AWOL...

...Absent Without Leave. That just about sums up my recent inactivity on my blog.

So much has happened since I last blogged that its almost hard to keep track but from what I remember...

My current summer placement is the biggest factor to my AWOL-ness. Working Mondays to Fridays (Late shifts: 11am - 7:30pm) as well as my usual Saturday job really just about kills my social life as well as any free "me time". I'm tired...physically and mentally. If I'm lucky I'm home around 8pm...dinner...chillax for a bit and then my conscience starts gnawing at me and I start to do some work (Student workbook modules, Business & Clinical Projects, CPD cycles, 30 minute tutors, e-tests, calculations etc. etc.) and sleeping no earlier than 3-4am is common and having to wake at 9am. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy my summer placement (most of the time) in the sense that I'm learning alot more and is starting to feel more integrated within the pharmacy team (e.g. dispensing, repeat prescription handling etc.) but what job/placement does not have its ups and downs? I've recently found out how some people (ok..one person in particular) can just be the biggest (excuse my language) dicks in the world and loves the feeling of having power over you and being right. Verbally and mentally attacking me at work in an attempt to making me look bad for your benefit is just low (or like P. G. likes to say..."below the belt")...acting all nice later when you need a favour from me is worse...how you ever got to become a manager...f*ck knows.

On the bright side...I've made some really good friends. In particular...P. G. and R. K.

I love P. G. and that is a fact. I've never gone from total strangers to like best buds with someone in such a short space of time (literally 2-3 days). With him, I find I have nothing to hide...I can say whatever the hell I want, have a laugh and confide in him when need be and vice versa. He often tells me I'm the "Female Version of Him" which I always reply with "I really don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult". I hate to admit it...but we are alike in so many ways...all the way down to our favourite flavour of ice cream. I have way too many "OMG ME TOO!/YOU TOO?!?!" moments with him. The amazing thing is how he just understands me...just one look and he knows what I'm thinking never missing a cue and me rarely having to explain myself. He loves to bite and I have many bruises as evidence. He has a hair fetish...he loves messing up long hair (which I am often a victim) but hates long hair on himself because it "irritates [his] forehead" HAHAHAHA. He loves cuddles. He is strong-willed and opinionated and he never ceases to amaze me.

R. K. is an amazing dispenser. She's smart and funny and entirely honest with me. We've grown closer over the past few weeks and had many laughs. She's strong and stands up for herself which I truly admire. She's an amazing teacher and seems to always have my back, picking up on the verbal attacks the dick of a manager was throwing at me and with just one word dismissed him as well as teaching me things involving other peoples mistakes which she says she wants me to know because she didn't want other people "moaning" about me behind my back like what they are doing with others making the mistake.

As part of my summer placement I am required to complete a number of tasks. This includes two projects, a business project and a clinical project. For my business project I was assigned "Clearing the Clutter" where I implement some changes within the dispensary to promote a more friendly and efficient work environment to decrease stress levels especially during peak hours and in turn decrease any errors that could be made. For my clinical project, I have chosen to focus on diabetes and as a requirement I must identify and interview one patient with the chosen condition. Identifying a patient was hard. I didn't really know which way was the best way to approach someone and ask if they were willing to be interviewed. I admit I hovered over the idea of identifying a patient for a while...but after I was able to identify a few patients...I plucked up the courage and rang the first person I could contact. Many of my friends who are doing the same summer placement has had difficulties getting patients to agree to be interviewed...and honestly I didn't hold much hope myself. BUT...it must have been my lucky day for the patient accepted and arranged a date to come down and see me. My patient was the nicest man possible! He was such a sweetheart and openly talked about his condition with me. We had quite a relaxed conversation and before he left we shook hands and he said to "contact [him] anytime" if I ever needed anything. I'm definitely going Thank-You-Card shopping!

This coming week is my 5th week review. It's really already been 5 weeks?!?!?! Time truly flies when you're busy. However the 5th week review is the one of utmost importance! It is during this review that they decide if they would like to have me as a pre-registration student (the compulsory one year training before I am able to sit my Pharmacist Licence exam) after I receive my masters degree next year. Fingers crossed/touch wood things go well!!!

On other more devastating news...Michael Jackson's recent death has really put me in shock. Just 4 months or so ago I was still happily waking up at odd hours to try and be the first few in line to get his tickets (as mentioned here) and now...everything is shattered. My dream of seeing MJ live in concert has come to an abrupt end...broken along with my heart. I spent the days following his death over dosing on his songs from his compilation album "Michael Jackson - King of Pop", watching any clips I could find of him in concert and reading any news regarding him. Now the question is upon me...should I refund the money I paid for his tickets or should I opt to be sent his "Lenticular Tickets" inspired by the King of Pop himself?

R.I.P. the King of Pop...

Tina xoxo