When I started the whole “30 Days of Blogging” thing it was my attempt to hold myself to blogging every day.  It didn’t happen.  The 30 days have become more like 60 but here I am, trying to catch up.  Life is so busy sometimes.  Eric and I have been non-stop as usual.  After our trip to NOLA, my best friend gave birth to a beautiful baby girl – Ansley Dean Miller!  You can see pics here!  She’s perfect and Ryan and Lindsay are adjusting well to the new routine!  After that Eric went out of town twice and I’ve been completely wrapped up in football and work!  We went to Tuscaloosa for the Bama/Penn State game.  I was thrilled that Eric went, but the weather sucked and, as most of you know, it wasn’t much of a game.  This weekend we are headed to Auburn for the Auburn/Clemson game.  I am excited to see alot of friends…not so excited about people assuming I’m an Auburn fan.  But hopefully it’ll be a good game.  So that’s a night game…we prolly won’t get home til 2 AM (at least) and then Eric catches a flight to Cleveland for work at 9am.  Yeah…NO SLEEP.  Then he’ll be gone all week 😦  Other than all that stuff, it’s just been the usual…work, gym, cook, clean, bed, repeat.

I have been running alot lately…not on purpose really, but my schedule has been so off that I haven’t been able to make it to many of my classes at the gym.  I have been working later than usual and then rushing home to squeeze in a run before dark.  All the running plus the lack of cross training and rest has gutted my legs.  I logged about 25-30 miles in about a week and a half.  I’m in desperate need of a massage.  I feel the beginnings of shin splints and my hamstrings are tight as hell.  I’m stretching well but it’s just alot of running.  I used to get injuries all the time when I was running this much – that’s why I started mixing in the classes and began doing other stuff.

Anyhoo, moving on…. lots has been on my mind so I’m going to try to share a few tidbits without getting too wordy…

1)  I watched the VMA’s for the first time in years and was absolutely APPALLED.  Maybe it’s because I work with teenagers, but I was disgusted by the monologue, references to drug use, sex, etc.  I know when I was a teenager, adults were always griping about the evils of MTV…I think they were on to something.  Teens and tweens are their target audience…if they weren’t, Justin freaking Bieber wouldn’t have performed!!!  If that’s their target audience, why do we have Chelsea Handler on there talking about…  well if you watched you know how vulgar and disgusting she was.  I saw Will Smith’s son in the audience and I wanted to jump into the TV and put ear muffs on him.  Kids idolize these people, repeat everything they say, dance like them, dress like them, talk like them…want to be just like them.  The message they get from MTV is SEX, SEX, SEX, DRUGS, SEX, SEX, SEX, SEX, SEX…. and things like “everyone does it” “it’s no big deal” “you’re not cool if you don’t”…they promote promiscuity and irresponsibility.  I know it’s NOT just MTV…it’s in magazines and movies and everywhere we look.  But I guess I was just shocked by how blatant and unapologetic it was on sunday night.  Eric looked at me and asked when I became an “old lady”.  Call me an old lady but I guaran-DAMN-tee you that my kids won’t be watching MTV or anything similar…I’ll monitor all TV, video games, movies, etc.  I’ll ask questions and I’ll be involved…   If parents are involved and teach kids the difference between reality and the things they are seeing on MTV, I guess it’s different.  But it’s the kids who don’t have that parental involvement…who grow up on MTV and learn about morals, values and ethics based on what they see there.  It’s like the kids I work with who think they are going to grow up and be a rapper and life is going to be full of clubs, women, Cristal, weed, big houses, pimped out SUV’s, etc….  Have I made my point?  Promise?  Okay I’ll move on!  Sorry for the rant.

2)  I made a really killer Eggplant Parmesan dish the other night…I’m going to post the recipe soon.  You can make it regular or gluten free and vegan!

3)  Sarah Palin, Sharon Angle, Christine O’Donnell and Jan Brewer are IDIOTS.  They give women in politics are horrible name.  I wish I had time to elaborate on this but I don’t right now.  I WILL soon enough.  Trust me.

4)  With the anticipation of fall in the air, I have been craving all things pumpkin.  I got a pound of Fresh Market’s Pumpkin Spice coffee but I’m DYING for all of the fall flavored K Cups to come out.  The stores keep saying it will be soon but I got confirmation that it won’t be until the first week of october.  That is not soon enough.  I found the pumpkin spice k cups online so I ordered them…they should be here in a few days.  CAN NOT WAIT!

5)  I finally registered for the NCE (National Counselor Examination).  I’m taking it on October 14th.  For those of you that don’t know, passing the NCE will allow me to go out on my own, perhaps in private practice, without having to work under another licensed therapist.  I will finally get those beautiful letters behind my name… LPC… Licensed Professional Counselor!  Ahhhh.  After graduating with your masters in counseling you have to do 3 things to get your LPC 1)practice for 3,000 hours under a state license board approved supervisor, 2)pass the NCE and 3)get lots and lots of CEU’s (continuing education units).  When I first graduated it seemed like all of that would take FOREVER and I would never complete those 3,000 hours.  But it has literally FLOWN by.  And thank GOD they make you do all of that…I have learned SO much.  I would never have been ready without the experiences I’ve gained in these 3+ years.  I’m also so grateful that I learned to value non-profit, “in the trenches,” work.  That was really pushed hard in my masters program.  I didn’t understand it then, but I do now.

6) Can someone, perhaps a teacher or parent of a teen, help me out with this one…

WHAT is up with the rubber bands around the bottom of the pants?  The kids say it’s to show off your shoes but it looks so STUPID.

WHY in the heck is everyone obsessed with Niki Minaj?  Where did she come from?  Who is she?  and why does everyone think she’s so attractive?

7)  I’m really REALLY excited about the holidays this year…I plan to see lots of family, do lots of cooking, and hang a ridiculous amount of twinkle lights on my house!

8)  I have a new kid in my program that is obsessed with Justin Bieber…she’s been through hell and back in 12 short years and has somehow managed to maintain her innocence and has a very child like quality about her.  Furthermore, a professional adult involved in her case (I wish I could say who but I can’t) told her that it was “inappropriate” for her to like Justin Bieber because “he’s 16 and that would be statutory rape.”  I know…I know.  Every freaking 12 year old in America and beyond is obsessed with Justin Bieber.  It’s no different than me and Joey from NKOTB, or young girls of the 50s and Elvis Presley.  Why say something like that to a 12 year old?  Why try to shame her for being a normal freaking kid?  Anyhoo, I’m going to do my absolute BEST to get her tickets to his concert when he comes to bham…if anyone knows how I could do that please help me!

I suppose that’s enough for today!  I am off to work.  Promise to catch up more tonight!  Peace!