Peace out!

I am moving my blog! I will now be posting on http://howdaisydoesit.wordpress.com/.

Thanks for reading and have an awesome day!

Wide awake

I love being up before seven on my days off. No sarcasm, I really do love it. Mornings are my favorite. I love the lighting in my apartment. I love stepping outside and seeing all the animals prepping for their days. The squirrels running about. All the birds chirping and flapping. The turtles swimming here and there. I love that the clamor of humans has yet to get going. And now that it's (unofficially) summer in Texas, I love how cool the mornings are.

I should have gone for a run this morning, but I'm too busy taking the morning in. Soon, it will be too late (because it's too hot) for me to go. It's all right, though. Tonight, I'm running at least three miles with a running club I just joined. It will be my first time running with them. They formed last year so I am sure other members are already familiar with one another. That's okay, though. I'm just going to fit myself in!

We are already almost three weekends into June, which should be a wake-up call to me. I cannot let this summer pass me by without doing everything I want to do! This happens every year: I have high hopes for the summer, but then it passes me by without me even realizing it! No excuses this year. I am only on-call once this summer and as far as I know, I will not be working any weekends. Gotta make things happen.

Okay. I need to go enjoy the fact that I am up this early. Toodles!

Sunday night

Every night, I procrastinate. I wait and wait and wait to walk my dog because there always seems to be so much else to do. Then, when I can wait no longer, I drag myself to do it and complain a little in my mind. Once I'm out there walking him, though... I love every second. I love being outdoors. I love that it's just me and him. I love the sounds and the feel of being out there.

The property that we live on is very well kept. There is a pond in the middle of it, which we cross during every walk we take. There's a natural spring with a soft little roar and lily pads growing from its depths. There are trees, there are turtles, there is thriving grass. It's all so perfect.

During our walk tonight, it started to rain. I didn't expect it, but I didn't mind it because it felt cool and refreshing. Sprinklers also went off on us. Definitely didn't expect those. Canelo seemed aloof to it all so if he wasn't bothered by it, there was no reason for me to be either.

I don't feel ready to start another work week. It's ridiculous because the past two weekends have been long weekends. There was Memorial Day weekend and last weekend, I went to Denver. I guess I just haven't done enough unwinding and relaxing. I unwind best by writing or creating or running. I haven't been doing much of any.

Here's to a better week!

Lost and found

I lost my camera's memory card. Why am I always losing things?

I realized it was missing last Thursday night. Yes, almost an entire week ago. The reason I noticed was because I was packing for my trip to Colorado (more on that later) and was considering taking Bon Qui Qui (my camera) with me. I checked the battery and then checked for her memory card, but the latter was gone. Dang it.

It wasn't in its usual places. I take my camera to work almost daily and sometimes upload photos while I'm there. I figured I must have left it in one of the computers there. Oh well. No time to go look for it. It was late Thursday night, I had an early flight the next morning, and wouldn't be back to work until Tuesday. Guess I'd have to wait until then to look for it and Bon Qui Qui wouldn't be making the trip after all. Probably a good thing since I was already on the verge of overpacking.

As soon as I got to work on Tuesday (early, as usual due to the train schedule), I looked in all the computers. Nope. I asked around for it. Negative. I got down on myself because I figured that I had really lost it. Sometimes when I'm in a hurry and I have time to take my memory card out of a computer but not enough time to place it back in my camera, I'll just tuck it in my pocket and go on with my day. My fear was that I had left it in a jacket pocket and as a result, it was lost forever.

Our company gave the entire staff, fifty or so employees, jackets last winter. They're all the same color and have the company logo embroidered on them. We all wear each other's jackets at work because unless you bother to look for a name on the tag (who has time for that?), you can't tell whose is whose. Your jacket can end up in a different department and you won't see it for months. You'll just go on wearing someone else's jacket and that's fine.

I know winter is over and I shouldn't be wearing jackets, but boy, that hospital gets cold! Especially in the CT room because we like to keep the CT machine from overheating. So I do wear jackets in the summer and I may have left the memory card in one of its pockets and it could be lost forever. Sadness.

Well, this morning I was digging around my backpack, the one I took to Colorado, searching for lip gloss, and I found it! I found the stinkin' memory card! Oh my goodness, my day was made. Then... Then I dug through the bag I carried yesterday in search of my Kindle and I found Dustin's headphones!

I love love love his headphones. They stay in place while I run, unlike my own. I hadn't seen them in a few weeks, though, so I figured that I had left them on my desk and that Dustin had taken them back to work with him. I didn't dare ask him. I didn't want him to feel obligated to bring them back to me. They're his headphones, after all. But now I have them back and I'm excited to be able to use them again! What a lucky morning!

I will be getting Dustin new headphones, by the way. Really good ones. His half-birthday is coming up at the end of the month and that would be the perfect little gift.

All right. My day has already been made. Time to jump on this train and get to work!

(mis)adventure

The more I read, the more encouraged I am to write. Not only to write, but to observe and write.

Thursday at work was hectic. Hectic enough for me to work eleven hours without a break. At multiple points throughout the day, when I could spare five minutes or so, I found myself in the break room, cramming food into my face. Needless to say, all I wanted by the time it was my turn to clock out was to go home and eat a delicious real meal.

That was not going to happen.

Because of how busy the day had been, I never got a moment to check my phone. Eating was much more important (if you know me well, this should come as no surprise). It was fifteen til seven when I finally did look at my phone. I had a few text messages from Dustin. The last one read:

Don't forget I have my sisters play at 7 tonight.

Well, shit.

Not only did I not have a quick ride home (Dustin usually picks me up from work), but earlier in the day, while I was riding the bus to work, I realized that I did not have my house key with me. I have Wednesdays off and because most people work on Wednesdays, I choose to do my long runs on Wednesdays. I usually have the sidewalks and trails all to myself, which would not be the case on weekends.

Anyhow, I ran on Wednesday and left my key in the armband that I use to carry my phone while I run. D'oh! So not only did I not have a ride home, I couldn't get into my home even if I somehow managed to arrive there. And what on earth would I eat if I didn't get in? I was hungry!

I quickly decided on a plan. I would ride the train to Downtown Carrollton, eat a veggie burger at Twisted Root, take the 400 bus to Marsh and Belt Line, walk down Marsh to my apartment community, and just hang out at the gym until Dustin got home.

I was irritated as I started my journey. I kept trying to estimate the time that Dustin would be home to rescue me. If his sister's play was at seven (in Downtown Dallas), it was possible that it would not end until nine, then he'd have to ride the train back to Carrollton, and finally drive home. My guess was that it could be as late as eleven before he got home. [sigh]

The train left the station by my work at 7:08. It took less than ten minutes for me to get to Downtown Carrollton. The station there is high on a platform. You have to take stairs or elevators to get down to street level. I got off the train and took the stairs that were on my immediate right. I made my way across the station parking lot and towards the intersection where I'd be crossing the street to make my way to the burger place.

The light took a good while. I felt like I was standing there for hours, partly because I was carrying my backpack and my DSLR camera (in its bag). Both carried a significant weight. As I stood there waiting for the walk signal, I thought about the weight of my bags and how exhausting it was going to be to walk from the bus stop to my apartment. I became irritated again.

Finally, the light turned and I was able to get across. As I headed towards Twisted Root, I noticed that there was a crosswalk from the train platform over the street that I waited so long to cross. Dammit! I wish I had known that before! I could have avoided waiting so long at that intersection. Irritation station.

Whatever. It was time to eat. Twisted Root was surprisingly busy for a weeknight. So there was more standing while carrying my becoming-heavier-by-the-minute bags. There was a girl who was about ten years old in front of me in the (long) line to order. She kept asking her dad for his phone and took pictures of all the bumper stickers on the wall. She annoyed me. In front of her group was a trio of teenagers. None of them really knew what they wanted to order and so they held up the line by asking the cashier question after question about what seemed like each and every item on the menu. I was too tired for that shit.

To top things off, I realized that my phone battery was dreadfully low. I decided to turn my phone off because I needed it to buy a bus pass. There's an app for that.

I finally ordered, got my food, and sat at the smallest table. The one with only one stool. Perfect for a loner like me. I pulled out the Kindle that Dustin recently gave me and started reading The Fault in Our Stars. I finished the chapter I was on and read an additional chapter before stopping. Reading the way the narrator described the simplest events and her surroundings made me want to pay more attention to my own surroundings and inspired me to write about this atypical evening. The thought of writing lifted my spirits. I started my way away from irritation station.

I turned my phone back on, took a photo for my 100 Happy Days Instagram challenge, and looked up the 400 bus schedule. The bus would be arriving at Downtown Carrollton at 8:30. It was 8:10. I turned my phone off again, finished the last of my fries and pickles, and got up to start my journey home.

I made it to the bus stop with time to spare. There were four others waiting for the bus, all of them appeared to be just as exhausted as I was. When the bus arrived and I had grabbed a seat on it, I looked around and noticed that everyone seemed exhausted. The woman in front of me appeared to have fallen asleep. A man to my left and a few seats ahead was riding with his head lowered. Everyone was quiet.

I felt like such a baby for having been so irritated earlier. Yes, I was tired, but come on, Daisy. You are not the only person in the world who had a long day at work. Riding the bus and then having to walk home is not ideal, but at least you do not have to do it every day, which could very well be the case for everyone else on that bus.

The sun finished setting while I was on the bus and it was dark out by the time I got off and started walking home. I started hoping for the gym to be free so that I'd have it all to myself. I walked and walked and walked. I considered stopping at the gas station that is on the way to buy a bottle of water, but decided against it. I wasn't terribly thirsty and was making good time. I would be at my destination sooner rather than later and would have access to the water fountain there.

There were others walking along the sidewalk I was on and the one across the street. This made me feel less crazy. The weather was so glorious! It was only slightly cool and there was a lovely breeze. It made my walk more enjoyable than I had expected it to be.

After about fifteen to twenty minutes of walking - I can't be sure of the time since I do not wear a watch and my phone was off - I made it to my complex and made my way to the gym. Thankfully, there wasn't anyone else there. I closed the blinds for privacy, turned the television on to MTV's The Challenge, made my way to the stationary bike, and started pedaling away. Might as well even after all the walking. What if someone came in and just found me sitting there watching the television? How pathetic would that be? So although I did not have the appropriate clothes - I was still in my scrubs - I pedaled.

It was at least fifteen after nine. I eventually turned my phone on and realized that Dustin had sent me a text message to let me know that he was on his way home.

Thank. goodness.

I let him know that I was at the gym and sent him the code to get in. He doesn't know it. He never goes. I continued to watch the television and pedal. I now have the desire to own a stationary bike for my living room so that I can workout while I watch tv.

Finally, a little after 10:00 PM, I heard a knock down the hallway. It was Dustin. He forgot to enter the "*" after the numerical code and so was unsuccessful at getting in. Oh, I was so happy that he had arrived! It was almost my bedtime and I felt that there was so much to do before I could sleep!

What an adventure. The best part, the absolute best part, was that by the time I did go to bed, I was not irritated. Sure, it was a long evening following a long day, but I enjoyed my solo date at the burger place, I learned how to ride the 400, I was encouraged to at least use the stationary bike to get some exercise even after long days, I enjoyed the weather and was encouraged to spend more time outdoors, and I realized how productive an evening after work can really be!

This is not to say that I would like to repeat this adventure soon, but if I have to, it will be completely okay!

I am not creative enough to think of a title.

I ran ten miles today. And my knee (the one that started giving me trouble three months ago) felt fine afterwards. I have been wearing a knee band during my runs and I think it has helped. My feet feel fantastic ever since I (finally) bought new shoes. I've also started drinking and eating Vega Sport products, which are supposed to help not only with hydration, but also inflammation. I never had my knee looked at, but I strongly believe that inflammation was the issue.

Whatever it was, I seem to have it under control and it makes me happy.

Remember how I wished and wished for warm weather? You know how they say be careful what you wish for? Oy! With the summer fast approaching, I must complete by runs by 9:00 AM, otherwise heat exhaustion might get the best of me. It may not be over 80 degrees, but the sun can be BRUTAL. Oh, I thought we were friends, Mr. Sun!

5:00 AM wake-ups are in my near future. This should be fine as long as I get to bed by 10:00 PM. Lawd knows that I do not want to resort to having to run on a treadmill. Boooooo!

It will be okay. I am excited about summer! In a little over two weeks I'll be flying out to Colorado. At least one river trip is in the works. More baseball. I am going to turn thirty. My "little sister" will be having her Quinceanera party. Pool time pool time pool time. It will be good times.

Later, taters.

Good day!

Today, I've done well. I woke up with plenty of time to make a green smoothie AND pack a healthy lunch. Walking Canelo takes priority over all things in the morning (including lunch-packing, smoothie-making, and makeup application), but today, I did it all and I feel GREAT about it. I must make a habit out of this.

I have already taken my vitamin and supplement for the day as well! As a vegan, I have to take B12 because it's only available in animal foods. I also take spirulina for extra protein and other benefits. The thing is, I sometimes forget to take them even though I pack them in a nice container and carry them to work with me. No more! I'm gonna take them before I eat my lunch every day.

I'm inspired to be healthier suddenly. Not that I was very unhealthy to begin with, but I know I have room for improvement. I want to be a good spokesperson for veganism and just radiate with well-being! It's important to me. Maybe by making noticeable positive changes, others might be encouraged to eat less animal products. Who knows?

Oh, I've also finished my veggies. I almost never finish my veggies when they're raw. I absolutely LOVE them cooked, but cooking them strips them of nutrients so my goal is to eat them raw more often.

Tomorrow morning, I'm running! Must get back in the game, back in the game. I'm starting off easy with six miles. Geeze, I hope it goes well!

Have a sparkling day!

[dumpings] from my Daisy Brain

My friends at work, Cristina and Jocelyn, have nicknamed me 'Daisy Brain'. The name comes from the fact that I supposedly find solutions to a lot of problems, and I do so in a calm and timely manner. When Cristina and Jocelyn are in a rut, they tell each other to use their "Daisy brain" and figure it out. Now, it has become my nickname. I like it. :)

The weather seems be on my side now. I could do without the rain and humidity, but I will take it! I know we need it. Some mornings are still a bit on the cool side, but wearing a light jacket suffices. It's nothing in comparison to the layers I had to wear just a few weeks ago. I am currently sitting at my desk in shorts and a t-shirt with the ceiling fan above sending cool air my way. It is heavenly.

I am THRILLED that March is finally over. What a crazy month it was for me! My work schedule was so off, I worked hours that I was not used to working, I worked in departments that I was not used to working in (Surgery and Internal Medicine), I was on-call, I became a part of the marketing team, I traveled, and I ran two races. It was nuts.

One of the races I did was just this past Saturday and several of my coworkers joined me for it. I was the captain of our team and as such was responsible for making sure that everyone had registered, collecting t-shirt sizes, designing team t-shirts, ordering t-shirts, packet pickup, packet distribution, and t-shirt distribution. It all took a lot more effort and coordination than what I had expected it to, but it was well worth it! We had a wonderful time, so wonderful that I am now coordinating a second 5K for us to do next month. I get excited about not having to do all these runs by myself and encouraging others to get out, participate, and be active. Feels nice, you know?

This month should be a bit more mellow. I only have one race scheduled and it is as unserious as they get. For starters, it's only a 4K instead of the usual five kilometers. Secondly, and most importantly, it's a beer run. Instead of water stations, there are beer stations. Beer at the beginning of the race, beer at the 1K mark, beer at the 3K mark, and beer at the end. The race also happens to start and end at a bar. I did this "run" last year and it was one of the highlights of my year. So much fun! I cannot wait.

Also this month, in about two weeks, I will be attending orientation at Operation Kindness! Anyone who knows me knows how much it means to me to be able to volunteer and be active for causes that are near and dear to my heart. Lucky for me, there is an animal shelter that is less than a ten-minute walk away from my front door. How perfect is that? For years, I have felt that a person's wealth can be measured by how much time they are able to devote to volunteer work. A person's heart can be measured by how much of that available time they actually devote to volunteer work. Joining Operation Kindness is going to work wonders for my happiness, I just know it.

I don't really know how to wrap this post up... So good luck with all your endeavors. Live life and enjoy life and share life.

In other news: I already miss The Walking Dead. Waaaah.

Two jobs are better than one

Most of us, not all of us, but most of us, spend too much time on our computers and phones. Sometimes, I think it is ridiculous that I keep up with so many personal social media platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, and this blog. Ridiculous, right? Thank goodness I never got into the whole video world, although I do keep a YouTube and a Vine account. Geeze.

Staying connected has become my job, however. I have been the "Facebook person" at work for almost a year now, and I truly enjoy it. My first few months on the job, I was sent to seminars and conferences related to online marketing and would meet with my boss regularly to discuss how things were going. Eventually, I guess everyone figured that I had shit down and I have been left to do my thing, becoming an important voice for the company.

Our company is relocating and expanding in just a few months, though. Marketing these changes has become a significantly important topic at the hospital. Two weeks ago, a marketing team was formed, and as the "Facebook person", I was grandfathered onto this team. I am now the "Social Media/Online Reputation Manager" with a whole new set of responsibilities, responsibilities that must be met while still performing my duties as a neurology nurse.

I am thrilled to have made this team because it's nice to be trusted to do it and because of the sense of job security that it gives me. I feel so essential! And buying this desk now seems like an even more terrific investment since I will more than likely be working additional hours from home. Editing photographs, planning posts, reviewing reviews, and studying ways to remain relative and effective. It is all so exciting! As much as I love my medical job, the opportunity to do something entirely different and new adds a little oomph to life. 

I couldn't be happier.

I hope I do well. I hope I can keep things together and stay organized. Stay tuned!

Blahging

I am feeling a bit low and unfulfilled as of lately. Here's why:

1. I have not been running nearly enough.

• I blame this on the weather. For the life of me, I can not bring myself to get up and go in the mornings, because it is so cold. I was able to do so when I lived in East Dallas and the high school track was only two blocks away and the Santa Fe trail was just at the end of my street. Here in Carrollton, though... I am so uninspired. Sad face.
• My work schedule has been all jacked up this month. Three-day weekends, on-call weeks, switching days, switching hours. I simply have not been able to get a routine down. There's no way.
• I gave myself a break from running because of my knee and it has just been difficult to get back into the game. I am also still afraid of pushing it too much.
• Not running enough makes me feel out of shape and like I have gained weight, although I don't think that I have. I just feel that I have. Not running enough also encourages bad eating habits and a vicious cycle begins. Oy.

2. I have not been creating.

• I said I wanted to write, paint, sew, draw, photograph. I have not been doing any of those things. This first month in my new place has definitely been a period of adjustment and settling in. It has to end. One month is long enough.
• See above. Scheduling mayhem because of work. Timing is off.

3. Things do not always go my way.

• I have already mentioned the weather. Yuck. I need more sunshine in my life.
• Why hasn't the animal shelter that I applied to volunteer for called me back? If I am not giving, I am not living!
• I cannot find THE pen. The one that I washed and ruined and need to replace. I have tried Target (where I originally bought it), Office Depot, Staples, and Michael's. I think I will have to try Hobby Lobby next.

Time to turn this shit around. Here is why life makes me happy:

1. This winter cannot go on forever.

• Spring is officially here. The weather will get warmer. I must be patient.
• There are signs everywhere that it is almost over. The greens and bright colors are returning. They look so beautiful in the sun. Another reason why this overcast business must end.
• With the time change a few weeks ago, we now get later sunsets. Soon, the days will become even longer and we will get earlier sunrises as well. Exciting!

2. Dammit. I am being creative!

• Blogging is a form of writing. Totally counts.
• On my instagram (@dangdaisy) and my Tumblr accounts, I have been participating in the 100 Happy Days challenge. Although I am not using Bon Qui Qui, my DSLR camera, I am still photojournaling my life and that is worth something to me.
• I am creating ideas. All day, every day.

3. The people.

• I was out of town over the weekend and my sweet boyfriend took care of my critters for me and took notice of the fact that Canelo Dog missed me. He even got out of bed to try to calm Canelo down last night. I eventually heard the commotion and had to get up and calm Canelo down myself, but it was so sweet of Dustin to try.
• My aunt is out of the hospital and back home at my grandma's. Hooray for the field of medicine!
• I reconnected with friends while I was in Austin and even made new ones. I love friendships.

4. Travel

• My weekend getaway was a timely getaway after the insanity of work last week.
• I am planning a trip to Colorado to see my friend, Taylor. I can't call her an old friend. I met her in 2012 and worked with her for a year while she completed an internship in Neurology at CVSC. She moved to Colorado last summer, when she finished her internship, and has invited me and our other former coworker, Nicole, to stay with her for a weekend. I've never been to Colorado, but I already know that I will love it, crazy air and all!
• Maybe I will visit Chicago with Dustin this summer. He is going regardless because it's a business trip. For me, this is a big maybe, but maybe is a word full of hope so I will hope and do what I can to make it happen.

All right. Stay focused and make shit happen and stop feeling sorry for yourself. Toodles!