Unemployment Land

I will be joining the grind Monday and realized this will be my last weekday being unemployed.  Maybe the idea of having no responsibility sounds amazing to you, in fact I'm sure there were many times when I was in school and the idea of doing nothing sounded amazing.  However, being at home with no time card got old pretty fast for me.  I did work as a nanny and did some house/pet sitting, but I longed for regular hours and a purpose.  If you happen to be in this position, I want to give you some advice I wish I could have told myself, after all hindsight is 20/20.

1.  Just Say No to Daytime Television
Watching TV during the day (for me at least) needs to be reserved strictly for when I am sick.  It literally sucks the life out of me and makes me a zombie.  Zombies are neither productive nor enjoyable to be around.  My daytime TV issue stemmed from Retro MTV.  Oh yes.  I wasn't watching the news or even the Food Network.  MTV gifted me with The Hills mini-marathons every morning in July.  If you don't know what The Hills is don't bother looking it up.  It was shot in 2005 (?) and revolved around a very passive aggressive girl named Lauren, her friends, her frenemies, and the occasional bromance.  I wondered why these twenty somethings I was watching were able to make upwards of $20k an episode for having "drama" when I had a college degree and couldn't even make minimum wage.  What about my drama? The thought didn't occur to me to get off the couch and do more about my "dramatic" employment void.  I decided to watch their drama instead.  Sometimes I would tell myself, "I'm only watching one episode" or "after this episode I will go on a run."  HA.  Too late.  I was addicted.  Before I knew it, 4  hours would pass and I would realize Lauren wasn't even on the show anymore, Heidi's boobs were a size GG and her face was unrecognizable.  People, just say no to daytime television.  Once the marathons were over, the only thing I felt like accomplishing was crawling back into bed.  Gross.

2.  Wake Up at a Decent Hour
I'm the kind of person who likes to have an alarm to wake up to.  Well, I don't enjoy it, but it's best for my productivity.  Setting an alarm at night reminds me not to stay up late watching The Real Housewives of Venus (don't get sucked into Bravo daytime marathons either!) and gets me out of bed.  I was waking up around 10 or 11 earlier in the summer, which is not normal for me.  I used to work 7:30 AM shifts 4 days a week last year; I have always been an early-ish riser.  When I wake up late, it throws everything off and I don't get tired at night.  My productivity also becomes limited to  throwing on a bathing suit and going to the beach to tan until 4 PM.  Luckily for me, I went to New York in August and came back to California with my body still on east coast time.  It was great!  It felt like I was waking up at 11:00 in NY when it was actually 8:00 in sunny Huntington. 

3. Exercise
I literally had zero excuse to not exercise.  I couldn't say I was busy, which is usually reason number one.  I'm the kind of person who will exercise religiously and daily once I get on a nice exercise kick.  This also means if I stop exercising, it becomes hard for me to go back to it.  I was in a huge exercise rut since I spent my last month in SLO squeezing every precious social second I could with my friends going downtown and eating Firestone.  Joining a gym forced me to exercise, I was paying monthly dues after all.  Exercise happens to be extremely therapeutic for me.  It also makes my butt, gutt, tri's, and bi's much nicer to look at.  Until you look at the OC Housewife next to me and I transform into the Michelin man in comparison. 

4.  Remember this is Temporary! (if you're doing something about it)
I wish I could have told myself to calm down.  I was a major stress case thinking about not having a job, dietetic internships, where the hell my college degree was, money, etc.  It really is all about timing.  In my case, when it rains it pours because in the last week I have had 2 interviews, 2 offers, received my degree, and become eligible for the DTR exam.  Not to mention I got called for an interview at St. Jude's today, which I had to decline.  You just have to take care of what you can control: networking, studying, hobbies, etc.

5.  Take Advantage of this Time
Instead of watching Speidi contemplate what thread count sheets they should buy or waiting for LC's head to explode from holding in so much aggression, do something you normally don't have time to do.  I started this blog, built a corn hole game with my Grandpa, made enough baked goods to feed Micronesia, took an online Spanish for Medical Professionals class, rode my bike to the beach daily, read for leisure (yes, I finished the Fifty Shades trilogy with no shame) and got to go on an amazing trip to New York.  I also got to visit San Luis Obispo a couple of times, which happens to be my personal Mecca of denial, tri tip, wine tasting and where most of my favorite people in this whole world live.  

Think of this time as a vacation without removing yourself from the present and your future goals.  Also remember you're not the only one going through this.  If you don't believe me, search #postgradproblems on Twitter or Instagram.  People may have different PGP's, but they exist for everyone.

image from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1040&bih=768&tbm=isch&tbnid=KeSRQJMh6UrDzM:&imgrefurl=http://ohh-laurenconrad.tumblr.com/post/26310619104&docid=WpH017-n1SLFwM&imgurl=http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6icepUVOw1qe0ekdo1_500.gif&w=500&h=400&ei=rUdmUNO6F8K6igLTg4GwAQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=748&vpy=169&dur=2274&hovh=201&hovw=251&tx=178&ty=109&sig=105688846422924174085&page=2&tbnh=143&tbnw=198&start=22&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:22,i:161

Soapbox Rant: DO NOT LEAVE CHILDREN IN CARS

Today I visited a WIC center that I will be volunteering at.  I had a great meeting with an RD and left feeling excited to start my volunteer work.  As I was unlocking my car, I heard a baby cry.  I was at WIC, so I thought it was maybe a stroller passing by.  I looked around and didn't see any sign of a stroller.  I suddenly realized it was coming from the truck next to me.  The windows were tinted but there was definitely a baby in a baby carrier in the back seat.  I felt weird looking into the windows, but something did not feel right.  This baby was most certainly unattended.  I felt uncomfortable but decided to air on the side of caution.  I went back into the WIC center to tell the RD I met that there was an unattended baby in the car next to me.  

I told her and we headed outside to investigate.  A man that had been at WIC (I don't know if he heard me) beat us to the car, got inside, and drove off.  I'm assuming he was the father.  The RD thanked me for informing her of what happened and was as appalled as I was.  If you have children someday, please never ever leave them in the car.  According to Safe Kids USA, 23 children have already died after being left in cars this year.  In fact a child can die from heat stroke on a 72-degree day.  A child’s body can heat up five times faster than an adult’s.  Today it happened to be around 74 degrees.  So if you ever see or hear signs of a child from inside a car, DO SOMETHING! Maybe you end up dealing with an angry parent or feel foolish, but it's better than reading about the loss of a child in the newspaper the next day. 

http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-guide/kids-in-and-around-cars/never-leave-your-child-alone.html

Guess who's on payroll...

Did I tell you I've been officially hired?  Yup.  Despite the toilet flushing fiasco of 2012, I have been officially hired and eligible for work at the second hospital.  I start next Monday, in fact.  Bright and early at 6:30 AM, however the word bright does not sound appropriate since I'm doubtful the sun exists that early.  I need to wear the standard food service uniform: black pants, white button down, sturdy/comfy/always ugly black shoes.  Can't wait to tell the world about my first day!  I'll totally take a first day of work picture so you can check out my threads.  Actually, I wouldn't bank on that considering the whole "crack of dawn" issue we've got going on. 

Have I mentioned I'm also incredibly nervous?  It is my first day after all.  But do you know what?  Being nervous is natural and expected.  Everyone has had a first day or been the "new guy" in their life at least once and it's my turn again.  When I've started other jobs I always remind myself that I'm allowed to be nervous since everything is new and it's probably expected by my employers.  I'm even allowed to make mistakes!  I just have to learn from the mistake and make sure it never happens again.  For me at least, it takes a month to get in the groove of a new workplace.  Being the new guy is all about taking it one day at a time.

This job offer also meant I had to contact the first hospital and let them know I was declining my position.  The simultaneous  job opportunities made things awkward and uncertain for me.  I had both hospitals start paperwork and background processes for me since neither was official.  Although I wanted the second opportunity more, I wanted to play it safe in case things did not work out.  Once I had official word of a start date, I immediately contacted the first hospital to let them know I was no longer available for employment.  

I felt guilty about having two job opportunities and felt like I was cheating on hospital 1.  I really liked the first hospital and the RD I talked to there, which is what made my decision so hard.  At the end of the day, the second hospital was a better fit for me and my gut was telling (screaming) me to choose #2.  I asked my HR friend if what I was doing was inappropriate or disrespectful and he said it wasn't.  Unless one of the two companies is asking for an exclusive commitment, it was ok for me to start the employment process for both.  You never know what can happen so it's good to keep your options open.

DTR

Have you ever heard of a diet tech?  Diet technician?  Dietetic Technician?  DTR? Dietetic Technician, Registered?  They all mean the same thing.  A diet tech works under the supervision of an RD.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics lists that a diet tech may be responsible for screening, evaluating and educating patients as well as monitoring/preventing diseases such as diabetes and obesity.  Further online research suggests that many diet techs may also work in the food service world with menu preparation and kitchen supervision.  Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the main difference between an RD and DTR is that a DTR can never write or prescribe a diet order for a patient.



According to the US Department of Labor, diet techs have a mean hourly wage of $14.04 or make $29,000 yearly.  Large states such as California (wahoo!), Texas, New York, and Illinois have the highest employment rates for diet techs as of May 2011.  The Dept of Labor predicts that demand for diet techs will increase, however from what I saw via job listings, openings for diet techs were rare.  I'm wondering if the position has a low turnover rate?  A branch of hospitals in Orange County got rid of the position altogether because (from what I was told) diet techs could not write diet orders and weren't needed in the hospital.  The hospital system utilized RD's and diet aides.  Although this particular hospital system did not utilize diet techs, some hospitals still do.  Diet techs can be found outside of hospitals in facilities such as prisons, schools, restaurants, government organizations, and senior living too. 

My goal is to transition from a diet aide to a diet tech if I don't get into a DI next year.  Although I don't completely know all of the things a diet tech does, the position excites me.  I like the idea of transitioning and familiarizing myself with all of the positions in the clinical dietetic field.  My ideal situation goes like this: graduate (check), diet aide (check), diet tech, DI and/or Masters, RD/MS degree, and then CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator).  Welp, that will only take 4 or so years if I'm lucky! I always come back to exhausting all that is offered in the magical world of nutrition.  Anyways, how do you become a diet tech?  Do you need an undergrad degree? No, not necessarily.  Let me outline a couple of different routes that all reconvene at diet tech:

1.  According to the CDR, "Completion of a two-year Associate degree granted by a U.S. regionally accredited college/university, completion of dietetic technician program requirements in an ACEND-accredited program.'  Basically, complete a specific DTR program then take the exam.

2.  Should you have an undergraduate degree in nutrition from an ACEND accredited DPD program (such as Cal Poly SLO) which according to the Academy includes "completion of an ACEND-accredited Dietetic Technician supervised practice," you are eligible to take the exam without the program described previously in #1.  I think "supervised practice" refers to the clinical series at Cal Poly.  So if you're like me, you are eligible to take the test once you have your degree.  This doesn't mean you are eligible the day after you graduate.  You need degree verification, which in my case took about 3 months after I graduated.  Once your degree had been verified, the DPD director at your school can input your name to the CDR (Commission on Dietetic Registration).  

The CDR will contact you about 2 weeks you're considered eligible.  I was contacted about a week after.  I received an email (today actually) saying I was an eligible candidate for the exam and I would be emailed by the CDR's testing agency about payment and scheduling.  The test is multiple choice and costs $120.  The CDR offers a study guide with a practice exam for an additional $65.  I want to ask around and see if other people found the study guide helpful.  

According to the CDR the test covers:  Food and Nutrition Sciences, Nutrition Care Process and Model, Counseling, Education and Training, Foodservice Systems, and Management. The exam itself is computerized so you leave knowing if you passed.  It also means you can't go back to change answers.  According to the CDR website, there are 225 approved test sites in the nation that are open Monday through Friday.  The sites offer the test year round.  The amount of questions on the exam can vary according to the CDR, "The examination will be variable length.  Each examinee will be given, and must receive, a minimum of one hundred and ten (110) questions; eighty (80) scored questions and thirty (30) pretest questions in order for the examination to be scored. The maximum number of questions possible is one hundred and thirty (130); one hundred scored questions and thirty (30) unscored pretest questions."  It would appear the pretest questions are necessary for the whole exam to be scored?  Interesting.  Interesting meaning, I don't really understand!  In order to pass the CDR says "The scaled score required to pass the examination will remain twenty-five (25) on a scale of one (1) to fifty (50)."  Does that mean you only need a 50%? Uhhh what?? I do know that should you fail, you may take the test again 45 days after and repay the $120 fee.

Since I have gotten the ball rolling on the exam, I need to step up my studying.  I have a study guide a teacher emailed me from another student that I have worked on this summer.  However, I haven't been working on it diligently since I've been playing the waiting game with my degree.  The exam covers information I learned while an undergrad, however I have forgotten a lot of it.  I wish I had paid a lot more attention in my institutional food service and management classes though!


 Dept of Labor: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292051.htm

CDR website: http://www.cdrnet.org/certifications/rddtr/cbtfaq.cfm (map image also taken from CDR)

Buckeyes

Buckeyes are a no-bake Ohio treat resembling the horse chestnut from Buckeye State.  They are also simply scrumptious.  I found them in one of my favorite cookbooks from a bakery in Brooklyn, Baked Explorations.  If you consider yourself a serious baker, you need to stop what you're doing and get your hands on one of the three Baked cookbooks so you can make their amazing brownies, sweet and salty cake, and monster cookies.  Back to the Buckeyes, I'm making these as a gift to thank my HR friend for all of the time he spent offering ideas, advice, and answering my countless emails.  It's always important to say thank you; thank interviewers afterword with an email, thank your parents as much as you can, and bake thank you treats containing peanut butter and chocolate frequently. 

Buckeyes (taken from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

You will need:

1/4 c cream cheese, softened (leave out at room temp for a bit)

1 1/2 c peanut butter

1 c graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers/7 sheets) I like to use the food processor

10 Tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

12 oz dark chocolate (60-72%)  I like to use 60% Ghirardelli chips because they're easy to find

1.  In your KitchenAid, beat the cream cheese and PB with a paddle attachment until combined. 

2. Add the graham cracker crumbs.  Beat on medium for 10 seconds.  Add sugar and butter, I like to use my dishtowel trick from the PB&J bars so a sugar eruption does not occur.  Beat until combined, scrape, beat.  It ends up looking like wet sand but will easily form a ball.

3.  Over a double boiler set over hot water, melt chocolate until smooth.  Pour into a small, deep bowl and let cool until 100 degrees F (should take 10-15 minutes).  In hindsight, I wish I had used a deeper bowl.  It's better for rolling/dipping later.

4.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (I used wax paper and it worked fine).  Scoop out around 1 Tbsp PB mixture and roll into ball with hands. 

I like to use a 1 Tbsp scooper.  Since I'm studying for the DTR exam, let's do a scoop example problem together.  Remember, the number on the scoop tells you the number of scoops in 1 quart.  Therefore, the smaller the number on the scoop the bigger the size of the scoop!  Let's say my scooper is a #60.  If I had 2 gallons (oh mylanta) of peanut butter mix, how many 1 scoop Buckeye servings would that be?

2 gallons = 8 quarts

I can get 60 scoops from each quart

60 scoops x 8 quarts = 480 #60 size Buckeyes

(I hope that was right, it would be really embarrassing if I did that wrong.  If I did, I'm blaming it on the peanut butter coma I am in right now)

5.  The dipping was a struggle.  I was racing the clock; couldn't miss Body Pump-those OC housewives get toner by the second and are putting my 23 year old arms to shame.  The book says to use a fork to prick the ball and roll it from side to side, leaving a small circle on the top exposed.  Then you cover up the fork holes by dripping chocolate in that direction.  Yeah, that didn't work for me.  I ended up dropping the ball in my chocolate because it was shallow enough.  I kind of rolled it around and drizzled chocolate on top to try and make the exposed dot.  Then I lifted them out with a fork to let excess drip off.  It kinda worked.  I  had barely enough chocolate. Mine don't look as pretty as the ones pictured in the cookbook, but you forget about that once you taste them.

6.  Place them back on the covered sheet pan.  Once finished, chill for at least 30 minutes.  They will keep for 3 days, covered, in the fridge.  Recipe says makes 32-48; I ended up with 41.

Paperwork, Physicals, and Flushing

Keep reading, hopefully you'll get the reference.  .

Following interview 2, I was immediately scheduled to do paperwork.  The hospital utilized a staffing agency called Aerotek which took care of human resource business.  At first I thought Aerotek was the name of a food service company they used, so clueless.  Anyways, I was supposed to arrive to an office in Santa Ana with my passport to fill out paperwork.  I didn't know what to expect so I arrived in my interview clothes.  Sidebar, God must have been really looking out for me with the new iPhone update that week with amazing voice turn-by-turn directions.  I did a ton of driving from hospital 1 to hospital 2 to Aerotek to a prompt care facility to get labs done, didn't get lost once!  

Anyways, little did I know I would be signing my life away for tax returns and background checks; guess this meant I was hired at job 2!  Also, I was unaware I would be immediately sent off for a physical, blood work, and drug test after the paperwork was done.  By this time, it was around 2:30/3:00, it was 90+ degrees, and my iPhone battery was dwindling.  I sucked it up and headed off to the prompt care facility for my physical.  I had to wait a long time before I saw anyone for my physical.  

The physical itself was typical: height, weight, blood pressure, and eye tests.  I have horrible vision and according to my insurance am considered blind without contacts/glasses.  I had also been sitting in my car most of the day with air conditioning blasting, so my eyes were feeling dry.  I was convinced I failed the vision test and wouldn't get hired.  Then came the drug test.  These were my directions: take this cup, urinate just to the line, do NOT flush the toilet, do NOT wash your hands.  Ok.  Simple enough.  Don't flush the toilet.  Don't flush the toilet.  Don't flush the-wait, don't flush?  Gross.  Why can't I flush?  I keep pondering this while I take care of business.  I start thinking about the time on Entourage when Vince needs to pass a drug test and uses a fake...uh, oh.  I'm walking out of the bathroom with my pot of gold trying to remember how that episode ended when I hear the toilet flushing behind me.  Oh my God I flushed!  Great.  As if my eye sight wasn't bad enough, who's going to hire someone that can't follow the simplest of directions during a drug test.  I solemnly announce to the nurse that I am so sorry but I flushed the toilet.  Surprisingly he didn't care. 

Then I noticed all of the needles laid out.  "Uh what kind of shots will I be getting today?"  Nurse replies, "Blood draw and TB."  I can handle watching gory surgeries on television, but something about getting my blood drawn causes me to pass out 50% of the time.  I've never succeeded in donating blood because it becomes more trouble than it's worth for the Red Cross.  Great.  They won't get a good blood sample.  I'm nearly blind, flush toilets, and can't supply a blood sample-who will ever hire me??  By the grace of God I don't pass out.  Guess that means I only pass out 40% of the time now; this is growing up!

I finally meet with a PA who checks me for color blindness, a whisper test, some awkward mobility/squat tests I do in my heels, and breathing.  All done.  Hey, where's my lollipop?  Don't I at least get a sticker?  Maybe those are reserved for patients who don't flush the toilet.  I am instructed to come back in 48 hours to check my arm for the TB test.  (I passed my TB test if you're concerned.)

Anyone care for a free insulated travel bag?

Aerotek told me on Friday I could start training as early as this Tuesday (tomorrow).  Guess we'll have to see what happens!  And this ends the novel that was my Friday.  What started as two interviews at 9 AM ended at 5 PM with two opportunities.  Might be the end of the recruitment process, but it marks the beginning of professional post graduate employment.  Even if it means starting at the bottom, I could not be happier.  Maybe I'm just getting older (no joke, AARP offered me benefits and sent me a card last week) but I teared up on the car ride home.  For once this journey brought me tears of happiness instead of frustration.  Totally corny, but my heart felt happy and I got the feeling I am exactly where I am supposed to be right now.

Entourage image from http://www.brobible.com/life/article/truth-drug-tests-how-to-beat (yup that said Bro Bible)
I'll let you look up the video clip on your own.

Interview 2

I went into interview 2 feeling indifferent.  The recruiting RD for interview 2 told me she was hesitant to hire someone who could possibly leave in a year. I also had just come out of a fantastic interview which was starting the employment process for me.  I arrived at the hospital 10 minutes early and freshly caffeinated (Coffee Bean is as a magical place; the best thing to come out of Orange County since Disneyland. Or Balboa Bars.  Or Misty May-Treanor.  Yup, just compared Coffee Bean to the most magical place on Earth and a 3 time Olympian.  I would raise a flag, sing the national anthem, and place a medal around my Coffee Bean cup everyday of the week.  I guess it's a good thing this blog and work deal keeps me busy because I have an awful voice and don't even attempt singing the part "and the rockets' red glare"). 

Wait, what was I talking about again? Ok, so I get to the hospital, wow parking sucks.  I cannot emphasize this enough, show up to hospital interviews early!  If you're anything like me there is a 250% chance you will get lost.  This hospital is huge, has many buildings, and barely any parking. It's also 11:00 so there must be tons of people in appointments or in surgeries.  I park in what seems like a totally different area code but make it to the front doors of the main hospital in 5 minutes (would have been 8 without the coffee buzz, Oh say can you see...)  I walk into a very nice lobby and once again don't know where I am meeting the RD.  I also only know her first name, we have only talked via phone and I couldn't understand what her last name was.  People, don't be afraid to ask questions and ask RD's how to pronounce/spell their last names!  There is no such thing as a stupid question, you will come off serious and interested and won't look like a lost soul in the future (aka me).  Make sure you know where you're going and who you're meeting.  Mr. Security obviously doesn't know who I am talking about (you know when you don't know the answer or a name so you just mumble the last part?  That's what I did with the RD's last name.  It was kinda like, "Can you help me find Susie Mahnuminama") So I ask him were the cafeteria is.  It turns out to be in the main hospital, which is another building. 

I trek on in my red shoes.  I follow the yellow brick road and pass the emergency room, which looks uncomfortably familiar.  The first migraine I had landed me quarantined in this very ER when doctors thought I had meningitis.  (I won't go too into it, but I had hydration and low blood pressure issues in high school.  I definitely became my parents' most expensive child and drama case with ambulance trips, EKG's, and too many blood tests.  I also had a really bad allergic reaction to Reglan, an anti-nausea drug, once and tried to rip my IV out, drama queen)  Hey, this is my old stomping grounds, must be fate!  I find the cafeteria without any need for hospitalization (1 point for Shan) and ask a cashier where I can find Susie.  Her office ends up being a neighbor to the cafeteria.  I take a deep breath (feeling a little nervous, no low blood pressure issues here) and knock on the door. She says to come in.

We introduce ourselves and she is warm and welcoming.  It turns out her undergrad at Loma Linda included a DI so she is not familiar with the application process.  I describe the high level of competition to her and let her know I plan on applying for Fall 2013 programs.  She lets me know that she is hesitant to hire me if I leave in a year, but has a son who just graduated with a biology/chemistry degree and can relate to my situation.  She is willing to create a position for me as a diet clerk per diem.  (Per diem literally translates to per day.  It is common for assisting positions in the medical field to be as needed.)  She can't promise me too many hours, but her two current staff members may be decreasing theirs in the near future. 

She asks me if I have had any other interviews, and I tell her where my previous one was.  She thinks it's great they have more hours to offer me, but thinks I can get paid more and use better technology at her facility.   She explains that their diet clerks input everything quickly with a computer system.  She emphasizes that if I worked for her, I would have to be quick, accurate, and very personable with patients.  She explains that their customer service with patients is exceptionally high, usually rated with 9's and 10's.  I would only spend 3-5 minutes with each patient, but in that short time frame would have to be friendly and impressionable.  If hired I would be responsible for seeing 30 patients a day and getting all of their meal orders input correctly by 9:30.  Not 9:31, 9:30.  I was immediately impressed with her focus on high quality and timely customer service.  I was also a little intimidated, which I think is good.  I want a job that challenges me and kicks my butt.

She puts me on the phone with her HR/training guy.  He says they can definitely pay me what she promised.  She also mentions to him their current diet technician may be retiring soon.  She lets me talk to him on the phone, and he says I can meet him in two hours to start paperwork.

Wow.  Now I have to decide which job is better.  And I think I have about 30 seconds to decide if we should start my paperwork process.  Physicals and paperwork cost the hospital money, so I must be serious and committed.  The first job can offer more hours.  This job can't offer many hours when I start, but has potential for higher quality training and a variety of positions (diet clerk, desk work, kitchen work).  My gut is telling me this hospital is for me.  The back of my mind is reminding me the other hospital is a safer choice since it has more hours. I go with my gut.  I'm seriously impressed by this RD and that she has created a position for me on her team.  I also like the high value they put on customer service.

I tell them to start the paperwork process.  I leave and my mind is blown.  I think I accepted two jobs?  Uh oh.  I like this one more, I hope I made the right choice.  Do I have both jobs?  I don't know.  They both started the paperwork process, but nothing is official.  I also have a physical scheduled in a couple of days for the other hospital.  Overwhelmed confusion, but a good kind of "I'm overly employed but finally putting my degree to use" confusion. 

Little did I know this meant more driving, signing my life away, and blood tests.  I have a history of passing out when I get my blood drawn.  Such a medical drama queen, I know.  Stay tuned and learn that you're not supposed to flush a toilet or wash your hands after a drug test...

Image taken from  http://www.coffeebean.com/

Interview 1

Went business casual with a printed
blouse, khakis, and a little Tory Burch

I came into my first interview nervous but excited.  I was more interested in this job because it seemed like they had openings and they didn't care if I left in a year to start a DI.  However, I wasn't sure what time I was meeting the recruiter, what position I was interviewing for, and where to meet. The recruiter said she was free from 9-10:30 or 2-4.  I emailed saying I could meet at her convenience but she didn't reply with an exact time.  Hm. I guess I just show up.  On the phone, the recruiter said they had openings for catering associates (huh?) and maybe diet clerks (aka diet aide).  I didn't know what a catering associate did and how they differed from a diet clerk.

Anyways, I got to the hospital and parked with no problem.  I went through the automatic sliding doors and met some greeters.  I told them I was meeting my recruiter, the Patient Services Manager of Food & Nutrition Services (let's call her Deb the Dietitian) at 9:00 but wasn't sure where, did they know?  Nope.  I called Deb and she didn't answer.  It took about 5 minutes to figure out I should head to the cafeteria but it felt like 50.  When I got to the cafeteria, I expected to see Deb but she wasn't there.  I asked a cashier where I could find Deb.  The cashier called her and then gave me an application.  I filled out the application, thankful I had my resume and iPhone to find phone numbers and addresses of previous jobs and references.  When you work for a hospital, be prepared for a large amount of paperwork.  You have to pass background checks on many different levels (county, state, national). 

After I finished my paperwork I finally met Deb.  She was friendly and warm and I was immediately put at ease.  Our interview was pretty ordinary with questions such as "Tell me about a time you were unable to finish a task,  Tell me about a time you didn't get along with someone, Tell me about a time you worked with a team,  Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work."  Thankfully I was able to provide stories about working in food service at the Children's Center and at a frozen yogurt shop.  I also told her about the Children's Center and what a unique and wonderful place it is (she was very impressed). 

She told me catering associates take menu orders off of "tickets" from patients (one person is usually responsible for about 30 per day), assist with tray line production, and keep kitchen stations stocked with plates and utensils.  She could also train me as a diet clerk to fill in when needed.  She liked that I had 24/7 availability (hello post grad problems) as most of her staff were college students that had just started school.

She didn't officially tell me I was hired, but did say she would start the process.  My previous employers and references would be called and I would need to complete a physical.  I asked her where she was in the recruitment process and she said that she does ongoing interviews.  If she likes someone she will hire them.  I went through my list of questions and asked her about herself, their system's team organization, the relationship between Morrison and the hospital, and if she utilized diet techs (they didn't).

I left the interview feeling great!  Deb was impressed with my attitude and work experience.  (This is where I get lost finding the exit of the hospital and wondered around the pregnancy/maternity ward for a quarter mile)  It was about 10:15 and I had time to kill before my next interview so I went to Coffe Bean.  I definitely felt relaxed going into the next interview since it seemed like the other job was basically a sure thing.

Please remember this: Hospitals are LARGE.  Ask your interviewer ahead of time where to meet.  Most likely they will say the cafeteria.  Their offices are usually close to the cafeteria.  If you don't know where you're going, don't freak out!  Hospitals are full of helpful individuals.  In fact this one had college volunteers that would greet and escort you to where you needed to go.

Job Interview Prep

Toby loves HR

I was invited for two job interviews on Friday after the marathon cold calling Wednesday.  I have to tell you that although only 2 hospitals called back for interviews, they were immediate and quick.  Like "See ya in 24 hours for an interview quick."  (I'm not sure if it was helpful that I contacted them later in the work week)One hospital worked with the health care food service company Morrison and had a catering associate and diet clerk position open (taking diet orders with tickets, helping with trayline production, stocking utensils and plates at stations).  An RD from another hospital called me and we chatted for a bit.  She was hesitant to think about hiring me should she spend a lot of time training me and I leave in a year for a dietetic internship.  However she still agreed to meet with me.  The first interview was at 9:00 and the second was at 11:00, but luckily the hospitals were only two miles away.

Once I found out about the immediate interviews I realized I hadn't been in a job interview since December 2009.  And that interview was a group interview.  I hadn't had a one on one interview since 2008. I asked for some advice from a nutrition teacher, my friend from the Academy, and my HR friend. 


          My nutrition teacher told me to let the recruiter know that I want the job because I need a job and want to use my nutrition degree.  Do not say I need nutrition/hospital experience.  This makes sense considering all of the time hospitals spend training diet aid/clerk/techs.  You want to come off as a dependable employee, not someone there for 3 months just to put it on their resume.  She also told me if hired for the Morrison job I would be eligible to apply to the Morrison DI in the "pre-select" process.  For the other opportunity I asked her about the recruiter who was hesitant to employ me should I leave for a DI.  My teacher said to be honest and emphasize commitment and hard work ethic.  I should let them know it may take another application cycle for me to get matched, but whether I work there for 10 months or 2 years I will give 100%


          My friend who is a VP with the academy spoke very highly of Morrison.  In fact one of their staff members, Kathy McClusky was on the ballot for Academy President while I was in school.  It really shows that they develop leaders in the world of nutrition.
  

          I also met my HR friend for tips.  He told me that there is a saying in HR, "Hire the attitude, teach everything else."  This is especially applicable to my position where I am basically starting at the bottom and much to learn.  I should be personable, energetic, and excited to work for the recruiting company.   We went through a mock interview and I told him about my previous experience at the ASI Children's Center.  He loved this and said I should talk with passion and energy about this because I clearly loved that job.  He also said I should state that although I have a college degree I am willing to start somewhere, even if it is at the bottom.  I want to grow and develop with a job and should ask if there is opportunity to move up.  It shows I am willing to work hard and be committed to the opportunity. 

          He also recommended that I arrive with a resume as well as a list of pre-written questions (i.e. What is the work culture like, what is the turnover, if the hospital belonged to a branch, the relationship between the first hospital and Morrison, the employee organization/who reports to who, position progression, hours, etc).  Being prepared with questions shows recruiters that you are engaged and serious about the position.  I also asked him what to do if I couldn't answer a question they asked me.  He said starting my answer with "That's a very good question" will buy me more time to think.  He also said it is perfectly fine to be honest and say, "That's a very good question, and I can't think of an answer right now.  I would like to think about it more and get back to you with an answer via email."  I was surprised by this, but it shows honesty and seriousness.  It also sounds better than lying or trying to make something up. 

          Lastly he said recruiters look for someone who is professional, courteous, considerate, and values quality customer service.  It's appropriate to end the interview asking the recruiter where they are in the recruitment process to gage when they will get back to you and how many other applicants they are looking at.

On my own, I went to both hospitals' websites to gather information (if they belonged to a branch or family of hospitals, how many beds, additional info I could gather).  I also took my nail polish and rings off for my interviews.  Not mandatory, but many food service positions don't allow either when working.  In hindsight, I wish I had asked the recruiters where I should meet them; hospitals are large and confusing!  Little did I know that Friday would start with a 9:00 interview and wouldn't end until 6:00 that night...more confusion and uncertain awkward situations like getting lost in the pregnancy ward and accidentally skrewing up drug tests by flushing the toilet to come! 

Image from http://petals-in-the-dirt.blogspot.com/2007/11/blues-clues-guy-is-alive-office-may-go.html

Cold Calls

Have you ever heard of a cold call?  I didn't know what the term meant and thought it referred to getting the cold shoulder after you call or text someone (story of my lack of a dating life).  In the employment world, a cold call is when you call a potential employer or company for job opportunities and they don't know you're calling.  Kind of like telemarketing, but you try to avoid being annoying. 

Yesterday I decided to give cold calls a try.  28 cold calls to be more specific.  Online postings haven't been affective at this point, so I decided to take things into my own hands and call every hospital in Orange County and Long Beach.  Sounds fun, right? To tell you the truth, I didn't know what I was doing.  Talking on the phone and making phone calls is on my list of least favorite things to do.  It was umcomofrtable at first, but the more calls I made, the more direct and natural I got.  Let me tell you about what I did:

1.  Googled Orange County Hospitals.  20+ showed up.  As I called, I wrote down who I called and the phone number so I wouldn't accidentally repeat a call.  If I talked to a director or reached their voicemail, I would write down their name.

2.  The phone number posted online was for the hospital directory so I would stay on the phone and reach an operator.  I would ask to be directed to a Nutrition Director or Food Service Director. 

3.  Once my call was directed, 75% of the time I left a message via voicemail.  My message went like this, "Hi, my name is Shannon Murray and I am a recent nutrition graduate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  I am looking for diet tech or diet aide jobs in the area and was wondering if your facility offered these positions.  I can imagine you are very busy, but would greatly appreciate if you could call me back at 555-555-5555 or email me at ABC@DEF.com with any opportunities or advice. Thanks so much, have a great day."

4.  A couple of times I was able to teach the director.  I did the same shpeal as the voicemail message minus the contact info.  My main goal was to discover which hospitals had diet aide or diet tech positions.  Many directors recommended looking at their hospital's online career database for openings (back to square one).  One facility had just hired Diet Techs and another facility had an open Diet Tech position but wanted a candidate with prior experience since their was no time to train one.  That was frustrating for me to hear, but I asked what they recommend I do to gain experience.  I was encouraged to start as a diet aide, especially at a teaching hospital such as St. Jude's.  One director even talked to me for a couple more minutes about where she went for her DI and even asked me about my future goals. 

The experience was draining and discouraging; I made 28 calls and found zero openings.  Not going to lie, there were tears of frustration and times I wanted to abandon my list.  I made myself stick with it until I had exhausted every hospital in a 40 mile radius.  However, I am happy to report that the field of dietetics and food service is filled with pleasant attitudes and incredibly resourceful workers.  I'm even happier to report that one nutrition director returned my message with a phone call which has lead to an interview tomorrow! 

What I learned: 

• Frequently check hospital databases for food service/nutrition openings.
• Check Food Service Healthcare Databases for jobs (i.e. Sodexo, Morrison, Aramark) since many hospitals contract from companies such as these.
• One hospital calls the position of diet aide/diet clerk a "Nutrition Embassador"

Whine is a Not a Food Group Anymore


 

The Game of Life 2 or Now What City?
http://games.brothersoft.com/the-game-of-life-2.html

I would hope that you noticed the name change of this blog from "Whine is a Food Group, Right?" to "From Degree to RD".  The previous name was funny (so I thought) but I recently decided it is not the direction I want to be headed.  (It also made me sound like I possibly had a drinking problem).  I started this blog as an emotional release of my frustrations and discouragement.  I felt like I didn't fit in the professional nutrition world.  But do you know what?  I don't want to whine anymore.  I've realized it is more effective to replace "whining" energy with productivity and positive thoughts.  Whining is not a priority of mine, I'd rather emphasize overcoming roadblocks with class (and humor) to help others get from degree to RD.  It's time to manage this journey one day at a time, and get the most I can out of each day.

"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles...it empties today of it's strength" -Mary Engelbreit

If I pictured my life as a board game, the start would be my degree and the finish would be placing an RD after my name.  I guess it could be like the Game of Life, minus the babies and retirement (hopefully it won't take me that long to become an RD!)  Or Monopoly, minus going to jail. Or Operation? I don't know, maybe the game description is innapropriate because this is not a race.  I already know others are ahead of me, and I couldn't be more happy for them and where they are at.  It is time to remember I have a destination too and no matter how many times my turn may be skipped or I get sent back to start I will keep going.

WIC: Dietetic Internship and Volunteer Opportunities



http://www.wiccareercorner.com/wic_internships_location_map.htm



Have you heard of WIC? If you are a nutrition major, I hope you have.  WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children and is a federally funded program supporting low-income mothers and children under the age of five.  It is federally funded, but programs may vary regionally according to need.  WIC provides food for children, an abundance of nutrition education, and promotes breast feeding.  The program can be a fantastic volunteer or employment opportunity.  WIC has its own accredited dietetic internship, however the spots are usually reserved or give preference to WIC employees. As you can see, California has five areas offering this DI. 

I am not able to tell you the amount or type of jobs WIC offers to people without an RD license.  It also may depend on the area of the WIC center you are interested in.  I am excited to tell you I have been in continued contact with a volunteer coordinator at my local WIC in Santa Ana (Public Health Foundation Enterprises). The Orange County and Los Angeles area happen to have many WIC centers.  The volunteer coordinator and I are still working on my volunteer placement, but she did share some helpful tidbits to me:

• Employees tend to retain their positions for a long time.  Although this means no immediate employment opportunity for me, it makes the program even more impressive.  Employees must be extremely passionate and love what they do to stay for a long time.  I would be honored to work for a program like this with other passionate people fulfilling a purpose for the local community.

• Depending on location, volunteer positions may not exist.  The coordinator shared with me that previous volunteer applicants have told her that WIC's in different regions don't have any opportunities for volunteers.  I'm not sure why this happens.  If it happens to you, I'm sorry.  It's a shame that a volunteer with a desire to give to a population that needs it would be turned away.

• Volunteers commit to 100 hours total work and at least 3 hours a week.  (This might vary from region to region)

• I would be doing mostly childcare while parents attend nutrition education workshops and also assist with occasional hieght/weight measurements.  Childcare is one of my specialties as I worked at the Cal Poly Children Center for 2+ years so I couldn't be more excited!  Also, if you're familiar with infant/child growth development you know how important tracking height/weight via charts is for pediatric nutrition.  This would offer more fantastic experience for me to become faimiliar with growth charts and percentiles.



http://174.121.93.48/~healthsy/WIC.htm



How did I find and get in contact with this program?  I actually emailed my region's WIC DI program director who put me in contact with the volunteer coordinator.  I did have to email twice before we got the ball rolling, but the center I am interested in is extremely busy.  Here are a couple of steps that need to be completed before I can start:

1.  I looked at all the WIC locations in the area and needed to pick my top 6 (everywhere from Santa Ana to Santa Monica).  I based my choice on locations close to me and hours/days they were open.

2.  The coordinator will match me to a center that needs a volunteer.  I will visit the center in person to make sure I feel comfortable and that it is a good fit for me, after all I will be spending 100 hours there.  I was really impressed by this step.  It paints a picture that my regional WIC values volunteers/employees and in return the volunteers/employees value their position.

3.  I will need 1 professional letter of recommendation, 1 personal letter of recommendation, and an up to date MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination.

I am currently waiting to hear about my location placement.  Although I would love to get started immediately, I don't mind waiting.  The opportunity will be worth it.  The idea of volunteering for WIC excites me and reminds me that I do have a purpose in the field of nutrition, no matter how small.  I constantly wonder and doubt if I can make it in this field as a professional.  It might take me longer to become an RD than other people, but I am going to use this time .  This time allows me to explore different arenas and areas.  This opportunity in particular will enable me to give back to the community helping WIC, a highly respected and valued organization.

Diet Aide and Direction Disabled

Better to be lost than not doing anything!
(Image from Abundant Lives Coaching)

As you may or may not know, I went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where the motto was "Learn by Doing."  I have adopted a similar phrase called "Learn by Getting Lost".  The phrase describes my twenties as well as many of the experiences I write about .  However, it can also be applied to my freeway navigation abilities.  I get lost 85% of the time I drive somewhere new.  In high school my grandmother bought me a navigation system literally called "GPS Navigation for Dummies" after I ended up on the tollroads and in San Juan Capistrano (or was it San Clemente?) when I tried to drive to her house in Mission Viejo.  I blame this ongoing struggle on my brother, the geography major, who seems to have gotten all of the navigation skills leaving me with no sense of direction.  If I was born before the age of navigation systems and iPhones I would probably be pushing my car somewhere around the San Bernadino Mountains right now.  Although getting lost is frustrating, and sometimes scary, I try to make it into a learning experience.  Like the time I was driving to San Clemente (or was it San Juan Capistrano?), missed my exit and discovered Camp Pendleton.  

Today I learned Norwalk is a real place.  I was driving to fill out applications to be a diet aide at two nursing homes: one in Laguna Hills and one in Belmont Heights (Long Beach area).  I got to Laguna Hills ok and was headed for Long Beach.  Somewhere past Irvine and signs for Gene Autry Way (the Disneyland exit), I realized me, the little dot on my directions, was not on the 405 North or on the blue path designated by iPhone maps.  Hmm this doesn't look like the 405, there's only three lanes and I'm surrounded by dirt and big rigs.  Check nearest sign: Norwalk.  Oooooh so this is what Norwalk looks like, I think I've heard of this place!  Let it be known on September 17, 2012 Shannon Murray realized the city of Norwalk exists.  Anyways, I get off the freeway, retype my directions and see I am 18 miles from the Long Beach nursing home.  I end up following a Camarena tequila truck onto the 91 freeway; this had to be the first time I thanked tequila for anything! I ultimately found my location after I did a couple of loops in every possible direction on the Long Beach traffic circle (I've always liked Merry-Go-Rounds).

So what was I doing leaving carbon footprints all over the Orange County and Long Beach area?  Oh yeah the diet aide position!   I had attempted to fill out applications online but the systems were down.  At first I thought the long drive to two distant areas would be a waste of time.  I made myself do it anyways, I had nothing better to do or lose.  I'm glad I took the trouble to do this in person.  I would hope recruiters would appreciate the effort I made.  To tell you the truth, I have filled out more than 20 online applications for diet aide and technician positions in the last 2 weeks and haven't heard anything from anyone.  Time will tell if this whole "in person" business is more effective.

I should probably tell you what a diet aide is so you can learn something besides the fact that Norwalk exists.  A diet aide (also called diet clerk) is a position that doesn't require a certification or college degree like a Registered Dietitian or Dietetic Technician Registered.  In fact, if you are currently in school and plan on applying to DI's, working as a student diet aide will give you fantastic work experience.  (If you are a Cal Poly SLO student, check Sierra Vista for job or volunteer positions).  Diet Aides can be utilized in hospitals and nursing homes to work closely with Registered Dietitians, food service directors, and kitchen staff.  The position duties vary from facility to facility but may entail tasks such as meal planning, meal preparation, meal delivery, cleaning/dishwashing, and maintaining patient diet records.  A nutrition student could learn a lot from this position such as the various diet orders for patients with certain diseases or disorders.  Diet plans include but aren't limited to categories such as normal, soft, bland, solid, clear liquid, full liquid, cardiac, diabetic and low sodium.  

I also want to point out the large amount of jobs nursing facilities offer.  You may or may not be aware that the field of geriatrics is growing as baby boomers get older.  I had been limiting my job search to hospitals but have now included nursing centers since I have seen many postings from them related to diet aides, diet techs, and other food service positions (cooks, servers, food service directors).  Nursing homes may have a reputation for smelling bad or being unpleasant in general, but I strongly believe there is a level of discomfort you must get over if you wish to work in healthcare.  I took a Nutrition in Aging class my junior year and know that increased age can be accompanied by a long list of nutrition related struggles such as edema, dysphagia, immobility, constipation, and cachexia to name a few.  I think working in a nursing home would offer a whole new world of learning, skills, and perspective to my nutrition repertoire.

Now we can add Diet Aide to the list of nutrition professions along with Registered Dietitian.  I will tell you about Dietetic Technician Registered (DTR) another time because Levi needs a walk and I have to go to Body Pump to keep up with all of the teeny tiny toned OC Housewives out here.

Green Monster Reward: PB&J Bars

I have always loved baking.   You know the saying "he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth"?  I think I was born with a wooden mixing spoon because I have always loved baking.  If you asked my spunky miniature blonde self what I wanted to be when I grew up the answer was always a baker.  When I was in kindergarten my grandmother (the home economics teacher) used to record David Rosengarten and Sara Moulton cooking shows from the Food network on VHS and give them to me when we didn't have cable at my house.  I wonder if you have even heard of those TV chefs-it was a long time ago!  I went through an Emeril phase from 3rd to 5th grade, no big deal.  When I was homesick in the dorms my freshman year I used to pull out my cardboard box of baking tools, head down to the shared kitchen, and make homemade yellow birthday cake with chocolate frosting.  I bake when I'm happy but I also bake when I'm sad or stressed.

Levi, my sous chef and
floor cleaner

Anyways, after calculating my scary DPD GPA (see previous post) I knew I needed baking time.  I'm going to my uncle's for dinner tonight for some tapas (yum) and wanted to bring him and his family some treats.  These are Ina Garten's Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars.  She is my favorite chef on the Food Network and responsible for many of my favorite recipes (Potato Salad, Coconut Cupcakes, Guacamole, Peanut Butter Brownies).  Anyways, these bars are to die for.  Besides being an Ina recipe, they entail an entire jar of peanut butter. Did we just become best friends? YUP.  Have I mentioned I could live on peanut butter?  Unless you have a peanut allergy or a peanut butter aversion like my sister, once you've eaten these you will die and go to peanut butter heaven.  

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars ("The Barefoot Contessa," Food Network)

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients:

1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp (or throw them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds)

1 1/2 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs at room temp

2 c (18 oz jar) creamy peanut butter

3 c AP flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c (18 oz jar) raspberry jam (I used strawberry because that's what we had; btw mom if you're reading this, we're out of jelly because this also uses a whole jar!)

2/3 c salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease a 9x13x2 inch pan.  I like to do this after I have used the butter because I use the used wrappers to wipe butter on the pan.  Then line with parchment paper and butter that too, and sprinkle with flour.  I don't know how necessary it is to double grease and add parchment, but if Ina says to do it I do.

2.  Using your handy KitchenAid mixer and its paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow and looks like this (takes about 2 minutes). 

3.  Now putting the mixer on a low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter.  I liked to add each ingredient one at a time, including the eggs one at a time.  Mix until combined and looks like a whole lotta light colored peanut butta.

4.  In a small bowl, sift (I was lazy and didn't, sorry Ina) flour, baking soda and salt.

5. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture.  I did this in 3 parts, mixing in between each time.  I still had a flour explosion, so I used a trick I learned working as a food service assistant at the Cal Poly Children's Center.  Take a large dish towel and wrap it around the mixing bowl, then mix.  This insures that any flour that flies up will hit the towel and not your face/clothes/counter/floor/ceiling.  Mix until just combined.

6.  Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared pan.  I tried using my fingers to spread and push the dough evenly but found that my cleaned empty peanut butter jar worked great!  I rolled it side to side and up and down until it looked even and marvelous.

7.  Spread jelly evenly over dough.  I tried using an offset frosting spatula but ended up using clean fingers to get a more even result.

8.  Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam.  The messier the better!  The globs have will have lots of crispy surface area and brown up nicely when cooked to make tasty peanut butter cookie nuggets.

9.  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown.  Keep an eye on it.  I took mine out 5 minutes early because it looked done. Let them cool!  (I got impatient when I had to leave for my uncle's in Long Beach and lifted the whole thing out by gripping the parchment paper-no bueno.  It will slowly fall apart!  So I carefully placed it back in the pan, and then into the freezer for a bit.  When it was time to leave, I divided it into large pieces, transported it, stuck it in the fridge there for more chill time, and then cut it into portions.)  I would definitely advise chilling the whole thing once it is slightly cool for an hour or two.  Then cut it.  But feel free to break off a little cookie nugget, just to make sure it tastes ok!   I like to portion the pieces on the smaller side due to the fact there is a whole jar of peanut butter and jelly goodness going on!

These babies are an estimated and totally worth it 386 calories each according to Spark People.  If you're curious I have provided the link for the nutritional breakdown.  It would be the responsible thing for me to do: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calories.asp?recipe=2098319