Summer Fun

Memorial Day = 3 day weekend (except for hospital personnel *sad face)...the pool...grilling out...the start of summer! 
Memorial Day (officially May 28, 2012) is the national holiday commemorating men and women who have fallen defending the US of A. My brother is in the Army Reserve (very proud of him btw) and I know others serving in the Armed Forces. These men and women protect and defend us...hmmm that's a pretty big job...so I def appreciate you! 


My MDW started at a Nashville Sounds baseball game! I'm really not that in to baseball...but I'm down for a cause that gives me a reason to eat/drink stadium food and drinks! I like to put mustard and cheese on my ball park hot dog, in case you were wondering. I can't say I really paid attention to the game and I won't pretend to know anything about baseball...but I can tell you this: the weather behaved, Greer Stadium is nice and parking is not that bad, the Nashville Sounds won 7-6, and the stadium shoots fireworks at the end of each game! All in all....good time with friends.  


I hit the pool up all day Saturday. My soon-to-be-famous Sangrias, my friend's soon-to-be-famous guacamole dip, the pool, and good company = Good Times! After the pool we hit up Broadway Brewhouse in West Nashville....and partook in BUSHWHACKERS. Once you've live in Nashville long enough, you will come in contact with one of these infamous creatures...they lure you in with the sweet taste of a Wendy's frosty...but don't drink this too fast, you may end up with brain freeze! Perfect icy ending to my hot summer day :-)


If you love REAL quality HIP HOP music, then you've got to check out BoomBap at The 5 Spot every 3rd Saturday of the month. Although Nashville is "The Music City", hip hop music events are few and far between. So, I had a GREAT time with friends listening to the musical soundings of Mos Def, Jay-Z, Camp Lo (to name a few), all produced by some very talented DJs. People of all sorts came out...Hip Hop music tends to resonate unity to me. I think everyone can relate and enjoy genuine Hip Hop music. I'm sure this event has been around for a while (last night was my first time attending) and I hope it persists! 


*Peace,Love&Happiness*

KnOwLedGe

http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/left-vs-right-world/

I don't like discussing politics....people can get really ugly discussing politics. It seems your political affiliations become part of your character....or is it your character that make up your political affiliations? With this being an election year, I've tried to stay abreast with some of the issues being discussed. (Mainly the health care issue) I've been trying to conceptualize what it means to be considered "LEFT vs RIGHT" (High School Government was so long ago!)  I came across this image on another website...Visual learners unite!! I think this is my favorite visualization/summary of politics in general. Some conclusions and thoughts I have  in regards to politics:


1. I think It's okay to have left and right views on different situations...it's okay to not be completely RIGHT/LEFT
2. I have a difficult time understanding the "laissez faire" attitude towards businesses and individualism but then the "let's intervene" attitude when it comes to who a person wants to marry?...(sorry Right-ees) 
3.  Politicians have a way of making things sound a whole lot better than what they really are...they're like...Political-used-car-salesmen...I definitely appreciate a genuine politician.
4. Is it ever going to be possible to truly separate church and state?
5. Staying informed and doing your own research is probably one of the most beneficial things you can do when it comes to politics...
6. I'm friends with democrats and republicans...we don't discuss it though lol


Peace,love,&happiness ;-)

WhAt'S iN mY SpEAkerS?!

I LOVE a variety of music genres...Hip*Hop, R&B, Alternative, Old School, Jazz, Ambient, Blues Rock (and many more)...I FEEL MUSIC has the ability to change your mood...It's crazy how I can relate a song to MY LIFE and I sometimes mentally attach a SONG to situations or people...Downfall to that is: if I attach a song to something negative, I immediately hit SKIP when I hear it! It can be a really great song too! Don't you hate that!? It takes a lot of effort to mentally de-attach (made up word!) a song from a negative situation, but I'm willing to take on the rewiring for a really GREAT song...that's just how MUSIC & I roll...And with that, here's what I'm currently LISTENING to:

JCOLE

COLE WORLD: THE SIDELINE STORY

http://www.jcolemusic.com/us/music/cole-world-sideline-story-explicit

I know this album came out last year....but it's pretty typical of me to catch the end of the "sensation wave" when a new ANYTHING comes out...Music is TIMELESS to me...Quite frankly, there isn't much HiP HoP on the radio I enjoy listening too anyway...I've been deprived! (my most recent purchase before this one was Watch The Throne...attend that concert too...can we say AWESOME)...it was essential I purchased some real HiP HoP immediately...I heard JCOLE's Nobody's Perfect on the radio and decided to purchase this album on iTunes...I enjoy every song on this album...He tells stories with his songs...You can tell he is passionate about work...He's not trying to appeal to EVERYONE...He's GENUINE...just how I like 'em! Um...NASHVILLE, can you do me this one favor...bring JCOLE here, please? 


P.S.
Check out this video...it's really cool...LOVE the song too....S/O to CT! (you might have to pause my super fantastical eclectic playlist below...if you haven't already lol)

Rated DG

I freaking LOVE going to the movies! It's not just about the movie itself for me, it's about the "movie experience" I love to sit towards the top-center of the theater, with my popcorn (fav food group of all time) and my sometimes contraband-ed bottle of water (don't judge). The huge projector screen, Dolby surround sound, and pitch black room puts the cherry on top of my Movie-Experience-Sunday. I see mostly every movie that comes to the big screen...so far, my top 2 for 2012 are The Hunger Games and The Avengers!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20127200-10391698/the-hunger-games-see-the-eight-new-character-posters/

The Hunger Games

Directed by: Gary Ross

Adaptation by: Suzanne Collins, Author

I read all three books in the Hunger Game series. Personally, the first and second books were the best; the third book was kinda slow. Anyway, I felt the movie was an excellent adaptation of the first book.  For those who have not read the book, the concept of this movie may be a little hard to grasp/accept and there are some rather disturbing scenes. I read an interview with Suzanne Collins who she said she got the idea for this story from a variety sources; the main influence being the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. In this Greek myth, Athens punished people by sending seven youth to a labyrinth to be eaten by a mystical monster! Harsh, right? Well, The Hunger Games definitely plays on that concept by sending two tributes from each post-apocalyptic North American district to battle to the death in an unpredictable arena. This annual event was created by the Capital to punish the districts for rebelling. The movie is full of suspense and there is never a dull moment. The actors and actresses did a great job fulfilling their character's personas taken from the book. I give it two thumbs up! Can't wait for the second movie!

http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2012/05/avengers.html

The Avengers

Directed by: Joss Whedon

Adaptation by: The Creators of MARVEL Comics

I grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons: Bobby's World, Darkwing Duck, Ninja Turtles, etc. But my favorite Saturday morning cartoons...my own prepubescent soap operas that I followed week to week...were Marvel's own Spider-Man, X-Men, and Thor! I love the Marvel franchise and I've seen most of the Marvel films. I especially love the prequels to The Avengers movie at the end of each of the Marvel films (nice touch Marvel, wink). I don't know if it's the fantastical special effects in the film, the actors/actresses bringing out each character's own unique persona, the good vs evil plot, or my own longstanding fantasy to be a super hero with super powers that gave me so much JOY :-) watching this movie. It's probably a combination of all four...with the latter taking the lead. Ha! Anyway, go see this movie...it's awesome with the perfect amount of comedy, action, and suspense! 

ODE TO A FRIEND 

A very good friend very recently moved away. She loved canoeing and kayaking, so we decided to take her on a 7 mile farewell voyage down the Harpeth River. We rented two double person canoes and a one person kayak from Canoe Music City. We had a blast and enjoyed "river talk"; conversations that consisted of the Hookah Smoking Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, the It's a Small World ride at Disney, and the Gullah Islands off the South Carolina coast?? Haha I know, random, but that's just how we roll! I will miss Cate-the-Great! 

Nurses Week 2012

I wouldn't be doing my profession justice if I didn't have a post about Nurses Week 2012...It definitely takes a talented/special person to be a nurse...We have to think like a Customer Service Rep...Doctor... Counselor...Social Worker...Physical Therapist...Waitress... Engineer (when it comes to operating different types of equipment)...Writer (nurses notes/documentation)...Times have changed. It is not enough for nurses to merely obtain vital signs and slap a band-aid on a "boo-boo"...No, nurses have a crap load of  responsibilities these days...But when it is all said and done, making an impact in the lives of others makes it all semi-worth it...lol just kidding...In all honesty, I could not see myself working in any other profession...So to all the nurses around the world HaPpY NurSeS WeEk...the world appreciates you!

NASHVILLE GOODIES

So, I needed to study (the story of my life during finals week) and decided to meet a friend at Casablanca Coffee in The Gulch. I purchased a Honey-Latte and this fruit-n-yogurt parfait! It was so pretty I didn't want to eat it! But I did...and it was pretty amazing :-)