Do You Remember.....

... Dancing in September!

Or perhaps just surviving. Well so far I've made it. Today is officially the last day of the month! I've already jam packed my first few days of October with a "Mojitos and Stiletto's" event at Shine sponsored by my pal Hunter of Carolina Nightlife, dropping in on "Bowling for Autism" put on by Charleston School of Law, happy hour on Friday with my favorites ladys (who understands my daily battle!), Firefly Vodka Opening Party at Wadmalaw, and Dockside Fashion Show Charity event with Sarah Maxwell! All of these charities and sip habits will be followed by a bridge run with the lovely Megan- trying to keep our perfect parts looking PERFECT! Yay for October!

But also- Yay for sucking it up and making the best of a normally difficult month. I stated in one of my last posts that last September (2008), I was pleasantly distracted and really didn't have room in my heart to ache. After re-reading my own post I decided I'd actively try and keep busy- even if that meant learning how to knit. Which I haven't figured out yet for the record.

The month started off with a BANG as usual and is slowing down and leaving a more calm mark on my memories. The first two weeks of September were probably the worst two weeks of 2009. Or possibly the last huge chunk of my life. Move over heartbreakers and stupid boys, flat tires, and shrinking bank accounts. Helloooo Legal Trouble!! It's true. Not only was I convinced that I was about to dive into the legal ride of my life (again- move over future divorce if applicable), but I was pretty sure that I was going to need a new profession and obviously lots of tequila and tissues. I truly cannot remember a time where my stress level had elevated to such high areas. Like Austin said "This will Pass." And thankfully, for now, everything has been handled and hopefully DIED. You had better be knocking on wood as you're reading this!

Life turned upside down aside- it wasn't such a bad month, if you don't count the first two weeks. I did lots of exploring and event hopping with Allison and Erica this month! I've even thought of a few projects for at home and to do in the therapy setting! I've also started some research on Fluency Disorders and Selective Mutism! Go Me! I've even been crazy enough to apply for weekend jobs! I'm worried my medical setting therapy/evaluation skills are dying by the minute so I'd like to brush up on it by working!

I did think about those I love and miss but tried to spend those thoughts reflecting on more positive than negative thoughts. I did keep myself occupied during my crisis. I did refrain from crying until it was all over with. And I did blast the song "September" by Earth, Wind, and Fire every chance I got for inspiration.

What? I'm musically motivated!

Thanks to those who held my hand this month. Both literally and figuratively. You all provided me with some pretty strong glue in many forms and it worked! Much Love.

I Hate Bikers.

...And by Bikers I mean Bicyclists. Don't get me wrong- I do enjoy the song "Bicycle" by Queen, although it's not nearly as good as "Fat Bottom Girls" or "Under Pressure." If you know me well enough, or if you've ever driven in the car with me, you'd know that I hate bikers. Share the Road. WHAT? SHARE THE ROAD?!?! Why? If I have to share the road with you, Mr. Bikeman, then why don't you share with me and ride on the SIDE of the road instead of IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE?! I'd like to think my 4 wheeled, 2000-something pound, mode of transportation with an engine would win this power struggle. So why don't you just safely ride on the side of the road and share like your damn t-shirt says? And another thing- It's a SIDEWALK! If I am running or walking on the sidewalk I should not have to jump into the bushes when you speed by. On the Sidewalk. Illegally I might add. That's right. The sign, t-shirt, and bumper stickers say SHARE THE ROAD. Not the flipping sidewalk. That is definitely mine. (Please keep in mind this whole rant pertains to adults and not children.) I don't understand why bikers don't have their OWN lane! That way they can speed along or go for a little joy ride in their own specified area.

Oh wait. You people do have your own area/lane... on the Cooper River Bridge here in Charleston, SC. I also hate bikers on this bridge. Not only do I have to deal with the 17 year olds who drive by and whistle or honk- but I've got to deal with various bikers/bike teams while I'm running. The 17 year olds drive by ONCE. You zoom by in your bike lane and whistle or make some pathetic remark and then come back, and back again! I get to put up with your spandex wearing whistling self multiples of times! You know what's also sweet of you? Yelling at me, in my running lane, to move out of YOUR way because another biker is going to slow. I thought you were sharing the road? Why not share with fellow bikers instead of barking orders at me while I'm going for a jog? I can read your t-shirt: Share the Road. Can't you read my shorts?? KEEP BACK 200 FEET! They're bright red- you can't miss them! By the way Biker's: Where are your Helmets? Do you have some desire to experience TBI first hand? Hmm... 

You know what else I hate? Biking COUPLES. Stab me in the eye. Why... why must couples peddle together? It makes me sick. This could be my I-don't-want-to-be-single self speaking... but I doubt it. So you and your sweetie want to spend some quality time together peddling around the world. Lovely. That counts as quality time together? Zooming down the road not saying anything to one another? Must be Love. I can assure you that when Mr. Right arrives here (he's currently walking here from like Europe or somewhere) he and I will not be biking together. We will most likely be speeding around in some fast car or doing wheelies on my motorcycle. We will especially not be biking side by side in the middle of the stupid road. What is this a love suicide pact? So Ethel and Floyd- please move your lollygagging selves over to the side of the road in a single file fashion so that you do not get seriously injured and sue me over your inability to pay attention to oncoming traffic. It would be greatly appreciated!

Some other options for those that love to bike. How about Mountain Biking? Go share the mountains with billy goats, mountain lions, and of course George W. Bush. I would err on the side of caution and not go during hunting season. I also heard the Tour de France is a good place to bike at. 

To those Pals I have that like to ride their bikes around town- I somewhat apologize if you find this offensive. I also hope you're at least wearing your helmet if you know I'm driving around!

Beep Beep! 

Wake Me up when September ends...

And the Past,

it knocks on your door,

 and throws stones at your window

 at 4 in the morning...

-Anna Nalick

September. Back again so soon? Like clock work I woke up feeling nauseous- somehow before my alarm. Got myself a breakfast soda and fired up my Mac. Sure enough the little screen tells me it's September 1st. I should have known from the feeling in my stomach. After fighting the urge to climb back into bed, I took a cold shower (not by choice), and drove to work. I tried to remind myself that September 2008 turned out well. I was happy for the most part and anytime I felt the ache start to surface- I was pleasantly distracted and pushed it aside. As much as I'd like to- I'm doubtful that I'll pull that off this year.

Given that most of my readers don't know how the last week of August has gone for me- coupled with the fact that I am not able to write/email/blog/transcribe my avalanche of a life at the moment- please know that I'm already feeling like my life is about to fall apart. Forget about the fact that September itself usually tries to drown me in memories. I'd love to be wrong- but it looks like it's going to be a long month. But- Fingers Crossed just in case.

September hurts because I miss those I've loved and lost. September hurts because it seems like the golden month for things to go wrong. September hurts because its always a transition month for me. September just usually hurts. 

Every year I try to actively scam and scheme my way out of aching. I think about my grandparents passing. I think about my Grandma Pat (short for Patricia of course) who I'd visit every Monday while my Mum cleaned her house. I think about all the things we had to get done in one day- like play with her beads, drink coffee with a spoon, eat cookies hidden in the freezer, and use the hokey pokey (this fuzz picking up "vacuum"). Always quite the list of chores. Enough time has passed where I can think of these things and laugh or smile. But it wasn't that long ago that the thought of any of these things would make me think of the picture I drew that I never got to give her. Or my Grandpa, yes we just called him grandpa, who would take me/us for rides in his Cadillac. He'd bring us Easter egg doughnuts from Dunkins. He came to dinner every Saturday bringing "special bread" (scali bread with sesame seeds) and a gallon of ice cream (usually heavenly hash or rocky road). Although I haven't eaten heavenly hash or rocky road ice cream since his last visit, I have made progress. The more inner demons I conquer the less I think about the last time I saw him in the hospital bed dying of cancer, barely recognizable. Thoughts like this only ever lead to a downward spiral of more thoughts. I used to wake up in the middle of the night freaking out about dying and how final I thought it was. I'd then think about how Grandma Pat didn't ever get to see me ride my bike without training wheels, let alone graduate with both my Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. How Grandpa won't be at my wedding whistling through his teeth after the initial shock of me committing to a life long thing wore off. 

When the end of the month rolls around I usually think of Jack. I think about how much of a family member he was and how I still can't believe he's been gone for 4 years. I try and remember the time my Mum hit PJ on the head with an ad from the newspaper and she threatened to call the police. As she ran to get the portable phone, Jack showed up at the door in his police uniform and sure enough- PJ reported my Mum for child abuse. No arrests were made that day.

These things are final. The final memories I'll have with these people. With the inner growing I've done- I do a pretty stand up job of remembering them with a smile instead of a tear. Saying that I miss them doesn't do the feeling justice. But what about those that I miss who are still here? Those that chose for themselves that they didn't want to be a part of my life and memories anymore. I haven't figured out how to fill that void yet. We all make choices and I know it is their choice, not mine, that leaves me wondering how they are, if they miss me like I miss them, and why they left. Just like it's my choice to still wonder and miss. But is missing someone or something a "choice?" I'm not sure. When it comes to explaining the reasons and ways in which I miss someone- a hundred thousand words could not quite explain...

 

In the meantime I'm going to try and reminisce with a smile this month. I know it won't be easy, but in all honesty I wouldn't want it to be easy to miss these people that I love. When I smile I'll think about how everyone thinks it's my best physical feature. How my smile lights up my face and perhaps a room or two. Then I'll think about how my Grammy Pat and I have the same smile. When I laugh and someone says "I could hear you laughing from across the street"- I'll think about how loud my Grandpa laughed and will be reminded that I get that from him. I'll continue to do things for others, just like Jack was always doing for those he loved- Never leaving anyone left behind, always helping those in need whether they knew they needed it or not. And when I think about how happy I am when I'm truly living my life- I'll think about You. Above all- I'll always be thankful for every second, of everyday, that I've shared a memory or part of my life with someone I love.

I long for the day when there's no Goodbyes....

-Pat McGee Band

Please Come to Charleston in the Springtime....

For those of you that are not aware, or if you're completely in denial of my northern upbringing, I am a Massachusetts native. Born and raised just off the Rhode Island border in a little town that no one knew existed. Well, that is until I started roaming the earth. Anyways, while I paraded around in my Masshole skin, I attended the University of Massachusetts- aka Zoomass. I won't welcome you to the Jungle in this blog, but I will introduce you to some ladies with some amazing super glue. While these two particular ladies are not the ONLY Boston girls that I hold in my heart, they are the most recent visitors to my new home in Charleston, SC. 

Meet Suzanne. Also referred to as Questionie. Why? Because she asks a lot of questions. If you've got your new beau on the other line- don't hand her the phone or she'll threaten his life. In most of my cases- it was well deserved. But anyways. I've lost track- but Suzanne has done her fair share of finding the shattered pieces of my heart and trying to glue them together again. She's always the voice of reason, sometimes harsh reasoning, but always reasonable. She is also always kind of sparkly. It's true. Always wearing cute little do-dads. 

Meet Katie. Also referred to as Katie Treat. Why? I'm not entirely sure why but I do know that she is famous for sending me treat mail! It seems every time I've hit my new "low" I land back in Boston. She is always calm and collected in her counseling sessions. The best part is when I "land" back home- it is only a matter of time before I've got a note in my mailbox. She's always good about reminding me that I'm surely not alone in the mess I'm trying to sort out. I even get notes on Valentine's Day saying Cheers to being Single on V-Day! 

     

*                    *                    *

And so I ask: Did they tell you WHY your plane was delayed? I never get on until they give me more information.

Suzanne: KATIE! We were supposed to ask what was wrong with the plane. (to flight attendant)- Excuse Me. Excuse Me!

Aside from almost experiencing their first tornado in the South- they arrived in one piece and off we went to the "K House." First things first- Poe's Tavern on Sullivan's Island and a follow up pitcher or two at Red's Ice House. We weren't at Poe's five minutes before Katie had fallen head over heels with Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka. Can you blame her? 

The next day we roamed around the Angel Oak Tree on Johns Island. Dined at Jim n Nicks BBQ while sipping on $3 Margaritas. We also bounced from Chais, to Moe's, to the Griffin and back to the K House for more Margaritas. I somehow conned the girls into going to the Pirate Museum/Restaurant at the old City Bar. We also took multiple tours of the harbor, downtown, and self guided tours by your favorite Boston turned Charleston Girl! We bounced around the Open Air Market, Historic King Street Shopping, The Farmer's Market and the Battery. 

Katie and Suzanne

My favorite day? Clearly "Katie Meets Sonic," and "My Birthday" night. Slated as a typical "Girls Night Out," we were only fooling ourselves thinking a night out with 6 girls from all over the country would be anything typical. I should have known when I pulled out of the Boulevard Diner in Mt. P that it was going to be a fun night. Prior to take off Katie sings "THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE, MY DREAMS ARE COMING TRUE." Then I pulled into oncoming traffic and plopped us into the suicide lane. I heard a faint gasp and then "As Karen kills us before my dreams come true" from the back of the car. In my defense- if she would have just texted her friends like she was supposed to she wouldn't have known there were cars coming. Anywho- We arrive at Sonic and the girls are euphoric over the girl on roller skates. So much so that they have their camera's ready as the poor girl skates up to deliver the goodies. I pulled the girls back into the car after they begged for autographs and quickly took them to a special spot to eat our treats.

Tell me she doesn't look HORRIFIED

I wanted the girls to see my boat ramp at Remley's Point. This is the place I go with my imaginary boat and practice backing it off the ramp. Ahem, in my Toyota Corolla. I usually then go and sit at the end of the dock and wait for my sanity to return. In typical Suzanne fashion- she makes friends with some local fisherman off the end of the pier and all but gives them the longitude and latitude coordinates of the K House. Thankfully we are used to Suzanne and the Southern Folk are used to friendly people. We then zoomed home and got ready for our Girls Night Out!

After mixing drinks and jamming to a wonderful mix I made- we were on the prowl. We landed at The Rooftop at Vendue Inn and then jumped over to the Pavillion Rooftop where Katie somehow managed to find some dudes from Boston. Typical. But good news- they bought us JagerBombs. Typical? Totally. Ok just one time I promise- jagerbomb-jagerbomb-jagerbomb! Guidos Unite! Down the elevator we go and land at The Brick (a personal fav) where we find Allison and friends! I'm in the midst of sipping my Long Island Iced Tea when the hot guitarist yells "WHERE IS KAREN?!"  Clearly I didn't think he was referring to me. Well that is until all 8 girls we were with started to point to Me. After a small out of body experience I realize they are singing Happy Birthday... to ME! So I go along with it because this isn't the first time I've celebrated my birthday in July (woot woot Erin). At the end of the song the hot guitarist wished me happy birthday... among other unmentionables. Why he didn't ask for my number when he came to hang out with us 10 minutes later is beyond me. RUDE! After all it was my f'ing birthday for crying out loud! Whatev. It was a fabulous time of dancing and singing with the girls.

Happy Birthday to ME!?!!

My favorite part of the whole trip was not to show them how much tequila I consume- but to show them what life is truly like for me. How I get to run the bridge, walk the pier, jump in the ocean, stroll past fancy boutiques, and lay under billion year old oak trees that have Michael Jackson's face poking through the bark. They also got to see WHY I run the bridge so often- my ass would blow up with all the delicious food we have here! (I did bring them places other than Sonic).  The city of Charleston is undeniably beautiful and the history can be mesmerizing with the right tour guide! 

When I dropped Katie and Suzanne off at the airport it was a sad goodbye. They were the first "back home" friends I've had visiting me! It was also scary because Katie told me I made the biggest mistake ever being a great hostess because they are going to come back again! I'm not sure why it was given in such a threatening tone but I'm boarding up my house as we speak! 

So in the meantime- I get to countdown to my next trip to Boston.... how many more days until Thanksgiving?? 

Liar, Liar, Your Pants are on Fire

"I wandered through Fiction to look for the Truth. Buried beneath all the Lies" 

-Goo Goo Dolls 

So- What's the biggest Lie you've ever told? The most earth shattering, heartbreaking, tear you up inside Lie you've ever told? 

A few weeks back I had a bunch of friends over for some drinks and good conversation prior to going out for the night. Somehow the subject of "lies" was brought up and someone asked that same question: What is the BIGGEST Lie you've ever told? Now- I will say this- Hands did not fly up in the air to volunteer! He-who-must-not-be-named volunteered the biggest lie he could think of on the spot. He told a story about a trip to Boy Scout Camp (or something) with a good friend. Along the way there they hooked their Gameboy's up and played against each other. At the end of the trip- they couldn't remember whose Gameboy was whose! One device had clearly been beaten up, the other looked brand new. So this person secretly carved his name in the battery cover of the newer Gameboy. Suddenly, "Hey Dude I just remembered- I carved my name in the battery case of my Gameboy!" 

Funny right? But life altering? Nah. Especially knowing that this person doesn't live a life of criminal behavior and constant deceit of those around him. We all do greedy or selfish things, however, some of us carry those behaviors throughout our lives. 

While I sit here and type this therapeutic piece- I cannot for the life of me think of the worst Lie I've ever told. I doubt it's because my friends and family read my blog. I'm sure there were many times I lied about cleaning my room when I shoved my toys under my bed instead. But, I think for me the biggest "lies" I've told are those things that I haven't told others. Those things I saw that I should have spoken up about. Things I've experienced but never leaked it to another ear. Or even those choices I've made and chose not to tell those whose lives were affected by my choice. Are those lies worse? Those things you don't tell the people you care about because you know it will hurt them? Is that a Lie? I'm not sure. 

Another thing I'm not sure about: Why do people Lie? What is the freaking point? Clearly I'm not talking about "little white lies" here. We've all been in situations where we had to openly confess or come forward with information that we knew would upset those the words fell on. But does it make you a hero to change the truth? Are you doing that person a favor by "shielding" them from this pain? No. People need truth. Why? Because they can't truly cope without it. Because that is what everyone searches their whole life for- Truth. You can't let someone live seconds, minutes, hours of their lives without the truth. It isn't fair. They alter their thoughts and lives based on the lie you've sold them. Then some rainy day down the road they fall face first over the truth that you've tried to protect them from. And for what? For YOU to sleep at night. For you to think you weren't the "bad guy". Or for you to feel the relief that you've gotten away without the person you love seeing the red paint on your hands. 

I work with children. Ages 3-14- sometimes higher. I get to see a good progression of lying. Generally speaking, the younger kids come right out and tattle on themselves. "I punched Johnny because he broke my crayon." Sometimes if you're lucky they'll assign themselves a punishment. Anyways, I digress. You know when they're 3 years old and lying about having gone potty in their pants. You know the truth before you ask the question. Or when they're in 2nd grade and they stole their pals bouncy ball- the smirk is usually a tell tale sign. But how do they progress from the smirk to lying to your face? How does it become such an acceptable thing? What is so acceptable about wronging someone you care about? I guess maybe that's the real question- Do you care enough about them to choose to do the right thing? To avoid temptation? To protect them by NOT wronging them? Or is it just human nature- some innate part of all of us?

Who knows. I do know that it would be much easier if people's pants really caught on fire after they told a big Lie! So if you've lied about where you've been, who you've been with, what you were doing, how long you've been doing it, how you feel, or if you've held back answers to someone's unasked questions- knowing they need to hear the words... I hope you choose to be honest. I hope you choose to tell the truth. Maybe the pain it takes to speak those words will help you to make better decisions in the next round. To avoid hurting those you love by making the right choice the first time. We've only got so many moments in life- we might as well live them the honest way. 

Next Question: What is the nicest thing you've ever done for someone? The most heart filling, ground shaking, mountain moving, life changing thing you've ever done for someone? 

Having trouble? Maybe that should tell us something....

"So live like you mean it. Love 'til you feel it. It's all we need in our lives." 

- "Before it's too Late"  By: Goo Goo Dolls

We're Sleeping in the Streets....

I Wear My Sunglasses At Night

Even though I currently have the summer off- I just love counting down to the weekend! Especially when friends come in from out of town to play with us Charleston Ladies! My friend Allison and I went to Charlotte, NC for the Fourth of July and so it was only fair to host the Charlotte Boys! What were we thinking? I'm still wearing my sunglasses around inside. Well that and because I look wicked cool. Just saying...

The boys started infiltrating Charleston on Friday afternoon and the town was destroyed by Sunday morning. It all started off with a calm dinner at Poe's Tavern on Sullivan's Island with Phil since Allison decided to ditch us for Sean Brock's (of McCrady's Downtown) crab something something at a social event she went to. She later begged us to join her and Erica- and to bring alcohol. She made the right request because we arrived at the Battery with Tequila and Chips with Salsa. Yum. So we sat on the front porch indulging in some margaritas while making fun of Phil and Banks for their accents. Which transformed into Banks freaking out because he thought we voted for Bush. Does he remember we're from Massachusetts? After being entertained by the way they say the letter "W", we rallied the troops and headed downtown! We survived Banks' crazy road skills and hopped around a few places on King Street before landing at Trio for some dancing. I am thankful that I was super sober that night because I wouldn't have been able to recall all the crazy events if I wasn't! 

Hunter and Kate

Gilroy's is the place to go on King Street if you want super greasy pizza at ungodly hours of the night. So we reassembled over some pepperoni pizza and got our head counts before we left downtown. Thank God for girls with Drama because we had PLENTY to watch thanks to Banks supplying us with some girls who claimed they gave a friend of ours their car keys. Which meant they couldn't get home until they found him. So...we took them home with us to get their keys! As my friend Suzanne would say- Oiy. Got there, handed over their stuff (purses/towels etc) and we snuggled on Allison's bed for a few before the K House (My House) group headed back to Mount Perfect. Cue loud banging on the front door. Door is answered. Girls are back demanding their keys, again. Long story short- the keys fell out of a purse down at Folly Beach (approx 20 mins away)  and some bartender at some hotel apparently has them. Awesome. After some problem solving, AAA is called to pop the trunk because there are apparently keys in there. Which means they've just got to play the waiting game for a bit. As the K House group leaves we notice that they are sleeping in the street. Literally. Towels spread out. Snuggled in the street. I don't know what happened after that, but I do know they got back home safely. 

Banks, Myself, Phil

Saturday Morning. Well- we were all supposed to go to the Farmer's Market in Marion Square for Crepes but since we all got to bed at like 4am we vetoed that plan and caught a few more minutes of sleep. We had a beach party planned for the afternoon and so we spent the morning finding ways to bring alcohol to the beach. Mission accomplished. In true beach clique fashion- some ladies lounged in chairs gossiping, some beachy people played bocce ball, and the men did manly things. Like practiced Kiteboarding. I have to admit- it was pretty cool watching the Charlotte boys maneuver their kite around in figure 8's. But we all know what happens when boys play- someone gets hurt. Phil narrowly missed getting his face, legs, neck whatever else, taken off by the kite thanks to the crazy wind we were having. He escaped with a mark across his face that makes him look like the Joker from Batman. I can talk about this because A) he told people I did it, and B) because it is going to go away and I won't feel guilty about putting it in my blog. Well that and when we went swimming I almost drowned- until I stood up. Whose fault was this?! Ahem, exactly. 

Allison, Me, Phil, Erica, Morgan

Anyways- Cue black skies. Party disperses. And guess what? We can't find Hunter or Banks- who have what? Someones keys. Again. So Phil, Sarah, and myself retreat back to Poe's Tavern for some dinner and plan our night while we wait for the boys to answer one of our 50 phone calls. Who gets the first returned phone call? That's right- Sweet Karen. They showed up at Poe's, inhaled some burgers with us, and planned the night to come.

Sarah, Phil, Me, Banks at Poe's Tavern

Saturday Night. I should just call it Tequila Night. I made Margarita's and chili cheese dip at my house and had everyone over. The men played Wii for a while, the girls funneled margaritas, and then we sat around chatting for a bit. Biggest topic of conversation? What was the worst lie you've ever told? Somehow I don't think scratching your name into someone else's Gameboy counts as the worst lie you've told, Banks, but who am I to judge. So I posed the question- what is the nicest thing you've ever done for anyone? Apparently no one in the group does nice things, aside from me of course. The crew headed out to Shem Creek and landed at Infuzions to see the Atlanta Falcons. I didn't see one Falcon but there were a few people that saw my panties after I had tucked my dress into them. Super! Thankfully the hostess open field tackled me and saved me from even more embarrassment. I was more thankful when I arrived at the table to find a tequila martini that was freaking amazing. I did later confess to unknowingly shaking my booty for the waiting room. Moving on, to Red's Ice House! Not typically a late night establishment but they were happy to see us. They were even more happy to serve us tequila shots and Corona's. I blame Phil for telepathically telling me to pour a tequila shot into my Corona. I may or may not have shoved some contraband into Banks' pocket that spawned some heavy confusion. I know for sure we laughed for like 20 minutes before relocating and making friends at the bar. Or enemies since the boys were mad the band was closing up and Red's closes earlier than downtown (since it's not a late night establishment!). I don't remember who- but someone was talking about building a house out of recycled goods I think. Fast Forward. Our DD dropped the K House crew off and when we eventually went to bed- I'm pretty sure I snored myself to sleep. Which never happens. For the record. 

Sunday Morning. I woke up feeling sick. Ate some crackers and drank some Coke. Played with Nova and Murphy for a while. And then went back to bed. We celebrated our survival at the Charleston Cafe which was formally the Bookstore when it was downtown. The Charleston Cafe is amazing. Everyone we take there LOVES it. Can you blame them? Negative. AND there was No Line! That's right! When you sleep until noon you don't have to fight with the church crowd at 9am! We may have needed to have taken up space at our favorite pew but we failed to do so. Oh well. 

I once again failed to take my camera out of my purse. I really need to get better at that! So I've taken it upon myself to steal everyone else's pictures! Compliments to those who are on top of saving memories in picture form. I preserve them in blog form. Oh- You're Welcome! 

Morgan, Kate, Allison, Sarah, and Moi at Trio

Yay for Professional Kudos!

All of the Speech and Language Pathologists I've worked with, studied with, done research with, or collaborated ideas with have been fabulous. I work for a very cool company that prides itself on being better than the best. Perfect fit for me, Right?! This past semester/quarter of work was quite stressful. I've had crazy cases all year long but one case in particular brought out several big guns with lots of ammo. I entered and left each meeting thinking "don't screw up, don't screw up." As a first year therapist I was still learning the ins and outs of the system as well as transferring what I learned in school to my practices. I'm from Massachusetts and worked in the system for 2 years, relocated to Georgia for graduate school and learned their laws, and started my first year of employment in South Carolina. I had a lot of standards, rules, regulations, and criteria to re-learn and I was always worried I was thinking I had the wrong states regulations on my brain. With a lot of help I managed to make it through my first year. This doesn't mean I won't land in court but at least I still have my license for now right!! 

My Moment of Fame on the front page of my companies website!: (Um- I'm Wicked excited about this incase you didn't pick up on it!)

Kudos to Karen Astin and a team of therapists from a school Director in SC:  "I don't think I have ever been prouder of a team than I was today.  You guys did an awesome job on the evaluation.  It was a comprehensive report.  Your presentation "oozed" with knowledge and confidence! Our children are lucky to have all of you.  Keep up the good work."