Sunday, February 26, 2012

I'm Back!

So I took a little break from writing on my blog, mostly because I couldn't think of anything to write about and partly because I forgot about the internet for awhile.  But, I'm starting to remember the internet again and have the urge to write things longer than 140 characters to the world.

[You'll have to use your imagination on the pictures because I'm not sure where many of them are...iPhoto and my devices and I are not getting along.]

Let's see what do I need to update you on over the last couple of months?  Well, I graduated grad school and took a trip to Colorado for my cousin's wedding where my brother and nearly died attempting to white water kayak.  I thought I really needed an adventure and it would be tons of fun - NOT FUN.

[Imagine a picture of my brother and I flipping out of a kayak and desperately trying not to swallow water as they rafts came to rescue us out of the water.]

I filled out lots of forms, took a really big test, and ended up with my LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) in both Kansas and Missouri.  With school over, I started to rediscover my social life and realize how much fun it was to hangout with friends.  I joined a new small group at church just for singles - SUPER fun.  Then I started applying for jobs at every social service/mental health place in the KC metro area (I would never state this publicly if my bosses weren't fully aware and supportive, they knew it was time and they sadly didn't have any jobs for me at the time).  My friend Becky moved back to KC after being away for grad school for a year.  I begin to learn how to cook again from watching Becky during our weekly dinners and I slowly stopped buying my Healthy Choice frozen dinners in crazy quantities (the only thing that limited me was the amount of freezer space I had).

[Imagine a picture of my freezer PACKED with at least 20 Healthy Choice frozen dinners.]

My parents pulled out their pop-up camper they hadn't pulled out for YEARS and we went camping for a weekend.  I stayed in my tent, I love sleeping in my tent, especially since I tent camp with a queen sized air mattress.  It was awesome.  Then I kept applying for jobs, learned how to write great cover letters thanks to my friend Becky.  Went on some interviews and honed my interviewing skills.  During one of my indoor soccer games, I hurt my heel, which I ignored for awhile, then went to the doctor who told me I had plantar facetious and that I was injuring it over and over again each time I played soccer on it.  So soccer got put on the back burner along with running and all other impact ways of working out.  Turns out it takes awhile to shake this, so I'm becoming BFFs with the elliptical at my gym and my iPod as I watch hilarious TV while I work out and laugh obnoxiously while I work it.

[Imagine a picture of me on an elliptical in my super awesome retro gym - Scott Fitness - laughing at my iPod]

Then something interesting began to unfold at work.  A month or so and couple interviews later, I got a job in my program doing outreach, assessments, and a side of therapy.  I started that at the beginning of the new year and have really enjoyed it.  I've had fun decorating my office (more posts to follow on the cool things I created) but I still have a ways to go...like putting anything on the walls.  I've started taking a big interest in personal branding and online reputations in the last month, as I've spent most of my time researching this and a little bit of time dabbling in what it would look like for me (my real name) to have a presence on the web.

Which brings us up to now.  Oh and I have a mild obsession with Scramble with Friends.  Please play against me.  I can't get enough.