Thursday, September 20, 2007

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.)

18 comments:

eric1313 said...

I'm sure that after a few years or so, the fun stories can leak out, as long as you change the names and places. You have imagination, you can do it.

Sorry to hear about the drunks on the bus, especially one who stalks along, hitting on you and claiming to be like an archangel. That's never a good thing--like hearing somebody in detroit say, "don't worry, we're good people." That means leave as soon as possible, if you want to keep your money, car, life, well-being, etc...

Good luck with the program. This is your calling in life, you'll do fine.

you have two callings! Writing and psych. No wonder you're busy... And glad to here about love being at center stage. That's the only blessing a person really needs, ever. Forget archangels... they always fly away.

Ultra Toast Mosha God said...

That guy sounds like A1 Dating material.

His favourite equation probably runs thus:

Princess + wine - free clothes = very happy archangel.

Ant said...

The last story was funny, but took a turn for the sinister when he gets off the bus...

However, I must also big up Toaster's equation to describe that scenario! :-)

Girls vs. boys night - I agree it's rude for after-thought invitees to seek alterations. However, my appreciation of a mixed-gender group heavily outweighs that consideration. So get all your favourite lads in too and it'll be loads more fun...

Chris Benjamin said...

forensics? CSI time! watch out for those shaky zoom shots of the microscope slide. how could this job be anything less than a 40-minutes-an-hour thrill ride? TV never lies.

Yoda said...

2 months without garbage removal? Oh dear god, how are you guys managing??? How come the mayor is still in office? He should definitely step down as a complete failure to provide the basic services to people! Is the city contracting other agencies for the waste removal?

Those are the only people who love you? C'mon -- what about the bloggers who show you comment love every day? LOL!

Michelle and the City said...

ok i have been reading a lot of posts lately about creepy men on the subway/bus. scary.

and i would have been irritated about the girls night thing, too. especially since it was you and your friends that planned it and asked them to come. they shouldn't then take charge and change the plans. people like that irk me.

L said...

I agree, I think it's rude to be invited to something that is specified as "Girls Only", and then ask to invite the boys. Doesn't that pretty much negate the whole "vaginas only" theme?

Plus, there really are things that only girls can do together, and really, boys aren't interested in those things, which is why we leave them at home. :0)

Beth said...

Girl's night outs are sacred.

You meet (attract) the strangest, scariest people. Be careful!

Abbey said...

First, I love forensic psych. I'm so jealous. I thought for a while about going that path.

Second, the girls night. You are totally in the right. I hate hate hate when people are incapable of pulling themselves away from a significant other. Then don't come is my answer. Further, I hate that when you do insist on maintaining a girls-only you constantly have to wonder if you're being mean. (by you I mean me of course). You're not being mean, you're just being selective about who you want to play with for the night.

eric1313 said...

And I have to say that that is an interesting fact about blonde jokes being recycled woman jokes from a hundred years ago.

Shame on us for rehashing tired old bits like that.

Anonymous said...

ahh stinky garbage is THE WORST, esp. when its hot out! Drunken dude is so awkward!! And i would totally be miffed about GNO plans being altered!

Crashdummie said...

awww, need an asprin?

Anonymous said...

You mean he's not your dream date?!?!? I thought he would be.... ;-)

Good luck with your program! It'll all be worth it in the end. (I have to keep telling myself that when I want to quit thesis and take up camp on a beach somewhere in the caribbean)

Jocelyn said...

Speaking of having about ten comments but getting taken on tangents... Love this stuff, especially your paragraph about what it feels like to be the therapist in the room and not the patient. More, please!

Anonymous said...

Girls night needs to stay girls night..and you're not rude for thinking that - no guys allowed! Good luck with your new position....I know you'll do well ....psych can be draining...take each day as it comes...

Crushed said...

I get fed up of Jokes about Irishmen- usually based on the witticism that the Irish are naive and stupid.

In fact, there are still too many jokes that depend on racial stereotypes.

Eve said...

Wait, the invited made you change their plans? How rude! Girls' nights are awesome, it's exclusionary in one sense, but in a totally acceptable way. And women really need some time without men, I think. (Hey, I like men, I just enjoy some time with the ladies too. It's a different dynamic.)

Regarding psychotherapy, I think things are always draining when they're new and you have to strain to focus (think about the first time you went skiing or did anything else physical). It gets less so as time passes, I think.

And the guy who got off the bus to stalk you? Ick!!!

Also, love free clothes!

PG said...

I totally feel your pain with the start of semester being a big, drawn out headache. I don't think I appreciated the summer months of uninterrupted productivity enough.

I really liked when someone put garbage on the entrance to the mayor's condo. The mayor tried to pass it off as crossing the line. I saw, screw that. Nothing wrong with the strong reminder that the situation is not resolved. But, if the issue is whether or not the garbage removers (or whatever PC term they're called) should be allowed to renegotiate their agreement 3 months before the olympics, I think that's bull.