Gorbachev & Luck

Friends...I have the amazing abilty to burn my forehead nearly every time I attempt to use a curling iron. I suppose this is why I was born with naturally curly hair...in a gracious attempt to spare me from such injuries/deformities. No matter, sometimes I fight nature and try to have "straight but curly" hair...and end up looking like Mikhail Gorbachev. Yes. Just in time for Thanksgiving...I may have a nice scabby on the middle of my forehead. Past experience has taught me that the longer it burns in the morning, the darker the scab. Today's burning lasted only until about 10 am...so only a moderate scab. While Mikhail's looks to be a birthmark...I feel a special kinship...with this unknown Russian leader. Who knew?

Now. Completely unrelated story (are you surprised?). Yesterday in relief society, we were asked to stand, state our name and one word that describes us...ONE WORD...how in the world?? Many of you are instantly thinking "random," "wiggly,""talkative,"...I'm not sure what you're thinking. But among the many words I considered, "Lucky" stood out. Yes, indeed. Other than the curling iron difficulties, and a few other bumps and bruises, life is pretty good. I chose lucky specificially because I have amazing people in my life, friends and family in both Arizona and Utah who love me and let me know they do. I love this. I am learning important lessons in my life. Some of them are big, some are small. Some hurt...some don't. But all in all...I'm a lucky kid.

I Fought the Law and The Law Won.

There is a thin line between bravery and stupidity. Today I spent a little time on each side of this line. It was Me vs. The State of Arizona (and Officer Krugar...possibly related to Freddy). I knew I was in trouble when he arrived with approximately 182 (okay, fine 6) pages of notes and certificates. I tried to uncrumple my ticket and hearing pages so my table would not look so naked....as his table was looking quite serious. No matter...he went first and used big words and even had something that would become "Exhibit A." At that point I began looking for the trap door button under my desk that would cause my disappearance from the courtroom.To make a long story short (and considerably less painful), the law (and Mr. Krugar) won. I am out $260. For all of you who may feel inclined to mock...don't laugh too hard...my little city court has the money that would have bought your Christmas present.

*This photo may not be an actual photo of Officer Krugar....but it comes close.

7 Things Tag (from Mogeets-slightly modified)

7 things I can do:
1- endure 1 month of boot camp
2- make kids laugh
3- text very quickly
4- sleep in flannel sheets all year long
5- drink a lot of water
6- make friends with all kinds of people
7- beat anyone at tetris

7 things I cannot do:
1- drive a car with a stick shift
2- eat cheesecake (hate it)
3- the splits
4- watch a movie at night without falling asleep
5- run a mile in under 10 minutes. (not yet anyway).
6- eat fish with the skin still on. sick.
7- clean my room without getting very distracted

7 characteristics I love/value in my closest friends:
1- consistency
2- gentleness
3- sense of humor
4- intelligence
5- hugs
6- great laugh
7- easy to be with

7 things I say most often:
1- "Hey, come on back" (to my clients)
2- "What's up?"
3- "What happened?"
4- "Stop it, have you been practicing!??" (when my kiddo clients beat me at a game)
5- "I lived" (when roommates ask me how bootcamp was)
6- "Okay...call me later."
7- "I love you."

7 favorite foods:
1- chocolate milk
2- plums
3- apples
4- sweet potato fries
5- cafe rio salad
6- blue bunny bunny tracks ice cream
7- tinga

7 things I miss about Utah:
1-Sunday nights at home. Grilled cheese...or cookies...pajamas and just good times.
2-Fall. Crunchy leaves and crisp air.
3-My family. Being able to go home on the weekends.
4-The cabin.
5-My friends.
6-The mountains.
7- Running into people you know everywhere you go.

7 things I want to do before I die:
1. Run a marathon.
2. Go skydiving.
3. Be a mom.
4. Ride a unicycle.
5. Have really short hair.
6. Have my own therapy practice.
7. Complete a service mission in a Spanish-speaking country.

I Fought the Law and...(to be continued)...

I am a good person. I am a good person who sometimes gets a ticket. (Or in this case, two). First ticket covered by 4 torturous, yet reforming hours of traffic school which transformed me...yes, into a born-again safe driver, if you will. However, on September-something a tragedy happened and I had another brush with a motocop (Why are they always motocops??? I don't even get full-sized vehicles...). I was given a ticket and today went to court with a wonderful and moving monologue prepared to defend my innocence...or at least assist the judge in deciding that I do not deserve what I was given. Well, to my dismay, said monologue will be tucked away for 4 more weeks because we have to subpoena the motocop to come and defend himself in this case....to be held November 12th. I want you all to know this: I went approximately 10 years with ZERO brushes of the law and have recently had...well...two tickets. (The Ensign incident doesn't count here). I would invite you all to pray for me and my cause. Specifically I invite you to pray at 10am (Arizona time, please) on November 12th. Pray that I will represent good people everywhere who miss a sign and get punished with a $260 ticket (which as it turns out, is the highest fine you can get until you accidently kill a person...or have to go into the courtroom). Pray that there will be justice and mercy (maybe slightly more mercy). Pray that the cop will not show because he's busy moto-bullying others out on the streets of my serene town. I will keep you posted on how your prayers and my time spent googling "How to fight a ticket" work out for my benefit.

Much Love,
Jules

Sore. Jacket. License.

1. Started Boot camp. No, I did not join the army...this is boot camp for women...where 70 crazy souls meet in a parking lot 3 times a week and do ridiculously difficult exercises. I am on day two. I had trouble walking down stairs after day one. I have high hopes that after the first week things will start feeling better. I have been exercising regularly so I didn't think it'd be this bad...but apparently many of my muscles were still sleeping. Now they are all VERY awake.

2. Cute little 6 yr old was freezing in my office the other day. His little legs and arms were splotchy purple and I offered him my denim jacket. He took it and put it on saying "It looks like a jacket from the 80's." My thoughts were: "WHATEVER...denim jackets are back in!" followed by "You're only 6...you weren't even alive in the 90's, let alone the 80's so you don't vote!" and then "Maybe he's right...maybe denim is not in" and then "I don't care, I'll wear it forever." He's a pretty darling kid...so the 80's comment was enough to keep me from loving seeing him all wrapped up in it with long-y sleeves...

3. Work is picking up in both agencies...feeling good about this...OH! OH!! The best news of all, I am officially an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)....which means very little to most of you, but means I spent the last two years jumping through MANY MANY MANY hoops to prove that I am worthy and able to be an independant therapist...free of supervision and...well, more hoops. It cost me about $800 and 2 years of hoop jumping and I'm very happy and proud to be done with that...hooray!

You Don't Say...

I love working with kids. SO much I love working with kids. Quote of the day from a darling 8-yr old girl:

Kiddo: My mom yells at us sometimes. Usually when we bug her when she's watching her Soap Poppers. She watches three: Guiding Light, As the World Turns, and the Young and the Wrestling.

I am very proud I did not laugh out loud...but soap poppers?!? the young and the WRESTLING....how very appropriate! So darling...cute, cute little wonder. Watch out moms...kids are sharing all your little secrets!

Jury Duty

Whelp Friends. Not what I thought. I was grateful to be given the number 5 and taken from the big, hot, stinky room to the little, cold, dark courtroom where 55 potential jurors would be whittled down to 12 to decide the verdict in a 4-day trial involving a young man from a local gang involved in a drive-by shooting. I was not chosen. (I've been told that mental health professionals rarely are). Neither was the guy who said "The way I feel right now, anyone who does these crimes should be FRIED!" (Big surprise he wasn't picked, huh?). It was an interesting day...full of a LOT of waiting, but less waiting for me than the bored jurors-to-be who sat a full 8 hours in the juror assembly room doing nothing. I am, however...grateful for the legal system. And the following paragraph on the superior court website aimed at providing help for distress post-jury service...you will find my favorite sentence in large red font. I'm pretty sure this online counseling was not approved by anyone licensed. However, I may write it down on index cards and start giving it to clients. I recommend printing it out, & taping it to your mirrors. Sounds like a cure-all to me?

"... it may be helpful to be aware of the symptoms if they arise. Some temporary signs of distress following jury duty include: anxiety, sleep or appetite changes, moodiness, physical problems (e.g. headaches, stomach aches, no energy, and the like), second guessing your verdict, feeling guilty, fear, trouble dealing with issues or topics related to the case, a desire to be by yourself, or decreased concentration or memory problems. Symptoms may come and go, but will eventually go away. Remember you are having normal responses to an unusual experience.

To help yourself, it is important to admit any symptoms you may have and deal with any unpleasant reactions."