Testing Out Scrapblog

Job Description

I am studying to become a Marriage and Family Therapist. In fact I graduate this June from my Masters program :D Many people I know have no idea what a Marriage and Family Therapist does, and I often find it difficult to describe what I do. I recently came across these FAQ's on Marriage and Family Therapists, and am satisfied with how my job is described.

If you don't read the whole article then perhaps this portion will give you hint of what I've been training to do for the past 3 years of my life:

"Marriage and family therapists treat a wide range of serious clinical problems including: depression, marital problems, anxiety, individual psychological problems, and child-parent problems.

Research indicates that marriage and family therapy is as effective, and in some cases more effective than standard and/or individual treatments for many mental health problems such as: adult schizophrenia, affective (mood) disorders, adult alcoholism and drug abuse, children's conduct disorders, adolescent drug abuse, anorexia in young adult women, childhood autism, chronic physical illness in adults and children, and marital distress and conflict."--The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Email Chain gone blogging

I just got sucked into filling out one of those pass along emails with lots of random info about me. I took the time to do it so I thought I'd copy it onto my blog to make it last longer :) Anyway, most, if not all of my readers probably received this info in an email, but if you didn't here it is, all about me:

1. High heels or boots? both

2 What time did you get up this morning? 9:00

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Alice in Wonderland

4. What is your maiden name? McCombs

5. What is your favorite TV show? Big Love and Chuck

6. What do you usually have for breakfast? coffee, sometimes oatmeal

7. What is your middle name? I don't have one

8. What food do you dislike? hmmm, I like just about everything!

9. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Zee Avi

10. What characteristic do you despise? holier than thou attitudes

11. Favorite Clothing? Dresses

12. Anywhere in the world on vacation? Nice, France; Athens, Greece was pretty amazing I'd love to go back! Anywhere really, I love to travel.

13. Are you an organized person? In some ways yes, in other ways no.

14. Where would you retire to? The Oregon Coast

15. What was your last memorable birthday? 26

16. What are you going to do when you finish this? Go to bed

17. Furthest place you are sending this? Seattle

18. Person you expect to send it back first? Vanessa or Cynthia

19. When is your birthday? October 21st

20. Are you a morning person or a night person? Late morning

21. What is your shoe size? 6

22. Do you own any animals? Garbanzo my dog and Redji my tortoise! BEST PETS (children) EVER!

23. Any news you'd like to share? I'm going to graduate on June 11, 2010 with my MA degree in Counseling Psychology!

24. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? a hairstylist, a lawyer, a politician, a nurse, a vet, a French Person (I still want to be a French Person...although I'm very patriotic and like being American too)

25. What is your favorite flower? Cala Lily

26. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? April 6, and June 11

28. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Black

29. How is the weather right now? chilly but nice

30. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My mom and dad

31. Favorite soft drink? Root Beer

32. Favorite restaurant? B Street and Vine, Lahmacun, Chilis

33. Hair color? Coppery Auburn (for now)

34. What was your favorite toy as a child? I had a doll that really ate food and pooped!

35. Summer or winter. Summer!

36. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

37. Coffee or tea? Coffee

38. Wish you were still young? I am still young

39. Do you want your friends to email you back? Yes

40. When was the last time you cried? Friday

41. What is under your bed? Wrapping paper and picture frames

42. What did you do last night? Watched Robin Hood Men in Tights for the first time ever! hahaha!

43 What are you afraid of? getting attacked while out running by myself

44. Salty or sweet? Sweet

45. Best quality you have? I have a real love for life, and am easily motivated to do stuff.

46. How many years at your current job? 0

47. Favorite Day of the Week? Wednesdays and Saturdays

Now it's your turn! Copy these questions onto your blog and answer them. Then leave me a comment and I'll learn all about you too :D

Cheers!

Je suis juste un peu en retard....Je vous présente ZEE AVI

I'm just a little late in posting about last week's Zee Avi concert I went to with the girls. The night was just perfect! It was one of those nights that I thought to myself, "why don't I live in the city!?!" I seriously want to consider moving there, no matter how unrealistic it would be for us to do that.

So here is what the night was like:

7pm~Suffer through horrendous traffic (thanks to Missy for driving)

8pm~Dinner, French style, at Gamine. I ordered the Onion Soup Gratinée and Warm Goat Cheese Arugula Salad. Both were A-Mazing!

9pm~Arrive at the concert venue! We danced on the second floor watching the pre-show, followed by us flooding to the front to get close to Zee! She was even better than I expected, and hilarious! This girl has so much personality, style, and talent! What a great show!

12am~Kara's cupcakes had a van parked right outside the venue for all the music goers, and it was the perfect ending to the perfect evening. What a good idea too, it makes me want to start a cupcake business (however, I think I'll leave that to Missy and Mabel)

Photos grâce à Missy:

yummy French food

Me-showing off- :/

Missy being lovely as always

The girls~Missy, Laura, Alaina, and Me (I love these girls!)

can you see the stage off in the distance? That was our first view

Our Final view~close up of Zee herself!

I want to start going to more concerts supporting artists like Zee Avi. One of my other favorite's is in town this weekend, but the tickets are SOLD OUT. Boo! If anyone has tickets to go see Tegan and Sara, and needs/wants to give them to someone, give them to me please!

If I was more irresponsible..

If I was more irresponsible with my (Greg's) money, if I never had buyer's remorse, or if I had a PAYING job I would wrecklessly spend all my money here: ModCloth

I would have a new dress for every occasion. I'd go see more foreign films wearing the french cinema dress, and go to work tomorrow in the Miss Issipi Dress in River. I would indulge in vintage looks, and have a new quirky necklace for every outfit (I actually have this necklace :D).

Oh, I wish people would give me money for free so I could be more irresponsible and stylish!

Documented Growth

Garbanzo just turned 1 year old today! I can't believe how much he's grown! We brought him home weighing about 9 lbs, and now he weighs 51 lbs! (pictures are in order from oldest in age to youngest in age)








Happy birthday lovebug!

Follow Up W/ Meaning

Well, I realized just yesterday that My google analytics was showing that I had 0 readers because it had been removed, woops! My bad! Around Christmas time I changed the background of my blog and accidentally removed the html code, so who knows how many readers I've had. BUT I do know that I've had at least 3 readers! Thank you Kristen, Michelle, and Katie for reading my blog and responding!

I noticed the common thread in your responses to what makes your life meaningful is FRIENDS and FAMILY! And I agree! My friends and family make my life so meaningful. They (You) fill my time with laughter, with love, with sincere interactions. I feel like it is the personal connections I make with others that create any sense of spirituality I ever feel.

I always tell Greg that I live a 'charmed life', and I really believe I do. I've been so lucky to do just about EVERYTHING I've ever wanted to do. I've travelled to places I've always wanted to see, I married the man of my dreams, I'm pursuing a career (psychotherapy) based on my interests (and have the added benefit of being invited into people's most intimate parts of their lives even if just for a little while), I have the best dog and family in the world, and I feel like I "have it all"~I pursue my hobbies, I have my health, and I am mastering the arts of being a home maker and a career woman. I mention these because it is these things that I look back on, or forward to, that fill my heart with warmth and meaning.

In short, I think what gives my life meaning is my love for others and an optimistic outlook on life.

One quote I enjoyed from Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning says, "Love goes very far beyond the physical person of the beloved. It finds its deepest meaning in his spiritual being, his inner self." I like that.