The Edge of Everything

Me: So how was the movie?
John: We're not going to talk about it.
Chris: Well, during the opening scene I thought to myself, "Why the hell is this in the movie?" and it just went downhill from there.
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I'm about to begin my final week working for Kroger, possibly ever. The paychecks will stop and won't start up again until I'm an honest-to-God pharmacist. This weekend I'm going up to Mike's family cabin for my annual vacation, but even my usual excitement for that can't squash the fear I'm feeling about school beginning. I don't even feel like I can call it school anymore. It's not class, it's not multiple choice, or even study for the test hard enough and you'll pass. It's riding a bike for the first time without training wheels. It's taking your road test with a stranger in the car, knowing he's watching exactly how well you check the intersection before proceeding. It's an interview for the next stage of life. Every one around me has been so encouraging, so confident that I will do exactly what needs to be done to make it happen. And yet, despite all that positive energy, I feel alone in this. I feel like I'm stepping out, one step past all the light I have ever known, and into the darkness.

And (hopefully) as someone much cleverer than I once said, either there will be something for me to stand on, or I will be taught how to fly.

Wine-tasting and Pill-slinging

It's been a busy few weeks for me since the last time I updated my blog. It's been the long sort of in-between-updates that makes it awkward and difficult to make a sudden, halfway decent and worth reading post. Anyway, I'll take my best stab at it.

Spent a lovely weekend up in Traverse City touring wine country with two of my best buds Nick and Colleen. I think over the course of the day we hit 10 different wineries and saw some beautiful countryside, and spent a nice night at a hotel in downtown TC. We're talking about making an annual thing out of it because we all love wine-tasting so much, and there's a lot more to see and do that can't really be squeezed into one day. After wine-ing it up, we spent the rest of the long weekend at Nick's Cabin on Burt Lake, enjoying some BBQ, boating, and playing with their adorable puppy, Mary Jane.

I also got to see my friend Beth for her baby shower last weekend, which was a lot of fun. I can't believe this girl, whom I spent long summer nights playing old school Nintendo with, is about to become a mom. I can't wait to meet her baby (a boy, Nolan)! She's due at the end of August, and I know she must be getting excited. She and her husband Matt got lots of great stuff for the shower, and I had fun seeing some of my high school friends and catching up after years of going in separate directions.

Mike took me to another Lugnuts game, which surprisinly enough we won! Also got to meet and hang out with some of his FB coworkers. Tried to get some stuff done for the wedding and that felt good--I haven't done anything it seems in so long. I'm such a procrastinator. Working on our photographer, save-the-dates, invitations, DJ, and cake right now. *whew*

Someone stole a hubcap off my car yesterday. No really. I couldn't even believe it, because it's not like I have really high quality ones or something. Just some plastic snap-ons. I thought perhaps it had fallen off, but the other three were so hard to get off, even with tools, that I knew the fourth hadn't just rolled off while I was driving. A coworker of mine also told me that one of hers had almost been stolen, except hers are bolted to the wheel so the theif eventually gave up. Anyway, all was well after I got some new caps and Dad helped me put them back on.

In work-related news, I've been doing prescription audits lately, meaning I go back and check the scripts within 24 hours of filling them to catch possible mistakes. I already stopped a big one (wrong drug strength) from reaching a patient. Not to mention, it makes me feel slightly more important. I also counseled a diabetic patient whose blood sugar level was dropping too low on his current medication regimen. And today, when a little old lady came in and said, "I take a small brown pill before bed each night. Do you know what it might be called?" I promptly told my technician, "Zocor." My technician looked at me skeptically, right before the woman said, "Yes yes! That's it!"

And I did my badass walk all the way back to the script counter.

Another Rockin' Bday

Alas, I am finally getting paid and stuff. Whoo!

So, I turned 24 yesterday, and as I blew out my birthday candles Mike promptly congratulated: "Happy Old!" As I said last year, you're only as old as you feel, and hell, 24 still feels pretty damn young to me bitches. Can't touch this.

I had a wonderful birthday, consisting mostly of just spending time with the family and receiving lots of warm B-day wishes from loved ones. We cooked up a delicious dinner of steaks and corn on the cob (just a few of my favorite things) and finished off the night with sickeningly sweet birthday cake and ice cream. And lets not forget the kick-ass presents, which I adored! I know it's not about the presents and stuff, but whatever, I like presents and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I also had a great 4th of July! Mike surprised me by taking me to a Lugnuts baseball game, which is one of our favorite summertime things to do! They had a fireworks display after the game finished, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend our Independence Day than at a ballpark, eating a hot dog and watching fireworks light up the sky. :)

Work has been fine aside from me being at a different store last week, which recently changed over to the new computer system we're getting soon at my store. It was a little crazy and I'm very happy to be back in Swartz Creek, but the experience did leave me with some pretty good stories. My favorite of which has to be the elderly woman who came to the drivethru asking for money. That's it. She just handed me her driver's license and said, "I'd like some money please!" Man, if Kroger is passing out money, maybe I should get in line. I said this jokingly, and she smiled at me with a sweet, blank sort of stare, at which point I realized she was serious.

"Are you looking for an ATM?"
"You don't give out money?"
"Um... this is a pharmacy. Do... do you have a prescription to pick up?"
"No no, I don't want a prescription! I just want some money!"
"Ma'am... if you don't want any drugs then I can't really help you."

I could think of a few drugs that would help you though.

Oh My

Today while taking a new script over the phone, I discovered with a startling realization that it's now July. Which usually brings me great joy, as I'm reminded of how much I love July blockbusters, fireworks, national holidays, my birthday, and my anniversary with Mike. This year, mingled in with that joy, is this overshadowing, all-consuming thought that 30 days from now, I will begin my final year of school. The idea is full of both thrilling excitement and deep-rooted fear all at the same time. I'm so ready to be done, but terrified that I'm not nearly as ready as I think.