In Response...

...to comments about my "100 things" list: I find it interesting that I am perceived as an overachiever still. Maybe that's something that's so ingrained in me, no amount of slacking will ever be enough to get me out of that category. But seriously...compared to 5 years ago, I am much more laid back. Yes, I go to work and take care of my family, but it's not unusual for me to spend an afternoon vegging in front of the TV or reading a novel. That was unheard of before.

I was talking to a friend of mine about the period of time right before I went back to grad school. This was a typical day for me: wake up at 5am, get Punkin (who was still an infant) ready, feed her breakfast, get me ready, drop her off at daycare around 6am, go to the gym, work out for an hour, shower, get ready for work and be at the office at 8am. Work until 5pm, go pick up Punkin, go home and cook dinner, feed and bathe Punkin and put her to bed, spend some time with my husband and then get to bed myself - usually by 10pm (if I didn't have any volunteer work to do).

Nowadays, I get up at 7am, watch Camp Lazlo while I drink my breakfast of Diet Coke, drop Punkin off at school around 7:30, come back home and do whatever I need to in order to prepare for the day (or watch more TV), get ready and leave around 9:30 or 10am, see clients or teach until 2:30, pick up Punkin around 3pm, come back home and either veg or do paperwork, heat up dinner, maybe see one more client at 6pm, come home and take a shower, get into bed around 9pm to watch more TV or read, be asleep by 10 or 10:30.

To me that seems like a big difference. But maybe some of this is natural evolution that comes with my kid growing up and not needing (or wanting) as much attention. Sometimes I think I need a hobby, but nah - vegging is as good as anything else.

And Reggie - I can have 5 best friends if I want to! Just because you can't even find one doesn't mean that you have to shoot me down! MUHAHAHAHA!

100 Things About Me

1. I am 5'4".
2. Naturally, I have dark brown hair.
3. I color my hair, so it's probably not dark brown right now.
4. I have brown eyes.
5. I have 3 college degrees.
6. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor.
7. I teach Intro to Psychology at community college.
8. I used to work in software design.
9. The dirtiest job I have ever had was sorting dirty laundry at a hotel.
10. I got married in 1994.
11. I had a daughter in 1999.
12. I was born on August 26, 1971.
13. I have a friend that I've known literally since birth.
14. I have more than 5 friends that I've known for more than 10 years.
15. I live in a suburb of Houston, Texas USA.
16. I have always lived in Texas.
17. I have visited California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, Tennessee, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York.
18. I have vacationed in Grand Cayman, the Bahamas, Canada and Mexico.
19. My favorite place in the US to vacation is Sedona, AZ.
20. I'll probably never go overseas because the flight is too long.
21. I have flown in first class twice.
22. I have ridden in a limousine several times.
23. I am a hotel snob - only 4 or 5 stars for me!
24. I am a published author.
25. I never weigh myself.
26. My favorite form of exercise is yoga.
27. I could eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
28. I don't have a favorite color, but I don't like orange very much.
29. I have been clinically depressed.
30. I hardly ever use my gym membership.
31. My favorite movie is The Devil Wears Prada.
32. It used to be When Harry Met Sally.

33. My favorite number is 33.

34. I was born at 3:33 pm.

35. I see 3:33 on the clock more days than not.

36. I believe in God.

37. I believe that there are many paths to God.

38. My current favorite band is Nickelback.

39. My all-time favorite band is Rush.

40. I have seen them in concert over 15 times.

41. I have been on television several times.

42. I am an expert on postpartum mood disorders.

43. I designed my own website.

44. I can use basic HTML, but haven't kept up with advanced web programming.

45. I have given talks all over the country - usually about postpartum mood disorders.

46. I used to be terrified of public speaking.

47. I own 2 Japanese Chins.

48. I used to dislike dogs until 2007 when we got ours.

49. I own 2 fat cats.

50. I have always loved cats.

51. I am a chocoholic.

52. My favorite non-alcoholic drink is Diet Coke.

53. My favorite alcoholic drink is a Cosmopolitan.

54. I do not like to cook.

55. My favorite "chore" is laundry.

56. I employ a cleaning person.

57. I didn't get cable TV until 2006.

58. I have never registered to vote.

59. I don't discuss politics.

60. I started my blog in 2003.

61. My vision sucks.

62. I can move the little toe on my left foot independent of the other toes.

63. I used to get migraines.

64. I got rid of them using Eidetic Imagery therapy.

65. I am an only child.

66. My parents divorced when I was 30.

67. I am an excellent speller.

68. My biggest pet peeve is when words are misspelled in advertisements.

69. I also think the apostrophe is the most overused symbol in the English language.

70. I am not afraid of death.

71. I am afraid of pain, though.

72. My worst fear is getting pregnant.

73. I am of Portuguese and French-Canadian descent.

74. I sweat more than the average person.

75. I bite my fingernails.

76. I am addicted to Chapstick.

77. I have panic attacks sometimes.

78. I take medicine to prevent the panic attacks.

79. I love my jobs.

80. I like to cry, though I try to do it in private because people freak out if they see me.

81. I love to write.

82. I like to study all things metaphysical.

83. I hate horror movies.

84. I cry when I see people die in the movies.

85. I like The Disney Channel.

86. My favorite show is currently Dirty Jobs.

87. I have 2 autographed pictures by my TV - one of Mike Rowe and one of Adam Baldwin.

88. I have several best friends.

89. I wear size 8 shoes.

90. I think too much.

91. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college.

92. I used to be an overachiever.

93. I don't wear a watch.

94. I have a Mac and a PC - I like the Mac better.

95. I have been in love 3 times.

96. America's Next Top Model is my guilty pleasure.

97. I need 9 hours of sleep each night to feel my best.

98. I used to have chronic insomnia.

99. I have chronic back pain.

100.  I dream in color.

Reason vs. Excuse

My mom called this morning to tell me that my grandfather (her dad) has passed away. I didn't really know him, so I'm not in mourning or anything. In fact, my reaction is striking me as weird. I am feeling kind of relieved.

My grandfather was not the nicest person in the world. He was abusive to his children, and I think the abuse is partially responsible for my mother's mental illness. I have tried to work through my feelings about him in my own therapy because I felt so resentful. I kept thinking if he had not been so abusive, mom's life would have been so much better. Yeah, if only.

Since the past cannot be changed, all I have is acceptance. And in keeping with my goals of compassion toward everyone, I am glad that he is "in a better place." Obviously, he must have had a hard life if he felt so inclined to be abusive.

It's a reason, not an excuse.

I'm It

Looks like I've been tagged by Bubba's Sis! Well, here goes:

1. What were you doing 10 years ago? I was working at a small computer software developer office and drinking a lot. We had been in our first house almost 1 year by then.

2. What were you doing 1 year ago? We were living in a different house, but everything else was pretty much the same. I was probably planning our vacation to Sedona. How come it's easier to remember 10 years ago than 1 year ago??

3. 5 snacks you enjoy: popcorn, granola bars, fruit, yogurt, chocolate

4. 5 songs that you know all the lyrics: there are just too many to name! I can sing at least some of the lyrics to just about every 80's and early 90's rock song...seriously, it's disgusting.

5. 5 things you would do if you were a millionaire: pay off debts, go on a Hawaiian vacation, buy a vacation house in the mountains, keep a massage therapist on payroll, buy a new car

6. 5 bad habits: biting my fingernails, not writing stuff down so I forget to do them, committing to things I don't really want to do, not returning phone calls, excessive emailing and blogging (according to my husband)

7. 5 things you like doing: emailing, blogging, biting my fingernails, watching movies, writing

8. 5 things you would never wear again: yesterday's tampon (sorry...), press-on fingernails, a thong, stiletto heels, a wig

9. 5 favorite toys: my MacBook, iPod, DVR, Shrek Burping Baby from McDonald's, itty bitty book light

There's all the info you always wanted to know/wish you hadn't read! Now, for the tagging:

Creechman
Tracey
Kambri
Eric
Lattegirl