
I am growing a beard. I have done this before, usually during family vacations or during the summer, but this is the first time it has been during the school year. My reason for being hirsute is this: I am the lead male in a community theater production: Little Women. I play Prof. Bhaer, and I speak with a faux German accent, except when I'm singing. I have had a time fitting in rehearsals with my night classes, but they have been very accommodating. I almost worry that they are too accommodating, and that I will not be ready for the final production... One fun thing is running over my lines with various family members. Melinda gets in to it, and does all the other voices. Sarah even helped me the other day, but I'm not sure I'll read with her again, she makes me say it over until I get it right! (Just kidding, good job Sarah). Another interesting experience has been that of being the 24, now 25 year old male playing against a 16 year old leading lady, although in the play he is 34 and she is in her early twenties, the age gap is daunting. Luckily no kissing will take place, even less than I faked during "Kiss Me Kate" back in Senior Year at LCHS (fake a stage kiss and what do you get? smudged lipstick on your cheekbones).
Moving on, I upset one of my Paramedic instructors this week. I guess it was a bad week for me to take off for Disney World, although we were reviewing things we have learned already and that I do daily at the hospital - IVs.
Speaking of IVs, I find those to be the most therapeutic part of my job as a tech. This could be for a variety of reasons. One, it is the only time I usually get to sit down. Two, I get to have an actual conversation with the patient instead of my canned "HimynameisDanIamatechnicianIamheretocheckyourbloodpressureits146/82that'salittlehighis
thereanythingelseIcandoforyouwhileIamhere?Thankyouandusethecallbellifyouneedanything"
(move on to the next patient) This is where I find out where my patient's are from, what they are here for, and I find that I learn more from these small conversations about the signs and symptoms of various conditions than I do from my co-workers, who are often too busy. Three, I am pretty darn good at IVs. Most shifts, I get every IV I attempt in the first try, and the ones I don't get are usually the ones where a physician has to use an Ultrasound to find the vein. I guess it's like reverse acupuncture. That is, I, the one doing the poking, am the one who relaxes. There are some off days for IVs, as happens with anyone, but luckily I don't have that happen too often (it really bugs me when it does happen, I am restless for days!).
Disney World!
So if there was one thing I would have gone to Disney World for, it was the Finding Nemo

Show! It was amazing. I don't think that any of the new movies except Pixar movies have made any good attractions for theme parks in recent history, and I like what I have seen of Wall-E so far.
Anyways, one of the reason's it's Dan's Bucket 'O Stuff is that it is often random uselessness. As much as I love reading other's blogs, I figured it was time to get on with my own, so hold on kids, this might be a bumpy ride.
Have Fun Storming the Castle!