Where is she now?

Portland, OR

2007-07-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

My friend Kristen and I had been wanting to go to Portland since we got out to Seattle. I discovered one of my college friends lives here so we met up with her and spent the weekend exploring Portland which I loved. Why did I love it? Maybe even more so than Seattle? Because it was sunny, there was great eclectic and unique shopping at the Saturday market and along NW 23rd street, waterfalls with hiking 30 miles away, no uber crowded streets. How about all the green space, including the Chinese gardens, Japanese gardens and rose gardens, Forest Park, and Washington park. And where else in the US or world can you stand and see 4 mountains--Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Rainier? Thanks to Sarah for showing us around!

Juneau, Day 3--Approaching the Glacier on foot and water

2007-07-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

Since approaching the Mendenhall glacier by air wasn't enough, we HAD to approach it by foot and by self propelled boat. It was my first time in a kayak and I didn't get us stuck going in circles and we didn't flip over! We started out day out by hiking to the glacier via the West Glacier Trail. As we got closer to the glacier our trail took us deeper into the woods with bright red and orange yarn tied to trees as our markers. The view once we left the woods was amazing. I felt like I was the last person on earth. You are faced with mounds and mounds of rocks that are milllions of years old. We hiked down to the ice caves and enjoyed a snack while taking it all in. It's surreal to think that I touched ice that again is millions of years old. We made our way back to forest and after several tries we found our orange and red ribbons again. Our guided kayak trip got canceled so we rented a kayak and went on the lake on our own. Thank goodness Beth has been in kayaks before. I probably would have tipped over and run into an iceberg. We got lots of awesome pics as you can see below.

Technical Difficulties

2007-07-08T21:55:00.001-07:00

I apologize to all those who have had difficulties viewing my site. I don't know what to tell you since I'm not very tech savvy. I don't want to mess anything up. Just try and try again. It worked for my brother :)

Glass Art and Glass Blowing

2007-07-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

I decided to take something very unique home with me from the Pacific northwest which is known for it's glass art community. I took a 2 day, 6 hour course at the Tacoma Glassblowing Studio(www.tacomaglassblowing.com) and learned how to gather, blow, and shape glass. There were only 3 students and 2 instructors so I got a lot of one on one instruction and thus made 8 items including paperweights, globes, ornaments, drinking glass, dish, and a vase. It was really fun and challenging.

Day 2 in Alaska

2007-07-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

So, you think that nothing can outdo a helicopter ride to a glacier with a hike on the glacier? Well, think again . . . on Saturday we discovered something that is certainly on par with the helicopter trip. We took an all day "cruise" up the Tracy Arm Fjord to view the Sawyer glaciers. We got to see one "calve" which is really awesome. Still not sure if that's short for another word, but it refers to the action when pieces (massive and not so massive) break off and fall into the water. The cruise literally took all day (8am to 6pm) and we saw harbor seals, whales, eagles, tons of ice floes, and the glacier itself.

Notice the regrowth line in the last of the following 3 pictures. This glacier was up to the green regrowth line only 2 years ago. The rate at which our glaciers are receding is very alarming.

Juneau, AK

2007-07-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

I never thought I'd travel to Alaska. I always said it was too cold and had no interest. To me, a vacation is going somewhere tropical with a warm breeze and waves hitting the beach. My mind was completely changed completely after spending a 4 day weekend with one of my best friends, Beth, who is finishing up a travel assignment in Juneau. One might think that there is nothing to do on such a small island, but there is a ton of stuff to do in Juneau and the nearby area. Flying out of Seattle was awesome because I saw endless skies of snow and glacier covered mountains. I arrived on Thurs night around 10pm and it was still light (cause they get like 20 hours of daylight during the summer--have you seen the movies Insomnia?) to go to the Mendenhall glacier and take pics. It was such an awesome introduction.

On Friday we drove around Juneau, and Douglas Island, took the tram up part of Mount Roberts and saw a bald eagle up close, hiked out to Nugget falls on Lake Mendenhall, went to a fish hatchery, and took a helicopter (what a rush!!) ride to and hiked on the Mendenhall glacier. That was the highlight of the trip!!

For more glacier photos go to Beth's on-line photo album at and check out the bottom of the page too.

Lessons Learned while in WA

2007-06-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

I finally sat down to update my blog and let you know that I'm still here, but just haven't been feeling the love for the blog. Perhaps it's because I didn't have much to share about my first couple of weeks here in the Tacoma/Seattle area. I've learned several intersting facts about WA:

1) there really is a town called SeaTac--I just thought it was the locals way of referencing the airport;
2) there is a town called George here and there's a gorge where they have live performances (Jon Mayer was just here)--so it's known as The Gorge in George, Washington;
3) the drivers for the most part are more curteous, safer, and smarter than those in AZ, but so many of them are law abiding citizens who insist on driving exactly the speed limit and not 1 mph over only for me to get boxed in numerous times. Or how about those who still don't know that the left lane is the passing lane? They even have signs posted indicating it's state law. Perhaps I should retract my earlier statement about "smarter" drivers.
4) it doesn't rain all the time--that's just a ploy the natives use to keep others out--it was sunny every single day last week
5) the natives seem to think it gets hot and humid here--heat and humidity are relative
6) it's very green here
7) I've spent more $ on coffee in the 7 weeks I've been here than in the 10 months I was in Phoenix. One tour guide's explanation for the excessive coffee intake was the weather (who knew) and the hobby of reading (maybe the natives should review the DMV's rules of the road next time they order a venti, soy, non-fat, decaf, peppermint mocha with chocolate sprinkles, and light whip)
8) Canada's only 3 hours away by car and boat
9) my new favorite phrases are "for sure" and "right on." To be accepted into the fold, one must be sure to understand how to use these two phrases. "For sure" is used most often in the service industry (i.e. restaurants) as a response to a question and indicates the ability to fulfill the request of the guest. It is similar to "no problem." For example, I always order my water with very little ice so when I ask for it here, they reply "for sure." It took a while for me to pick up on "right on." When used by the very skilled native, it is barely noticeable with no one syllable that is emphasized. It is not intended to stand out on it's own and it usually found at the end of a sentence. It's usually said to indicate agreement or acceptance of a proposal. For example, I might tell a friend that I need to take my bike into the shop for a tune up and he would respond with a very undramatic "right on." You have to hear it used to really understand it. It's very casual, very smooth, and almost non-emotional. Most users of this phrase are men. (don't read too much into that last statement)
10) it's hilly here

Highway 1 and the Redwoods

2007-04-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

Today I drove from Napa to Eureka, CA via the famous highway 1, aka shorline highway and pacific coast highway. It was worth the extra time!

A grove of Redwoods off of the Avenue of the Giants, the scenic route. I couldn't drive the whole way up because the road was closed d/t a mude slide! I can't believe how huge these trees are!

My car provides some perspective on the height of these trees.

Napa Valley, CA

2007-04-13T00:27:00.000-07:00

Today I drove through the Napa valley of California. The first photo is of the rolling hills with vineyards scattered throughout.

Below is the view of the St. Supery vineyard in Oakville.

This photo is of the Peju winery where I sampled and bought some great wine.

Yosemite National Park

2007-04-12T23:25:00.000-07:00

It is difficult for me to put into words the awe and wonder I experienced when I visited the oldest national park, Yosemite (CA), established in 1864 when president Abraham Lincoln signed papers in the first ever effort to preserve public land. I traveled there with little knowledge of the park and a vague picture in my mind. I feel blessed to have known so little before I went because it made the impact of the beauty and grandeur so much more for me. I was completely awestruck when I drove out of a 1/4 mile long tunnel to see what is known as "the tunnel view," El Capitan (on the left), Bridalveil Falls, and Half Dome (on the right). El Capitan is the world's highest monolith and attracts rock climbers from around the world.

Below is a similar view of El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, and Half Dome on a cloudy/foggy day.

Below is Bridalveil Falls as seen from the "tunnel view."

Bridalveil Falls on a cloudy and foggy day.

Yosemite Falls from the swinging bridge on the valley floor.

If you have had the opportunity to visit one of our many national parks, consider yourself blessed. If you have not, treat yourself to God's amazing creations.

Desert Entertainment

2007-04-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

So, what is there to do on a 6 hour drive across the AZ, NV, and CA desert? Take pictures of the unusually named roads that are far and few between. Enjoy the reading--Zzyzx and Twenty Mule Team Road!

Sorry I've been hibernating

2007-03-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

So, I'm still alive and still in this black hole they call Phoenix. I had some problems with my internet access so I just stopped blogging and never took it back up. It's amazing how much of your life can be sucked away by blogging. So, what's happened since I last blogged? Well, major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and some other minor ones. I took a short trip to Austin, TX to visit one of my best friends, Rachel (love ya Bob), after Thanksgiving. (If you wanna fly over Thanksgiving and avoid long lines at airports, I suggest you fly from Phoeni to Austin--it was like a ghost town at the airport) I was able to make a trip to IL over Christmas and New Years. I know, I know. How backwards is that? Going to colder weather for Christmas. I bought a road bike in Jan, so I've been able to take advantage of the warm weather out here and ride. Then in the beginning of March, I made another trip to Sedona for a CE course that has totally changed my life and the way I want to practice PT. Also, took in a preview of MLB at a spring training game (Brewers vs. Mariners). Did you know that the Phoenix area is home to 8 MLB teams during spring training? And I found out where I'll be going to next. I will be working at an acute care hospital in Tacoma, WA. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually looking forward to the moisture and the clouds. Yes, sometimes you can have too much sun. I've been gone from the blogging world for 5 months. But here I am and I promise I'll try to be more consistent with my blogging since it's an easy and fun way for everyone to keep in touch. I'll start my reentry with photos of me and friends I've met along the way from one of my most favorite holidays--St. Patty's day. I think that this day should happen more than once a year. I have to honor my heritage somehow!

No more planning costumes around the weather

2006-10-29T14:04:00.000-08:00

One more thing I love about Phoenix is that I didn't have to plan my Halloween costume around the weather. Life is good!!

Winter athletes train all year round

2006-10-29T13:41:00.000-08:00

I learned that they are and many more things when I was in Salt Lake City recently. We went on a tour of the Olympic Village which was home to the Alpine and aerial jumps, luge, skelton, and bobsled during the 2002 winter Olympics. For a very small fee, we had access to 2 museums, a guided tour of the park, and 2 zip line rides and a dry tobogan run.

After going on the tour of the park, I have much more respect for the winter athletes. It's not that I didn't have respect for them, it's just that they really do train as much as other athletes. I also have lots of respect for the crews who prep/winterize the sledding track. The track is concrete through which refrigerated pipes run. Multiple crews of 2 men working non-stop for 3 days can get the track covered in multiple layers of ice. Then they have to go in and smooth the ice out by hand and also create tracks at the start area so the sleds don't go off course when they initiate their race.

The park is open all year round to the public and to the athletes, novices and professional alike. The alpine and aerial jumps are available during the summer for training. Apparently the athletes wear the same gear they wear during the winter when practicing in the summer. There are special tracks made of plastic with ceramic balls interspersed over which water is run. The water is more consistent than an icy surface. The aerialists land on a "pillow" of air in a huge pool of water which helps to soften their landing.

Evolution of a Bruise

2006-10-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

I will be conducting a case study (well, a pure pictographic--is that even the right word?--case study which will not contain a shred of scientific evidence, but just a shred of art class--the color wheel) on, as the title states, the Evolution of a bruise. And the patient is moi and so that makes the bruise mine. Unfortunately, I did not capture day 1 of the bruise, but I will recount the events that lead up to it. It was a hot and sunny afternoon and I was totally pumped to try out a full suspension mountain bike on the Desert Classic Trail at South Mountain, Phoenix, AZ. My friend and I were heading back after ~45 min of riding on that trail, when I broke away from him in order to create a cooling and refreshing breeze because it was 95 degrees in Phoenix and the air was stagnant. To achieve this breeze, I had to pedal at more than just a leisurely pace. I began to pump my legs as I approached a downhill in order to get up the other side, which has been my nemesis since I've begun biking. (I tried to get up one hill 5 times on this same trail). I don't know exactly how it happened as my main focus was on creating that cool breeze, but it happened very fast. What I do remember is that the back tire slid out from under me to the right and I landed on my left shoulder, hip, and thigh and my right palm (a much later discovery). My friend remembers it in a slightly different way because he did not have the privelege of having the ground level view. As you might recall, he was behind me ('cause I was trying to get that cool breeze), and as he came up over the crest of a small hill and saw a cloud of dirt up ahead. It was a few seconds before he saw my helmet through the dirt cloud and thought to himself "oh, that can't be good." Of course I was already off the ground and on the bike (no whining here as the biking was my idea) before he asked if "everything was working fine." It all worked fine enough to get me back to the car and home, where I scrutinized the war wounds. They really weren't impressive that first day, but by day 3 and 6, they have become rather impressive (at least to me). Although I was hoping for more deep purple and less yellow.

Day 3

Day 6

Day 9--blurry picture, making this case study obsolete
Day 12--Looks like it's nearly healed.

One More Thing That REALLY Annoys Me

2006-09-26T21:15:00.000-07:00

Ordering and paying for something off e-bay, never getting the merchandies, never getting confirmation from the buyer despite 5 e-mails later and a phone call to an out of service number, and being taken for a ride by someone you've never met.

Things that Annoy Me

2006-09-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

1. check out lane employees who comment on your groceries ("movie food"--no that's just my 4 course dinner for tonight)
2. people who think they can show up for their appointments ANY time they want
3. people who DO show up for their appointments ANY time they want
4. immature coworkers
5. when you've got over 100 channels to choose from and there's nothing on
6. doctors who don't call you back
7. doctors who send incomplete or incorrect scripts
8. Target and Kohl's don't have belly rings
9. stupid people
10. stupid people breeding

It Must Have Been the Elevation

2006-09-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

I feel obligated to take the time to retract an earlier statement I have made: "Thank Goodness for Guiness." Now, for most of those who know me, I don't like beer, not even Corona. So I have to sink low and order cider if they ever have it, which is like never. It's amazing the number of people who work in the food industry and don't know what "hard" cider is. I had to find something else and I found guiness. But after buying a 6 pack this weekend back in Phoenix, I realized that I don't really like guiness. Perhaps it was because I didn't have a tall frosted glass for it (it seems to lose something in the bottle) or maybe it is the lower elevation. Perhaps it was my lack of hydration or my excess fatigue. Whatever it was, I no longer can say "thank goodness for guiness." It will now be a chaser drink, no longer my first drink of choice.

I Went to Sedona and All I Got Was a Chapped Ass

2006-09-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

This really happened to me. I'd share a picture with you, but this is not an anonymous blog and I don't want you all to create any permanent eye damage to any of you viewers. Now that you're all intrigued, I'll explain how I got a chapped ass. No, it was not from riding a bike or a horse or . . . (get your minds out of the gutter) My friends and I went to this place called Slide Rock just north of Sedona.

At first I was hesistant to try it, but Kristen decided to do it too. Thanks a whole lot. Not only will I have pictures to remember this day, but I will also have a chapped ass. Thank goodness I don't have a desk job.

Unfortunately this powder does not help to prevent chapped asses, but boy does it work for that monkey butt funk. Thanks for testing it out first Mike!

Some of the other highlights of this weekend included going on a Hummer tour (so awesome--can't wait to try the "Jeep Eater" tour)

Seeing the only Mc Donald's in the world that does not have Golden Arches

hiking on Devil's Bridge

And discovering a beer that I can actually drink and enjoy. Thank goodness for Guiness!

What Happens in Vegas Does Not Always Stay in Vegas

2006-09-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a while since I posted. Yes, I had to take time to recover and reintegrate myself into normal society for a couple of weeks. I had always wondered previously why anyone would want to go back to Vegas once they'd been there. Now, I understand. Betting, booz (is that the right spelling?), butts, boobs, and babies. Yea, babies. Who brings babies and children to Vegas? This is the question I will ask 7 pound 8 oz baby Jesus when I get to Heaven. Oh wait, I don't think I'll get there since I absorbed so much sin (and cold germs) by breathing the air in Vegas.

I had a great time in Vegas. I did all the stuff I wanted to do and didn't do any of the stuff I didn't want to do. It was one of the best birthday weekends I've ever had thanks to all the great friends who came out to celebrate. Frenchie, Kristen, Carolyn, Mike--I love you guys!

What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas

2006-08-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

My birthday. This weekend. In Vegas. 'Nuff said.

Putting Professionalism Aside

2006-08-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

Don't you sometimes wonder what would happen if we could place all professionalism aside and really tell people how we feel. Not just our coworkers, but our clients and patients. Could you imagine how effective our communication would be?

Please don't take offense to any of the following.

Scenario A: A 300# male presents for initial evaluation w/ diagnosis of LBP (low back pain). He tells me "my back really hurts."

What I really wanted to say: "Lose some weight."

What I had to say: "Well, as you know, the more weight you carry in front, the more stress and pressure is put on your spine which in turn can lead to back pain, not to mention hip, knee, ankle pain."

Scenario B: A 72 year old female attends her second appointment w/ diagnosis of R hip pain of insidious (no known cause) onset. The first words out of her mouth were "I really don't see the point of this."

What I really wanted to say: "Then go home."

What I had to say: "Well, you want to get better don't you? The only way to do that is to perform these exercises to strengthen your hips."

Scenario C: I took over the care of a patient who had had a rotator cuff repair. No protocol or op report were sent over. The primary PT left nothing in the chart to indicate that he had contacted the MD regarding the protocol/op report. So since I wanted to be sure that I caused no harm to the patient, I called the MD office to get more information such as the protocol and/or the op/surg report. I've never had an MD office call me back so fast. Nor have I been so belittled and demeaned. This is what happened:

"Have you worked w/ this type of patient before?" [which being said to an outpatient PT is like asking someone if they've ever eaten an apple before]

Pissed off me: "Yes, but not a whole lot since this is my first time in a traditional outpatient orthopedic setting."
Polite me: "Yes."

"Do you know what an acromioplasty is?" [this is one of the first things we learned in orthopedics class]

Pissed off me: "Yes, jackass."
Polite me: "Yes."

"I've been doing this for 30 years and have never had anyone ask me for a protocol. Do you know how long that would take me to make a protocol for every patient?"

Pissed off me: "First of all, you've been doing this for 30 years and you don't have a protocol. That's either negligence or ignorance. Either way, it's just stupid not to have one. Secondly, I can't believe no one has ever requested a protocol from you. That's one of the first things we learn in school--get the protocol. Thirdly, you wouldn't have to write a separate protocol for each patient. You'd just have to make one for each surgical procedure and then modify it as appropriate based on what you did during the surgery. Are you going to pay me for this advice? I mean it is pretty much common sense, but since you are making more money than me, I could use a little extra cash flow. Finally, would you rather have me protect the patient and the "stupendous" surgery you did, or "f" it up, hurt the patient ('cause remember you took an oath to "first do no harm") and then have you really pissed at me?"

Polite me: "I am only acting in the best interest of my patient and would prefer to err on the side of safety. I do not want to do anything to compromise the status of the surgical repair. Also, I've had several surgeon's gladly fax over their protocols without question, jackass."

NO, I really did not call the MD a jackass. Well, not to his face.

I'm interested to hear what some of your conversations would be like if you put professionalism aside. Please feel free to share.

It's the HEAT

2006-08-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Holy crap . . . it's been nearly 4 weeks since I last posted. I think the long exposure to heat over 100 degrees has begun to melt some of my brain cells and render them useless. A lot has happened since I last blogged, but not so monumental that it deserved it's own posting. So here's a short list of what less than monumental stuff has happened.

1. I went trail/mountain biking a couple of weeks ago and totally wiped out. My fellow biker gave me a 9 1/2 for the fall. The only thing I could have done better, he said, was to have had more speed.

2. Took a boat out on Lake Pleasant. There's some crazy stuff that happens there.

3. extended my contract out here until the end of December. I can't wait to see AZ in cooler weather

4. it rained--Really it rained. And not just after 5pm for 1 hour, but torrential downpour that we got caught in while going to see the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. It rained so much that the dog run, volleyball courts, and basketball court were flooded.

5. I cooked a meal for my coworkers--for any of you who know me, that's like never happened before b/c I don't cook. The scary thing was that it was super easy and everyone lived to talk about it.

2006-07-27T23:46:00.000-07:00

Where's the Water?

2006-07-26T22:08:00.000-07:00

So I went hiking to "Waterfall Canyon" tonight. You're probably asking yourself "water, they have water in AZ?" Then you might ask yourself "why does she have it in quotes?" You, my blog readers, are so observant. The answer . . . you have to create the image in your mind or do what I did. Made my own waterfall.

Ah, Arizona

2006-07-25T20:15:00.001-07:00

Here's a little poem I found about the beautiful state of AZ:

The devil wanted a plave on earth
Sort of a summer home
A place to spend his vacation
Wheneever he wanted to roam.

So he picked out Arizona
A place both wretched and rough
Where the climate was to his liking
And the cowboys hardened and tough.

He dried up the streams in the canyons
And ordered no rain to fall
He dried up the lakes in the valleys
Then baked and scorched it all.

Then over his barren country
He transplanted shrubs from hell.
The cactus, thistle, and prickly pear
The climate suited them well.

Now the home was smuch to his liking
But animal life, he had none,
So he created crawling creatures
That all manking would shun.

First he made the rattlesnake
With its forked poisonous tongue.
Taught it to strike and rattle
And how to swallow its young.

Then he made scorpions and lizards
And the ugly old horned toad.
He placed spiders of every description
Under rocks by the side of the road.

Then he ordered the sun to shine hotter,
Hotter and hotter still.
Until even the cactus wilted
And the old horned lizard took ill.

Then he gazed on his earthly kingdom
As any creator would
He chuckled a little up his sleeve
And admitted that it was good.

T'was summer now and Satan lay
By a prickly pear to rest.
The sweat rolled off his swarthy brow
So he took off his coat and vest.

"By Golly," he finally panted,
"I did my job too well,
I'm going back to where I came from,
Arizona is hotter than Hell."

You Call That Art?

2006-07-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

Don't you really hate it when you see a small black rectangle next to a large red square that's on a large sheet of canvas, and it's called "Envy," and it's considered art. How hard is that to do? I could totally do that. I just choose not to.

My friend and I spent ~ 2hours at the Phoenix Art Museum (you're not missing anything) and first we went through the modern art exhibit. At one point we pretty much walked into a pitch black room w/ a fogger device and it apparently was called art. I was like "where's the real art?" Seriously. Or how about the revolving halogen lamp that relected light onto the walls of the round room? Or the video clip that was mostly black nothingness accompanied by music. I wonder if they accept living arts. What if I stood there on a small block wearing a jeans and a t-shirt that said "my art is better than your art," or "the real art's upstairs," or "my friend went to Phoenix and all I got was this stupid t-shirt they call art."

It's SO Hot in AZ that . . .

2006-07-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

1. no oven is needed for baking potatoes--just grab one out of the ground and slap on some butter and sour cream
2. the cows produce evaporated milk
3. seat belts are the new branding irons
4. in July you only need 2 fingers to drive (thus explaining the # of MVAs)
5. asphalt has a liquid state even after it has been poured and set
6. you don't need a stove to make scrambled eggs--just find a sewer grate or a clean slab of cement
AND my personal favorite (I can't take credit for it)
7. you've experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl.

The Seven Summits of the Valley

2006-07-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

I know I will never hike/climb the Seven Summits of the world (Kilimanjaro, Denali, Elbrus, Aconcagua, Carstensz Pyramid, Vinson, and Everest). But I just found out after some exploring on the internet that I can do this on a smaller scale in Phoenix. From the hardest to the easiest, the seven summits are:

1. Camelback Mountain
2. South Mountain
3. Piestawa Peak
4. Shaw Butte
5. North Mountain
6. Lookout Mountain
7. Shadow Mountain

I had already hiked 2 (Camelback & Piestawa Peak) before I knew about the Seven Summits of the Valley. This morning I completed 2 more (Lookout Mountain & Shaw Butte). Here's some pics.

Sorry for the Grammatical Errors

2006-07-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

Apologies are in order for my spelling error (cervaza) and for some grammatical errors. I don't really care, but my mother does. Thanks Mom!

Does it matter how far away you park when you don't remember where you park?

2006-07-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

Of course that's a rhetorical question. Let me tell you it doesn't matter if you park in Mexico or San Diego if you don't remember where you park. I speak from experience. A couple of days ago I spent like 10 minutes looking for my car when it was pretty much at my front door. Maybe I should paint my apartment # on my spot.

Thanks to Honda!

2006-07-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you're all chomping at the bit to find out what happened w/ my car. Well, apparently the actuator problem is very rare especially in a '04 CRV according to 2 dealerships. I had it fixed at the dealership and it cost me close to $200. I went home and did some research and discovered that I could call Honda and file a concern. So I did that and guess what . . . they are refunding me the $$ for the repairs. I am so pleased that a company stands behind their product. This is why I bought a Honda!!

Mexico's Great!

2006-07-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

So I've been here ~ 4 weeks and have been to Mexico 3 times already. That's pretty amazing huh? I've been to Mexico at 9pm, 11pm and 3am and the walk back sucks. You see here at this lovely gated apartment community I live in, they do not have assigned parking unless you rent a garage. I can park anywhere, but the ever popular covered spots are for residents only. And everyday I drive back to my building which is on the end and every single spot is taken. Especially after 8pm. I've had to walk from Mexico (which is approximately 200 yards from my building) in the heat, with pants and closed toed shoes on, carrying a bag w/ 1 drop of water left in my water bottle so many times that I'm actually fluent in Spanish. Uno serviso por favor!

It Does Get Cloudy Here and It Does Rain

2006-07-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

I remember my first cloudy day here in AZ. I was excited to see the clouds (don't ask why, b/c I love the sun). But these weren't real clouds--that "cloud" was from the Brin's Fire near Sedona. So I was a bit disappointed b/c I thought I'd see real clouds. Not to worry, b/c the monsoon season is here and you can pretty much mark it to the day on your calendar every year--July 4th. Even though I saw a real cloud a couple of weeks after I arrived, the big ones came in after the fireworks show. And these actually produced maybe 3 drops of rain. It was quite refreshing. I kinda hogged 2 out of the 3 raindrops b/c I needed to cool off my sunburn. It's nice to see clouds every once in a while. I'd never thought I'd tire of the sun, but when you spend 3 hours on a river w/ little to no sun protection . . . Here's the proof.

Holy Hotness Batman

2006-07-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

I don't ever remember being as hot as I have been since I've been alive! And I usually am always the cold one. And I always say I love the heat and hate the cold. Well, I'm thinking twice. Yesterday I went tubing on the Salt River for about 3 hours and reapplied sunscreen, but I'm a pepto bismol pink. Doesn't that always happen when you're out in the sun and you don't think you are getting pink, so you don't apply sunscreen, but 2 hours later you see that indeed you are burnt? After tubing, I was outside to watch fireworks, and since I had my own internal heating system, I was roasting. Before I left IL I remember people telling me "it's hot out there and you're going in the summer." And I'd say, "yeah, but it's a dry heat." And they'd say "yeah, but 120 is 120." It's true.

I Bought it Cause it Wasn't Supposed to Break

2006-07-03T07:33:00.000-07:00

Any Honda owners out there? I am the proud owner of a Honda which I bought brand new in '04 based on the fact that they are excellently made cars, the engine never dies (well maybe at 200,000+miles), and that rarely are there problems w/ it. I also chose to purchase brand new b/c I didn't want any problems. Well, I've had several problems since owning it and the most recent is the locking mechanism on the driver's side door. I discovered this weekend that my remote would not lock the driver's door. I thought it might be the battery and I replaced it, but the problem still persisted. As I searched further, I found out that the remote would lock all other doors, but the driver's door. Also, when I tried to lock and unlock it from the inside w/ the button, it still would not work. The only way I could lock or unlock my driver's side door was to use the key. So 2 out of 3 mechanisms to lock/unlock the door are not working. Of course it's beyond the factor warranty and of course I did not buy the extended warranty b/c Honda's never break. I should have known that I would have problems when I had a flat tire 1 month after I bought the car (poor seal on the alloy wheel), and when the tiny light bulb on the cruise control burnt out (the service man kindly told me that in the 20+ years he worked w/ Honda's he never had to replace the bulb). It's my lucky day!

The Great Outdoors

2006-07-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

After taking an ~3 hour "nap" I got up at 5:30 this morning to set out on an adventure to see the Great Outdoors of Arizona--Camelback Mountain. It's the closest mountain to my apartment and I thought it would be a great place to start. So I packed tons of water, sunscreen, clothes, etc, and put the bike on the back of my car and drove out there. Prior to hiking, I had checked out some stuff on the internet to gauge how challenging the trail would be. There are 2 short ones recommended for beginners and 2 more difficult ones for "experienced hikers." So who qualifies for an experienced hiker? Well certainly not the family of 5 children under the age of 12 who had only 1 20 oz bottle of water each (I kindly gave them some of my extra water) who were making their way up around 8:30 am (which is too late in this heat). How about the 75+ gentleman who was on his 3rd (out of 4) trip at 7:50am. Get this . . . he hikes every day except Sundays and starts at 4:30am. He told me that the path I took was the more dangerous of the 2. I love a challenge. I'm sorry I did not take a picture w/ him. So how was it? It was awesome!! It was worth it. You can see Pheonix in 360. You could see planes taking off from the airport. You also get cell phone service up there! Going up was easier than going down. Even though I kinda consider myself in shape, my quads were quivering on the way down.

Where have all the Panera's Gone?

2006-06-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

I am very sad today . . . I've come to the realization that there are no Panera's here nor are there any Caribou Coffees. I'm so thirsty right now for a good decaf skim mint mocha--one that is made right. I was forced into the local starbucks since my favorite coffee places aren't here and tried to order my favorite drink. Besides the baristo being overly friendly and obnoxious, he screwed up my drink. Well, there goes $4 down the toilet.

Don't Judge a Bar By It's Cover

2006-06-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

I'm kinda proud of myself. Since I've been here, I've seen the inside of 3 bars/clubs. And like the title says, don't be too quick to judge a bar by its looks. A couple of Thursday's ago I noticed something a bit unique about AZ when I was chaperoning the "neighbor boys" to the local bar. It was in the middle of a strip mall. Yea. That's kinda weird don't you think? This was not the only one. As I drove to work I kept my eyes open for more bars and sure enough there were several more planted right in the middle of a strip mall. Now, mind you these are pretty much smaller sports bars, not the clubs. But it's just a bit odd. I've been to a bar in a strip mall back in Illinois and it wasn't pretty. This bar was actually okay. And the drinks--super cheap! Maybe I'll be taking another field trip there tonight.

Impressions of AZ

2006-06-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

So now that I've been out in AZ for 2 weeks, I can begin to comment on the things that are quite mysterious to me. First things first, who taught these people to drive? Actually the question is Do they offer driver's ed in school out here. I seriously can't believe the # of MVAs that happen out here. I know what a lot is coming from the Chicago area, but come on. Seriously. I've seen more patients who were in an MVA in the 8 days I've treated patients than I ever had in the 4 years I was back in Illinois. Actually we have a patient right now who has been in 4 serious car accidents and is only 23. I'm sure you're thinking "what could be the cause of these horrible accidents?" I know I've been wondering that for 2 weeks. Here's what I think, in a list:

1. speed limits on interstates at 75mph
2. drivers who ignore the speed limit even if it's 40mph
3. no courtesy--they will not let you merge even w/ out of state plates--I think that makes them not want to let you merge even more
4. it is legal to carry a weapon--so think twice before you pony up to another car to flip the bird or lay on the horn
5. I have yet to experience it, but I've heard when it rains the oils come up to the surface of the road making it really slick leading to lots of swerving and breaking glass.

And as you all know if you have a problem list it is best to come up w/ a solution list. So here's mine and it's not a list, just 1 simple thing:

Bus all these idiot drivers to Chicago in February when we have 10" of snow on the ground. They'd learn really fast.

Vacation before I moved to AZ

2006-06-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post pics from a trip I made to visit my cousins out east. I spent 5 days w/ them in various cities. You'll know where I went by the following pics.

Description of the pics

2006-06-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

The pictures below include the vast expanse of Oklahoma (energy conscious), the Arch, a rock formation possibly in TX or NM or AZ. I don't quite remember. The photo of the adobe homes is called Montezuma's Castle and is on the way to Sedona, AZ. It's an ancient cliff dwelling. Very cool.

On the Road Again

2006-06-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

So, I now think I can post pictures, but have run into another problem. I updated my profile name and location, saved it, but it is not posting on the blog page. Anyway, I made my way out to AZ ~2 weeks ago w/ my mom as my co-pilot. It was a long trip. We left our butts back in Albuquerque. Since I've been here, I've gone to a D-backs game, hiked to see Bell Rock in Sedona (before the Brin's fire got too big), saw Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, and boated in Canyon Lake.

Pics from the Sox Game

2006-05-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

Here are the long awaited pics from the Sox game. The best Sox there are!!

I did it!

2006-05-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, I may be technologically challenged, but I did this all by myself. I was inspired by 2 people in creating this blog: a girl I met at a White Sox game all the way from TX and my best friend. So what's the title supposed to mean? Well, in November I took a job with a traveling PT company. So that means, I can work as a PT (physical therapist) in any state I want. I've got my licenses in AZ, NM, and TX in addition to my license in IL. In June I will be making my 24 hour drive to Phoenix, AZ. So I figured that in these next couple of years that I travel, I could share my adventures, stories, and pictures with lots of people! I can't wait to see where I go!