Friends with Kitties

These "Dear Kitten" videos crack me up, but I think this might be my favorite. It pretty much describes my relationship with my cats.  Or at least, I'm pretty sure this is what Henry and Arthur think of me...Ruthie likes to pretend she doesn't have any friends!

Snow White vs Elsa

I can't explain why I find these rap battles so amusing, but here's my latest fave featuring the old school Disney princesses up against the newest girls at WDW:

I think it is fairly obvious that Queen Elsa and her ice powers would beat Snow White and her tweeting talents, but I still think Merida is the coolest Disney princess and totally deserves a rap battle of her own.  With possibly the best animated hair ever and badass archery skills, she would dominate. 

Best. Hair. Ever.

And she's Scottish, too.  So really, those other poor Disney princesses just wouldn't stand a chance.  

Happy Holidays!

2014 has been an unexpectedly busy year.  Because of the horrible weather/driving conditions last winter, I decided that seven years was long enough to live 35 miles away from my job, so I bought a house that is a little closer to work, and in a little better condition than my old one.  I made an offer on what I like to pretend is a little farm, but is really just 30 acres with some trees and ponds, a giant garage and a rather small but very nicely constructed house.  I'm still keeping that farming/dog sanctuary dream as my ultimate goal, so it was kind of the perfect fit.  

There are visions of rescue dogs frolicking in the new pond stuck in my head!

Anyway, it only took six months to move all my belongings, and by Thanksgiving I was finally settled in my new abode, complete with Izzy, Emma, Henry, and Ruthie.  No one has run away from home or stopped eating due to homesickness, so I think we're all reasonably happy.  I, however, have come to the realization that I own WAY too much stuff.  I don't remember buying half of it, and probably a good quarter I honestly didn't even know I had until I started unpacking.  I think I could open a thrift store and keep it going for at least a year with just the things I don't want.  Clearly last year's resolution to minimize/simplify my life didn't stick!

Beyond getting used to our lovely new home, I have a new feline member in our little family.  Arthur is a 6 month old stray kitten who was given to me by a church friend just two weeks ago.  He's the sweetest, most personable little cat I've ever met, and I adore him already!  He has renewed my interest in Instagram, since I felt the urge to share the delight of Arthur with a larger audience.  In other words, my family and coworkers were getting a little tired of looking at cell phone photos of the poor cat, so I have been forced to seek affirmation of Arthur's exceptional cuteness elsewhere.

Seriously, #bestcatever. Like, really.

Now that I'm all settled in a new house that is significantly closer to my job, I'll have lots more opportunity for all my favorite things.  I'm so looking forward to crafts, cooking, gardening, and hiking with the dogs, as well as exploring my new city!  I'm actually decorating my house this year, inside and out, and throwing a Frozen-themed New Year's Eve bash for my family and friends.  And with all the time I'm saving because I've cut my commute from 34 miles to 13, maybe I'll even have time to remember to share Arthur pictures on the blog!

Happy Christmas and a joyful New Year to all!

Who Are You On Doctor Who?

I was pleasantly surprised by my result after taking the "Which Doctor Who Character Are You?" quiz:

Which 'Doctor Who' Character Are You?

More on Doctor Who.Created by BuddyTV

Now if only I could get my hair to look like hers, my life would be pretty much perfect.

The Day of the Doctor

I know it's probably because my two favorite Doctors will be together in one fab episode, but I'm getting a little excited about the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who!

I would throw a party, but Whovians seem to be few and far between up here in central New York.  I'm pretty sure I was born on the wrong continent!

Doc Brown vs Doctor Who. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2.

Put on your Easter Bonnet!

I had some fun with my Easter Sunday wardrobe this year, so I thought I'd share.  I kind of have a thing for hats, and was so excited when I found this fascinator on eBay:

Normally I spread my crafty wings and make my own Easter bonnet out of various materials.  But after last year's Peeps in Easter Grass millinery confection, I thought maybe I would delve a little further into the world of hats and purchase a legit chapeau made by someone with experience.

Hats aren't really a popular accessory these days, at least in the United States.  It makes finding anything beyond a simple straw hat or fedora rather difficult.  And I wanted a real hat, like the Brits would wear. 

British women seem to have a hat for every occasion, and I'm always jealous of their style and flair.  I don't know why American women don't strive for a little more class, but I think it probably has something to do with Kim Kardashian and her "trampy hooker" style being featured on the cover of every magazine.

Anyhow, as with any item I can't find locally, I plugged my request into Google, and found my fabulous fascinator.  I feel like British royalty in it, which was exactly what I was looking for.  I wanted a look that said "Kate Middleton".

If I'm ever on Project Runway (unlikely, as I'm not the most skilled seamstress, but a girl can dream) I'm totally naming Kate Middleton as my style icon.  I just love her.  She dresses so elegantly and age-appropriate, but still looks adorable and young and fresh.  And I love that she wears clothing more than once.  I wish that more girls would try to emulate her style instead of the tacky, over-priced, disposable looks that are so trendy right now.

I decided to pair my gray hat with a frothy little dress that had some gray bits in the fabric.  Despite Tim Gunn's hatred of "matchy-matchy", I just can't help myself: my OCD requires that articles of clothing are color coordinated.  I probably would have chosen sheer stockings and sandals for my look, but Upstate New York is a bit nippy even at the end of March, and I have eczema that requires hiding, so I went with gray tights and found some cute flats that wouldn't make my twisted ankle any worse.  Finally, I dug around my jewelry armoire and found some cute enamel earrings and a pearly bracelet.

I think it's pretty cute.  I won't be winning any style awards for my look, but I felt comfortable and fabulous in it!  I'll never be considered "fashion-forward", and I've decided that I really don't care.  I am going to start making my own style and stop worrying about what other people think about it!

And I am totally embracing the hat movement.  Seriously.  I am not only going to wear a hat to every special occasion, I am going to ROCK it.

A Pharmiechick's Valentine Wish

I stumbled across this blurb of health news as I was eating my raisin bran this morning:

More women using morning-after pill, report finds

Considering the number of children I come across who are forced to bear the burden of being raised by completely incompetent parents, I appreciate the lowered restrictions on access to birth control and the morning-after pill.  I think it's great that women have a backup plan if their chosen method of birth control fails.  But I'm troubled by the National Center for Health Statistics study that indicates that 49% of women who have used the morning-after pill reported using after unprotected sex.  I would think that the fact that it is actually called PlanB would help clue in sexually active women that perhaps they should have a plan A in place before hooking up with guys that they would rather not procreate with.

With those thoughts still running through my mind, I moved on to my second bit of health news for the day:

 ’Ongoing, severe epidemic’ of STDs in US, report finds

Well, no kidding.  If you're hopping around looking for some action and don't already have an action plan in place to prevent pregnancy, obviously you don't have a plan A for STD prevention either.  And you know what plan B is for those?  An invigorating round of antibiotics.

No big deal, you say?  Then have a wander over here:

Untreatable gonorrhea threat rises in U.S., Canada

That's right, peeps.  In some cases, it appears that there is no plan B.  Yikes. 

I think it's alarming that, in a developed country like the US where casual sex has become so accepted since the advent of birth control, there is such a lack of knowledge of how safe sex actually works.  So let me put on my white coat so I can dole out some friendly pharmacist advice:

• If you're a chick and you're planning on hooking up with random guys, get yourself on some routine contraceptives beforehand.  Use PlanB as your backup, not your only method of birth control.
• Once you're on those contraceptives, unless you see a lab report saying they're absolutely disease free, you still need to use a condom with those random guys.  It's the only thing (besides abstinence) that is going to have a chance of stopping the spread of STDs.
• To the guys, sure, you're not going to get pregnant.  I guess if you do knock some chick up and don't mind being a dead-beat dad, you can pretend nothing ever happened.  But before you forget or "forget" to use a condom, just remember: the STD train goes both ways.
• In case I wasn't clear enough, condoms are cheaper than both babies and treatments for STDs.  They're also easier to obtain than the alcohol that is responsible for many of those babies and STDs.

I think it's a little strange that no one at NBCNews decided to have an original thought and combine the information from all three articles into something that could help educate a public that seems woefully uniformed.  I can't be the only person who recognized that the above topics are all related.  I know it is part of my job to educate my patients about contraception and STDs, but it seems that for a large number of women, the pharmacist can only counsel about birth control after the fact.  Because sex education seems to be neglected in some states, I think the media has an opportunity to help educate the public rather than just report.  I'm tired of reading articles like the one above concerning the STD epidemic, that explain studies but give no causes or solutions for the situation.  Would it have been so difficult for the journalist to mention that practicing safe sex would lower the risk of contracting an STD?  Even if he isn't capable of independent thought, there are tons of doctors that he could have approached for a quote.

Okay, the white coat is off and Doctor Sarah, advocate for the improvement of society through better education, has vanished.  As the off-duty Sarah Jane, I have to be honest and admit that, despite the seriousness of our country's ignorance of how diseases spread and what family planning requires to be effective, I find the combination of these articles showing up for me to enjoy on Valentine's Day kind of funny.  It's the little things that I appreciate the most.

Image courtesy of gubgib / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hope you have a happy (and STD-free) Valentine's Day!!!

Cold Weather Equals Sad Brown Dog

Emma doesn't really seem to be enjoying winter this year.  I can't say I blame her, since it's been either snowy, rainy, slippery, or muddy for three months now.  But finding her snuggled up in a corner under a blanket has made me begin to question if she's a Labrador at all...

I know it's frigid outside but, considering her (alleged?) ancestors used to paddle around in freezing water up in Canada, I'm a little confused by the sudden urge to hibernate under a blanket when my thermostat is set at 70 degrees.  Maybe she's actually part bear and this is the closest she could get to finding a cave to hide in.  Poor Brown Dog!

Book Review: Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

Laurie Viera Rigler is the author of Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, which I read back in 2008 and reviewed here.  I honestly don't remember much about this book except that it helped to answer my questions about what would happen if, like Courtney in the novel, I somehow woke up one day and found myself in Regency England instead of the present-day US.  But one question the book created was what happened to Jane Mansfield, the Regency girl who switched places with Courtney?

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict answers that question, following Jane from the moment she awakens as Courtney Stone, a resident of Los Angeles in 2009.  This is the kind of story I've been making up since I first started reading:  what would happen if the heroine of one of my favorite books woke up in my time?  How fun would it be to introduce her to my world?  For that reason alone, I think I enjoyed reading Awakenings a little more than Confessions.

Awakenings does have a cute little message spread throughout it's pages about making the best with whatever life throws at you.  Nothing life changing, and not really the point of reading a novel like this.  You read this book to see how a Regency heroine would walk, talk, and act in today's world.  If you don't already have an interest in the Regency period, I can't see it inspiring you to try something different.  Apparently not too many people have that interest these days, since I found Awakenings at the Dollar Tree.  But if, like me, you're a Jane Austen addict, it's certainly a fun read for your day off, and probably worth more than a dollar!

Big Bang Theory Personality Quiz

I don't know how I stumbled across the Big Bang Theory Personality Quiz, but I did, and I thought it was cute enough to post my (fairly accurate) results here:  

Which Big Bang Theory Character Are You?
More on The Big Bang Theory. Created by BuddyTV

I may not be Indian, and I'm certainly not male, but I think my results are otherwise spot on.  Except for my silence being mistaken for listening.  I'm pretty sure that's just because I'm kind of a space cadet...which kind of makes me laugh, because Raj is an astronomer.  We have space in common too!  Maybe Raj and I should get married.  At least we wouldn't have to worry about being interrupted while Doctor Who is on.

If you're a Big Bang Theory fan and take this quiz, I'd love to see a comment with your results and hear if they are as accurate as mine!

Just when I start to think my dance moves are improving...

...a 7-month-old baby decides to bust a move, proving that even infants who can't walk are more coordinated than I am:

I should be depressed at my lack of skills, but Gangnam Baby is just so cute that I can't stop grinning!

The Big Read: Top 21

It's no secret that I love the 43things website.  I think it's a really positive site and a great place to keep track of personal goals.  I always like to take a few minutes to cheer other users' goals, and use the opportunity to look for things I've never heard of before.  Today I found "Complete The Big Read" and immediately adopted it for my own list of goals.

The Big Read is a list of UK's "Most-Loved Books" that was compiled by the BBC in 2003 after several months of voting by viewers.  What I love about this list of 200 books is that they range from classic to contemporary, and from low- to high-brow choices.  So I decided to challenge myself to read the top 21 books from this list:

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen  
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee  
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell  
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks  
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier  
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger  
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame  
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott  
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell

I'm pretty excited to see that I've already read about 10 on the list.  I say "about" because there are at least four that I know I've started but can't remember finishing.   Worst case scenario, there are 11 left to read and 11 months left in 2013.  Absolutely an attainable goal!

Book Review: A Dog's Purpose

I received A Dog's Purpose (by W. Bruce Cameron) as a gift from my wonderful Aunt Paula, who gives me a dog-centered book for Christmas every year.  I had never seen or heard of the book before I unwrapped it, and didn't want to ruin the story by reading the reviews on the back cover.  So when I started reading it, all I knew was that it was written from a dog's point of view, through several reincarnations, as he struggles to find his purpose in life.

I guess I should mention here and now that I am a sucker for anything dog related, so I might be a little biased when I state that this book was fabulous and I loved it.  I found the dog's views on everything from dog catchers and eating poop to pondering why any human would bother owning a cat to be charming.  I loved hearing human conversations from a dog's perspective, and then his admission that he only understood words like "food", "cat", "car", and "bad dog."   And I think most humans could identify with his initial worry of not finding his true purpose and his struggle to make the best with what life presents him.  I LOVE this book and, with the exception of dog-haters, would recommend it to anyone

But I do feel that there needs to be a warning on this book.  Remember how I said that the dog was reincarnated several times?  Sure, that means that you get to hear about him being a squiggly, squirmy, chubby puppy more than once.  What I didn't stop to consider was that to be reincarnated you have to die first.  It was like the ending of Marley & Me repeated multiple times in one novel, from Marley's point of view.  I think I cried about eight times.  And to be honest, it was probably more like sobbing on several of those occasions.  I couldn't find any tissues.  My eyes got completely swollen and bloodshot, and I lost the ability to breathe through my nose.  It was terrible.  It took an hour of fetch with my dogs to make myself feel better.  A day later, I'm still not fully recovered from the experience.

Despite the risks of a red nose and swollen eyes,  A Dog's Purpose is worth reading.  I haven't enjoyed a book this much since I read Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, which was probably 15 years ago.  But please consider, if things like Sarah McLaughlin's ASPCA commercials make you cry, you probably need to do a little preparation before diving in.  Make sure you don't need to go out in public for at least 24 hours after reading.  Record several episodes of Too Cute on Animal Planet to counteract side effects like lingering tears or the urge to purchase several puppies.  And definitely stock up on tissues because you'll need them.

Governor Cuomo's Emergency Flu Response

Because of the increased rate of influenza in New York, Governor Cuomo has issued a state of emergency for the next 30 days that allows pharmacists to administer flu vaccinations to anyone over 6 months old. While normally I appreciate any advancement of pharmacy practice, this sort of action could be putting community pharmacists at risk. 

Legislation such as this could cause a dramatic increase to a community pharmacist's daily workload. Without an accompanying increase in pharmacist coverage/overlap, this is a dangerous situation and has an incredibly negative impact on the health and safety of all pharmacy patients. An overstressed pharmacist is an absolute danger to his or her patients.  

The best way for community pharmacies to respond to this temporary change is legislation is to increase pharmacist coverage.  Organize flu clinics and schedule a pharmacist who will focus only on administering vaccines during that time.  Have the information advertised on the local news.  Radio, television, and websites can disseminate this sort of  news incredibly fast. This course of action would not only be quick and easy to execute, but also the responsible reaction to such a sudden situation.

Because I know that the average corporation running community pharmacies is slightly less focused on the stress levels of it's pharmacists and a little more towards the bottom line, I know that such a scenario is unlikely to occur.  Getting corporate approval would probably take longer than this emergency will last.  And spending extra cash on an additional pharmacist to cover a four hour clinic (probably about $250 in wages) would be deemed an unnecessary expense.

Such a response would be a great advertising opportunity for most companies, considering the potential for community outreach and awareness.  I can only hope that some of the more customer-oriented companies might have this thought process.  If a company was willing to address this issue quickly, it would prove that they were truly responsive to the needs of the public and willing to quickly execute plans that effect on their communities at a very local level and in a positive way. I look forward to seeing what company, if any, grabs this opportunity.

Beyond the business aspect, a response such as this would ensure that the public will have access to the appropriate vaccines but still maintain a less stressful working environment for community pharmacists.  Such a response would greatly reduce the potential of adversely impacting the other areas of patient care being offered by community pharmacists today. Patient safety should be the main goal of any pharmacy at all times, and this is the perfect opportunity to prove how pharmacists and their companies are dedicated to the care, safety, and well-being of all of their patients every day.

A Friendly Reminder From Your Neighborhood Pharmacist

The season for pharmacist-administered flu vaccines started in early September, and appears ready to wind down.  At this point, if you haven't gotten your flu shot, it's probably a good idea to head to your local pharmacy or doctor's office now.  

Remember, the flu shot takes about two weeks to be active.  During this time you could still become infected with the flu despite being vaccinated.  So it's important to get your shot BEFORE people starts getting sick and everyone starts to panic.  I can't be the only one who has memories of the H1N1 outbreak and the overwhelming media coverage and hysteria that ensued.  That was the first time I witnessed patients arguing in front of my pharmacy over who got the last injection, and I'd really like to make sure it was my last.  I am still looking for clarification regarding why, when you weren't worried about it when both your pharmacist and your doctor told you to get one, it suddenly become important to you when it shows up on the news

So please, get your flu shot ahead of time.  Go to the doctor or the pharmacist or your company's flu clinic today.  It's probably best to place your trust in a licensed healthcare professional's advice rather than the media.  If you didn't get your flu shot when they were first offered, the time to do it is now.  You'll be preventing illness rather than waiting to treat it.  And you also won't have to worry about fisticuffs while waiting in the immunization line after flu season starts. 

Reasons Why I am Exceptionally Grumpy Today

1. I spent 13 hours today in the pharmacy.  Okay, actually 12 hours and 58 minutes, since I did leave for two minutes to go to the bathroom.  I didn't get to go to lunch, surviving only on a handful of stale Cheetos, a Diet Pepsi, and a slice of Starbucks lemon pound cake.  As I type this, I am actually so hungry that I feel nauseated, so I can't eat.  My sugar levels are a little out of whack.  And I apologize to anyone who may have been on the receiving end of some sugar-high snark.

2. There was no toilet paper when I finally got to the bathroom.  Seriously, does no on in the community I work in go to the bathroom at home?  There are always lines waiting to use it, and never enough toilet paper.  I don't get it.  When I'm going out in public, I pee before I leave home.  Because public bathrooms are kind of gross, and I avoid them if at all possible.

3.  My first flu shot patient of the day sneezed directly in my face.  While I had the needle in her arm.  Cover your mouths when you cough or sneeze, people.  A flu shot won't protect you when you have the sanitary habits of a grizzly bear.

4.  My pharmacy water purifier LITERALLY exploded today.  We're talking a loud squealing noise and water shooting all over the pharmacy, and then soaking me while I tried to figure out how to turn the water off.  This all happened five minutes after I should have been at lunch, but wasn't because I had so many scripts to fill.  So I was kind of hungry and very wet, and probably would have cried if I hadn't been so angry.

5. Honey Boo Boo has her own show.  But Firefly was cancelled.  I still can't get over this.  Why, America, why?  I think I should move to Canada.  Then again, the Canadians are responsible for Justin Bieber.  Which brings my next issue...

6. Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj are collaborating now.  Why?  If you want to kill me, just shoot me.  This is just pure, unadulterated torture.  And they are playing it on the radio.

7.  On my drive home, I actually heard both "Nookie" and "The Chemicals Between Us" on the radio.  Why is this a bad thing?  Because both songs were almost over by the time I tuned in, further depressing me.

8.  When I finally got home tonight, my dog totally ignored me.  There is nothing quite like a sulky chocolate lab.  Hurtful, Brown Dog.  Don't think I won't remember this next time I catch you on the couch.

9. I actually was supposed to have today off. I only worked as a favor to my awesome partner, who is in Myrtle Beach with his family this week.  I want to hate him, but he's pretty fabulous if you overlook him being on vacation and me working overtime.

10.  I kind of wish I was working tomorrow.  Not because I want to go back to work after today's awesomeness.  But because I worry about what happens in my pharmacy when my partner and I aren't there.  And then I worry about what I'm going to have to deal with the day after, when I am back again.

Happy Autumn!

I love the fall.  I love the leaves, the weather, planting chrysanthemums, and the holidays.  But mostly, I love decorating for fall.  I put autumn leaf garlands and orange lights all over my front porch.  I hang wreaths on every door in and outside my house, and I always decorate my fireplace for Halloween/Thanksgiving.

This year I decided to make a little project inspired by Pinterest.  I saw a pin where someone had filled a vase with layers of Halloween candy, and then put chrysanthemums in the middle.  I took that idea, and made a Halloween candy trifle instead.  Here it is, making my kitchen table a much happier and more Halloweeny place to sit:

I didn't really like the combination of flowers and candy that I saw on Pinterest, so I decided to use candy corn taffy as the top layer.  I think it's a win for two reasons.  First, and most importantly, I LOVE candy corn taffy.  But second, I'm pretty sure that my cat Henry spends a lot of time on counters and tables when I'm not around, and I really didn't want him licking all the unwrapped candy in the trifle.  I love my cat, just not enough to share food with him.

This is the second project that I've finished that was inspired by something I saw on Pinterest.  I love that site so much that it's almost an addiction.  To see some of my inspirations, you can follow me on Pinterest...it's definitely worth joining if you're looking for recipes or cute crafty ideas.  Have fun!

My Name is Michael Westen...

...I used to be a spy.

Those of you who share my obsession know I'm quoting the opening credits of my latest favorite show, Burn Notice.  I absolutely LOVE this show.  It's funny, clever, and I can't stop watching it.  Burn Notice follows the activities/antics of burned spy Michael Westen, who is stuck in Miami until he can figure out who got him fired.  He's not completely alone, though.  He's got his ex-IRA girlfriend Fiona, ex-Navy Seal BFF Sam, fellow burned spy Jesse, and chain smoking mother Madeline.  In between trying to track down his enemies, he and his crew spend each episode using their super spy skills to help out average people in various types of trouble.  

Typing that all out makes it seem complicated, but really, it's not.  Burn Notice is one of the best shows on television.  Don't believe me?  You should check it out yourself...it's on the USA Network, which always seems to have entertaining shows, but this is the only one perpetually on my DVR.  Seasons 1 through 5 are available on Netflix, which is where I got hooked, and the current season, 6, is halfway done.  Which brings up my one lone complaint about Burn Notice.  USA likes to split up the seasons, airing half during the summer, and then making us wait/suffer until November for the remainder.  This season's mid-season cliffhanger has Michael and his peeps stranded in Central America.  I am finding the suspense unbearable.  If anyone knows how things are going to end, PLEASE, let me know.  Otherwise I might not make it until November!

Henry's New Chair

Henry seems to approve of my new living room furniture...

 

...he has taken over the chair and made it into his throne/napping/grooming space.