I always said that I would "never" be on facebook. I always said that I would "never" get a smart phone. All of that changed when I met some amazing friends at Officer Basic and wanted to stay in touch with them, regardless of where Uncle Sam sent us. I try to be careful of what I post, knowing that I don't have control over who sees my posts. I don't have my address, date of birth, eye color, etc. posted for all the weirdos to see. As an Army Nurse Corps Officer, I also try to be careful of the words I use, knowing it could potentially be seen by anyone in my chain of command or higher.
That being said, I am amazed at what others feel perfectly OK posting on Social Media sites. I have recently dealt with a supposed "friend" posting nasty remarks directed at me. I wonder if she would have posted those comments if I still saw her every day, instead of being on the other side of the country. I wonder if she realized how rude and hurtful her comments were as she keyed each letter onto the screen? I also, too recently, lost a fellow ICU Nurse. He lost his life in Afghanistan, after being deployed for less than 2 months. The posts on-line from people who didn't know him are appalling. Some state he died from suicide. Others state it was homicide by his gay lover. Would these same people be able to make these comments to his grieving wife and young daughters? Would they want the same said about them upon their deaths? Heck, would they even have the courage to fight for our country, much less in the position of an ICU nurse, giving of oneself every time you go to work?
Researchers have found that on-line personas are becoming more and more aggressive, rude, and, if left unchecked, can take-over our real-life persona. Think of some of the e-mails you've received or read. Heck, you may have even written some of those e-mails. Would you ever have the audacity to say those words to someone's face? Yet, through the wonder of technology, we feel free to say, or rather type, whatever we want. There are no perceived consequences of our words. The internet has become the playground for our naughty Id. We feel free to write whatever we want. We can even create a persona that isn't us at all. We can pretend to be a 12-year-old cheerleader, a casting agent for a top model agency, or someone's next-door neighbor. To me, it's becoming a scarier place to live every day.
I know that I've written things on this blog that weren't the most politically-correct things. I know that I will, probably, do it in the future, too. I commit, however, to watching what I write and thinking about how my words could potentially hurt someone else.
I hope all of you have a great day and remember to read-over that posting or e-mail you're about to send.
--DV
Monday, May 7, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Customer Service-My thoughts
A customer (also known as a client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of a good, service, product, or idea, obtained from a seller, vendor, or supplier for a monetary or other valuable consideration. (from Wikipedia).
It amazes me how we, society as a whole, have lost the idea of Customer Service. We have become so preoccupied with ourselves, we forget what we're really doing. In the past month, I have experienced poor customer service on several occasions.
--I was at the Commissary (the Army's grocery store), checking out. Not only did the cashier not greet me when I came to the register, but, as my receipt was printing, he was standing there, blowing on his hand, walking back and forth away from the cash register. He was completely oblivious to my receipt. I snapped my fingers in front of him and said, "Focus! Focus!" It was as if I had awoken him from a dream world. Where's the customer service here?
--My refrigerator sounds as if it's about to take off on a runway. I asked the apartment management to take a look at it and get it fixed. When the workers came to fix the fridge, they knocked an angel off the top of the fridge, the wings broke off, and they simply placed it on the counter and left the apartment. I was in the apartment when this all happened (found it after they left) and was floored they didn't have the decency to apologize or even acknowledge they had just broken something of mine. Really?
It must be remembered, however, that a customer isn't just someone who is purchasing goods. As the definition states, a customer is the "recipient" of goods or services. An exchange of money doesn't have to occur to be considered a customer. That being said, aren't we all customers of one another? Think of how much less stress we would experience in our lives if we treated each other with the best customer service? Imagine how much less ridiculousness would be happening at work if we employed this concept? After all, in a work environment, aren't we the recipients of one another's services? I have been dealing with such useless, childish behavior at work, it simply saddens me. How can people consider themselves professionals when they act like children? If they chose to treat their coworkers with quality customer service, none of this nonsense would be happening.
So, I leave you with these thoughts to ponder: What can you do tomorrow to improve the customer service you provide to your coworkers? What's stopping you from providing the best customer service possible to those you work with? How much better would your work environment be if everyone treated each other with great customer service?
Just my thoughts.
--DV
It amazes me how we, society as a whole, have lost the idea of Customer Service. We have become so preoccupied with ourselves, we forget what we're really doing. In the past month, I have experienced poor customer service on several occasions.
--I was at the Commissary (the Army's grocery store), checking out. Not only did the cashier not greet me when I came to the register, but, as my receipt was printing, he was standing there, blowing on his hand, walking back and forth away from the cash register. He was completely oblivious to my receipt. I snapped my fingers in front of him and said, "Focus! Focus!" It was as if I had awoken him from a dream world. Where's the customer service here?
--My refrigerator sounds as if it's about to take off on a runway. I asked the apartment management to take a look at it and get it fixed. When the workers came to fix the fridge, they knocked an angel off the top of the fridge, the wings broke off, and they simply placed it on the counter and left the apartment. I was in the apartment when this all happened (found it after they left) and was floored they didn't have the decency to apologize or even acknowledge they had just broken something of mine. Really?
It must be remembered, however, that a customer isn't just someone who is purchasing goods. As the definition states, a customer is the "recipient" of goods or services. An exchange of money doesn't have to occur to be considered a customer. That being said, aren't we all customers of one another? Think of how much less stress we would experience in our lives if we treated each other with the best customer service? Imagine how much less ridiculousness would be happening at work if we employed this concept? After all, in a work environment, aren't we the recipients of one another's services? I have been dealing with such useless, childish behavior at work, it simply saddens me. How can people consider themselves professionals when they act like children? If they chose to treat their coworkers with quality customer service, none of this nonsense would be happening.
So, I leave you with these thoughts to ponder: What can you do tomorrow to improve the customer service you provide to your coworkers? What's stopping you from providing the best customer service possible to those you work with? How much better would your work environment be if everyone treated each other with great customer service?
Just my thoughts.
--DV
Friday, March 23, 2012
1-year ago
Believe it or not, I joined the US Army Nurse Corps 1 year ago today. So much has happened in the past year. It's hard to believe how much my life has changed since I drove onto Ft. Sam Houston to start my first day of Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC).
BOLC was a great experience for me. Each time I was there (thanks to my ankle), I made friends and memories I will keep with me for the rest of my life. I especially feel blessed for the friendships I made with the 6-pack + 1. I've never gotten so close to military people in such a short amount of time. While I was truly upset when I refractured my ankle, I now know that I was meant to return to BOLC to meet these truly special people. Who would've thought that I could've gotten so close to them in only 5 weeks?
I've settled into my routine in El Paso. Work keeps me busy. I'm involved in lots of things in the unit, trying to make it a better place and improve the competency in the unit. There are plenty of times when I question why I care so much and why I allow myself to get so upset over how things are done there. Then I remind myself that I care because the ultimate recipients of our care are US Veterans, US Soldiers, and their dependents. I care because this was what inspired me to rejoin the military. I care because I take pride in my work. I care because I believe things can always get better. So, I keep on plugging along. Perhaps I'll make a difference. Perhaps not. Either way, I know I've tried.
Although my life has changed dramatically in the past 12 months, I know it is going to change even more in the next few months. The Captain's Board meets in less than a month. With any luck, I will be CPT Valdivieso by the end of the summer. Another board meets in May to determine if I will be able to go to CRNA school. That will mean heading to San Antonio in a year from now. All very exciting things that I am truly looking forward to.
Another big change is LJ's college graduation. After 5 years of education, he will be graduating with a BS in BioChemistry. Wow! All of his hard work and our worries will finally pay off. I'm proud of him for making it through the ups and downs. I know he's put a lot of his soul into this and I look forward to seeing what happens in the future for him.
Although I am still apart from my honey, we use technology to keep in touch. We've had dinner "together" while Skyping. We've watched the same movie, at the same time, through Netflix. We talk at least 2 times/day on the phone. We have laughed at my silliness and gotten frustrated at the B.S. together.
Shadow has recovered completely from her knee surgery. She is back to running around with her doggy buddies whenever they come around. I can see her on Skype and she is as fluffy as ever. It's so good to know that she's back to her old self. That pink cast from her surgery will always stick in my mind.
So, the ups and downs will continue as time marches on. I am blessed that I can look back on the past year and recognize more ups than downs. I'm grateful for the love and support of my family and friends. I'm grateful for the new friends I've made and the old friends I've kept.
Wishing you well!
--DV
BOLC was a great experience for me. Each time I was there (thanks to my ankle), I made friends and memories I will keep with me for the rest of my life. I especially feel blessed for the friendships I made with the 6-pack + 1. I've never gotten so close to military people in such a short amount of time. While I was truly upset when I refractured my ankle, I now know that I was meant to return to BOLC to meet these truly special people. Who would've thought that I could've gotten so close to them in only 5 weeks?
I've settled into my routine in El Paso. Work keeps me busy. I'm involved in lots of things in the unit, trying to make it a better place and improve the competency in the unit. There are plenty of times when I question why I care so much and why I allow myself to get so upset over how things are done there. Then I remind myself that I care because the ultimate recipients of our care are US Veterans, US Soldiers, and their dependents. I care because this was what inspired me to rejoin the military. I care because I take pride in my work. I care because I believe things can always get better. So, I keep on plugging along. Perhaps I'll make a difference. Perhaps not. Either way, I know I've tried.
Although my life has changed dramatically in the past 12 months, I know it is going to change even more in the next few months. The Captain's Board meets in less than a month. With any luck, I will be CPT Valdivieso by the end of the summer. Another board meets in May to determine if I will be able to go to CRNA school. That will mean heading to San Antonio in a year from now. All very exciting things that I am truly looking forward to.
Another big change is LJ's college graduation. After 5 years of education, he will be graduating with a BS in BioChemistry. Wow! All of his hard work and our worries will finally pay off. I'm proud of him for making it through the ups and downs. I know he's put a lot of his soul into this and I look forward to seeing what happens in the future for him.
Although I am still apart from my honey, we use technology to keep in touch. We've had dinner "together" while Skyping. We've watched the same movie, at the same time, through Netflix. We talk at least 2 times/day on the phone. We have laughed at my silliness and gotten frustrated at the B.S. together.
Shadow has recovered completely from her knee surgery. She is back to running around with her doggy buddies whenever they come around. I can see her on Skype and she is as fluffy as ever. It's so good to know that she's back to her old self. That pink cast from her surgery will always stick in my mind.
So, the ups and downs will continue as time marches on. I am blessed that I can look back on the past year and recognize more ups than downs. I'm grateful for the love and support of my family and friends. I'm grateful for the new friends I've made and the old friends I've kept.
Wishing you well!
--DV
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
A wonderful visit home!
I went home the last weekend in February. It was so great to go home and see Jorge and Shadow.
We celebrated Jorge's birthday early with the traditional dinner at Eddie Martini's. That was great! Man, they make incredible steaks there. It's too bad LJ wasn't around so we could've indulged in the amazing ocean martini.
We attended the car show, which has been a birthday weekend tradition. I love looking at all of the incredible cars they have. If only we had a 20-car garage!!!!!
Returning to El Paso was a bit stressful for me. I was trying to ensure that my packet for CRNA school got submitted on time. Not exactly the easiest thing to do from 1700 miles away. My smart phone is handy, but not as smart as I need it to be. Luckily, Jorge suggested that he log into my account and send the necessary paperwork. For those of you who know AKO, imagine talking someone through navigating that system when they aren't very computer-savvy. Yeah, a little difficult. Once I landed in El Paso, at 2200, I drove to the hospital to check e-mails, just to make sure all was in order. Thankfully, everyone did their part while I was gone. Whew! Another checklist marked off. (-: Now for the waiting game.
The CPT's board meets on 17 April. With any luck, I'll get picked-up for CPT! That will be awesome! Less than a month later, a whole bunch of exciting stuff happens: LJ graduates from college on Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The CRNA board convenes on the 14th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I should know by June 19th if I've been accepted into CRNA school! I am so completely stoked! April-June are going to be very exciting months.
Until then, I'm trying to make changes in the ICU. It's going at a glacial crawl, but we'll get there. We have a lot of talent and experience. . .just need the right motivation. I'm going to come home in April to see my Heinz and Shady-girl! Cannot wait for that.
I hope all of you are doing well, too. Sorry that there aren't any pictures. I cannot get the "smart" phone to send pictures to my e-mail. Darn technology!
--DV
We celebrated Jorge's birthday early with the traditional dinner at Eddie Martini's. That was great! Man, they make incredible steaks there. It's too bad LJ wasn't around so we could've indulged in the amazing ocean martini.
We attended the car show, which has been a birthday weekend tradition. I love looking at all of the incredible cars they have. If only we had a 20-car garage!!!!!
Returning to El Paso was a bit stressful for me. I was trying to ensure that my packet for CRNA school got submitted on time. Not exactly the easiest thing to do from 1700 miles away. My smart phone is handy, but not as smart as I need it to be. Luckily, Jorge suggested that he log into my account and send the necessary paperwork. For those of you who know AKO, imagine talking someone through navigating that system when they aren't very computer-savvy. Yeah, a little difficult. Once I landed in El Paso, at 2200, I drove to the hospital to check e-mails, just to make sure all was in order. Thankfully, everyone did their part while I was gone. Whew! Another checklist marked off. (-: Now for the waiting game.
The CPT's board meets on 17 April. With any luck, I'll get picked-up for CPT! That will be awesome! Less than a month later, a whole bunch of exciting stuff happens: LJ graduates from college on Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The CRNA board convenes on the 14th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I should know by June 19th if I've been accepted into CRNA school! I am so completely stoked! April-June are going to be very exciting months.
Until then, I'm trying to make changes in the ICU. It's going at a glacial crawl, but we'll get there. We have a lot of talent and experience. . .just need the right motivation. I'm going to come home in April to see my Heinz and Shady-girl! Cannot wait for that.
I hope all of you are doing well, too. Sorry that there aren't any pictures. I cannot get the "smart" phone to send pictures to my e-mail. Darn technology!
--DV
Monday, February 20, 2012
February Fun!
Hey, everyone! I have been soooo bad at updating my blog this year. I am really sorry about that.
February has gone by so quickly. It's hard to believe that it's almost March already! Before you know it, we'll be celebrating Christmas again.
February has gone by so quickly. It's hard to believe that it's almost March already! Before you know it, we'll be celebrating Christmas again.
On February 5th, I ran the El Paso Half Marathon. My goal was to beat my last time, which I did by 1 minute. I would've finished at least 10 minutes earlier, but was delayed by lines at the port-a-potty. Oh well! The race sponsor was Michelob Ultra, so I wore my "Will Run for Beer" shirt. That was a hit. It was so cold at the beginning of the race, I couldn't feel my feet for the first 3 miles. UGH! I survived and felt really great during the race. Maybe I'll do another one before the end of the year. . .or maybe not! (-:
I've done some training for the Bataan Death March. This is an annual memorial trek through the desert at White Sands Missile Range is 26.2 miles long and a grueling event (or so I'm told). To do some training, I went hiking with one of my night-shift buddies. The hike turned into some mountain climbing, so we wisely decided not to go further. It was an absolutely beautiful day, and it was January. T-shirt weather! Love it.
I'm preparing my packet for CRNA school, through the Army. This is done through the Long Term Health Education and Training board, which meets in May. I've done 1 day of job shadowing a CRNA in the OR and will do two more days this week. What an awesome experience. Downside is that I have to be there by 0530. UGH! It's OK, it's completely worth it. I'm also preparing my packet for the Captain's Board, which meets in April. I'm hoping both of these will be steps in the right direction for my Army career. I'll keep you all posted.
I get to go home to WI in a few days. It's only for the weekend, but it's better than nothing. I cannot wait to see Jorge and Shadow! We'll do an early b-day celebration for Jorge. Eddie Martini's, here we come!
I hope you are all doing well. Keep smiling! Spring is almost here.
--DV
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
How time flies!
I cannot believe it's been 2 months since I last posted on my blog. Shame on me! I guess I've been so busy enjoying life. Jorge and Shadow were here for over a month and I loved every minute with them. Even LJ came down for almost a week to spend Christmas. That was great seeing him.
While my family was here, lots of stuff happened. It snowed a couple of times. How crazy is that?
We decorated the Christmas Tree, too. OK, it wasn't as grandiose as the tree I would've had at home, but it still worked.
Shadow really enjoyed being on the futon again. Anytime you couldn't find her, she would be on the futon. As a matter of fact, she would often get upset with us if both of us were on the futon. I think she thought it was her territory.
We had some great food around my micro-table.
The last night that Jorge, LJ, and Shadow were here, we went to a restaurant called "Cattleman's." Several movies have been filmed here and they serve a Texas-sized Porterhouse that LJ devoured.
Alas, my family returned to WI on the 30th of December. It was soooo lonely after they left, but I had to get back into the swing of things. I really didn't do a good job keeping up with my BioChemistry class or my training for the Half Marathon while they were here.
I did get the chance to attend a New Year's Eve party. It was an 80's themed party. Lots of fun.
So, that's the big excitement over the past 2 months. I miss my family every day, but I am so grateful that I had a nice amount of time with them. That was the greatest gift of all!
I hope you all had an incredible Christmas and New Year! I wish you the best in 2012.
--DV
While my family was here, lots of stuff happened. It snowed a couple of times. How crazy is that?
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| Shadow loved the snow and made snow-dog angels! |
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| She even fought LJ for sleeping rights!!!! |
The last night that Jorge, LJ, and Shadow were here, we went to a restaurant called "Cattleman's." Several movies have been filmed here and they serve a Texas-sized Porterhouse that LJ devoured.
Alas, my family returned to WI on the 30th of December. It was soooo lonely after they left, but I had to get back into the swing of things. I really didn't do a good job keeping up with my BioChemistry class or my training for the Half Marathon while they were here.
I did get the chance to attend a New Year's Eve party. It was an 80's themed party. Lots of fun.
 |
| I think nearly everyone had a side pony-tail! |
I hope you all had an incredible Christmas and New Year! I wish you the best in 2012.
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| Age 4-my first butterfly experience! |
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Time flies when you're having fun?
It's hard to believe that I haven't posted anything since before Halloween. What the heck have I been doing with my free time? It feels like the days fly by and I hardly get anything done. I'm sure you have all felt the same way.
Well, I've done a couple of fun things. Last Sunday I met a couple of co-workers and we had a brunch buffet (holy yumminess!) and then went to the Renaissance Faire in Las Cruces, NM. I was really impressed with the number of art vendors at the Faire. It was more like an art show rather than a Ren Faire, but there was still a good supply of tarts and tramps in their revealing costumes! (-: One cool thing was a not-for-profit that rescues birds of prey. The birds were amazing. Forgive me, but I didn't take a picture of the vulture (I know they're a necessary part of the circle of life, but they're really ugly).
I was amazed by how big the eagle was. WOW! Unfortunately, I didn't capture her with her wings outstretched. That was a beautiful sight to see.
I ran McKelligan Canyon again today. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. It was so sunny that I couldn't tell it was in the mid-50's. I loved being outside. It cracks me up to see people dressed in down jackets when the temp gets below 60 degrees. Too funny! I tried taking pictures so you could all see the road through the Canyon, but it just doesn't highlight all of the hills. You'll just have to believe me that it's a hilly course. It's beautiful, though.
My half-marathon training is going well. I ran 7 miles (on the treadmill) last Saturday. I had to ice my knees that evening, but I still ran 7 miles. Tomorrow will be an easy run day-maybe only 5 miles on the straightaway instead of all the hills I did today.
Unfortunately, Jorge has a fracture in his femoral condyle. He won't be doing any running anytime soon. Poor guy. He's been complaining of knee pain for the past 6 months. I feel for him. He's off of work through the end of the month. I'm hoping he'll be able to come here for a couple of weeks. I'd love to see him and Shady girl. She got her cast off this week. . .no more pink leg! Strange that the two of them have messed-up right knees. What's in the water out there?
I hope you are all doing well and not feeling too much cold weather yet.
Tomorrow is Veteran's Day. . As you hear people grumble about the mail not being delivered, the banks being closed, or what to do with your kids who have no school, remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. Please remember to thank a Vet for their service and their sacrifices for our great country. Thank you Tony, Pop-pop, and Jorge for your service! I'm so proud of all of you.
--DV
Well, I've done a couple of fun things. Last Sunday I met a couple of co-workers and we had a brunch buffet (holy yumminess!) and then went to the Renaissance Faire in Las Cruces, NM. I was really impressed with the number of art vendors at the Faire. It was more like an art show rather than a Ren Faire, but there was still a good supply of tarts and tramps in their revealing costumes! (-: One cool thing was a not-for-profit that rescues birds of prey. The birds were amazing. Forgive me, but I didn't take a picture of the vulture (I know they're a necessary part of the circle of life, but they're really ugly).
 |
| 6-year old female bald eagle! |
 |
| Harris Hawk |
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| Barn Owl |
I ran McKelligan Canyon again today. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. It was so sunny that I couldn't tell it was in the mid-50's. I loved being outside. It cracks me up to see people dressed in down jackets when the temp gets below 60 degrees. Too funny! I tried taking pictures so you could all see the road through the Canyon, but it just doesn't highlight all of the hills. You'll just have to believe me that it's a hilly course. It's beautiful, though.
 |
| Can you see the road going up the hill in the distance? |
Unfortunately, Jorge has a fracture in his femoral condyle. He won't be doing any running anytime soon. Poor guy. He's been complaining of knee pain for the past 6 months. I feel for him. He's off of work through the end of the month. I'm hoping he'll be able to come here for a couple of weeks. I'd love to see him and Shady girl. She got her cast off this week. . .no more pink leg! Strange that the two of them have messed-up right knees. What's in the water out there?
I hope you are all doing well and not feeling too much cold weather yet.
Tomorrow is Veteran's Day. . As you hear people grumble about the mail not being delivered, the banks being closed, or what to do with your kids who have no school, remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. Please remember to thank a Vet for their service and their sacrifices for our great country. Thank you Tony, Pop-pop, and Jorge for your service! I'm so proud of all of you.
--DV
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