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

R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Find out what it means to me!

This week, I feel that I have encountered more than my share of disrespect.  

There seems to be some people in my program who think that if the professor doesn't condone to their every wish, it gives them the right to be outright rude, which is a terrible representation of our class as a whole as well as down right embarrassing.  Grow up ladies.  This is a higher level of learning and your high school antics aren't going to pass.  Maybe if you'd stop complaining, you'd learn something.

Also, while watching the debates last night, which I must say were pretty darn boring, I noticed that John McCain had QUITE the condescending tone to the very respectful Barack Obama.  I personally think it's just tacky.  And so did some writers at Time.Com who came up with this grading system for the debates.  I whole heartedly agree.

You're gonna be a what?

Some people have asked me as I describe my future goals and schooling, "What's a nurse practitioner?" Well, this article is a great explanation, and it also differentiates nurse practitioners and physicians assistants. (I.e. Nurse practitioners are more independent while physicians assistants have more flexibility in relocating...though I would say NPs have lots of options as well). And while I can't speak from a physician's assistant's point of view, I can say that compared to MD training, the nursing approach is more hoslitic, incorporating all aspects of the patient's life (cultural, psychological, religious, etc...at least in GOOD nursing practice) as well as addressing the biomedical issue at hand. Perhaps that is not the approach for everyone. But I'd say it is the right approach for me!

I am officially a quarter of a century old....

Hi all! 

I must apologize yet again for being such a horrible blogger. However, when you read my next New York Happenings email (to be sent later today hopefully) you will understand!

Anyways, after a terribly stressful, intense yet enlightening 9 weeks of classes, we took our last final on August 1st at 8am (which just HAPPENS to be my birthday! Woot woot!)  So what did we do that night?  Naturally, Scott and I, along with 4 of my nursing school buds (and one nursing school bud's husband), Sing, Jamalyn and Dominic Hersman (yes from elementary school) and his lovely lady friend, went out on the town to Mama Mexico on 102nd and Bway for a Mexican celebration.  It was fabulous and here are some pics to prove it:

Me and my main squeeze

Me being excited about getting gifts!

Karen and Julia. My 2 nursing school besties.  Miss you ladies!

Amos and Alex, 2 soon to be fantastic nurses and fun people at that!

Jamie and I :) 

Someone sneaky (and I suspect it was Karen or Julia....) told the mariachi band it was my birthday so I was serenaded with "Happy Birthday to You" in a festive style, and then received a shot of some unknown alcohol as did the rest of my table. What a fiesta!

Always fun to do shots with your elementary school friends....see how much we've grown?! (And that is his lovely lady Andrea next to him)

What do nursing students do to relax after taking 5 finals in 5 days?  They take shots!...instead of giving them???

And I received this delicious strawberry cake which I ate mostly by myself much to my chagrin...(ahem)...

It was a fun night and I thank everyone for spending it with me!!!

Make new friends...but keep the old....

Last Thursday, during orientation, Columbia School of Nursing sponsored a New Student Boat Cruise.  It was a great time!  I've already made a few close friends in the program, which is quite intense by the way. 19 credits in 9 weeks.  The fact that I'm a bridesmaid this weekend doesn't make it very easy, but I will survive!  Here are a couple pics of some new friends on our cruise:

Julia V, Karen M, and Ellen N. I met Julia through a mutual friend at Visiting day and we ran into each other at Star Bucks the first day of

 orientation.  The rest of us met the first morning of orientation and completely hit if off.  I'm taking this picture right after I spilled diet coke all over my white shirt. I'm awesome.

Ellen is already an RN and is working to be a family nurse practitioner.  Karen is in the ETP (entry-to-practice) program with Julia and I, and she is also doing the family NP track. Julia is doing geriatrics, and I am currently signed up for acute care but ask me again in a couple months....

Me and Julia. Yay for new friends!!!

So speaking of making new friends and keeping the old, one of my close friends (and personal attendant in my wedding) from the VA was in Italy last week and came back an engaged woman! 

Congratulations Amelia and Chris!!

I'm so excited for you 2!

Off to Minnesota for Jodie and Brian's wedding after my 4 hour class tomorrow morning. Pray for an on time flight!!!

New beginnings...

This past Wednesday, I began orientation for my nursing program at Columbia...so how am I still up at 1:30am, I don't know.  However, I felt it was important, before I go into detail about my new school, that I share a couple things with everyone that I have been to busy to blog about until now.

First, on April 29th, my future sister-in-law, Heather, gave birth to her second child, Tyler Chase, in Minnesota.  He is adorable and looks Just like his dad, Travis. Scott and I can't wait to meet him next weekend when we're home for Jodie's wedding.  Zoe, Scott's niece (who now calls me Auntie Lauren which I LOVE) is apparently handling big-sisterhood quite well.  Here are some picks of Tyler Chase in his first days:

Those are some Travis cheeks right there!

                        Heather and Tyler (Mommy time!)

 

                     The whole fam including little Miss Zoe...age 2.5

    Tyler, Heather and Travis...(like I said...the resemblance is in the cheeks)

     Welcome to the world Tyler! Can't wait to meet ya!

Second, on May 21st, my fiance, Scott, graduated from his Masters of Fine Arts program in acting at Columbia University.  I am soooo proud of him, and his parents and I even sat through 2 ceremonies that were 2+ hours each.  Yikes.  The first ceremony was outside and the sun was to the east and I got this awesomely ridiculous sunburn which hopefully will disappear in time for my bridesmaid action next weekend. Here are some pics of this event as well:

    The old library on Columbia's Morningside Heights campus where the excruciatingly long ceremony took place

Awww, what a cute grad!

                                                                           So proud!

                Stupid rolled up sleeves....this is a symbol of my dedication.

                  And that V-neck was REALLY awesome.  Good times.

Now I must go to sleep but be back soon w/ pics of some new friends from school from our orientation week boat cruise.  It's refreshing to be in a program with people who care so much about their future professions, and about people, which is what their future professions are all about....to be continued...

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

Umm....WHAT?!?!?!

You probably can't read that...but its a letter telling me I got accepted to Columbia's BS/MS Entry to Practice program starting in May 2008!!!

New York Happenings, November 2007 Edition

To my friends and family,

Some advice: Never take 8.5 credits of science classes while working full time and inviting your parents and your boyfriends parents to visit on successive weekends while your boyfriend performs in his thesis production which is a 3 hour long, deep play about sex and racial diversity in NY in the early 1960s.

That basically sums up the last month of my life and may I add that I had a microbiology and a chemistry test while my parents were in town?? I am exhausted!! Thank goodness for Thanksgiving! I am thankful for not having to work and getting to sleep in tomorrow! Not much else has been going on around here. Scott's thesis production was a great success! And my dad stayed awake through the whole thing (unlike during Phantom which my mom and him also saw while they were here.) My parents visit was great but felt short as I had to study and attend class a lot of the time they were here. So basically, I saw them for meals (but they were some darn good ones!)


A few interesting citings of the last month include: 1) A 65+ year old woman with a walker and a labrae piercing. (See pic). I definitely did a double take.2) A guy on the subway who wore a kipa (we've discussed what these are before my Catholic family members), but the kipa was specially made to with a "Geek Squad" symbol on it. What a geek. (Scott's joke).3) My crush from Legally Blonde the Musical (which my friend Amelia and I saw on Halloween and oh how we wish Amy L. could have joined us!!), Christian Borle, standing next to me on the subway (I LOVED this musical. I recommend everyone watch it on MTV tomorrow because they're playing it there.) And Christian Borle happens to look a lot like Scott when he's acting...go figure. Of course I was too shy to say anything to him so I didn't get confirmation but I'm like 95% sure that it was him...even though my coworkers think that I'm crazy because I claim to see so many celebrities. They're all over the place here! I swear!

In terms of the Broadway stagehand strke, my parents lucked out and saw the last show of the Phantom of the Opera before the strike. But Scott, his family and I weren't so lucky. We missed multiple shows because of the strike though his family got to see Xanadu. In an attempt to get all of you to visit my blog ( http://newyorkhappenings.blogspot.com/) I am going to post pics from my parents visit up there as its much easier to put them there than to add them to an email. So visit soon!

Happy Turkey Day,
Lauren

p.s. Scott and I will not be having turkey this Thanksgiving…we will be having family style Italian with 2 of his classmates at Carmines on 91 st and Bway. Can't wait!