I finished my 1st project for #UnderstandingVisualArts. 😍 It’s a Vanitas that I’m calling “Glimpse”. The premise is all the things this woman wants to accomplish in her life and her struggle to find balance as she attempts to achieve everything within the finite amount of time she has on earth.

In the center of the eye is a glimpse of various symbols. On her desk, a laptop is open to the study materials that are necessary for her to obtain the degree hanging on her wall, which is the foundation for the career indicated by the RN ID badge on the edge of the desk.

Beside the laptop is her cell phone, which represents her friends and her social life. If we peak outside her window, we see the white picket fence that is synonymous with a comfortable home, then we notice the wedding rings and pregnancy test that signify her hopes for the love and laughter of a family with which to share that home. We also see a passport, crucial to her plans to travel the world, and a checkbook that represents financial security. Finally, we see the clock on the desk, which is strategically set around 8:30am. This is an important detail, because if the average lifespan were divided into 24 hours, 8:30am is somewhere in our 30s.

The work is mixed media: it’s acrylic paint, with a touch of collage over a charcoal sketch, on poster board. What do you think? 😁

Warning ⚠️
I’m on my soapbox today. This post is brought to you by the letter ‘D’ for disease. 🦠

Microbiology Lab is really freaking me out! 😱 The more time I spend looking at microbes and reading case studies, the more I relate to Howard Hughes. 😷 I have learned more than I ever wanted to know about TB, MRSA, Ebola, HIV, Malaria, Leprosy, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Influenza, and so much more. 😱 By the end of the semester, I surmise that I’ll be sitting in my own private positive pressure cleanroom rocking myself in the corner. 😳

I’m going to say this loud enough for the people in the back🗣: Hand hygiene is way more important and effective than most people could ever imagine. It is the simplest and BEST defense any of us have. So, I implore you, 🙏🏻 if you cannot remember the last time you washed your hands, go! Do it NOW! 🤲🏻 Actually, even if you CAN remember the last time you washed them, do it again. Wash them all the time! I promise they won’t fall off. 💁🏻‍♀️ Also, clean your phone! Seriously, it’s disgusting, like worse than a public bathroom. 🚽 🤮

And another thing. ☝🏻 Contrary to popular belief, sharing is NOT always caring. 🙅🏻‍♀️ If you’re sick, do NOT trust Google and do NOT ignore your symptoms. Visit a trained medical professional and/or stay home. 👩🏻‍⚕️ If the kids are sick, do NOT follow seemingly innocuous advice from well-meaning, but unqualified strangers on social media🤦🏻‍♀️; take 👏🏻your 👏🏻child 👏🏻to 👏🏻his👏🏻or👏🏻her👏🏻pediatrician. 👨🏻‍⚕️ It is 2019 and young, HEALTHY people are still DYING from treatable and preventable illnesses. Yes! Even in DEVELOPED nations! 😢

This concludes my public service announcement. Please continue with your day… after you wash your hands! 🖐🏻

My class schedule is very predictable and unchanging, with the exception of federal holidays: Monday-Thursday, every week, I attend one or two classes. Conversely, my work schedule, while still predictable, rotates. Thus, school and work often mingle. On days when I have both, I go in 2 hours early; take an early, extended lunch break to attend class; and return to work. It’s a great routine for the most part. However, leaving work to make it to class on time can sometimes be a challenge. But so far, so good. I may be the last one in the door, but I’m on time and that’s what matters. 😉

Unfortunately, there are some disadvantages to being the last one to arrive. Sometimes, instructions and information are given before class starts and arriving at the last minute means I wasn’t briefed on what awaited. 😕

I was beaming with pride and optimism when I walked into class this morning with a couple minutes to spare. 💁🏻‍♀️ It was a fantastic feeling and I reveled in it for the full 15 seconds, before I opened the door. 😒

Immediately something was off. 🤨 I panicked and got that nauseous, clammy feeling I know all too well. After all, I am more anxiety than person. 😬

Someone was in my seat… someone different was in my neighbor’s seat and their neighbor’s I looked around the room and EVERYONE was in a different seat. 😱Was I in the wrong class? 🤔 Had I accidentally gotten my days confused? 😨 This was some madness, straight out of one of my elaborate stress dreams. 😭

But wait, I recognized the people around me. They were just rearranged. What was happening? It was like musical chairs, but without the music. (Incidentally, I’ve always hated that game. What kind of Psycho encourages people to steal other people’s chairs? It’s chaos and my anxiety and I are not amused. 👎🏻)

Just then, as if prompted by one of the producers for this reality show I’m reluctantly participating in, Ms. P addressed the class.

“For those of you who just arrived. Take a seat with a new group. There shouldn’t be anyone in THIS group who was already in your last group.” 😊

Wait, what? I just got used to those people. We had developed a rapport. Why would you do this to me… I mean us? This class is mostly teenagers. Think about the CHILDREN! 😮

She went on, “This will help you learn about different personalities and discover who you work best with, while helping you learn to cope with those you may not. You’ll also make lifelong friends and create lasting bonds.”😊

Is she serious? 😒 I don’t want to create bonds. I just want to learn this material and move on with my life. Why must she continue to torture me via team building and personal enrichment.😭

Apparently this is our routine. 🤨 We will change groups following each test. 😒 This was NOT mentioned in the syllabus and I know, because I studied that thing like there was going to be an exam. 🤓 This is inhumane. 😫 You can’t just spring these things on me. I need time to mentally prepare. 🙇🏻‍♀️

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for my next meltdown. 🙃