work vs. play vs. school vs. family vs. home vs...

Me: "I went to Denison University."
Her: "What was your major?"
Me: (wincing just a little) "Religion and Psychology."
Her: "Then how did you get into this field?"
Me: "I started working here right after school."
Her: "Well what do you want to do?"
Me: "I'm not sure, I really enjoy working with this population."
Her: "Well, to do anything more in behavioral health, you'll have to get a master's degree."
Me: "Yeah...(frustration, questioning, thinking about my priorities)... I'm just having a hard time committing to school right now."


Her statement didn't come from a mean or judgmental place, but she really believed (like so many people do) that I needed to continue my formal education to continue happily with my...life? job? who knows...

I guess I get where she is coming from. It's commonly accepted these days (and, more specifically in these professional networks) that to succeed professionally you need to pay someone an exorbitant amount of money and complete lots of busy work on their schedule...er, I mean, it's commonly accepted that continuing education is an important part of professional development. That sounds good.

I haven't figured out my discomfort with this conversation. On one level, I know that there is some interesting and valuable information I would gain from taking more classes related to my job. At the same time, I can't justify racking up more student loans, giving up the little "free time" that I have, and jumping through the hoops that I remember about academia... especially when I have a paying job that I enjoy with the "credentials" I have already "earned."

Whenever I've thought seriously about returning to school for a master's degree in a field I am excited about, I end up feeling like the whole situation is extremely inaccessible. I can't find information, it's the wrong time of the year, the class schedules don't fit with my work schedule...excuses, excuses, right? Maybe. Or maybe I enjoy my job and want to be good at my job, but don't value my professional experience enough to invest so much more time and money into it. If I was working full time and going to school, what else would I be able to do?

My internal struggle over this school issue is compounded by the upcoming holiday weekend and the need to make plans to spend time with out of town family. So many parts to life seem to be mutually exclusive to each other... and while I know that's not really the case (it can't be, right?), it stresses the hell out of me!

How do you know what's important? How do you figure out your priorities? What if your priorities change after you've invested time/money/energy into something? What if you just had dance parties all the time?

GTD with kids?

we're starting to think more seriously about adding children to our family. it's a complicated thing to think about and even more complicated to actually imagine. this weekend we went to the street-fair in yellow springs, worked in the yard, and biked around too-busy streets for most of an afternoon. could we do these things with a kid in tow? would we?

we'd both love to be parents, and would be more than willing to adjust our lifestyle to include things that are kid-friendly... but it seems like everything would change and there are some things that i would like to keep the same.

possible?

comfort (food)

yesterday was awesome. i found myself sitting on the couch at noon drinking my (now rare!) cup of coffee after a run, some saturday morning disney shows, a walk with aldy, and some yard work and thinking "this is the best day ever." at the same time i thought that, i also thought that was so out of my character as of late--to just be totally, blissfully happy with what i was and was not doing? not happening much lately.

we traveled to cincinnati to have a great rib dinner with family. watched the cavs lose, inhaled 60 people's cigarettes at a bar, and slept in a bed that had to have been smaller than a twin. my attitude quickly spiraled downward. upon returning home today, i was faced with the fact that i had to finish my paperwork before 8:00 monday morning, my throat, nose, and back hurt, i was tired, and more than tired i was just grumpy.

it was so hard to find that same bliss i felt yesterday. i feel better about life when i'm getting things done, but i continue to struggle with deciding on what i want to get done. i'll have to figure this out eventually, but until then i will be frequenting noodles & company and getting a big ol' bowl of their macaroni and cheese, followed by a ginormous rice crispy treat. i refuse to look at their website for nutritional information; it's comfort at its finest.

any other (healthier) suggestions for maintaining a positive mental attitude through everyday (non-)events are welcome.

running is easy

Stairmasters are hard. It took me a long time to figure them out, and now that I am confident that I know how to control them, I've decided they're still hard.

It's a good, gym-kind-of-hard. If you need to go work out without moving any distance, this has to be one of the most effective machines for your heart, lungs, and without a doubt your legs and booty. The best part about beginning a workout on the stairmaster is that when you move on to run on the treadmill it is easy as pie. The best part about including the stairmaster in my workout is that I feel like I met a challenge and didn't just "call in" my workout!

And no, I was not paid for my testimonial (but I would be if I could be).

eat pray love

I've been semi-reading this book by Elizabeth Gilbert for the past month. I've enjoyed some of the insights, but so far it's not the kind of book that I can't put down. I really enjoyed this thought about making decisions in life:

"That's the thing about a human life--there's no control group, no way to ever know how any of us would have turned out if any variables had been changed."

While I'm sure I've recognized this sentiment many times, this seems to put it in a new, objective light. You'll never know the perfect answer or what could have happened if things were different. Do something, enjoy it, and move on!

done and done

We bought a new car. A real, new car. Like it had 10 miles on it when we drove it off the lot. I know that we definitely didn't go overboard and just bought a basic economy car (Mazda 3), but, trust me, it's hot! The first day back to work, the car sat in our garage... I was too afraid to drive it and I don't think it even crossed D's mind...? I drove the car today and it felt spectacular. It's extra lumbar support is nursing a slight back injury, I can accelerate at an acceptable pace, and even control the stereo with handy buttons right on the steering wheel! It just feels good and safe. And it was super easy to set the time on the clock---there's actually a "clock" button---imagine that!

It feels really good.

Until I pull up next to an older car, and weird as it is, I feel a twinge of jealousy. I am very happy about having a new car. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a splurge-y purchase, but one that needed to be made and was made responsibly. I even feel proud knowing that we've been working and saving for the past 4 years to afford it, but there is something very respectable and endearing about a car that hangs in there, and an owner that hangs in there with it.

Sappy much? I'll probably get over it when I successfully merge onto the freeway tomorrow without the smell of burning...

the power of positive thinking (and blogging?)

I have driven a 1998 seafoam green Ford Escort since just after my freshman year of college. We've made countless trips between Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati; a long trek to Boston; a few trips north to New York/Canada; and have spent the better part of the last 3 years learning the ins-and-outs of the Greater Columbus interstate (my job would be impossible without my [reliable] car).

I know that my car needs some gentle coaxing to get going in the morning, it takes us a little longer to make that left turn out onto the main drag or accelerate up the onramp (why are the things that are supposed to help you match the speed of freeway traffic uphill???). We have to take it easy and rest for a few seconds between braking and accelerating, but we can't idle too long or we won't go anywhere without restarting to try again. It's true, my car probably should have retired a few years ago, but it's still going strong! (D disagrees with this belief)

I can't stand (and it's probably not safe) to let anyone else drive my car. As my more practical side is getting the better of me and I'm starting to think about getting a new car, I'm happy to remember and be thankful for all the great memories this car has afforded me (there are still remnants of a picture of vin diesel that was taped to the dashboard; the stick on earrings one of my boys gave me because i was cool are still on the console; the ribbon that held the pistachio butterfly made by a friend still hangs from the rear-view mirror), and I'm sad that I never felt the need to give it a name, or... take very good care of it. What a trooper!