So much has been going on lately with work, the social calendar, the house, etc. and it seems I can’t keep up.  I know I’m just stressing out…I know that my need for control and perfection make me feel as if everything is OOC right now.  But man do I need a breather.  Abby and I leave for NYC in NINE days and it can’t get here fast enough.  I’ve done a pretty good job of not over booking the trip and filling up the itinerary with a TON of stuff.  Yes it’s New York, yes I should see a show, yes I should do all that touristy stuff but we aren’t going to.  We are going to spend time with Joey, lay on the beach (Joey lives on Long Island) and shop.  The only scheduled thing on the agenda is my hair appointment at the famous Devachan Salon!!!  SO excited.  The trip is really about seeing Joey…NYC is just an added perk.  I was going to try to psycho stalk Rachel Maddow because I’m a huge fan, but I don’t believe I’ll be able to find her.  Not that she’s a super celebrity (rumor has it she rides the subway to the studio everyday) but other than knowing her exact schedule it would be like finding a needle in a haystack.  I supposed I could cause a big stink outside 30 Rock (it worked in past attempts to meet Adam Duritz) but …oooohhhhh that gives me another idea…ADAM.  ADAM.  LIVES.  IN.  NEW.  YORK….  Damn…he’s on tour.  Boo..there will be no celebrity stalking for me on this trip.

Anyhoo…moving on.  Work.  Work has me very stressed out right now.  I won’t go into all that because, well, this blog is wide open and I’ll just leave it at that.  But let me just say that I love doing therapy and if this job has taught me anything it’s just that.  I love doing therapy.  I love being in session.  I’m good at it.  I just wish I got to do more of it and less of some other stuff   I feel like alot of other stuff is on me right now…..I’ve realized it will never be in my future plans to have a supervisory role or administrative role of any sort…I love the work I do with my clients and I hate when that gets overshadowed by other crap.  Frustrated is the word today.  Just frustrated.

What else…OH…I have a sort of movie review. We finally watched Crazy Heart.  What a disappointment.  I’m glad I didn’t waste one of my pre-oscar picks on that one.  I agree that Jeff Bridges performance was powerful but the movie, overall, was horrible.  Here are my reasons:

1) the characters weren’t fully developed.  It builds up as if something is going to be fully revealed or developed and then isn’t.  It seems hokey, too simplistic and unoriginal.

2) There is no depth into the relationship between “Bad” and “Jean”.  The script doesn’t take you to a place that can help you understand why she would even consider a relationship with someone like him.  It seems unrealistic, forced, melodramatic, not believable.

3) Isn’t this the same story we’ve seen a million times…it’s nothing but the Country & Western version of The Wrestler.  Am I right or am I right?

4) More than anything it bored me.  It was too simple, had very little depth, wasn’t original, etc. etc.   I think Jeff Bridges deserved finally getting the Oscar but I don’t think he would have gotten it on the merit of this film alone.  I feel his character was more developed than the others and it was played well…but the rest of the film just fell apart in my opinion.

Moving on.  What else is new…oh the canoe trip!  Lord help me.  I have been canoeing at Limestone every year since I was about 16 or 17 and every single year it is my mission to conquer that damn “rooster tail” rapid.  I’ve had alot of friends get injured pretty bad on that thing over the years but I have come out unscathed.  I guess that’s why I keep tempting fate.  I had a few successful meetings with that rapid and felt I had finally found the trick to beating it.  But this past sunday I learned otherwise…  Eric and Mel decided they would not brave the big bad Rooster Tail this year because, frankly (and I don’t blame them) their hands were more valuable to them then the adrenaline rush of the rapid.  They chose, instead, to hike around it, carrying the canoe …they report this wasn’t an easy task although I’d take it over getting the shit beat out of me by a rock.  I went down the rapid with Meagan instead.  We lost, we flipped, I got stuck under the canoe, pinned up against some rocks with the water rushing 90 to nothing.  It was scary.  I managed to get the canoe off of me somehow but I’m beat up pretty bad.  Bad to the point that I haven’t worked out since saturday…y’all know it’s bad when I voluntarily skip the gym.  Other than the crash the trip was great.  Got to spend some time with good friends and met some new ones too.  Loved our crew this year and can’t wait to do it again.  I have definitely conceded defeat and will not be braving the big bad rooster tail anymore.  I’m hanging up that mission for good. When I was younger I guess I didn’t care how dangerous it was…I’m getting older..and wiser too.  We took the disposable waterproof cameras as usual to document the trip but walmart no longer does 1 hour for 35mm film.  The pics won’t be back til next sat.  I’ll be in NYC so I suppose I’ll get them posted sometime after I get back.

In music news…Eric and I have been taking in some really great shows lately.  Truth & Salvage Co. was phenomenal.  Really talented musicians and great vocals.  Just a good sound overall. Check them out.  Last weekend we finally saw Josh Ritter.  What a killer show!  I had a few faves of his but had no idea how much stuff he had released …and he’s so young.  I love the diversity in his music.  It’s one of the things I love about CC too.  There are acoustic ballads, heavier songs, songs that tell stories, simple ones, complex and deep ones….  And his energy…OMG.  Ritter seems TRULY grateful and humbled to be where he is.  He thanked the audience multiple times and kept saying “No…really…it means SO MUCH to me that you are here.”  He smiled the biggest, happiest smile throughout the whole show.  For someone who really gets intothe person behind the music, I was especially thrilled to have experienced Josh live.  I’m that girl who just can’t get into a band whose members are known to be assholes or drug addicts…or generally mean people.  I like the story behind the band…I like the good guys who work hard and write good music and who TRY not to succumb to the music industry shenanigans.  The ones who keep it pure.  Josh seems like that kinda guy…and he seems really nice too!  Very accessible, grateful and genuine.  And for those of you who’ve heard Adam Duritz is an ass do not even try to argue my point…he’s not an ass…I’ve met him several times!

I guess that’s about it for now.  I’m still bonding with the 50D although I’ve had ZERO time to go shoot anything.  I’ve been waiting for a day to get out to some of my favorite spots but every time that chance has rolled around we’ve had torrential rain and lightening.  I love being busy and having so many great things going on but it’s just been non-stop and I’m seriously exhausted.  And on that note…it’s time to get ready for bed.

Night all…