All the petty details one can dream of!

Here's yet another highly scientific equation to sum up my life the past few days

Grad school = massive headache

Though I certainly worked hard over the summer semester, I'd forgotten what it was like to return home exhausted every day with my temples throbbing and shoulders stiff.

I petitioned our lab coordinator today for a roll-up foamie and a sleeping bag as part of our lab expenses. We don't need any more software. We just need a portable cot I can haul into our little testing rooms so I can power nap at will. I really think it will vastly improve my productivity... particularly more so that my other option, which seems to be increasing my caffeine intake.

*sigh*

Although I find doing psychotherapy to be feeling more natural to me than it initially did, I still find it can be a little draining. While I can get lost in the process while I am in the room with the person, and can come out of a session feeling amazingly rewarded, with the preparations and notetaking and just thinking about the case, it can take a lot out of you. Even having two sessions in a day where I normally have one will cause a sizeable difference in my energy level. I'm sure, as it does with almost everything I've learned since I sacrificed myself to school (it's a bad sign that I'm thinking sacrifice in terms of being a cowering lamb!), that I will become accustomed to spending more time at this, and it will sap me a little less.

However, after a long day of psychologizing and such, it is good that my girl friends are also familiar with another helpful equation...

Wine + free clothes = A very happy Princess

The free clothes were from a massive garbage bag full of hand-me-downs. Although there was a shirt that made me look like a giant pineapple, I did manage a few scores, including a super hot tube dress. Hell yeah.

***

So, what else outside of doing impressions of fruit is new in my life??

I just got hired for a new job/practicum doing assessments in a forensic outpatient clinic. There's a long (and increduously boring) story behind my decision to apply for this job. In all honestly, I have some mixed feelings, as I'm not tremendously interested in working in a forensic context, but I am in need of some more practicum hours and this geographic area seems a little weak on that front at the moment. I'm trying to go into the position with an open mind, though, as I think intermittently challenging myself is a very good thing, plus it will give me good exposure to a lot of conditions and situations that I could use more knowledge in. Unfortunately, as it is with every other clinical area of my training, I have to keep all the fun stories to myself!

***

City workers have been on strike now for over 2 months. Which means that garbage hasn't been picked up in many place for 2 months. Which means that this city = stinky. The rapid cooling may be a very good think... maybe it will freeze the stink.

***

A group of us grad school ladies have been planning a girl's night out for several weeks now, partially in celebration of a good friend's Masters defense. After the night's plans (and a solid group of people) had been well-established, it was decided to extend the invitation out to a few other girls in the program we usually don't party with. While these girls expressed interest, they automatically asked the pretty loaded question of "why can't the boys in the program come?" Not wanting to cause problems or any hard feelings, the night's hostess reneged on the girls only plan, and opened the night up to any guys who wanted to come.

Am I out of line for thinking this is rude? We've had a girls' night planned for weeks, and have all told our significant others so. Is it really so bigoted to have such a night? I certainly don't get offended when the opposite (Boys' Night) comes about. I also think it is more out of line that we invited these girls to an already planned event, and instead of just declining, they seek an alteration. It's not a big deal, as I get along well with all of these guys-- I was just a little taken aback.

***

A particularly good point brought up in class today~ Blonde jokes really are just a PC version of the jokes that used to be told about women-- just replace "woman" with "blonde" and you are ready for the 21st century!

***

People who apparently love me:
The Duke :)
Construction workers who look like CarrotTop
Drunk men on buses who also dabble in art appreciation

Is there anything worse that realizing that the drunk guy who just stumbled on the bus (at 6pm, I may add), is angling right for you, and shouting for the whole bus to hear how gleeful he is to be sitting beside such a pretty girl?

Yes, yes there is: When he convinces his friend to get off the bus with him to follow you.

(And this is after he quizzed me on my art gallery attendance, saying "I couldn't be into a girl who didn't like art"... as though I was wondering if I might be in the running. Oh yeah, and also after he went on a tangent about how he was like the Arcangel Michael.)