I am not sure what my absolute WORST habit is but I know I have a few bad ones....

 

1)  Tardiness.  I'd say one of my top negative habits is tardiness.  Let me say this though...unlike alot of people who habitually run late, I do not run late out of laziness or sleeping in.  I tend to run late because I try to do too many things.  I get up daily around 5:45 or 6 but sometimes don't get out of the house until 9:30 or 10.  I can't stand a messy house and I can't stand to leave with things out of place, so alot of my tardiness is due to trying to clean and organize instead of being able to just leave things and get out the door. 

 

2)  Overeating.  I am absolutely obsessed with food.  I have been since I was a child.  I have been very public about my lifelong battle with my weight.  I understand where my obsession with food and my weight issues stem from, but it is a CONSTANT battle.  Over the last few years I have been doing pretty well.  I eat incredibly healthfully and exercise 4-5 days a week but when I sit down to a meal it is a constant conversation in my head each and every time about how much I'm going to eat, whether or not I can resist going for seconds, etc.  I literally give myself daily pep talks about my food consumption... "this is plenty of food, you don't need any more than this, you will feel full shortly - just wait a few minutes..."  I don't see food as food anymore, I see calorie counts, grams of sugar and fat, etc.  One of the other reasons I think I battle with this issue is because of how much I love to cook and prepare food.  After spending the time to shop for the ingredients, prepare them and put them together into a meal, I want to enjoy it...to get my effort's worth so-to-speak ...so it's hard to stop after one serving.  This may sound psychotic but it's the truth.  And even though I eat very well and often eat just vegetables, I often just simply eat too much of it and then I feel sick.  I know I'm not alone with this constant inner conflict about food...if you experience this too please share. 

 

3)  I use too many paper towels.  I feel guilty about it and wish I could stop but it's soooo hard. 

 

4)  I buy too many books and I'm not able to read them until months, or years, later. 

 

Wow...can I really only come up with 4?  What am I missing?  I know I've got more.  Ha.  Guess this was a shorter blog than I expected it would be!

Yesterday on Finebaum a caller asked "why is Auburn such a big deal...it's not a state university...and there's nothing there."  This was a Bama fan.  He went on to say that "it shouldn't be anymore than a Troy."  It became obvious to me as the call went on that this person has serious issues and is likely mentally ill... like many of the Finebaum callers.  The ignorance of people absolutely baffles me, but that's for a whole different blog altogether.  I could probably write an entire blog about the insanity of the Paul Finebaum show and why it appeals, for some reason, to the masses.  From a psychological standpoint.  But...anyway, moving on, this caller got me thinking about Alabama and Auburn and the relationship between the two teams, the fans, etc.   I thought he sounded ridiculous and that he was simply attacking Auburn's credibility because of our loss last week...which alot of irrational Bama fans ARE doing.  I came to the conclusion that I do, in fact, appreciate Auburn.  I couldn't come up with a single reason why I should HATE auburn as many Bama fans do.  I was just simply raised a Bama fan and that's the way it is.  But my dad, from whom I received much of my football fan-ness, is a very rational Bama fan and never did any trash talking of Auburn.  And, furthermore, I don't see the point in trying to come up with reasons to hate a team simply because they are our rival.  My dad would be one of those that says "I'll root for Auburn if they aren't playing Bama."  As I got older I started to disagree with him on that point.  I want to win the west.  Duh.  I want Auburn to do just well enough so that our win over them looks "good."  I want them to do well...just as long as we do better.  There are Bama fans that would be happy if Auburn lost every game.  I'm not one of them.  I think Auburn being a good football program brings credibility to our conference and our state.  I think it makes our rivalry better.  I think it motivates everyone.  Now....in the past I've dated some obnoxious Auburn fans and I probably would have never written this blog then.  But I think dating Eric has made me look at these things a little differently.  He is respectful, very respectful, of me and the fact that I'm a Bama fan.  He talks shit I'm sure, but not in my presence.  And he's able to give credit to our team when a player does well or a good play is called, etc. 

 

Back to Finebaum (for just one second)   ...I am constantly embarrassed by the idiocy of the callers.  They sound ridiculous.  And from the producer's standpoint...the more ridiculous the better, I think.  But I listen.  I don't know why.  I prefer the Roundtable during the day but in the afternoons (if I'm not too busy) I can't help but listen in...just to see how ridiculous it is.  But I'm embarrassed by how ignorant southerners sound in general on the show.  The vast majority of Alabama and Auburn fans ARE rational people...but they aren't calling Finebaum...they are working their jobs and not sitting around every afternoon glued to the radio.  I think, though, that perhaps the one positive aspect to Finebaum's syndication is the fact that people in other places in the country are seeing (well...hearing) how intense our rivalry with Auburn really is.  I like that.  But I also don't see how Finebaum's show is given any credibility, as a syndicated sports show, by letting semi-drunk, redneck, Bama and Auburn fans carry on and on with no valid point.  Maybe, though, that's the reason it's successful...in a weird, sick kinda way.  I listen...and I'm a rational football fan.  It's like a train wreck I guess and now it's a big syndicated-satellite-radio-party of a train wreck. 

 

Back to Bama and Auburn.  While collecting my thoughts for this blog, I asked Eric this question:  "Would you say you really HATE Alabama?"  He said YES!...then he explained.  He talked about being an Auburn fan as a kid and how he looked at it like good vs. evil..."we are good, they are bad."  But as he got older he became more rational and began to "hate" Alabama for better reasons.  I won't quote him directly but some of his points were centered around these issues:

1) the fact that "back in the day" the rich kids went to bama, they thought they were better and they looked down on Auburn.

2) Auburn is the perpetual underdog to Bama, Bama receives more attention for being the "state school."

3) Bama fans (collectively) tend to be arrogant and think they should win simply because they are Alabama.

4) most Auburn fans actually went to Auburn and most of the Bama fans he knows didn't go to Alabama.

5)  Auburn fans are more like a "family" and the fan base of Bama is not as tightly connected. 

 

I, of course, disagree with alot of these points BUT...I didn't go to Alabama and I wouldn't say I am an avid supporter of the University, other than in the arena of the football program.  You won't find me following Alabama baseball or gymnastics.  Sorry.  I grew up a fan of Alabama football.  I did not want to go to Bama for undergrad and I thank the lord that I went to Montevallo.  For numerous reasons.  I appreciate Montevallo for all the ways it is UNlike Alabama.  It's small, it has a community feel, everyone knows everyone, the focus is on academics, etc.  I can understand Eric's description of the "Auburn family" (from the view of a student) because I can relate to that due to the fact that I feel like part of the "Montevallo family."  I have always felt these things, football "fandom" and education, were mutually exclusive.  I never planned to attend the University of Alabama, don't regret that I didn't, but absolutely LOVE and ADORE it's football program.  Does that make me less of a fan?  Do you think people have a better appreciation for a school's football program if they were a student of that school.  I plan on attending Alabama for my PhD...will I then be a "better" Bama fan?  Who knows.  If someone asked me why I love Alabama football I would say, tradition, pride, the class of the fans...and the fact that we are one of the best college football programs that ever was!  That's enough right!  I'd like to hear from y'all...Bama and Auburns fans, students and non-students...I'd like your opinions.  Do we really NEED to hate each other to make the rivalry what it is?  Can Auburn fans respect and appreciate Bama and vice versa?  Do all Bama fans really look down on Auburn?  Do you have to be a student of a school to really value it?  Can we really come up with valid reasons to hate the other?  When I take a good, hard look at it, I think I would have to admit (as most Bama fans would) that we do think we are better...we do take alot of pride in our "WINNING TRADITION" (Eric hates that phrase)...and you can't argue with the fact that Alabama IS one of the best college football programs in history.  Arrogant?  Maybe! ;)

 

And before this point comes up...I'm not getting soft on Auburn.  I just got to thinking about alot of this because dating such a rational Auburn fan has gotten to me I guess.  He loves Auburn SOOOO much and I respect that...AND he's a respectful fan and there's something to be said about that.  If we hadn't lost to SC I probably would be rooting for the hogs today...I know I would be...BUT I need Auburn to do well (til they play us)...I need freaking LSU to do well...I need SC to do well...I now have to think about the wins and losses of everyone else...much more than if we just bulldozed our way through our schedule like we did last year.  okay enough of that.  comment away!  I bet this stirs up more controversy than my education blog.  ha!

Day 25 is supposed to be "My Day in Detail" and Day 26 is "My Week in Detail"...I decided to just combine the two! 

 

A regular week day for me goes like this....

 

*5:30 the alarm starts going off....I usually get out of bed between 6 and 6:30.  I let Jackson out and feed him then I make breakfast and coffee.  I watch Morning Joe and possibly a DVR'd show from the night before that I didn't get to watch.  I check email, facebook, twitter and my google reader and then I blog if needed.  I do laundry, pack my lunch, pack my gym bag, etc.  I get dressed and head out to the office.   

 

*On mondays and wednesday I have groups so I get prepped for that, gather all my supplies, etc.  I have girls group first, then lunch (which is usually eaten at my desk while doing paperwork) and then I have boys group after lunch.  The afternoons consist of individual sessions and more  paperwork.  Tuesdays and thursdays start off with supervision.  On tuesday mornings I have supervision with my clinical supervisor to discuss cases, brainstorm therapeutic interventions and basically just vent which is always needed.  Alot of times I use this to process all the crap I've listened to over the last week.  After that I have supervision with my administrative supervisor to discuss program issues, staff concerns, etc. This is where I beg for things like more chairs in the group room or more money for group supplies, etc.  After that I eat lunch and then start on individual sessions for the day.  On thursday afternoons I have the legendary Treatment Team meeting which starts around 2 and goes until 4-5.  It's insanely long and tedious, but necessary.  Back when my caseload was somewhat normal, I could reserve fridays for paperwork, treatment plan updates, session notes, etc. But now that I have so many kids I am trying to scramble to make sure everyone has been seen for the week and then squeezing in paperwork if I can.  On most fridays everyone gets their paperwork done and gets to leave a little early, but since we have so many kids in our program now, I've been staying late on fridays which SUCKS. 

 

*After I get my last client seen I close my blinds in my office, change into my gym clothes and head to the gym.  I usually do Step on mondays, run on tuesdays (in or out, depending on weather), off on wednesdays, back to back Step and Pump class on thursdays, and run on fridays.  Saturday and sunday I squeeze in what I can.  There are 2 great classes on sunday that I love to attend when I can make it.  Most notably BodyAttack! 

 

*After my workout I hit up the grocery store if there are any ingredients I'm missing for the dinner I'm cooking.  When I get home I usually come in, drop my gym bag, and immediately start cooking.  I hate eating late and some nights I don't get home til 7 (or later) so I try to get dinner done in under 30 minutes. 

 

*After dinner we usually watch some news or whatever shows we have DVR'd, Eric helps me clean up the kitchen, and then we shower and get ready for bed. 

 

*There usually isn't a spare minute in a normal work day.  I find time to check twitter in between clients or on the treadmill but other than that it's non stop until my head hits the pillow at night.  Once in bed I check twitter one more time, set the alarm and I'm out! 

 

Now....all of this is done on quite a tight schedule.  If one little thing goes wrong or puts me off my routine, it throws me off completely.  That's how workouts get missed, laundry piles up, etc.  I honestly don't see how a woman can hold down a 40 hour a week job, cook a healthy (from scratch) dinner every night, clean, workout regularly, raise kids, etc AND keep a healthy relationship/marriage going all at the same time.  It's impossible to do it all without help.  I think I do a pretty good job but I don't have kids.  Luckily Eric offers to go to the store or do laundry when I need him to but I, honestly, prefer to do those things myself.  Not because he can't, but because I do enjoy it.  I enjoy running a household - maybe I won't say that when I have kids - but right now I like it.  But you'd be surprised how much goes into running a home for just a couple and a dog.  The sheer amount of laundry and cleaning is a part time job in itself.  Grocery shopping and cooking too...I'd have so much extra time if I ate junk like 3/4 of the country ...but I refuse.  I cook from scratch every night.  We usually eat out on saturdays but that's it. 

 

I guess this post wasn't intended to sing the praises of the working woman but jeez, when you look at all we do it does seem like alot.  And this has just been a basic detail of my schedule and routine.  I can't even begin to describe the emotional and mental drain of my job.  The amount of ups and downs I experience in a day is unreal.  I may have a kid come in who is going through a really rough time processing their past trauma and abuse ...I listen to that for an hour then I may have a kid come in who has made progress and is in a great mood and has accomplished some big goal and I have to completely switch gears.  Then I'm feeling all lighthearted and happy from that session then I may have another intense one after that.  Not to mention any fights, restraints, threats of suicide, etc that I may have to deal with during any given day.  It's an absolute roller coaster. 

 

So that's a basic workday and workweek for me.  Saturdays are reserved for football (at the moment), beer, and friends.  Sundays I clean, catch up on laundry and workout.  It's all quite exhausting.  Even when I try to do nothing, I can't.  ha.  So sorry if all that was kinda boring to y'all :)

 

 

I decided I'd sprinkle in the last few entries of the 30 Days of Blogging Challenge that I never finished...

 

Day 24 - Where I Live

Well well well...my goal for this post was to take a walk around my beautiful neighborhood, take pictures with the 50D and put them in this post.  I've been so busy I haven't had time to blog...much less take pics.  Sad.  I know.  So...without the pics I'll describe to the best of my ability...

 

 

I live in a beautiful, historic neighborhood.  I would describe most of the houses as being 1 of 4 styles:

(in order of most common)

1)  bungalow / craftsman

2)  rock / castle / English Tudor look

3)  American Colonial / New England

4)  Spanish / Mediterranean style

 

They are all so beautiful and different and unique.  Some of the bigger ones date back to the early 1900s.  Most, I would say, were built between 1910 and 1940.  Mine was built in 1946.  We have a little village with a market, shops, a couple of restaurants, art galleries, etc.  It's really neat.  One day every month, all the shops and restaurants have specials for a neighborhood appreciation kinda thing.  It's cool!  We also have several parks...the neatest being the "Triangle Park" which sits in the "split" where Clairmont Ave meets Essex Road.  There is a big field to run and play, some picnic tables, swings, and a playground area...even a sandbox.  The park is always packed with kids or couples reading on blankets, or dogs chasing frisbees....it's wonderful. 

 

Yes the houses are alot more expensive than if you bought in the suburbs....but the beauty, convenience, and charm make up for that...at least for me.  I love the hills, tress, beautiful historic architecture, quaint shops, and sidewalks.  I love that I can walk to the market and get groceries.  I love walking to the park and soaking in the day...

 

One of the things I love the most about Forest Park is the holiday season here.  All of the houses and shops are beautifully decorated.  Everything sparkles and glows.  I love driving through at night and seeing all of the tress in the windows.  One of the best things is the annual Christmas Carol Sing in Triangle Park.  The tradition has been going for a LONG time.  For Christmas last year my mom gave me the book The History of Forest Park and it has pictures from the Carol Sing back in the 70s... although I believe it has been going since long before that.  Unfortunately, the book doesn't specify when the tradition started.  Every year someone brings hot apple cider and doughnuts (apparently this is tradition as well...the book said cider and doughnuts have been served since the beginning!).  Everyone gathers around and sings and then.....SANTA ARRIVES!!!!  Santa comes on a fire truck (as in most neighborhoods) and he gets out and mingles with all the kids and takes pictures!  It's really neat!

 

I suppose alot of neighborhoods or communities have traditions and gatherings...but only a few have a backdrop this beautiful.  It is truly breathtaking! 

 

I love how historic it feels here.  I love the old houses and the traditions.  I hope I never leave!