clement st, san fran

life in the bay area has been redeemed by a trip to clement st last night..clement and 4th to be specific..my favorite viatnamese restaurant is still in operation..i'm sooo happy. people if you want the best coconut chicken curry you've ever tasted..it's here. the Burmese restaurant is right across the street and that one is next in line..that place is always packed. the indonesian place down a few lots was empty. a full restaurant is a good indicator.

i took the train to oakland and met my friend, and we drove over the bridge together. the gray clouds ended right at the san fran skyline..the water on the right side of the bay near alcatraz glittered in gold and gray..the bay to the left was dark. every tall window in sf refracted the setting sun.

we hit the busy streets and i instantly remembered the places i used to run around. for years i have tried to seek a lifestyle with a quiet cabin in the woods..over time i have realized i am really happy near a big pulsating city. i love the people and activity. there's nothing like a taxi ride in sf. the stores, oh god the stores.

clement st and area is full of restaurants and side shops. i had two cups of coffee after 8 at night..a major no no for an insomniac, but after dinner we rolled down the windows and hooted and everyone and made a lovely excited scene. we were both energized and relaxed. Zack sat in the backseat with his thoughtful look and enjoyed the ride. we bought an exquisite peach and yellow orchid with intense detailing. and more coffee. coffee pearl drink followed by viatnamese coffee..my favorite. condensed milk with coffee is good. i am going to a store in chinatown to get one of those coffee set ups that drains the coffee into a cup that has a thick sluggish layer of condensed milk on the bottom. yum.

i was happy to break out of my self imposed jail and risk more lack of sleep by staying out late. sometimes lack of sleep leaves you feeling more energized.

building bridges. sorry no caps today, sleep dep

years ago when i first started out in nursing, i had already decided i would work in OB or L and D..no question about it. cardio, neuro, peds, icu..nothing else excited me. i have a tolerance for surgery, pacu, plastics, derm, and psych but really felt my aptitude and real interest was in women's health. each time i had a baby (uh..twice now) , going thru the process affirmed that's where i want to be. watching multiple births affirmed it.

i worked briefly as a CNA in OB ..was my first real 'nurse assistant' job at Flagstaff Medical Center. but with a new baby and less than helpful mate, when they put me on night shifts i couldn't do it. Morgan's dad was on a path to make sure i would not succeed so that i would need him. i eventually transferred over to SNF and was miserable. didn't have to suffer too long, was accepted into the nursing program in phoenix..i did work agency as a cna then lpn..i sorta got 'stuck' in snf's and ltc's. assisted living wasn't too bad. but i always felt getting the transfer during my first job was pivotal and set the tone for many years. after earning my rn license i stuck with what i knew, happy to get a job that was non-hospital with hospice. but still worked agency. agency is wonderfully flexible and pays well. but why be paid well for work that sucks the life out of you.

ever since returning to the bay area i have felt a rush of excitement about doing something with school and career again. for the past two years i have felt pretty restless with akai. i enjoy the challenge of running a business but feel i've reached a plateau and can't produce, on my own, any more. goal met. what's next. i've battled the feelings of returning to a nurse job because i couldnt bear the thought of getting stuck again. but in a crappy economy oversaturated with new grads fighting for scraps, i was undecided what to do.

there are a lot of factors pointing towards going back to school. the money i would normally spend on stocking akai for fall season can easily pay for a full year of college. on the accelerate track i could finish my four year degree in nursing in one long hard year. once i had that degree, i could apply to grad programs. there's three i am considering..well three areas of interest. by the time i apply i should be able to narrow it down ..my heart and my head are battling it over. nurse midwife..physician assistant (always loved the medical model..even..i admit..more than the nursing model)..and nurse anesthetist.

it's a relief to not wake up and work on things like a website..it's exciting to be able to research schools and do something that will allow for upward mobility. i dont want the stubbornness of excelling at a business that i created to prevent me from moving towards another line of work that is a lot more stable. so for now i'll cross the bridge that leads to more opportunities

i hope they make wetsuits in pink

cuz it looks like this may be a new surf spot..we drove past yesterday and i was frothing and jumping around wildly..yeah water is super ass cold..but the waves broke easy and smooth..

forgot how much i love california, such diversity..and you don't easily end up at a dead end, the highways go for miles, unlike an island that is often like an amusement park..very exciting at first but once you've seen everything and been on all the rides, you look for a new one

i was born and raised a so cal chick but loved the bay area the couple of years i was here before..glad to be home. i have to return to hawaii and plan on going back and forth as much as possible (thanks to a travel nurse job)..surely all that bouncing around will settle the spirit :)