stream of consciousness (yep, again!)
Another Wednesday, another, "let's see what comes out when Kristen sits down to type" post. 😉
The good news is: by the time next Wednesday rolls around, I will be DONE with my semester! My final exam is this coming Tuesday and all I have after that is a second-semester orientation and a mandatory convocation.
(I am not even mentally counting those as school because they are not graded and I really do not have to think or prepare for either of those things. Yay!)
Unfortunately, the upcoming exam is cumulative.
Fortunately (and depending on the exam grade I get back this afternoon), I probably will only have to get something like 40/60 to maintain my A. That's good because trying to review the entire semester's worth of information is pretty daunting.
Work left before the final exam:
I have to do a presentation on one of the patients that I took care of at the assisted living place, and I have to make a PowerPoint and an interactive game for it.
Luckily I only have to present this to my lab group, not to the entire class of 130 people! I would have serious stage fright if it was the whole class.
I also have a podcast assignment to do.
And I have a weekend of simulation clinicals at the college.
Still, the end is feeling SO close.
In other news, Zoe and I got a Christmas tree last night. This is our first Christmas with Chiquita and given that she is a very curious cat, we are exercising caution with the tree.
We set it up in the living room with a string of lights, just as a test.
If Chiquita does not pass the leave-the-tree-alone test, Zoe and I will move the tree to the downstairs living area because we have already established that Shelley does not bother Christmas trees.
I am 99% sure that Chiquita will not pass.
But I could be wrong!
We definitely thought a fake tree was out of the question; that might be easier to tip over than a real tree.
Plus, since I finally de-rusted my Christmas tree stand earlier this year, I wanted a chance to actually use it!
So we got a real tree and we purposely bought one that is rather hard to tip over. This is not the year for a tall, skinny tree.
I can tell you, even without a test run, that I am most certainly not going to light my little candle carousel if Chiquita is around. That would be a quick trip to having my whole house burn down. 😉
In 2022, I had the carousel on my kitchen table, but I think this year it's gonna have to go up on a high shelf because Chiquita is 100% going to think this is a fun cat toy, not a decoration.
Switching back to school, because that's what my brain just did: it's going to feel wild to have six weeks with no school. That's almost like...half of a summer!
Maybe I should make a Winter Break Bucket list.
Or maybe I should just take a very big chill pill.
Let's be honest, though: I am probably not going to be able to chill for a whole six weeks. We all know I'm gonna spend at least some of that time getting my life in order and doing some projects.
(Scuffed table, I'm looking at you!)
I also want to read books for fun. And play my piano. And go for hikes.
I love nursing school so much. I am so grateful for the chance to be there.
And also I am very ready for a little breather. 🙂
I'm going to go ahead and predict at least 58/60 on your cumulative exam, if not 60/60. 🙂
Eyes on the prize. You're gonna make it!
@kristin @ going country, I'm no gambler, but I'd say based on past results, this is a sure bet.
@kristin @ going country, I was just coming to say the same! 🙂
@Cheryl 90,
Ditto!
We're all pulling for you, Kristen, and expect a good report soon.
We always tied our tree to the wall to ensure it didn't fall over. Try that? Just drive a nail into a stud (or similar), and attach some twine to the trunk.
Chiquita's motto should be WOOHOOOOOOO!
I've done nothing about any decorating. Today I have to drive to see Mom, tomorrow and the next day I have my organizer, Saturday I have to make a batch of cookies and a vegan lunch, and Sunday is Cookie Day with my friends (some of whom are vegan/veg). I can't wait! I haven't been to one in years. First there was Covid, and then last year I was sick with what turned into hospitalization in January (what a year it's been for so many of us). Maybe I can get our fake tree up on Saturday, but my energy is very limited.
@Rose, At Mom's nursing home. Remind me never to arrive right after lunch ever again.
@Rose, I get it. I used to time my arrivals at DH's nursing home for just *before* lunch, since that was the least wacky time of day on his ward for residents and staff alike. (All the same, I'll say this: The staff generally had the common-area TV turned to the Hallmark Channel, and if I never see another Hallmark Channel Christmas movie again, I'll be very happy.)
@A. Marie, A couple months ago, we wheeled Mom into some rec room that was quiet to play Scrabble. (Sadly she's beyond that now, sigh.) The big screen TV had a movie on. My son said, "Why is this nursing home showing a Saw movie?"
@Rose,
All I can say is that I suppose horror fans get old too. They aren't all red shirts...
@Rose, I love your son's comment!!! When I read A. Marie's comment about the hallmark movies my first thought was, I hope my nursing home will show the ID channel instead!!
I also need to take a chill pill! I wish there really was one because I am so bad at relaxing…
@Maggie, I say embrace it. Sometimes the most satisfying and "relaxing" weekends I've had are those where I was productive but not stressed to get things done. My favorite. Feels much better on the other side rather than feeling like I wasted time.
@Maggie, Do you do any handicrafts? Knitting, crochet, embroidery, book folding, there's a ton out there and they are actually very relaxing. William Morris, in fact, took up embroidery to calm his stress. It works for me too. Even if none of those appeal, try even just adult coloring. Turn on a movie and zone out.
@Rose, but if you are just learning, knitting can send your blood pressure sky high!
You're doing so great, Kristin! Enjoy your breather. 🙂 I also predict you'll do great on the exam.
Cats and Christmas trees...even fake ones aren't always safe. When I was growing up my mom rescued a little guy from a park, and that first Christmas he went absolutely bonkers with the tree. We had an older, more sedate cat, and the worst she did was nibble on the fake branches (and puke them back up, ugh). But this new guy thought it was a jungle gym. And then he took the lights in his mouth and ran down the hallway, making the tree spin like a top....and fall over. That year we took the tree down and wrapped garland and lights around the banister and called it good!
Last year while moving in the new washer/dryer, I was singularly unhelpful and the washer/dryer fell over and managed to crush our little fake Christmas tree, which we barely had room for in our house anyway. We strung lights around the room instead, and decided that was pretty good, since most of the kids are so grown up they're not as entranced by decorating a tree. And this year with a cat coming in for Christmas, it's probably for the best. I know most people might think it's sad to not have a tree, but...it's an extra thing to store 11 months out of the year. And the lights are what we really like anyway. I have a lot of sad memories around Christmas, so it's hard to get super into decorating.
I have a little vintage ceramic light up Christmas tree, and I put it up in what I hope is a safe place away from any cat antics. We bring our cat home tomorrow evening, so we'll see what he's like after he gets settled in.
@Karen A., I had two big dogs that spun my Christmas tree! The tree was in front of a sliding glass door, which was the only open space in my small apartment, and their best spot for watching the outside world. They’d go to look out the door, panic at the branches poking them, and run back out, spinning the tree and sending the ornaments flying! I had to switch to plastic ornaments that year.
@Karen A.,
I am so sorry you have sad memories around Christmastime. Hugs to you...♥
@Karen A., Just think of the funny cat stories you from the past. You certainly made me laugh and then "call it a day" as you said.
@JEG, Thank you! I think our new kitty arriving for Christmas will help a lot.
@st, Thank you, and hugs to you as well. 🙂
I agree with kristin@ going country--miss maybe 2 but most likely 60/60.
You got this! 🙂
I would leave (unlit) candle decoration on table for test run with Chiquita. Maybe only light if not around or not at all for now so you can still enjoy.
Good luck on the rest of your classwork.
It will be interesting to see how you fare with the Christmas tree. My bet is on Chiquita climbing to the top and pretending to be angel. And the odds are you will be so mollified by her funny antics that you will let her 🙂
Good luck on the exam Kristen, and afterwards rest is best.
@JNL, I like your bet on Chiquita's behavior!
Praying for you ,Kristen, to have a clear mind as you review for your final and as you take the exam. Based on how well you’ve done so far this semester , I’m sure you’ll finish well !!
Wishing you peace during your winter break from school. Hoping your break - days are filled with good reading, much music ( maybe some dancing?) and joyful gatherings with friends and family!
Kristen wishing you all the best as you finish your first semester of nursing school! Know you will do very well!! For a quick breather moment this weekend make a cup of hot chocolate for yourself and Zoe and go look at Christmas lights for an hour while listening to Christmas music. So beautiful and will give you a moment of peace.
I love you post and your joy with nursing school. Bravo. You made my day with your good cheer!
We also tie our tree to the wall (in two places 🙂 after an unfortunate incident a number of years ago involving a fallen tree and a cat sitting and looking innocent!
This is for the reader who was looking for a memoir, Maid and Class- written by the same authour who put herself through college while working as a maid.
Kristen, I was wondering if you'd tried meditation.
Best wishes!
@Farhana, "Maid" and "Class", 2 separate titles by Stephanie Land. Thank you for the reminder–I have read "Maid" and now put "Class" on hold at the library. (But I am not the reader you were addressing).
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, you're right! It looks like I wrote Maid and Class indeed! Thank you for the correction.
Wishing you the best as you prepare for your final. Higher education is its own special kind of stress. But I just know that you will do well.
Chiquita Is a wonderful little kitty — quite a character! I also have a calico that my son found when she was just a few days old. I bottle fed her and have had her now for 15 1/2 years. She very neurotic, but she never bothers the tree. She loves to sleep under it, and occasionally will bat at the ornaments on the bottom branches.
Oh, that is hopeful news! May Chiquita be like your calico. 🙂
Good luck, Kristen, on your cumulative final - I predict a good score as well! No cats in our house, but with a dog who is high energy and gets bored easily, there will be no wrapped presents under our tree until right before Christmas. If I had the time and energy, I would wrap some empty boxes just for looks, but I also don't want to have to pick up chewed up present debris. If only I could harness my dog's energy...
I’m so, so thrilled for you!!!!!! Being happy with a new career is going to be the best therapy in the world for getting through a life crisis.
Count me in with all those who are confident that you'll end your semester with flying colors.
And count me in also with all those who hope that you will use your upcoming break to take a chill pill. However, I know that your definition of a "chill pill" will include at least some hands-on projects! I think most of us here would say that chilling, for us, doesn't involve just sitting around and scarfing holiday treats--although I wish you and all the rest of us holiday treats as well!
I am going to ask my question here because I tried to email you and it said that email did not exist.
My question you sign up for all these apps and freebies, how do you keep them all straight??
I have only signed up for about 4 things and my email is bombed, especially this time of year.
Thanks
I definitely would see if you could tie off the tree. I also would not put any precious-to-you ornaments on it; you might get a pack of cheap plastic ornaments, or just stick to lights-only. I've had cats in my trees before, but the only thing that pulled one over was a puppy, so Chiquita might not, fingers crossed. My biggest problem with cats was their desire to lie around on the wrapped presents, smashing bows and sprinkling everything with cat hair, or pulling back the tree skirt to drink out of the tree stand, instead of drinking the fresh water in the clean bowl sitting nearby.
And good luck with your exam!
A random thought from me: I realized I haven't even looked at Christmas cards this year. I'll mail a few out, but that number shrinks every year. Normally I start writing and addressing the week after Thanksgiving. I send mostly to relatives my age and up (and there aren't many who are "up" left). The younger ones aren't much interested in exchanging cards, with the exception of one or two who like to send out family photos for their cards.
@JD, I hear you re: the "natural attrition" on the holiday card list; I'm experiencing it too. Luckily, there's only one couple on my list who hadn't already heard about DH's passing, so I haven't had to do any explaining about that except to them.
And I'm moving more people on my list over to emails (for non-local folks) or hand deliveries (to neighbors and other local folks), since the cost of postage just keeps rising.
Come on Chiquita, you can do it!
@PBE, Hey! No aiding and abetting Kitty Christmas Crimes.
@PBE, That may qualify as Incitement to Riot.
Maybe try to think of the cumulative exam as easier because half the stuff you already have received an A on. Maybe that will help?
Our big orange male tabby cat, who was extra zesty his whole life, set a record of riding the Christmas tree to the floor of five glorious times one year. I swear he looked like the character riding the bomb in Dr. Strangelove with his gleeful expression. After that, we installed some cup hooks to the window frame and baseboard and used green bungee cords to securely strap the tree into place.
@Ruby, Killjoy.
@Ruby, I love the idea of your cat riding the tree with such clear purpose & maniacal glee!
@Ruby, the Dr. Strangelove reference re: your orange tabby is cracking me up. Cue in Slim Pickens: "EEE-HAAA!"
One of my favorite movies.
Oh, yes, speaking of Christmas cards reminded me:
I am the one who picks out the cards my employers send out at Christmas. I was skimming through a card website and found two beauties that said Merry Christmas on the card fronts in this manner:
Merry
Chris
Tmas
And
Merry
Chr
Ist
Mas
I'll skip over what a believer might think; these make the English lit student in me cringe whenever I look at them.
@JD, I wonder how the sales are going for those websites. . .
@JD, wow!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, me, too.
We haven't even started to decorate. We have a lab mix puppy (10 months) with a curly tail that never stops. She is what we affectionately call an "oooff!" (think bull in a china shop!) We adore her and love that she is one of the happiest pups we have ever adopted. We are planning to put a short tree up on an antique trunk in hopes that it will be mostly safe. I also will not put any of my easily breakable ornaments on the tree this year.
Praying that your studying goes well, and know that you will do great with everything on your plate. Glad that you will have several weeks to decompress!!
I've had people over the years suggest I get shots for dealing with pets but the more I read about your having to cat proof the more I am solidified in the no pets zone. It just makes me anxious at the idea of having to essentially baby proof everything forever.
We are hoping to get the tree up today. We'll see what we can do with it.
6 weeks is plenty of time for a Trip to Hawaii!
It is! I'm waiting to see if I will be free to go or if I will have dates that I am required to be here for proceedings.
@April, What a great idea! And a wonderful reward for working so hard throughout this first semester. AND we'd get some Lisey pics! Win win.
@April, a trip to Hawai'i would be a very big chill pill indeed for our Fearless Leader! I hope that Kristen can work this out within the break time and coordinate it with the court proceedings.
@Kristen, check your judges online court docket to see if full or any possible openings. Or message attorney secretary & ask if any possibility-- both attorney's have to be available (agree to) date--if one has already scheduled then another date is chosen.
My Ex did that to us last Christmas & didn't notify me/my attorney & I had scheduled holiday vacation.
Kristen, Oh, you must find a way to go! We loved our time in Hawaii. It was truly beyond expectations in so many ways. And, we didn’t have a dear child to visit, making this a must-go for you.
Perhaps your attorney's office can help.
@Erika JS,
I think we need to start an online petition. 😉
@Kristen, oh, I hope you’ll get to go! Your convocation- what is that? We used to have “capping”, “stripings”, and “pinning”, meaning we got our white nurse caps, we earned one and then two black stripes which indicated seniority, then got our school pins at graduation. Hope you have a great break!
P.S. my husband once actually nailed the tree stand to the floor when he was mad about the cats knocking the Christmas tree over!
So, I'll be honest: I don't know exactly what this convocation is. We just have to attend online; I think it's some part of the graduation for the fourth semester students. Regardless, it's gonna be easy and stress free. lol
I'm exhausted just reading your schedule for just this next week. So a 6 week break? I vote for Very Big Chill Pill.
You'll nail your tests, Kristen! You'll also "chill" by doing what YOU want to do, which is it's own form of relaxation.
Knocking long-standing projects off one's list because one *wants* to vs. needs to always feels so good!
We're back to a small (4 ft counting the weighted stand) tree this year. The cats left our previous small tree alone, but it fell apart (10+ years old) when we moved to our house. My husband was so excited to get a full-size fake Christmas tree to put in our front window--and the cats constantly climbed it and stripped the branches bare! It was hysterically sad looking at the end of the month, and we chose to put it out of its misery. Our bought-on-cleaeance-last-year small tree will go up today. Here's hoping the boys are content to just sit underneath it, like they did with the previous small tree. 😛
Many cat owners celebrate the tradition of having the cat peek out from between the branches of the Christmas tree. No harm, just no glass ornaments. However, it was a bad year when the late Weenie decided that each little light bulb was designed to be bitten. He died of old age, and not from the consumption of glass light bulbs. And I never had a cat that didn't melt a few whiskers exploring a lit candle, so no unsupervised lit candles at my house either.
Yes, make the bucket list and take the chill pill. Center yourself and enjoy your family.
With a rambunctious puppy in the house, we set up the tree adjacent to the fireplace to anchor in 3 places. We have one kitten, but he is rather chill and likes to lay under the tree, not climb it. The pretty glass baubles will have to wait a few years. Only non-breakable ornaments for now.
Granted, I went to school long before the digital age, but I am completely unable to picture what an interactive game about an assisted living patient would look like.
Haha, well, it would be more like a quiz game about a medical condition they have, such as congestive heart failure.
@Kristen,
That sounds like a, um, very not fun game...haha!
Exciting! In a not good way!
@Becca, Ha! I LOVE taking online diagnosis quizzes. As a knowitall graduate of Google Medical School, I'm pretty good at it!
https://www.mdedge.com/fedprac/md-iq
Congrats on the end of an exciting semester! WOW!!
We had a few curious kitties who loved our Christmas trees.We put 2 screws into the wall and put tree in a corner. We tied a rope around middle of tree in a spot we could see, between the brances, and let two long ends dangle out , one on each side,which we then tied into the loops in the screws in the wall.LOL!!!!! We tied the tree to the wall,basically. (After the first year when they made a huge huge mess of our tree and ornaments..we did not do a “test” like you are!!) HAVE FUN!
P.S. If Chiquita is as curious as my girls were, you may want to skip real “tinsel..” My one kitty ate it and we did not know till next morning when she paraded around the house with a silvery stream of tinsel coming out of her…. booty!! It was dangerous,vet said it could wrap around their intestines..we had to undecorate and redecorate the tree.That was the last real tinsel year! Oh. the joy. of kitties!!!
@Madeline, One of our Irish wolfhounds ate a bra. It came out of the other end still in one piece, but when it started emerging we were in a panic and took him to the vet who ended up pulling it out. He (and we!) could not believe it never caught on something internally. The vet said bra eating was a first for him.
@Lindsey, between Ruby's cat doing the Slim Pickens from Dr. Strangelove thing on her tree and your wolfhound eating the bra, I am completely done for the day. I'm retiring to my recliner with a strong drink till I stop giggling.
OMG on the bra! We had a beagle who enjoyed eating tinsel and then puking it up oh so appealingly. The next year, I went to crystal icicles.
I totally get you about not being able to take a long breather. It seems fun for a day or two, then I get bored.
I have two Boxer pups in my home and I was just as worried about our Christmas tree. Thankfully, knock on wood, they have not touched it. They have however eaten pinecones off of garland strands and chewed up several of the fake cranberry picks that I decorate with. All of this however took place when I was dragging everything out of the attic and decorating the whole house. Decorations were everywhere and it was easy for them to find something and sneak away. Next year I will have a better strategy.
I am in the big chill pill category for Christmas. I want to try and enjoy what is in front of me rather than busying myself with 8 million activities. Simple Christmas is the goal. I'd love to read a book, keep steady with my workouts, have some pajama days, play with my son and dogs, and eat good food & treats. Nothing fancy.
@Kristen I am cheering you on through final exams!! I know you are going to do well 🙂
New Exploratory Kitty is reason why I do not want to put out any Christmas Decorations this year. Plus I will be away for a few days around Christmas visiting with my sister. Just seems like a ton of work just to have a kitty ruin it. I know I can't even put up a small fake tree because he has already knocked it over several times.
Glad you will be getting a mental break soon. We always need those!
Kristen, the statistics in your post had me cracking up, both the likelihood of Chiquita leaving the tree alone and you passing with an A. I'm also heading into a week of finals, in which I am almost certainly going to keep my As. Best wishes to you! 🙂
Do you calculate how poorly you can do on the final, while still keeping your A? I always do, just to give myself some mental space to chill out when I take the final!
@Kristen,
And then you go and get something like a 107%...what a silly you are.
Haha, well, I am always aiming to get all of them right. I just like the mental space of knowing that I don't HAVE to get them all right.
Good luck on the exam! I suspect you’re in good shape since you’ve done such a wonderful job of keeping up during the semester.
One of the things you might want to put on your “to do” winter break list is to think about what worked for you this past semester as you balanced school, family, and home and what you might do in the future that would help provide the balance that keeps us all from going crazy. Not that you (or, any of us) will really achieve the balance of our dreams.
I always had a good book waiting for me when the last final was over! It also wasn’t until the middle of December before I felt like I could dive into Christmas. As both a student and a teacher/professor, the academic schedule ruled the rhythms of life for me and my family.
One of my fondest break activities was going to the movie theatre with a plan to see two movies back to back… by.myself! When the first one finished, I had just enough time for a bathroom break and to replenish my movie snacks before heading to the next one. Thank goodness for movieplexes.
Good luck on the exams, although someone as well prepared and dedicated doesn't really need luck! Hope Hawaii works out for you! I can imagine your daughter will be thrilled for you to see her workplace. I can remember when my father visited me in my first professional job, how much I loved showing him around my little kingdom. Bless him, he acted really impressed.
Last Christmas we had two cats: S'mores and Marshmallow. S'mores was our playful one that would get into our Christmas tree, but Marshmallow left it alone. S'mores is sadly no longer with us, but I saw and heard the rustling of Marshmallow in the tree the other day! There are a couple of things that Marshmallow's sister used to do that he's taken over since her parting, and this is one of them. (Another is waking me up early in the morning.) After our tree started to tip on Sunday when my daughter and her friend were "just looking" at the ornaments, we attached it to the baseboards. It's not going anywhere now.
I did love the pictures of your cats. 🙂 Thanks for sharing them! Enjoy your extra cat time on your 6 weeks off.
I really want to see a picture of Chiquita's cute little face peeking out from near the top of that tree. 😉
Also, good luck on your exam even though I know for sure that you do not need any luck!
These types of posts are the only "streaming" services I have 🙂
Best wishes!
@Jody S., me too. I love this type of post, the photos, the reality of Kristen's life, the interaction among the commenters. It's just fun. And then we know how to pray for Kristen if she is hitting a tough spot.
We bought a rather large tree one year, that was a little sparse on one side - no big deal, it went into a corner. Unfortunately, our cats messed with it just enough that with it being "front heavy", it tipped...disaster! So, we put 2 cinder blocks behind the tree (one on each wall) and tied the tree to it. Between the tree skirt and gifts, the cinder blocks weren't visible. The tree was stable and no holes were put into the walls. It was a win. Now, I don't trust trees that aren't fairly symmetrical!
Chiquita is a calico. I have a calico. They are a mess but I love my calico mess named Missy. She is 12 yrs old and still gets into things. And every year I have to have the Christmas tree seminar with her!