sore muscles

Smile Cracker #3: Aches post dancing. Its the day after a wedding and i wake up on my friend's futon to let out that massive, fulfilling stretch, when i am stopped mid appendage extension because I feel every muscle in feet and arms just ache. Now this could be just a nuisance of a problem, or it could be fantastic excuse to do nothing but sleep, veg, and watch movies all afternoon with one of my best friends. Number two sounded more appealing-so i went the veg route.  Basically everytime I moved, i was reminded of what a great time I had the previous night filled with dancing. I know my whole body was really in it because I had to sneeze and my abs hurt as well. I am ever so fortunate to dance with my heart in good shape, so you better believe I am going to put Michael Jackson to shame...ok, thats basically impossible.

However, I know I was doing something right because everyone I made eye contact with had massive grins on their face. I know they're all secretly jealous because I am such a fit pumpin and booty poppin heroine, but thats precisely the reason. I dance, you laugh. Its a win-win situation all around the table.  I feel dance as one of the most prestine ways to show others your personality and confidence. 

The perfect ending to the night occurred with a large group of friends all swaying back and forth to Billy Joel's "Piano Man." Simply classic. Its moments like this that will flood my brain next time the song pops on the radio or my itunes. My sore arches and aching knees were oh so worth it by the time this evening rolled around. Dancing is da bombski, thus I am forced to crack a smile.

B&W

"Smilecracker#2: back to the color basics. Sometime ago my little brothers fave joke he ever made up was "what's black and white and red all over...???" the original answer is a newspaper- Rob put his own spin on it and stated a nun falling down the stairs. When I recall this joke nowadays, it still makes me chuckle like the first time i heard it. And no worries, no nun were harmed in the creation of this joke.

Thus being said, let me bring us back to the part the whole smile cracking part of this post. The black and white color scheme naturally go fabulous together. The first TVs were started as that, as they are common classy colors for elegant affairs. I love waking up to take a hot shower in my old victorian apt with the classic black and white colored tiling, which then leads me to slap put on some Doobie Brothers and dance my way clean.

After showering I make my way to the kitchen to start boiling water for my french press. While waiting, I often times sit on the counter top and find myself get lost in thought as i stare at the same tiling on the kitchen floor. It isn't until i begin to hear the whistling of the teapot before i make connections with reality because I am so mesmerized by the schemey beauty of the black and white that swirls around me. Just a great way to start any type of day- lost in deep thought that is provoked by the colors B&W.

and thus, I am forced to crack an smile.

random thoughts from an insomniac

So- i am a shift rotator, which means that as a nurse i work any and all shifts. This week I am the creep who walks in my patient's rooms at strange hours to watch you in your sleep and ensure a regular breathing pattern, really i mean that in the most loving way it can sound. Thus being said, I have most likely the STRANGEST sleep habits out there. While I was awake this morning until 3am (its my night off), i came across a website that i was completely intrigued with. It reflects on the everyday awesomeness of simple things (click below to be entertained)

1000 Awesome Things

I decided that I am going attempt to compile my own list of "Smile-crackins" of things that happen in my daily life. With that being said, here goes...                      

"Smile-cracker #1": That first sip of coffee to start off the day. I was at work on Tuesday night and just starting to take on my night while i was sitting next to the secretary. That glorious first sip of black coffee warmed my insides all the way down to my stomach. When it hit the bottom of my stomach I accidentally let out a rather large "ahhh!" sigh of contentment. The secretary immediately turned to me in slight confusion  and all i could do was laugh and tell her "I just love black coffee." Being a coffee connoisseur herself, she joined the laughter and agreed. Maybe my reaction to that warm fuzzy feeling of liquid motivation hitting the center of belly was slightly inappropriate sounding, but honestly there is no point in holding something so joyful back. Something so simple and joyful is meant to be expressed full on, after all, it is all about the vivacity. And thus, i am forced to crack a smile.

Sit-spurring thoughts.

This weekend was the first in probably the first in months that i was given the chance to just sit. Sit, eat lots of food, and watch episode upon another of Friends with good ole Becky Nagl. There is something about being with this girl that always inspires me to create lists of goals to accomplish or conclude thoughts that have been stirring in my mind for awhile. Its probably because whenever we get to hangout, thats all we do, hang. I do not recall any other person that i just "do nothing" with. We took at trip last March to Florida and all we did was lay by the water and take rides in the convertible.....

I often times get so wrapped up in the fast pace that my life likes to take, that i lose track of my short term aspirations. This weekend i took the time to buy a new journal and compile a list that i will attack in 365 days and agreed to blog about as to keep me on the accountibility track. I tried to think realistically and make my goals attainable. They go as follows (in no specific order):
1. Rescue a dog
2. See the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" at the Oriental
3. Read the Harry Potter series
4. Learn to cook Korean and Ethiopian foods
5. Create a Pulmonary Hypertension fundraiser
6. Froelick in a field of sunflowers
7. Start Yoga
8. Visit Danielle Mode and Becky Nagl in wherever their traveling nursing careers may take them
9. Drink beer at the Hofbrauhaus during Oktoberfest
10. Jog a 5K
11. Attend Circ de Soleil
12. Write a letter/email to a random friend a week
13. Find a new church
14. Get a new grill
15. Take a massage therapy class
16. Hike at 8 State Forrests/Natl. Parks

so hear me out and ask me how "the list" is going once in awhile- i need some reinforcement from time to time.

Ready, set, go!!! :)
(see video below for some motivation)

Fall dwellings

I figured it's been a few weeks since I have made my presence known to the world.... So congrats to you if you're reading the first blog since I left the bat cave....
I decided life would be sweeter for the weekend if i came home to my place of upbringing. For those of you who are unaware, that would be the absolute heart of the cheeseheads, green bay Wisconsin. This was the perfect city to grow up in because there is just such a charm to this proud but modest city. Everyone is happy, it's safe, and it just floods my mind with memories of childhood.

After a 51 hr week on night shift, there is nothing more i needed than a low key girls night. I arranged earlier in the week to meet up with my partner in crime from high school, Molly. We made Greek grilled chicken with butternut squash risotto and drank italian wine. Good conversation topped off with an evening stroll around ashwaubenon, just like old times. We
reminisced our past and reflected on how far we've come in the last 5yrs.  The first few college years we kind of lost touch, but time always sets things straight. I think my fave part about friendship is the excitement of seeing where life takes people. Molly and i were probably by
far the strangest people in high school, but we sure did find refreshing ways to have a good time. Our younger yrs could have been filled drunken nights, but we were more of the type that would hangout on a friday night and walk around the lights at lambeau field and get yelled at for sitting on the Lombardi statues at midnight. Ha oopsy;) i have no regrets about my teen
years and i think it was one of the better decisions i ever made was to sit next to Molly Siefert the first day in Mrs. Krauserts math class the first day of freshmen yr. Thru and thru.

http://family.webshots.com/photo/2544155380084931639ucQfuT

Another thing i love about green bay is game day. Even when the games aren't home, it's still awesome to be amongst the atmosphere because every one is always in a great mood. I had to run errands the 45min prior to kickoff and successfully went to the dollar store, walgreens, target, and the coffee shop with ten min to spare. Booyah. During the second quarter some solicitor tries calling the land line. I answered and they asked for "josesph slaittary" haha yeah right..... All i said was "you have the wrong number and you're calling on packer sunday, shame on you." maybe that was slightly bit@$! Of me but, seriously- no i am not lying when i say the "slaitterys" don't live here. She probably thought i was crazy, maybe if that wouldn't happen every week it would be different...

In between commercials and game time i played dual role of kitchen diva and football fan. I created my own recipe for the fall time palate....here the unofficial recipe, so as your stealing it off my blog right now think of me when it's on the food network in 2yrs from now..

"pump-ur-kin fall bread"
Whatcha need:
One can of pumpkin
Two cups of whole stone ground wheat flour
Three quarters cup of brown sugar
Half teaspoon of baking soda
Cinnamon
Two eggs
One stick of butter
One cup of dark chocolate chips

Directions
Put thawed butter in mixing bowl and mix brown sugar until full blended into creamy paste
Add both eggs to mix and blend
Add baking soda, flour, and cinnamon to paste and mix well. Add pumpkin.
Stir in chocolate chips after everything is thoroughly mixed
Preheat oven 350 degrees
Grease two small bread pans of one large and fill with dough
Place on bottom wrack and bake around thirty minutes. Check center with fork until baked.
Let cool
Lick your chops and prepare yourself for some gooey warm fall goodness!
Bow chicka wawa..

So now that i have thoroughly fed and entertained you, i am going to call this session of blogger a success and take on the rest of The night. I hope everyone enjoys their true day of rest, and thank you to all those who are working today. You make hhe world and the America safe and bustling.

Peace out bloggies.

                              (My fave commerical during the game today)

A day trip to the windy city.

Hello children, today's blog is going to be a little more narrative of an adventure i embarked on this past week. Just a little bit of background first:
So if you really know me, or at least met me an hour ago, you would be very aware that God's sense of humor is freakin hilarious. The daily happenings of my life are truly ironic and could happen to none other than, yours truly-Lauren Slattery. With that thought in mind, the story continues

A few weeks ago, I had made arrangements to hang out with a friend who recently moved to downtown chicago. We decided to take our afternoons off and enjoy the big city together on Sept 1st. In no time i was on the road taking the scenic road to the bustling, big, and windy city. Aside from the crazy tailgating Ill drivers, i was mildly impressed with my ability to maneuver myself in traffic.
In no time, i was downtown and appreciating the east side's street parking. Steve made us a quick lunch and we then meandered onto the train to start the afternoon's adventure.  We decided to skip the Lincoln Park Zoo and just go for something inside and air conditioned with the current 98 degrees and 120984302983% humidity. What could be better than an afternoon spent at the Chicago Art Museum?! hmm, notta.

I remember going to the same art museum as a child and just wondering how any of the stuff could be interesting? A bunch of boring paintings, nakey statues from different countries, and dull artifacts older than Mary and Joseph...well there's a crucial part to touring places like this. You must bring Steve with you. I am not sure if "hilarious" or "ginormously entertaining" are appropriate terms to use in regards to a public museum, but those are the exact words I will use to describe the outing.

A few things about me:
1.one of my long standing hobbies is photography




2. I have a severe dislike and phobia of dolls and mannequins.

I was very excited to see the featured photography exhibit until we got to the gallery and every single pix had a creepy doll posed somewhere within it. BOOM-irony. Photographers are always looking to other people's photos so see if they can become inspired with some of the other artists' ideas... that will not be happening with Mr. Meatyard's work. 

I eventually adapted to the whole thing and was able to tolerate some of it-- but seriously this is border-line horror-ish. Those pipes speak louder than phobias.

We also took a stroll around the multicultural art from the various regions of the world. Honestly, i sometimes felt as though they should have rated some of the exhibits "R." 

 It def was a wonderful afternoon of good times and refreshing humor. We took a few moments to relax and also educate ourselves with the artwork around us.

<--------complete shinto technique.

                               Catching ourselves up on a little WWII political art from Russia.

                           We should probably be the model children for the Chicago Art Museaum.

After about hour three I was slowly becoming more and more lethargic, spacey, and zoned due to prolonged periods without eating. On top of  being hungry, i had been using my brain all afternoon to match Steve's witty jokes, so i was pooped. We called it a successful afternoon and headed on back to the city for some chow. 

There is no better way to fully embrace a downtown adventure than an eating a chicago style pizza. Gino's East was the place to get it. I decided we should go tropic and get the hawaiian style deep dish. Nothing tasted more heavenly at that point. There was enough cheese on just one slice to constipate an elephant, but ohh man- talk about amazing. Its funny because I am opposite of most people... when the typical human eats, they become tired after meals. I become more lively, so whomever i may be with at the time gets my blessing of chatter thrown at them.

We continued the journey down Superior St. and Steve showed up around his place of work, Northwestern University. We went to walk towards the elevators, but the security guard stopped us. They are pretty hardcore strict on who's in and who's out at the downtown location.  I had to give them my driver's license and they took my pix. I thought they were going to fingerprint me and ask for the SSN, but instead they have me a cool visitor pass with my full name and pix on it. holy crack down...

Anyways, Steve showed me around the labs where he is working on many of his research projects. He does a lot of biomedical research in regards to cancer and cardiovascular health. Pretty amazing stuff. It was such a cool feeling walking around the lab because they have a lot of world famous scientists that made their discoveries in the same building.  The guy who invented the LifeVest (an external defibrillator a person wears) did his work in the same building i stood.  I actually recently discharged a patient who went home with a LifeVest. A small part of me began to understand the whole connection with scientists and how the spectrum of healthcare works together to create and establish discoveries and different options for people. Neat :)

So after an enlightening tour, I decided that it would be time to hit the road because it was 9:30pm and i had to work at 7am the next morning. I thanked Steve for a pleasant afternoon and was on my merry way.

on my ride home, i concluded a list of things i pondered, and this will help to end my post for today.

1. Wisconsin drivers are polite, and i appreciate that

2. Milwaukee is easily 25 degrees cooler than chicago, so dress accordingly

3. The only reason ESPN is cool is because it has the packers and brewers mentioned on it

4.I am very excited to go to Shed's for my birthday next month

5. I haven't killed Walter yet, so i started reading books for first time dog owners.

That my friends, is the last inkling i can spurt from my mind. Now, go out and rock the day.

 

pumped up kicks--

tonight is a beautiful night. its gorgeous outside, a beautiful weekend lies just ahead, and for once i kind of feel i am prepared for the evening. working nights has been a fantastic adventure, but still messes with the whole circadium rhythm...

This evening i spent with the one and only Hillary Johnson. I made talbot and mung beans for dinner--i don't know if theres even a reader out there who knows what either of those are ;). There is something to be said when you can for once enjoy the company of a good friend over homemade dinner and sip red wine. Maybe i am growing up and fully coming to appreciate the joys of becoming an adult (well some of it that is-there is that part where the gov't robs you of half your paycheck, but that is to be expected). It has been quite the transition over the past summer though-lots of new things to consider, many new things to learn, schedule adjustment, etc. All part of the "living and learning" process....

I can say its been awhile since i've had the chance to write. I had very good intentions yesterday, but i think i made it out of bed for close to 2 hrs. It was all due to the waterskiing and tubing all weekend up at tuttle lake. boy, its hard to say no to just "one more" lap around the lake, but your body sure does take a beating. probably the most fun full body workout ive done in quite sometime though :) I truly didnt feel bad about laying in bed all freakin day though, it actually felt fairly good. In the thoughts that came across my mind while i laid in bed was how nice it would be to share my house with a furry face. I started to browse petfinder.com (big mistake). there are far too many adorable animals that need some lovin. I was at Home Depot last week and bought myself a cactus. It made me so happy because this little plant was just so cheery looking. I brought him home, named him walter, and decided that if i can keep him alive for the next 6 months- i am ready for a dog. I even googled, "how to keep a cactus alive" and fully succeeded in doing so as of week one. So ultimately my reward for keeping Walter happy is a puppy. SCORE!

I am just 48 hrs shy of hitting the road with Joey to my native roots of the upper peninsula. Its in my blood and i honestly cant spend another weekend away from there. I can't wait to hear the frogs sing while ya sit in front of the campfire with the massive stars above you. Its truly God's country up there.

Alright well i must hit up the shower before i slap on scrubs and prepare myself for yet another night of saving lives.  ya'll out there have a fabulous night and remember to smile as you lie in bed tonight- life's pretty sweet. Also, take a listen to this happy tune, it adds to the ambiance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ&ob=av3e