I'm home...

Wow....I'm home. My head is buzzing with all the information I gathered this weekend. I'm dying to sit down at the torch tomorrow to see if I can replicate some of the things I learned over the last few days.

I wish I could describe how great of an experience it was for me. I've never taken a formal beadmaking/lampworking class before and while this wasn't exactly a class it's the closest I've come to one. I loved watching other people make stuff and was overwhelmed at how generous people were to share tips, techniques, just about anything you could want. Everyone was kind and wonderful and I'm all ready to sign up for the next event!

Weekend getaway...

Finally.....I put my foot down and decided that whether or not we had time I was going to make time to get away. Do something other than stay home and do nothing on the weekend. Just my luck there was a spot open for a lampworking/beadmaking retreat in Asheville and I paid my fee to reserve my spot.

I'm looking forward to meeting all my fellow beaders who I've only had the pleasure of conversing with online but never met. I'm definitely thrilled about the opportunity to learn new techniques and watch other people work. Most of all, I'm happy to be up in the mountains, enjoying a little bit of an adventure.

Originally when I was going to make this trip alone I had booked myself into a Red Roof Inn. Then Kev decided he wanted to come along and so we decided to see if we couldn't find more interesting accommodations. An online search found this place: Asheville Rabbit Hole

I think it's pretty neat that there are places like this out there to be found. We're doing the same thing when we head out to Port Townsend in November. We'll be staying at 331 Cook Avenue Studio and I think that's going to be a blast.

The best thing about both places is that they're just minutes away from where the classes are being held and it's kinda nice that they're not your typical hotel. Maybe that will be my goal from now on - to find neat little artist studio spots to stay in whenever I travel.

We've just gotten settled in to our getaway spot. More pics and stories to come later!

Dual personalities....

Yup. It's official. I'm developing split personalities. I guess when you work in two totally different places where all the policies and whatnot are different you kind of have to learn how to turn off the part of your brain that "belongs" to the other place. Ever since I started splitting my time between two different hospitals I've found that it's a little more difficult than I thought it would be.

Having said that, in the short period of time that I've been doing it I've come to realize a few things about what direction I want to be heading in - in terms of my nursing career. It's been an eye-opener. I find it somewhat ironic that all the things I think I want tend to wind up being the opposite. Do you find that? It's like coming full circle. When I first started nursing I was convinced that the ICU was where I wanted to be. But then I found the ER and that is ultimately where I started. Convinced that the ER was going to be "it" for me I moved on to a larger, level 1 trauma center and here's where the irony sets in. I find myself being pulled back towards the ICU for all the things that the ER doesn't offer me. In the end I think that I thrive on the thinking that you need in the ICU but also on the adrenaline and doing of stuff in the ER. So, the solution is simple......find a job that incorporates all those things!

OK....no more talking about work. What I do want to talk about is the new Blogger tool that you'll find over there on the navigation bar on the right. "Follow the yellow brick road". If you read this blog even semi-regularly why don't you sign up to follow this blog? It's a little bit of self advertising. People read this, see you as following this blog, click on your link, read your blog! Kinda like a blog ring but snazzier. Go ahead....give it a try :)