My Second Home

I first visited Chicago when I was in the 5th grade.  It wasn't my first trip to a big city as my family had vacationed to both New York and Los Angeles before, but it was my first memory of a big urban metropolis.  It was breathtaking and amazing.  And that sense of awe hasn't ever gone away or faded in the least little bit.  I specifically remember going to China town and having my first sit down experience at a Chinese restaurant.  Pepper Steak. Yeah, I wasn't exactly adventurous back then food wise, but it was still amazing.

They Ain't Getting Better

This is just a quick update on my migraines.  The title kind of says it all... they're not only NOT getting better, they're getting worse.  I last updated you on June 11th as I was tapering up and down on topamax.  I had taped up to 100mg a day under my neurologist's direction and had decided to go back down to 75mg a day under my own choice.  Well, 75mg wasn't really any better.  Like every dose of topamax it was different, but not better.  I did have fewer migraines, but they were far worse than my 'normal' migraines.  I have to put the air quotes on that as I still don't really have a 'normal' migraine.

Debt, Payment, and Forgiveness

I write fairly often about the things I spend money on.  Travel, my computer, my car, my mom's car, little trinkets and do-dads... but on a month to month basis, the biggest thing I spend money on is debt.  Some of that is debt for the things that I'm talking about.  I put most of the computer on a credit card and had that paid off in a few months.  I put the appliances on various credit cards and had them paid off within a year.  Even my car is a constant payment.  But the biggest payment I make each and every month isn't my car payment, my credit card payment, or my store credit cards... it's my student loan payment.  My student loan payment is the primary financial reason I'm not out on my own.

Borders

On Independence Day I wrote up an Obscura on the other blog called Crossing the Border.  It was an odd moment for me as I both wanted to write 'as Caitlyn' but I also wanted to vent about the situation going on at the border.  Now, days later, I actually regret putting that there on the blog.  Sure, its a fairly good obscura and it works as a straightforward tg story, but I spent hours researching the asylum, refugee, and citizenship process while writing it.  I put a lot of information into a cap that could be boiled down to 'guy gets transformed into girl and has to go through the lengthy naturalization process to get his body back'.

Friends

I wish I had more friends.

I've shared about my friends before, but just to update how I'll refer to them and to any new readers here, let me tell you about my current cadre of friends.  This won't take long.  .

I have A and E.  I went to photo school with E and then worked with him and A as a photographer.  We became good friends and even though we don't live near each other, I still consider them my best friends.  I actually served as the officiant in both of their weddings. I'm sure if I were to ever get married, they'd both stand up in mine if not actually officiate it.  When I travel down to Dallas, I'm traveling to visit with A.  I'd travel to visit with E, but he lives in San Francisco and that's an expensive flight or a very long drive.  We vacationed together last year in New Orleans.  We text each other fairly often in a group chat and just share stuff.

Can't it be Ideas?

At the end of this post I have a conversation about the whole 'Us vs Them' thing (hence the graphic!), but to start, I have a bunch of issues to catch up on.  First, the job issue.  Yes, I'm continuing on the job search and yes, it is now a job search.  I have been in contact with my former supervisor and hopefully future HUM but her position is not yet available.  BUT as my current supervisor and HUM are now aware of my intent to move on and are both supportive of my intent to move on, they've pointed out that a position nearby has come open. Not only did they point it out but they've made introductions between the HUM there and me but got me a tour of their facility.  And on top of all that, the position DID come open.

Changing Jobs Again

Back at the end of April I shared how a single nurse was ruining my job.  She was single handedly making my days hard to take, and difficult to get over. I ended by saying that I might start looking for some Nurse Manager positions.  I did that and found a nursing manager job nearby, but I didn't pull the trigger.  I didn't want my anger to lead my career.  I didn't want HER to lead my career.  So I stuck it out and kept going.

She's Caitlyn

Point Blank; Caitlyn's gone again.

Fuck Apple and the iPod they rode in on

I last updated you on my music back in December.  It was then that I started to explore Google Music.  And I have to tell you, I ADORE Google Music.  It seems to be just about the perfect service.  As I mentioned, I already pay for it every month so that I get the additional benefit of advertising free videos on YouTube Red.  So while it's technically $10 a month, it's not like it's an extra $10 a month.  It's like saying Amazon video is $8 a month... but I already pay for Amazon Prime, so I get Amazon Video included whether I use it or not.  So I was already paying for Google Music whether I used it or not.  I'm just now using it.

Work is making me CRAZY

Okay, crazy probably isn't the best word.  Angry?  Upset?  Pissed off?  Frustrated?  Those all probably fit a little better than crazy.  But crazy just feels a little more appropriate.  I mean lets face it, I work as a nurse in a prison. The job already has a lot to make me feel frustrated and crazy built into it.  Before I dive too deep into the real subject of this post, lets look at some of the natural every day things that give me frustration and craziness at my job.