December 2006 Archives
On Christmas Day I flew out to eventually arrive at my destination of Pinehurst, NC, home to my brother and his family. My hurried layover in Las Vegas afforded me a quick glimpse of The Strip, and right outside of the runway is the big black pyramid hotel complete with Sphinx replica.
After taking off from Vegas I think I had the pleasure of enjoying the Grand Canyon from an altitude of 20-something-thousand-feet. It was amazing! One thing I've learned is that something has to be pretty darn large in order to be seen from this height, which means the Colorado River must be very impressive at ground-level!
Though I had limited visibility because of the airplane window, I still think that I got to see an incredible amount of the canyon—enough to inspire me to see the real thing in person!
The Family
Quality time has been so far spent getting acquainted with Sara, Jonathan, and Rachel. Rachel lugs around a princess-pink rotary phone in which we frequently call celebrities, dignitaries, and the family cat: General Sherman. My brother and sister-in-law have showered me with incredible hospitality! The guest bed is very comfortable and I've got my own bathroom, which means that my visit here is all too comfortable and I am certain to want to return for future visits.General Sherman & Catie
Sherman who is a Siamese, is affectionately called The General as he was named after the famous southern general. Catie is far more spooky and she has so far only stared terrified at me. Sherman slept at my feet the first night and has since duly ignored me, but last night I tried winning his favor with small piece of my steak. My bribe didn't pay off as Sherman reposed elsewhere.Pine Trees Everywhere
I am in the midst of a pine forest and the soil looks like beach sand. The lawns here are red pine needles—very little grass is grown—most of the grass I've seen is on a golf course.Speaking of Golf Courses
Apprently this is one of the biggest golf centers around, with the US Open being held here a couple of years ago. Many elite resorts are to be found, all containing what I think of as southern flair. The resorts are white buildings that have a classic design. The people milling about all have an air of sophistication and tradition about them.Tobacco
We're off today to investigate some local history! Today's adventure is to the north where we'll take in the Duke Homestead, where everything we ever wanted to know about tobacco (but were afraid to ask) will be revealed. I chose this historic site because it is close, isn't closed for the holidays, and is a unique part of North Carolina history. I shall return with photos from this exciting adventure!
From PK's Masterpiece Doilies comes Courtly. She measures 12½" in diameter at the widest point. Made with Valdani size 12 thread, "Dusty Pinks and Blues".
Thank you so much, Tiffany, for being my holiday swap partner this year!
|
I won't be around during the last week of the year to do my year in review for 2006, so I'm doing it now. During the last week of the year I'll be in North Carolina visiting with my brother and his family. I'll finally get to meet my nieces and nephew (which I am very excited about!) and hopefully track down some good barbecue to eat!
Tell me what are the events from 2006 that you'll remember the most? |
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
When I realized that within less than a week I'll be away from Smee, my heart sank and I began to miss my Ami in a fierce kind of way. I think he has sensed with his magic feline ESP that I will be away for awhile and yesterday he pasted himself to me, requiring more love than usual. He has come to sleep on me and he embeds himself into the blankets around my chest. I tell Smee that I wish I could stow him away and he could go with me, but Smee's nerves are on the outside—he wouldn't travel well.
Therefore, I've asked Pooky to keep a log of Smee's suffering. It's a simple daily scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst kind of suffering possible. Smee probably won't reach a rating of 10 because in the evenings, Smee lays on Pooky's lap and he accepts the love from Pooky. But, Pooky won't allow the signature Smee nose licking. Smee is a cleaner and I indulge his need to do a little maintainenance on my nose and ear lobes. (I do hold my breath because he does eat tuna.)
The other beasties will be missed as well, but I am confident that their levels of suffering will not be as great. Theodore Montague has recently taken to coming to my lap for petting, Stash still waits to come to my lap just at the moment I bring out my crocheting, and Little Ming pays her zinging respects in a hurry. Messrs Doo & B don't come to the lap for love—it's not their style, but they do look to me to use my opposable thumbs and open the tuna cans.
Yes, I have to confess I'll miss the beasties slightly more than Pooky. The reason being is that I can call and talk to Pooky. I can ask him if he is suffering, coo at him, and he'll know that I am coming back. I cannot do the same with Smee and the others.
I do hope that Pooky isn't suffocated by having a cat pile of all six of them on the bed when he sleeps. There's a total of 81 pounds of cat to be reckoned with. I wonder what it would sound like if all 6 were to purr loudly at the same time?
The time is drawing nearer for me to start putting into my brain that indeed I will be boarding a plane on Christmas Day (too early almost) and flying out to North Carolina. My dread is the security search since last time I flew I encountered a stark contrast in attitudes about seizing the "contraband"—and the term "medical condition" and "medically necessary" doesn't mean a thing unless I have a doctor's prescription. I haven't gone to my doctor to get a note because the rebel in me thinks the government has gone too far in making people with medical conditions "prove" they are what they say they are. If I carry a bag of ostomy supplies that in itself should be proof and if they need to see my bag I'd be more open to that than having to get my doctor to "write me a note".
The only item in question that I am concerned about is the tube of ostomy paste. It is more than 3 ounces and doesn't come in a travel size. Technically, I could attempt to put on my ostomy wafer without the paste, but most likely it wouldn't seal properly or last as long, but in an emergency it is better than letting my stoma leak.
I could probably get away with not taking my ostomy travel bag with me because I will either change my bag the day before or the day of I am to get on the plane to make sure it is fresh. However, I just know if I don't have my supplies with me that I'll spring a leak. I'd rather not tempt fate like that because she likes mischief and the ill-prepared.
What sucks is that if they deem my ostomy paste contraband they seize it—because of course the set-up is to have you check your bag in first so you can't go back and stuff it inside your luggage. What sense is that? They need to have luggage check-in after you are searched. I hate losing a tube because it is difficult to come by.
No, I don't want to hear how these idiotic measures are making it safer for travellers to fly. The supposed war on terrorism is not doing shit, rather it serves to aid and abate the terrorists as far as I'm concerned. Our own government keeps riling people up and continuing the "terror". It's such an unhealthy way to deal with the situation. So what do I think is the best way to counter terrorism? Simple: don't be afraid; don't live in fear.
Recently KnicKnac asked me some questions that I think would be a good post topic so I shall answer those questions now. She wanted to know how do I keep from laughing out loud, or from slapping someone to their senses?
I should explain that in my graduate program we are trained to be authentic and genuine, which means if we feel an emotion like laughter we shouldn't stiffle it unless it would be non-therapeutic or inappropriate. Now, in working with kids they love to put on performances, show-off, be silly, act goofy, etc. Indeed, I do smile, smirk, laugh, and chuckle at my clients' cute antics. If I were to be stiff as a board they would sense that and pick up on the fact that I am holding back. It's good for me to be natural as possible and not to be a sour-puss.
One way to engage people/kids is through humor, so I try to use it to help lighten the mood. Laughter is also a good way to ease tension, anger, and is "therapeutic".
There are some situations that come to mind that would reflect on the "art" of therapy. Example is a client shares a really emotionally intense experience that normally humor wouldn't be apropos. Yet, for someone reason something tickle's my funny bone. I have to decide whether or not sharing my humor would benefit the client—be a therapeutic intervention.
As for wanting to slap a client to get them to come to their senses—I'm sure that feeling will well up inside of me. In that instance if I was sensing that I was feeling that way I would share with my client not that I felt like slapping them silly, but rather I'd express it as, "I'm feeling some frustration about _____ and I'm curious/wondering if you might feel frustrated about _____ as well?" Then I'd de-brief with my supervisor or colleague and share with them that I feel like slapping the client silly, because it would mean that I am triggered by something and need to talk it out so I don't transfer onto my client my issues that I have.
The closest I've come to feeling like wanting to slap someone silly was the parent of a client I had. I was peeved by some feedback about that case, and I worked out what was really angering me about that parent. My anger stemmed from my own FOO issues that I have with my mom. If I had continued to work with this client that would have been a challenge I would have had to deal with.
I received my first package from my SP9 Secret Pal. My jaw dropped in awe when I unwrapped the 5 balls of blue Olympus size 40 thread. I had almost bought some blue Olympus thread just days before! It is just what I was needing because I don't have any blue colors and I want to make a blue doily.
I'm also thinking I will have to find a pattern that uses a 4.00mm hook because I want to try the wooden hook she sent to me. It feels so nice and light. Now, I do love my Clover Soft Touch hooks, but they do feel heavy after awhile.
Not photographed is the package of black licorice. I'm going to have to be careful how much I eat—recently started watching my calorie intake. I'm sure a few sticks won't hurt me. ;-)
Thank you so much Secret Pal! You somehow knew just what would make my day!
Yesterday was the wind storm of the year! It took me an extra 45 minutes to commute home and I got to see some pretty blue lightning flash. It's weird to drive along the interstate and see sections of the city I'm driving through be totally black due to power outtages.
When I got home I was zonked and we had power up until about 8:00 pm. We had just sat down to dinner and started eating when the lights were flickering so I lit the oil lamps. Once we finished eating, as if on cue, the lights went out. Then we decided to go to bed, although it was only 9 o'clock because I was tired and it was very dark (even with the oil lamps).
Then the lights went back on around 10 o'clock, but we didn't get back up since it was too comfortable in bed and we had been joined by some cats by then. The wind did blow hard and the rattling windows kept waking me up from time to time.
I'll be venturing out today to run errands, so I'll see what kind of damage has happened within the community.
Update
The kitties were pretty oblivious to the storm. When the lights went out they seemed to wonder why their hairless apes were stumbling around. To them the lighting was adequate!
When I went into town nothing seemed out of place, but Pooky had stories about people snapping up generators at Home Depot within hours. Just outside of our area the town of Pe Ell (pronounced like the letters "p" and "l") had all of its power poles and telephones lines knocked down so there are many people without electricity. We are some of the luckiest people in the state with our power being off briefly.
|
|
This week's list is about Shrones. You may wonder just what a Shrone is, and why are they Unknowable? In case you haven't found The Hall of Shrones listed all inducted Shrones, or read the What is a Shrone page, take the time to do so. Then come back and read what the 13 salient characteristics of a Shrone are for them to make more sense.
Think you have what it takes to be a Shrone? Then consider nominating yourself for Shronedom! |
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
This is Aurora from Doilies With Charm by Patricia Kristoffersen. I wanted to make a 4 colored doily since I had managed to make a three color. This pattern seemed like the right one to test out my talents.
Now that it is done, I'm thinking that I unknowingly picked an appropriate color-scheme. Aurora means "dawn" and in the morning the colors are reds and pinks. The doily looks a little like a sunburst, I think.
The colors are from Coats and Clark Opera thread in size 20. Sage green, tapestry rose (the red) and antique rose are the colors. The biege is size 20 DMC Cebelia. The doily measures about 14 inches in diameter.
Pooky took Little Ming into the vet this morning for her spaying, and the vet gave her a quick exam. The vet says that Little Ming is about 5 months old! Which I find hard to believe because she is so tiny! The vet is basing this age claim on her teeth. Her baby teeth have come out and she's getting her adult teeth.
Which means she's going to be a small cat compared to the boys, but since she is now getting tuna (which is like a feline steroid) she may grow a little larger. One thing that a cat needs to grow is good nutrition. She won't suffer for a good meal here as I buy the expensive kibble at the pet store and make sure the food dishes are refilled every other day.
At the vet she'll be giving the full service. She'll get her shots, spayed, and will be micro-chipped to let it be known she belongs to someone. I wonder a little about her previous home, if the original owners were ever looking for her?
Now that she is at the vet's, the boys don't know what to do with themselves, so they are all laying on the floor staring blankly. Little Ming would zoom around and get them to move and play. There was almost a mutiny this morning because we had to remove all food and water for preparation for Little Ming's surgery. It was scary to wake-up to 6 hungry, demanding cats all looking sinister at us!
She is Queen
After searching for kitten's original owners and not receiving any phone calls, we have decided that the little seedling will be ours. Of course this means she needs a name, thus, I have decided that she'll be Miss Chatelaine Ming, or since Pooky said that he'll never remember "chatelaine" she'll simply be called Ming.Since she is ruler of the house, Miss Chatelaine really fits her personality. I've always wanted to name a cat Ming, thinking it would be a great name for a Siamese cat. Well, though she isn't Siamese, Ming seems to fit her.
Tomorrow Little Ming goes in to be spayed. She'll be micro-chipped and sexual organs clipped. I have a feeling that the boys will be looking for her. When Pooky took her over to the vet's briefly to see if she was chipped, Stash and Teddy were looking for her.
All cats now are getting along famously. There are moments of rough playing, but Little Ming holds her own. I caught her and Smee snuggly sleeping together upstairs. Smee cleans her and is definitely taking on the role of big brother. I'm proud of Smee!
I've uploaded more pictures of Miss Ming at her own photo album. There's a picture or two of Stash, too!
Yesterday I had a good supervision session with my supervisor. I have two clients now who seem motivated to return to sessions, which means I can start practicing my skills and natural talents of being a therapist.
One thing I learned is that I am too quick to find a solution or pose solutions without first doing the groundwork for clearly defining the problem. I only think and assume I know what is really the problem and I need to improve on my interviewing skills to make sure that the client is explicit about what is the problem they want solved. I need to slow down and not try to give the solution or possible solutions within the first meeting.
Next, I learned that it is an asset and a strength if a child can form relationships with adults easily and freely, and that I don't always need to see a particular behavior in order to treat that behavior. I should also be more cautious about allowing certain behaviors to play out in a session because some can escalate and get out of hand. I must remember I am the director and in charge of the session.
I think I am slowly becoming aware that I need to ask what I consider to be second level questions that go a little deeper or peel back the next layer of the onion. My thinking is stuck pretty much in the superficial realm of what is readily apparent and obvious.
One thing I am trying to answer within myself is why I feel hesitant and reluctant to probe deeper and ask those second, third, and fourth level questions? I know somewhere in my "growing up" that my natural inclination to probe and go deeper was purposefully shut off by myself—and I think I shut off this natural probing because of negative reactions and responses I'd receive from people.
In order to socially get a long better I learned to ditch my way of being for a more superficial, non-information seeking way of being with other people. I became deliberately more reserved in order to be liked and make friends. People don't like someone jumping into the deeper levels and prefer superficial interactions, so I complied with this observation of mine. I don't think I've lost my ability to be "deep and serious"—I've just missed placed it somewhere. (It's probably hiding under the bed.)
My supervisor assures me that my role as a therapist is to be "professionally nosy" and to ask questions that I normally wouldn't ask in conversation (which once upon a time I would ask and it would get me into "trouble"). I've also got to work on asking my questions in a non-judgmental type of way, and for me the phrasing is also a very hard part because I know that I have a way of asking questions in such a way that I sound judgmental or perturbed—and I am, but not in a way that is judging the person. What I am dealing with internally is a sense of wanting to understand better, but I am confused or something isn't clicking in my head, so I get perturbed and frustrated. I then come across as sounding annoyed and rude.
The good news is that I have completed 4 out of my 150 client contact hours! Today I see my two clients again so that should bump me up to 6 hours total. I'm sure in a month or so that my case load will increase and I'll be getting in more hours.
There's quite a bit to think about when having a session, and one of the processes of being a good therapist is making mistakes. Mistakes become things you talk about with clients and it's a constant correcting course and making repairs along the way. Sometimes I may do things right or do them well, which hopefully happens often enough to help my client.
One thing I am proud of with my last two sessions is that with both I was able to crack a few jokes and connect with both with humor. That is one of my strengths in my ability to connect with people, but it can also fall flat since my humor is often off beat. I am looking forward to today's sessions. Through one hour at a time, I will become a therapist.
Last night Kitten made her way onto the bed and slept next to me for most of the night. This caused Smee to not join me and I was upset about that because I miss my Ecru Wonder coming to hatch my head. Kitten knew exactly how to snuggle up to me and give a loud, alluring purr. She may not appreciate the boys, but she does know how to charm humans!
This morning she wasted no time racing downstairs with the usual parade of stampeding cats going to the Tuna Plate. She created a stir when she sidled up to the plate to eat her share. Mr. Doo, Mr. B, and Stash all growled in alarm at her audacity to eat from the plate, but she growled right back! She stood her ground and the boys left the plate allowing her to eat until she almost finished off all that remained.
Today she has tried to warm up to the boys, but her previous hissing and growling behaviors has made the boys afraid of her. It's a slow and cautious testing between both Kitten and Boys to see if an agreement will be made about being friendly to each other. She wants to play and be loving now, and this confuses the boys. I'm sure eventually it will be figured out that she is a frisky kitten that wants to join in, and she won't be bullied.
This doily is called Bewitching and is from PK's Doilies With Charm. I previously was seeking identification of this doily back in October. Thanks to Bigmama8 at Crochetville for finding it for me! I was embarrassed because I own Doilies With Charm, even looked through the book and didn't recognize it as the booklet shows a very out-of-focus view of the doily.
Anyhow, the doily measures 18 inches in diameter and is made with size 12 Valdani thread in the color Deep Waters. The original pattern called for over 800 yards of thread, but I used less than 600.
Lost & Found
I got a call last night at about 5:30 from Pooky saying that a kitten was found in the Home Depot parking lot and could I bring over one of the cat carriers for it? So I went over and there was this kitten who could be the reincarnation of my Matriarch, also known as Majesty, who passed on about a year ago.Kitten has a collar, looks like she belonged to somebody, but how she came to be in the HD parking lot remains unknown. Efforts were made to locate the owner last night, but no one reported a missing kitten. There's Wal-Mart next door to HD, so the kitten could have also wondered over from there. We contacted the local animal shelter to report the kitten and so far no one has reported her missing. We tried to place an ad in the local paper but they are only open on the weekdays, so at the very least it looks like we're providing Kitten with accommodations for the time being.
But let's be real about this. Each day we have her, the chances of her becoming a new edition increase. This morning I said her name should be Griselda since she growls a lot at the other cats making a "grizz"-ing sound.Pooky says not to name her because it means we'll get attached to her. She is fierce and likes to make gutteral noises and isn't afraid to hiss, yet with people she purrs loudly and instantly.
This morning she discovered the Tuna Plate and inhaled the remaining tuna that the boys left. Mr. Doo was displeased at her eating the tuna, but I reassured him that we have two giant stacks of tuna and that he could share a little with her.
It creeps me out how much Kitten looks like my Matriarch. The personality so far is somewhat alike—the Matriarch was loving, but not prone to growling and hissing. I tend to think that Kitten was brought our way because recently Pooky has been having kitten lust and was talking about adopting a kitten. As the saying goes, ask and ye shall receive—kittens that is.
This is the doily Enchanting from PK's Doilies With Charm. It's made using size 20 Opera thread in Wood Violet, Sage, and Touch of Lavender. It measures about 14 inches in diameter.
