Names

I like words and letters. I like how shuffling them around can result in endless meanings.

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite activities was playing boggle by myself. I would shake the dice and then find as many words as I could in two minutes. After the buzzer, I would scrutinize the board, writing down all the words that I hadn't found during the time limit.

If I found more before the buzzer than after, I won.

On the bus, I rearrange advertisement script in my mind, coming up with as many new sentences as I can. Or I try to just change character spaces. (shoestore up the stairs = shoes tore up the stairs)

When I study the unit census for staffing purposes, I automatically pick out the names with alternate meanings and make up sentences. I don't even really think about it, it just happens.

When I see the last names: Armstrong, Cox, Foster, Good, Paynes, I am going to chuckle. When the next two admissions are named Burns and Seaman. I will start to laugh uncontrollably.

Then I'll be embarrassed when my coworkers ask me what's so funny.

Sigh.

Manly Food

One of my patients last night was eating voraciously. In addition to an enormous meal from the hospital kitchen, he devoured 3 TV dinners, 1 PB&J sandwich and two pieces of toast and jelly.

Around 0200, he called out for another snack. After discussing it with his nurse, I brought him a couple of saltine packets.

A tirade spewed forth.

"I'm a MAN. I've traveled the world and have a MAN's appetite. I'm not a little boy and don't want no little boy snacks!"

He threw the crackers at me and said he wanted a MAN's snack.

I asked him what he wanted and he told me:

"a chocolate sundae."

I wonder how he feels about quiche.