Whew, long week

Well, I finished my 50 hours of observation for OT apps. I really loved it and am so excited about OT school, if I can get in!!! I got to see lots of great stuff at the hospital, like splinting, sensory issues, fine motor activities, massaging and positioning. The therapists up there were so friendly and great and really made the field exciting. I got my supervisor to fill out a rec for me for TWU and I think she wrote a really good one. The next step is filling out apps, getting GRE scores and transcripts. Other than that, classes started last week and half of them appear to be a waste of my time. One of them is for my practicum which means we just get together for an hour and talk about our experiences. I don't even start my practicum until mid september. Another class is a seminar in autism, which has 80 people in it (ok, my largest class in undergrad was like 25 people) and it's co-taught by this weird married couple. The woman goes off on horrible tangents and the guy has a trach so I can't even understand him. This is why I am probably skipping next week so I can pack for my trip to Chicago!!! So, please leave suggestions of where to go/do/eat in Chicago and what book I should take on the plane. I just finished The Red Tent a week or two ago and it was really good.

OT, I think it's for me!

So, for the past two days I have been following around OT's at the hospital and I absolutely loved it. Yesterday I followed around inpatient and got to see a splinting, an eval., and a reflex stretch. One of my favorite little girls who has been in my playroom before came in for a session, so that made my day. Today was even better. I was out at the outpatient clinic, which I actually like so much better, because there are a lot of PT's and OT's working in the same area, so it was great being around so much activity and being able to see so many things going on at once. Today I saw one ortho eval., a developmental eval. (she actually used one of the tests that I will be learning to administer this semester), and a feeding session. I even got to throw the medicine ball around with one of the patients. This poor mom brought in her two year old daughter for a session. Not only did the daughter have Down Syndrome, but she has two more sons with Downs. Three out of her four children are Downs kids. I don't see how she even makes it through the day. I go back tomorrow for more observational hours, start classes on Thursday, see a Downs workshop and hand clinic on Friday and then I'm hoping to go back next week to complete my required 50 hours. Busy busy times for me!

Chocolate before bed = BAD

So, after dinner I begin craving the yummy goodness of chocolate ice cream. I think I have been around Chris too much because my sweet tooth has become way too powerful. Needless to say, I have just finished my book and it's almost 2Am and I'm still wide awake. Come on Benadryl, do your damn job! The book I just finished is The Red Tent and it is soooooooooo good. I highly recommend it. It's a quick read - finished it in 3 days. Today I also called up Children's and spoke to their OT department. I am getting in 27 hours of observation next week for my OT school application. I'm really excited about seeing OT's in action. Next Friday I get to watch a workshop with Down's patients and a hand clinic. So excited about learning more about OT, since this is what I really wanna do. At the same time, I'm really nervous about getting in a program!

Home of 'ol Smokey

So, I'm wondering why every movie that takes place in Texas has to portray it as an ass-backwards place full of redneck cowboys. I was watching Serving Sara tonight (there was nothing else on people) and part of it takes place/was filmed in Dallas. In it was a billboard with the picture of an electric chair on it and it said "Home of 'ol Smokey....361 Satisfied customers" which honestly, I got a good laugh out of. But other than that, everyone had horrible hick accents, wore cowboy hats, hung out at cowboy bars and went to monster truck shows. Now does that sound like me, a native Texan, or what?

Another humorous tidbit today was when my mom and I went to pick up my dad from getting a steroid injection (the big juicer....but actually it was for a bulging disk in his neck). This lady in the waiting room was talking to this guy waiting for his appointment. No, that's not bad, but this 45 year old lady (keep in mind, not a senile old fart) went on and on about how if she was gonna get pregnant she'd have to have invetro, how her boyfriend is 22 years older than she is, and then she talked about her family and how her only nephew was in jail in Huntsville. Boundaries, people! My mom and I had to hold up our magazines to hide behind for we were laughing so hard and secretly praying this lady wouldn't turn to us as her next prey.

I've taken the first step today towards my better, healthier self! Not only did I start a diet, but I also did a mile on the treadmill (which is a lot for me) and I went and signed up for an adult advanced tap class. This new studio opened up in the exact location as my old dance studio. It was such a trip down memory lane walking in that studio for the first time in 15 years and I'm so excited to start classes on Monday!

A festive weekend

Friday night I went with Chris to celebrate Nadia's birthday at Gloria's. They have the best fried plantains.....'nough said. Saturday I had to work but that night we celebrated Chris' birthday! A big group, about 23, of us went to the Pocket Sandwich Theater by Mockingbird Station. We saw a comedy about Jekyl and Hyde, but the best part was all the popcorn wars. After the play we all went back to Chris' apartment for an after party. Chris, Sean, Josh and I made a midnight run to Whataburger, which turned into a comedy in itself. I hadn't laughed that hard in forever, complete with sore abs and watering eyes. There are some pictures in the Summer 2005 album on http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/akgerety@swbell.net/my_photos. Then Sunday was Chris' actual birthday. He and I went to the Nasher Sculpture Museum which was amazing. So many cool sculptures. Half are inside the museum and half are outside in the garden. Luckily, Chris liked his presents that I gave him - a wooden box full of wine bottle tools (his mom gave him a wine cooler) and a tripod. His mom came over that evening and we tried to order some dinner for delivery, but our order got lost. We finally ate some good takeout pizza around 10 pm. I'm so glad I got to spend Chris' birthday with him!

"I'm Batman, but you can call me Bob"

Just got home from one of the best concerts ever. Anne, Chris and I went to see Bob Schneider at Poor David's Pub tonight. We got to the door and who walks in behind us...none other than Bob himself. So, naturally, I asked him if he had $16 so I could get in the door. No takers, but I had a laugh. He also asked Anne if she was gonna have some pizza....crazy kid. Bob played solo and acoustic, which was awesome. Just him sitting on a stool singing and playing his guitar. So so so good. I am even more obsessed now. Hehe.

In other news, Tuesday morning I interviewed for a Child Life practicum placement at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. I thought it was going really well and wasn't nervous at all until the interviewer told me they only accept two practicum students each semester and she would let me know one way or the other next week. Well, about an hour later, I get a phone call from her saying I got a placement! Yay!!! SOOOOOOO excited. I'll get to work two days a week at the hospital in the playroom, in childrens' rooms and waiting rooms. What's also exciting about this place is that once a week therapy dogs come to visit the kids. How cool. Oh! AND I got A's in both of my summer classes. Hip hip hooray!