Dagens Namn -- 29 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is Viola.

Dagens Namn -- 28 Oktober 2005

Yesterday was your name day if your name is: Simon or Simone.

Sex offender

With Halloween coming up, there has been a lot of talk about knowing who the registered sex offenders are in your neighborhood. Since I'm procrastinating writing my bioethics paper, I though I would do a little web searching. Kind of creepy the whole thing. Didn't come across any faces I recognized, but I did find one picture that struck me. Most of the pictures showed sullen, menacing men (plus one woman!). One guy, however, decided to smile in his picture. What is the world is going on in his head? Does he think just because he smiles people will disregard the fact that he was convicted of child molestation? Is he happy about or does he think it is funny that it is public knowledge that he is a convicted sex offender? Maybe he is happy to be a convicted sex offender. Who knows. I sure don't.

Rain Amsterdam

So, as you may or may not know, I lived in the Netherlands for 3 years during high school. We were living there because my dad had a one time foreign service type assignment. While living in the Hague I attended the American School of the Hague (ASH). I was checking out their alumni message board today and found a link to this restaurant/bar/club which is run by a former ASHer. The guy, Robin Chadha, was two years ahead of me and I didn't really know him, other than knowing who he was. All the same, kind of cool. Anyway, the place is called Rain. It looks like a place where the very cool and very hip would go. Don't think I would fit in so well. If you are cool and hip, however, and are ever in Amsterdam, check it out and let me know what it is like!

Fake flu shots

I was supposed to get my flu shot this past week, but didn't because the hospital hasn't received sufficient supply yet or something like that. They said maybe next week or the week after that. I was a little pissed, but not as pissed as some Exxon Mobil employees in Baytown, Texas. Apparently at a recent health fair they all were lead to believe they were getting flu shots. Turns out the injections didn't actually contain any flu vaccine. The article I read didn't say what they actually received, probably because they don't know either. The whole matter is under investigation by the FBI naturally.

Chapstick

In my humble opinion, Blistex Silk and Shine is the best damn chapstick around. It gives such a smooth finish and even tastes good too. Give it a try!

Dagens Namn -- 27 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is Sabina.

Dagens Namn -- 26 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Amanda or Rasmus.

One of my good friends from childhood is named Amanda. Below are two pictures of her. The first is of the both of us. I would guess we are about 4 years old. The second picture is one that I took of her in 8th grade for photography class.

Chinese BSB

Ok, I found this through waiterrant.net and it is hilarious!! Two Chinese guys lip syncing to the Backstreet Boys song "I Want It That Way." On the same bent as the Numa Numa video. And as Waiter apty point out, what in the world is the guy in the background doing?

Rome bans goldfish bowls seen as cruel

According to a report I just read on Yahoo News, "The city of Rome has banned goldfish bowls, which animal rights activists say are cruel..." The new law also bans fish or other animals being given away as fairground prizes. I will admit that I once got a goldfish at a local fair. My uncle Sven actually won a goldfish each for me, my friend Susie and my neighbor Molly. Yes, I have an uncle named Sven, I mean I am Swedish after all. My fish was of course aptly also named Sven and lived for a good long time in his fishbowl in the kitchen. I was five when all this happened, however, so "a good long time" in five year old time could have been a month or two. If you look very hard at the picture below, you can see Sven in the fishbowl in the background. My friend Susie's fish was eaten by her cat KK as I recall. My neighbor Molly's fish promptly died when she decided it would be more fun for it to swim in apple juice than water. A friend of mine works at a place called Wally's Aquarium, where they know pretty much everything there is to know about keeping fish as pets. Had Molly consulted him I'm sure they could have worked out a much better setup.

Monira Silk

So, I'm all about the photographers today. I randomly came across a blog featuring pictures from the Athens Banner Herald by a photographer named Monira Silk. That led me to her official website where you can see wedding photos, portraits, and more photojournalism work. Check it out!!

Carl de Keyzer

Photograph by Carl de Keyzer

Through Matt Shifley's blog, Confessions of a dumb white guy, I came upon Dorna's blog, The Guabancex Blog. Dorna had a post about Belgian photographer Carl de Keyzer. The picture she posted as a link to his website (see above) really caught my eye and I checked the site out. Amazing photographs! Check it out for yourself! And don't forget to check out Matt and Dorna's blogs while you are at it.

Dagens Namn -- 25 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Inga or Ingalill.

Dagens Namn -- 24 Oktober 2005

Yesterday was your name day if your name is: Eilert or Evert.

Dagens Namn -- 23 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is Severin or Sören.

Operation Eden

Came across a very cool website today. Operation Eden is the blog of photographer Clayton James Cubitt. He grew up in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. According to Cubitt, the blog "a personal chronicle of what hurricane Katrina has done to my poor proud people." His photographs are amazing. Check it out!

Dagens Namn -- 22 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Marika or Marita.

Dagens Namn -- 21 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Yrsa or Ursula.

Farfar

I found these pictures of me and my farfar this week when I was looking for pictures from the Haugen Family Blog. Farfar is Swedish for father's father (aka grandfather). My farfar died when I was only 6, so I don't remember him all that well, but the way he is in these pictures is how I do remember him.

Family History

As you may have noticed in my blogger profile, one of my interests is genealogy. My cousin Megan has started a blog with this interest in mind. The blog is dedicated to my farmor's (dad's mom's) family, the Haugens. On the Haugen Family blog we will be able to share stories, photos, and any new information we find out. A few old pictures are already posted there. Check it out! Maybe you can start a blog about your own family.

Dagens Namn -- 20 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is Sibylla.

Dagens Namn -- 19 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Tor or Tore.

Dagens Namn -- 18 Oktober 2005

Yesterday was your name day if your name is Lukas.

Blog Color

I originally picked the color of my blog because on my computer it looked like the blue color of the scrubs we wear at work. Then one day I looked at my blog on a computer at work. I was shocked to see that it looked more green. Today on my computer the background looks somewhat gray. What color does my blog look on your computer?

Dagens Namn -- 17 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Antonia or Toini.

Dagens Namn -- 16 Oktober 2005

Yesterday was your name day if your name is Finn.

Daysleeper

Just got home from another glorious night shift. Work again tonight. REM knows how I feel.

My bed is pulling me,
Gravity
Daysleeper. Daysleeper.
Daysleeper. Daysleeper. Daysleeper.

Dagens Namn -- 15 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Siri or Sigrid.

Dagens Namn -- 14 Oktober 2005

October 14th was your name day if your name is Stellan.

I apologize to the all the Stellans of the world for posting their name day late and not giving them proper recognition!

Dagens Namn -- 13 Oktober 2005

October 13th was your name day if your name is: Berit or Birgit.

I apologize to all the the Berits and Birgits of the world for posting their name day late and not giving them proper recognition.

Just a few things

1) Benjamin Ladner is an idiot. But American University is even more stupid for letting him get away with it and then still offering him a severance package.

2) I have rediscovered the musical duo Storyhill (formerly Chris and Johnny). I used to listen to them back in the day, but kind of forgot about them for a while. They describe themselves as acoustic folk-pop. I describe them as good.

3) Apparently there is a woman in Arkasas who just gave birth to her 16th child. She is 39 now and had her first one when she was 21. The gaggle of kids includes 2 sets of twins. Apparently she and her husband say they want more. They must be crazy.

4) I finally made it to freaking level 7 of Tumblebugs. Apparently this is not a big deal because my sister and her boyfriend have already surpassed me.

5) My favorite travel nurses ever, Jeff and Kelly, are starting back with us on November 7th. They are hard workers and hilarious as all get out. Bring on the Hello Kitty Uno!

6) Last week my application for Clinical Nurse III status at work got approved. The benefits of this? First, it looks good on my resume. Second, I get to have a new ID badge. Third, I get a $1500 bonus.

7) Had a work "happy hour" (aka dinner) last night at Caribbean Breeze in Ballston. The food was very very good. The menu said that they were voted the best happy hour in DC. Not quite exactly sure who voted that, but I imagine it could be true. If you are around Ballston sometime, check the place out.

Dagens Namn -- 12 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Manfred or Valfrid.

Dagens Namn -- 11 Oktober 2005

Today is your name if your name is: Erling or Jarl.

Dagens Namn -- 10 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Harry or Harriet.

Dagens Namn -- 9 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Inger or Ingrid.

Dagens Namn -- 8 Oktober 2005

Yesterday was your name day if your name is Nils.

Dagens Namn -- 7 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Birgitta or Britta.

Clinicals

Since I passed the written and practical exams for my Health Assessment class, I can now start doing my clinical rotations. I have been paired with a family nurse practitioner who is on a team that manages the medical care for about 70 patients at a subacute and long-term care facility in Northwest Washington. This type of facility would not have been my first choice, but after meeting my preceptor yesterday I can tell I will learn a lot from her this semester. Most of the patients are elderly and have multiple comorbidities. Most commonly coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hyptertension, peripheral vascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. We got a couple of people ready for discharge, plus did wound rounds on a number of patients. One guy has this unbelievable wound on his foot. He is only 51 years old and has type 2 diabetes and as a result has developed diabetic neuropathy. This led to a condition called Charcot's foot in which the joints and soft tissue in the foot are destroyed. Click here if you want to see a picture, but I warn you it is not for the faint of heart!

Tumblebugs

My coworked Karin introduced me to this game called Tumblebugs and now I am obsessed. I could probably play it for hours at a time if it didn't overheat my computer so much. My laptop seriously just shuts off in the middle of the game sometimes. Very frustrating. I've almost beaten level 6, but can't quite get past the last part. If you too would like to become obsessed check out the Tumblebugs website at Yahoo Games.

Dagens Namn -- 6 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Jennifer or Jenny.

Dagens Namn -- 5 Oktober 2005

Yesterday was your name day if your name is Bror.

Panda Cub at the National Zoo

The still nameless panda cub at the National Zoo had his 12 week check up yesterday. I haven't actually been to the National Zoo in a few years, but I might just have to go down there when they put the panda cub on display in November. Until then I'll just have to be satisfied by looking at the photos they publish. Apparently October 17th is when they will reveal the panda cub's name.


In this picture, the panda cub seems to be saying, "I better get a freakin' lollipop after this!"

You can go here if you want to see live video of the panda cub at the National Zoo.

Kanelbullens Dag

In Sweden, today is Kanelbullens Dag (Cinnamon Bun Day). Apparently this is the seventh year it has been celebrated. Swedish cinnamon buns are very good, a little less sticky than your average American cinnamon bun. Not that I am complaining about American ones, they are just different. Sometimes the Swedes even add a little cardamom. My grandmother makes bullar all the time. We generally have them when we fika. Fika is a Swedish verb that roughly means "coffee break". The exact meaning, however, is generally hard to translate to any other language. One of my favortie places to fika is at Vete-Katten in Stockholm. We always go there every time we are in Stockholm. Anyway, if you live near a bakery or a Cinabon, go get yourself a cinnamon bun and celebrate!

Dagens Namn -- 4 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Frans or Frank.

Dagens Namn -- 3 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Evald or Osvald.

Seven Continents Club

So, today my crazy cousin Nissa has become the youngest person to run a marathon on all seven continents. She has run marathons in New Zealand, Antartica, Sweden, Kenya, the Easter Islands, Nepal and St. Paul. She is the 148th and youngest member of the Seven Continents Club. I think that is pretty damn cool!! Both the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Minneapolis/St. Paul City Pages had articles about Nissa and her accomplishment. Check them out. WAY TO GO NISSA!!!

Dagens Namn -- 2 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Love or Ludvig.

Triplets!

After a stress filled morning (took and passed my health assessment final), I spent a fun filled afternoon with my friend Rhonda and her triplets (Katie, Rett, and Mary Phillips). They are now just over one year old and it is amazing how they've changed. Some of you may recall that I posted some pictures of them back in July. They are now "walking" and babbling. I took my camera with this time too, but it was much more difficult to photograph them. They move and move and move. Just when you think you have a great picture and press the button, they move. Thus I didn't even post half the pictures I took and even some of the ones I did post are a little blurry. Oh well, you get they idea of cute they are all the same. Just follow the My Yahoo Photos website link in the sidebar. The album is called "Triplets #2." They old album from July is called "Kenum Triplets."

Dagens Namn -- 1 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Ragna or Ragnar.