Puget Sound

A shimmering Seattle sound
Backdrop to sleepy, spindly spiders
And stoic spruce saplings

Seattle & First Impressions

The rumors are true: In Seattle it’s cloudy, rainy, and green.

I was at Lincoln Park today, a city park with tall, beautiful trees and pathways which go right up to the sound. Signs were posted telling visitors 1.) to just let the seals rest on the beach (they are tired), and please keep your dogs away from them 2.) the clams on this beach aren’t safe to eat, so please don’t and 3.) information on the local orca. OK. So, I’m not in Pittsburgh anymore.

I started my new assignment! Orientations widely vary from hospital to hospital, and I’m getting double the orientation at this hospital and four times a much time classroom/ computer time, so I haven’t even experienced the floor yet. I’ll be a medical/surgical/telemetry float nurse, meaning I’ll be working on different floors every day depending on where more nurses are needed that day.

It has been great getting to know some of my fellow travel nurses. There are nurses from Montana, Minnesota, Kentucky, Arizona, Oklahoma, and more. It’s really fun talking about our different experiences, the different equipment we’ve seen and used, and how policies vary from place to place. They are all people who I can learn a lot from.

I finished unpacking yesterday. In a stroke of good fortune, two of my friends from college had a spare room. I am now living in a home that has a kitchen trash can (not a given, I’ve learned), measuring cups (also, not a given), hospitable roommates, and an adorable dog. Basically, it’s an excellent situation. I’m driving to work and live 10 miles from the hospital. The public transportation seems to be less developed than Boston’s and the parking much more generous, so I’ve been driving a lot.

I arrived a week ago, and it’s all so new. Honestly, I don’t really know what’s going on around me or what to think. But so far so good!

It’s a Good, Good Life and It’s Enough

Last time I wrote was in July! I’ll attempt to sum it up:

Flew to Missoula, Montana for a week to catch up with my friends Mattie and Kara
Rolled back into my “old life” in Pittsburgh for the month of August and reconnected with some of my favorite people
Drove with my sister ~3,000 miles from Pittsburgh, PA to Seattle, WA in my humble Toyota Corolla

On the way to Washington, my sister and I saw places so beautiful, I couldn’t have dreamed them up. As we would rush through (a little tired of sitting, but amazed nonetheless), I would wonder, I know I’m grateful, but am I grateful enough?

On the road out here, my sister and I were talking with some folks at a hotel. When I told them I was going to be in Seattle for three months, they responded, “Only three months? That’s not enough!”

Even today, walking beside a peaceful shore and between magnificent pines, I feel an urgency inside of me. One week down, only twelve to go! Am I taking advantage of the mountains, the new sports teams, restaurants, coffee, friends? Am I doing enough?

Then there are bigger life questions about being enough. Should I be more settled right now? Should I be somewhere else? Should I get more education? Are the programs I’m looking at the right programs? Should I be saving for a house, a car, some other unknown expense?

Enough, enough. Be still. This is a good, good life. It’s certainly not a perfect life (that might be boring?) but it is certainly enough. Today I’m grateful for a comfortable home, cool weather, peace and quiet, all the places I’ve seen, all the people I’ve met, dinner plans tonight, this blog and the people who read it, and some hot pumpkin bread. After all, if today isn’t enough, then nothing ever will be.