A little background. In order to apply for the radiography program (that I really want to get into) it is just about mandatory that you follow people around the radiology department for part of a day, so that you know if you really want to do the kind of work they do. The competition is very stiff for this program, so I figured anything I could do to improve my chances was a good use of my time. So off I went.
The day went along pretty well. I found myself following a second year student in the program and got to stick my head into the room during various procedures. I got to talk with a variety of the students about what they liked about the program etc. and noticed how much computer work is involved. Luckily, this hospital has gone to all digital imaging, so there won't be any film development and the results are available much faster. Soon, I was handed off to a senior technician who was headed up to the surgery floor. Cool!
On the surgery floor, I was handed a paper suit and snazzy paper shower cap. The pants were extra long and since falling flat on my face wasn't likely to impress anyone, I had to roll the legs up... dork-style. This tech showed me some specialized imaging equipment they use when patients can't be moved, such as the patient he x-rayed on the operating table with his spine exposed. Pretty cool!
Now for the discouraging part. In talking with some of the students, and the senior tech, I learned that the economy is so tight right now, none of this current batch of students expects to be hired by the hospital when they graduate. And then, when one student was showing me how (in the world) to get out of the hospital and back to my car, we talked about how she got accepted into the program. She said she was surprised that even with perfect 4.0 grades, she didn't get accepted the first time she applied. I said I was hoping that my... ahem...maturity might work in my favor. She said she was 36! Okay, I am older than that, but is the world saying that having some life experience and perfect grades isn't enough to get you into the program the first time you apply?? Oh darn and cr*p!
I'm still getting ready to apply, just a bit... umm... subdued.
So, I got home to find Stud Muffin fretting about a pair of birds that decided they wanted to build their nest above the front door. On a tiny ledge about 1/2 wide. Not the best plan. They had spent all morning while I was at the hospital bringing grass and twigs and trying to stick it to the ledge with... bird poo! In fact, they used so much "stickum" it's a wonder they were still alive to keep trying! Of course, the twigs and grass wouldn't stay, so then we had bird droppings all over the front stoop, with an equal amount of garden trash thrown in for good measure.
Since these stupid birds were determined to try and build there no matter how hard we tried to discourage them, the decision was made (sadly) to exterminate them. Studly sat in the doorway with an airgun, trying to pick off a bird as it perched on the porch railing. He was actually very cute sitting there, but could have looked a bit more redneck if he was wearing an undershirt and drinking a beer while he did it! I was going to take a picture of him for my blog, but, well, he was serious and he had a long gun!
Today, he switched to a shotgun to increase the number of pellets flying towards the birds. He thought about something more powerful, but I had horrible visions of huge holes shot into the porch and the side of the house!! I hung some old CDs to try to scare them, but the little suckers just flew up between them! The nerve!!
Finally, as I was working on my hateful Physical Science final, I heard a strange ripping sound, over and over again. But I was working hard so I ignored the sounds until they stopped. When I took a break, my creative husband had used painter's tape to seal off the ledge, making it impossible for the blighters to land! Yeah!
See? Neat, huh! This is a really bad photo of the mess...
after Studly cleaned it up!! Seriously, it was gross and sticky and has lots of grass and twigs thrown around! What a guy!!
5 comments:
MIL here-----does this remind you of the doves I had in Hemet???????and you spent almost all day putting up fake flowers to discourage the little stinkers from nesting up there???? And remember how SORE your arms and back were!!!!!!!hehehehehe...!!!....
The real question is...How old were those makeup products you swear you used today? Circa 1985???
MYS
MIL - EXACTLY ehst Studly and I were talking about!! Except I forgot about being sore.
MYS - Yes, I think the makeup was from the early 80's. Was blue sparkly eye shadow a bad choice???
We had this problem when we lived in the rental house. There was a hole underneath the roof just over the front porch where they built a nest last spring. They left us presents of bird poo on our cars and on the front porch and at times, dead baby birds. Russell finally stuck a board over it since they were starting to build a nest again this year.
I wish you the best of luck in getting into the program! :)
I wear makeup to work every day because I look like crapola without it.
Why does the nursery rhyme 'four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie' spring to mind... thats me, never one to waste anything :)
Bugger on the job prospects though.... come over here and get a job in our 'super hospital' that is being built in Cosham... mind you, you do have a funny accent and no one would understand ya....
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