Couch 95: No title required

I can relate. When I went back to school to be a pharmacy tech last summer, my dad told me that I would never succeed in that field. He told me that there were no jobs in that field and I was wasting money.

Look where I am now. I got a job offer before my externship was even done. And I am now employed (be it part-time for now) and getting a good amount of hours per week. I showed him and proved him wrong. He didn't even congratulate me though. He just told me that it wouldn't last because I would be fired soon due to not being able to perform the job correctly. I know in my head I have proved him wrong on this as well because my pharm manager tells me very often how pleased he is with my work and that I am the fastest learner he has seen yet. Screw you dad.

Don't worry about what other people tell you. Just follow your heart.

I'll be interested to hear when you're ready to tell! I feel the same way about things.... I haven't told anyone except t and you guys that I am starting to want to to back to school to study psychology. I don't know what i'd do with it though if I did. I don't have the patience to be a t, and even my t acknowledged that (lol) when we talked about it a couple weeks ago and she said I could use it in HR or something. Although I have to say, I did get a "sit straight up in bed" kind of moment last night when I realized how much I enjoyed leading our team meeting yesterday, especially the first part where I did a little activity thing, I talked about gratitude and how I've been practicing it, every morning stating things I am grateful for on the way to work but realized that I hadn't been doing it lately, and my thought patterns were reflecting that (I'd been letting the negative stuff win lately and just kinda not trying to let it go, I think in large part due to this) so I told my team that when I passed the guard shack at work I began stating all that I am grateful for and was surprised that I was still talking when I pulled into my parking place, and when I stood up out of my car I swore I could feel the negative crap I'd let cling to me, just drop right off of me. Then I asked each of them to state something they were grateful for. Everyone did. Then I said "Now watch yourself the rest of the day, and see if you don't experience things going even just a little bit better." It set the tone for a really positive and engaged meeting with a lot of participation. I felt last night that there was something about doing that first part, that I felt a twinge of "THIS." I have never felt that feeling before. Interesting.

Ack! It is 6:30 already! I gotta get to work. Have a good day/ night couch!!!

I also meant to say that I think you can do anything you set your mind to, age be damned, and I need to start telling myself that too!!!

Good morning Couch.

If I had a nickel for everytime I've said "cheap, fast or good, pick two" I could afford to have things done fast and good.

And I second or third the notion, JustShakey, that it is NEVER to late to pursue what is meaningful to you. Having just graduated university, I saw so many wonderful, empowered people doing just that, at all ages.

In better news, this week I've gotten a raise, given my notice to a time-sapping university volunteer gig, gotten my yard returned to pre-college shape (Thank goodness!) and gotten to have four sessions in a row. I really, really, found them helpful after working at breakneck speed the last two years. I juggled a 60 hour per week job, a challenging daughter, full time university, part time transitional job, and that university gig. It did have a cost, and I was an anxious mess at the beginning of the week as continued trying to deaccelerate. I was in that awful limbo between jetting through life and that gap where I'd returned to normal cruising speed but my psyche hadn't adjusted to the change yet.

Five hours of therapy later, I'm feeling a lot better anxiety-wise, and more ready to enjoy my commencement next week. Our last session of the week was last night, and I drove to my little town's waterfront on the Puget Sound. It was so serene out there, I found a little glen of tall grasses, flowering, and blooming blackberry bushes. I followed a narrow path through the brambles to a patch of lawn right next to a stony brook, and overlooking the harbor. We really had more of a meditation on nature for a while, and then, for the first time in a long time, I asked her to walk me through a progressive relaxation exercise- I'd been too stressed to do it for a while.

My therapist is so integral to my life. It's just... so good to have a partner in destressing. It does really feel like having Winnicott's therapist/good enough mother. And now, as I accepted her very sweet gift of dresses, I'll always have something to wear to connect me with her caring.

It has been a *good* therapy week.

Oh, I forgot to write this last night...

I tripped over a stool at work last night and landed flat on my stomach. My hands caught be before my head hit the floor. I am okay.

I am the 3rd person to trip over a stool in the past 5 weeks. The first one had to go to the doctor because she was feeling pain. The second one was the pharm manager, he was okay. And now ME.

We are supposed to put the stools in the corner out of the way when we are done with them, but some people leave them out in the middle of the bays. It's tight around the bays, so the stool gets in the way and is hard to see. Thus, people trip.

Of course we had to report it to the store manager, who then said he wants all stools out of the pharmacy. I see his point, but that is still a bad idea. My pharm manager argued that even though they are beign tripped over, they are needed because over half his staff cannot reach the top shelves because they are too short, so taking them out would hurt production. He told the store manager he would stress the importance to the team of putting the stools back when they are finished with them.

My hands were red for a little while yesterday where I caught myself. They are fine today.

The ball of fluff is eating his bone under my desk today. Little by little climbing out of these dark feels, at least I think I am. I feel more functional than I have since Monday. It's been a long week. I'm exhausted. Have T today I'm sure we will just shoot the breeze which will be nice. I just need to feel relaxed and safe for an hour, a bit of recharge if you will.

I'm on the same page with you JS and Mast - never allowed to have my own likes, hobbies, dreams - always had to be someone elses. I wish you the best and give you courage to go for what you want to do JS .

Guess I should get some work done....

On another note, you know you have attachment issues when you read every post on PC wondering if they could be a client of your T... Detective EllahMae at your service....

Our new family member is pretty cute. He and our Scottie are working things out. It's going to be just fine.

Just printed my boarding passes. I'm headed down to see my parents for a week. It's been a LONG time since I've been home. Can't wait.

Lol thats like the definition of freudian!! My dreams are always family holiday dinners - i will have to look more closely at the freudian implications there!

Hankster - I made the recent poll just for you.

Chris - glad the dog is working out. I really would not have pictured you as a little dog person.

Furry family members are good.

I got a brief "thank you" txt from T this afternoon. It made me happy.

Your efforts were not lost on me. I didnt want my response to appear overwhelming.

Eta - i think i need another cup of coffee. I feel like im not firing on all cylinders today.

I got a job offer today. I'm excited and terrified - after being on disability for 5 years this will be a huge change. I feel good about this though.

LOL. I've always had little dogs. Grew up with a dachshund mix. Have had several dachshunds along the way. Largest breed I've ever owned was an English bulldog. Big dogs deserve big spaces, and we just have an average house and yard.

My med large dogs (80lbs) are lazy couch dwellers. I have taken them herding from time to time, I sometime rollerblade with the one who enjoys it, and I do walk them both 4-5 miles every day - but they don't really seem to need much yard room - my yard is a little bigger than normal and they do like to race back and forth when another dog walks past - but other than that they come back in to sleep on my bed. The smaller dogs I have known (especially terriers) are a lot more active than my guys.

Happyr chaos in my kitchen. I am bAsking muffins
And kids and dog keep looking in the oven. They have all gathered aground the bench as i am taking them out soon.

Woah Squirrel! Your dad sounds like a right freakin' ray of sunshine good on you for proving his whiny *** wrong!

I think you'd be kickarse in HR Art. You enjoy training people and you're downright inspirational Or PR even... Or outside sales... Anything that involves talking a company up... Hell, motivational speaking

More supportive interpretive dance for everyone.

i am well pleased with my muffins.

4-5 mile walkies - no wonder theyre on the couch after that! When i was dogsitting my cousins old dog, i took her out for pretty long walks. One time shortly after we returned home, she had her head on my lap, i musta been talking on the phone and said "walk", cuz she whipped her head around and looked at me with an expression that CLEARLY said, "MORE walkies?! Are you INSANE??!!" and plopped her head back down with a thud. It was the best moment of connection

Mine are a little uneven but ive become attached to them (sorry couldnt resist!)

You people make me hungry

OMG hubby just called me out in the backyard to show me something I have never seen the likes of in my entire life. I now know why people think bees are disappearing. Because they are all congregated in a tree in my backyard. I don't think I will sleep a wink tonight. I wonder if we should call someone. Hubby thinks they'll be gone by tomorrow. They just showed up today. Anyone have any ideas what I should do if anything??

Yes, I suggest you revel in this special visit from a very feminine symbol of power and fertility! I would consider it a good omen.

Holy carp!!