A Work in Progress

13th anniversary: the lacy one!  Just so you know...googling 'lace' is a bit of a risky business.  So, I stole this picture from googling 'lace doily' and I was happy to see that there still seems to be a market for doilies.  Also 'doily' is one of the weirdest words in English.  Anyway.  Today is my 13th blogiversary.  I celebrated by putting up a bunch of posts last week. I know you all enjoyed them...right?!  I am pretty excited that the blog will be reverting back to it's original mode of 'student blog'.  Sure, I think the first year of PA school blogging will be more apologizing for not not taking the time to blog, but it could be filled with plenty of new things up to and including (hopefully) me suturing an orange.  Or more likely a grapefruit because that is a citrus that I want to eat after I've finished stabbing it.  So, happy anniversary, blog!

So, here I am bored at work and I wonder…what ever happened to that blog I used to write? Yeah, there was stuff about EMS or ambulances…something like that. Sometimes stuff about travel. Oh! And a whole month of just pictures. Weird. Then, I think that the job got boring, or sad, or both and the blog sort of stopped. Sure, maybe a few meager posts here and there, but nothing too exciting or deep, but thankfully, no sad poetry either. Perhaps the world is blessed by having one less blog. One less tangle of self obsessed prose. One less (pre) millennial bitching about how hard real life is. One less quarter life crisis immortalized with questionable grammar in ones and zeros. “Oh, my job is boring. I don’t get paid enough. I’m single. Everything sucks. Oh, I go on trips and rub them in everybody’s face. Oh, I’ve filled the internet with 1000 blog posts, look at me go. Oh, my pets are cute.” No one cares.  Then I remember. All those calls that I can’t actually rem...

Like all previous blogiversaries, number 10, the one that deserved a party the most, has gone by without mention.  In fact, much to my shock and yours, blogiversary 9 was completely overlooked. But this year, I did remember and I did start this post on time, but then, predictably, I got distracted. At least these days I am getting distracted by actual things like education.  Who am I kidding.  Video games were the culprit, I'm sure. That or Top Gear.  Either way,  here we are.  Ten years on.  The modern gift is diamond jewelry.  Well, thanks blog for not getting me diamond earrings.  Oh, I didn't get you diamonds either?  Well, I gave you a fresh layout.  That should count for something!  Okay, let's not fight.  Love you too. I know, the blog is not what it used to be.  If it ever had glory, it is certainly former. But...I have hope.  I have so much musing/whining about going back to college that surely that w...

This lovely orchid plant was my grandmothers, who kept the finicky plant alive for several years. It is now under my care...I give it a week. This, more importantly, as the title implies, is my 1000th post here on the old blog. Wow! This is also the 248th photo of the day, counting from May of 2008 plus a bonus month of October 2009 .  I don't have much to say on this occasion, it seems crazy that I've made so many posts.  Granted, a certain percentage of them are complete nonesense, but they still count. It's funny to read those really old posts.  Some of them make me wonder just who was writing.  It's amazing to have a record of personal and professional changes one can go through in nine years.  My life in 1000 posts.  I do realize there are fewer and fewer posts about EMS.  Certainly there were a lot back in 2006-7.  But that was when it was new.  When I wanted to share every tiny thing I went on.  And I'm not saying I'm ja...

Mom:  Did you forget about the blog? Me:  Blog?....(laughs)  Yeah, I did. Mom:  What happened to writing once a week? Me:  (feeble excuse)  Oh, man, I even missed my blogiversary!  Now I'm going to have to get it a special gift.  (hence the dozens of roses) Okay, so I haven't forgotten the blog, but damn it has been neglected.  I don't even have an excuse (as usual).  Even if I did have one, is there one that is sufficient to have not blogged in four weeks after promising a weekly post?  I don't think so! Arm fell off, computer broken, true detective; all fixable and complete non excuses.  I wish that I could tell you that I was working hard on another project, making tons of cash, saving the world, finishing my PhD or something important, but alas.  Not so much.  Actually, I have been working on another project, but not one that will help me become a more skilled writer. After Santa brought me a kiln, yes actu...

Before you lament  "Oh, resqellie, if only you'd get yourself together and blog again like in the old days!" don't fret.  The blog has suffered due to my apathy, work schedule, and most importantly, because of writing.  Yes, writing has gotten in the way of my writing.  I've been passively working on a non-blog writing project for some time and recently have decided to dedicate myself more to it than blogging.  It's odd that I haven't shared any snippets of it with you blog readers.  It is a work of fiction and somehow I am far more self conscious of it than writing about myself alone.  So, I will probably continue to not share these writings with you, but at least you know the truth.  This other project does take up some time.  The other night, I had a great brainwave and set to putting it on paper.  About three hours later I had written two pages.  Two pages!  I was as shocked as you are.  But, such is the nature of writ...

Seven years ago the blog and I were just getting started.  I hope that's still true today.  I wish I had something interesting to say to mark the occasion, but... I am happy to see that bloggers have less of a stigma than they did seven years ago. At least it seems to me that there are more serious bloggers now and it's not all pointless musings and quiz results.  I am sure in many circles, blogging is still considered in inferior form of writing.  But in this day and age, I'm glad that writing appears to be alive and well.  Though it is barely alive in this blog. I am thinking of breathing new life into this blog with a weekly 'column.'  I've often thought that I was well capable of being hired by a paper and banging out 500 (?) words to get the general public thinking.  Also, if I set a deadline for myself it is far more likely to be completed.  The current blog related deadline is whenever I feel like it or remember to or am inspired to post....

Welcome to the 800th post! Yes, I can feel the excitement. '800 posts?!' You are marveling to yourself 'How time flies!' Just think of all the strange and interesting and nerdy tidbits about my life you've been privy to. And you can relive the magic of 800 posts simply by scrolling to the end of this page and clicking 'older posts' about 90 times. Please do, in fact. Especially if you want to publish 'A Work in Progress' the movie. I'm open to suggestion. Ah, but now to the point. Well, to be fair, I don't have one. Oh yes, I was going to explain to the none of you out there who found yourselves wondering 'What ever happened to that car project Ellie was alluding to a few weeks ago?' Well, it is an interesting story so you sit right down and prepare yourself for a tale of woe and heartbreak. I have lusted after a classic Mini Cooper for many a year now. Constantly trolling on ebay and minimania for that perfect, cheapish...

You've been neglected.  I've been focused on gluing photo mats together and making futile attempts at assembling an ez-up tent in my woefully too small back yard.  I've been working out a wild-ass plan with almost no mention here.  I've been going to work and going to calls, and yet, not one word to you.  I've been riding bikes.  I've even been writing, with surprising regularity, but not here.  How sad this is.  How can I stray so far from my roots? I've stuck ET tubes in peoples throat holes (literally) treated two MI's in 10 minutes, and used a KED board, and do you know about it?  No!  How terrible.  If you were a person you'd be pale and emaciated, searching for nutrition and sustenance.  But, fear not, blog.  You are loved.  Please do not be sad that your sister blog has been getting more attention as of late.  Hers is a specialty topic, and I'll run out of material soon enough.  Like the prodigal kayak...

It's that special time of year again when the blog and I go out on a romantic date and talk about ourselves and gush over each other until everyone around us is nauseated. I suppose it is time, as I suggested to myself last year, that I write this entry without the air of incredulity of years past. This year, I can believe I'm still a blogger and that it's been six crazy years.  Writing the blog seems a part of me for sure now and it's not so surprising that I'm still doing it. I'm sorry I've only written 25 posts since my 'setecientos' back in September. It seems a lot has happened, but not much that has yielded blog posts.  I think too, I am getting back in the swing of EMS writing- it seems a bit weird after so long.  I am also wary of sharing snippets of strangers lives, and am trying to preserve privacy as always. Also, it is my fervent hope that I'll have more to talk about in coming months including the progression of wild ass plans ...

"Welcome to the 700th post! (and the 100th this year) We are reporting to you live from the southernmost point of Europe, and, although the blog has been neglected, Ellies sun tan has not!"  Okay, so I'm pretty much still pale and pasty, but, oh the sun.  How glorious.  I am currently in Tarifa, Spain, one of the most beautiful and charming places I've ever been. Can we say house hunters international?  I am utilizing the hostel internet, and can look off of the terrace in front of me....and see Africa.  I'll be up close by tomorrow evening for which I am stoked!   The beach is amazing and goes on for miles with crystal clear blue water and a rash of kite surfers.  Tarifa is where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic meet which among other things, makes it windy.  There are literally hundreds of wind turbines in the hills behind the city, which is clearly awesome.  I can't imagine that Tarifa emits any carbon.  It's been a fab coup...

Seeing my parents off while I stayed in the station was one of the hardest things I've done here. We had settled so well back into our usual travel mode, that it was very surreal to not be going home with them. Now again immune to the embarrassment of crying in public, I stood in the tube station for a few minutes before donning sunglasses, popping in the elitist headphones and heading back into the city. It was pretty much decided that ice cream was in order when I remembered that C and I had stumbled across a Chipoltle which I found shocking and incredible and nearly had me licking the windows on the way past. So, I decided that an overpriced burrito was in my immediate future. But where was that? I attempted to retrace my steps for about 45 minutes before seeing it in the distance like a shining beacon of hope. I practically jogged there and excitedly waited in line, ordered my usual carnitas bowl and even got a diet coke. A-Mazing. I was renewed. Now, I think I'm r...

I was reviewing some old times I've had with the blog this evening. I was prompted to reminisce by my friends' interest in the blog. (I'm glad to know that I'll sell at least one book to the international market.) The blog is a great thing to have, and I've remembered calls through it that I most definitely would have forgotten otherwise. But it's frustrating also. I've hinted at a few interesting calls, and then I've never fulfilled the promise to write about them! And, in the subsequent 3-4 years, have forgotten the calls completely. It's scary what makes a memorable call after answering hundreds. One particular 'lost call' interests me though. I really want to know what prompted me to write: "I’ll spare the details of the most disgusting call I’ve ever been on. I pretty much hope that I never have a more revolting, horrid call. That’s all really. It’ll be a hard call to trump." How will I ever know if I've tr...

A bit of the coolest pub in Cov. By far.

Welcome to the annual 'photo a day thing' for 2010. In the past two years, I've had fun with this project, and especially this year: it continues! Thinking a lot about my upcoming June, the project is probably better suited for that month this year, but hey, the blog says May, so May it is. I spent most of the day booking and re-booking for upcoming visits. I'm glaring menacingly at you, Iceland. This evening, I went to a really nice barbeque which allowed me to get my monthly requirement of shop talk out of the way. Ah, blood and gore from across the pond. As for the pic o' the day, some Coventrian rooftops.

Five years ago on a day that was completely random, a blog was born. A vessel to share my adventures as a paramedic student, and now as a different kind of student. Five years ago I wouldn't have believed what I'm up to now, let alone that the blog would have followed me this far. Every year I express my disbelief at still being a blogger, maybe after six years I will be less surprised. This year for the first time, my paper diary does exist and is not for rent. Well, it's negotiable. The traditional gift for a five year anniversary is wood. The so called 'modern' traditional gift is silverware. Somehow I don't think the blog needs either of those things. I hope to give the blog another five years of posts. Well, I hope to give my handful of dear readers another five years of posts. Thanks for reading the 600+ posts and I'm beginning to think that not all of the 33,000 hits are from my mother. I assure you next year the blog will be back to its us...

Last weekend, while trying to describe our usual new years eve activities, I realized how silly our custom of watching 15 seconds of a three hour show just in time to watch a great big sparkling ball come down is. And how difficult it is to describe. I mean, what the heck is that about? It certainly reinforces my theory that new years is a fairly pointless holiday, though the year has to change sometime. Nevertheless, it is a good opportunity to evaluate my, um, goals from last year. Now, most importantly, I did get a good flashlight for work. Thank you LL Bean. I haven't gotten any further into reading the Bible, so that goal will be tabled to next year. Other than that I'd like to write more, even if I have nothing to say. I'd like to do a better job trying to understand people. But my top priority is to finish this wild ass plan strong, and not to lose sight of why I'm here. Oh, and write my 600th blog post. Done! This was the first year ever I didn't h...

I also changed the date format on blogger. You'll have to remind me to change the time zone later. I made a couple of changes to the blog, i.e., the picture and the description. I mostly did it to remember how, and it's easy! I should have changed the picture about two years ago, because the former picture was of a lake in New Hampshire. The current picture is sunset on Lake Luzern after a rain storm. Also I did a new bit on the "about this" section. Also mostly to remember how. (also easy) It will undoubtedly change again in a few weeks. Let me know what you think.

My submission (thanks to my friend paul) was selected for a post on Cake Wrecks, one of the funniest blogs in blog world. ( cakewrecks.blogspot.com ) Paul had the three mile island cake made. Why? I really don't know. Either way, it's a proud moment for me. Linky!

Readers, it appears that it is time for my semi-annual summer blogging slump to come to an end. I have had a busy last few weeks, between work, sleep, and playing outside I haven't had much time to blog. I have been on a few "good" calls recently, somehow having a black cloud over my head for about two weeks. The calls were equal parts interesting and depressing, which is probably what has kept me from writing about them. A lot of ideas have been floating around for the last few weeks, so hopefully one or two will come to fruition sooner than later. I feel like I need to do them justice. I had another few days at camp which were actually a lot of fun. I didn't do anything more exciting than give out tylenol and I mostly had repeat customers. The girl whom I gave unnecessary bandaids to came back with a mysterious pain in her thumb. I poked and prodded and examined it thoroughly and unsurprisingly found nothing wrong with her. On the verge of just giving in and...