Evidence of H1N1 Fear in Sioux Falls, SD

Good afternoon. My name is Chelsea Tobin, I am reporting for 198.7 CMT. Here is a human interest story that I wanted to share with you, my viewers, about the evident H1N1 scare in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

I went to Family Clinic this morning because I kept waking up with sore throat and clogged nose with green snot (too much information, I realize)- so this beckons for a doctor visit.

I showed up at 10am after my class and the receptionist acknowledged my presence and handed me a N95 replica mask (or was it AN actual N95 mask, I do not know) to wear in the waiting room until nurse calls for my name.

Yeah. Awkward. Nobody else was wearing a mask in the waiting room. Just me.

Then, the nurse called for my name, and I followed her to the room. The doctor came in and asked questions.

My only complaint is that I have issues with my sinuses, and I don't want it to become worse during finals week. The doctor did the procedure of asking more questions. Then when he was ready to leave, he told me that he will send a nurse in to do a blood drawing for white blood count.

I have history with needles. I don't react well. My well-intentions with needles when I donated blood.... and I did it three times. First time, I became pale, nearly fainted. Second time, I actually fainted and had to have a smelling salt to bring me around. Last time I donated was during my junior year of college, and I ended up throwing up in my dorm room after donating blood.

So, drawing blood shouldn't be TOO bad.

Have faith. God is BIGGER than needles...

Oh dear Jesus, please keep an eye on me and help the nurse to find my veins immediately so I don't have to suffer. Amen.

That was the aftermath. The nurse couldn't help but the chuckle at my dilemma. I think I actually emitted a whining sound when I saw the needle.

Anyways, my PUNCH line is, Sioux Falls is INDEED on the watch for H1N1 virus.

Just remember what you learned during your primary years, wash your hands often and cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough.

The teacher in me thanks you.

Hugmous Hips

Last Saturday, I had a quick trip to home for dress fitting for my bridesmaid (just think, a pregnant bridesmaid +dress too small=alternations needed!!!). My bridesmaid just took PLTs (teaching certification exam), and we stopped at Watertown on way home at Starbucks for a reward and for a drink on go.

When we entered Starbucks, I ordered my usual apple chai and waited for Sherry to order. As the bartisa were making our drinks, she asked us where we were from.

"I'm from Sioux Falls, but I'm from Langford... I'm torn."

Sherry replied, "I'm from Huron, but I go to Dakota State and I live in Sioux Falls."

Don't you just love in-betweens trasition for our lives?! We aren't entirely settled yet... so we are everywhere.

As I turned to go over to pick up my beloved apple chai, I bumped into a side table that was displaying different mugs on clearance.

20+ mugs fell...

Imagine this TIMES twenty!!!

...and shattered everywhere!

I felt so horrible about this situation. The lady immediately said, "Don't worry about it, just come again." I thought to myself, "Well, I sure do buy plenty of Starbucks to make up for the loss."


...Starbucks anyone? :)

Flat Tire!

While driving home for my bridal shower last weekend, just 30 minutes north of Brookings, I felt the car's steering wheel acting up funny. I pulled over, and sure enough, the tire was flat.

Fortunately, Jared came with for the weekend, so he was the recuser of the trip, changing the tire quickly (within 10 minutes).

There was one gentleman in small pickup, pulling up and stated, "A guy does the work while three ladies are watching? Typical." Jared laughed, "Yes, very!"
So, Marie and Alicia attempted to help by LOOKING helpful. I was just a giggly photographer. I tried to take a picture with my camera, but it wasn't working right, so I whipped out my trusty blackberry to take a picture. Then I later figured that my camera wasn't working right because the battery wasn't inserted properly.

Just had to take the picture with the girls while Jared was finishing up the tire change.

Marie found the verdict, the tiny hole that caused the flat. Jensen Auto in Langford later told Jared that it probably is caused by a screw or a nail. Little things can cause a turmoil! (And $17 patch-up job... which will eventually result in $100ish new tire... life is good isn't it?)

Don't let mishap ruin your evening, allow it to be the highlight of the evening! :)

T-minus 44 days!!!

44 days until the wedding! May 30th.

Needless to say, life has been hectic for me for the past few months from the beginning of Spring semester '09!

....which is why I don't blog all that often as I would like! I did mention several "bloggable" moments to Jared to get a rolled eyes reaction from him....and I never followed up on that.

....Mom has been the greatest wedding secretary at home for us, pulling details together, the pictures for the sideshow during the reception, invitations.... any other wedding details you can dream up... it is probably covered by the wedding coordinator, my mother.

So, what this bride-to-be/teacher-to-be is doing to prepare for the wedding?

Well, I am pleased to state that I just took up a COOKING CLASS offered by Augustana for four weeks on Wednesdays at 8pm to 10pm.

Yesterday, I just learned few things.

How to chop up vegetables.

....for as long as I can remember, I've used paring knife.
The chef who was teaching the class raised his eyebrows at me.

"And your hands feel OK after using paring knife on vegetables? French knife is the way to go, as you are able to chop up plenty of vegetables in no time. Rock and chop, rock and chop." He walked away, talking to other students in my class. "Rock and chop!"

AND. I also learned how to hold a knife. (Being a lefty, it's pretty interesting, as I attempted to follow the right-handed chef... awkward.)

...It will take time and practice for me to master the "rock and chop" skill with my lack of enterprise in hand coordination.

I also even learned this factoid during cooking class, margarine is just one molecule away from being a plastic! Eck!

Chelsea Tobin's Blurbs

http://keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,82633

I just wanted to share something about this link above. The drugstore owner felt compelled to go ahead and use his resources to inform the public about the current weather conditions.

...in all honestly, I depended on facebook on my pager with the status updates, twitter when applicable, and weather on my pager...

...It is very nice to see that someone is thinking about using something visual to broadcast the current weather updates.

Especially for those who does not listen to radio.

A glimmer of hope in the mankind! :)

A glimpse into my Jared's memory...

As you, my readers, may know, my fiance' is an avid musician- drummer, guitarist, vocalist, bongos, you name it... he can play it! It's one of his God-given talents through his family. It is a precious thing.

On the way to my farm last weekend for my Praxis (teaching certification test) and our engagement pictures, we were chatting in the car, rolling along the interestate, enjoying the spring in South Dakota scenery.

As you know, Jared has the full control of the car radio whenever we go on roadtrips - and he took out a CD.

It was his very first CD when he was about 6-7 years old. His parents are very into music, that they remained updated with the music technology, and they were one of the first few people that got CD player that is compatible with their stereo and started buying CDs.

One day, Misty (his mother) told Steven, Jared & Julian that they can pick ONE CD they wanted.

Jared picked his CD: Counting Crows

Julian picked his CD: Garth Brooks. (It is a paradox because Jared absolutely HATED country music...and again, my intials (before marriage!) is CMT = Country Music TV!)

My rationale of posting this blog is seeing what kind of things that parents did for their children when they are younger, they still have it to this day, and it is an encouragment of their passions, their dreams, and what they might be interested in when they are an adult.

Counting Crows were that such thing for Jared.

Murphy's Law

Murphy's Law
 
–noun
the facetious proposition that if something can go wrong, it will.
Also called Murphy's First Law.

Mur·phy's Law (mûr'fēz)
n. Any of certain humorous axioms stating that anything that can possibly go wrong, will go wrong.

No matter how you will attempt to put it. It means the same thing.

I'm having those days today... or better yet- this week.

Allow me to clarify myself and explain to you in details:

First of all, I took a course, and I completed with a pass/fail, and I got a fail (plenty of kicking myself, wishing that I could have done better, despite the fact that I gave it my all)... the punch line?

That fail was a D+. If I just left it as a letter grade. I could have "passed" the course. My definition of passing a course is to NOT to take it again. I petitioned for it. It got declined.

So. I used my first pass/fail. It backfired at me.

On a less severe note... weather. It's a such neutral topic, the subject that we constantly go back after finding ourselves discussing about awkward topic... a person (98 3/4% guaranteed that person will be me) will say, "So.... how's the weather?"

In Sioux Falls, we are greeted with beautiful weather for the past few days... high 40s, low 30s. I had my winter jacket with me in my car, in case and I never used it this week.

This morning, in my usual morning rush, I paused to think if I should bring my winter jacket with me to school.

I decided against it.

At 7:30am, I walked out in the brisk 23 degrees weather that "feels like" 14 degrees. I left for my class- realizing more and more that I should have just taken my jacket.
Needless to say, I'm not the guy in thick red jacket.

Happy Thursday!

-Miss Tobin