About me......(updated 03-19-06)
This will definitely be boring, but.....I thought I'd give yall a little insight as to who I am. So, okay, who am I?
Well, I'm a 50-year-old female who is a daughter to my mom (who I tragically lost 09-13-04), mom to my kids, mawmaw to my grandbabies, and sister to my brother :-) I was born in Shreveport, LA, on August 14, 1956, adopted by my wonderful parents in November 1956, and raised in Southwest Louisiana....my home sweet home! My childhood was pretty much typical....*lol* Just kidding! (This was beginning to sound like the psychiatric evaluations that I transcribe all the time *lol*)
I don't live life in the fast lane -- no drugs, no major drinking, no major partying, so I'm basically quite laid back and BORING *lol* Give me a break....the partying days are LONG GONE! Thank God! I really don't miss it at all. My two oldest daughters and I do go out occasionally, but it's only so I can see and hear my favorite band. My daughters had been busting my chops to go out with them since they turned 18, and I never would until recently (and that was only cause my favorite band was coming to town). We have a great time together and now Jeremy has joined us since he turned 18 :-)
There's rarely ever a dull moment around here, and I tend to stay rather busy. I have four daughters and one son.
My first job was in nursing (I was a CNA for three years, and I planned on going back to school to become a RN). This stemmed after my mom's mom suffered a stroke and lay in a comatose state for 10 weeks before dying. I had never touched a dead person until that morning :-( That experience told me I wanted to become a nurse and help people!
As fate would have it, that was not my true calling. My heart was just too big, and after losing one patient after another that I had gotten close to, it got the best of me -- the family's suffering really got to me even more.
Ironically, that experience made me stronger and gave me knowledge that I would be able to use in finding my true calling....the stronger part came when my dad was diagnosed with cancer, Stage IV, and I was able to be with him through it all and not completely fall apart. Without that experience, I don't think I could have stood by his bedside when he was dying and/or while he died :-(
The knowledge came about a year later when I was called in for an interview at a state owned hospital for a position called "Dictaphone Machine Operator II". When I arrived to the Medical Records Department of that hospital in June of 1981, I had no earthly idea that I was about to meet my true calling. After the supervisor explained what I was testing for, I sat down and transcribed a "discharge summary". It seemed to take me forever to type a half page, but I impressed Miriam to no end. I took my time to look up the correct spelling, punctuated correctly, etc. I was hired on the spot! Within six weeks, I was on my own, transcribing all sorts of medical reports, and I loved it! The title above was a "generic title", when the actual job title was "Medical Transcriptionist"!
So, needless to say, I'm a Medical Transcriptionist and have been since June 1981. I'm passionate about my vocation, and I strive to be a perfectionist in every way when transcribing my reports. This is a profession you have to be born with inside of you. It's challenging around every corner, always something new to learn, and never a dull moment. My job skills run through my body like blood. I love it!
For a few years now, I've been "self-employed", working by the line, i.e., the more I type, the more I make, and I doubt I would go back to an hourly pay ever again. I say "doubt" cause you just never know. Up until August 2001, I was working full time in the office, but I had always planned on making the transition to work at home. I finally did it, but it's split between the two. I work at home during the day (and rarely late night) and work evenings in the office (I have one account that I did not want to lose, so I have to work in-house to keep him -- hoping eventually to stay home period.). It's busy, but I love it. Working at home is FABULOUS!!!!! :-) I work my fingers off and stay tired, but.....I would rather stay busy than not have anything to do.
UPDATE 12-05-02: I made a strong career move in October--I am now working full time at home with one job and part time with another. The one account keeping me in-house died, so that did it for me. I left the office and came home full time. Since I lost that one account that I loved so much, it also meant losing extra money. So, I circulated my resumé and was hired immediately by a large national company, and I am working part time for a very large cardiology group in the nation (there are several satellite offices). I love it :-) It is a very complicated account and there was a lot to learn, but I was on my own after a month, and I'm slowly building up my line count each week as my confidence has built up tremendously. The work is fabulous :-) This means, though, that I work from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. between the two jobs with really only a half hour break in between and I don't have much free time at all. It's tiring and tedious, but it's something I had to do. My kids keep coming in my room to make sure I'm still alive!!!! No joke!
UPDATE 05-04-03: Guess who is back in my life? My one doc who had pulled his account. *lol* I knew he would be back. I just didn't know when. Things have changed, though. I'm not available to cater to him 24/7 like I used to be due to my morning job.
UPDATE 06-27-05: I made another strong career move...I quit my part-time job and went to day shift on my full-time job. I miss the extra money, but I love, love, love working morning shift. I have TONS of free time now, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
Okay, so that takes care of my job! Well, one of them.....I don't make any money off the other job -- it costs me money! *lol* That would be being a mom! It's the toughest job in the world and quite often a very thankless job at that, but I really wouldn't have it any other way. I'm pulled in seven different directions at once most times, and I really love it.
As far my passions in life, see above...two have been discussed, and let's see.....
I'm a Kennedy fanatic -- Robert F. Kennedy being my hero. How I love him!
I'm a fanatic about those little creatures called chihuahuas, as well, and did have six adults (Theodore - Teddy, Chiquita - ChiChi, Hercules - Hercy, Angel Baby, and Tipitina (Tippy), Skye (aka Gizmo/Gizzy) and Rke (Ricky), and two new babies, Riley and Rainbow. Sadly, Teddy, Chiquita, and Angel are in doggy heaven now :-(
I have a new love, too, named Sasha, a dachshund someone was going to kill and gave to me. She's black with brown markings and just beautiful. It didn't take her long to adjust to being loved and is spoiled beyond the realm of the word.
I'm a fanatic about rainbows, too. When I see one while driving, I will almost kill myself trying to follow it -- this is a dangerous passion *lol* I collect them in every way I can!
I'm definitely very passionate regarding music and movies -- can't get enough of either. I swore I would never buy into the DVD thing as I did with the CD thing in music several years ago, but I broke down and bought a DVD player and a hundred or so DVD movies to add to my enormous collection of VHS tapes...yes, just like I did with CDs to add to my cassette tapes (which are now collecting dust in the closet, and I'm praying the VHS tapes won't join them -- there's about a thousand dollars' worth sitting in the den). I can't get enough of movies or music.
As for movies, I'm highly into Matthew McConaughey--what a sexy smile and that Texas accent!!! I think I have almost all of his movies. I absolutely love Ed TV, The Wedding Planner, and How To Lose A Guy in Ten Days! Then again, I also love him in Boyz On The Side, Frailty, Contact, and A Time To Kill. This guy just has it all :-) I think he is my #1 favorite actor now!!!! Mark Ruffalo is another hunk that I just adore. I love a lot of his movies, but "13 Going on 30" really strikes out at me. Josh Lucas is yet another fabulous actor that I adore, and Sweet Home Alabama did it for me. David Strathairn--what a hunk--is another big favorite of mine! My #1 favorite movie is "Passion Fish", and a close second is "A Map of The World" tied with "Evidence of Blood". However, I have 47 or so films he has been in and love him in all of them. The guy is awesome!!! He is just so versatile from playing a very sexy leading man (Rennie in Passion Fish and Jackson in Evidence of Blood) to playing a reverend (Simon Birch) to playing a bank robber (The Stranger in The Feud) to playing a dirt bag piece of scum (Joe in Dolores Claiborne) to name a few. The man has it all!! I've become a complete FANatic over this guy. I was on a Mel Gibson kick recently, and I think I've gotten just about all of his DVD's now, except Chicken Run -- which didn't appeal to me. The Leathal Weapon Collection did it to me! My son and I sat there one afternoon and watched all four without stopping. I was hooked! I regret buying the sequels in the Mad Max series. What a waste of Mel Gibson and my money! *lol* The original movie is fantastic, though. Forever Young and Tequilla Sunrise come to mind immediately in favorites! I was also on a Jackie Chan kick :-) That man is just AWESOME! He has it all, and I happen to think he's a great looker :-) I think my favorite movies are Rush Hour and Rumble In The Bronx! I also adore Ed Harris, and my favorite movie of his is "The Right Stuff" -- he was awesome! And, I also adore Robin Williams - do I need to say more?! The man is sooooo talented! Patch Adams is probably my favorite of all of his movies, then again, so is Mrs. Doubtfire! Kurt Russell is another favorite, but I'm not sure which movie I love best. Maybe Backdraft! I used to be hooked on Tom Cruise, but his latest movies really, REALLY stink, and I've grown bored with him! *lol* His earlier movies, Top Gun, Cocktail, and RainMan are my favorites! I have all of his movies -- even the sucky ones! Ryan O'Neal is another favorite, but my only real favorite movies are Love Story, Oliver's Story, and The Main Event! I also adore Danny Glover! Besides the Lethal Weapon series, my favorites are Freedom Song and Gone Fishin'. Another of my very favorite actors is Richard Gere. I am a fanatic about this man, too. He is just so fabulous. I have most all of his movies, thus far. I don't know if I can pick just one favorite -- it's just too hard to do :-) However, An Officer and A Gentleman and No Mercy immediately pop into my head! :-) And, still another of my very favorite actors is Gary Busey! I have loved him in everything he has been in, but my favorites are Carny and Eye Of The Tiger. He's fabulous :-) I absolutely love Collin Firth, as well, with movies like Hope Springs, What A Girl Wants, Love Actually, Bridget Jones, and Fever Pitch. A new favorite of mine is Linus Roache, who recently portrayed my greatest American hero, RFK, on FX. The man was just awesome!!! I also adore Denzell Washington with my very favorite movies being "Remember the Titans" and "John Q". My two favorite actresses are Susan Ward (The In Crowd and Shallow Hal) and Reese Witherspoon with "Sweet Home Alabama" being my favorite of hers. I could not even begin to name some of my other favorite movies, as the list is endless! You can check out movies I own by following these links: My DVDs.
As for music, oh God! I have way too many favorites....my #1 passion is Cajun French, and I refuse to live without it!! My present day favorite is Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys. I also adore Jackie Caillier, Kevin Naquin, Bruce Daigrepont, Homer LeJeune, Jo-EL Sonnier, and Belton Richard to name a few.. Let's see, in other categories, I adore the 2006 American Idol champion, ***Taylor Hicks***, the Beatles and John Lennon, ***I also love John Denver***, Creedence, The Eagles, Styx, Phil Collins, Survivor, Tommy James and the Shondells, Percy Sledge, Otis Redding, Boston, Queen, ZZ Top, John Michael Montgomery, ****Collin Ray****, Vince Gil, Linda Rondstat, and a few hundred more. I have so many CDs that I don't even have time to catalog them *lol*
1-2-04: On 12-27-03, I was lucky enough to see and hear SRMP live and in person for the first time :-) What a night to remember! I'm still floating in the clouds!!!! To read more about that, check out my music page! I still can't believe I went out much less saw SRMP :-)
Oh, and my God, I'm very passionate about Louisiana, my Cajun heritage, and New Orleans!!!!! And, I'm passionate about my friends and my family!
Okay, that is all fine and dandy, but I haven't mentioned my very best and favorite passions, and they have brought me the most joy and love anyone could hope for. They are pretty much self-explanatory.......and here they are:
My beautiful
granddaughter, Taylor Reneé, (bka "Tater Tot"), born 1-16-00,
and my beautiful grandson,
Collin Joseph, (bka "Lil Boogie" born 11-10-00 :-)
My beautiful new grandson, Brayden Shane, born 01-05-06 :-)
My beautiful new granddaughter, Kyleigh Marie, born 07/16/07 :-)
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