I waited on hold to speak with a representative concerning an issue for our rental property in Cleveland and spent 45 minutes on hold without ever reaching someone to talk with DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS. After reaching the top of my irritation meter for the day, I hung up and called back.
The receptionist/operator answered my call. I politely asked was there anyone I could speak with because I had been on hold for a very long time. She said, no, calls are answered in the order they are received. I then not so politely replied "Then I guess ya'll don't want your money then" and hung up. I could have been a little more professional, but I decided why waste my talent of professionalism on the Division of Water, I have to save my politeness for my patients, fellow colleagues, and pretty much any human being not affiliated with the Cleveland Division of Water. . . sigh :)
The bed and breakfast (B&B) portion of this blog is an ongoing series in an attempt to educated people to the often overlooked side of the quaint, relaxing, peaceful, and scenic side of vacation. I was first introduced to the concept of B&B last year when my husband and I decided that he needed to me get away from the craziness called residency, we started looking to book a trip that could return me to our home on Sunday to prepare for work on Monday.
What we discovered was a beautiful four bedroom home, with a spacious den, lovely kitchen, all nestled in the quiet comfort of nature. There are tons of B&Bs all of the country that are perfect for romance, peace, and calm. A great escape for two, there are B&Bs that meet your needs. If you are like me and need slightly luxurious accomodations, you can find B&Bs to match your taste. If you aren't as high maitanence in your vacation request and are okay with only the peace of nature, these B&Bs are exist as well, along with everything in between.
As the name suggests, homemade breakfast is included during your stay, many places also offer dinner. Because many B&Bs are located in the country, many have wineries and other attractions nearby that couples may enjoy as well.
So far the hubby and I have traveled to Deer Creek Bed and Breakfast in Ohio, which was AWESOME! Next weekend we are traveling to Sylvan Bed and Breakfast located in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes in Glen Arbor, MI. Stay tuned for more reviews on all of our travels!
Today my hubby and I decided to have a romantic lunch for two at Olive Garden :). Before I left to meet him, I thought to myself, hmmmmm. I wonder which items on the Olive Garden menu would be healthiest to eat. I decided to check out the Olive Garden Website. I was a little mortified when I discovered that one serving of their bottomless salad was 300 calories. Now I am sorry, while salad is tasty, if I am going to spend 300 calories on a serving give me the calamari baby!
After a little investigating, we realized that we could make the salad healthier if we asked our server to 1: not to put any dressing on the salad and 2: instead of regular Italian dressing request fat free Italian dressing on the side.
Presto! Now you have your good ole 100 cal salad. Just the way a salad is supposed to be :) Tasteless and low in calories.
Ryan Jenkins, reality tv finalist of Megan Wants a Millionaire, was found dead in a British Colombian hotel. Jenkins was the only suspect in the murder of ex-wife Jasmine Fiore. Last week, her body was discovered in a suitcase in a dumpster. Fiore's fingers and teeth were removed making identification of the body difficult. She was ultimately identified from the serial numbers in her breast implants.
Initially, Jenkins was named only as a person of interest. However, as evidence began to mount that the reality tv star was possibly responsible for the murder, Jenkins fled to Canada. A massive manhunt began to bring the fugitive to justice, however, the search ended Sunday when Jenkins body was discovered. Preliminary evidence suggest that the cause of death is most likely that of suicide.
In true form, VH1 reality shows have continued to push the envelop of "too Hot/much for TV". It looks as if VH1 will have the first reality show in history to feature an alleged (and more than likely guilty) murderer on the show.
Ryan Jenkins, contestant on Megan Wants a Millionaire, has been charged with murdering his ex-wife and former swimsuit model Jasmine Fiore. Originally, Jenkins was considered a "person of interest" in the case. Fiore's body was found Saturday inside of a suitcase that was placed in a dumpster. Reports confirm that her fingers and teeth were removed from the corpse by her attacker/murder.
It appears Fiore received text messages from her ex-boyfriend shortly before her disappearancewhich discussed plans of a rendezvous in Las Vegas. It is believed that Jenkins may have discovered this text and set off a chain of events that ultimate led to the model's demise.
Megan Wants a Millionaire was canceled after it was announced that Jenkins was a fugitive from the law. Jenkins apparently made it as a finalist in the show. VH1, probably for the first time in recent history, demonstrated extreme class with removing the show from the air en light of this tragedy. Typically, contestants of reality TV shows participate in rigorous background checks in order to ensure the safety of fellow cast members. Jenkins has a history of a violent past, however, he either found a way to conceal this information or the screening methods failed to flag his checkered past. VH1 agreed that if Jenkins' violent record was available to the station, he would not have been selected as a cast member in the show.
Jenkins is now a fugitive from the law and considered armed and dangerous. It is believed that Jenkins, a Canadian native, escaped on foot back to his homeland and is currently hiding from the law. Anyone who assists this man in evading police will face charges of aiding a fugitive. Here is his picture. As always, if you come across him first run (please don't attempt to be a superhero idiot and take him down) and then secondly contact your local authorities.
Yesterday, I decided to cook dinner for my brother and created this WONDERFUL baked fish topped with a delicious white sauce.
Thought I would share.
Ingredients:
Perch/salmon fillet 1 green pepper 1 green onion 1 tomato 1 small container of fat free tarter sauce 1 small container of fat free lemon pepper sauce Peanut sauce Sugar (or splenda) 1 sauce pan 1 baking pan
Directions: -Thaw fish fillets are room temperature -While fish are thawing, mix together the small container of fat free tarter sauce and fat free lemon pepper sauce. (If you are unable to find the lemon pepper sauce, you can always substitute this with regular lemon pepper seasoning and add 1/8 of a cup to the lemon tarter sauce) -Chop the green pepper and add to the sauce -Use half of the onion, chop into smaller slices and add to the sauce -Chop the tomato and add to the sauce -Add 1 tablespoon of peanut sauce (may add more, if you desire a stronger peanut flavor) -Add 1/4 tablespoon of sugar or Splenda -Stir. -Now place fish fillets into the baking pan. Use a large spoon to drizzle the sauce and veggies over the fish until the top of each fish fillet is cover. (One batch of sauce will cover six fillets of perch) -Set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and back for 25 minutes. If the fish are completely thawed, you will not need to preheat the oven. Depending on the size of the fish, you might only need 20 minutes, make sure to peak on the fish after 15 minutes and see how things are progressing. -Now eat!!!!
What am I talking about? It's a song. You know how we all have songs that we know are dumb, probably should like, but you just can't help yourself? Well, I am no different. Below is my list of songs that I should be shamed to sing and won't let my children listen to. . . but play it and I'll be the first one on the dance floor :)
1) Soulja Boy: Crank Dat What shouldn't I like about this song? Probably when he says "Superman them hoes." Not sure what that phrase means? Google it, I can't bring myself to post it.
2) New Boyz: You're a jerk What should I like about this song? I mean, it's just stupid. Catchy though. . . "Go ahead, call me jerk one more time"
3) Lil' Wayne: Every Girl Sigh, "I wish I could (explicit) every girl in the world?" The reason why I shouldn't like it is pretty self explanatory and the live performance at the BET Award show was atrocious. . . but I still find myself nodding my head to the beat when it's on the radio. . . the album version though. . . HORRIBLE! My favorite/worse line is "In about three years, holla at me Miley Cyrus". I know Billy Ray was NOT happy with that line at all. . .
4) Any song featuring Gucci Mane Okay, now this is a 100% self explanatory. I'm not sure if you all were aware of the fact that Gucci Mane can't rap. . . but HE CAN'T. I'm pretty sure that I could rap better than him, and face it, any person who successfully completes med school is a nerd, so IF I CAN TAKE him, you know he sucks. . . but here I am, yelling "Gucci!!!" Why? I have no idea, please make me stop :(
I'm sure there are at least 5-10 more songs that I could add to this list, but that will have to do for now.
I actually don't mind taking tests, but for some reason, board examinations cause me to loose a little sleep at night. Mainly because the medical profession places an overemphasis on our boards. I understand that they need to "weed" people out from the dream specialties of dermatology and radiology, so that the common med students are left with other less desirable professions (TOTAL SARCASM), but honestly, I know people that have scored in the 99th percentile on their board exams and I wouldn't trust them to cure a pimple on my big toe.
Grrr, I actually have a good track record with these stupid USMLE test (aka our boards. There are three of them, Step 1, Step 2, Step 3). However, I'm just getting tired of this bull. Paying $1500 to pay for a stupid exam, so some big wig can nod approvingly and tell me how great of a test taker I am? Or the reverse, to bomb an exam and then have some big wig say your worthless?
There HAS to be a better system than these stupid steps, unfortunately, I'm kinda short on ideas. . . so of I go to study and continue this rat race.
Wanda Sykes has a new PSA (Public Service Announcement) and it is focusing on the term "That's so gay." I must take a moment to say that I LOVE PSAs, my favorite one is "This is your brain, this is your brain on drugs."
Anyhow. In the clip, there are three teenage boys in a public place having a conversation when one of the kids classically states "That's so gay." Wanda gets up, turns around, and tells him knock it off.
I like this PSA. I remember in high school and college using the term, "That's gay" all the time. I also remember when I stopped using it. At MSU (Michigan State University aka best university on the planet) there was a great focus on diversity and understand cultures/lifestyles different from your own. My sophomore year, I decided to become a Residence Hall Assistance. Basically, I live in the dorm for free in exchange for serving as the Dorm/Floor Mom. I was required to put on programs for the floor/dorm and participate in various programs around campus in order to grow so that I could be prepared to deal with my residents, provide conflict resolution, etc.
It was LBGT week, which counted as one of the items on my diversity training, so myself and another "Hall mom" and "Hall Dad" decided to go to some of the festivities around campus. I remember going to the town hall meeting and hearing the countless stories of fellow students, discuss eating in the caf, going to parties, etc and hearing the word used to describe their sexuality as something stupid or silly. I thought to myself, wow, how ignorant I had been and how using that word to signify something that I was frustrated with or wanted to describe as ridiculous I would substitute the word "gay."
After the meeting, I made a full blown effort to stop using the word as a substitute for silly/dumb/ whatever. By the start of my junior year, I had successfully removed the word from my vocabulary. Now, I am not saying that I don't use the word "gay". I will say, "oh I didn't know such and such was gay." Or sometimes I'll use homosexual or bisexual. When I am talking with a patient and want to inquire about their sexuality, my famous line is "Are you sexually active with men, women, or both?" So, yes, the word is there, present in my vocab, but no longer used to describe items in a negative connotation.
I'm not trying to preach, I'm just saying, think of something else to say, if you're up for the challenge. If not, well, I don't know what to tell ya.
As a resident physician, I am always on the look out for great places to study along with establishments that can fuel my caffeine addiction. I found that and more in Leaf & Bean in Royal Oak. I don't live there, but I have family in the area. Just because I'm on a social trip doesn't mean that I shouldn't take a little time out to study and read.
When I'm in my academic mood, I find that a clean, reasonably quiet, and free wifi coffee shop is what I need. I have studied at places that seem to be a 24 hour party, or came with dirty surroundings, yucky bathrooms, and frankly was not up to my studying standards.
You'll find that physicians in training (whether it be med students or resident physicians) are some of the best and pickiest studiers around. If you need a great study spot that provides fair trade coffee, endless menu choices from gluten free to vegan meals, to stuff for us meat eaters and happen to live in the Detroit area then I suggest checking out Leaf & Bean.
The only minus is that you have to pay metered parking (I hate paying for parking, especially when I'm studying. . . I mean who PAYS to study?) However, parking on Sunday is free in Royal Oak or if you park on Third Street in the neighborhood section, you can park there for free. (about a ten minute walk).
This morning 8/1/09, Nick Cannon published a series of "Tweets" on his twitter page.
The signer and husband of pop star Mariah Carey published a series of deep quotes (some even biblical excepts taken from Genesis) describing basically how him and Mariah were going to take the high road and not stoop to Eminem's level.
My favorite twitter quote from Cannon was: "Trying to save a hater is like trying to teach astrophysics to a wino! LOL Chuuuuch!"
Below are a list of Cannon's tweets as he attempts to fight off the pain, anger, and humiliation that he and the Mrs. Cannon are feeling as a result of Eminem's "The Warning."
"Never argue with fools because from a distance people cant tell who is who"
When there are no enemies within the enemies outside can not hurt you!
Never take your own revenge, but rather give place unto the wrath. For it is written vengeance is mine, I will repay... PREACH!
"I will bless those that bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse." Genesis 12:3
Be patient in the moment of anger and escape a hundred days of sorrow!
I will permit no man to narrow or degrade my soul by making me hate him.
Those who feed into negativity must examine there purpose on this earth.
Changing the world one hater at a time!
But let's not get it twisted. If you feeling froggish, leap!! Y'all know where to find me... Nick@nickcannon.com Holla at me directly!
"Victorious warriors win first then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win"
People who project negativity ultimately are crying out for their own broken souls.
No one but a fool would measure their satifaction by what the world thinks of him
Trying to save a hater is like trying to teach astrophysics to a wino! LOL Chuuuuch!
Okay done being philosophical. I'm back on my paper chase! Ya boy is grindin like 3 year old brakes!
Hopefully taking the high road works. . . somehow I don't think we've heard the last of this feud. . . After all its just twitter.
