from the RN's desk

new york is a fascinating city. in my 5 days there, i was torn between fondness and animosity. i think i could love it if i spent more time there, but in the short term, i was shocked at the volumes of people that were everywhere. masses of them, always in the way. but the things i did and saw were wonderful. we did some really excellent bus tours and a cruise around manhattan and i got to see almost all of the boroughs and get a feel for the whole thing. i saw the statue of liberty and ellis island from afar, and we went to ground zero. what people have told me is correct: there's literally nothing there, it's just construction now. but the memorial leveled me. my mom and i split up as we walked through and when we met up again, we were both in tears. being right there made it seem so real and recent, even though it was nearly 9 years ago. i felt a fierce pride for my country as i looked on the plans to rebuild. it's undeniable that doubling the number of towers, some of them just as tall as the old, is meant to be a loud "f*** you" to the terrorists. the victims, their families, and the survivors deserve the beautiful memorial that is coming.

yep, ANGELA LANSBURY.

we saw 3 broadway shows in new york: jersey boys, billy elliot, and next to normal. we were torn, wanting to see a little night music and fences also, but time constrained us. i'm so glad it worked out that way, though. because of the mixed reviews of a little night music, i kind of wanted to see the stars more than the show. and i got to see angela lansbury up close and personal on the evening of her very last performance outside the theater!

jersey boys was glorious to listen to as well as watch. the four voices were absolutely perfect, and their harmonies were just gorgeous. i was also really impressed by the lighting. a very solid show that made me love the four seasons.

billy elliot was a spectacle even more breathtaking than i imagined. the little boy just KILLED it. it was pure magic to watch him dance. none of the singers really impressed me, but the chorus numbers were powerful, goosebump-inducing. the staging was really creative and every moment was visually entertaining. incredibly heartwarming, overall.

next to normal, however, was what made the entire trip for me. i was not anticipating the effects it would have on me. i love to cry watching a good show, but this was not pleasant, warm fuzzy crying. at one point, i was choking back sobs. really on the brink of losing it. i think the power of the show was how it touched people in different ways. it was scary how often i related to each of the characters, even though their circumstances are beyond what i've ever experienced. at intermission, i looked around me and every woman i could see was teary, if not as close to losing it as me, with her significant other holding onto her for dear life, terrified. i'm glad i didn't know the story or music before seeing it, because the twist in the first act was so devastating, and i know it wouldn't have been if i'd known. so...if you think you'll ever go see the show, don't read up on it ahead of time!

the music was astoundingly beautiful with lyrics that pierce the soul. reminds me a lot of jason robert brown, which is a very good thing. i'm listening to the soundtrack as we speak, which is excellent in that it makes me feel diluted memories of what i felt as i watched, but i'm glad i saw the cast i did. brian d'arcy as dan is better than the original guy...he has such a huge, rich voice. the voices of the two children were perfect. jennifer damiano is only 19 and she sings like...i don't know, i would say an angel, but she's so much more of a real person. i loved alice ripley's performance, but i have to say her voice is the only thing i disliked about the show. it's so gritty and warbly that it seemed to go in and out of tune, especially compared to the perfection surrounding her. i was not a fan, but her acting did move me. it was one of her last songs that destroyed me.

oh, and...i'm a nurse now. i have a license and everything. finding out i passed my huge monstrous exam was thrilling, a really good thing to happen on my trip. and now i can rest easy for the next two and a half weeks before my job starts. well, rest easy and...acquire my kansas RN license, clean my house, mow my lawn, be a bridesmaid, babysit for a week straight, and get my house grad party ready.

And you know that it's just a sonata away,
And you play,
And you play.
And everything else goes away,
Everything else goes away.
Everything else goes away.

standing on the precipice

am i going to feel like an adult when i acquire my nursing license? stand up as a bridesmaid at the weddings of two of my best friends? have my college graduation party? or when i start orientation? get my first paycheck? maybe when i actually go to the floor and take on patients. when i switch from my parents' health insurance to my own?

obviously, the feeling has not yet sunk in. this could be any other summer between semesters of school. except for the huge things looming in my future, such as boards (june 15th) and the start of my nursing career (july 12th). but in the meantime, i'm doing pretty much everything i wanted to do: settle into my new house and new room. sleep a lot. read more Scripture. get to some daily Masses. work out a lot (pilates is already yielding satisfying results). see friends at an acceptable frequency (yesterday was a great example. got pedicures with brie, watched glee with annie and rizzy, played super smash brothers with phil). take advantage of my temporarily free netflix membership (finally nearing the finale of six feet under). do things for my parents that pay (clean house, mow the lawn).

actually, i barely have enough time to study. since graduating, i have road tripped to st. louis and houston, moved into the new house, moved my brother back home, acquired shoes for two weddings and a bridesmaid dress for one, reread 3/7 of the harry potter series, joined the Y, watched two seasons of the office, made a scrapbook, resumed cantoring at church, and done some excellent catching up with important people. i have things going on every weekend until i start work. the two most exciting things are going to new york for a graduation trip and going to jacksonville for kelsey's wedding, which are back to back weekends. new york is the day after boards, actually. talk about a vacation.

i love what i see when i look forward, but also when i look around me. life is nice.