstandings about it and I would like to discuss them and the rest of the interview as it has been on my mind lately.

Latino Americans: PBS Documentary

My first time taking the tram! I was so excited - it had such beautiful views of the surrounding area.

This evening I had the opportunity to attend a screening of the PBS documentary Latino Americans. A group from Linfield and I made our way via streetcar, shuttle bus, and tram to an OHSU auditorium where we were greeted with food and drink. My goodness, the food! (I know, I know, always with the food.) They served tamales, beans (ugh they were DELICIOUS), rice, chips, and salsa. There were alcoholic beverages available, but I obviously opted for horchata.

The screening showed about 45 minutes of excerpts from the documentary. I encourage you to look it up on PBS.com and watch it. It brought up much of the history and many of the struggles faced by Latino Americans through the last century, from the conception of Texanos to the picketing of East Los Angeles schools. It highlighted a few persons of interest including Juan Seguin, a Texano and former mayor of San Antonio; Guy Gabaldon, a soldier credited with over 1,500 Japanese prisoners captured; Herman Badillo, a former U.S. Congressman; and Sal Castro, a former Los Angeles school teacher. These people and their struggles were news to my peers and I!

We had a quick debrief/discussion after the film (over flan and coffee, nonetheless) and realized that we do not know a lot about our history as Latino Americans. We each shared a part of the screening that stood out most and talked about parts that we wished the documentary would have expanded upon. For instance, there was a brief segment about the rise of Latin music and stars such as Gloria Estefan and Ricki Martin. We wanted to know more about how that came to be - the struggles they faced in producing songs, marketing songs, and dealing with their increasing fame.

We discussed the changes we wanted to see in society and talked about certain changes we felt were possible within Linfield to accommodate and welcome underrepresented students. We talked about how many students felt cut off once reaching the nursing campus because the Latin@ group was not as strong as the one back in McMinnville and talked about the changes the one in McMinnville was experiencing. We have come up with some ideas as to how we want to expand and incorporate nursing into the club and I am very excited to implement them this year.

As we were heading back, I felt extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to see the film and be able to discuss it with a group of people that was not only concerned by what we saw, but wanted to act on our collective concern.

One of my friends sent this to me in an email once and I think it definitely applied to our discussion tonight: Unity makes us stronger- La union hace la fuerza.

Tram by nightfall. Still beautiful. 

Patients Are People Too: The Blood Pressure Clinic That Was

This week has been slightly hectic with all the things first semester nursing students have to prepare for. We have the opportunity to participate in blood pressure clinics around the greater Portland area today and Thursday, depending on what day we chose. Then we had to schedule a high fidelity simulation vital sign assessment for the day we did not chose. On top of that, we have our first exam (in NCLEX style, of course) on Friday. We also have an assessment next week in IEL. It does not seem like much, but it is.

The blood pressure clinic today went surprisingly well. I say that because I was nervous to be "practicing" reading blood pressure on "real" people. It was not as if I could necessarily retake someone's blood pressure because I did not hear it correctly and I may not have read it correctly the first time. Not to mention, the chit-chat. How much were we expected to talk to our client? If it's a blood pressure clinic, one would assume the clients would be less likely to converse. Not so!

I was fortunate enough to have a fellow nursing student swing by to be my first client. She advised me to not worry about gentility in putting the cuff on - the client would let me know if I hurt them. I never counted how many people whose blood pressure I took, but by the end of it I felt quite confident in my abilities as a nurse. I was able to correctly read blood pressures AND chit-chat throughout the process.

I had told my roommate before her vital sign assessment earlier, "Remember, it's just a person." After the blood pressure clinic, I thought about what I had said and realized I should have taken my own advice. Patients can be incredibly intimidating, but they are just people.

AIDS Walk Portland 2013: Generosity

Today was beyond memorable - I attended my first AIDS Walk where I met many people, drank lots of coffee, and yelled my lungs out. IT WAS AWESOME.

To start off my day, I went to mass where I was greeted warmly by a fellow parishioner, Ernest. Then I walked to Starbucks to get breakfast (I would have eaten beforehand, but sleep was more enticing) where I coincidentally met another fellow parishioner, Mark, who works there. He paid for my breakfast bagel!

Anyway, once I arrived at the actual event, I was in such a good mood that nothing could have rained on my parade. Literally. It didn't. Rain on the parade, I mean. We were really fortunate with the weather, because almost as soon as most of the tents and supplies were packed away, it poured.

I signed in, got my bright yellow (or neon banana as I like to call it), and was ushered straight to the food tent. CAP was very generous with the food options and coffee distribution! I wandered around, greeting fellow volunteers and complimenting walkers' costumes (and occasionally photo-bombing peoples' selfies - true story). After I had photographed the most adorable puppies - Chuchi and Guerrita - I saw a volunteer sitting by herself with a cup of coffee and decided to introduce myself.

"Are you volunteering by yourself too?"

"Yes! Let's be best friends!"

...And that is how I became fast friends with Lauren. She had participated in the AIDS Walk several times with a friend and had decided to continue the tradition, despite her friend not being able to attend this year. We were both route monitors, so eventually we went our separate ways.

I arrived to my location about an hour and a half before I was actually needed there. I was stationed at the last corner before the finish, meaning I did not see anyone until the first walkers rounded the corner. Also, I did not realize that because there would be so many people they would need to close down the ENTIRE INTERSECTION! I spoke with a transit policeman who explained the situation before anyone got there, so I did not look quite as flabbergasted as I might have been.

Once the walkers arrived, I started cheering and clapping. Why not? Everyone was so quiet! In my mind, the AIDS Walk was something to be excited about! Sure enough, a homeless man joined me in cheering and more and more people caught our enthusiasm. Lauren immediately ran over as she rounded the corner and helped us make some noise. IT WAS SO INVIGORATING!! We rounded up the last of the walkers and headed on down the street to the square where most of the people were already dispersing.

My observations throughout the day concluded that today was a day of great generosity. Not only for me, personally, but for others. I took the streetcar home and talked with a few team members who had raised $7,443. That is no small feat! Even the number of volunteers today was astounding! And the turnout? Incredible! From what I have heard from previous participants, the turnout today was smaller than the last few years, which isn't necessarily a good thing, but it kind of is. I mean, if the cold and clouds had deterred people from attending, I can only imagine how much more crowded Pioneer Courthouse Square would have been!

Volunteering, Running, Jobs... Opportunities Galore.

It occurred to me today that I am very, very blessed. I have been presented with many opportunities in my life that I have not always been grateful for and now I am. My meeting with Marc Kochanski yesterday and my interactions with people throughout yesterday made me realize I am definitely my mother's daughter. What I mean is, my mother is a people-person. To this day I do not know if she enjoys striking up conversations with strangers or people she only slightly knows, but either way, she is very good at it!

As I was recounting my day to my friends yesterday, they commented on my ability to make connections with people on a daily basis. One friend joked that I would never have to pay for drinks because the people I strike up conversations with tend to offer to buy one for me. The joke was based on the fact that I was offered free coffee a few times over the week, most recently by a Linfield alumna who I introduced myself to, assuming by her Linfield sweatshirt that she was a current student. She is attending graduate school and was visiting a friend in Portland, a fellow alumna. She congratulated me on my acceptance to the nursing program and offered to buy my drink. I hesitated, but she smiled and said, "I've got to support a fellow Wildcat. Plus, I enjoyed our conversation." Anyway, I digress.

My friends' compliment made me think of how my "friendliness" has helped me in the past and will help me in the future. I have been thinking more and more frequently of things I would like to do (including possible challenges for my list). I definitely need to get a job, but I also want to regularly volunteer - I like volunteering and I know Portland has many opportunities for that. I want to try a fun run or a 5k before the Sound to Narrows as well.

Fortunately, my connections with people have helped me accomplish each of those! A friend, whom I met through theatre, has offered me her job as a professor's assistant and another friend offered to be a personal reference for the hospital she works for. Talking with Marc yesterday reminded me that I can now volunteer for organizations in the medical field. Last, but not least, my friends and I have decided to do the Ugly Sweater Run in Beaverton, OR on November 16th.

I suppose the point I am trying to make is that there are so many opportunities available if one is open to the surrounding community!

AIDS WALK PORTLAND!

Today I met with Marc Kochanski, the Volunteer Coordinator with Cascade AIDS Project in Portland. I signed up online to volunteer with the upcoming AIDS walk, but had to miss the volunteer orientation scheduled for Tuesday at 5pm due to IEL. Marc spared some time to give me a personal orientation which ended up being more beneficial to me than I anticipated.

When I arrived, I was surprised at how polished the offices looked. I assumed (naughty), because I had not previously heard about CAP, it would be located in a small, dingy office with the mess of preparing for such a large event sprawled everywhere. Shame on me. The lobby had a receptionist who greeted me and called Marc to let him know I had arrived. She immediately offered me a drink from the coffee cart and said that Marc would be out shortly.

I arrived a tad early, but only waited a few minutes before Marc walked through the door and welcomed me to CAP. As I walked through the doors to the treatment and prevention side, Marc told me about CAP and the services they provide. He must have seen my look of surprise because he offered to show me around afterward. I was again offered coffee before we started in on the orientation.

My first impression of CAP was great. They provide service to over 1,000 individuals in the greater Portland area both in housing and work support as well as prevention and treatment. CAP relies on more than 600 volunteers with only 60 members of staff - and each person I met seemed passionate about their work. For more information or ways to get involved, please visit cascadeaids.org.

Marc's enthusiasm about CAP and the AIDS walk was obvious (and a little contagious!). I am very excited for the event and hope there is an immense turnout. It looks as though the weather might not improve for the weekend, but I hope that the weather will bring the community together at the event.

Speaking of the community, my professor actually offered the AIDS walk as an extra credit opportunity. He wanted to get us involved with the greater Portland community as well as raise awareness for HIV/AIDS and figured extra credit would be a good reason as any to involve students. My professor had intended to give extra credit for walkers, but because I had already applied as a volunteer, he extended the opportunity to volunteers as well. WIN!

Anyway, I'm very excited for the AIDS walk this weekend. I am a route monitor, meaning I stand around and point walkers in the right direction and warn them of any oncoming buses or streetcars. I hope despite the forecasted weather, people will be spirited - and if not, that's the other half of my job description! I will definitely be the cheerful volunteer, waving and dancing around and shouting encouragement to the walkers.

Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast

I don't know if I forgot to mention, but I'm Latina. This morning I had the opportunity to attend the Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast in Salem, Oregon with some of my fellow Latina schoolmates. I was completely underdressed for the occasion, but I didn't let that ruin my experience. The breakfast itself was delightful - scrambled eggs with sausage, roasted red potatoes, pico de gallo, salsa roja, corn and flour tortillas, and fruit were some of the items offered. The featured speakers included a business associate, lawyer, the executive director of Latino Network, and a doctor.

The first to speak was Frank Garcia who works in the office of the governor. He proudly reminded us of legislation that recently passed, including tuition and drivers' license equity in the state of Oregon. He encouraged us to continue being active politically.

The second featured speaker was Alberto Moreno, who is a part of the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs. He discussed the positive impact of migrant workers on Oregon's economy and the average life expectancy of a migrant worker as compared to non-migrant workers. Moreno spoke of the prenatal care act that was recently passed that made prenatal care available to all pregnant women regardless of documentation.

The third featured speaker was Jose Gonzalez, president of the Latino Business Alliance of the Willamette Valley. His speech on supporting local Latin@ businesses was inspiring and thought-provoking.

Following Jose Gonzalez was Carmen Rubio, executive director of Latino Network. The master of ceremonies including in her introduction several more organizations she was involved with. She spoke of her commitment to those organizations and introduced a colleague, Nancy Ramirez Arriaga. Both women worked on the short film "The Oregon Latin@ List" along with many others present at the breakfast. We then proceeded to watch the film; I was surprised at how succinctly everyone spoke about childhood and families and the connections I was making with my own experiences.

After the film, I mentally prepared myself for the presumably long, emotional speech given by the keynote speaker. The keynote speaker was Dr. Yara Delgado and her speech was quite the opposite of what I was expecting. She spoke briefly about her childhood, but mostly about her education and vaguely about the struggles she faced during it. Amidst her 17-minute long speech (she timed herself), she uttered a statement that struck me as being so truthful it almost hurt - "I was a mutt." She was referring to her experience in being seen as Americanized by her Puerto Rican peers and vice versa.
I oftentimes feel the same way, although I might add to her statement, saying instead, "I am a mutt, stuck between both breeds, wanting, but never willing to be either."

Dr. Delgado concluded her speech saying, "...find yourself becoming a leader." I like the idea of not intentionally becoming, but discovering a leadership role. It signifies that one does not simply become leaders because one wants to - one becomes a leader when the situation arises.

Anyway, I could go on about my experiences and my thoughts and opinions about the morning, but I will end here and leave more to be discussed than not.

Updates: Nursing school, Portland, Challenges, and etc.

I am writing this from my cozy room in the Linfield Good Samaritan School of Nursing campus in Portland, Oregon. In brief, this last month has been a whirlwind of classes, exploration, food, and friends - and I'm loving it! Classes are going well, I have enjoyed exploring Portland and the surrounding area, food is expensive and SO GOOD, and friends are my favorite. My favorite class at the moment is actually lab/clinical because of the hands-on nature and the clinical advisors are very informative and fun. I have ventured out every week to explore Portland, including the Saturday market and part of the Pearl District. As there is no cafeteria on this campus, I have had fun grocery shopping and cooking for myself - though with NW 23rd nearby, my friends and I decided that Friday night dinners would have to be a thing.

Moving on: I failed to complete the August photo-a-day challenge, however, I will be attempting the challenge again in October with a better understanding of what to expect. I am so very close to completing the AFI Films challenge, but with little access to a movie library I am a little set back. I have renewed motivation to complete the challenges now that I have gotten settled with nursing school, although I have to say I am renewed in my motivation to become a nurse as well. I feel as if I have studied harder the last few weeks than I can remember.

I suppose my point is, I am a full-time nursing student but I will continue contributing to this blog as much as possible. :)