Oh Hey, Blog

Yes, hello, I’ve been gone for quite a while. A lot has happened over the past five (yes, FIVE. Ugh, I’m the worst) months. Aside from the various annually celebrated holidays (Christmas! New Years! V Day…eh. Easter! Various family birthdays!), I’ll add in that mah bestie tied the knot (wedding was fabulous; she was the most beautiful bride), I quit my job (HECK YES!) and I found new gig. I was just so over all that travel. Anyone who tells you traveling for work is fun, glamorous or exciting is just plain lying to you. Traveling for vacay? Yes please. Traveling for work? Not fun. It’s exhausting, and I couldn't ever figure out why exactly, because really, unless you’re literally running cross country to get somewhere, you’re mostly just sitting in a small seat for extended areas of time. Right? So I have no idea why I felt like every trip aged me in such a way that I now feel I am a ripened 65 years of age. And you know those Canada trips added extra stress in my life. (The WORST!)

Anyway. Those days on the road are (mostly) over! Hip, hip, hooray! I’m working as a training specialist now for a healthcare company, and the travel is just enough to keep me interested (because life in a cube is WEIRD!), but not so much as to send me over the edge. And as the imagery above emphasizes, it’s making me happier and I’m feeling a pretty good vibe. However, before I completely closed the ScriptPro chapter of my life, I made a list (because list-making ranks in my top three things I love to do) of all the places I traveled to, along with what I remember of them. Some pharmacies will forever be burned into my brain, whether good or bad. Some, I literally cannot even remember making the trip to.

Oh! Also, since I don’t want to sound totally ungrateful and negative about this past “life experience”, I figure I have to give SP a shoutout for giving me the chance to get away from the educational vortex and the opportunity to explore new places, although the majority of the time, I really only got to see an airport, a rental car, and a lot of highway as I drove into some little town that offered Applebee’s or Chili’s (if I was lucky). The day a Chili’s makes you feel good is not a happy day.  (Okay, so I tried…I mostly just feel relief and a little snarky about leaving.)

So, ya ready? Here’s part one, and I’ll return with part two tomorrow, because it’s a hefty chunk of words, and I’m sure some people (if anyone is still reading? Hello?) are already bored. Here’s 2013 for ya:

Andrews, TX—My very first trip. I didn't pack enough clothes, I definitely did not have the right shoes to stand for 10-12 hours a day, and I had no idea how to pronounce ANY drug name. I also couldn't count pills on a counting tray, to which my “mentor” suggested I “look for shapes” as they pills rolled around. Ummm…what?? Needless to say, it was rough.

Kinsely, KS—This trip was slightly better from a training standpoint, but the real fun was seeing this. Also, I gained a “real friend” (not a work friend), Mr. Ben Emma (BEMMA!).

Sweet Home, OR—This trip was with my boss, Susan. It was the first trip I had to rent the rental car and actually drive the whole way, which was slightly nerve-wracking with my boss seated next to me. We had an hour drive to the pharmacy each morning, and every single time, I missed our turn. (I have always been directionally challenged.) I felt like an idiot.

Richmond, VA—My first solo trip, and they were so nice (even though I’m sure the training was super rough. I don’t remember, because I’m pretty sure I've completely blocked that memory). I had like 4 training sessions, each 3 hours long, which is A LOT of talking. But! They gave me a “RVA” coozie, so that was cool. And as I type this, I have no idea where that is. Hmmm.

Longview, TX—So at this one, the people were super cool (they drank beer after work in the pharmacy!) but there was a crazy snowstorm in the south (anyone remember when every single person in Dallas cried because they didn't know how to drive in snow?), and I had to spend an extra night in Shreveport, LA. But I did find a kick-ass sushi restaurant. I had to learn to find the small things in life with this job. Clearly.

Selma, AL—This was such an awesome trip, because the people and the town were so cool. I did posts on it here and here.

Greenville, NC—This was a huge hospital and I had to go in at 6:00am every morning...east coast time. I am so not a morning person in any timezone, so this was challenging for me. They were nice, but I was exhausted and it was a cluster inside the pharmacy. It was like a week or so before Christmas. Oh, and then I had to fly straight to the next place....

Dalton, GA—This one was super unorganized. I remember thinking that the pharmacy manager was an idiot.  Also, it was right before Christmas. I think I came home on Christmas Eve and boy oh boy, was I missing the teacher’s winter break right about then. But then I got my paycheck with copious amounts of overtime (like crazy stupid overtime pay) and I was all, "oh this job isn't THAT bad..."

Riveting stuff, I tell ya. Just riveting. I’ll post the rest tomorrow!