I want a “butt”!!!

First and foremost… let me clarify! I’m a huge Finding Nemo fan (INSTANT classic!) so every time I go on a boat I refer to it as “butt.” I’m strange I know. Deal with it. It’s one of my “quirks.” I had a practice professor during graduate school that use to say “everyone has a quirk, it’s when that quirk gets in the way of functioning that you should seek help.” Ah I digress. 

I guess digressing is one of my other quirks. Wait. What was I talking about? (Takes a moment to read back…) Oh yeah! Butts. Nemo. So I love Finding Nemo and (as of today) I love boats (last time I’ll be calling it that). Our friends Ali & Omar (cool peeps!) invited about 15 of us to go out on their boat this weekend (I can’t take credit for this friendship my parents “wooed” them many years ago… I can take credit for the appreciation and love I have developed for them, they are like family).

(Our little “butt” and our captain who is wearing a white shirt. Here we are leaving Mosquito City).

So we went to Elliot Key in the South of Florida waters (Bad Geographer here… wish I could give you more details… BAD DIRECTION GIVER TOO). I gotta tell you I was a bit nervous coming onto this whole “butt” situation. Truthfully I have only been in three other “butts” in the past (two cruises and my cousin’s much larger “butt”… lol. That sounded funny!) 

This little guy (the “butt”) was smaller than my past experiences. Let me tell you something… small = BUMPY in the high seas!!! So our friend (Omar the captain!) says “all the children please sit on the floor of the boat. Adults can sit on the edge.” I gotta say… I’M SOOOOO GLAD I DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF AN ADULT OR I WOULD HAVE FLOWN OFF THAT BOAT SOOOOOOO FAST! (Yes, I’m yelling for dramatic effect!).

(Horrible pic of me… but it kinda shows were I… and the kids were sitting! I also think it shows the fear in my face!)

Long story short we first arrived to this little key (it has a name… I can’t remember it… but if you -the reader- are ever interested in visiting it I can do the research). This place was GORGEOUS. We were sooooooo excited to take pictures and explore… so we dock (look at me using fancy “butt” terms!) and get onto the key… ONLY TO BE EATEN ALIVE BY MOSQUITOES. Seriously I lost count of how many bites I have on my body! Needless to say we left that beautiful key VERY quickly.

After having the scenic tour Omar took us down to Elliott Key. And then I fell in love. It’s a whole different world! Seriously… think of the wedding scene of The Little Mermaid (tell me you’ve watched that… if you haven’t we MUST!). We got there and we anchored (I know… I know… you are SO proud of me for all these terms!). The fun thing about Elliott Key is that you really can’t explore the key (or at least I don’t think you can). It just serves as a reference point, a location… but the waters that surround it are all very shallow… which allows for a very natural beach. WHAT an experience!

We arrived at about 10ish am. By the time we left there were about 500 “butts” filled with families, young and young at heart people, frat (CUTE) boys, and model (pretty) girls. There were babies and even doggies! Everyone was courteous and super excited to be in touch with nature. People were playing volleyball, they were floating, they were flying kites, listening to music and enjoying each OTHER (in some areas the water only reached our ankles!). CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? Why have I not done this every weekend of my life? We even barbecued IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN!!! (Did you know they sell little grills that you can attach to your “butt”?).

(People living LIFE. Having FUN!)

Overall today was an AMAZING DAY. Spending time with my loved ones while making new friends is my idea of a perfect day. Today was a perfect day!

(I LOVED OUR LITTLE FAMILY… AND I LOVED OUR LITTLE TENT!)

Only one problem… I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET MYSELF A “BUTT”… so I can do this every weekend!!!  

Until next time…

Your friendly neighborhood SW!

 Ps. I have a pretty cool tan now too… an added bonus!

3 comments August 15, 2010

“I love you dear Liberty.”

Today’s post is going to stray away from my usual banter about my personal life and my twisted world. Today I am going to tell you about a client. This story makes me smile… sometimes it makes me scared… but it mostly makes me smile.

You see, I have this client, that for the sake of story-telling we will call Bob (names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved). Bob has suffered from a chronic mental illness for the last 20 or so years of his life. Bob is one of the people that I have the pleasure of providing services to on a daily basis. The quirky thing about Bob is the fact that he is eternally and passionately in love with a certain woman.

Bob will do anything to see this woman. He adores her. He admires her. He speaks wonders of her. He dreams about her. He admits to loving her (not something many human beings do… openly…). Bob’s lady, the love of his life is… drumroll please…

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY.

Every day that this client comes to see us he politely asks for a picture of the statue of liberty. At first I (and a few of the other team members) thought this was the oddest thing to ask for… but we simply googled “statue of liberty” and found him an image. Did you know that today there are about 1,800,000 image results for this query? (Yes I checked… what can I say… I was worried we would RUN out of pics!).

What’s really funny is that Bob is very particular about his pictures. If we’ve already given him a picture he will remember and ask us to print him out another one. Some days he wants just face shots… other days he wants full body pictures of his gleaming beauty.

A few of us think it’s the sweetest thing in the world. Some of us (not naming any names Ms. L) even spoil him by giving him TWO or THREE pictures in one day! The weirdest thing about this all is the fact that no matter what kind of day Bob is having things always get better for him once he sees a picture of his lady liberty.

This dude reminds me EVERYDAY of my life (except for weekends… I try not to think about my clients on weekends!) that the simple things in life are what’s important…

I think I’m going to start printing pictures of Clark Kent on a daily basis for myself… who knows… Bob sees Liberty’s green skin as the most beautiful thing in the world… I could get used to the tall, dark and handsome cutie in prescription frames.

Until next time…

Your friendly neighborhood SW!

2 comments August 12, 2010

Ch… ch… ch… Changes…

I think we’ve established that I am a social worker. This is the profession I chose out of love and passion for my field. I chose it because my mentor really said it was an amazing field. I can’t thank her enough for introducing me to this amazing adventure.

Of course, every good has its bad. On a daily basis I am in touch with everyone’s emotions. My days are jam-packed with individual sessions and client interactions that are not only amazingly fulfilling but they are professionally enriching. I can honestly say that the actual “work” that I do is absolutely what I need to be doing. So where is the bad right? The bad comes… in all shapes and sizes… usually those shapes and sizes look a whole lot like humans. Worker humans not client humans!

So here I am completely adoring my job and my clients and there are all of these outside factors making it bitter-sweet to go to work. This week has been especially difficult as more changes are happening. This week we are saying goodbye to amazing friends who are finishing their internships. This week we are opening the doors to new counselors. Then on top of it all we have to deal with personality clashes that overshadow the real meaning behind this week; the real meaning behind the work that we do. All these changes are difficult. I can imagine if they are difficult for me… how difficult are they for our clients?

I’m pretty sure I’ve said before that I don’t like change. There’s a lot of changes this week. Some good, some not so good. So as I sit here and take a deep breath in I can only hope that all these changes turn out for the best. Now more than ever I am absolutely thankful that I have such a solid foundation at home. Being able to come back to a peaceful environment where I feel at ease is what I need this week. Some additional part-time entertainment is bound to help too…

Until next time…

Your friendly neighborhood SW.

1 comment August 9, 2010

The 1/4 life crisis!

So most of you that read this blog know me on a daily basis. Those of you that don’t know me have an idea about all the transitions that I have been going through professionally. Let’s just put it this way… a few months ago I was SUPER happy. I had a great team, we all got along, I looked forward to going to work everyday. Then all of that changed! Due to downsizing, the economy and a few other reasons I was moved to another location. I was lucky to be moved… most of the other people that I really respected and appreciated got laid-off. Needless to say I was heart-broken.

Fast-forward to present time. I work at a much smaller location with a lot of personalities and “unique” people. I am not *as* happy as I was at the other location but little by little I am becoming more and more comfortable in my new space… yet something feels off.

I mean don’t get me wrong… this move has been beneficial in so many ways. I have gained things that I would have NEVER had at the other place. A good example of that was my Fridays. My Fridays since the move have been absolutely AMAZING. Parks, museums, the beach. Unforgettable stuff. For that… I am thankful.

On the other hand… I am noticing that I am changing professionally and personally. I like to label it my quarter-life crisis. I’ve noticed that I want more. I want more of everything. I want to be challenged. I want to enjoy things more. On a personal level that’s all on me. I am actively seeking ways to “entertain” myself. I’d like to think that I am succeeding in that area. I am worried about me and I am liking it.

Now… professionally I am not satisfied. Apart from the fact that my student loans came in (can you say YIKES!), I am having to re-evaluate my life. My loans are as much as one of the two paychecks I get in one month. Sad, right? Then there’s the mortgage, light bill, car payment and all that other fun stuff… (thinking about growing up? DON’T!!!).

SO here are my options so far…

1. Get a better paying job that I will actually LOVE. (I only wish that was available!)

2. Go back to school (for something COMPLETELY different but just as challenging).

3. Stay put and “wait it out” (Comfort is a bad habit to form!).

4. Give up and forget about the world. Plug in my headphones and ignore the phone calls from the loan collectors… (Hey, they can’t garnish my wages if I don’t earn anything… right?)

5. MOVE to another country.

… ok so the last two were joking… (or where they?!?!). All I know is that I am definitely at that moment of “what’s next?”

Why can’t life just be as simple as sitting in the rain and looking at rainbows?

Oh well… for now… I’m going to do what I do best… procrastinate on that whole quarter-life crisis… and just keep smiling!

Until next time!

Your friendly neighborhood SW!

2 comments August 4, 2010

Tag! I’m it!

I was tagged by my buddy Nain over at http://viewfromdownhere-viewfromdownhere.blogspot.com/ and I thought this was a cute questionnaire that would tell you a little bit more about me… so here it goes!

1) Why do you blog?

I have always loved literature, reading, humanities and most importantly writing. I find blogging to be a great release from my everyday stress. When I do it I feel relaxed, when I don’t I crave it. It’s my creative outlet. Just talking about it makes me feel more at ease… I really need to carve out the time to do it more often!

2) What was your favorite age to be and why?

I totally agree with Nain on this one. My bloggie buddy said she misses being a kid and I can totally relate to that. I am an only child and had an AMAZING childhood. I miss the age where I still lived at home with my parents. No responsibilities, no worries, no financial struggles. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life now. I am BLESSED IN SO MANY WAYS… BUT it would be nice to not have to worry about paying the light bill…
3) What’s your favorite sport to play?
Tennis is my favorite sport to play. Now I have to give you FULL DISCLOSURE… I was born without the sporting gene. Whoever put me together in the people-making factory forgot to press the sporty button. I am the girl who gets hit by the ball, who trips over the track, or who scores at the wrong basket… and I don’t even look cute doing it… nope… I look awkward and silly. Having said that… I took tennis lessons as a kid… I stink at it… but I do enjoy playing it.

4) What’s your favorite sport to watch, and who’s your favorite team?
I am the biggest sports watcher you will ever meet. I LOVE watching sports. I don’t discriminate. Basketball, baseball, football, boxing, pretty much anything. I am the girl that paints her face and cheers for the home team. My loyalty usually stays with the home team… but for me it’s not so much about picking a side but seeing the beauty of the game itself. I also LOVE themes… so a sports themed party is super fun… any reason to play hostess… soooo who wants to watch a game at my place?

5) If you could pick your perfect career (and money doesn’t matter/the kids are out of the house) what would it be?
I love what I studied. I am a social worker and a therapist at heart. I have always been interested in feelings, emotions, and being in touch with the very private things that most people struggle with. Lately, work has been a bit of a struggle… but I am not loosing sight of what I truly love… the patients that I serve. Having said that… I would have LOVE to be a singer… the only issue with that is that whoever forgot to give me the sports gene was really slacking that day because they failed to give me the singing gene too! (Hey… in my defense… I CAN dance!)

6) Do you ever feel guilty for blogging?
Sometimes.  I feel guilty for WANTING TO BLOG. There are points in my day when I stop and want to sneak a blog post in… then I realize that I am at work and I can’t… (Most of the time I feel guilty for NOT blogging… It sounds selfish but I really miss it when I don’t do it… it’s my outlet!).

7) What is your favorite holiday?
My favorite holiday is… ok… get ready for this… VALENTINE’S DAY! Could you have guessed that? I’m such a romance dork. I love LOVE. I love the idea of being in love. I love the rush that comes along with seeing the person that you have the hots for (lol… who says that?!). I love the silly and corny heart-shaped candy boxes, the flowers and the teddy bears.

8)  What’s your favorite kind of music?
Music is my favorite kind of music. I do not have a preference. I absolutely love listening to music. There is a good song for every and any moment in our lives. Ever heard a song that feels like it was written for you? It happens to me ALL the time.

9) Do you consider yourself a good driver or bad driver?
Ok… ok… the question is asking if I consider MYSELF a good driver… and my answer is YES. Now….. ask those around me… they may disagree with me. I don’t know WHY but I have been told that I am not the best driver. I think it has to do with my sense of direction… or actually… my LACK of sense of direction. I can get lost in a parking lot… but that’s another story for another day…

10) What’s the farthest away place you have visited?
As a kid I traveled a lot. Farthest place would have to be the Asian continent. I hope to travel more in the future!

OK, so now I’m supposed to tag some of you… How about this? If you feel like answering some of these questions leave your answers in my comments or send me an email… I would LOVE to hear from you! It’s a good way for us to get to know each other! As usual… Thanks for listening!

Until next time…

Your friendly neighborhood SW!

2 comments August 3, 2010

Things I’ve noticed…

Hi!

In my hiatus from blogging I have noticed the following things…

1. I’m not an everyday blogger. (DUH!) I wish I was… but sometimes life and work get in the way. I can’t blog from work… not even on my lunch break… and when I get home I am so exhausted from my hectic days that most of the time I want to curl with a good book or lose myself in some sort of mindless activity!

2. I am all about fairness, justice and equality lately. I am a libra… the scales of justice… I have always fought for what’s just in life… But lately… In more than one occasion I have noticed that I REALLY fight for justice. I’m all about being even… for things to be fair… and you know what? I’M LOVING IT.

3. I’m comfortable in my own skin. I don’t know why… but lately I have been doing a few “daring” things. Two pieces at the pool… walking around au naturel… taking cold water showers… and you know what? It’s been TONS OF FUN.

4.  I’m noticing it’s time to move on. At 25 I feel like I have accomplished a lot. I also am finding myself out that I am at a crossroads in my life. Things NEED to change. I am asking myself questions I haven’t asked myself before. I am considering taking leaps I haven’t taken before. In fact, I am doing things that I have never done before… and I LIKE IT!

5. I like getting older. Nope… I’m not crazy… I’ve just realized that with every new day I am experiencing a new adventure. I wouldn’t change those new adventures. If getting older means living the life I am living… then let’s celebrate every day!

I’ve also noticed… that sometimes it’s kinda fun to do other people’s laundry if what you are getting out of it is an afternoon filled with laughter and fun.

Seriously… sometimes life is just about perspective… Life is all about intense experiences. Life is about laughing things off. Life is about dozing off in the middle of the afternoon. Life is about playing charades and enjoying every minute of it. Life is really just about being GRATEFUL.

Life is only amazing if you surround yourself with amazing people… I’ve made that choice… each and every person in my life is FABULOUS in their own way.

Oops… I’m high on life… and I LIKE IT.

Until next time…

Your friendly neighborhood SW.

1 comment August 1, 2010