A Revelation

Happy New Year everyone! Lets hope 2010 is better for us than 2009 :)

So I've come to a major crossroads in my education path. I have my BA in Psychology and did an internship as a Research Assistant. I had thought of getting my Masters in Forensic Psychology, but right now I don't think that's what I want to pursue. For the second time in my life I've had someone tell me that I should do what tickles me (Not exactly verbatim but close). The first was Joe Vlah at an orientation before my first year at Flagler; the second was Kenneth Glass (he owns an Antiques store in Downtown Stuart). He picked me for an artist. A good guess :) Art and writing I do for fun, to unwind from a stressful day or workout a problem. I couldn't do it as a school choice. I don't think I'd find it enjoyable after awhile, you know? So that of course got me thinking...Do I really want my Masters in Psychology? I don't really want to do therapy or counseling, and I think I know I couldn't work with abused children. I don't want to get into the medical aspects like Psychiatry. I wouldn't feel comfortable in handling people and medications. Being a researcher isn't the most glamorous of fields but it certainly is interesting but I don't want to be stuck inside, in a room with no windows...maybe if I had a window it would be a consideration. I'm not really great with numbers or even science for that matter.

So yeah...I've been thinking that while I find Psychology interesting and what have you. I don't think I would enjoy it in the long-run. So what do I want? I want to wake up everyday (well the majority of most days) and enjoy having to go and do what I do. Something I'm compassionate about. Something that makes me smile so big I could blot out the sun. Something that hopefully I won't be stuck in an office all day for. One word can sum up my passion:

Wolves
It's always been at the back of my mind. I was a wolf on the beach when I was little; digging holes, running around on all my hands and knees, and yes I think even howling while in my leopard print bathing suit. There are wolves everywhere in my room. I even like to howl with my dog...who I'm certain is more wolf than we think.

I don't know exactly what I want to study in the wolf realm but I want to work with them, be their human voice and educate those trying to kill them off. Palin unfortunately I don't believe can be rehabilitated in this effort and I have a more colorful image of how I would like to immerse her in what she's been a part of. Its kind of like an intense form of flooding or exposure therapy...but more violent >.>

Now I just have to concentrate and figure out how to go about this...which means I get do a school search again. Yay. If I thought finding Forensic programs was hard enough, this should make for a fun challenge. I'll be writing about my new endeavors over at Stay in the Woods

Long overdue

It's been a long while since I've been here or on my other blog. I've been crazy busy all over the place since I've been home - was helping take care of my Granddad when he had his bladder surgery, I had minor surgery to remove one of my wisdom teeth, Thanksgiving craziness and now with Christmas up in the air, its about to get even more hectic. Since I'm now on "internship hiatus" with UM, I've been trying to find a job but am quickly becoming discouraged. I wish I was still up in St. Augustine and working at the Market. Then at least I'd have a somewhat financially steady job.
I don't like filling out these applications online because some of them ask for a SSN and of course they make you take a personality test. Those are by far the most tedious area of the whole application. Tomorrow after hitting the gym, I'll probably head down to the old grocery store where I had been working back in high school to see if they're taking applications. Normally I could just walk in and pretty much have my job handed back to me, but since the store was sold and is now under new management, the process has to be started all over again. I've got my fingers crossed! Most likely that will only secure me for a little bit while I keep looking for another and possibly second job.
I'm watching DOG The Bounty Hunter right now...and am slightly considering the possibility of looking into bounty hunting. Its crazy talk right now and I'm in no shape physically to do something like that, but maybe to get me into the exercising mind frame this'll be my "goal" for the next year. ...Well apparently Florida being the odd state that it is doesn't allow bounty hunting freelance or not, so I guess that's out. Phooey; oh well I'll still keep my "goal" to get back in shape.

Happy Belated November

Well it's more than a few days in November and things are cooling down at UMiami. We finally finished the Norway presentation and we have our fingers crossed for a successful reception at the conference. Mike is leaving on Monday and won't be back until the 16th.
Which also means that my physical time at the UMiami is quickly coming to an end. I've really enjoyed my time at the office and will be sad to leave. I've turned in my resume and CV to Mike, who has handed it off to Vivi....so hopefully I might get a position there. I've got my fingers crossed. It also looks like I'll be working on some things for Mike while I'm back at home. For instance, the Social Injustice paper that we started on before working on the Norway stuff.
I've been working more diligently on looking for graduate schools and the GRE. I'm in contact with The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Marymount Univ, Univ of North Dakota, Univ of South Carolina, and Argosy Univ. I still have more on my list that I haven't contacted yet.
Hopefully tonight, Mike will remember to call and give me some further direction while he is gone.

If you were considering drugs before; you won't after this clip

I think I have probably found the most disturbing drug psa videos ever to be created. I'm hesitant to send this over to Mike, but he did tell him to look for stuff he probably wouldn't want to look at.

I have never seen this video prior but apparently its been aired on TV, and I would like to think I watch a fair amount of TV. Of course I think I'd rather the Dell computer commercial where they're singing "Lollipop" instead of this one. And that's saying a lot. I couldn't imagine the looks on peoples faces if he showed this in Norway. I found another psa, this one is a classic.

and,

All for now...back to searching!

A brand new day

And a new outlook on life!


I have moved (upgraded) once again to another (and bigger) office down the hall. Still no window however. But I am sharing my space with another, Marc. Jess is out on maternity leave and had her baby at the beginning of October. Pregnancy is quite the popular trend here in the office. The first office when I arrived (Mike's secretary) was out on maternity leave. She came back and was promptly moved into Vivi's office who was also out on leave (she's coming back today or later in the week), hence the the reason for my third and most likely not my finally move into the current work space.


I'm hoping there isn't something in the water around here. I don't want to catch the Preggo Bug that's floating around. This is not to be confused with the red marinara sauce you can get at the local grocers.

Well, I've just finished editting the the FFT chapter, and with success I might add. 9,757 character with spaces and not including the title and reference pages. I've sent it off to Mike and hopefully that'll be the last I see of it until it gets into publication, because I could really use that check.

November is strolling up and my mom wants me back home with a job until I'm off to graduate school, whenever that is. I can't believe I've been here since August and its already getting close for me to leave. I just wish I could stay here longer because I don't want to go look for a job in the so-called "real world." First off, I think I'm over qualified for work. This is stemming from the fact last year when I was looking for a job and didn't get hired by anyone (well except for Market to Market which was a godsend). Its disheartening when you apply for Winn Dixie and they don't even look twice at you. My father works at WD and I had 4yrs experience working at a IGA grocery store in Stuart. Why not hire me? I'm a proficient bagger, had cashier training (all I would need to learn would be the produce codes and such) and I had worked in multiple departments. But no, I was overlooked. And now not to mention that I have a college degree.

My mom and aunt are also telling me to not intimidate employers...I think that's how they worded it. But I think that is literally impossible. How can they not be intimidated. I have a college degree, so they're thinking well why doesn't she get a job in her field. I can't really get a job in my field until I ship off to graduate school which is going to suck initially but I might be able to hold out for 2yrs. Also, I have a Psychology degree. That's all you have to say and people are freaking out. Like "omg she must be psycho-analyzing me, better watch what I say" kind of schticks. I hate telling people my degree. I roll my eyes and give a fake smile/laugh when ever they say this stuff. So I'm slightly tempted not to put it on an application or resume, but I have to.

I should be proud of my degree. Don't get me wrong, I am very proud of my achievements. I just wish others would break away from the generic assumptions of all psychology majors are psychoanalysts, Freudians, and counselors/therapists. Freud had wonderful theroies for the time, however, they just aren't applicable in today's order of things. Psychology has come a long way since the Freudians Age.

But not to get too off topic. Had a meeting with Mike about the Norway Presentation. It's progression is slow but underway. I'm doing a headline search for the beginning of the presentation. He wants something to make the introduction "pop" instead of using mundane statistics. So I'm going to be search newspapers as well as YouTube to find inspiration.

I'll be sure to post some of the more interesting findings.

Back into the grind

I know I keep saying it but I have yet to take action in "updating this on a more daily basis."

I'm getting back to working again at the office. It's been over a week or so since I've been in. I've been slow getting into the routine again; still recuperating from my St. Auggie trip of getting to stay up late and sleep in even later - a luxury I don't get here.

Right now I'm working on a Norway presentation for early November...which is quickly approaching around the corner. It's mostly a general presentation on state of the science therapy working with adolescents with substance abuse problems and presenting with comorbid psychiatric problems.

I'm also still working on that FFT article. My very very first assingment when I started the internship back in August. It was kind of surreal when I oppened up the document and saw my name on the title page of the article. My name will also be on the Norway presentation. That'll be three projects with my name on it (FFT article, Norway and the Sweden presentations). Right now we have to cut down the article to be under 9800 characters. I have to say that after the first edit back in August, Mike did an awesome job cutting it down. It was originally 45 pages and when I got it last weekend, he had been able to cut it down to 14 pages. I was pretty impressed. Hopefully when I'm finished with this cut it'll get its finally submit...Meaning I'll be all that much closer to getting paid. About $200...which is well needed. I could use it for bills...but I would rather use it for FLaRF, towards a new laptop or put a little aside for a new tattoo. I could split it up 3 (even 4) ways, donating cash toward each one.

Along with my internship, I've picked up a little side work with my aunt (not getting paid of course, but its all good as it'll help hone my filing skills). I'm just going to be alphabetizing some files and copying documents in order to file.

Until later.

Highlight of the work day

On the drive home from work yesterday, Mike and I saw a man dressed in a hospital gown with his IV pole down outside the Wendy's. It's 3 blocks from Jackson Hospital. And he had about 8 police officers standing around him.

Just another awesome day in Miami.