FRIDAY January 28

I was on my way home from karate class on Friday night, around 10pm. I gave Dan a call:

DAN: Hi! You're done karate! Awesome...ok go home, get dressed up, and Michelle's going to pick you up!
ME: What? HUH?
DAN: Just do it. I'll see you at my place soon!
ME: Oookay....what's going on?
DAN: No more questions. BYE!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So I called Michelle...
MICHELLE: Yah, I have no idea what's going on either. All I know is that I'm to get dressed up and pick you up.
ME: Ok, I'll be ready in 20 minutes. What does dressed up mean? Can we wear jeans?!
MICHELLE: NO idea
ME: Ok, I'll find out
*********************************

So I had to call Dan again:
ME: What does "dressed up" mean? Can we wear jeans?
DAN: yeah, just don't wear jogging pants
ME: Ok
BYRON (Michelle's boyfriend takes over the phone): ROz, just follow the directions, don't ask so many questions, and get your ass down here
ME: Ok ok...
**********************************

So Michelle came to pick me up, and we went to Dan's place. We were really curious to see what was going on, but we knew something good was planned...or we had hoped it better be!!!

When we got to Dan's place, our boyfriends, who were dressed up in nice clothes, greeted us at the door. Inside Dan's place, we saw that they had set up a romantic, candlelight dinner table for us. It only had 2 spots.

MICHELLE: So, what? Me and Roz are having a romantic dinner together?
DAN and BYRON: Yup! That's the plan!

HAH! They wish! They actually made us a 5 course meal (3 appetizers, main dish and dessert), and they had planned to serve us while we ate. They said they were planning to do this for us for 2 months, but couldn't coordinate a time to do so. It was called GIRLFRIEND APPRECIATION NIGHT . Isn't that sooo sweet?! Lucky us!
I ended up drinking a whole bottle of white riesling whine myself, and of course, I got a little bit intoxicated (just a little bit!). What a GREAT STRESS RELIEVER AFTER A WEEK OF STRESS!!!! Waking up the next morning to teach kids karate with a hangover was a bit interesting though....

Here's some pictures of that night:
YAY for "Girlfriend Appreciation Night"!!!! We DO have the best boyfriends! Wanna know something funnY? That table cloth is actually dan's bedsheets (Don't worry, he said he cleaned them before hand!)

A view from my side of the table...this is ONE of our 3 appetizers! Mmmm-MMm! I was totally impressed!

Michelle's ready to go dancing! Off to Overtime Pub we go (a 10 minute walk from Dan's place).

Why does Dan always have to make a face!?

Hey Michelle...it's a "winter" Mexico all over again...but with our boyfriends!

Walking..no...STUMBLING back to Dan's place, we stopped to take a picture of this tree...I honestly can't remember why, but I think it was b/c it looked cool (ok, not sure why we thought so!?) I guess when you're intoxicated, everything looks cool!

January 23

Ok, I'm a bit behind with the photos...
Quang invited me to as his date for his work party. So we went to Red's Night Club and ate some "is it real or not??" chicken (you know the kind that is seems like it was ground up and put together into the form of a chicken breast?), veggies, and the usual buffet type food. It was actually a low budget meal though. We weren't too impressed. Oh well, the rest of the night was fun! Thanks Q! (We joke he's my back up boyfriend). Har har. But he's still single, ladies! ;o)

This is Andy, Quang's good friend and boss (wow, what a combination!)

After dinner, we decided to take advantage of the complimentary bowling! Here's Quang setting up the player list

Here I go...strrriiiike!

LOOK AT MY AWESOME SCORE! (I'm Dragonlady...don't ask...Quang gave me the name). I've never done this good in bowling before! And I don't think I've ever won either!

RELIEF!

Well, I was almost close to having a total meltdown two nights ago, as you can probably tell by my last posting!

But, last night, I finished the two papers that are due this coming Tuesday, and I managed to get permission to begin counselling, even though my criminal record check has not been completed (i.e., mailed to my home). The placement I'm at is very understanding about my circumstances, and I'm sure they know my record is clean anyways! C'mon! Do I really look like a criminal to you!? Ok, don't answer that.

So today, I was very excited and anxious to begin counselling, but like always when I'm there, it is SO SLOW! We only had 2 clients in today (and I was there for a 6 hour shift!), so I got to sit in and co-therapy with another lady. Regardless, it was a productive day because I got to study for my upcoming exam as well. I just pray that I get a couple or family to work with REALLY SOON so I can start videotaping! That is what I'm still a bit stressed about.

I'm going to work at my other placement (at the jail)tomorrow. Counselling inmates has been an excellent experience so far (I know some of you might be surprised to read about that!) but honestly, I look forward to seeing the people on my caseload every Friday. I find the sessions to be very interesting and it's nice to know that some of them really appreciate the help I am giving them. Maybe this sounds like I'm being naive, but I know that some of them are ready to turn their lives around, mostly because they have children.

Ok, signing off...until next time....

FRUSTRATED!

Ok, so the pressure to get a videotape of myself counselling either a couple/family is on...and I cannot even start that until I get my criminal record check from the police.

WELL GRRRR. The police are LITERALLY giving me the run around...as I have been to the RCMP about three times in December to get my crim check, and the first time I didn't have my birth certificate on me (so that was my fault),and the second time, some other hassle occurred, and then finally I got one done in Fort Saskachewan. For one of my internship sites, which I got placed at the beginning of January informed me that the RCMP crim check is NOT good enough, and that I need the one from the police.

In addition, crim checks should be FREE for volunteers (my internship is NOT a paid position, unfortunately), and so as of January 2005, all interns must pay for their criminal record check. Ok, whatever, no biggie. So I went to get my crim check done and sent out last week sometime. But...

Today, the police call me and informs me that my form is not completed. UGH. The police at the station where I filled out my form last week were totally incompetent, and I knew that they had no idea how to do a crim. rec check as they were trying to figure it out. Wow. Incredible. I thought that was a procedural thing for them.

Soooo...that brings me to play more of the waiting game...and slowly counting down to 2 weeks time that I have to get a videotape done (as I have an intensive in the 3rd week, so I won't even be able to get any hours at my site that week).

The worse thing that will happen if I do not submit a videotape (well actually I need THREE) on the day that I am to present it (along with a report, including a TRANSCRIPT OF EVERY SINGLE WORD I SAY FOR THIRTY MINUTES-which is GOING TO TAKE FOREVER TO DO)is that I will not be able to take the next casestudy class until I complete the videotapes.

The biggest stressor is that I work in a walk-in clinic, so it is not even guaranteed that I will get couples/families for clients in time. (My class does not accept videos of me couselling individuals). So I'm frustrated b/c I do not want to delay my studies just because of some factors that are out of my control.

So that is my bitch sesssion. Thanks for reading. *SIGH*

CRUNCH TIME!

*Two 8-10 page papers summarizing and critiquing theoretical models from three text books

*One 17-20 page paper on my own family using theoretical concepts

*A videotape of myself conducting therapy with either a couple or a family before February 15, including a full written report based on the therapy session and presenting all this on February 15.

*Study for a test that is coming up on Feb.1; the same day the two 8-10 page papers are due.

*Preparing for another intensive (class) coming up on Feb.7th

All this on top of going to classes AND doing my hours of conselling at my internship sites.

So guess what I am doing for the next few weeks?! EEEEEEEK!

January 8: Red Deer Lodge

CONGRATUALATIONS KAM AND NICOLE!

Kam's sister, Melissa, and her fiance, Jeff

Isn't the back of Nicole's dress absolutely beautiful!?

Mitch ( who's also Kam's housemate) and I

Kam and Nicole's First Dance

Silly Dan!

The head table, beautifully decorated!

Like my shoes?

Two girls sitting at our table, Kelisha and Melissa

Dan and I got a little bit silly last night, and gave our bellies some personality. Presenting Mr. Bello and Bellie

NEW YEAR'S EVE IN CANMORE


Me, D, George, Kel, Andrea, Leif and Michelle in our condo at Mystic Springs Resort in Canmore

Byron about to torture Kelly....(nice butt, btw, KEL!)

Dan and George: Pepper Tequilla shots!

All dressed up and ready to go out and party New Year's Eve in style! And no...we didn't all plan to wear black!

FOR MORE NEW YEARS EVE CANMORE TRIP PHOTOS, PLEASE GO HERE

CHRISTMAS DAY


My family and I: about to open xmas presents

CHRISTMAS EVE @ Dan's sister's place


Dan opening a rug I got him for one of his presents (yes, he got more than one present...aren't I the best girlfriend!?)

For more pictures of our Christmas Eve, please go here

DEC. 23 @ Suede Lounge


OOoh, Johnny Depp's giving me a sexy stare from across the room...

Cheyenne (aka Shy Guy) and I...awww isn't he adorable?! Ok, why does my head look SO MUCH bigger than his?!

Michelle, Melanie, me and Susan at Suede Lounge, having some drinks and listening to DJ's spin progressive house