Who Needs the Transportation Dept?

So, if you're a typical citizen and discover a pothole or other issue with your local roads, you likely call the department of transportation or city or something like that. Well, my dad is not typical. Nope. No government agency can be counted on to cure his road woes as well as he can. If you find a pothole or other issue with the road, you mix some concrete and fill it yourself! Just to prove my point . . . see exhibits A & B.

Notice the sawhorse he set up to notify the passing traffic of his presence and keep cars off the wet cement. Orange barrels are overrated.

Whitetrash road repair?

I believe that he ended up using 4 1/2 wheel barrels of concrete to smooth out the area and keep from driving into a dip. Julie and I think that it might have been easier to just take the turn wider - but I guess that's not an option for my dad. If he wants to drive there, he will make a way to drive there. You better hope he never comes to believe that there needs to be a new road over your lawn and flowerbeds!

Also, for any who feel that a concrete patch on an asphalt road may be an odd choice - he's used concrete for more insane purposes. My personal favorite (and somewhat of a local legend) is to use concrete as an auto body filler. Our old Suburban had the rear quarter panels almost full of concrete. It added extra weight for traction in the snow - and heaven help anyone who might have hit that! Actually, he once ended up in a ditch and the Suburban came out without any dent!!

Almost There . . .

I'm still unemployed. BUT - I have now cleared pretty much all the hurtles in my way. See, not only do I need a degree to do therapy, but also a state license. However, before one can get a license, they must take a national exam. But, in Utah, before one can take the exam, they must have the degree conferred upon them. So, for the past few months, I've been applying to jobs - only to hear "you're great, but we need someone with a current license." Argh.

So, just about one week ago, I got my degree conferred upon me. YEAH. According to the U of U, I was done. That gave me the green light to take my licensing exam. That I did last Friday. After a few days of stressing (mostly because I did not study much all summer like I had planned) I went in and tried to take the test confidently. With that said, I passed!! Wahoo!! Oh so very happy day. I promptly sent my license application to the state. When I got home, I found that my official diploma came in the mail (making everything just that much more real). Julie has already commandeered it and sent it off with my BYU diploma to be framed as a graduation gift.

So, now that the state has my license application, hopefully I will get my license within a week or so. Either way, now that I've qualified for the license, I should have more prospective employers bring me in for interviews. Speaking of interviews, I had one last week at the State Prison. It was slightly scary to be walking up to the building with high fences and razor wire on both sides of me. However, the interview went quite well. I was thinking that the Prison would be the bottom of the barrel for me, but I left feeling that I would actually like working there. That's scary. I also have an interview with a youth correctional facility this week. So, it's looking like there's a good chance I'll be playing with corrections in one way or another. :)

Caught up in Politics

So, I pretty much maxed on politics during the Obama vs. Clinton Deathmatch 2008. It just went on too long, and my attention span didn't last long enough. Cookies. So, I kinda took a break from it all while the first black/woman/old president debate was whittled down to the first black/old president debate (which, according to Colbert is solved because of "racial turducken" labeling of all minority groups into one conglomerate - making McCain black because he also falls within the minority of old -- Man, I LOVE Colbert and Stewart). Well, now we also have another candidate entering the mix apparently. Paris Hilton is going to represent the minority celebrity. Yes, we're now back to three minority groups fighting for power - black/old/famous. But, does rich offset famous and bring the minority into power and therefore not really part of the minority? If so, she's still a woman - so she gets the 2-for-1 special. Wait, though - hasn't McCain bashed Obama because he is indeed a . . . celebrity (audible gasp). Oooohh, we can't have any of that uppity famous crowd running the USA. No, we need middle class, normal presidents like . . . like . . . well, I can't think of any recent presidents who were not rich and part of the elite class in society.

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

Hehe. I love it. I also love how Paris (well, her scriptwriters) has found a common-sense balanced solution. Gosh. If only others would step back from the "I'm right, so you can't be right" battle of straw men arguments and see outside the box. Wow, I never thought that Paris Hilton would be the one to look outside of any box - especially her own. I think this is a sign of the coming apocalypse. Bring it on!

Now, stepping away from balance and harmony (what do you think this is? Utopia? The sweet/spicy flavorings of Panda Express?) and back into bitter, argumentative, one-sided media that is the heart of the American way . . . I present to you my undying love for the Republican Party.

See more Adam "Ghost Panther" McKay videos at Funny or Die

Ah yes, the Republican Party obviously either A) needs strong psychotropic medications combined with cognitive restructuring therapy or 2) has taken way too many psychotropic medications without a doctor's supervision. Either way, it entertains me. I'm just shocked that this didn't come from the one and only true media outlet - Comedy Central.

It's Official!!

As of today, I am officially a graduate from the University of Utah. Although I finished my classes in June, I had to wait until the end of the semester for my degree to post. Well, today it did just that! I officially have my MSW. Wahoo!
Now that I have been awarded my degree, I can take my licensing exam. I registered for that last night. Once I get the letter in the mail (within a few days) I can call and schedule a time to go in and take the test. I'm not excited to take the test, per se - but I AM excited to get my license and finally get a FT job again. YES!