Sawaboof's Biography

I graduated from Arizona State University in December, 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I studied a few months for my licensing exam and miraculously passed my first time taking it in March, 2006. I didn't go in to nursing right away, unless you want to count a volunteer job as a summer camp nurse. No, I stuck around Arizona for another year or so. I decided Nursing wasn't for me and tried getting into the Master Degree teaching program at ASU. When that failed, I decided nursing was pretty ok.

So, while continuing to work at a UPS store on ASU's campus (oh, the stories I could tell!), I tried my best to get the hell out of Arizona. My hatred for the desert runs deep, and I really wanted to go to the Midwest, that being where most of my family is from. I figured Wisconsin was a nice blend of near and far from my legion of relatives in Minnesota, and I'd fallen in love with Milwaukee during a summer visit. So I started applying for Public Health nursing jobs in the land of milk and cheese. Around May of 2007, I received a phone call from the Milwaukee Department of Public Health. They said they wanted an interview and would call me back in a couple weeks. So I waited.

And waited.

And waited some more...

And in this period of waiting, June of 2007 came and I left Arizona and moved in with my mom in Nevada. Because she offered to let me stay with her without paying rent until I found a job. September of that same year, the Public Health Department returned my phone calls and wanted to interview me. So I flew to Milwaukee and had a great interview, and flew back to Nevada. They called again for a second interview! Over the phone! I was so happy! But after that second interview, I never heard another thing and my phone calls to the people who handed me their business cards with warm smiles and encouraged me to call them continued to go unanswered and unreturned. Around February, 2008 I gave up on the Public Health Department and was feeling pretty down about my lack of job offers. It's hard to get a job in a state you don't live in. I needed another plan. And that plan was Grad school!

I found a program I thought fit me pretty well. Not really a Masters, but a Graduate Certificate in Public Health. Fifteen credits and I'd be done, and it would make me more desirable in the Public Health Field. Also, I would actually be living in the state I was applying for jobs in, which was the whole point. I applied, got accepted, and then I found Pro U. I entered a couple months into the contest, but I think I did pretty ok, even though I didn't win. ;-)

After being defeated by my awesome friends, Ediblewoman and Bridge, I asked to join the faculty and here I am now. I took out student loans and packed up my '89 Honda Accord with all my belongings (the ones I didn't ship) and drove 2000 miles to Wisconsin. I paid out-of-state tuition for an entire semester's worth classes on a full-time schedule, and worked part-time giving out flu shots and hosting wellness clinics around Wisconsin. One of my classmates, toward the end of the semester, let me know about a nursing position open at the company he worked for. It required a year of experience, but I thought I'd apply anyway. I had my interview in the middle of December and received a phone call in January asking if I could start in a week. I think I might have cried.

So, that's where I am now. I work for a wonderful company, coordinating cost effective health care for frail elders and developmentally disabled older adults. In my free time, I moderate Pro U, punching spammers in the face. I'm currently the proud owner of an orange 2009 Honda Fit, and I'm now saving up some money to buy a house, hopefully in a year, but it might take two.

I'm pretty friendly, so feel free to send me a PM! I also love to cook and blog about it, but that isn't too progressive so I have another blog. In my list of links, you will find the address. I haven't been too active blogging here lately, but every so often I turn out something good!

That's my story. My story of how persistence and dumb luck got me a job I love working as a nurse with 2 awesome case managers. And the best part is, I never had to work in a hospital first! Hah!

In addition to all that, I am an elitist snob when it comes to coffee and music. I also love to read. I'm also kind of a nerd and watch anime (working my way through Michiko e Hatchin right now) and I love web comics. I... guess that's it for now... unless you want to hear about my Star Trek, X-Files, and Battlestar Galactica addictions? How about Lost or Heroes? Gossip Girl or Grey's Anatomy? Fringe?!?! :-D

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