The final month

4 weeks remain here in Iowa, which means in that time it'll be a new year as well. Hard to believe that this year I've been in 4 different places. Good things come in 4's, maybe? Who knows. Anyway, the search for adventure #5 has begun! So far, I've applied for two jobs in Florida, one in Missouri, Boston (!!!!), one in a Boston suburb, one in North Carolina and one on an Indian Reservation in Arizona! And to think, I possibly would have maybe ended up here a bit longer. At the beginning of last week, I was offered an extension for an additional 30 days, but I was agreeable to the end of January. Unfortunately, after a phone call with my apartment office, they already gave my apartment away after my lease is up, which is the 7th of January. Bummer, but completely understandable. I was talking to a co worker about my dilemma, and she offered a spare bedroom in her currently being remodeled house, which I wouldn't have minded, even though it would have been a semi hefty commute. Then, another co worker offered a spare bedroom in his apartment, which is close to the hospital. An enticing offer, but ultimately I decided to turn down the extension, as I really didn't want to go through the trouble of packing up all my crap and moving somewhere for 3 weeks. So thanks Iowa, but no thanks. To be honest, I was expecting some sort of offense when I told my nurse and assistant nurse managers about my decision, but they were quite understanding, which is good, compared to past not so pleasant experiences from other cohorts.

Truth be told, I'd really like to just go home for a bit. Thanksgiving was particularly difficult this year, and I'm not talking about patients. I'm thankful that things are better, but during that particular week it seemed like everyone just had buckets of crap and for some reason were dumping them on me, well....on everyone, really. And you know? After a while, it just gets really old. But I'm grateful for keeping in touch with family and friends back home and making new friends here. Recently, a fellow travel nursing friend who I met at our hospital orientation went out a couple weeks ago to a off the beaten path movie theater downtown, saw a very good Indie film (The Florida Project if you're interested) and ate over-priced but DELICIOUS spaghetti. Yeah....mine had crab on it, and no, not the imitation crap. REAL crab. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh....oh my goodness it was divine! May have digressed a bit. Anyway, but I've dealt with a few bad eggs everywhere I've been, and over time you learn to just deal with it. I always tell myself I can do anything for 3 months, and my oh my does the time go by fast. But I'll be home next weekend, as my lovely twin sister is getting married! Actually, a week from today! So during my 2 days off this week, it'll be getting my speech finished, packing up, and hoping in the mean time we don't freeze to death; brrr has it been COLD. I know for a fact these remaining weeks will fly, and hopefully I'll hear something soon about what lies next!