Another Monday

Wow. That week and weekend went fast.

I worked so hard in the yard this weekend that when night fell last night I turned the lights on outside so I could see everything. I spent three hours cleaning the pool filter. I know one might not think that something to be proud of..but it was my first time doing it all on my own and I am very proud. The pool is crystal clear. The grass is perfect and even the front flower beds have a new life.

There is more to do but there has been so much progress made. Sounds like my life. :)

Have a great week.

Easter Monday

We are out of school and work today for Easter Monday. Currently we are enjoying some quiet time at the library.

My son is back home. Things are getting back into our routine. We have soccer practice in a few minutes. Tomorrow is back to school and work.

The visit with my mom was great. I love her more than I can explain. She is a strong, wonderful woman. The idea that she needs me more than I need her right now is overwhelming. I thought I might not be able to be as much support as she needs but I think I did well. We enjoyed the time we were able to spend alone together. We talked about everything.

My son had an enjoyable spring break. He is excited to be going back to school. We are planning for a field trip with his class next month and several out of town weekends before the end of his year.

The training I was scheduled for in Orlando was cancelled so we will be able to do that trip at another time.

It is spring.

Back and Gone Again

I just returned from DC. The training was fabulous. I am anxious to conduct a training and share the information.

I was scheduled to come back on Tuesday; however, the weather did not cooperate. The airport I was flying into was shut down. I stayed an extra night in DC. The next morning I was re-routed into Philadelphia, PA. Because of weather there I missed my connecting flight back home. I had to stay in Philadelphia that night. It could have been enjoyable to see a few sights but the weather was cold and rainy...so I saw a hotel room. The miracle happened yesterday. I thought I was going to have to fly to Chicago then home. I got up at 3:00 AM and got to the airport as early as I could. I got on standby for a direct flight home and I GOT IT! I have never been so happy to get home.

I unpacked, washed some clothes (that really needed washing!) and got enough sleep to get up and pack my suitcase again. Today I am at the office on Good Friday trying to get a few things wrapped up so I can head to my hometown for Easter. This afternoon I will get to spend some time alone with my mom. I really look forward to that.

I also get to see my son. It has been a week since he traveled south to spend his spring break. I know he is having lots of fun but I think it is time for a little mom time now!

Have a GREAT Good Friday and may you be blessed beyond anything you believe possible. This year Easter is more meaningful than ever.

Happy travels.

Group

I attend a group for helping professionals once a month. It is open to anyone in the helping profession that is interested in growth. I have probably let hundreds of people know about it over the past few years. There are very few who attend.

Yesterday the group was fabulous. One of the things that was a focus for us was all the positive things that are occurring, have occurred or CAN occur in our lives. The good stuff. The fun stuff. The Ah-ha stuff.

Oftentimes counselors and therapists offices are for the troubled areas. Of course, they are. Problem solving is what we do. But, isn't it okay to celebrate the victories inside the office, too?

I am in the same body but am not the same person I was when I began my journey. I have had so many motivating moments, struggles, and trials in my life. They have all changed me. I continue to change. That is a celebration to me.

I said out loud that I truly believe there are very few people who live conscious lives. Very few people who are willing to do their work. Very few that even know work is needed. This work is a given for me. I have known since birth that introspection was a part of who I was as a human being. I love everything about it.

Wishing the world could see it.

Heading to DC, again!

I will be in Washington, DC beginning Friday, March 14, 2008. I will have intermittent access to the internet; therefore, please be patient with any responses.

Sincerely

A Note from NAADAC!

Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act, HR 1424, by a 268-148 vote.

Thank you to everyone who has advocated on behalf of this important bill in the past year! Legislative victories like the one last night are only possible because of the dedication and efforts of advocates like you.

Yesterday was the first time that a bill to end insurance discrimination came to the floor of the House of Representatives. HR 1424--sponsored by Representatives Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.) and Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.)--requires health insurance companies to cover substance use disorders and mental illnesses at the same level that they cover other medical conditions. Prohibitive cost and lack of insurance coverage are among the top reasons that people in need of addiction treatment do not receive it.

The next step for this important legislation is a "conference committee" between the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The Senate passed an insurance parity bill (S.558) unanimously in December 2007. The conference committee's role is to find a compromise between the bills from each chamber. Although both the Senate and House versions of legislation aim to increase insurance coverage of addiction and mental illness, the House bill is "stronger" in several ways. For example, HR 1424 requires that out-of-network benefits for addiction match out-of-network benefits for general medical care, and it defines the set of substance use disorders and mental health conditions that insurance companies must cover.

Despite yesterday's victory, our work is not over yet! We must now ensure that the conference committee adopts the strongest possible consumer protections. More information will be circulated on this process as it becomes available. But in the meantime, congratulations for your outstanding advocacy for HR 1424!

Spring Break!

Well, here it is. The second day of my spring break. What that means in my world is no homework. There are no bikini clad beaches in my life, but I rejoice in a week without homework. The psychopharmacology and addictions class is complete. Next week starts the school counseling and multi-cultural issues class.

My son's spring break is fast approaching. We will fly together to deliver him to spend the week with dad. I have an out of state training during that week. I will be trained by NAADAC on Co-occurring disorders. I am anxious about that. Afterward I will meet back up with my son for Easter at my brothers house.

This will be the first Easter that my mom hasn't hosted in more years than I can remember. She will have just finished her second round of chemo. She is doing well with the treatments but the house full of people may be too much for one day.

Many things are changing. That is the way life is.

Spring has been pushed back!

After suffering from a sick household for two or three weeks (first my son then me) we had a fabulous weekend.

I opened the windows Saturday afternoon when I felt my antibiotics had started doing their job. Slowly I cleaned each room of my house, carefully bleaching away any germs! By Sunday we were running around at the park just after day break. I cleaned my closets and put away all winter wear. I even commented that it was getting warm enough to think of swimming.

When I woke up today it was in the 30's. We were under flash flood advisory and the weather reports possible freezing tonight.

Spring has sprung a leak....or a freeze, at least.

Graduate School

Just when I think I cannot take another class......

I am taking the best class I have ever taken--ever! I am taking a pharmacology class right now and I have learned more than I dreamed possible. I have been a chemical dependency counselor 15 years (as of Saturday) and I have learned more about pharmacology than I have ever known.

You never stop learning!

Marianne Williamson Quote

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel unsure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. As we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Tired of Blah

I was home all day yesterday. My boy was sick. I was getting over being sick. Now I am sick again but in a different way. I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. I was overwhelmed by life. I began to think about everything that is not the way I want it right now. How much stress and chaos can one person handle?

Then it hit me. If I am tired of it I have a few options. I can change what I can change and accept the rest or I can be tired and overwhelmed by it for much longer. Hmmmm. Isn't that intersting. So, I have no choice about some of the situations but I have total choice over how I handle them and feel about them. ? Wow. What a concept. I wonder if I have ever heard that before?

Hello coping skills?

Funny Email

Sometimes I get funny ones. This one was it.

This is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph... PC Magazine's 2007 editors' choice for best webmail-award-winning letter....

Dear Mr. Thatcher, I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the Leak Guard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from the curse'? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.' Isn't the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying, jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy! The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants...

Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: 'Have a Happy Period.' Are you fu*ing kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong', or are you just picking on us? Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull sh*t. And that's a promise I will keep. Always.

Best, Wendi Aarons Austin , TX

Valentine's Day

February 14. The day created by hallmark to sell stuff or the day to open your heart to love? Good question.

My mom met with the two doctor's who informed her about chemo yesterday. She will have another scan tomorrow and will meet with more doctor's about the final diagnosis. To say I am scared is an understatement. She is strong. She has been a rock in my life. I am going to respect her privacy and not blog about her much. I just want to say today that my heart is full of love for her.

Today she can be my valentine.

How do rumors get started?

Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you hear or are about to repeat a rumor.

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom.One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance, who ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students...?"

"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Test of Three.""Test of Three?" "That's correct," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student let's take a moment to test what you're going to say.

The first test is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?""No," the man replied, "actually I just heard about it." "All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not.

Now let's try the second test, the test of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?" "No, on the contrary...""So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him even though you're not certain it's true?" The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued, "You may still pass though because there is a third test - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?" "No, not really..."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all?"

The man was defeated and ashamed and said no more.

A Cup of Java

I had lunch with an old friend today. We have so much history. I hadn't seen him in about two years but have talked over that time. He is the kind of person that I can pick up with like we never spent anytime a part.

It was this month 15 years ago when I got into the counseling field. I took a job at a women's prison. He joined the counseling staff at a sister prison soon after. I became friends with him and his two room mates quickly. After I transfered here he came a few months after. We were room mates for a while and I later became room mates with his mom.

We both got married and had kids. He has changed careers and I have changed jobs. But sitting with him today caused us to talk about "old times" and all the people we have crossed paths with over the years. We talked about one of his old room mates that both of us would like to find. We talked about one of my old boyfriends both of us would like to not find. We talked about the dreams we had back then. We talked about how time changes us.

I talked to him on the telephone the night before I decided to be sober. He was there for that rough first year. He was there for some high times and low times.

We talked about my mom being sick. I lived with him when my dad died. He came in when I was on the phone. It was the first time I had cried in front of someone other than my family. He was there for a lot that has gone on in my life.

It is nice to have friends who know your past...not just because you tell them but because they have gone through it with you....that was a good visit. I hope it isn't two more years before I see him.

I am sure Dan Fogelberg could have written a song about our friendship.