Photographer: Jim Bob, IG @oldmaninahatbob
Hair: Candis Ashley Artisty, IG @candis_ashley_artistry
MUA: Nina Bui, IG @ninabuity
Jewels: Marianna Harutunian, IG @mariannaharutunian
Designer: Natalyia Meyer, IG @lucias_sarto
Shona
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
When Jewels and Fancy Dresses Collide
Finally getting to share some of the AMAZING photos by Jim Bob! This was such a fun shoot with a lot of shiny, fancy jewels by Marianna Harutunian out of Los Angeles. The beautiful clothing was designed by Natalyia Meyer, a Kansas City Fashion Designer and owner of the clothing store Lucia's Sarto. Jim Bob is so fun to work with...between his music and jokes, I don't know what I like best!! Ok, so maybe it was the photos he captured!
Photographer: Jim Bob, IG @oldmaninahatbob
Hair: Candis Ashley Artisty, IG @candis_ashley_artistry
MUA: Nina Bui, IG @ninabuity
Jewels: Marianna Harutunian, IG @mariannaharutunian
Designer: Natalyia Meyer, IG @lucias_sarto
Thank you to the whole team for this amazing day at the studio!
Shona
Photographer: Jim Bob, IG @oldmaninahatbob
Hair: Candis Ashley Artisty, IG @candis_ashley_artistry
MUA: Nina Bui, IG @ninabuity
Jewels: Marianna Harutunian, IG @mariannaharutunian
Designer: Natalyia Meyer, IG @lucias_sarto
Shona
Monday, October 9, 2017
The NCLEX Exam and Why I Didn't Give Up
You guys...I finally passed my NCLEX exam or what I like to call "the test that isn't really reality exam." I graduated from Nursing School in May of this year...studied for an appropriate amount of time per what the "professionals" said to do and set up my first date to test. I did an entire program consisting of over 2500 questions not to mention an app that I had installed on my phone for on-the-go type learning. On June 12th, I walked in to take it...I felt prepared but with this type of test, you just never know. I took 140 questions and it shut off...because that's how nice it is. It literally just shuts off and you have no idea at this point how you did or if you are going to pass. You get to wait 48 hours to find out, which really aids in your anxiety level. I am guessing you get my sarcasm here. So two days later around 8 a.m. I log in and you have to pay $7.95, because nothing is free, to see if I passed. I hit submit...FAIL. By they way, those questions I studied were from Kaplan, a program used to "train" people to pass the NCLEX the first time and they guarantee it.
Below is a post that I started and never published...written on the day I found out the results....
"Fail. I failed the NCLEX. I signed in, got the results and instantly started to sob. And they didn''t say it nicely either...like "You were unsuccessful"...nope, just a big fat FAIL. For two years I have been preparing to take the one test that would make me an official RN, and I failed it. Do I get to take it again? Sure...but do I feel confident about it? Today, not at all. Maybe tomorrow. Words can not express what I am feeling right now, I am mortified, I am embarrassed, and I just want to pretend like this never happened. And how in the hell do I even have any tears left? For some maybe this wouldn't be the way to relieve their feelings, but for me, it is. Besides, it's a way for me to show you that things don't always go as planned. Shit happens." -06/14/2017-
When I went back to read this recently, I remember it like it was yesterday. A lot of tears and a feeling of failure for sure.
Here is what I did though. I re-registered because again nothing is free and actually it costs $275 each time you have to take this "test"...I started studying and set another test date. This time is was August 16th. You have to wait 45 days in between testing to test again, I guess so they can make sure you are ready the next time. On August 16th, I walked in to a different location feeling much more prepared than the first time. I sat down and started. During the test you are allowed to take two scheduled breaks, one at 2 hours and one at 3 1/2 hours. I took both. I answered the max number of questions this time, 265, my next to last question was a "select all that apply" question. Let me explain, this type of question is upper level meaning you are above the passing line...so I felt pretty good about this. Five and a half hours later, I walked out knowing I had to wait another 48 hours before getting the results. August 18th, I logged in, paying another $7.95, just to see the four letter word "FAIL" but this time, I was straight up pissed off. Tears were barely the issue...I was now just annoyed.
I called Kaplan to see what they could do for me since that was the program included in my tuition and they "guarantee" you will pass the first time or you get your money back which I didn't by the way. Rather, they enrolled me in a live online course, just like the one I had already did. Ok, I thought, I'll do it. I took the course and did nothing else with Kaplan. I realized it didn't work for me. I was told to try a program from the NCSBN website. I figured it couldn't hurt so I signed up to to have access and started studying again...and I was starting to get drained. I just didn't get why I wasn't passing. The scores "they" say you need, I was getting those. I was still studying 25+ hours per week...and you have to remember, I had been doing this since May. I studied way more than that the first time around plus I was fitting in two part-time jobs and still trying to have a life. I realized it wasn't about how many hours was spent studying and I finally figured out what "they" wanted.
Here is what we were taught about the NCLEX. This test is testing you to be a safe nurse...you will not know all of the answers to every question, you won't even know what they are talking about some of the time, but they want you to be able to break down the question and answers and choose the safest answer. "Minimal Competency" is all they are asking for. Bull shit. Here is how I look at it and yes, maybe I am slightly bitter because I had to take the damn thing three times, but this test is not realistic and the funny thing is, people who pass it the first time, have told me the same thing. I have worked in the healthcare setting for 3+ years. I see competent people, I am one of them and I am not being cocky here people. I didn't make it though two years of Nursing School because I am not competent. Which, by the way, prepares you more for the the real world than the NCLEX ever will. Interesting enough, after people heard that I didn't pass it the first time, I found out a lot of people didn't, if fact, some of them took it 3, 4, and even 5 times. And I get why people don't want to throw that information out there. It's embarrassing.
The point of this is to get the word out. People "fail" this test every single day and more than once. The real strength is not giving up even when you want too. Trust me, I had that thought but realized I want to be a Nurse and that is why I went back to school and spent two years preparing myself for the career that I will have for the rest of my life. There was no way I was going to give that up just because one stupid test was telling me I wasn't safe and competent. At this point you can imagine where I have told that test to go...and in two years or ten years, it won't matter how many times I took it. And what really makes me happy is that I have already had people reach out to me, thanking me for giving them hope and to not give up. That right there was worth it for me.
On a more humorous note...the first time I tested I was #9 and my locker was #11...9-11...ya I wasn't thrilled about that. The second time I was #1, locker #1, space #11...too many #1's, the third time I tested I was #5, locker #1, space #11...the fact that I was #5 was the perfect sign although most people who I share that with think I am nutso!
Maybe I am the only who will ever write about my experience and share my opinions and that's ok...maybe it will give someone else the push they need to keep going.
When your BF reminds you that you are a SUPER woman!
First line of business...get rid of all study materials!
When your friends give you the good news...before you even know!
Celebrating!
Below is a post that I started and never published...written on the day I found out the results....
"Fail. I failed the NCLEX. I signed in, got the results and instantly started to sob. And they didn''t say it nicely either...like "You were unsuccessful"...nope, just a big fat FAIL. For two years I have been preparing to take the one test that would make me an official RN, and I failed it. Do I get to take it again? Sure...but do I feel confident about it? Today, not at all. Maybe tomorrow. Words can not express what I am feeling right now, I am mortified, I am embarrassed, and I just want to pretend like this never happened. And how in the hell do I even have any tears left? For some maybe this wouldn't be the way to relieve their feelings, but for me, it is. Besides, it's a way for me to show you that things don't always go as planned. Shit happens." -06/14/2017-
When I went back to read this recently, I remember it like it was yesterday. A lot of tears and a feeling of failure for sure.
Here is what I did though. I re-registered because again nothing is free and actually it costs $275 each time you have to take this "test"...I started studying and set another test date. This time is was August 16th. You have to wait 45 days in between testing to test again, I guess so they can make sure you are ready the next time. On August 16th, I walked in to a different location feeling much more prepared than the first time. I sat down and started. During the test you are allowed to take two scheduled breaks, one at 2 hours and one at 3 1/2 hours. I took both. I answered the max number of questions this time, 265, my next to last question was a "select all that apply" question. Let me explain, this type of question is upper level meaning you are above the passing line...so I felt pretty good about this. Five and a half hours later, I walked out knowing I had to wait another 48 hours before getting the results. August 18th, I logged in, paying another $7.95, just to see the four letter word "FAIL" but this time, I was straight up pissed off. Tears were barely the issue...I was now just annoyed.
I called Kaplan to see what they could do for me since that was the program included in my tuition and they "guarantee" you will pass the first time or you get your money back which I didn't by the way. Rather, they enrolled me in a live online course, just like the one I had already did. Ok, I thought, I'll do it. I took the course and did nothing else with Kaplan. I realized it didn't work for me. I was told to try a program from the NCSBN website. I figured it couldn't hurt so I signed up to to have access and started studying again...and I was starting to get drained. I just didn't get why I wasn't passing. The scores "they" say you need, I was getting those. I was still studying 25+ hours per week...and you have to remember, I had been doing this since May. I studied way more than that the first time around plus I was fitting in two part-time jobs and still trying to have a life. I realized it wasn't about how many hours was spent studying and I finally figured out what "they" wanted.
Here is what we were taught about the NCLEX. This test is testing you to be a safe nurse...you will not know all of the answers to every question, you won't even know what they are talking about some of the time, but they want you to be able to break down the question and answers and choose the safest answer. "Minimal Competency" is all they are asking for. Bull shit. Here is how I look at it and yes, maybe I am slightly bitter because I had to take the damn thing three times, but this test is not realistic and the funny thing is, people who pass it the first time, have told me the same thing. I have worked in the healthcare setting for 3+ years. I see competent people, I am one of them and I am not being cocky here people. I didn't make it though two years of Nursing School because I am not competent. Which, by the way, prepares you more for the the real world than the NCLEX ever will. Interesting enough, after people heard that I didn't pass it the first time, I found out a lot of people didn't, if fact, some of them took it 3, 4, and even 5 times. And I get why people don't want to throw that information out there. It's embarrassing.
The point of this is to get the word out. People "fail" this test every single day and more than once. The real strength is not giving up even when you want too. Trust me, I had that thought but realized I want to be a Nurse and that is why I went back to school and spent two years preparing myself for the career that I will have for the rest of my life. There was no way I was going to give that up just because one stupid test was telling me I wasn't safe and competent. At this point you can imagine where I have told that test to go...and in two years or ten years, it won't matter how many times I took it. And what really makes me happy is that I have already had people reach out to me, thanking me for giving them hope and to not give up. That right there was worth it for me.
On a more humorous note...the first time I tested I was #9 and my locker was #11...9-11...ya I wasn't thrilled about that. The second time I was #1, locker #1, space #11...too many #1's, the third time I tested I was #5, locker #1, space #11...the fact that I was #5 was the perfect sign although most people who I share that with think I am nutso!
Maybe I am the only who will ever write about my experience and share my opinions and that's ok...maybe it will give someone else the push they need to keep going.
But for now, I never ever have to worry about that test...ever again!
Remember the end goal and go for it!
Shona
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Have Tent, Will Camp
This year has been a year of numerous camping adventures and I have learned something new from each one of them. I love what all camping has to offer; nature, relaxation, getting cozy around the fire, the sounds of nightfall, birds chirping, being "almost" attacked by a deer...more on that later, packing minimally, trail hikes, and enjoying time away from the city. Our recent camping weekend was spent at Clinton State Park and we had two nights of campfire cooking, dominoes, card games, and perfect weather.
I have found there are certain items you can not live without while camping...ok, maybe you can live without them, but they make camping more fun! First off, someone who can build a fire. I probably could figure it out but the last time I tried that I used gasoline and sent an entire hay field up in flames...lesson learned there. No but really, I enjoy chopping down and finding firewood out in nature and of course I am the one who is in charge of that perfect stick for roasting marshmallows.
Which leads me to the next item...s'mores. You can not go camping without graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. Seriously, a staple. Get creative with the food you cook too! This time we went "fancy" and cooked pork steak, roasted zucchini and squash, trout, chicken, brauts, tomatoes and breakfast sausage. Eventually, when we aren't "car" camping as much, our food items won't be quite as extensive so we also like to throw in a few freeze dried foods that we can just add boiling water too. Mountain House and Alpine Aire are a couple we have tried, all of which are actually quite tasty. They are great for hiking!
Make sure and have a good sleeping bag, back pack, hiking boots, and a tent that can be easily put up. We have sleeping bags by Outdoor Vitals, these are 30 degree bags that can be zipped up together if you want to get cozy. Danner hiking boots which are super comfortable and stylish too, because shoes are important. A good pack is a must, mine is an Osprey 65, it's the perfect size and has plenty of room for everything from supplies to clothing and has a lot of pockets! It also holds my sleeping bag and my Kelty sleeping pad which makes the ground not so rough to sleep on. The tent we have is by Alps Brand, it's actually a 4-person tent, so we could go smaller when hiking in to camp but it goes up in about 3 minutes! Plus, it's good when you have a dog and leaves plenty of room for the packs too.
The small items matter too! Have camping cookware, water proof matches, small bottles of oil, dish soap and food seasoning, fire starters, an ax for firewood which I also use to cut vegetables, a knife, head lamp's which keep your hands free and they aren't geeky at all but rather very useful, coffee, hot tea, a collapsible container to hold water, travel games like domino's and cards, portable blue-tooth speaker because we like the sound of music too, a lighter, table-top butane/propane stove and lantern which is good for a quick boil of water and can also be used for light at night, ours is by Jetboil, emergency survival wraps, flashlight, and a portable phone charger because let's be real it's a good idea to keep your phone charged just in case and if you are like me I use mine to capture the memories too...these are just a few important things we always have when we camp! Oh ya, don't forget extra socks...after hiking you don't want to wear the same ones while sleeping!
Lastly...the story on the deer. We decided to take the trail around the lake back to our campsite Saturday morning. We took Lola off the leash to let her roam around and for the most part she listens...until she saw the deer and took off up the hill and was gone. James went after her and I decided to keep going on the trail as we decided we would meet up back at camp. Instead, Lola came back and they quickly caught back up with me. As we were rounding a corner, a deer was coming towards us...I was in the lead and you know that saying "deer in the headlights" look...ya, that happened. The look on the deer's face, me jumping and covering my face like she was going to attack me...besides it scared the hell out of James and Lola too. That deer came back for revenge after being chased...at least that's our story! Then I hear James say, "I thought that was a cougar and we were goners!" ...Me, "Next time you are leading!" I can't make this stuff up!
We aren't professional hikers or campers by any means, but I think we have a pretty good start! Happy Camping!
Shona
I have found there are certain items you can not live without while camping...ok, maybe you can live without them, but they make camping more fun! First off, someone who can build a fire. I probably could figure it out but the last time I tried that I used gasoline and sent an entire hay field up in flames...lesson learned there. No but really, I enjoy chopping down and finding firewood out in nature and of course I am the one who is in charge of that perfect stick for roasting marshmallows.
Which leads me to the next item...s'mores. You can not go camping without graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. Seriously, a staple. Get creative with the food you cook too! This time we went "fancy" and cooked pork steak, roasted zucchini and squash, trout, chicken, brauts, tomatoes and breakfast sausage. Eventually, when we aren't "car" camping as much, our food items won't be quite as extensive so we also like to throw in a few freeze dried foods that we can just add boiling water too. Mountain House and Alpine Aire are a couple we have tried, all of which are actually quite tasty. They are great for hiking!
Make sure and have a good sleeping bag, back pack, hiking boots, and a tent that can be easily put up. We have sleeping bags by Outdoor Vitals, these are 30 degree bags that can be zipped up together if you want to get cozy. Danner hiking boots which are super comfortable and stylish too, because shoes are important. A good pack is a must, mine is an Osprey 65, it's the perfect size and has plenty of room for everything from supplies to clothing and has a lot of pockets! It also holds my sleeping bag and my Kelty sleeping pad which makes the ground not so rough to sleep on. The tent we have is by Alps Brand, it's actually a 4-person tent, so we could go smaller when hiking in to camp but it goes up in about 3 minutes! Plus, it's good when you have a dog and leaves plenty of room for the packs too.
The small items matter too! Have camping cookware, water proof matches, small bottles of oil, dish soap and food seasoning, fire starters, an ax for firewood which I also use to cut vegetables, a knife, head lamp's which keep your hands free and they aren't geeky at all but rather very useful, coffee, hot tea, a collapsible container to hold water, travel games like domino's and cards, portable blue-tooth speaker because we like the sound of music too, a lighter, table-top butane/propane stove and lantern which is good for a quick boil of water and can also be used for light at night, ours is by Jetboil, emergency survival wraps, flashlight, and a portable phone charger because let's be real it's a good idea to keep your phone charged just in case and if you are like me I use mine to capture the memories too...these are just a few important things we always have when we camp! Oh ya, don't forget extra socks...after hiking you don't want to wear the same ones while sleeping!
Lastly...the story on the deer. We decided to take the trail around the lake back to our campsite Saturday morning. We took Lola off the leash to let her roam around and for the most part she listens...until she saw the deer and took off up the hill and was gone. James went after her and I decided to keep going on the trail as we decided we would meet up back at camp. Instead, Lola came back and they quickly caught back up with me. As we were rounding a corner, a deer was coming towards us...I was in the lead and you know that saying "deer in the headlights" look...ya, that happened. The look on the deer's face, me jumping and covering my face like she was going to attack me...besides it scared the hell out of James and Lola too. That deer came back for revenge after being chased...at least that's our story! Then I hear James say, "I thought that was a cougar and we were goners!" ...Me, "Next time you are leading!" I can't make this stuff up!
Shona
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