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So, I got fired from my jail nurse job on Thursday. It was a bit out of the blue but made sense; there had been complaints that I was too sympathetic to the inmates, and there'd been some friction between me and the other nurse at the clinic, who also happened to be my boss's mother. I didn't have any problem with her, but I'd said something that she took wrong, and it's stuck in her craw for weeks. And to be honest, I *did* give out unapproved motrin and milk of magnesia when the guys were in pain or, as is waaay common, constipated for days. So there.

I filed for unemployment and submitted six applications. Yesterday I got hired at a nursing home to work on their new ventilator unit making $6/hour more. Yes, two days later. That means that losing my job came to a net gain of about $12K/yr, minus the soul-eating -- for such things as not being allowed to give a motrin to a guy with a broken tooth and exposed nerves. (he can buy it off of commissary, and if he's indigent, well, that'll teach him to come to jail.)

Yesterday, after I got hired, I called my mom, who'll be 80 in a couple of weeks, and told her. She was a nurse from about 1960-2000, and she sniffed and said, "Too sympathetic. That's the best reason to be fired ever." She also cooed in appreciation when I told her that I was going to be trained for vents. "That you just secured your career for the rest of your life," she said.

So, whew, stress. For uncomfortable things and good things. My pediatrics unit starts on Monday with the med math test. Last time I got 100%, so I'm not too worried. But still, Ack, Test.

After the test, I go fill out paperwork at Human Resources and I start my training on Thursday.

Last week, I went up to the UP to visit Carl and his family. All is well up there, and I worked my ass off for 4 days, working with Carl to clean out the basement and declutter the house. We filled up a rented dumpster, and hauled off four van-loads of clothes, books and miscellaneous housewares to the resale stores.

They were still sorting through baskets of clean clothes when I left. In between hauling, sorting, and dumping, I got to spend good time with my grandchildren -- Seth (7.5 yrs), Jareth (4 yrs), Eilie (2.5 yrs), and Carli (5 months).

When I returned to Lansing, Luke surprised me: "When I start school in Negaunee this fall, I'd like to come back to Lansing once a month or so to visit everyone. I think it'd be ok to miss one day a month; they can give me my work and I'll do it on the drive."

This was a somewhat confusing announcement, as he had not taken the time to say that he'd decided to start school in Negaunee this September. Try to keep up, I muttered inside my head. I was driving, taking him to his theater group, and I flashed him a look. "Makes more sense to start in September, mmm?"

He nodded and raised his brow expectantly. I realized I hadn't answered his question. "Yeah, once a month should be ok. We'll figure something out."

He nodded and started talking to me about a new game he'd played on Steam. "You'd like this one; very cool," he said.


I've decided that I'm not going to move out of the house right now. I decided in the way I usually decide things: I thought of moving and I though of not moving, and I paid attention to how my gut felt. My gut says stay. Not that there aren't reservations, but overall it's the right choice for now. It doesn't have anything to do with hopes that Mike and my relationship will magically heal. It has to do with uncertainty about Jerome's stability, not wanting to hassle with moving and disrupting myself as well as the kids, and figuring that I'm going to be moving out for good in nine months. There's a part of me that is pre' well closed off, but I'm functioning ok.

Classes start Monday, March 14 and end April 24. Labor and delivery, and long-term care. And then I can test for my LPN. Whew.

After the test today, and with 75% of the grade in, I'm now sitting with an 87.25% -- so as long as I continue to do at least as well as I'm doing, I'll get a 3.5 GPA for this semester. Now, I'm not saying that I wouldn't love to four-point, but considering that I'm working around 35-40 hrs/wk, I'm feeling pretty pleased.

Onward!

I should be sleeping. I will take a shower, and then perhaps I'll sleep.

Mike had been living with his kinda-girlfriend, Joyce, but she kicked him out. He came home the weekend before last. When he went back last Monday, he just lived in his car for all of last week- a fact made more interesting because the car is a Ford Festiva. He's trying to buy a mobile home, and he's waiting for the credit stuff to come through.

Last Friday (yesterday), he met someone through PolyMatchmaker and they have charmed each other. I'm relieved that Mike doesn't have to deal with Joyce's stuff, and very relieved that he's met someone who's experienced with poly relationships.

I miss him terribly, and I'm envious of both him and her - that he has an exciting, new relationship, and that she gets to see him much more than I do. He says that she and I have a lot in common, which, if true, will be a first for women that he's gotten involved with. She has written to me and was very sweet and nice.

Today, I received a letter from NMU. After TEN MONTHS, they have finally assessed my credits from U of M; 59 credits transferred. I am amazed. I thought that, they being so old (early '80s) that only six or twelve would transfer. Now I need to talk to my advisor and think a little over what exactly I want to do. If I continue with my current plans, I will have 84 credits by the beginning of next fall. One possibiltiy is to finish my psych BA (I'd need 120 credits for the degree) and get an LPN certificate (about an 18 mo program); the other is to just get the BSN (registered nurse - an additional three years). A third option is to get my LPN, my BA, and then just get the RN certificate later, which would be another 18 mos. The advantages to getting the RN later is that I can work as an LPN while I'm getting my RN, making about twice the money I'm making right now.

Off to take a long, hot shower.