#95 Waffles

365 Blog Challenge: Post #95

Shortly before we left for my cruise, my husband took part in a short film and his work is finally up online! I just remember him coming home smelling like syrup afterwards....Great work hunny! Love you!  And doesn't he look great on film??



WAFFLES from Kate Tarker on Vimeo.

New York Happenings: June 09 Edition

Friends & Family,

Well, its very sad that this is the first email you'll be receiving from me for quite a while.  That whole accelerated nursing school/selling jewelry/planning a wedding/studying for boards thing got in the way of a regular newsletter from me.  But I'm sure many of you understand and now that I am unemployed and not a student for at least a year, I hope to improve my game a bit and send these a bit more regularly!

It looks as though it has been 6 months since I sent my last email which is very sad.  But obviously a TON has happened since then!  The most exciting thing happened in the last week, which is that I passed my nursing boards and am officially a registered nurse and I get to put RN after my name.  What a good feeling that is!  I am currently searching for jobs but a bit nervous about finding an ER/ICU job (which I want) as a new grad.  I am going to hold out for a few weeks and try for these before I give up and attempt to get a med/surg job which I'd probably have to work for about 6 months before being able to transfer to an ER or ICU.  But I'm sure the experience would be good.  It just may delay my going back to school for a bit.

My last months of school involved community health, OB (of course I loved this) and my integration (basically an internship) in a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) which is where patients go directly after surgery. Though the PACU doesn't seem like a place I'd choose to work, I met some wonderful wonderful ladies at Allen Pavilion (about 220th and Broadway) and learned a lot.  I enjoyed myself quite a bit. Pics are included in the link above. I started studying for my boards in late March and just took them on June 1st.  It was a long stressful time and Scott and my immediate family know I was a bit unpleasant during this time.  I apologize for that. ;)  

On May 20th, I had my white coat ceremony and received my diploma for my Bachelors of Science.  Click "white coat ceremony" to see pictures.  My parents as well as Erin and Steve came into town for the event which meant the world to me.  Also during that trip, Erin and another bridesmaid of mine, Jamie Lyn, hosted a bachelorette part for me at Japas, a sushi and karaoke bar in midtown.  It was one of the best times of my life!  I'd show pics but...then again...maybe not.  Lots of fun.

Scott is doing well.  Trying to get out to audition as much as possible.  He was cast in a paid, regional show in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We were excited he got cast but sad to have to be apart for an unknown amount of time.  The show ended up falling through due to some reckless business men (the director and the producer) and Scott was stuck in Florida for an extra week because they wouldn't pay for peoples tickets back to New York.  They also still owe Scott a week's pay.  I am including a link  to an article about the whole horrible situation.  Not a good experience for a first paid acting job, but Scott remains upbeat which I am amazed at.  He got back to New York and immediately started working full time a Snug Harbor Productions, the general management company where he was office manager on and off before he left.  He just finished working there full time due to a few of their productions falling through, and has begun reviewing his drinks to get a bartending job. (He attended bartending school in February.)  He is hopeful about a couple recent auditions and we will of course keep you updated on his success. :)

So we've got a big day coming up 2 months from Monday!  That would be our wedding day! And we look forward to seeing many of you there!  Now that the boards are done and all I have to worry about is finding a job (all I have to worry about...ack!!!), I am beginning to get more excited and details are coming into place. I have learned that I am a terrible wedding planner and not a big fan of dealing with little details so I am very indebted to my mom and Scott's mom, Judy, for all their help!!

I hope that the past 6 months have brought you only good things! And i look forward to continuing our correspondence now that my life is a little bit more relaxed!  Love to all. Happy Summer,

Lauren Bachnick RN

New York Happenings: April/May 2008 Edition

Hello all,

Here I sit in my office (I swear I don't write these emails fromwork...) during my last week of full time work for the next 2.5 years.WOOOO HOOO!!! Not that an accelerated nursing program at an Ivy League school won't be work. I'm sure I'll spend all my free time sitting onmy bed in my new (HUGE) bedroom with my nose in a nursing book. But still! No more 8:30-5! No more listening to jerky psychiatrist whoget paid too much for handing off all their work to the "little people"! No more having to look decent every day. I'm talking sweatpants and flip flops people! I'm talking different schedule every dayof the week! I'm talking half days on Fridays. I CAN'T WAIT!

If you all haven't gathered from this intro that I have 3 days left ofwork (including today), and that I'm starting my combined BS/MSprogram at Columbia University School of Nursing on June 2nd, apparently we haven't talked for a while and you need to read myupdates more frequently. Although it's Tuesday today, I am taking tomorrow off to watch my fiance graduate from HIS graduate program at Columbia University. He truly is taking that big leap from being astudent to being a struggling actor (*wink wink*). HOWEVER, in the last month, Scott has had multiple interviews with 2 agents who saw him at his showcase in April. One agent is a legit agent (TV, film and theater), and one is a commercial agent (umm...commercials.) He hasn't signed with either of them yet, but they're still in talks, and in the mean time, Scott is free lancing for a manager until he gets a contract. Who knew things would go so smoothly for him!?! He even had a commercial audition last week. We couldn't ask for a much better turnout from his graduate program! (You know...except a recurrent role in a national commercial campaign that pays millions...but we have lots of time to work up to that.)

So Scott and I are both transitioning. We moved on May 10th into ournew HUGE one bedroom apartment on Riverside Drive West around158th-160th. (See pics here:http://newyorkhappenings.blogspot.com/2008/04/movin-on-up.html.) I have yet to take pictures of the furnished apartment (as we're just finishing unpacking), but will get those up on the blog soon. The area (Washington Heights) is quite a switch from our old quiet neighborhood on the Upper West Side. Lots of Latino music playing from car stereos allll day long on Broadway. However, our street is fairly quiet and we enjoy it quite a bit. The space we now have is worth the switch!I also had a visit from my mom which was her first solo trip to NY and she did great! Found her way to the bus right off the plane and traveled all around town with me for 5 days. We even found my wedding dress and tentative bridesmaid dresses. She wrote up a little bit about it which I added to my blog so check out the details of her trip here: http://newyorkhappenings.blogspot.com/2008/05/guest-blogger-mom-karen.html

I am sure there is so much more going on that I should relay to all of you, but quite frankly I am a bit overwhelmed. Between moving, having my mom visit, finishing work, having a final this Thursday, Scott's parents coming into town today, and starting nursing school next week(orientation is a week from tomorrow!), my head is in a whirl, and I will leave my funny stories for future emails. Hope all is well with you guys! Will be in Minnesota June 6th-8th for the Murray/(Jodie)Flaherty wedding. However, it's going to be a very quick trip so all of you Minnesotans should clear your calendars in August when I'll be home for almost 3 weeks before heading to Kansas for my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary and jetting back to the big city! (That's right...I said 60! Impressive huh?)

Love to everyone and wish us luck!!!
Love,
LB