"Welcome to the Kitty Hospice!"

My mom and I frequently joke about our home being a "kitty hospice," because the house is full of cats who require medical attention. At one point my mom said "cats come here to die." That's not a very accurate statement...if that were true we wouldn't still have all of them around! The truth is, we take such devoted care of our sick pets that they've all ended up living way past their life expectancy! Cats come here to stay alive, man!!

Take Buddy for example. My homely but affectionate baby boy has been living with diabetes for nearly 8 years!! When he was first diagnosed (my junior hear of high school), the vet said we'd be lucky if he lived another 3 years. Since then he's had most of his teeth removed and a few scary blood-sugar spells, but he still has full mobility and his eyesight!

He doesn't even notice the insulin-filled syringe I stick in his neck every morning (the trick: do it during breakfast!).

Jacob has a benign tumor in his abdomen, discovered in late 2008. Because he is so old (17 years!), surgery to remove it is out of the question. He gets a (crushed) steroid with his breakfast every morning, which on most days he chomps like a champ!

Thankfully, the tumor's development has been stunted! Not halted, as it has grown slightly, but for the most part Jacob still seems comfortable.

Giving kisses!

Once the 'roids kick in I can't resist teasing him about his "roid rage" behavior, because he gets so wound up (especially about dinner!). He sits by his food bowl and yells at me every time I walk by...

Spitter, on the other hand, doesn't require any medication- she's just fat!! I have her on a diet, but my kitty-girl eats everything! She loves butter, eggs, cheese...and guacamole (isn't that bizarre?!). She will even lead me to "her breakfast spot" each morning, because she knows exactly where to go! It's hilarious!!

 

     

The whole "kitty hospice" notion came to fruition when we learned that Zuma is in the early stages of renal failure. So far her only "treatment" is staying hydrated, a pretty easy prescription to keep filled!

The other night the subject of animal adoption came up (following that sad Sarah McLachlan ASPCA commmercial). This is how the conversation went, pretty much verbatim:

ROSS'S FRIEND: "There are so many animals that need adoption. It's crazy."
ME: *nods sympathetically*

ROSS: *looks from me to his friend* "Don't say that, don't give her any ideas!"
ME: "Don't worry, I don't think we could fit any more animals in this house anyway." (what I was really thinking was, With our luck, another cat would bring yet another medical issue. The cats we have now already run the medical gamut, I don't think I could handle another one!)

Even the craziest cat ladies have their limits!!!

Life: A lesson in...well, life!

Earlier this week I babysat my 7 year old cousin, Tia. When I got to her house she had just come home from school, and she wanted to go to the park instead of do her homework. This is the (condensed) conversation that ensued:

ME: "Let's hurry up and get your homework done."
TIA: *scowls at me and crosses her arms defiantly* "But I want to go to the park."
ME: "The park is a reward, Tia. You have to do something to earn it, like do your homework."
TIA: "But I don't WANT to do it right now!"
ME: "I'm sorry you don't want to do your homework, but sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do. It's called 'making compromises,' and it's part of life. Grown ups don't want to go to work every day, but we have to make money. You have to do your homework. It's not a choice. I'm sorry you don't like it."
TIA: "But the homework is harder than you think! It's nouns."
ME: "Well let me look at it, and I'll help you. I majored in English, I know nouns! Do you remember what nouns are?"
TIA: "Person, place, thing, or animal."
ME: "This will not take long at all. Let's just get it done, then we can go to the park."
TIA: "But if we wait too long, it will be too dark!"
ME: "Let's compromise. This homework has two parts. Let's do the first half, then we'll go to the park. When we come back, you will finish the rest."
TIA: *nods her head 'yes', then begrudgingly sits down at the table.*

For those of you who are thinking that my compromise turned me into a sucker, you are wrong! Tia is a very smart little girl, and she is actually very good about getting her homework done. I could tell that her "meltdown" mostly had to do with needing a break, since she had just come home from school.
Just how smart is Tia? See for yourself, in an exchange she later had with a family who was also at the park playing:

LITTLE GIRL: *Pointing to the school across the street, which also happens to be Tia's* "That's my school, I'm in kindergarten next year."
LITTLE GIRL'S MOM: "No, honey, you'll be in preschool next year. You're only three. You're a little kid."
LITTLE GIRL: "Well, soon I will be a big kid."
TIA: "I'm a big kid. And you know what?"
LITTLE GIRL'S MOM: "What?"
TIA: "When you're big you have to do things you don't want to."
ME: *Mouth falls open with shock and pride*
LITTLE GIRL'S MOM: "Yes, that's certainly the truth!"

We left the park an hour later. After we had rested for a bit Tia led the way to the table, and we had the rest of her homework done in about 5 minutes!!

Rewards come in all forms, whether it's something tangible (like a trip to the park) or simply felt (like recognizing that you've been heard and heeded).
Tia and I both learned something important that day: in every Situation there is a Lesson to be learned...

whether we want to hear about it or not!!!*

*Yes, I'm also referring to myself... I would have preferred that Tia listen to me the first time around instead of argue, even at the expense of forfeiting the day's Life Lesson! But who doesn't feel that way during a willpower-showdown??

"Oh yeah, today is that romantic holiday..."

I don't like Valentine's Day.

Maybe it's because I don't need any more "socially acceptable" excuses to eat obscene amounts of chocolate and candy.

Maybe it's because I'm single and I don't appreciate a holiday that makes me feel insignificant or inferior compared to those who are "lucky enough" to be in a relationship.

Either way, this year I chose to avoid the commercialized hype by researching the origin of the so-called "holiday."
As is typical of many an American holiday, our present-day interpretation has nothing to do with the events and/or people associated with its creation.
The historical account of the holiday is centered around a man with the surname Valentine. Exactly who Valentine is, however, is actually somewhat mysterious. I found a number of different interpretations of the legend. This was my favorite interpretation:

“One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure.”

So okay, Saint Valentine was a romantic. His importance in the modern day holiday, however, is virtually non-existent. Cupid-the winged, arrow-wielding, practically naked adolescent of Roman mythology-gets more recognition!

My Freshman year of college, a bunch of my single friends and I got together and declared the day Singles Awareness Day. Our boycott included ordering pizza and watching Love Potion #9.

*Ironically, and perhaps a little disappointingly, the acronym for our anti-romance holiday turned out to be S.A.D. But it was a very fun night, not at all sad!

Single Ladies at the Sechrist front desk

Getting cozy on the infamous blue futon to watch the movie! (I'm holding Melvin, my stuffed moose and the "official" mascot of Sechrist hall!)

Two years later I spent Singles Awareness Day indulging my crush on Dr. Derek Shepherd (known as "McDreamy" on the TV show Grey's Anatomy). That was a lot of fun, too!!

Me and Becca (and Melvin the moose again!)

This year I officially named Melvin the moose my Valentine "by proxy." He's been around for the last five years, and I've never given him due credit!

Me and my man (I mean moose!) Melvin!!

Whether your day includes candy hearts and roses or not, remember to wish a happy "statehood" day to Arizona...the Grand Canyon State is 98 today!!

Anyway

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
be kind anyway.

If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies;
succeed anyway.

If you are honest people may cheat you;
be honest anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

(You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway).

-Kent Keith
(-Mother Theresa addendum)

Smiling through frustrations

If there's one thing I've learned about surviving the dismal state of our economy (and the 10% unemployment rate), it's that being anything less than optimistic is futile. Even when my frustration threatens to erupt, I check my attitude at the door. Or the log-in screen.

Frustration: I've filled out about a bajillion job applications.
Optimism: I could plant a virtual rain forest with the paper I've saved by filling them out online.

Frustration: My left wrist is chronically numb from the tension in my neck and shoulders.
Optimism: My massage therapist is amazing. Or, when I'm in a financial pinch (like now, for instance), my dad is a pretty awesome substitute. So is my BedBuddy heating pad.

Frustration: My increasingly pessimistic sense of despair.
Optimism: My smile.

Studies have shown that smiling is beneficial to your health, and not just because it's the universal symbol for happiness. Smiling can literally boost your mood because it releases endorphins (aka "happy brain chemicals").
Knowing this, I decided to do an experiment during my many tedious hours filling out applications. By the time I came up with the idea I had been filling out applications for hours, so I was good and grumpy.
So I pulled up the next online form, smiling big. It felt weird at first because I was in the wrong mood for jubilation, but after a few moments I noticed something interesting.
My shoulders had relaxed.
My eyes were less squinty.
I felt calmer.
Optimism had piggy-backed the endorphins, and my foul mood had lifted.
Not entirely, of course. I wasn't any more enthusiastic about finishing the application. But the smile had facilitated the necessary attitude adjustment to keep me dedicated to my task. As an added incentive I played some Springsteen, because listening to "my boyfriend" always makes me smile. Listening to music is known to have mood-boosting effects, as well.

Next time you are feeling discouraged, frustrated, or grouchy, I encourage you smile. Smile like you mean it, even if you don't. Your endorphins are gullible, they'll fall for it. Whether it's an all-day exercise or just long enough for you to get through a daunting task, smiling will make you feel better.
In the words of Nike: Just Do It. Smile through your frustrations. You'll thank me later. And your well-being will thank you.
Trust me.

Home For The Holidays

I love Christmastime.

Ross and I are always in charge of decorating the tree. This year we almost didn't have a tree, because originally my mom wanted to put a live tree outside (my dad is allergic). I voted for setting up the fake tree inside, because it just didn't seem as festive to have the Christmas tree outside, away from the festivities. Ross and I set to work:

Delicately placed ornaments (and stale candy canes) on the branches.

Tinsel flung unabashedly all over the place.

For Christmas Eve dinner the next night, we carved a “roast beast.” At one point the conversation branched into two completely separate conversations that managed to intersect hilariously. The topics were 'roast beef' and 'body anatomy' (with a focus on a particular region...ahem). I'll just say that at one point there was discussion of a “strip” and something being “clean cut”...it was either New York strip steak, or...Yeah.

And today is Christmas Day!!! I put red food coloring in the frosting for the cinnamon rolls that accompanied my dad's Christmas brunch pear pie. Yumm!!

Then it was time for presents! I don't care that I'm a “grown up,” the sight of presents under the tree still makes me giddy! I'm not being materialistic here...for me, presents under the tree adds to the festive atmosphere!

I always struggle with the feeling that unwrapping the presents is anticlimactic in some way, but ultimately curiosity wins out and I just focus on tearing through all the wrapping paper and tape!

Ross got gifts from "Victoria's Secret" and "L'Oreal." Hilarious!

I love all my gifts, though my favorite part about the presents this year was that mine (as in, the ones I gave) were all themed. I felt like I needed to make up for Christmas 2008 when I announced that everyone's Christmas present that year would be my presence (I was a scroogy recent college graduate, don't judge!). My conscience beat me into submission, and I ended up running to Safeway to purchase some truly last minute items: gift cards. I cringe whenever I look back on my 2008 Christmas spirit, so this year I went all out to make up for it. I bought everyone two gifts that correlated ingeniously, just like last night's dinner conversation about...steak.

Dad's theme: Music

Musicophilia: the effect of music on the brain (Oliver Sacks) and David Garrett's new CD

Mom's theme: Books

Kafka on the Shore (Haruki Murakami) and a mug that says "A book, a cat...life is great!"

Ross's theme: Money

The movie Blank Check and a homemade gambling certificate (just the slot machines, don't worry!)

I got many wonderful gifts, too! I did my Mary Murphy 'Hot Tamale Train' impression when I unwrapped this one! (skip ahead to :40 in the video):

 

Merry Christmas, everybody!

How do I love thee?

Do you know what your Love Language is?
Do you know what your significant other’s Love Language is? What about your friends?
It’s actually rather easy to figure it out, just by interacting with them. At least it has been in my experience: most of my friends are Words of Affirmation or Quality Time…which I suppose makes sense when you consider that those are my two top Languages, too.

When I first learned about the Love Languages in college, I scored highest on Physical Touch and Quality Time. A couple years have now elapsed, and of course with experience comes erudition.

My high regard for Quality Time has not changed: I still relish spending one-on-one time with the special people in my life. I also greatly value quality time spent introspectively, having some good ol' "me time." Both are important for personal growth.
As for Words of Affirmation, I have always felt a deep sense of personal satisfaction and self-confidence after engaging in a meaningful conversation or receiving a heartfelt compliment. I also frequently find myself wishing that I knew what people were thinking, particularly about me (don't you? At least occasionally??).

Usually there is a primary Language and a secondary Language, but I think my two Love Languages are pretty interconnected. Spending time with special people is important to me, as is being told that I am special and important to others. I'm pretty sure that everyone likes to know that, but when it's your Love Language the stakes are slightly higher.
I do not consider myself a snoop or a know-it-all (I hope nobody does!), but I do tend to use Quality Time as an opportunity to dig deeper inside a person. I ask a lot of questions, and I like giving advice when it's warranted (Words of Affirmation is the Love Language I use most frequently to give love, too).

All that said, I think our Love Languages are malleable depending on our socio-emotional needs, the same way our personality profiles change depending on those same circumstances. Thus, regardless of which Language expresses your deepest desires,

Sometimes you just need to hear “I love you.” (Words of Affirmation)

Sometimes a coffee date with a good friend quenches more than thirst. (Quality Time)

Sometimes a hug speaks louder than words. (Physical Touch)

Sometimes that little favor is seen (and appreciated) as a grand gesture. (Acts of Service)

Sometimes a bouquet of flowers brightens more than just the kitchen table. (Gifts)

Take the test and find out what your Love Language is!!

It's not worth the weight

It's no big secret that the female population is plagued by skewed perceptions of body image. Unfortunately, it's no big surprise, either.

I mean, think of all the opportunities for self-degradation women are subjected to every day, all because of the "expectations" placed on us by the next-to-nothing coverage of today's clothing trends (and the typical-sized women anorexia-thin waifs that model them).
Last weekend I went shopping for a dress to wear to my friend Megan's bridal shower. It was an incredibly discouraging process, because it was pretty slim-pickins out there! I mean, the dresses themselves were cute, but...

*These pics are for representation only. No copyright infringment intended

...when did practically-pelvic-bone hemlines become appropriate?? These are more akin to bathing-suit cover-ups (notice how you can't even see the models' knees, they're so far below the hemline!). One slightly forceful gust of wind and you're showing more than what you see in a regular bathroom mirror! When I was a kid, these get-ups got you sent home, or at least to the nurse for a sweatshirt. What happened to the finger-tip rule???

It doesn't help that the media is in on the hype, too. I mean if they weren't, the public eye (particularly that of women) would never be laid on this:

This obviously-altered image caused an uproar, no surprise there.

In fairness, a lot of the media attention (such as the above-mentioned article) has been backlash against such absurdly disproportionate representations of the female form. And there are clothing designers out there who understand the need for "curvy" women to have a fair shot at fashion, too!
Well, unless you're this guy. But who does he think he is, anyway??

Because of my own weight struggles, I am particularly affected by the emphasis placed on having that "perfect figure." I have been stuck at chronically overweight for over 10 years, with a few periods of yo-yo weight loss in between. It's not because I don't try to lose weight...in fact I try very hard. Two years ago I reached my lowest weight since pre-adolescence, but since then I've gone up and down and up again. I don't watch very much tv (at least not "reality" tv) and I don't read magazines, because there are just too many reminders that I will never meet the "standards" set by the women in the media.

Back in May I wrote about my weight loss struggles. Unfortunately nothing has changed since then...in fact, I've actually gained weight. But I'm gearing up to start all over again. My goal is to get back to where I was 2 years ago, when I was at a healthy weight and felt great.

Wish me luck!

All I'm Thinkin' About

Remember when I put together a Q&A to answer the common pre-roadtrip inquiries?

Well, I decided to do a road trip-wrap-up Q&A as well. It's fun, it's easy, it's informative, and it's concise!

What was your favorite city?

That's a tough question to answer, because I had so much fun in each and every city I visited!

Every city I stayed in with friends or family was a favorite because of the company (Carlsbad, Davis, Rough and Ready, “the middle of nowhere”, and Seattle).

In terms of activities, I would say Ashland, OR was my favorite. I had a blast at the Shakespeare festival, and Ashland is the home to my beloved Bloomsbury Books and Coffee!

Though I certainly can't overrule my adventure in Corvallis, OR with my aunt Charm, where I learned lots about my mom's “scandalous” past (just kidding, mom!). And Corvallis is such a quaint, charming little town even without the family history!

But my favorite B&B (and favorite host!) was in Crescent City, CA. I had a blast for the 20-ish hours I spent there, even though the most I saw of the city was the Thai food restaurant Paula recommended for dinner (I'm still not sure what it's name was, it just said 'THAI FOOD' on the roof!).

In short (or not so short!), I have favorite things about each city I visited.

What was your least favorite city?

I had a rough time In Portland, OR because many of the streets had been realigned (therefore rendering Michelle somewhat useless), and my aunt had warned me that Portland is not a city to wander around at night (which is exactly what I ended up doing after spending too much time at the fascinating Powell's City of Books!). But by no means did I dislike being there! Everything was all part of my Great Adventure!

How many miles, round trip, did you drive?

I'm still kicking myself for this...I forgot to set the odometer when I left. But thanks to MapQuest and Michelle, I was able to deduce that my total mileage came to approximately 3,200 miles (from Phoenix, AZ to Anacortes, WA).

And that's not even including all the in-between driving, such as my coastal adventure in Astoria, the commutes from my aunt's house into the surrounding towns, and my jaunt into Alameda for some historic-house touring! If you take into account all the “extraneous adventures,” I'll bet the more accurate calculations are closer to 4,000 miles! Whoo-ee!

Didn't you ever get lonely?

Nope. If anything, I grew to appreciate my solitude. I've always been an introspective person, which makes it easy for me to pass the time reflecting and enjoying my own company. I think that's an extremely important trait for everyone to develop, in fact. If you can't be comfortable with yourself, it will be that much more complicated for others to be comfortable with you.

Not to mention the fact that so much of my time was spent with either friends, family, or friendly people I met at my numerous B&Bs! Between trying on wigs with my cousin, making applesauce with Jerry, engaging in Dinnertime Courtroom antics with quirky lawyers, or discussing my future with breakfast companions, I had very little time (or reason) to feel lonely.

However, I will admit to occasionally feeling the pang of longing for my kitty-babies back in Phoenix. And frequently I would go days without talking to family or friends. That part got a little lonely. But those moments were few and far between!

How did you pass the many hours on the road?

For almost the entire “first leg” of my trip, I listened to music. My top playlist was of course Bruce Springsteen, but I also sang my heart out to musical theater selections such as The Lion King, Wicked, Mama Mia!, and RENT. At one point I even brought out the Christmas music- purely as a road-rage-defuser, I promise (I was stuck in really bad traffic on my way into Davis, CA and needed some serious mood-lifting). My mom and I had a book on tape we'd been listening to, but I didn't want to finish the story without her.

Interestingly, at some point during my 6 day stay with my aunt Charm I turned the music off. Or rather, I just never turned it on when I got in the car. Instead I allowed my mind to wander freely, flowing from topic to topic in a refreshing stream of consciousness. Sometimes a song would lodge itself between my ears, but I never felt the need to externalize it. Contrary to what you might think, there was no deep thinking taking place, at least on a conscious level. It goes back to being able to enjoy my own company. Though, according to Tanya I had to turn the music off to make room for the many voices inside my head that were busy discussing where I should go next. That would make me very much not alone, wouldn't it?! I'm grateful to Madame Facetious for her input, but a budding schitzo I am not! (Yoda maybe, but that's it!).

The music stayed off all the way through the rest of my “first leg” and into my “second leg” (aka return south) until the end of my time in Portland, OR (I needed the distraction after a particularly harrowing experience trying to find my way out of downtown).

Did you get enough sleep?

Probably not. But I didn't really start to feel it until Eugene, OR. Around that time I started to notice the exhaustion-baggies under my eyes (look closely, you'll see them too. Ugh!), as well as what I now refer to as my “sleep squint” look (which I think is especially obvious in the Crescent City and Alameda pics). I'm sure I could have done some cover-up with makeup...but I was too tired to deal with that extra effort!

What do you feel you “gained” from going on your trip?

Well, first of all, I gained the satisfaction of actually going! I know that there were plenty of people out there who did not believe that I would go through with it. Fortunately this trip was never about anyone else, just me, so I didn't (still don't) care that people had their doubts. But still, it was a nice confidence boost to be able to stare that collective Doubt in the eye and say "look at me, I've gone above and beyond," then swat triumphantly at the pesky hands of that collective Doubt, which had been insidiously pinching away my resolve. On the day I hit the road, I finally moved out of its reach.

Since returning, I truly feel like I'm a different person, at least in the way I approach the world. My eyes have been opened to all the world has to offer...as well as what I have to offer to the world. My road trip was never about "growing up," it wasn't a one-last-stand against joining the "real world." Rather, my road trip allowed me to find my place in said Real World. Or at the very least, it gave me the freedom to search, to break from the bonds of other people's expectations and focus on me, on where I was going, on where I wanted to be.

You mentioned that your entire trip was one coincidence after another. Were there any other good ones you haven't mentioned yet?

Uh, yeah! One of the more intriguing ones was the song “I'll Be Seeing You”... I swear I heard it in no less than 5 different places, possibly more! Let's see:

-at Von's getting groceries for my grandma (Carlsbad, CA- when it all started!)

-at the Evangeline's wig station (Davis, CA) ?? - I'm not 100% on that one. Input, Mollie?

-waiting to order coffee at the Key of C coffeeshop (Ashland, OR)

-inside the Cannery Landing bookstore (Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, WA)

-while carousing inside the Westcore Center mall (Seattle, WA)

-at a smoothie place I no longer remember the name of (Astoria, OR)

-wandering around an outdoor shopping complex on 5^th ave (Eugene, OR- I specifically remember stopping in my tracks, muttering “are you kidding me?!” then hurrying back to my car completely spooked! That's the last time I remember hearing it- whew!)

Ok, so that's 7, whoa! I can think of a few other places I recall hearing music, but I can't remember if my “stalker song” was one of them. Still, that's an awful lot of recurrences for a not-particularly-mainstream song, isn't it??

I do kind of like the symbolism, though: even though I left each city as quickly as I arrived, it's like the city is serenading me, saying 'remember the memories, remember these places you've been, and come back someday.' A little over the top? Maybe. But when coincidence calls, I've got to answer!

You were supposed to be checking out grad schools along the way. Did you pick one?

My top 3 choices were SDSU (San Diego, CA), OSU (Corvallis, OR), and U of O (Eugene, OR). Unfortunately only one of them actually has a social work program. Fortunately, that made the selection process easy: SDSU (which was my first choice from the beginning, anyway)

Do you have any road trips planned for the future?

Heck yes I do! I plan to roadtrip the east coast on an Original 13 Colonies self-guided tour!!! Unfortunately you have to be 25 to rent a car, so I have to get through one more birthday before I can go - As much fun as it would be to road trip across the country and use my own car, that's just not a plausible option. Poor Roxy would probably keel over on me! Not to mention the amount of travel time that would require. Maybe after I retire and have plenty of time to see as much of the world as I want. Something else to look forward to!

What's next (in your immediate future)?

It just so happens that I recently had an interview for a care manager position at Sunrise Assisted Living in Carlsbad, CA (where my grandma lives!). Coincidentally, it took place two days after my birthday, so my mom and I postponed our return trip to Phoenix so I could attend! I'm still waiting to hear back from them...I really hope they call me for a second interview!!! My plan is to move to Carlsbad within the next 2 weeks, get a job (hopefully at Sunrise!), then apply to SDSU after I've established residency (1 year I believe). Sunrise strives to work with employees who are also in school, which is another reason why Sunrise would be the perfect place to work (second only to the fact that it's a perfect precursor to what I want to do...medical social work!). I can really see myself working at Sunrise, gaining experience, combining that experience with what I learn in the classroom, and truly making a name (and a life!) for myself in the social work field.

And that about sums it up! I loved my road trip, I had the time of my life, and I hope you enjoyed being a part of it! My amazing journey documented at Meryl's Meanderings will live on in my memory forever...especially because I'm a sentimentalist and will undoubtedly go back and re-live read about my adventures over and over again!

(Just so you know, this blog is not going anywhere. I'll be picking up here where I left off with observations and experiences as they come! Stay tuned!)

Where am I now? #6

So you may have noticed that it's been a long time since I've provided a "Where am I now" update. But if you've been following along at Meryl's Meanderings, you know that there has not been a shortage of material boasting my many adventures!

But back to the present...

Instead of asking "Where am I now," I'm going to reveal the mystery of my guest-passenger I've been hinting about over at Meryl's Meanderings. I'll reveal our location, as well!

Who am I with??

Here is your glimpse (aka hint) - only one this time:

Not sure who this is?

Wanna know for sure? Click here to find out!! - This link will take you to the clue-answering post only!

The FULL STORY -- This link will tell you where I am at present, as well as where I've been (in case you haven't checked up on me in a little while!)