2nd Star to the Right :: Neverland. I think I want to live there.

Help these people. Make a DONATION.

8:29 AM | allison | # |

My aunt Anne and uncle Lon and cousin Sarah moved to New Orleans earlier this year. On Saturday, my aunt and cousin and her children were evacuated. My uncle had to stay. He's considered Essential Personnel.

We heard from my aunt on Sunday - they had made it to Tyler, Texas, but had to move on because the hotel was booked solid for the following night.

I just got this email from my mom:

Anne, Sarah and children are okay. They are still in Texas at a Motel
6. Lon is okay, but told them they cannot return home for a month.
He doesn’t even know if their home still exists.
Anne & Sarah find it necessary to get Darien enrolled in a school soon. They may or may not stop by on their way to Michigan where Lon’s sister has offered to put them up for however long they need.

It kind of puts things into perspective, huh?

2:59 PM | allison | # |

So.

So. . .

I'm in therapy. I tried to think of other ways to say it. Maybe just allude to it, but there really aren't many ways to say, "Hi. I'm seeing a mental health practioner and have been diagnosed with mild depression."

After the tough love, I called and made my first appointment. I've had three so far. And I like my doctor, despite all my inital fears about seeking therapy. My final "free" visit was yesterday and we decided to continue you on for a few more sessions and then re-evauluate my continuing needs again .

Just family and a close friend knows. And well, now the whole interweb knows as well. I thought long and hard about posting this here and I decided that I really want this blog to become my journal again and not just a place to post funny pictures and stories. That may mean relocating in the future, but we'll see. Most of the people that do read this site, I know personally. And most of them have already heard me verbalize a lot of what I write here.

But anyway. We'll see where this goes.

One of the main topics of my sessions so far is my frustration with my current job. One of the things we focused on is why I'm so upset at work. Not just the boredom and frustration with management - it's become a difference in values.

When I started here, I was excited and motivated about working for a Fortune 500 company and the potential impact I could have on our clients. Our values and goals seemed to be in alignment.

And now, not so much. As a publicly traded company I understand the need to focus on profit. But I have a moral objection to that goal when it is at the expense of the employees they depend on to have a service to sell.

That's it. There's no longer a meeting of the minds. And you know what? That is normal - it's been five years. We've gotten the most out of each other we can.

You know what else? That is OK.

8:24 AM | allison | # |

Sometimes when I finish doing the dishes, I feel great. Not because I did the dishes, because I really hate doing them. The soap and water makes my fingers pruny and my nails soft and the scrubbing makes my arms tired.

But because I feel great that I actually accomplished something; start to finish, I did something. And in this funk, or mild depression, or whatever it is, little accomplishments like that go a long way.

8:32 AM | allison | # |

This past weekend I had two new experiences:

I saw a guy that used to live in my dorm in college. Marcus Bishel, good for you! Your fiance is super-cute and it sounds like you enjoy your job. w00t!
After the general debauchery on Saturday night, I spent Sunday morning laying on the bathroom floor. Did you know you could throw up water?

The fun was well worth the consequences. I'd do it again any time. How about now?

Also, I saw The 40 Year-Old Virgin. And it was as funny as I hoped it would be. I love Steve Carell even more than I did after The Daily Show and The Office. And Bruce Almighty. And Anchorman.

The end.

9:01 AM | allison | # |

Yowser. It's gonna rain something terrible today. Well, hopefully.

Also, I kind of hope it keeps raining. And not because I don't want to go to the baseball game tonight, because I do. It's the last one we've got tickets for this season.

But I've only been home one night this week so far, and only have one more. And dude, I'm tired.

Reasons I haven't or won't be home this week:

Did I mention the baseball games?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Update: We did not, in fact, get rained out. We did, however, leave after the 8th inning because they were losing by five runs and it was already 10:00 p.m. and I could barely keep my eyes open.

Final score, 8-4. We lost.

11:18 AM | allison | # |

Did I mention that I joined Weight Watchers in June?

Today, I revised an old blog to document the rest of the journey.

9:44 AM | allison | # |

Today is his birthday. Twenty-two years ago today our family’s lives were changed in absolutely the best way possible. Last year I wrote this about him. And I still mean every word.

I’m a little sad sometimes that I was gone for so long; first CoMo and then Houston. I feel like I missed a big part of watching him grow into the person he is meant to be. But I’m here now and knowing him, seeing the incredible human being he’s become – it’s almost overwhelming the pride and pleasure I feel knowing that he’s my brother.

Happy birthday, cutie. I love you to the moon and back.

8:55 AM | allison | # |