November 28, 2009

Fear

Posted by Hilary under Personal
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“I really don’t believe in fear.  I believe in putting in the work.”  -Deena Kastor

This was one of my Runner’s World quotes of the day that is sent to my inbox every morning to inspire and motivate me into being a more vigilant runner.  Funny that I probably haven’t gone for a real run since spring.

I thought of this “quote of the day” when I was spending time with my boyfriends  family.  We finished Thanksgiving dinner (lunch, really) and were sitting around watching the dog show, letting the turkey chemicals do their magic.  Dave’s mom started talking to me about school and some of the things I do in my clinics.  She asked, “Well don’t you get scared”?  It only took me a few seconds to respond, letting the words come out before I had a chance to let everything register.  “No”, I replied, “I don’t really think about it as it’s happening.  I just kind of go with it, do what I’m trained to do, then maybe think about it later.  I usually feel pretty awesome after the fact”.

Truthfully, I surprised myself.  My boyfriends mother just responded by saying, “Well, you ARE a pretty calm person”.  I didn’t argue and just sort of chuckled to myself. 

I realized that a year ago if put in the same situations that I’ve been in, I would have frozen up, never wanting to return to an operating room again.  All of the hard work and sacrifices that I’ve made this year has given me strength and confidence that I never knew was in me.  Through hard work I’m seeing my goals fulfilled.  Through hard work I AM fearless.

Don’t worry!  I’m not becoming one of those uber positive, always having some inspiring story to share, there’s a lesson to be learned in everything,  sorts of people.  I’m just saying that I’m proud of myself and my classmates who have seen this thing through.  This has been an amazing year and in two more weeks we’ll be finished.

Best wishes to all, my fellow hard-workers.  Be fearless in whatever lies ahead.

 

-H

 

 

July 19, 2009

It’s been a while

Posted by Hilary under Personal, Uncategorized
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I sort of feel like I’ve lost touch with the outside world.  If I’m not commuting to my clinic site I’m driving back home, and when I’m not doing either I’m preparing for the next day in the operating room.  I feel as though many of my projects have been put on the back burner, but for now I couldn’t be happier about it.

I started the first practicum for the program that I’m in, surgical technology, this month.  After completeing the second week of my summer clinical I can still say with complete honesty that I’m thrilled to be a part of it all.  Even though I have to wake up at 4 a.m. and have to be in the car for an hour and a half EACH WAY, I’m loving it.

Without divulging anything about actual cases I’ve been a part of I just want to note that in my two weeks doing my “thing” hands on, I already feel that I have: made a difference, made friends with some of the staff, have NOT been yelled at by the surgeon, and have been made to feel like I’m still on the right path.

I’m hoping to keep up with things more now that I’m getting used to my new routine, but we’ll see:)

-H

 

May 10, 2009

Dave’s Easy Rhubarb Cake Recipe

Posted by Hilary under Baking, gardening | Tags: , |
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Earlier this spring, sometime in March, I went around my garden taking pictures of the earliest signs of life coming up.  Some of my favorite pictures is of my rhubarb, making their presence known with their pink and bright green display coming up through the leaf mulch.  I liked it so much I made one of the pic’s my blog banner.

rhubarb

rhubarb 3

rhubarb 2 Now that it’s May my rhubarb is beautifully full.  The plants were getting so big that I decided to cut some last week and start baking with it or freezing pies (I’ve been told I make a MEAN rhubarb pie).  I wasn’t sure if it was too soon, but the plant looked ready so I just went for it!

May R 2May rhubarbThe pictures above can’t even begin to show just how immense these plants were before I picked some for my baking endeavors.

strawberry barb 1The elusive “strawberry rhubarb”.  I’m not sure what it’s real name is, but country folks or folks who just really know their rhubarb LOVE this variety.  Dave’s parents gave us this plant this year and it’s already doing really well.  I picked some of this too and incorporated it in with my “Victoria” rhubarb.

strawberry barb 2It’s naturally sweeter than regular rhubarb and has thin red stalks.  When you pick it, it actually seems to be a little sticky.

When you see a strawberry rhubarb pie, chances are it’s regular “Victoria” rhubarb baked with actual strawberries.  Not the Same!

Anyway, the point of this blog was to share a yummy and amazingly easy recipe that my boyfriend showed me.  I apologize that I can’t give exact measurements.  That’s just how I roll.

Easy Rhubarb Cake

1 package white cake mix

2 cups rhubarb, chopped or diced (you can use more or less rhubarb.  2 cups is an estimate)

1 pkg. strawberry jello

Mix the cake mix according the the boxes instructions and pour into a greased pan.  In a medium to large bowl mix chopped rhubarb with the jello powder.  Plop the jello-ed rhubarb onto the cake batter that is already in the pan.  No need to stir, the pieces sink to the bottom.  Bake at 350 until toothpick or knife comes out clean.  Let cool.

The result is something like an upside-down cake.  I would love to try this in a bundt pan some day!

-H

 

April 9, 2009

20’s

Posted by Hilary under Personal | Tags: , , |
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Things I miss about my 20’s:

  • The ability to function with little or no sleep.
  • Always having plans on the weekends.
  • Being okay with having a meaningless job.
  • Having that fresh, no makeup needed skin.
  • Getting good grades while putting forth very little effort.
  • “Perkiness”
  • Doing crazy stupid things without much concern for consequences.
  • No pressure from anyone to get married or have kids.
  • Having all your friends in the same city or state.
  • Living in downtown Iowa City.

Things I don’t miss about my 20’s:

  • DRAMA!
  • Not caring about what I should be learning.
  • Fear of not fitting in.
  • Consequences of doing (or being an accomplice to) crazy stupid things.
  • Commitment Issues.
  • Not knowing who your real friends are.
  • The hangover from having plans every weekend.
  • Being wasteful with most things, especially money.
  • Living on PB&J and ramen, or just eating at work until all bills have been paid.
  • Dealing with or worrying about all the BS because you think you have to.
  • Living in downtown Iowa City.
 

March 17, 2009

Heavenly Compost

Posted by Hilary under gardening | Tags: , |
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I’ve been an apartment dweller for pretty much my entire life up until about 3 years ago when my boyfriend and I decided to buy an old Iowa four-square to fix up.  So far home ownership is great, even though we quickly learned how spoiled we’ve been from living in apartments for so long.  We sometimes curse the house when we have to shovel or snow blow mountains of snow (we live on a corner lot), and sometimes fend off panics when realizing that it costs a lot of money to fix some of the smallest things.  Overall, though, home ownership has been very rewarding and educational.  I never imagined that I would get so into something, and it surprises me that I get really excited about the most random things…like compost.

Everything I’ve read and every gardener I’ve talked to sing the praises of a good compost to fertilize anything from rose bushes to tomatoes.  I really caught on to the idea once I started seeing great results with the use of grass clipping in my veggie garden.  So since mid summer of last year I’ve been dumping everything from orange and banana peels to coffee grounds and spent grain and hops (used in my beer making endeavors) into a big plastic bucket that I keep covered in my kitchen.  I think I have some brown (dead leaves & straw) in there too, but it’s been so long I can’t be certain of this.  Right now when I open the lid I see a dark putrid mess!  OK.  It doesn’t smell that bad.  It wouldn’t be in the house otherwise.  But it looks disgusting, and amazingly it keeps melting down or working itself together, so I always seem to have enough room to add a little something extra.

Anyway, I’ve been cooking this stuff up for a while and I have these visions of tilling it into my vegetable gardens soil and growing the biggest, most amazing edibles on the planet.  Then I fall back to earth in one big thud realizing that I really don’t know what I’m doing; that I might do more harm then good if I put that glop out there.  I wonder if I should tone it down first in a real compost pile before I try using it.

Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve read about the stuff.  I know the basics.  I know what not to put in compost, and I know the basic construction of the traditional compost bin/pile.  I’ve also heard of people putting straight coffee grounds and tea bag contents directly into their gardens, and I’ve even tried the rotten banana trick with my roses in late Fall (it seems to work).  I have to think there might be something to putting such a concentrated cocktail directly into the mix of things.

So now I’ll put it out there into la la land and ask anyone who might happen upon my puny little blog.  Should I do it or shouldn’t I?  Any suggestions would be great:)

(sorry.  no pictures today!  you can thank me later.)

-H

 

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