More Than a Thousand Words

Well, the good news is that it's over... I finally took the NAPLEX. I didn't feel like it went that well when I left, but I am a little more relaxed tonight. Besides, there's nothing I can do about it now! During the exam, I was surprised at the number of questions on a particular topic. (I can't disclose information about the exam, but I'll just give you what *might* have happened.) For example, I *might* have had cases on cystic fibrosis, dementia, and BPH, but I *might* not have gotten any questions on hypertension, coronary artery disease, or diabetes. I ended up taking a little under 3 hours. I'll know the results in about four days, but right now I need to focus on studying for the RI MPJE (law exam). While there is state-specific material, most of test covers federal law, which will help when I take the IN MPJE at the end of August.

Following Chelsea's advice, I took tonight off from studying. I ran errands, worked out, showered, ate dinner, and then something I've been waiting a whole month to do.... crafts, crafts, crafts! I have a whole list of things to do... scrapbook (several of them), gocco (Where do I find these things?), the cricut, make Christmas presents (I think everyone is getting something homemade this year- more personal, less expensive), etc. I was looking for some stickers in a box I hadn't opened in a while, and I found a wonderful surprise... family pictures.

I've been thinking a lot about "home" since I moved to RI. I have always appreciated (or at least tried) all of the things my friends and family have done for me but being so far away has made me realize how lucky I truly am to have so many wonderful people in my life. All of the pictures are from when I was little (six or under for the most part- I was going to make a couple of scrapbook with pictures from my childhood and haven't gotten around to it)... what a happy little girl I was! As my mom always says, when I was happy, I was very, very happy, but when I was sad, I was very, very sad. (Bipolar?) Some things never change, that's for sure... I still look the same and have the same exact personality (Mom, will you please verify this?). Here are a few of my favorites...

At the beach (I think in Delaware)

A very sleepy Sarah decides napping should be done while standing

Left to right: Phil, Ryan, Nick, and I before church on Easter

Why does my Dad look so exhausted?

Me at my Aunt Lousie and Uncle Grant's wedding tapping my glass for a wedding kiss

Trying on my Dad's hockey helmet for size

Look at that face!! Clearly not a morning person...

Visiting the two of the sweetest grandparents in Pigeon

I just love Ryan's pointy hood in this picture

In Grandma's chair on the porch in Kazoo

This one is very special to me

Eating breakfast in my favorite spot in Kazoo

I know most of these pictures probably aren't very sentimental to you, but there are so many memories within them that make each one special in its own way. When I look at these, I never feel that far from home.

"There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: one is roots, the other is wings." -Hodding Carter

Mom and Dad- thanks for my wings.

I'll Give It a Shot

I have been a busy bee lately! I can't believe that tomorrow is already Thursday... I haven't gotten enough done, yet! Today I went with Deb to teach an immunization class- a little scary, isn't it?! I do like to teach, but I definitely need some practice with the material and just to become more comfortable speaking in front of groups. If all works out, I'll be able to give a couple of lectures at the University of Rhode Island's Pharmacy School this upcoming school year.

I actually *LOVE* that pharmacists now have the opportunity in all fifty states to immunize patients. Just like anything else, certain restrictions do vary based on the state in which you practice. For example, pharmacists in Rhode Island can administer any type of vaccine but only to patients at least 19 years of age. I'll be helping at flu clinics in our stores in the fall, along with a few other opportunities around vaccines. I'm going to participate in a few activities with our company's wellness department to educate employees on site, one of which will be education around the importance of vaccines. In a couple of weeks, I'll actually be traveling to California to help Mike (who runs the company's immunization program) train more pharmacists- the more experience, the better!

Tomorrow I'm taking the NAPLEX exam, which is the national licensing exam for pharmacists, followed by the Rhode Island law exam (MPJE) next Tuesday. I will be so relieved when they are done! I did go through the APhA review book (almost 900 pages!) over the past 4 weeks, but what I didn't realize is that the cd they provided had questions on it. If only I had realized it before tonight! I took a few quizzes on chapters where I'm a little less comfortable, but I decided that it would be a bad idea for me to try to finish all of the questions on the cd (900 questions!). The last thing I need to do is be more nervous, even though it's probably the most important test I'll ever take (no pressure). As Deb says, it is a minimum competency exam... how well you do doesn't determine how good of a pharmacist you are, you just need to pass!

No one actually gets the same test, so it will be interesting to see what I get! I'm taking it at 2 PM tomorrow in Warwick. Deb was nice enough to let me have the morning off (you're the best, Deb!), so I won't be rushed (you all know I'm always late, but I am working on this) or stressed out about things going on at work before I leave (not that work stresses me out that much, but there is always lots to do!). Wish me luck! I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow....

Happy Birthday, Lana!

Hope you are having a great day- wish I could be there to celebrate with you!

Looking forward to visiting you in NYC! Love you!

Special Delivery

As if I weren't spoiled enough, my wake up call was from a florist in Woonsocket saying that someone sent me flowers! (FYI- it wasn't that early... it was already 10:30, and I needed to get up!) An hour later, they arrived with my absolutely beautiful gift....

Nice and bright summer colors

I love the way fresh flowers smell

I love fresh flowers! (What girl doesn't?!) I was trying to guess who sent them to me before I opened the card, but I couldn't put a finger on it. I should have known.... Nick. What an unexpected but wonderful way to start my day.... I can't thank you enough!

My Sweetheart Is Lonely!

It's hard to believe I've already been here a month! The time has flown by, and there are still so many things I want to do before I leave! I'll have more free time (I think) after I finish taking my boards.

So, even though it was Friday, I was feeling a little bummed. I still haven't made any friends outside of work, and it can be lonely at times. I called Nick, and he gave me some suggestions on how I could meet more people, one of which was CraigsList. I told him he was crazy- why would I do that? The more I thought about it, it didn't seem like that bad of an idea. I mean, I know couples (both dating and married) that met online, so why couldn't I meet a friend? I decided that I'd sit on the idea until after my NAPLEX (Thursday) and see how I felt then.

Nick called later and casually mentioned that he made a post on CraigsList but didn't say for what. Sure enough, it was on my behalf in the Providence personals. Read this...

My sweetheart is lonely! -w4w 24

"My girlfriend just moved to Rhode Island for a year-long pharmacy residency. She is an outgoing and social person, but doesn't know anyone in Rhode Island or the surrounding area..so she is very lonely. She needs some good girlfriends with whom to go shopping, work out, go to dinner, go out, etc. She loves to drink wine, has a fantastic personality, and is very smart and organized. You will love this girl.

She actually lives in Woonsocket, but providence is pretty close right? "

Nick's intentions besides, it doesn't even matter if I meet anyone from this... just reading his post made me feel that much closer to home. I miss you, Nicky.

Ditch the Workout... Join the Party!

Today I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business, when it hit me- I never showed you pictures of my cubicle! Okay, so it's nothing really to write home about, but it's my first cubicle ever. I have a great location, too- the bathroom and water fountains around just around the corner. I also sit where a lot of people come in and out of the department, which I think is more condusive to visitors (although I'm still testing that theory out). There are students both behind and to the right of me, but my favorite person, Alma, sits to my right. We can't actually see each other, but I feel like we know a lot about each other! On a good day, she'll sing in Spanish- she has a lovely voice.

This is where the magic (aka Drug Information/Clinical Services support) happens...

Things that make me happy

Things that make me happy (part II)

Tonight was my glorious return to ZUMBA. I first started the class last summer when I moved home to start my rotations. My mom was taking a Zumba class at the Westfield Washington Parks office with some co-workers and encouraged me to go, too. I ended up loving it! There's nothing better than getting/staying in shape and shaking your hips at the same time! I don't know how I got roped into this, but last fall I danced in the Carmel Art Festival on a day they were celebrating different cultures. Yes, me... the fairest in all of the land, on stage, dancing to Latin music. Not by myself, of course. My teacher in Westfield/Carmel, Ingrid, had a group of us perform a routine. Later that fall, I went with Tammy to a Zumba conference on the west side of Indy. Beto, the creator of Zumba himself, was there! The room that we danced in was packed- I know they sold over 250 tickets for sure. It was so energizing to be in a room with that many people all doing the same thing (hard to describe!). Ingrid was always trying something new- one class we had was with black lights, a strobe, and glowing bracelets. No joke.

So, needless to say, I was glad to start Zumba-ing again. The greatest part is that it's at work!! I don't even have to leave the office- so convenient. Next week I am starting a Pilates class (also at the office) with a few of my co-workers. I'm looking forward to bonding with them outside of a normal work environment, but I think I had better practice before Monday rolls around.

P.s. Don't worry, I've got a Zumba cd if you're interested, courtesy of Ingrid.

Laughing Out Loud

Hope your week is off to a great start!

My Mom and Dad went to see David Cook in concert on Sunday at the Murat Theater in Indy. According to Mike, it sounds (no pun intended) like the concert was outstanding. My dad actually works with David Cook's uncle, so they had passes to go backstage! I saw David Cook with my parents last fall when the American Idol tour went through Indy. Even if you didn't watch the show, the concert was very entertaining. Here are some pictures that my Dad sent me from Sunday night...

The Murat looks beautiful when it's lit up at night

David Cook up close and personal

Dad said that David Cook told him it was the first drum head he had ever signed! Yeah for firsts!

I've been reminiscing (that makes me seem old, but I still feel like it's the right word to use) about pharmacy school over the past several days. I know, recounting memories of studying doesn't sound like anything to write about, but I have so many funny stories and situations that happened because of pharmacy school. This all started when I was studying for the NAPLEX (ugh, so ready to get that over and done!) on Sunday night in Chapter 28 of the APhA Review Book- Asthma and COPD. In every chapter they have a section on drug management (duh) with all of the different classes of medications. I about spit my Diet Coke out of my nose when I came to theophylline... Why, you ask? Keep reading...

We are required to take 6 credit hours of pharmacokinetics- one class (3 credits) in the spring of our fourth year, one class in the fall of our fifth year. Let's just say that this was exactly the most riveting of all of the courses I took while I was at Purdue. It didn't help that the class was fairly early (for me, that's before 10:30 AM), the room was dimly lit and warm (why do they make it hard to stay awake?), and there was always a stack of newspapers close by (I miss The Exponent!). (For any Purdue alum, the room I'm describing in the big lecture hall in the Electrical Engineering building, at least I think that was the building. Pharmacy grads- can you confirm this?) In other words, I didn't make it to every single class (oops! Sorry Dr G!). Anyways, during the class we studied a variety of drugs with specific kinetic properties that required them to do dosed and monitored based on blood levels. Some examples include lithium, aminoglycosides, phenytoin, and, you guessed it, theophylline! The bulk of our exams were problem-based (except for those ATROCIOUS graphs that he made us try to draw- I hated those until Chelsea taught me how to figure them out for the most past), which would often include coming up with recommended dosing regimens based on a patient's body weight, the drug distribution, and other parameters. During one of our exams, I was having an awful time figuring out a dosing schedule for theophylline that a doctor had theoretically requested. I played with equations to solve the problem for say, 20 minutes or so (that's a huge chunk of a 2 hour exam!), but still couldn't get the milligrams to even be close to one of the available strengths of the medications. So, reluctantly, I raised my right hand for some help. Dr. G came right over, and I told him that I just could not get this theophylline problem to work out! He said, "Sarah (yes, he knew my name), what would you tell the physician if you couldn't get the theophylline dosing to work in a real-life situation?" Without hesitating for a second (aka no filter), I replied, "I would tell him not to use theophylline. It's an awful drug" I think it took all of his energy not to laugh out loud. He smiled, shook his head, and walked away.

And that is why, to this day, whenever I read something about theophylline or fill a script for it, I still laugh out loud.

You May Be Right... I May Be Crazy

I have got to quit waiting too long between posts- so much to catch up on! During the middle of last week, I was starting to come down with a bug, so I decided to go to bed early on Wednesday and Thursday nights. I ended up sleeping almost 24 hours between the two days! I must have needed the rest!

On Wednesday, I went to the live portion of a program to train pharmacists to give immunizations- how exciting! APhA is the creator and sponsor of the program, but my company also uses the same program to train pharmacists and interns. I am lucky enough to work in the same department as the pharmacist who is in charge of the immunization program for the entire company- wow! (He's busy!) At the end of the day, you practice giving shots to one another. I figured no one else would offer, so I volunteered to go first (sorry, Dan!). I forgot to have someone take a picture of me giving a shot, but here's a picture of me getting one.

Yesterday was a great day! I was given a free ticket to the Elton John and Billy Joel Face 2 Face concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. The tickets were a gifts from a company that works for us... along with a parking pass, which was clutch. I could have thrown a stone and hit the stadium, which, if you knew how far I could throw, you know that must have been close! They also have a box suite on the 50 yard line- what a gorgeous view! (Year of Firsts- first time in a suite at a concert)

I went with a group of people from work, which, for many employees, probably isn't that fun, but I LOVE the people that work around me. They have all been very supportive in helping me transition from the field to the office.


From left to right: Lynn, Billy, Alyson, Troy, Dave, and JoAnne

Another highlight of the evening- I got to meet our company's CEO and president! He was very down-to-earth, personable, and engaging... he even came over later to learn more about what I do and my background. I was over the moon! (No, I didn't tell him that I wanted his job! Maybe next time!) I kept looking over at Alyson and Troy for some assurance that I wasn't making myself look crazy! Troy and Alyson met me halfway between Conneticut (where they live) and the stadium so that I wouldn't have to drive all the way there by myself. Here's a picture of Alyson and I at the concert. One of her little boys just got a cell phone, so he had been calling all day- how cute. (He's only nine!)

Here are some more pictures from the concert...

Elton on the left, Billy on the right... Click here to hear my favorite song

JoAnne and Sue

Another action shot...

Troy and I before dinner

It was such a wonderful day! And who said that I wouldn't have fun this year?! (Okay, no one has said that to me, but I thought it when I first moved out here!) Who knows what this week will bring- I'll keep you posted!

Don't Quote Me on This

I'm not sure when it started, but a long time ago, I started collecting quotes, short stories, and poems. The first memory I have from writing in one is from my junior year in high school. I was sitting by Shannon in our chemistry class, and, being the busy-body that I am, was copying quotes into my journal during some down time. I told her that I liked all of these quotes from Anon, but I had never heard of the author before and asked if she knew who it was. She just looked at me in disbelief when she told me that Anon meant "anonymous"... We were laughing so hard we were crying! When I look back at my first journal, I still laugh when I see where I wrote "Anon" like it was a proper name. Take a look at this.......

Above: A page from one of my earlier journals- a notebook my dad's parents got me for my birthday one year.

It is such a joy to look through my journals (seven of them now!) and be reminded of all of the amazing things I've participated in, people I've met, stories I've been told. I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you. If I get a source wrong, please feel free to correct me! Hope you like these half as much as I do...

"What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?" -unknown

"Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh, and the greatest which does not bow before children." -Khalil Gibran

"If the wind will not serve, take the oars." -Latin Proverb

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who matter do not mind, and those that matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss

"When your heart speaks, take good notes." -unknown

"The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it." -John Ruskin

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." -Emerson

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

"Go over, go under go around, or go through. But never give up." -unknown

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I have learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment, and making the most of it, without knowing what's going to happen next." -Gilda Ratner

So, I realized that there are a lot more that I want to share with you, but I would be up all night! (I am learning how to give immunizations tomorrow--probably something I should be alert and awake during.) I'll try to include a few every once in a while. If you every need a quote for a specific situation, let me know, and I just might be able to help you out. Cheers!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Two days since my last post-- what a lazy blogger I have become!

I spent last Saturday in North Kingstown at the 47th annual Wickford Art Festival. (Wickford Village is a small part of North Kingstown.) It turned out to be another gorgeous day! Beautiful sunshine and a slight breeze helped to make the day that much more enjoyable. I'm not exactly a huge art fan, but I do love to attend these kinds of events. It is amazing to me how many incredibly talented people there are out there! Some individuals just have the eye for photography, the creativity for mixed media, the touch for watercolors. To go along with the variety of types of art, everyone appreciates different types of artistic styles. Maybe I'm shallow, but there are some things that I just don't see as art. It reminds me of the time Nick and I visited the Guggenheim Museum in New York City last winter. There was a display by a photographer, Catherine Opie, that featured very graphic pictures, from self-mutilation to cultural and sexual identity. Needless to say, the entire exhibit made us both uncomfortable. I would much rather stick to Van Gogh, thank you very much! (We did get to go to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam- so wonderful.... I promise the pictures from Europe are coming! I am definitely not having as much free time as anticipated!)

My favorite booth at the art show featured Can Do Planes, a business staffed by a husband and wife team that transforms aluminum cans into ornaments and model planes, helicopters, boats, and tanks. Sompit and Shao were kind and entertaining, and I was amazed at the precision of their creations. Here are a few of my favorites below:

I would love to learn how to make the Diet Coke stars I got for my love fern! (Yes, I know it isn't a fern, but I just adore the name love fern.)

I also saw some very interesting "sculptures..." combination plant holders and birdhouses made from South American river roots.

Another notch for my year of firsts... My very first Del's Lemonade. If you look around Rhode Island, you'll see these large green and white RV/vans, similar to what you'd see a vendor use at a carnival. The formula they use is an original family recipe passed down from Grandfather Franco DeLucia, who brought his lemonade recipe to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. I wish it was just a little more on the tart side, but it was delicious.

And for apartment updates... I finally finished putting together the bookcase that holds all of my crafts! I was having some trouble finding the right type of screwdriver to use for the large, finishing screw that hold the frame together. So, instead of really taking a look at the screw, I just tried harder. Turns out that I should have used one of the "z-shaped" metal turners (an allen wrench, maybe? Sorry to disappoint you, Dad!). So, four of the screws (the ones on the top of the bookcase) each stick out about 1/4" farther than they should because I mauled the holes so badly that I couldn't get anything to make them turn. It's not too noticeable from farther away, so I decided to just go with it. I debated on whether or not I should ask to borrow an electric drill from someone at work, but I would probably get myself into more trouble! Figured out how to work the DVD player, but still having issues with the DVR, Bose soundock, and alarm clock- all on the list for this week (behind studying for boards, of course!). Below are my new kitchen accessories from Debbie and Jerry- in my favorite colors, too!

Hope everyone has a great week! Love you!

TGIF

Friday, July 10, 2009

6:00 AM: phone alarm goes off (Ringer is the theme from Saved by the Bell)

6:05 AM: hit phone alarm snooze

6:10 AM: Sweetheart alarm goes off, hit phone alarm snooze

6:30 AM: wake back up to phone alarm. (must have fallen asleep after alarm #3)

6:33 AM: finally get out of bed. Sure my neighbors love me at this point-the walls here are a little on the thin side.

6:50 AM: get out of the shower and attempt to pick out an outfit.

6:58 AM: dry and curl my hair, which I realize is getting long. Not looking forward to finding somewhere to get it cut around here.

7:14 AM: Try to pick out an outfit again. Pick a purple dress.

7:17 AM: Eat breakfast, make lunch, and read parts of the article my students are presenting on later that day.

7:29 AM: Realize that I had better get ready to leave for work. Also realize I wore this dress last week. Quickly change into heather-brown dress pants, a coral top, and brown heels.

7:30 AM: Put on my make-up. Normally would have put it on in the car, but Nick convinced me otherwise a couple of months ago. Read this.

7:36 AM: Leave for work. Decide I'll take a different route this morning that I think is faster.

7:40 AM: Make a wrong turn onto 146 N instead of 146 S.

7:46 AM: Still driving on 146 N. No exits, no where to turn around. Wire fence and steel graters in the highway divider.

7:48 AM: See a dirt road with a sign that says "For Official Use Only." Don't see any exits down the road. Feeling pretty official. Decide to use it to turn around.

7:49 AM: Successfully get onto 146 S. Finally on my way to work. See flashing red and blue lights.

7:50 AM: Get stopped by an older policeman. Took my license and registration (By the way- I HATE my license picture! It is atrocious! Now you're not allowed to smile (with your teeth showing) in Indiana. They claim it helps with computer-driven face recognition. That's fine, but this makes my face looks chubby.)

7:59 AM: After convincing him I am a) a new RI resident b) trying to get to work and c) really sorry and I'll never do it again, he lets me go without a ticket or warning.

8:24 AM: Arrive at work. Sea of cars forces me to park all the way in the back row. While getting out of my car, I realize I forgot my lunch.

8:32 AM: Stop by Debbie's desk. Tell her about my morning. All she can do is laugh.

What a morning! I end up having a great day at work, even if the morning was a little bumpy. I had two more meet n' greets- Debbie has been kind enough to set up meetings for me with people all over the company that I'll be working with throughout the year. I met with a lawyer who is charge of HIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) in the morning, and later that afternoon, I met with two people in our pharmacy marketing/merchandising group. One of the individuals is a pharmacist who is now in charge of working with manufacturers to purchase all of the branded prescription drugs we carry. I've always said that I love the variety of opportunities that are available for pharmacists, and so far, my residency has made that even more apparrent.

I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do Friday night, but I knew I had to go do something or I would go crazy! Following some advice, I headed to Thayer Street in Providence. It is a busy, eccletic street near the center of Brown University. I think it was a little slower that normal, seeing that school wasn't in session, but I was okay with that. I didn't stay out too long- just some people-watching (love this!) while sitting at an outdoor table, sipping a glass of wine at a local restaurant, Paragon. At the end of the night, even though I didn't want to go out by myself, I'm glad I did. It's funny- I've never felt uncomfortable about doing things by myself until now, when I actually have to. Having the option of being with people or doing something alone somehow seems different to me than my current situation.

A big thank you to those of you who have called, sent e-mails, written cards, and mailed packages! Mrs. K- you are so thoughtful! I am looking forward to seeing you at Andrew's baptism. Debbie and Jerry-- I love the new kitchen accessories! I was actually in desperate need of dishtowels- and they are in my favorite colors! I'll put a picture of them up tomorrow for all to see.

Stay tuned- more to come on today's adventure in Wickford Village tomorrow! Goodnight!

I'll Be Missing You

During work today, after learning I had recently moved to Rhode Island, someone asked me what I missed the most about home. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I've been thinking about since I got done with work. I think I finally have an idea...

...HUGS.

Hello, Sunshine!

Hello everyone! I'm sorry it's been a couple of days since my last post- time has been flying by! I have so many wonderful things to share with you! Today was either the first or second day without rain since I moved to Rhode Island two weeks ago! I was absolutely delighted that the sunshine lasted long enough for me to take a run outside when I got home from work. I took some pictures of Slatersville (a small part of North Smithfield, where I live) while I was out.

What a beautiful, classic Colonial home. It reminds me of the days growing up when I'd watch This Old House with my Dad on Saturdays. That, and Frugal Gourmet... This was before I even knew what frugal meant.

This picture is of an old 'meeting house' that looks like it might be used for a town hall or church now.

This one is definitely my favorite... it's an old school. You can't tell too much from the picture, but it is not in use anymore and has become rundown. Some of the windows on the side are broken, and weeds are growing in the parking lot. There's a sign in the side yard that states there is going to be some restoration done, so I hope they follow through.

Today I had the opportunity to participate in a meeting with a group of pharmacist that work in a department that oversees quality and patient safety. We went to downtown Providence to meet with a law firm our company works with for a variety of things. I didn't speak at the presentation (about 30-35 people), but I did get to take a small group (about 10 people) on a tour. When someone asked how long it was going to be, I wanted so badly to say, "A three-hour tour!" I wish I could tell you more, but l have to leave it at that... (sigh). After our meeting, I went for an early dinner with Deb and Troy at The Capitol Grille. We talked about residencies, networking, and went over some of the things that I need to do while I'm here for the year. Making a list of things to do/places to go while I'm here is still on my to-do list...

Also, I'm having some trouble with electronics! I tried to put in an exercise DVD last night (love Kathy Smith! Of all the videos I've done, she is the most realistic and motivating instructor. However, I do love my Paula Abdula dance video, too. Tough call.), but I couldn't even make the input button work! Boo! Hopefully I will figure that out tonight, along with fixing my Bose soundock and Sweetheart alarm clock, both of which I miss terribly! Deb said that maybe it was something to do with my electric, so I'm going to try to give National Grid a call tomorrow.

The Sweetheart alarm clock, you ask? This was a very special present from my dad for graduation. As many of you already know, I am an extremely deep sleeper. I've slept through an earthquake, 3/4 of a final (Spanish I), a car ride to Florida (14 out of 16 hours!), and a fire alarm (turns out it wasn't a drill, and I was in charge of the building... thank goodness it was only a flood and not a fire). I usually wake up when I know it's critical that I'm not late, but, as you see, not all of the time (e.g. the Spanish final). The Sonic Boom Sweetheart Alarm Clock not only has a volume level of 113 decibels, but it comes with a 12V vibrator that shakes the bed. The instructions tell you to put in under your matress, but I've been putting it next to my pillow. There is no sleeping when that beast is going off, let me tell you!

Here is the mission statement of Silent Cell Communications, the company that sells the alarm clock:'

"At Silent Cell Communications our mission is to provide the utmost in reliability and usability available in personal communications and life-enhancing systems for the deaf, the hard of hearing, and those who are out of hearing range."

Thank goodness there are companies that manufacture products for people like me! :)

Stay tuned for more this weekend... coupons, woman vs. IKEA furniture, exploring RI, and more! Cheers!