Disappearing act

Hey friends....

So I know that I've been absent for a good while. I have a ton that I want to blog about, including my amazing trip to Greece; however, I've had no internet access at home for about a month which has severely hindered my ability to provide updates. I promise that once this is amended or if I find myself able to drag my butt somewhere with internet access for a few hours then I will provide more information soon. Hope all is going well.

Things you never thought you'd say...

"Go Poo"....

A simple statement that I never thought I'd have to say, but find myself imploring upon my dog numerous times a day now. Penny is still having some difficulty adjusting to the new apartment and the most difficult adjustment is associated with her bathroom schedule. She has never had to take care of her business while attached to a leash and although she's got the peeing down, it still takes numerous encouraging statements and firmly saying "GO POO" before she will actually do her thing.

Talk about things I had never in my life thought would come out of my mouth several times a day! Hopefully she'll start getting used to it.

Goodbye House!

Yesterday I said goodbye to my first home! It served me well over the past four years and it was sad to leave...but life takes us on to bigger (well not in the living space sense) and better things so it was time to move on. Hopefully the undergrad males that are moving in (because one of their dad's bought it for them) will take care of it the same way I did...although I doubt it. As a part of my goodbye...here is a photo tribute!

Walking through mud

This is one of those weeks where I'm struggling a bit. You know...one of those weeks where you feel like you're walking through mud and just keep sinking in further when you're trying to move forward. I suppose I'm just feeling overwhelmed...too much happening at once!! This includes:

1. Preparing to move this weekend. Aside from all of the details involved in any move, it
was my first home which seems entails more emotions than I thought about leaving it.

2. I'm trying to get my dissertation up and running...purchasing all of the materials, making
copies, driving to the sites (some more than an hour away) to make sure I have
space...just so I can start collecting data next week.

3. I have a pointless exam on Thursday that I haven't started studying for and my
schedule does permit me to attend, so I have about 9 hours of classes to listen to before
then.

4. Doing all of this on top of my 20-hour clinical placement, another 5-hour forensic
placement, and trying to complete a manuscript.

5. My grandfather is having some serious health issues (to discuss in another post later)
that are definitely adding to my emotionality.

Ok...so now that I've got that off my chest...I suppose I should actually keep working on some of these things so that I make it through the week. I know I'll feel much more relieved by this time next week...can anyone just blink there eyes and move me forward in time then?

Random thought...

I really need to keep in touch with my friends back home more! For those out there reading this...just know that I think about you a whole lot more often than we actually chat or see each other and still hold you all dear to my heart. :)

Ok...sentimental moment over!

Teenage angst

As I've been packing up my belongings preparing for the first of two moves in less than 6 months, I found some really old journals that I kept in high school. I was fascinating by three main things as I poured through them...

1. That I clearly couldn't remain focused on one journal as none of them were even filled halfway

2. I must have thought I was good at writing poetry...because there was a lot of it in there...and it was all TERRIBLE!! and...

3. What the hell?! Was I really that depressing in high school?!

I know that high school wasn't the greatest time of my life, but I don't remember being as unhappy as I made it appear in those journals. As a "getting closer to real" psychologist, I would've probably given myself some inappropriate diagnosis if that's all I knew. Clearly I only used those journals during moments of teenage angst...why couldn't I have filled them with more uplifting and great memories?! Those are the ones I want to have written down when I'm old, gray, and can't remember shit! I guess I'll have to make a point of doing that from now on.

Oh...and maybe I should create a new diagnostic category for teenagers..."Get over yourselfitis"

Ignorant questions

So part of me is ashamed to admit it, but I've found myself tuning in to several episodes of a new VH1 reality show called "Tough Love." If you know nothing about this show, it is basically about single women who are being "coached" by a male matchmaker on how to understand guys and be more successful in dating. Although some of the women on the show have their own extreme issues going on (otherwise what would make it compelling reality television??), as a 28-year-old single female I find some of the perspectives of this matchmaker interesting (even though he seems to be a major TOOL at times).

During the most recent episode, a very nice 39-year-old woman is on a third date with this guy she really seemed to be clicking with. And then the night turned bad, because he asked a question that (based on his recorded feedback later) he thought was an "obvious" question to ask...."why are you still single?" I think that I had the same reaction that this woman had, which was complete bafflement (ok...not sure that's a word but you know what I mean)!

I actually remember being asked this question by a guy (who I dated very short term...maybe for obvious reasons) about four years ago and I wondered, "How could anyone answer this question?"...and I was only 24 at the time! I find it astounding that people can jump so quickly to the conclusion that there must be something wrong with a person if they are still single. (And in the very few cases where this is true...what makes someone think that the person has any clue what it is because otherwise they would've likely fixed it.) I almost find it offensive! I know so many beautiful, sweet women with amazing personalities that are still single and of a variety of ages....and the same question comes into my head yet it comes from a different angle....where are all the men who will treat these women with love and respect?

I feel that its just another example of inequality and gender expectations...since I question whether anyone knows a single man who has been asked this question in the serious manner that it has been posed to women.