Earth Queen

I've worked my behind off for several years to finally get where I am. I love my job as a Nurse. But it really gets me when people think they can just take a class and walk out with a license. People ask me things like which kind of nurses don't have to be good at math and chemistry or which nursing jobs don't involve blood and body parts.

It really pisses me off. If you can't understand math and chemistry no matter how hard you try and can't stand the sight of blood or body parts and fluids, there are other professions for you. Like counseling.

Does anyone else feel the same way?

I graduate from Nursing school next month and have been thinking that what the recruiters say sounds pretty good. Lt in front of my name, money to pay off my loans and even continue my education and that I don't have to leave the country or go to dangerous areas because nurses are needed so badly here, too.

But my friends who have been in the military caution me about believing everything. They told me that officers don't get to sleep in training if they can't do it without moving a muscle and have to accomplish dozens of push-ups in a minute. Basically that Officer Training is brutal torture, even worse than basic training, that whatever the recruiter promises about my assignments is not going to happen, and that "six-year commitment" means twelve right now. I understand that I will have to make sacrifices, I just wonder what exactly I would be getting into and if it will be worth it.

Serious answers only please. I am drawn to Catholicism and other conservative Christian sects, but can't get past certain ideas. I believe gay people are born that way, and that God made them who they are for a reason. I believe condoms, sex education and other forms of birth control can decrease the spread of AIDS not just in Africa but everywhere. And I don't like abortion, would never advocate it toward anyone who asks my opinion, but believe that is for each family to figure out for themselves, especially with pregnant teens.

I took a harmless quiz that said I am a Unitarian, but when I attended some of their services I felt out of place; it was a little to the left for me even though they agree with all of my personal philosophies.

How do you figure out which religious group fits? Do you pick and choose which parts of your faith to accept, or is that silly?

International politics can be a little confusing. News articles are talking about "No" signs that are green white and orange. Why? What happened?

I thought that there were only three outs in an inning. How can you strke out more than 3 people? Wouldn't that be a new inning?

Or do I not understand baseball? Cause that's entirely possible.

MILWAUKEE (AP)—Minnesota starter Scott Baker struck out four in the third inning of Sunday’s game with the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the first Twins pitcher to accomplish the feat.

Baker started the inning by striking out Ryan Braun swinging, then got Prince Fielder to strike out, but the ball bounced far away from catcher Mike Redmond.

That allowed Fielder to easily reach first on the wild pitch. Baker then struck out Russell Branyan and Mike Cameron looking on three pitches apiece to end the inning.

I am totally in love with the "Winterland 1973" boxed set on sale at dead.net. However, I don't have $100 to spend on a boxed set, no matter how awesomely perfect. I considered American Beauty and Workingman but think I might want a concert. And I absolutely refuse to copy someone else's W 73 onto my hard drive.

I'm thinking, like $30 used, three or four discs. Any suggestions?

I have this habit of wearing out a brand new (cruiser style, no hand brakes or gears, with massive fenders) bicycle every 7 to 10 months. This could be because I do absolutely no maintenance whatsoever, aside from occaisional new tries.

Six days a week my miminum daily travel is ten miles. I average fifteen or twenty, and my rarely reached upper limits are forty.

What can I do to prolong the life of my bikes? What should I have been doing from the beginning? What is normal maintenance, and what do my extreme uses require?

The Beatles released "Hey Jude" as a single, right? What was the B side song? I remember I really liked it, but can't think of what it was.

My friend emptied out her freezer, and as a result I have some tenderloin cuts of elk, two pounds of ground elk, filets of albacore and bluefin tuna.

How should I prepare them? What should I make? What kinds of seasonings work best?

I'm turning 25 on February 14. Valentine's Day.

Over the years, I have learned that the only restaurant that can seat twenty people on my actual birthday without an hour-long wait is Native New Yorker. I love chicken wings, don't get me wrong, but that is not what I want to do this year. I may not even want twenty people. I may not even want to go to a restaurant.

I don't know what I want. I just want to be able to do it without running into everyone on the planet and their significant other.

Any suggestions?

I'm a nursing student and diabetic, so I feel I should know this already. However, I'm a little concerned. My diet has not been as great as it could have been over the holidays, but my readings were only alittle higher than normal until recently.

Usually, I can eat whatever I want, within reason. As long as I exercise, which I do religiously, I wake up below 100 and have not been over 130 after eating in several months. Last night before bed I was closing in on 200 and this morning I was 150.

Could this be from my head/chest cold? I seem to remember this happening the last time I got sick, but that is rare for me. I also have not been to a doctor, or to class for that matter, in a really long time.

I happened to notice the logo was gone and thought that maybe it fell down or something. Then I saw the graffiti and the chain link fence! When did this happen? Why did they close?

What happens next time I'm in downtown Tempe and jones for an apple or some carrots or soymilk or that awesome Asian mixed salad greens?

Are they really going to turn it into a Target?!?!?

It has some stains that I'm really tired of looking at. They've probably been burned in. The texture is messed up in places, too.

I'm thinking some kind of paint process. Cheap. Doesn't have to look perfect, just has to look better than it does. Can't afford to replace them, don't want to spend hours cutting new pieces of laminate to fit perfectly only to find out it doesn't, etc.

Any suggestions?

It was on NBC and had Marky Mark and that blond guy from "Band of Brothers." The crime was told over and over from the perspective of each individual; the reporter, the D.A, the homicide detectives, the beat cops, etc.

I want to see the Eagles pummel the Cowboys, and yell at TO when he does something stupid. (Which will probabl be often) But it's on the same time as my local team, who usually sucks. Are blacked out games blacked out to everyone? Or can you still see them on satellite? Or do I have to move to Dallas or Philadelphia by Sunday?

Usually, the #30 bus is unbelievably crowded until McCallister when everyone gets off, and goes to class. There is this wall of people swarming across the street between the dorms and the rest of ASU. But not on Thursdays. Not a hungover college kid to be seen? What gives?

I used to think that maybe classes went Mon-Thurs and Thursday was optional, but then Friday is just as bad as the rest of the week. Can someone explain this to me?

I hate that I have to carry around a candy bar in my purse at all times (incase my blood sugar crashes), and not eat it. ARGH. I tried buying candy bars I don't like and discovered there's no such thing.

I was only diagnosed Type 2 last month. I know to have small meals throughout the day as opposed to three large ones. I'm getting used to the kinds of foods I'm supposed to be eating. For example, when I caved and had some pasta, I ended up sleeping for over 15 hours. Thank God it was a weekend.

But my problem is this, even when I have a good snack before bed, I wake up like clockwork, at four in the morning when my blood sugar crashes. Should I eat something, I'll want to sleep past noon. If I don't eat anything I can't get back to sleep. Either way I'm a walking zombie. Help!