BUSH DIARY NOVEMBER 1994

WHAT A WEEK: Monday we worked in spite of it being a Federal holiday, somebody has to answer the phones and pull records for walk-in.  Tuesday we voted, don't know if we have a new Governor or not.  Tony Knowles is ahead of Jim Campbell by 300 votes, very close.

 Wednesday Mary Jo and Jinky got lots of walk-in's and were not able to get much other work done until late in the afternoon. I was relief and out there at the phones at lunch.  I am polite but oh some of the conversations, someone chatting at length about their symptoms before asking for an appointment while all other six lines are lit up.  Screaming in my head.

 Thursday, keeping personnel happy with

 documentation from Monica in Minnesota via fax.  Arg.

 Friday Veterans day off. Outpatient was dismayed that medical records would not be available to pull charts.  Also big meeting between CEO, docs and me.  We have been trying an evening clinic since September.  Everyone loves it.  Boils down to not enough personnel available staff (nurses) to fully staff the time.  Much grumbling and checking of schedules, people etc.

COLLEGE COURSE:  Wrote my second paper on "The Guide" by Narayan and "Siddhartha" by Hesse. I did a comparison of the two main characters but no conclusion so this is a first draft. 
     Our teacher, Richard Turner, has been having difficulty obtaining books, one book was only available in Cliff Notes form.   Last Sunday he telecommuted the class from Fairbanks and we got out a little early.  Yay!!!

     I was given an extra assignment when I asked a question about the book "Living in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel prize winner.  When I read the book 

I was galloping along near the fifth chapter or so and mentally stumbled over a phrase that I read.  It seem weirdly familiar for some reason., almost a sense of deja vu.   I started at the front and kept looking and finally found it in the first spot around chapter 2.  The paragraph was a description of the steamboat that was taking the couple from point A to point B.  There was a description of the room, how hot and muggy it was, description of the room and went on for a very lengthy paragraph.  The second paragraph was exactly identical and blended smoothly into the story in both instances.

   Mr. Turner seemed to think that I had discovered something original and asked me to write a letter to the author.  So I did and had it translated into Spanish.  I basically asked if the two paragraphs were deliberate (Stupid of course they were) (I also wondered if the Swedish committee noticed both paragraphs) and sent it off.

Travel:  Alaska finally offered four tickets in exchange for the PFD check.  And there is limit to how soon you must use the tickets.  Yay!!!  That means we can hang on to them because Tim and I will probably only take a couple vacations. 

Fabulous Tuesday:  Personnel called and approved Monica's salary, she makes a bit more than I do and I certainly didn't want her making less.  I called her at home and asked her if she wants the position and she said, "Yes."

Thanksgiving was wonderful.  More paperwork for Monica and the price shocker of the week was a bag of fresh cranberries was $3.49.  They will taste wonderful in my ground cranberry, ground whole orange, chopped celery, chopped walnuts, black cherry jello.  Sounds odd but it is yummy and a family favorite.  I have never been brave enough to try NPR Mamma Stamburgs' Cranberry relish made with sour cream and horse radish.  Whoooo!

Icky personnel issues: Mary Jo, our wonderful, sweet front person at the desk called in, she had been abused and she took the kids and stayed in a shelter.  The next day she moved home and told her husband to get counseling or else.  We scrounged up a Thanksgiving dinner for her and her family with a few bucks thrown in.  God Bless her.

Also hear from Mary Lou L.  She had quit abruptly and called in. I asked her to come sign paperwork.  She said that she was bored silly.  Gawd I was mostly terrified of getting something wrong, ticking someone off and dying of frustration.  Well.  I also loved her sense of style.

11-28 Tim's birthday.  Happy happy, Darling Man!!!

COLLEGE:  Back to my second paper.  I finally decided to do a comparison and mix up of both stories kind of like mixing Gone With The Wind and Little Woman.  Imagine a conversation between Scarlett and Jo (who would have been contemporaries come to think of it). Jo asks Scarlett, "Do y'all know anything about birthin' babies?"

Worky worky;  Got travel and rooms approved for Monica.  Got some Qman reports done for one of the docs and finally figured out to get Mailman to do reminders for stuff I need to do.  Yay.

Book report: "Smilla's Sense of Snow". by Peter Hoeg.  Smilla is a half Danish, half Greenlander who investigates the death of a young boy.  The most shocking to me was  the description of the sex act at one point.  Smilla inserted her clitoris into the penile opening of the man.  I was astounded, no idea that such was possible.  Acrobatic those  half Danish folk.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, it has always been my favorite holiday.  

G'night folks.