Black Lab

A long time ago when I was trying to find music for my WoW videos I was looking specifically at Transformers things and didn't like the theme songs that they had, but I read some comments somewhere that there was a really good Transformers theme rendition done by this group called Black Lab.  So I went looking for it and liked it so much that I bought that particular song.  That was the first time I had ever bought an mp3.

Since then I get emails every now and then from Paul Durham from Black Lab saying new songs on site, friend me on facebook, myspace etc... and I never did really go back and look at their music, but then the last email said that one of their songs has been featured in some TV shows!  The Shield and it was on House, which was pretty cool since that's a popular show and would give them heaps of exposure.  Anyway so I went and listened to the song and bought it as well.  Here is the clip here (taken from the Black Lab website)






Though if you ask me, the cover of this new album is rather raunchy - naked chick!  I should have bought the whole album instead of the one song!  Check out this cover.

 So I got bought their new album Two Strangers, as well as Passion leaves a trace, and the B sides... so I'm sitting around waiting for the email to appear so I can listen to my new music! 

Just one of those days

Feel like nothing went right today!  Didn't start of well, I was late waking up to go to the private.  Quickly checked my emails and found that I still didn't receive the quote for my list today so that made me grouchy.  Drove to the private and the road that I normally go on was blocked so I had to go a different way.  In the end I turned up at the same time as the surgeon.  Then I couldn't find my patients and I was anxious about it because one of them was a particularly sickly elderly lady who uses home oxygen 16 hours of the day.  So I didn't get to see any of my patients preoperatively

So she's the first case of the day.  I went to look for her on the ward and she was already down in theatres.  So I was tossing up whether to put a block or not and I thought yes I should and use the ultrasound.  Now I'm not crash hot with the ultrasound and I had some difficulty with it and was about to give it away and just go back to using the nerve stimulator but as soon as my assistant left the room I thought I got it... but when I injected it, it wasn't that convincing.  That was about half an hour of stuffing around.

So we came into the room and her drip half fell out.  I managed to save it and ran to get a dressing for it to stick it down but she moved her hand and it fell out again... so I had to put another drip.

So put in another drip.  Then they didn't put the drape on properly so my patient got all wet and cold and then her ECG fell off coz she was wet.  I couldn't find it and so I had to wait for my anaesthetic assistant to come back to tell me where he'd put it.

Which was another point, today's assistant was just crappy.  Eyes not taped, drips not connected, no blankets on patients so they were all cold...  he did what he was told but I shouldn't have to tell about those things, really.

Julian is a monkey!

My son is such a monkey now!  He pushes the dining room chairs around now so he can climb things - a classic is where he pushes it over to his high chair so he can climb into his high chair.  He has also pushed it over to the benches so he can play with the rice cooker, or the fruit bowl.  Unfortunately he has been trying to climb out of  his high chair too which has resulted in a number of falls.

He is also able to blow!  I was blowing a piece of toilet paper and then he tried to do it as well.  Cute!

Just think he'll be 17 months in 9 days.  I wish he'd start talking!  He only says mama, baba as the recognizable sounds, the other things he says are just nonsense gah, ka, buh noises.

Insomina and sleep training/hygiene

I find the term sleep hygiene odd.  Basically it refers to good sleeping habits (ie keeping the sleep timetable clean from distractions and corruptions) rather than sleeping after a shower and fresh undies.

A friend of mine is having difficulty sleeping, and it's something that I seem to see a lot of in hospital, patients saying they can't sleep unless they have their sleeping tablets etc.

So, before the start taking sleeping tablets (which are not a cure, and in the long term can be detrimental to sleep), here are some sleep tips.

(Interestingly, a lot of these translate to small children as well - I see the same tips for when trying to get good sleeping routines for babies and toddlers)

At night:

• use the bed and bedroom for sleep and sex only
• establish a regular bedtime routine and a regular sleep-wake cycle
• create a sleep-promotig environment that is dark, cool and comfortable
• avoid disturbing sounds - consider having a bedside fan or white noise machine to block out disturbing sounds
• Do something relaxing in the 30 minutes before bedtime, like reading or meditation
• Take a warm shower or bath 1.5-2 hours before bedtime, as taking a shower shortly before bed increases alertness.

During the day:

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine especially late in the day.  Consider no caffeine.
• Exercise but not within 3 hours of bedtime
• Avoid later afternoon and evening naps

There are some Behavioural methods which can help train the mind to sleep better.  These include:

• stimulus control
• cognitive behavioural therapy
• progressive muscle relaxation
• paradoxical intervention
• sleep restriction
• imagery tasks
• biofeedback

Stimulus control - the main goal is regain the idea that the bed is for sleeping. It involves the following:

• go to bed only when ready to sleep
• if unable to sleep within 15-20 mins get up and go into another room
• maintain a regular wake up time no matter how few hours you actually sleep
• avoid naps

Progressive muscle relaxation - takes about 10 minutes to perform

• focus on one specific muscle group at a time.  Most people start with the foot.  Inhale and tense foot muscles for about 8 seconds.  Relax the foot and let it become loose and limp, stay relaxed for 15 seconds then repeat on other foot
• move up to the next muscle group and repeat, doing one side of the body at a time.  Work from foot and leg up to abdomen and chest then hands and arms then to neck, shoulders and face.

More milestones for Erika and Julian

Julian has started making the kissing noise!  He is so cute when he makes the kiss noise, I've been making a huge fuss over it so he does it more.  I took a video of it in the car but it is super shaky.

This morning I was making Erika's breakfast and he went and got the dining room chair, pushed it over to the island bench and stood on it and started stirring Erika's porridge.  My little baby is now such a little boy!

Erika has started jumping from a height today with assistance.  I saw Andrew doing it one time when I went to visit K and J, and I was impressed, but it's obviously an age thing.  So I got her to jump from the bed to the floor holding my hand and she did it.  She is quoting Dora incessantly and Dora is her favourite TV show at the moment.

Las Vegas and the kids

Now that we're underway and got our dates and hotel booked I can start looking seriously at things to do with the kids in Vegas.

I mean really, when you think of Vegas what do you think of?  Casinos, gambling, gunshot weddings, strippers, CSI...

None of which sound kid friendly.

But!  There are apparently quite a few things to do in Vegas!

Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay Hotel Casino, 3950 S Las Vegas Boulevard 10am-8pm(10pm Fri-Sat)

$16.95 per adult, kids under 4 free

Houses more than 1200 species of Marine life including sharks, a sea turtle and fresh and salt water fish
They also have a touch pool containing rays, eels and crabs. There are lots of rare fish here too, and a rare golden crocodile.
My verdict: I think Erika would LOVE the fish and shark experience here!

Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo Hotel, 3555 S Las Vegas Blvd

Open 8am - dusk. Entry is free

Houses more than 300 birds including flamingos, pheasants, swans, ducks in a lush tropical garden.  Turtles and Koi are found here as well.
My verdict:  A good freebie side trip

MGM Grand Lion Habitat 3799 S Las Vegas Blvd
Open 11am-7pm, feeding times 1115 and 415pm

Another free venture, lions are kept behind a soundproof glass habitat and rotated twice a day.  You can even have your photo taken with the lions for $25.

My verdict: Another decent freebie side trip

World's largest permanent Circus at Circus-Circus 2880 S Las Vegas Blvd
Open 11am-11pm shows every half hour, entry is free

Goes for 10 minutes with jugglers, acrobats, clowns and jugglers.  Apparently there is a 15 minute waiting time though!
Verdict: Possibility but waiting a nuisance. At least it's free

Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage, 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd

Open varying times, $15 adults, children under 3 free

Beautiful white tigers, and leopards can be seen here in a beautiful setting.  The Dolphin habitat allows visitors to learn all about the dolphins.

My verdict: I would love to see the big cats!

Millenium Falcon dismantled

It is with deep sadness that I finally caved in and packed up my beautiful limited edition Lego Millenium Falcon.  I got it when I was pregnant in 2007, had it delivered to work and with hubby built it in a week and even bought a nice coffee table in which to display it.

It survived my daughter and she was very good and rarely touched it, and never pulled pieces off it more than once.  However, my son has never been able to stop touching it, despite constant scoldings, loud "NO!"s and spankings.  Pieces are now missing, and ones that are found are often covered in saliva, so he may have eaten a couple of tiny pieces.

I look forward to the day when I can build it again (and figure out what pieces are missing) and have it displayed in such a way that it cannot be destroyed by questing little fingers.