Personality, Assessments, and Matches

My June 14, 2006 Post titled, "The Keys To My Heart" was a frivolous, fun, fluff of a quiz, designed to help one determine what kind of person one was attracted to and what attracts them to other people. I say fluff, 'cause that's exactly what it was. The quiz came from Blogthings.com, and is as credible and comprehensive a source as The National Enquirer spotting Elvis........again!!! I never took any of that seriously, it wasn't meant to be. I thought it a fun thing to post, as well as help to generate some discussion around that.
What I hadn't planned on was the amount of 'hits' and/or responses to that post! A couple of the comments received ranged from "...too bad i don't believe much in love these days" to "that's not me at all...but then this is an internet quiz." to "Dangerous topic Green Eyes - especially for people who have "been there / done that".
That was only from those who posted a comment. I had received not only a lot of hits on that post, especially the link to the quiz itself, but had received email from others about it too.
This had me start to wonder if people really believed that bubble-gum psychology, or if they were indeed curious about their own personality and how they connect, or don't connect, with others.
I think people's curiosity to this topic is what may have sparked so much interest.

With that being said, when I think of personalities, connections and assessments, I automatically think of The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The Myers-Briggs was developed around 50 or so years ago and was based upon some of the theories of Carl Jung, a Swiss Psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. I know there are some criticisms to the validity of this test, as well as the qualifications of Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers, the founders and namesake of this assessment. Even with these criticisms, the Myers-Briggs is still widely used in a variety of situations; from team building in corporations, to training of employers and those in leadership roles, and even in Marriage Counseling, as well as individual development. The two consulting psychiatrists with whom I work closely with, also favor this assessment, in spite of some of the criticisms.

After reading some of the comments and the interest generated from my June 14th post, I thought it might be interesting to post an assessment that wasn't based in fluff and may very well have some merit to it. I automatically thought of the Myers-Briggs, but knew I would be in violation of a copyright law if I posted it here, as I may have the assessment, but not the authorization to post it. Not to be daunted by this, I set about finding a different way I could do this with out violating any copyright. (I find that last sentence quite amusing, due to that being part of my 'personality type' to begin with!!!) :)

I have found a link with a Rapid Assessment that has been based upon Myers-Briggs approach to personality. It's called The Jung Typology Test. Though it is slightly different from the assessment that I have, the results were the same as the original. Before going to the link and completing the test yourself, I wanted to preface this quiz with some info that may help you in understanding some of this theory and the basis around it:

The Myers-Briggs has four separate preferences to it, with each preferences consisting of two alternatives. Of these preferences, we each use both, but generally feel more comfortable using one more than another. (Think Right-handed vs Left-handed; you can use both, but prefer one over the other.)

BEFORE reading any further, please take the test, called the Jung Typology Test.
Click on the "Do It" button and take the test. You may want to bookmark the 'results' page. at least write down the four letters, representing your preferences, as well as the strength percentages. You will find the test HERE.

Have you finished the test and recorded your four letter Preferences? If so, please read on. If not, please do that before reading on.

For the sake of brevity and conciseness in typing, I'm taking the below info from Team Technology:

The first of these is How you direct your energy?
- If you prefer to direct your energy to deal with people, things, situations, or "the outer world", then your preference is for Extroversion. This is denoted by the letter "E".
- If you prefer to direct your energy to deal with ideas, information, explanations or beliefs, or "the inner world", then your preference is for Introversion. This is denoted by the letter "I".

The second preference is How you process information?
- If you prefer to deal with facts, what you know, to have clarity, or to describe what you see, then your preference is for Sensing. This is denoted by the letter "S".
- If you prefer to deal with ideas, look into the unknown, to generate new possibilities or to anticipate what isn't obvious, then your preference is for Intuition. This is denoted by the letter "N" (the letter I has already been used for Introversion).

The third preference is How do you prefer to make decisions?
- If you prefer to decide on the basis of objective logic, using an analytic and detached approach, then your preference is for Thinking. This is denoted by the letter "T".
- If you prefer to decide using values and/or personal beliefs, on the basis of what you believe is important or what you or others care about, then your preference is for Feeling. This is denoted by the letter "F".

And the fourth preference is How do you prefer to organize your life?
- If you prefer your life to be planned, stable and organised then your preference is for Judging (not to be confused with 'Judgemental', which is quite different). This is denoted by the letter "J".
- If you prefer to go with the flow, to maintain flexibility and respond to things as they arise, then your preference is for Perception. This is denoted by the letter "P".

My own Preferences are: E-N-F-J. And the strengths of the preference percentages are:
Extroverted - 33% Intuitive - 50% Feeling - 50% and Judging - 22%

I am hoping that all who take this test, would be willing to share their results in the comment section. If you do, please structure it like I have mine above, including the percentages for each.
As an fyi - generally, these four preferences do not change over the years. This is because our personality or character is something that is generally consistent over our life time, at least from adulthood on. I had first taken this test about 15 years ago, and again about 5 years ago. The results were for the most part the same. I think I've become a bit more introverted as I've gotten older, but....I'm still considered an Extrovert. The strength percentage was what had slightly decreased. I had again taken this test....this exact one that I've posted here, and STILL get the same results; so I'm thinking this variation of the Myers-Briggs might be just as similar to the original. (I'm hoping so, at least!) :)

So I bet you're wondering what this has to do with my original post on "The Keys To My Heart"??

A former colleague of mine had specialized only in Marital and Couple Therapy. As a result, she often subscribed to professional literature that dealt specifically with this. One of these publications was called "Marriage: The Celebration of Couples". She had given me one of those issues whose main focus was on the Myers-Briggs and how to Connect with your partner, using the four preferences. So, if people are interested, I can post parts of that magazine that gives ideas of how to cope, deal and enhance your relationship with others, if lets say you are a T or Thinker and he/she is an F or Feeler, or if You're generally an S or Sensing, and he/she is an N or intuition, and so on.
But I will only do that if there seems to be enough interest, as that's a lot of typing!!

Soooo, not only am I hoping there's enough interest generated from my original post on the blogthings fluff quiz, regarding relationships, this may also help you to know a bit more about yourself, and seeing that I'm all about Self-Awareness, this may help you in other areas as well.

~ ZZ

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SPAC's been "ETTA-cized"!!!

We've been beat on by the sun, rained on by the clouds, shaded (and protected) by the trees, and according to one particular older gentleman five seats down from me, and cuttin' up a rug.....we've also been ETTA-cized!
As in Etta James...ETTA-CIZED! Etta was the closing act for the fest, and WOW....can that woman command an audience! I must confess, for being such an icon for Motown and jazz, I'm not real familiar with a lot of her music. I do have a song of hers on a Jazz compilation, titled "At Last", and the crowd went crazy when that came on. Another favorite of hers, "I'd rather be blind".......than watch you walk away, was an incredible soul-touching ballad that left many, including myself, with out dry eyes. I thought I remembered her being a lot heavier than what she looked like. I was right. Apparently in 2003, she had gastric bypass surgery and lost.... over 200 lbs!!! Wow!
Other musicians worth mentioning include Susan Tedeschi, Jamie Cullum, Edmar Castaneda, Christian Scott, Tierney Sutton Band, Herbie Hancock, Sarah Pedinotti, and of course, Smokey Robinson. I was very impressed with Susan Tedeschi. She played the Lead guitar. She didn't just strum her way along the show, she knows her way around the guitar quite well and can jam pretty good. Her voice is reminiscent of Melissa Etheridge / Bonnie Raite and is very strong and crystal clear. I had heard of the name, but not her music prior to this weekend, and had just recently discovered she's married to Derek Trucks from The Derek Trucks Band and The Allman Brothers fame.
Jamie Cullum is an accomplished piano player from England with so much energy, he kept the whole audience in a near frenzy state! He was like a monkey, swinging off things and jumping off his piano. He and his trumpeteer came down into the audience. Good to see.
Edmar Castaneda, a Colombian-born harp player, had played at the Gazebo Stage. I've only seen women play the harp prior to this. The audience went wild over him, as he played with great passion. I never thought one could "jam' on the harp, but I was wrong!
I plan on looking more into Susan, Jamie, and Edmar. That's one of the things I like about this Jazz Fest....it gives me a wonderful opportunity to hear a new musician, that I might not have otherwise known existed!

The weekend weather ended up better than what was originally forecasted. Saturday was hot and sunny. Thankfully we had a sun umbrella. Our party is starting to look more like Bahama-Mama, as we had paper lanterns hanging from the umbrella, everyone had leis, and we were drinking from brightly colored plastic Tiki-cups. I think we'll build up on this theme next year.
I had a harrowing experience the night before we left for SPAC, involving that bucket of wine slushies I had made. I was trying to remove the ice-encased Bucket O' Slushy from the larger bucket, when I had tipped it over and lost about 3/4 of it down my kitchen drain! I'm quite certain at least one neighbor heard the expletive escape from my mouth! Though ticked, I refused to be daunted by this, and ended up making another double batch, to be put in wide pans to freeze easier. I prayed to Bachus, the ancient Greek and Roman God of Wine, (It also happens to be the name of my Maine Coon.) that it would be frozen by the time I left in the morning. It worked! In additon to the slushies that I made, my sister brought Mojitos, which is a nice summer drink. I also brought a case of water, which is much needed!
I made two different wraps as apps. one with a wheat wrap and pesto/cream cheese spread with roasted red peppers, and artichoke heats, the other on spinach wrap with pineapple preserves/scallions/cream cheese spread with smoked turkey, cheddar, carrots and alfalfa sprouts. A nice Caprese Salad with a hunk of Italian bread, pasta salad with lots of veggies. My sister made these pesto croissant roll ups, a feta dip, and a wonderful Muffaletta. There were all sorts of great food items that people brought and shared.

The people are wonderful! It's great to see everyone enjoying themselves. I've always been a music lover, as I'll tend to put on a CD over turning on the TV. I've heard it often said that music is the universal language. I believe that.

Believe it or not, I was also looking forward to the ending part of my little trip to SPAC. I had planned a little pampering time at The Roosevelt Baths and Spa at the Gideon Putnam, which is located right in Saratoga State Park. This was a late birthday present for my sister. I treated both her and I to a sauna treatment, a full body massage, and European Facial. I thought my masseuse was very good, he was very knowledgeable, and strong hands without being too hard. What a way to end our weekend trip and rejuvenate ourselves. I've already made a decision that I will treat myself to this spa after the Jazz fest every year I go! :)

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SARATOGA JAZZ FEST BOUND!!!!!

I'm goin' to SPAC's Jazzzzz Fest! I'm goin' to SPAC's Jazzzz Fest!! (Sung to the tune of "I've got some Ice -Cream!! I've Got some Ice-Cream!!" by Eddie Murphy!)
*Does Happy Dance on desk and almost falls off*
I Took Tomorrow and next Monday off and our company picnic is Tuesday. I don't have to be back to work until Wednesday!

This will be my third year attending this. And according to several of the people that I meet up with to..... 'experience this' event, I'm just a babe. There seems to be on average anywhere between 12 and 20 in this group. My sister and I were kind of inducted into this soiree, by an old high school friend. There are a few of them who have attended every year for something like the last 22 years!!!! OMG!
The line up for musicians seems to be o.k. I don't think the line up is as good as in 2004 where such notables as Bony James, Peter Cincotti, George Benson, Branford Marsalis, and the WHOLE reason for going there in the first place....Dave Koz!!!
Dave had played with Wayman Tisdale, a wonderful Bass Player, who, was also an NBA Player and on the Dream Team at one time.

This is nothing like Syracuse's Jazz Fest, which is always held the same weekend. The place is packed...both the shell and the grounds. The group I go with has the same area every year. Last year was soooo incredibly hot! Good thing for the case of water I brought, as well as the 'slushy'! hehehehe For those who've ever been to The Great New York State Fair and have had one of Thee Famous Wine Slushies, You know what I'm talking about! I liked the slushie so much....perfect for a balmy summer night on my porch, that I contacted the winery and got the recipe. I make them in a large bucket by On the Border Mexican Cafe Frozen Margaritas and just keep it in my freezer. It's perfect when I have company....no blender, no mixing, no mess.
Anyway, I found a perfect way to do this for SPAC! After making a bucket full of this tasty Frozen Treat, I put the entire bucket into a larger bucket that's been lined with a plastic bag. There's about a 1/2 inch space on all sides. I fill the outer bucket up with water and Freeze the whole thing, so the whole wine slushie Bucket is encased in 1/2 inch of ice. Walahhh! It stays completely frozen and refreshing while in 95 degree weather!! The look on peoples' faces as we sipped this frozen concoction was truly priceless! It is definitely a Jazz Fest Staple.
I think this event could be likened to sort of a Middle-aged Woodstock. I'd say the age range is typically 30-65. Tho I do purchase tickets for the seats in the shell, I usually only sit inside for those musicians I want to really see. The rest of the time, is spent out on the grass, either lying down relaxing and listening to the music, or people watching...which is ALWAYS an interesting thing to do! :)
Some of these people are truly incredible, in how elaborate they get with their "staked out" piece of land to enjoy the music from. My sis and I were chattin' with a couple who, decided to add 'comfort' to their existence on the grounds of SPAC! Much farther back, people set up tents! This one couple had a large tent, complete with, get this.....blow up furniture! There was a full size couch, 2 chairs and an end table.....all of the blow up variety!!! Ya stepped out from their tent onto a canapy'd patio! And the Kicker of all this.....At the end of the day on Saturday, it ALL has to come down and you leave the place, to return early on Sunday to set it up again!
I've seen Battery operated refrigerators, fans, lanterns, and TVs! These people don't mess around! I am most amused by this. As well as it is a very relaxing time....you just need to "become one your sweat gland" cause it's quite hot there. Anyway, I've gotta lot of stuff to do, and food to make for this.
"I'm goin' to Jazz Fest! I'm Going to Jazz Fest" *Again does dance on desk, but this time DOES fall off!* :)

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Perceptions and Book Cover Judging.

Headed out to Pratt's Falls with a friend today to do a little hiking. I was happy that most of the walk was through the woods...and shaded. I don't think I had been there since I was in my late teens. There was only a few people out there, so it was quite peaceful. While walking, we ended up catching up with an older man and with him a very young little girl. I was bothered by this chance meeting of these two and subsequent thought process. I may need to preface this with a little background info. My friend used to work with me at a different agency in Madison County. She also is an MSW, though had left that position a few years ago to become a Probation Officer in Onondaga County. So, with the exception of N. now being a P.O., we share similar education, training, and work experience.
Anyway, here we are, doing a little hiking, and we come across this man and very young little girl. She couldn't have been more than 5-6 years old. We both did a quick greeting and then N. and I passed them. As we continued to walk, I had taken notice that N. and I were both lost in thought for a couple minutes, as each of us walked in silence. After a few minutes, N. broke the silence with one single statement:
"I hope that guy was not a pedophile."
We each had been quietly determining that likelihood, independent of the other. When N. had given voice to that concern, I had stopped dead in my tracks and just stared at her, with this "I can't believe you were wondering the same thing" kind of look. This had become the crux of our conversation for a good deal of the walk ahead. I was bothered by this on a couple different levels. N. and I mulled over all the little things that apparently sparked our radar: walking in the woods of a park that didn't have many people there. The little girl was dressed in her finest...very frilly dress, with flowers and bows, lace around her ankle socks with black-patent mary janes, and a bow in her hair... she looked like the poster child of Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice. She was dressed more like a confection of sweet fluff, and was suited more for a fine wedding than a hike in the woods. (Think Jon Benet Ramzey sans the makeup)
As femininely and delicately dressed as She was, the man she was with was just as slovenly attired. The only thing missing was the 'wife-beater'....and GOD....I HATE that description for that style of undershirt! Ugh!
Another thing that had sparked my radar besides the fact that he had a tight hold on to her hand the entire time, was that she was of Asian Descent, he was definitely Caucasian, it didn't appear that he was her biological father.
Anyway, as N. and I approached the two, our immediate silence was the only clue that betrayed us as we each, unbeknownst to the other, did a quick assessment of this:
~He did not appear frightened, worried, or otherwise anxious as two women walked past and gave a quick greeting.
~Though he had a tight grip of her hand, he did not tighten it more or slightly pull back which could be a non-verbal warning to the little girl to keep quiet. There didn't appear to be any other non-verbal cues to be used as a warning to not talk.
~The little girl did not appear frightened, nervous, or otherwise uncomfortable, and was not trying to strain away from the man who held her hand. She had a smile on her face and was commenting about the caterpillar she saw on the ground.

This had taken each of us about 3-4 seconds to determine....in that very brief time period of passing them on the path. Had there been any doubts at that time, I know I would have opened up more than just a quick nod and hello as I passed them. I would have probably commented on her pretty dress and what a nice day for a walk, stalling for time to better determine if there's possible cause for police involvement.

O.k., fast forward to the mutual silence between N. and I and her statement of "I hope that guy was not a pedophile."

The other reason why this had bothered me was the sheer fact that suspicion had been cast....so quickly, and based upon a man taking a walk with a young child!! There can be sooo many other possibilities to that same scenario....she could be his adopted daughter, foster child or grandchild, or just babysitting her for the day! She could very well have come from a wedding, and didn't have a change of clothes more appropriate for a walk in the woods. She could be impulsive and likes to wander off a lot, meaning the adults may have to constantly hold her hand to keep herself safe.
Perceptions. I think perceptions play such a large part in anything we experience in life.
While I'm glad that I'm observant enough to my surroundings and through my training, education and professional experiences, am sensitive to the more subtler nuances of a child in danger, I also don't want to casually cast suspicion and doubt upon what was probably a very nice experience for that little girl and 'guardian'. I don't want to pathologize these experiences, just because there are a some pretty sick individuals out there who would groom and prey on these children. I have always had a soft spot for men who are incredibly gentle and exceedingly active and present in their children's lives. So, while I will continue to be mindful of those men who may do harm to the truly innocent ones, I hope to keep a balanced view of the beauty and tenderness of the Father/Child relationship and how rewarding it is for each.

I initially hesitated writing about this experience due to tomorrow being Father's Day and not wanting to mar this day with talks of possible male sexual predators.
But then I realized, the contrast between those male pedophiles and some of the incredible fathers out there, is enough.
What will I be doing??? My own father had passed away when I was teen. I miss him. I think I've been blessed tho, in many ways. I still have the wonderful memories of him, and I also have something that none of my other six brothers and sisters have of his.
I have his green eyes.
Happy Father's Day Dad
And Happy Father's Day to everyone else! :)

~ZZ

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"A Simple life & The Scarlet Ending"

I'm amazed sometimes on how busy our lives can be, where two people who live next door to eachother, can go months without seeing eachother! It's always nice to get together with this friend, and that's exactly what we did tonight! She's friends with a local radio personality and his wife. Their son is the lead vocals and rhythm guitar of A Simple Life. They, along with another group, The Scarlet Ending had a CD Release Party held at the Palace Theatre in Eastwood. O.k., so we didn't stay for the whole thing!!! Hadn't seen eachother in a while (Damn..she's my next door neighbor) So we took off and ended up at Riley's Restaurant for a couple of cocktails. I say "couple"... cause her and I have gotten into trouble before being out and about, so we both had to agree to be good! It was nice to catch up with eachother as we each tossed out our trials and tribulations of our lives, over cocktails. Actually got home at a decent hour......Thanks J! :) I'm supposed to go hiking tomorrow morning, and need to be up and chipper for the occasion!

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WWW

WWW - Women Who Wine

A friend of mine had introduced me to this last year. I thought it was kind of neat. A bunch of professional women get together once a month on a Thursday for wine, appetizers and ... conversation. It tends to be a varied group of people, most often consisting of several people through the Probation Dept, Teachers from area high schools, a few people from DSS and a couple or Real estate agents. My guess is that it was originally started as some sort of networking function....but I'm not fooled in the least bit!!! It's just a time to drink some wine, eat some food, and gab! :) I think this was my 3rd or 4th time. It's actually quite fun, a different person hosts it each time and the only guideline, you have to bring either a bottle of wine or an appetizer. I brought a large tray of whole fresh strawberries with chocolate and cream cheese dipping sauce. There was a lot of food and apps tonight, as there were approximately 25 women here tonight....more than any of the previous times I've attended. The woman who hosted tonight's WWW lives right on Otisco Lake. It was nice to sit on her deck with such a beautiful view of the lake, as people with boats went by. A beautiful night! It was so peaceful out there, but with so many women getting tipsy and gabbing, I wondered how far down the shoreline we could be heard. I'm looking forward to next months.

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The Keys To My Heart.....

...According to Blogthings, that is!!!

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free. In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved. You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring. You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please. Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with. Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment. You think of marriage something you've always wanted... though you haven't really thought about it. In this moment, you think of love as something you can get or discard anytime. You're feeling self centered.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

O.k.,
~ The part about emotional, and me being forced to break up with someone who is??? I'm a full-blooded Italian Woman! Need I say anymore!! lol
~ Hmmmm, the part of thinking love is easily discarded??? I wish I did think like that, it would be sooo much easier for me!
~ Self centered? Maybe centered in myself, But who knows???

~ What are your keys???? Dare to take the test??

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Trivialize

Trivialize.

Otherwise known to make insignificant. Of little substance. To Down Play, minimize, or make light of.

And when one's feeble attempt to crack a joke in response to a heart-felt reply, trivializing my own feelings and experience is what comes to mind.



Trivial Things Too Matter A Lot

One slip of tongue can let the cat off bag;
One slip of foot can cause a fracture bone;
One hole aboard can make a ship to sag;
A Goliath is felled by just one stone!

One unkind word can start a row endless;
One hasty act can ruin one's whole life;
One sip of wine can cause a habit worse;
One unwise thought can bring on undue strife.

One lullaby can put a babe to sleep;
One soothing word can end a global war;
Apology can heal heart's wounds that’s deep;
One Moon can light the earth at night from far.

Good things or bad, tho' trivial matter much,
Could hurt a lot or give a magic-touch.

~ Dr John Celes

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Boss From Hell

When I had set out to write this post, I first thought I'd do a Wikipedia search on "Bosses From Hell". Though an exact match did not come up, there was Pointy-Haired Boss from Dilbert, Bastard Operator From Hell, And even a Dear Boss Letter, written by, none other than Jack The Ripper!
Now, I'm not equating my prior boss with a Victorian-Era Serial Killer, but one can debate a few similarities. There are other "Bosses From Hell" besides The Banshee Boss, and I've noticed a similar cross over of attributes of them. According to Justin Hampton, he classifies many of these horrible bosses as demonic monsters, including: The Robot Boss, who talks in pre-recorded loops and moves in jerks, and never shows emotion; The Dominatrix Boss. She Binds and gags you and then whips you until you give her what she wants. There's The Swamp Creature Boss, who's got a dirty mouth, a rotten mind, and he's always slinging mud; The Grim Reaper Boss, when he shows up at your door, you know the news won't be good. The Spider Boss, who entangles everyone in webs of gossip and misinformation, then leaves them dangling. The Henchman Boss, who gives you all the rope you want, and then hangs you with it. The Zombie Boss, Who's Blank eyed and brain dead, but somehow he keeps returning to the office. The Werewolf Boss, when the moon is full, he stops shaving, grows fangs, and howls at everyone he sees. And Last but not least The Vampire Boss, He slowly but Surely Sucks all your creative juices out of you. I think my prior boss was a mixture of Banshee, Robot, and Vampire.

I had thought of going in detail on some of the things we've had to endure from her, but it would take too long. Needless to say, I, along with several other colleagues were thinking on leaving, when the news broke that she had resigned. Resigned??? RESIGNED!!!! (Insert Ding Dong the Wicked Witch is Dead!) I happen to know that each of us had done our own little *happy dance* on our desks behind our closed doors.

Since then, we have a new director. What is ironic is, when I had applied for this job several years back, I had also applied to another place as well. I was hired at this other agency first, and then this one 3 days later. As I knew this was the kind of work I wanted to do, I declined the first offer and took this one instead. It turns out that the director of that agency NOW is with us!! And I can't be more happy about that as her and I clicked right from the beginning.

I can't be the only person who's had a boss from hell! It has got to be one of the more frustrating experiences around, particularly knowing one, on average, spends about 1/3 of their day at their job! I'm just very thankful she's still not there, it makes my life more enjoyable!

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I Played Hooky!

What a day today was! I had gone to sleep fairly late last night and really did not want to go in today. It was going to be a beautiful day out, as compared to the wet, cold, and drizzly weekend we just had.
As I got into bed last night, my mind toyed with the idea of taking the day off today.

Should I go in or take the day off?

What happens if I take the day off and someone goes into crisis?

But God it's so beautiful out there!

I have so much work to do, I can't!

The Work can wait....It'll still be there tomorrow!

I want to enjoy this beautiful day!

This is what I went to sleep on, and oh what a restless night it was! I woke up about 5:30 AM, tho a bit groggy, I had made a decision. I know I needed to take care of myself, and knew that my soul needed a little nurturing and TLC. I very often encourage my clients to take care of themselves and set limits with others. I also know I need to heed my own advice.
Once I had settled on my decision to take the day off as a "mental health day" and left a message with our secretary to reschedule my appointments, I literally felt like a ton had been lifted from my shoulders. And I think what had made it all the more special, was the decadence behind that! I had only done this once before....take an impromptu day off. I had to ask the secretary what the process was...who I had to notify and so on.

I had some things to do around here, some errands to run, and then enjoyed the rest of the day. I had previously wrote about winning the bid on a week long stay in the 'Dacks, from the Vera House Auction. Besides that, I had also bid on and won a "Spa" Manicure and Pedicure. So I made an appointment to get that done this week. I had also made an appointment for a facial and massage.
Oh Yes! A little nurturing....Always Good for the Soul!
And to enjoy the beautiful day???? I went out to Highland Forest in Fabius and went hiking! I've been out there a few times before, but this was the first time I had gone there by myself. It was peaceful, warm, beautiful and calming. My only regret was I wore my sneakers and not my hiking boots. With all the rain over the weekend, I was quite muddy upon returning. But it felt Good!!!

It's kinda odd, I actually feel more relaxed than the long Memorial Day Weekend that I had. I do think it had something to do with the 'forbiddenness' of it!
I'm ready for tomorrow....

Bring it on!!

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Rain On My Window

I hear thunder in the distance
the sky turns darker black
a smile forms upon my lips
the rain is coming back

I walk to my balcony door
a cool breeze washes through
its refreshing and cleansing
I can taste the alluring dew

The rain spatters on my roof
lightening flashes in the sky
goosebumps erupt on my skin
and my body relaxes with a sigh

Splashing in puddles
making all things wet
catching rain on my tongue
its something I won't regret

I see rain on my window
as I stroll back inside
why are so many afraid
they avoid this and hide

The rain ends quickly
lightening and thunder ensue
this night would only be better
if I could have shared it with you

~ Robin Evan

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Last of the Season Show

The last show for the season, Thoroughly Modern Millie. :( I have season tickets to the Famous Artists Broadway Theater Series at The Civic Center. I think this is my fourth season. I was not particularly impressed with this production. In fact, I would have been perfectly fine leaving during the intermission, as the couple next to me had also done. I just didn't think there was enough passion in the acting or singing. I'm wondering if the fact that I had already seen this before, might have anything to do with it. This first time I had seen this (about 2 years ago), I saw it in NYC on Broadway and was with a couple of old college friends. This pic is from the original Broadway advertisement, held at the Marquis Theatre, where I had first seen it. There was a definite passion about the singing and acting that was lacking in this production. That's unfortunate, especially knowing that the cast had come from Broadway. In a sense, it kind of reminded me of when I saw"Grease" as the live production a few years ago.
O.K....I know most of you, (if not all of you) remember the ending of that movie where Olivia Newton-John comes out 'poured into' those black leather pants and off the shoulder black top and she and John Travolta are doing that Hot duet at the end, "You're the One That I Want". Remember that smoldering hot scene? Well for the live production, the female lead sang that entire song Facing the audience and not even glancing at the Male lead, who was standing by her side! There was no passion there! I got a similar sense from this show tonight.
These Artists Series are usually very good, and I will continue to keep my season tickets. Some of my favorites that I've seen through this include: Les Miserable, Riverdance, Mamma Mia!, The Beauty and The Beast, The Full Monty, The Cabaret, and of course, The Phantom of The Opera. I have actually seen The Phantom 4 times....three times in Toronto, and then the production here! (I just about know all the words to the whole show by heart!) I had also seen The Cabaret on Broadway at Studio 54. Not only was it neat to see it there, as Studio 54 is set up very much like a night caberet show....you sat at small tables, each with a small shaded lamp on it, and were waited on by cocktail waitresses while you watched the show. Not only was it interesting to watch a show structured like that, the main performers were Molly Ringwald, Hal Linden, and John Stamos. John Stamos, hmmmmm!....he had to drop his drawers for part of the show! :)
I do plan on keeping my season tickets. Since The Phantom of The Opera had come here, I understand that season ticket holders had tripled. I have pretty good seats, to start with. I remember one year asking if we can move up any more, and was told that "someone would have to die first." Alrighty then, I think I'll stay where I am, 7th row, Center.
Next Season's shows include Joseph & The Amazing Technocolor Dreamcoat, Movin' Out (Based on Billy Joel's music, with Twyla Tharp), AIDA (By Elton John and Tim Rice), Cirque Dreams, Jungle Fantasy, and Wonderful Town.
I enjoy watching these shows.

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