Up

Things are looking up. I don't have a lot of news, but I mostly just want to get that rant off my homepage. Ha. Felt good to do it, but now I am uncomfortable with it being the first thing seen. I had an interview, and it went really well (in my opinion). It's an innovative practice with a psychiatrist that really emphasizes therapy. Already has one NP and seeks another, so I won't have to break any new ground. Lots of experience to learn from. Excellently run, with an office manager that's been there 7 years. The office is simply gorgeous - in a lovely park-like setting, the building is quiet. Obviously been professionally decorated with no expense spared. I would have an office with a window. The only downside is the commute, but it's bearable. And he was amenable to working flexible hours. They asked the magic question near the end: How soon can you start? Anyway, I'm providing them with all my license numbers, diplomas, etc. It's definitely going on to the next step. We haven't talked money yet, but I've already heard that he's reasonable. I must confess, the idea of seeing a wider range of patients with a variety of issues does interest me. This practice only sees adults now, but perhaps I could broaden that - I'm so comfortable with adolescents at this point, as they've been the majority of my patients.

It's a snow day in Austin. A rare event. My gym opened about 45 minutes late, but I got over there and my wonderful spin instructor did two extra songs for the three of us there. Love her. And no work today! Of course, no pay today either! This part-time thing....not gonna work. I'm really trying to put on my big girl panties and smile and have a positive attitude there. There is only one person at work I've bitched to, and I'm going to keep it at that. But the signs continue to be quite negative. I was told that I need to start meeting in person (instead of calling) with parents of adolescents on admission day - which is great, I think it's a good idea, but I'm not there every day. Nobody thought of that. Another example: I had 4 insurance reviews to do today, which won't get done because of the snow. And I'm not there on Monday. Someone else will have to do them that day, or patients could get denied for coverage and we have to eat the cost. Hope that gets done (said in a bitchy voice). I asked how situations like that would be handled when we were discussing this part-time schedule, was told "we have a lot of things to work out" and that was it. Just like the contract I was supposed to sign on Tuesday. Never saw it.

Um, this is turning into a rant again. Damn.

So what else is going on? Running is going really well. My rule is that I run one song, walk one. I'm up to 40 minutes doing that, wearing a knee brace. No more pain than before I started this, so = success. My gym is strangely deserted for a January, and it's because the new location opened in Westlake. A lot of people are going to that one, it's brand new and has a pool. I'm going swimming today, for sure. And yoga, and oh my...it'll be a fantabulous workout day. It's nice not to have a jammed resolutioners crowd, but I'm also worried that they may cut some of the spin classes for poor attendance. And I must, I mean must, mainline my spin every morning or I go into withdrawal. Nothing else quite does it for me, I think it's the intervals. Working so hard you can't catch your breath, drenched in sweat, cranking it up to the nth degree, screaming inside when will this stop?! And then slow down, breathe, recover, and do it again! For 45 minutes! Yeah baby. This may completely be TMI, but it is a lot like sex. You're in a dark room, building up to the climax, breathing hard, focused, straining.... especially when we reach the top, folks sit down on the bike and everyone sighs and squeals. Sometimes I just have to laugh. Yes, it's a spin orgy.

My ham planet cat has learned how to open doors. We have hook door knobs, and he stands on his hind legs, reaches up and opens it. He really likes to do this to the bathroom and then destroy the toilet paper. His girth facilitates this - ha.

I just finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It's a novel about love, art theft, tragedy and PTSD, and the losses that all of us face in life; the unfinished nature of how things turn out, the missed connections and the way that love actually doesn't conquer all. But still... there remains beauty and meaning, if we are brave and face things. It takes place in New York, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam. It's hard to put in to words why it's so good. It's well written, it surprises, it is deep. And it's absolutely not trite. I guess that's what I value most in a novel. If you want to read more about it, here's a link. I can't recommend it enough. http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Goldfinch.html?id=T2CA83gbtM8C

OK, yoga in an hour.