Friday's Faves & Flops: Irma's Burger Shack

Since moving to OKC, I've found places that I love and places that I don't love so much.  I decided to do a review/suggestion each Friday titled "Friday's Faves & Flops"

This week it is Irma's Burger Shack  5 out of 5 stars 

I was introduced to this place a couple of months ago, and I absolutely love it.

The burgers are phenomenal and the fries are sooo good.

If you want a burger, but don't want the fast food approach or the overpriced dry burger of a chain restaurant, you must go here.

They have other items besides hamburgers, which I haven't tried just yet.

There are two restaurants:

1.  1035 NW 63rd St

2. NW 11th and Dewey

I don't have a picture to post, and I can't post one from their website.  

If you are from out of town and want something of the same kind, but different in a VERY good way.  I recommend it.

Ohh yeah! Cupcakes Yeah!

If anyone ever watches the Jersey Shore, which I'm ashamed to say that I do, know what my title is from.

I love to make cupcakes, and I recently bought a book with different cupcake recipes.  I'm going to try to make cupcakes twice a month and post how it turns out.  The people at work are going to love me with this experiment.

This time I made "Christmas Cupcakes"... which is basically chocolate cupcakes with cute Christmas-y sprinkles.

Please don't judge my crappy camera/photos.  A new sharper camera is on my To-Buy once I get a raise or something?

a mess.

Dexter enjoyed sitting at my feet and barking at the blender.

Finished Product

A better view of the cute cupcake liners

Recipe:

The cake part is just a simple box cake mix plus I added a little chocolate pudding in it.  I don't normally use box cake mixes, but it's what I had for the moment.  I'll be doing recipes from scratch according to the new book.

Frosting:

I made the frosting from scratch using the Hershey's recipe on the back.  In case you don't have a Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa, here is the recipe:

6 tablespoons butter softened
2/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar (The recipe calls for 3 but I used 4 1/2 to make my icing stiffer)

Cream butter in a small mixing bowl. Add cocoa and sugar alternately with milk. Beat to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla extract. 

I used a large 1M tip to ice the cupcake.  I used to have a lot of cake decorating tips, but I lost them in all my moving that I've done over the years.  I'm sure I'll be getting more very soon.

Consistency

I'm trying to be more consistent with my bloggings.  If that's even a word... wait it's not, because the red line just popped up underneath it.  Oh well, I made it a word.

I'm drinking a cup of hot cocoa in a mug that someone got me.  I can't remember who got me it, but whoever did, thank you because it's cute and it keeps my cocoa warm.

I think my dog is getting the hang of potty training.  That's one thing I've been consistent with.  I've read over and over how dachshunds are hard to potty train.  Believe me he's had his share of accidents, one in which he pooped at Kaylee's house, but that's been forgiven. :)

Another thing I'm trying to be consistent with again is working out.  I used to love working out.  When I was doing P90x or Insanity I was working out 6 days a week.  In hindsight that may have been a bit overkill, but I was pumped up.

I recently joined a gym.  I like it so far.  I usually do the elliptical or run on the treadmill.  Tonight I did a Zumba class and let me just say that it is SOOO fun.  I get to shake my booty, hips, and pop it, with no judgment.  It's great.  I know I probably look dumb doing it, but nobody notices.  Everyone else is trying to work on the  moves and watching themselves do it.

To give you a little taste of it, here's a short video.  Doesn't it look like SO MUCH fun?

Dreams

I've always had pretty vivid dreams, and I can usually remember at least one dream a night.
I had a great dream last night, and I thought I'd better hurry and write it down before I forgot the details.

I dreamt that my Dad was sitting at a table with 3 remotes.  He was going to explain to me how to use each of them with the TV.  (Which is funny because he would always call my brother or me to help him figure out how to use the remote with the TV.)

I asked him if he knew that he wasn't in this world anymore, that he wasn't supposed to be here.  He knew it, but he had to show me the remotes first.  I asked him again if he knew that he's not in this body and that he's not alive.  He said, "I know baby, but I have to show you these remotes."

I asked him what it was like where he was.  He said, "Ohhh, it's beautiful.  So peaceful.  Just beautiful."
I asked him if he ever saw Jesus. He said, "We see him every now and then when he comes out of His pyramid, but we ALWAYS feel his presence.  We feel it all the time, kind of like you do here, but way more intense."

That's all I remember of my dream.  I thought it was a beautiful dream, it gave me some peace.  I don't remember if he ever showed me how to use the remotes. :)  Although, I doubt that was the point of the dream.

2011

As December is just around the corner (tomorrow), it made me start thinking about 2011.
I'm not one to make New Year's Resolutions for 2 reasons.
//one// I aim toward the goal for about a week and then I forget about them conveniently.
//two// It seems as though making it a "New Years Resolution" equals automatic failure no matter what it is.

I used to do the whole, "This year, I want to be healthy and lose 25 lbs!"
Two days later, I'm sitting on my couch surrounded by empty bags of chips, stuffing my face with Oreos and weeping uncontrollably.

Instead of New Years Resolutions, I am making a list of "Things I want to accomplish in 2011".
Same thing?  Maybe.  Worded differently? Yes.


Here is my list thus far:

1. Complete a 5K

  2. Complete a 10K (after the 5K of course) 

                                                          

       

3. Study for and Pass my CCRN (Certified Critical Care Registered Nurse)

4.  Make a budget and stick to it.

5. Take a vacation out of the country

This is all I have for now... I believe this is a good start though.

Delta Dawn, what's that flower you have on?

Isn't it amazing how a song can take you back, back to a memory... A moment in time that was either good or bad, but for some reason that song and in an instant it was stamped in your brain.

Delta Dawn by Tanya Tucker...  One of the songs I would always put in my cassette player and sing for my mom & dad, and for my brother even though he hated to hear me sing.  It also reminds me of my High School Spanish teacher.  One time in class he started singing it.

Does anybody use Myspace anymore?  I think it's mainly used for music nowadays.  I got on there today for the first time in probably 4 months. I'm not really sure why I have an account.  I wonder when the next new thing is going to come into play and facebook & twitter will be booted out?

Speaking of booted, has anyone heard that song "Toot it and Boot it"?  It's got a catchy beat, and I'm pretty sure it's a song about a guy who takes girls home from clubs, sleeps with them, and kicks them out.  I could be wrong though, for the longest time I thought it said, "That's what I do to them booties".
Not the most clear lyrics.

I don't know how many songs I sing that I assume they say one thing and I really don't care to look up the lyrics, and it's way off.  I had a friend in college who thought on Alanis Morrissette's song "Ironic", when it says, "and who would of thought, it figures"... she thought it said, "and who would of thought, it's the earth."   My other friend thought the song by Ke$ha started out saying, "Wake up in the morning lookin' like P. Diddy" when it's actually "Wake up in the morning feelin like P. Diddy".  We teased her that she woke up one morning and yelled, "Aaah I'm a black man!".

Anyway, whether or not you like Ellen Degeneres, misheard lyrics always reminds me of one of her jokes from her show "Here & Now".

Skip ahead to about 2:39 and it's where she talks about it. So funny...

Dexter

This little boy is a turkey, but he brightens my day everyday.

I love this little pup.

He is 16 weeks old.  Hyper, but snuggly.  I'm working on potty training him... which is a big feat considering I live on the second floor.  He is a dachshund, not a miniature, but he was the runt.

He's had some problems with tracheitis and gastritis, but he's getting better and worth every cent I've had to spend at the vet.

Yes, I named him after one of my favorite TV shows: Dexter.

No, he's not a serial killer puppy.

No, he's not mean and he's not going to be.  

One day I'll get him a brother or a sister, but not until I get a house with a backyard.

I adopted him from LowRider Dachshund Rescue.  This lady and her husband take in dachshunds from puppy mills, off the street, and people who can't take care of them anymore.  She has over 20 dogs and 10 puppies.  Her house is super clean, the dogs are taken very good care of, and they have their vaccinations & spayed/neutered.

If you are in the market and want to give a dog a forever home, I would recommend this place 100%.

Getting back to life

I had dealt with death quite a bit being an ICU nurse.
I had never lost anyone close to me however.  My Grandma died when I was 5.  I remember feeling  sad, but I don't remember much about it.  My other grandparents had passed away before I was old enough to remember or before I was born.

It's amazing how your whole world can be turned upside down in one moment.

September 16th at 8:00 am was that moment for me.

I had just gotten off work and was sound asleep when I got a phone call nobody ever wants to get.

My Dad had died.

Typing those words still doesn't seem real to me.

Grief is a weird thing.  You learn about the stages of grief, yet they jumble into your life minute to minute.

It's true you don't really know until you experience the loss of someone so close to you.

You can't REALLY understand... at least I couldn't before this happened to me.

Days are getting better.  I still have those moments that hit me like a brick in the chest and all I can do is cry.  There's always a dull ache in my heart, and I'm sure that won't ever really go away.  Some days I'm doing good, and some days it's forced happiness and smiles.  Sometimes I feel angry that other people are happy, then I feel guilty for feeling angry, and then I get sad.  Sometimes I don't understand why everyone else's world has kept going while mine has stopped.  There are little triggers that come out of nowhere.  The other day I was in my patient's room and a song came on the TV that reminded me of him.

It's the deepest pain I have ever felt.  

The man that was around me, raised me, and supported me the best way he could for my 25 years of life, is no longer here on this Earth.  I can't ever again hear his voice, smell his aftershave, hear his corny jokes, or see him turn the channel 800 times a minute.

Sometimes I feel like people think I should be "over" this by now.  While as the days go on it gets better, I will never be "over" it.. just learning to living in a new sense of "normal."

I am so blessed with my mother and brother  and my friends. God has carried us through it and I know He has been there holding us in our darkest times.

Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress, my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief.  Psalm 31:9

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:25-30

And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes  Revelation 7:15-17

As my brother's wedding and the holidays approach, along with rejoicing there will be sadness.

Prayers for my family and I are still appreciated. 

We are so grateful for the cards, visits, food, and prayers from everyone.

love.

piercing.

I found out that where I work, they really don't care about facial piercings unless I have them chained up and what not.  I have been wanting my eyebrow pierced for a long time, but in my line of work, I never thought it would be feasible.

Me and my friend Kaylee went to 23rd Street Body Piercing and the guy (Jason) that pierced it was great.  It was all sterile, and he was professional, but fun.  Kaylee was the nervous one, and she didn't get anything done.  She was nervous talking, which kept me laughing, and Jason laughing too.

I must say, it turned out pretty cute.

It's going to take 2-3 months to heal.

When it does heal, I plan to get one more piercing and then I'll be done.  After that, I will start getting my tattoos one by one.  I read on a forum the other day when someone asked, 

I'm considering getting my first tattoo. How do I know when I've thought of an idea good enough to be sure I want it permanently on my body?

The answer?

        it won't be there permanently, eventually you'll die and then later you'll get a new body. 
                   pick something that looks cool and that you're okay with looking at every day.

                             HAHA. love it.

You got a fast car... I want a ticket to anywhere

Right now, I am on the lookout for a new vehicle.

Nothing is wrong with my car, I actually love it.

However, my mother has decided to buy my car, and she needs a good and dependable car.

I figure I'll never get away from car payments, and God has blessed me with a career that I can afford them still.

I love my Honda Civic, I've had it for 4 years and it has been such a good vehicle... I have decided not to stray from the Honda family.

number one//   

Honda Pilot

It has third row seating... which is handy for all of my children. haha

It's probably too big for me, but I just want it.

number two///                                                                                 

       Honda CR-V

Smaller SUV and better on gas mileage.

Also, it is considerably cheaper than a Pilot.

number three//

Honda Accord

Probably more practical.

I'm sort of done having a car.

I really just want a SUV.

I will probably get the CR-V.  My friend has one, and loves it.

I hate going to car dealerships though.

They always try to pull crap on women.  

At least they always do on me, and since I don't know anything about cars, it usually works.  Then I find out later that I could've had this or that done 90 bucks cheaper down the street or I could've done it at home.

Times like these I wish I wasn't single so I could make my boyfriend go with me... then when I was done I could dump him.  haha.  I kid.  I kid. (or am I?)

(ten) things to know

ten random things to know about me:

(one): i stay up until at least 3 am every night when i'm not at work.  There are a few exceptions where I go to bed early.

(two): i often start projects and quickly get bored with them... as evidenced by my "picture of the day" thing i started last week.  yep.  i'm already done with it.

(three): i treat people with respect and kindness and expect the the same in return.  this is a no-brainer, everyone wants that...right?   however i seem to encounter people/friends that do not share the same sentiment.

(four): i use my dictionary/thesaurus frequently.  i hate looking like an idiot if i misspell something.  i just used it to see how to spell "misspell".

(five): if i add a song to my iTunes, and then find i don't like it, i will delete it.  there's no sense in using my memory in case i might like it later.


(six): when i am in control of the volume, it has to land on an even number.  it doesn't bother me as much if someone else is controlling the volume, just when i do.


(seven): i have 5 packs of floss.  i once went a couple of day with no floss.  those were bad days. i stocked up.


(eight): pretty much all of my friends are either married and/or have kids.  i have neither of those things.  this is okay with me.  for some people it is not okay that i am single and/or don't have children.  mostly people from my hometown that see me once every three years.  my tolerance wears thin.


(nine): i habitually daydream of moving to some place like austin and being a hippie.  owning a little shop. wearing big flowing dresses. long hair. eating organic food. listening to music in my tiny house.


(ten): i have a career.  i have a job i love.  i have a job that is rewarding beyond belief.
                     i still do not know what i want to be when i grow up... 

August 1st - 7th ((Picture a day))

This is probably meaningless to anyone who reads this.
However, I am doing this to help me remember what happened on what day.

It's kinda like the book "The Notebook", but instead of someone reading me a story and me having Alzheimer's; I'll take pictures and hopefully remember what happened even with the paragraph.

August 1st:::  I had been wanting to do a flower arrangement for awhile.  However, I couldn't do one because I'm decoratingly (not sure if that's a word) challenged.  I faced my fears.  Kaylee and I went to Hobby Lobby, got a vase, and just started putting random flowers to make this. ^  I'm very proud of us.

August 2nd::: In my attempt to save money, I like to wax my own eyebrows.  I'm not horrible at it, except I leave them really red and in pain for a long time.  It doesn't make much sense when I pay people to paint my toes though.  Eh, you cut costs where you can.

August 3rd::: For those of you who have no idea who this person is, it's Ali from the Bachelorette.  I'm kind of embarassed that I got sucked into this show, especially since I haven't watched one single season before this.  Once I started watching it when I lived with Kaylee, it went downhill from there.  I worked the night the finale aired and I avoided facebook/twitter all night because people like to spoil things.  I rushed home after a long night of work and even though I was dead tired, I had to see if she chose Roberto or Chris.  I was pleased.

August 4th::: I know you are probably wondering what these two have in common and why I took a picture of them.  I have been having crazy heartburn for a bit and Zantac has become my new best friend.  However, my beloved Diet Coke make my heartburn 10x worse.  Hello Zantac, goodbye my sweet sweet Diet Coke.

August 5th::: I had been craving a steak for a couple of days.  Although I cut into this one before I remembered that I should take a picture of it, it still looks tasty.  Medium Well even.  Baby steps people.

August 6th:::  Today, I felt like a real adult.  I went into Mathis Brothers and bought a brand new dining room set and coffee table.  It was overwhelming with all the choices, yet I'm happy with the choices I made.

August 7th:::  The Johnson Clan (Kaylee & Jeremy) had an amazing cookout and I didn't fully capture the magnificent spread of food they have. I ate way too much.  Good food. Good friends. Good times.

Spinning.

My world is spinning so fast.
I can't remember what happened on what days.
I'm not sure if this is how other people feel.
Maybe it's because I work a night shift.

I have figured out a new blog schtick.

Let's be realistic.  I can't cook well, but my cooking through a cookbook thing was a good idea in theory.
I eat two meals a day and one usually consists of a Lean Cuisine.

I determined a way to help me remember what happened on what days.

A picture a day.
I will post weekly pictures of each day with brief paragraphs.
I've already started on August 1st.
Some may be significant.
Some may not.

Surprisingly, people actually read my blog.  (I have a site counter thanks to Google Analytics suggested by Faith)
If people are reading my blog, I assume they must be somewhat interested in what goes on in my boring life.
I shall keep going with this blog thing.
It was sort of a new year's resolution, but not really because I think I started it before the new year anyway.

Love.

Death.

Working at a hospital especially in a critical care setting, you see a lot of death.
Sometimes death comes in groups.
Sometimes it's weeks before you have a death.
Most of the time I block it out, you learn to separate from it.  That's your job.  It's life.  This is what happens.

Without elaborating too much (for confidentiality sake), I had a patient death recently that hit me harder than usual.
This patient I had taken care of all three nights.  Very nice person, not terribly unstable, no drips, but in the CCU for a very good reason,  This patient was a great person, a little anxious (reasonably), and the family was wonderful.  When I left that week for my 5 days off, I didn't give a second thought about it.  This patient was to be better and get out of the unit within the next 2 days.

I come back to work to find out this patient had died a couple of days later unexpectedly.

It's weird to me because I've had many great patients, with wonderful families, that I didn't expect to pass away and yet this one affected me differently.

I've come to terms with it now and it wasn't that I was heartbroken/sobbing.  It's just a little piece of me was different after that and I can't quite put my finger on it.

I'm not even sure why I wrote this, but deaths are something in my life that happens often and I guess I just wanted to share how sometimes I deal with it.... and sometimes I don't.

Ra Ra ah-ah-ah

Last Tuesday, I went to the Lady Gaga concert.  It was AMAZING.  I know a lot of people don't like her. Some say she's weird.  Some say she's really a man.  Some say she's going to hell and everyone that listens to her is going there as well //The Westboro Baptist Crazies that protested\\  Either way, she puts on a great show and she actually has a good voice.  It's not a kid friendly concert by any means, although parents brought their 10 year old sons/daughters.




Time is still going super fast for me.  I don't know if it'll slow down once I get a little more settled in or not?  I'm still loving my job and loving my apartment.  I've made some changes in my life and I've never felt better.  I think all the stress has made my Crohn's flare up the past few weeks which hasn't been the most pleasant experience, but nothing I can't deal with.

Well, those who know me well, know that I'm not a decorator.  My friend Kaylee has been really helping me out and I'm slowly getting my apartment to look the way I want it.  I have this 80's lamp in my dining room that came with the apartment... and I love it.  (Of course.)  I'll be posting pictures once I get things arranged.

Love.

Falling behind.

-I moved into my apartment last Saturday and I love it.  I'm in the process of getting it decorated and getting what I need.... groceries for one thing.

-I love my job still.  I had my first horrible/critical night the other night.  I'm glad I got it out of the way. There is so much help there, it's amazing.

-My 25th birthday is next month.  I don't know why I'm freaking out so much?

- I will put up pictures of things sometime...

I just feel like I'm constantly busy, and I don't know when it's going to stop?  Maybe it's because I can't go to sleep until 5 am, and then when I wake up around 2 or 3 (depending on whether I have to work), I have to rush to get things done.  <-----That was a really long sentence.

Update: July 4th

- My apartment isn't available to move into until July 10th.

- I started really working and I love it.


That's about it.

I'm exciting.

I just needed to update because it's been so long.

Brief Update

Hello to all who read this and care or those that are just being nosy!  ;-)

What's been going in my life the past couple of weeks you ask?

-Partially moved to the city.  I'm staying with my friends until my apartment opens the first of July.

-Started new job.  I have been in hospital orientation and will be until 2 weeks from now.  I will start my
real unit orientation after that.  I shadowed one day in the unit and was so amazed at how different it was from my previous place of employment.  I know I'm going to love it here and I am so excited to learn new things.  I plan on staying here for a long time, and I am grateful that I was hired on to this place.  It's hard to get on with because not many people quit unless they move away.  They care about their patients and their nurses.  It's a wonderful place!

-I will be moving twice.  My friends that I'm staying with are moving to their new house on Saturday.  Then 2 weeks after that I will be moving the big stuff into my apartment.

I will feel much better after I settle into my apartment.  I am so thankful for my friends letting me stay with them, but I will feel a little more relieved once I have all of my stuff with me instead of just the bare necessities.

I've been working 5 days a week and getting up early.  I thought that I would want a job like that, but I take it back.  I am spoiled and I love my 3 days a week, 4 days off.  I can get so much done... even when working nights!  I will be ready to start my night shift again!

Love you all!

tattoos

Normally I wouldn’t post such a lengthy blog because I know that people have short attention spans.    You can skip to the pictures if you’d like or you can read it all.

Most of you know that I am a planner.  I research things in detail before I make a decision.  This was a year and a half plan to get a tattoo, and to get the right tattoo for my first one.

Raul from Diablo Rojo in Austin, TX

The finished product.  I have lots of moles/freckles so it's inevitable that my tattoos will be in or around them.  If you'll notice, there is shading of red in both "love".

I chose to get lyrics from my favorite song, which has been my favorite song since the album came out in 2006.

The song “Age of Reptiles/Age of Insects” is a song by Showbread on the Age of Reptiles album.  It’s a little over 10 minutes long, and it’s absolutely beautiful.  For those of you who think that all they do is “scream”, there is very little “screaming” in this song.  This song has gotten me through some rough times.  It makes me feel closer to Jesus, like He is right there holding me.  Even though I am a mere human, a mess, and a screw up, He is there taking it all away.  He bears my burden and sets me free.  He is my Savior.  If you ever have 10 minutes to spare, please listen to this song. 

Lyrics (to the Age of Reptiles part):

I am made of parts that freeze & ligaments that atrophy

Though they look they’ll never see

They don’t know something’s wrong with me

Just as well I’ll never tell what’s underneath my scales

I’ve worn too thin to honor you, My every effort fails

Bury me with Israel  and cover up my tracks

Leave not a trace of what I was I’m never coming back

And if your mercy falls upon He whose blood is cold

Unearth me with your hands of love And never break your hold

The world is full of ones like me

Who need to see the truth

But the truth is never truth indeed

The truth is only you

Jesus bless the crocodiles

Forgive the cobras and all the snakes

Open up your arms to carry all of our mistakes

Suck the venom from every bite Vomit every drop

Some of us may bite your hand But some of us will not

And every knee will bow before you Each forked tongue confess

My selfishness will rot in me And I will seek your rest

Still some lizards flee from you Ashamed of all they’ve been

So Jesus take myself from me Never bring it back again

The world is full of ones like me Who need to see the truth

But the truth is never truth indeed The truth is only you

The world will soon become extinct The age will pass away

And all will know that you are God, hallowed be your name

Jesus bless the crocodiles

Forgive the cobras and all the snakes
Open up your arms to carry all of our mistakes

Forgive the basilisk, Forgive the moccasins and adders too

Have mercy on each alligator that never lived for you

I myself hatched from an egg

No white light from above

Just another ancient serpent that never earned your love

Still you find me underneath the rocks and in the ground

I cower there just short of air and never made a sound

It’s true that I’m in love with you and even in my shame

You wipe away the imperfections and take away the pain

You wrap your loving arms around this wretched thing called me

Your love is all I’ll ever need

Your love has set me free.

The truth is only you.

Beautiful right?

I know some people’s personal beliefs/opinions are that tattoos are a sin.  For some it’s just personal preference to not have them

Many people use the reference in Leviticus 19:28

Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

However we are no longer under the Old law, and looking at it in context God is talking about the pagan religious rituals that are idolatrous devotion and witchcraft.

If people still would prefer to use this as a reference, then we should step back to Leviticus 19:26-27

Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. Do not practice divination or sorcery.

Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

I see many Christians today eating blood filled meat and cutting their hair, but that does not apply to us today either.  These were also pagan rituals that are no longer applicable.

Romans 14 is also a good source since the Bible is not clear on the issue of tattoos.  I feel no guilt, condemnation toward myself, or doubt about tattoos.  I don’t believe that the tattoo that I have and the tattoos that I will get will cause another person to stumble.  If anything, I believe this one will be a great conversation starter on what Jesus has done in my life.

I am taking this from two different questions on Showbread’s formspring account and I think it’s stated very well.  This is in regards to 1 Corinthians 6:19

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own. 

“Some people say tattoos are defiling your body, which is a temple, but I can’t imagine why decorative pictures are anymore defiling a temple than a lovely mural painted on a church wall.  It seems to me, tattoos make some believers (who find them unconventional) uncomfortable and they might like to think there’s a way to explain them as sinful when in reality they are ultimately trivial and inconsequential as a shirt we wear, a color we dye our hair, or paint we put on our fingernails” – Josh Dies

“i don't think it is only applicable toward sexual immorality, i think the scripture is putting an emphasis on health and care for your "temple." some folks use this to argue against tattoos, which doesn't make a lot of sense because it's like arguing that painting a church or hanging art in it keeps it from honoring God, what reason would one ever have for thinking that art on your body keeps it from honoring God? on the contrary, would might say that celebrating art (which is God's invention) honors God!” -Josh

Also I am aware that when I get to be about 70 or 80 they will not look the same. 

At least I’ll have wrinkly colorful skin.

I’m interested to hear if you have any thoughts/beliefs on tattoos.  Either way my belief will stay the same and as I shared mine, you are welcome to share yours.  I’m always curious to hear other thoughts and opinions.

            

I found it.

 As Faith suggested, I am going to do a cook through a cookbook thing.  

I will wait until I have the internet... and a cookbook.

In other news, I have always wanted to know how to play the piano.

I am seriously looking into taking lessons when I move to OKC. 

If I can't find lessons, I'm going to try to teach myself.

I need to find a keyboard, I know it's not the exact same. 

 It would get me started though don't you think?

I have all kinds of dreams. 

Maybe I'm taking on too much, especially in the midst of trying to settle into a new house, city, and job.

One day at a time.

Also, I am very blessed to have these people in my life.  Without them, I would be homeless.

-My brother.  Even if he does insult me occasionally and leave me sweet messages like this:

-Kaylee & Jeremy.  They are letting me stay with them for 3 weeks until I can move into my apartment.          

I have to polish the good China daily though.  ;-)

I need a shtick.

I do, need a shtick or schtick... however you spell it.

Exercise was it for awhile, now that's being put on hold.
I'm pretty boring, so I never really have anything interesting to add.

*I read.  I don't really want to write my thoughts of books, plus who reads those anyway?
*I watch movies. Again, I don't want to write my thoughts on movies.  It'd be either GOOD or BAD.
*I have no children.  I can't really write about nonexistent kids.
*I work in a hospital.  I can't write about patients and even if I wrote something without details of names or stuff, it's still probably a HIPAA violation.
*I go to concerts.  Not often enough to keep a weekly blog of it though.

I'm at a loss.

I forget to take my camera places, so unless I can start taking pictures of my daily life, nobody wants to JUST read about it.

Help.

Uprooting.

I am now jobless.  At least I am for 3 weeks until I start my new job.

What am I doing these next three weeks of free time, you ask?

*Looking for a place to live.

That's it.

I'm lame and boring. 

Hopefully, I will be moving in those three weeks as well.

Living in Northern OKC in an apartment is expensive.

I made myself a budget. (I'm going to try really hard to stick to it.)

I have wanted a new bed for awhile.  

Hmmm. King or Queen.  

I have also wanted a new TV.

Hmmm. 32" or 42".

I have saved up a considerable amount of money, so I can afford these things.

I have budgeted for them.

I will miss these people:

These folks are part of my ICU crew in A-town.  They are awesome.

The pregnant one (Michelle) taught me so much when I was a nursing student, she doesn't work

there anymore though.  

Wish me luck on my apartment looking... I might try to blog my adventure.  My friend Ashley will be accompanying me in my journey, she has an eye for these kinds of things.  Maybe even my little "nephew" Brayden will help too!

I broke my dang toe.

I broke my pinkie toe.  Well, I didn't have an X-Ray or anything, but it hurts to move it, it's bruised and swollen and I can't bear weight.
You know what that means?
No working out for awhile.
I'm hoping it's just sprained, so maybe it'll heal faster?

I'm not being a wuss either.  I guess maybe I am a little.

I was all into Insanity too.  I completed a week and half and I love it a billion times more than P90x.
I was also already seeing subtle differences in my body and I even lost 2 lbs!

Oh well, once my toe heels, I'll just start over again.

Just wanted to give an update to anyone who reads this, and to let you know I'm not being a slacker.

New things on the horizon.

As many of you know, I have been looking for a job in the city.  I already have a job in A-town, but other than that job, there is nothing there for me.  I am single and have no kids, and I don't even live in A-town anymore.  I ultimately wanted to move to OKC because that's where a lot of my friends my age are, and I loved living there when I was a freshman in college.

I have had so many great learning experiences when I was in A-town, and was very lucky to get a critical care job coming right out of college.  However, "to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun"...

I had 2 interviews the other day, both were at the same hospital.  On my way to those interviews, I got a call from the hospital that I really wanted for an interview.  For some reason, I had brought extra resumes so I just scheduled the interview for that day.

3 interviews in one day = EXHAUSTING.

When I went to my third and final interview, I had a great feeling and knew this is where I wanted to be.
I was hired on the spot and now I am looking forward to moving & starting a new direction in my career.

I will miss all my wonderful friends I made in A-town, and I am so blessed because I had such a great opportunity to learn a lot of things in the unit.

I am so excited about this new adventure in my life.  Really excited!

Done. Finished. Complete.

With some thought and consideration, I have decided I am done with the P90x program for now.

Here are the reasons:
1. I busted my rear for 60 days and I have lost hardly any inches, my clothes don't fit any better, and if I'm not following the exact diet, I'm not going to see the results I want.
2. If I'm going to exercise and hate what I'm doing (except a few DVDs I did like), I don't see the point in doing something I hate/dread so much.
3. I gained muscle, but I'm not getting much cardio. I NEED cardio.  I run/jog and love it...
4. I have a right shoulder issue from lifting a very heavy person and P90x aggravated it I think.

So I am sort of a flake.

I got my Insanity in the mail yesterday, but my chiropractor said that I need to get my shoulder in line before I start that.  I will be jogging until then I guess.