I had my first therapy session today. I like the therapist. Don't like therapy. Hope I can actually do the work and make it better. Less about the jackass, more about other stuff. The part that makes me want to hide or shirk thinks it was useless. The rest of me hopes that part doesn't win.

All of me hopes to not cry on my patients today.

Not to speak for her, but erika has also talked about some of the negative effects - particularly the validating stasis - that can occur in support groups.

we were still talking about things that had happened TO us rather than what we were DOING.

Very much this.

That same minister I mentioned above did a talk on how taking the words 'to me' off the end of our accusatory statements would make life so much easier.

I can't believe you did that to me!

becomes

I can't believe you did that!

A subtle distinction, I suppose, but a useful one for making way for something more powerful.

The newest chapter of my book is "what we can't let be okay is what is standing in our way". By NO means excusing bad behavior, but, rather focusing on what value you can get from your experience. Without doing so...kinda makes the suffering a waste...you know?

Happpy Birthday, Beverly!

{{Nora}}

Thanks for sharing that, bonny. You certainly do have perspective and I appreciate it a great deal.

Liv had her hearing checked today (just fine) and then we dropped Owen off at school and voted. She's covered with stickers from "I had my hearing checked" and "I voted." Those poll ladies are always suckers for her.

She was also carrying the wee, red, white and blue donkey Ginger gave Owen so that was especially charming. That thing rides around with us everywhere during election years.

The rest of me hopes that part doesn't win.

Go team this part! it's easy for me to say that it's worth it because I'd be dead now without it. But what I will say is...you don't have to buy into the notion that therapy is, by definition, hard. We really do have the capacity to observe our lives in a constructive way without re-wounding ourselves with memory. May your journey be a rich and frultful one.

Dave Niehaus finally wins the Frick Award! [link]

Aw. I was hoping that Nuxhall would get it.

{{Nora}}

bonny, what everyone else said.

Little Miss Muddy Face: [link]

I just had lunch with Maria, and I can't believe it took us a year to tear ourselves away from our respective desks to do so. Craxy!

Text message exchange...

K-Bug: Ya know what's great? Being home alone.

Me: Awww. Ya gonna vacuumm nekkid?

K-Bug: Too cold for that.

Little Miss Muddy Face:

Good puppy!

I just had lunch with Maria

Lucky!