Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Healthcare today --my thoughts

I thought I would write about healthcare in general. I know this is a very wide topic. Everyone has an opinion on it though.

First, let me say I started in the healthcare field in 2008 in home health. I basically took care of people in their homes called a homemaker or companion.  Sometimes this was for safety reasons to stay in the house at night time.  Many times all I worked for people that had dementia problems.  I assisted people with using the toilet or making their meals.

I had later decided that because what I was doing is close to being a CNA, I took the CNA class and was certified.  I have worked at few local nursing homes in the area.  One will find most nursing homes are the same in some ways.  Working as a CNA can be tough on a person's back I am definitely finding out at this new location I am working at.  This position is not very well paid, but it can depend on the area that one lives in.  Some places do not care very much if a resident hit a staff member like a CNA, but they care if they hit another resident then they feel the other residents are not safe. What about the CNA that does the daily care of the resident.

Working in a hospital, every CNA would love to achieve that job.  A hospital environment is seen different than a nursing home environment.

But I must say about nursing homes, I do not want my mother, father or myself/spouse to go into a nursing home.  My grandmother was in one. But I did not have much decision in that situation.  Most nursing home food is bland.  A person will not get to eat their favorite foods much anymore.  A person is highly encouraged to come to all meals or come to activities. They are made to get up by 6 or 7 am, this is not very good for those that like to sleep in.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Painting and Drinking Wine

Do you enjoy painting?  I never paint because I didn't think I had a talent for it.  On March 20, I attended a Blogger Lounge in St. Louis sponsored by Midwest Influencers Network. There were various businesses and or companies there networking with bloggers.

Pinot's Palette was there and doing mini painting classes.  Individuals could do a mini painting right there.  The instructor told us how to paint with our creativeness put into the painting as well.  The instructor makes you feel at ease when painting. It does not have to be perfect.  One will be surprised how it turns out.

Try something new with a friend and drink some wine and paint a new picture.

Visit Pinot's Palette in Webster Groves. The picture below is similar to one I painted myself.  Each one is not the same.


Thursday, March 26, 2015

Don't forget about special people

If you leave a job, and there were special there don't forget about them.  Keep in contact with them in some way.

I left my nursing home job for another one.  There was one lady that was oh so special to me.  Because I have no grandmother's left. She was like one. She didn't belong in the memory unit, I believe.  When I left, I got her daughter's phone number. Today, the daughter, the lady and me are having lunch. This morning I am making banana bread for her.  When I was there, I would bring home baked goods for her. I would spoil her you would say.  I made my recipes in the unit instead of the other things. People liked my recipes.

I don't know how often I will see her. I don't if she will continue to remember always.


Saturday, March 21, 2015

The VIP Blogger Lounge--St. Louis

Yesterday, I attended my first blogger related event.  It was the Blogger Lounge sponsored by the Midwest Influencers Network and Alive Magazine. It was located at the Boo Cat Club in St. Louis.  This event was for bloggers and brands to socialize with each other.  My husband could not understand why they did not do this online because most things are.  Brands need to develop a relationship and know who the blogger is in person.  The blogger may very well be sponsoring their company and product.   Explore St. Louis was there looking for a blogger to become 2015's Ambassador to basically spread the word about St. Louis.

Some of the companies that were there were:
Aquarius Wellness as they provided massages. I wish I would have received one.
Pinot's Pallette did small paintings with people as they would do a regular class. It was fun as I did a painting myself.
Sara's social booth was there and people could use various props and share the pics to twitter or Facebook.
Jord Wood Watches--they gave bloggers the opportunity to design a watch.
Hiro's Asian Kitchen presented an appetizer for us to try.

It was a different environment for me compared to what I am used to.  A blogger needs to be outgoing. One regret is that I do not have business cards yet.  Bloggers shared their blogs with other blogs.  Bloggers are hoping to be able to be able to do a collaboration with a company that was present there.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Umm, What do I say?

I don't really have much on my mind right now. I just can't wait for my day at work tomorrow to be over.  I am excited to go to the Blogger lounge tomorrow night.  It should interesting to connect with others. I am going with another blogger from the area I have met. It will be good to get to know her on the way over there.  I am hoping I make some good impressions. Worried because my one blog does not always fit into the area of most things.  I hope to get this one better to cover a wider topic for the area instead of just frugal things.  I am hoping this event can help me move my blog in the right direction. I will also be attending a blogging conference in a few weeks. My mind is ready to learn and I am ready to make changes. I am ready, motivated and determined to make an income from my blogs.  I need to be successful for myself.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

A New Adventure

So I had recently started this blog. It doesn't have many posts on it.  I am trying to expand it little by little. It may be hard work to do two blogs, but I think this one may be better to cover local things that have nothing to do with frugal living and such. I am hoping somehow to reach out to local and St. Louis area business and people to give them the ability to advertise or highlight what is going in their neck of the woods.

I am very excited as I get to attend a special blogger's event on Friday night. This will be my opportunity to spread the word at one or both blogs.  There will be various St. Louis companies there looking to network.
 

The Garden has started

So is about that time to start the garden.  Fairly soon we should plant the peas.  Today, I used a shovel and turned over the dirt in most of the area of where the garden will be.  I am sure my feet will feel it later because of putting them on the shovel.  My arm muscles feel it that is for sure. As I picked up the dirt and flipped it over.  Our son came out to see what I was doing. I told him he needed to do it  too so he can work on his muscles. He literally jumped on the shovel each time. It was kind of funny to watch him though.  It still needs more work though. I received the comment through facebook stating it would be better with a roto tiller. But with our ground, it needs to be worked first, especially with the type of grass we have here.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Success....

You control your own success. What is it worth?  What do you want your success to be in your life? Right now, I want success to be that I a paid freelance writer.  I want to be a decent income from my blogs. I want to be able to stay more instead of working in a nursing home where I know this kind of job will not help my life.  A nursing home job will not help my job as freelancer or my blog.  Maybe I do need to put more time into my blog than what I do. But how does one do such a thing with a family.

I need to concentrate on that first phrase I wrote. You control your own success. How badly do I want my own success?

My Next article is .....

I was told that I could submit articles to the paper anytime I wanted.  I have the possibility to do some freelance articles in the next few months for money.  So I feel I must continue to submit articles so he knows I am still writing and looking to do these future paid articles.

We took a family drive to a local park yesterday. We then did a little hike there. I figured that I will write my next article about the many things in the area that are free that a family can do together.
I am sure many kids do not know about the statue of Robert Wadlow a man that had a record of being the tallest person.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Sickness with men vs. women

Have you ever noticed how when a woman gets sick and when a man gets it is totally different?  A woman gets a cold or sinus thing, a few things may get a little messier than normal.  But she is a mother and a wife she must continue with everything around the house. A man gets sick, and it is woe is me.

I had a cough, then it got better. Then I got it back plus sinus related cold. Well, I had gone to the doctor with the first cold, so I had received my inhalers and an asthma pill.  I have asthma/COPD.  So when I get a cough it will go into overdrive without regular inhalers. Then this past week my husband caught the cold. He is coughing and has sinus issues has well. I have been catering to his needs when he asks for something. He called off work Tuesday and now today.  The whole time I was sick, I did not call off work. I even sounded like a goose or some animal when I coughed. I even had extra issues when I coughed and I still went to work through it all.

Now he says he wants to go the doctor this afternoon. Ugh. On my day off he decides to stay home sick.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

What I shouldn't do I am about to do


I was always taught by my parents to give a two-week notice when leaving a job. I have done this before if I had the opportunity.  I am about to start a new job. I already gave my two-week notice. It officially ends next week on Wednesday.  The orientation for the new job in this Thursday morning.  I figure the sooner I can start work the better. I will be making more money than where I am at now.  So what am I about to do, you ask? I am working tomorrow and will be telling them that tomorrow is my last day.  Why am I doing this, besides the fact that I can start work earlier?  Tomorrow is the last day of the pay period. I will be receiving my vacation and PTO time on the next check.  I have close to another paycheck's worth.  I really could you use that money on the 20th instead of waiting until April 6.


Saturday, March 7, 2015

I am a wife, mother and a blogger

This weekend I am off work from the nursing home.  The weather is to be in the 50's, hopefully the snow melts.  I have things to do today around the house.  I must do dishes, which is normal.  I have to put away clothes that just folded this morning.  I want to make some brownies today as well.  I have to go to the store to get things I forgot.  I am sitting at the computer now although I want to watch more television --Criminal Minds.  I was up by 6:30. I saw my husband off to work.  I made son a good breakfast.  Now I really get to work doing something meaningful before the day passes by too fast.  Sometimes we want the weekends to just relax.  A mother and wife can never relax really because there is always things to do around the house.  There is always things to do if you are a blogger also.

I have the idea that I would also like to make some pancakes and freeze them for my son.  He can then just and eat in the mornings for breakfast. This would  be cheaper than going through the pop tarts or bread so fast.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Blogging and the Real world

I have a full time job as a CNA at the moment.  It is very hard to work a job with a family and do a blog among it all. There is always something to do in the house whether it is laundry, cleaning, cooking or just being with the family.  There are days that I spend hours on the computer doing many things related to the blog. It is surprising how time flies so fast when you are busy.  A blog takes a great amount of commitment and time  spent on it.  I can easily see how a person can not have a job and work on the blog.

There is a blogger event coming up in St. Louis.  I would love to go to mingle and learn new things.  I am not sure if I am working that night at the new job or not.  I don't want to go asking for that off too. I am already hopefully going to get off April 10 so I can be fully awake to go to a Blogging conference in St. Louis.

My full time job is getting in the way of my blog. Some people would consider my blog a hobby because I am not making any money from it. It takes time to make money. It takes time to get followers to your blog.

Freelance writing is the process

I submitted another article for the local paper. Most likely it will in Wednesday's paper.  When I sent him my article via email, I told him I would be willing to do any other articles on topics/or cover events.  I said that I hope to branch off from the unpaid articles to a paid writing gig.

I received his email back fairly fast which I was shocked.  The email stated that there very well may be some freelance opportunities in the next couple months.  The articles are in the lifestyle area (cooking, health, gardening, etc).  These articles would be paid articles.  He said he will keep me in mind.  My dream of being a freelance writer is coming true.