Family

I swear one of my favorite pasttimes is calling my Nanny. I absolutely love talking to her. She tells the best stories and laughs so much. And I always hear my Papa in the background making funny comments or trynig to relay details through my Nanny. I really hope that when I am aging, I remain goofy and fun. I can see myself being just like my Nanny in about 50 years.

ONE MONTH

31 days left in St. Louis. Lots of fun planned in between. This countdown is starting to get real official. In other news, I have a cold and want to leave work like NOW. Plus I have been in a freezing cold office all day....I cannot CANNOT wait to have my own office someday. It seems like such a luxury. To have a place designated to do my work. And get to keep stuff there. And arrange/decorate it how I want. I feel like I will be a much better clinician when I don't have to meet with people in different rooms every time and possibly have werid circumstances. For instance today, I am in a nursing office. So my clients had to sit in a chair that they usually get their blood taken in...with a lap bar. I promise I won't take your blood or TRAP you in the room! Oh well. More to look forward to in a "real" job. Peace Out blog.

Today - thoughts on maturity

Mature - age, develop, ripen.

I assume that most people think of maturity as aging...hopefully growing. Learning. You might think that with age comes wisdom. I beg to differ. It seems to me that so many people are aging and not changing one bit...not maturing. They hold onto the same old ideals about what things "should" be like...or what they are entitled to (blah!). I would like to pose an new idea. That maybe we learn something from past experiences. Why (oh whyyyyy) do people expect that they will not encounter suffering or pain during their life? When it comes around, they act surprised and like they have been assaulted or picked on. We don't get to choose what suffering comes our way (for the most part), but I can assure you EVERYONE on Earth encounters some kind. Many kinds.

You are not the only one going through something difficult. It is hard. It is difficult. But, if you know that hard times come and go, why not try to develop some sort of plan for how to take care of yourself and get through it!? I know that I am a psychologist, so these types of things are on my mind all day...but I just wish people could see the light. You do not have to be alone. Everyone has something going on.... But that also means you don't have excuses. This happened. That happened. This is going to happen. I get it. So why not accept that shit happens, and try to figure out how to move forward? How to grow and learn from shitty circumstances? Not to complain. Not to resist suffering. To accept it with open arms and take action. Not to make it go away or avoid it. But to live your life in the face of suffering. Based on your values.
This post (and/or rant) was brought to you by Patti's mind and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Almost done!

I only have 7ish weeks left of internship. 46 days. WHAT?! This year has flown. FLOWN. I miss home. I miss family. I miss friends. My biggest sadness about being away from home this year has been that some people I care a lot about have passed away. I have had to miss some funerals and potential time that could have been spent with them before their deaths. This type of unpredictability reminds why I want to live in Louisville. That is my HOME.

I will miss St. Louis so the end of the internship year is definitely bittersweet. I have made some great friends, learned alot, and grown alot. Not to mention the year long honeymoon with Rico. And our first year having a pet, who thinks he is human. Lou.

Life is funny sometimes. So much happens and you just have to roll with it. And try to remember the important stuff. Which is never stuff. Alrighty, better get to work....aka daydreaming about our trip to Europe.

Burning out?!

I am on it, making a post two days in a row. Next week, my 3rd rotation ends and I don't know if I am burning out on it...or because the end is near I am just ready to move on. I personally love fire (that's for another post), but I am hoping its the latter. Soon enough, I will have a job that doesn't change every 3 months, so I sure hope I can hold on longer than that. I guess, when you know you will be leaving a place, you start detaching a bit.


On a positive note, when I have a REAL job, I also won't have to start a new one all the time. First days on a new job kinda suck! I've been the "new kid" SO many times. Once I settle, its time to move on. Ready to get all comfy in a job and hang out for a while.

10 months down, three to GO!

Next week, I will switch rotations again. I will be finishing up with MHICM (Mental Health Intensive Case Management) and moving on to PC-MHI (Primary Care-Mental Health Integration)...the VA likes acronyms.

With my internship year winding up (or getting close), Eric and I have made a bucket-list of the things we still want to do in St. Louis. We recently knocked off going to a St. Louis Cardinals game (vs the Mets), eating at Ted Drewe's, and visiting the Laumeier Sculpture Park. Some other items left are the Science Center, Dog Park, Botanical Garden, and taking him to Crown Candy (I've already gone with work).


Finding a JOB is still on my mind, but I am feeling confident that something will come through. I have 5 outstanding applications and one position that I've already interviewed for (and they contacted my references !).

With all this change happening, I am trying very hard to stay focused on the present moment, and enjoy my time here. Next week, I will be graduating. GRADUATING! I guess, I might consider changing the name of my blog. HA! This moment has seemed so far off for so long. I have consistently been in school since 1991. I am getting very excited for the possibilities opened up by finishing school and getting a REAL job. A paying job. A job that I won't be switching year after year.

So that's the update for now. I'll try to write more. Until then...

I want a J-O-B

Work is not something I love so much that I am just like, "Yes! I am awake, let's get to work!" I think with anyone's job, there comes some hassle....that being said, I want a JOB. I have applied and will be applying for a handful of positions in Louisville. I do not want to wish away time...but at the same time, I want to live with the people I love close by, I want to get PAID more for what I do, I want to get on with life. I am trying to keep an open mind about where I will end up, but wouldn't it just be fabulous to get the job I really WANT....oh well, for now I will apply and subject myself to judgement, interview, and nervousness.

In other news, I have finally booked our flights for the trip of a lifetime!!! [cheesy but real excitement] We are going to Europe...I have never left the country in my life. U.S.A. all day everyday...and now I will be flying out to a new world :) So, my last day here at the St. Louis VA is 8/23 (Friday)....Eric and I will be flying out on Tuesday August 27th! The plan for now is to fly into London, then onto Barcelona...and then onto Italy. I know for sure we will be going to Venice and Rome, in between has not been set yet. I am nervous about all the planning this trip will take (and all the $$ which we don't really have, but I kinda have this "who cares, let's do it now, I need to get out and see things, and I want to celebrate GRADUATING in a real way!!" attitude. WOOOOOO. Bring it.

Some things I want to see with my own eyes!
^Yes, I know they won't be there!