Life just ran with that idea

The past two months have been full of more flights, adventures, old friends, parrots, entreprenurial ideas, BBQ, hula hoops, failures and successes.  I apologize for my delayed posts, but life just has a way of running when you aren't looking.  Now that I have wireless internet  forward to those precious two hours when you have wireless internet.  I lived my life abroad very meticulously.  I valued my Facebook more than I do now.  I actually checked my email once or twice a a day, rather than every 15 minutes thanks to "fetch new data."  So, here is my low down.  

Last time we met, I was on a last minute flight to San Diego to visit Nat's family for the holidays.  We had a splendid time, enjoying the weather and not throwing up all day.  I say the later because last time I met Nat's family for a family reunion, I successfully managed to inject about 75% of his family with the Norovirus aka stomach flu.  I am not sure if I will ever out grow my nickname "Typhoid Mary."  

After that, we were on a flight to Las Vegas for our 4th Annual Santa Rosa Crew Vegas Trip.  I think every year gets better and better!  I guess the first year we went was 10 days after my second nose surgery which in retrospect was probably not the best idea.  I was on hydocodone, couldn't drink, and got a bloody nose after being wacked in the face by a drunk friend.  Oops!  Since then, we have made so many fabulous memories I can't even begin to relay them all.  I got to ride a mechanical bull hands-free, watch an electric violin and DJ chick duo and stay out almost as late as I did in Ukraine!  The best part was playing cards in the back of our rented RV all the way back to Santa Rosa.  Some of us didn't get enough sleep, so they crashed together in the one little bed in the back. 

Next stop, San Francisco!  Let me tell you how nice it was to be back in my city!  I got to see my old roomate, best friends, old co-workers and my old favorite spots.  It was kind of difficult to get over the fact that last time I was in SF, I lived there, had a room, and my parrot.  I really miss my friends, but we got to go out in the Castro for an amazing night of dancing.  Then we got to hit up a couple of places for bottomless mimosas and brunch.  I might even be on the wall at Hot Cookie 

I now have an amazing group of close friends here in Austin and I am getting to know the sites much better.  The night life and outdoors life is amazing here. 

Random facts about my new life:

• After a couple of weeks of turning down offers, being rejected from employers and weighing out my possible options, I am now working full-time at an OB/Gyn office in North Austin.  I may now know more than I wanted to know about the miraculous journey of pregnancy, but hey, never hurts to start doing research early...way early.
• I have decided to take up new hobbies to keep busy while Nat studies.  Last week, I made my first set of hula hoops.  Good exersize, a must-have skill for Burning Man, and will look amazing if I can eventually set them on fire!
• Speaking of Burning Man, I bought my ticket and cannot wait to join my sisters, and Mark, along with our new additions to the playa, Tristan and Kara!
• I made arrangements to fly Pearl to Austin on May 22nd!  I am excited to start wandering the streets of downtown with her and continue to support the motto "Keep Austin Weird."
• I was elected Events Coordinator of the Austin Parrot Society and look forward to start organizing their fudraisers, events, etc
• I have decided to collect feathers from the parrot rescue I volunteer at, make jewelry out of the molted feathers and sell them to raise money for the organization.

This Friday I embark on an 8 hour journey with 5 best friends to New Orleans for Mardi Gras!  I imagine I will be yelling at people to throw me beads as I used to yell at the patrons of the Blue Bayou to throw me pieces of bread before I came face to face with the Pirates of the Caribbean.  Let's hope that my experience dodging hords of people at Disneyland has adequately prepared me for the madness that will ensue this weekend.


I think that just about covers it all.  Do I like to keep busy or what?? 

Кровь на полу! : Blood on the floor!

Сегодня утра, я не знала, что будет проходить на работу. Я хотела встать в шесть часов утра, но я встала когда мой папугай начал говорить. Мой будильник не работал, поетому я была рада, что он меня разбудил. Я походила в спортзал, завтрикала, и поехала на работу. Отлично! Сегодня - пятница! Но когда я прибыла на работу в Дайли Сити, они мне сказали, что лучше что я уеду в Сан Франциско. Ладно. Итак я уехала.

Я не была там ни десять минутов, когда пришла наш Российский пацент. Она среднего роста и полная и у нее короткие и седые волосы. Она добрая и веселая. Ей семдесять лет, и она только говорила по-русски. "Здоровое!" я думала, "Я ей могу помогить!"

"Как дела? Нормально? Напишите там ваша имя пожалуйста..." и так далее

Я не знала, как сказать "Диабет, высокое кровяное давление, высокий холестерин..." Извините, но может быть вы лучше хотели говорить о моей квартире?? Или о моем папугае?? Нет... Окей, все порядке! Не больнуйтесь! У меня словарь на ейФоне. УУУУра!

Когда техник приходил, он спросил, "У нее есть переводчика?" мммм... "Да нет?" Эрика - Переводчик! Давай!

Она была процедура с внутривенной контрастной жидкостью... и поетому нужнала инъекция. Она не тонкая женщина, и когда техник пробовал ввести ей, он не мог! Он пробовал шесть раз. Она кровоточила много! Она сказала, что она не принимала аспирин... но я не знаю если ето правда. Фиг, там была много кровь на полу! Я носила сандалии, потому что я думала, что мне только надо бы отвечать телефон!

Итак, я решила, что я должна бы переводить наши формы. В следующий раз, я надеюсь, что они оставляют меня в покое! хаха Классная шутка... Вы должны знать, что мне нравятся русский язык, кровь и конечно, я люблю помогать людям. xax Удивительный день!


This morning, I had no idea what would happen at work. I wanted to get up at 6AM, but I woke up when my parrot started talking. My alarm clock didn’t work (was set for 6PM), and therefore I was really excited that she woke me up! I went to the gym, ate breakfast and went to work. Great! Today is Friday! But when I arrived at work in Daly City, they told me that I should go to San Francisco better. Alright. So I left.

I was there not even ten minutes when our Russian patient walked in. She was of average height and a little heavy and she had short grey hair. She was very kind and cheerful. She was seventy years old and she only spoke Russian. “Awesome!” I thought, “I can help her!”

“How are you? Good? Sign your name here please…” and so on.

I didn’t know how to say, “Diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.” I am sorry, but maybe you would rather like to talk about my apartment?? Or my parrot?? No…OK, everything is fine! Don’t worry! I have a dictionary on my iPhone. Hurray!

When the technologist came, he asked, “Did she come with a translator?” mmmm…”Not really?” Erica the Translator! Let’s do it!

She was scheduled for a procedure that required intravenous contrast… and for that reason she needed an injection. She was not a slim woman, and when the technologist tried to inject her, he couldn’t! He tried six times. She said she didn’t take asprin… but I don’t know if that’s true. She bled a lot! Dang, there is a lot of blood on the floor! I wore sandals today, because I thought that I would only be answering phones!

So then, I decided that I should translate our forms. Next time, I hope that they leave me alone! Haha Good joke. You should know that I like Russian language, blood, and of course, I really love to help people.  haha What an awesome day!

Откройте дверь!! Полиции Сан Франсисо! : Open the door!! San Francisco Police!

Сегодня, я пошла на спортзал и потом я гуляла домой. Когда я была близко от моей квартиры, я увидела три полицейских машинах. Что случилось?? Я болновалась что может быть были проблемы с моей квартирой! Были многи ментов, у которих были оружие! Я не хотела заморочиваться с разборкой! Во всяком случае менты позволенный я входила. Они поднялись на первый этаж, где я тоже живу. <<Откройте дверь!! Полиции Сан Франсисо!>> Мои соседи наконец вышли из квартиры, и они были шлепнутой рукой. Я слушала их, и думаю что мои соседи слезали с иглы! Менты спрашивали, <<У вас есть какие-нибудь иглу? Вы ни-когда не были арестованно?>> Фиг!! Я не познамомилась моих нових соседков, но я уже знаю что они лохи! То есть... они - наркоманы. Но, кто нет?? Ведь, это - Сан Франсиско! Потом, мне пора и принимала душ. Когда я закончила, они уже уехали. Мне кажеться, что они были арестованы. Кроче говоря, эти - мои соседи!

Today, I left the gym and afterwards I walked home. When I was close to my apartment, I saw three cop cars. What happened?? I was worried that maybe there was a problem with my apartment. There were many cops who had guns! I did not want to get caught up in some sort of showdown! In any case, the cops allowed me to enter. They went to the first floor, where I also live. "Open the door!! San Francisco Police!" My neighbors finally exited from the apartment, and they were handcuffed. I listened to them and I think that my neighbors were coming off drugs. The cops asked, "Do you have any needles? Have you ever been arrested?" Damn!! I don't know my new neighbors, but I already know that they are losers! That is...they are drug addicts. But, who isn't?? You see, this is San Francisco! Afterwards, I had to go and take a shower. When I was finished, they had already left. It appears to me that they were arrested. So in short, these are my neighbors!