The Library Makes me Uncomfortable

So, a while back, Julie and I were in Seagull Book looking for Mother's Day presents. I was looking in the "self-help" section at various books. I like looking at what is out there, so I have possibilities to refer to my clients I work with. Well, I made a list of the books I wanted to read to expand my therapy knowledge base. I then went to the Salt Lake County Library website and placed holds on said books. I LOVE the county library system up here. Just request a book ANYWHERE in the system and they transfer it to your local library and hold it for you. It's a good thing.

So, I get an email telling me 3 of my books are ready. So, I wander to the library one day after work to get the books. Well the three that were read were 1) Confronting Pornography 2) Happiness is a Choice and 3) In Quiet Desperation: Understanding The Challenge Of Same-gender Attraction. Like I said, these seemed like good books to read to expand my theoretical framework of therapy. However, when I went to the counter with these 3 books, I started to think what this combination looks like . . . Pornography Addiction + Depression + LDS Same Sex Attraction. Wow. That's an awesome combination. I have to be honest, I felt a little shy/embarrassed at first. But, then I thought . . . I have nothing to be embarrassed of. I can read any book I want. Not to mention that I try to convince my clients that they need not be embarrassed of their imperfections/problems. So, I held my head high and look the young man straight in the eye while he checked out the books that made me look like a religious man addicted to gay porn.

It was still uncomfortable.

Ongoings of the Brian

For those of you who are wondering what is going on in my life . . . I will let you know!! So, since the joys of graduation (FAKE graduation, that is . . . The U likes to dangle the thought of being done in front of me for my last semester there), life hasn't been too crazy. Hence the lack of blogs. This is my life: work, sleep, eating. That's it. I'm working PT for a company called Clinical Consultants teaching classes at the Day Reporting Center for Adult Probation and Parole. I teach the convicts such fun as substance abuse (how NOT to do it), parenting (how NOT to screw over your kids), life skills (why their lives have been less that successful), and anger management (how NOT to let your fists do the talking). Honestly, not my cup of tea. I prefer to use my therapy skills to help people who are more invested in changing - and don't think they already have the world figured out (which, if that is the case, why are you seen as a danger in society). However, I do like the job. It's just not what I'd like to to long-term full-time (but being that I still can't get my higher license yet . . . gotta do something.

After about 2 weeks of near unemployment life, I found a Full-Time work endeavor as a temp at the Utah College of Applied Technology. I'm working as the Administrative Assistant to the President. It's a pretty good gig. They like me (would probably keep me if I applied . . . but being a secretary isn't what I had in mind when I went to get my masters). The office is located at The Gateway which is a pretty nice place to work. The company "gym" is just down the hall from my desk, so it's also nice to be able to spend my lunch hour exercising. I've decided that I actually find physical exercise quite easy to do when it's A) less than 50 feet from my current location and B) doesn't require me to get up early or come home late. I also LOVE the location because just a few weeks before I started there TRAX finished the extension so there is a stop right in front of the office. This means I drive only 3 miles to the Midvale Trax Station and then ride in comfort to downtown. I've already read 3.5 Narnia books in the 3 weeks I have worked there. AND BEST OF ALL, I drive the same distance in ONE week that I was going in ONE day when I was working between the U and LDSFS in Am Fork. Being that it now costs $50+ to fill my car . . . this is an incredible bonus. I'm supposed to continue working at UCAT for another week until my classes start (the ONE week of classes June 9-13) -- but I have the feeling I might come back after that week because I don't think they have found the permanent replacement yet. I'd be OK with that. As far as temp jobs go, I couldn't ask for better. If they don't need me back, I'll go back to the UTemps service and find something on campus to work at until I officially graduate. It's all good.

Other ongoings of Brian . . . a few weeks back we had a belated graduation party at the "Big House" belonging to our friend, Kenton. I had a bunch of my school friends and some of Julie's friends up to the house where we had a bbq. It was hecka fun. Memorable moments: A) my friends reactions to the "tour" of the MASSIVE house. It's like 9000 sq. ft. with such insanity as a hydrospa hot tub with built-in DVD/Plasma TV, ginormous theatre room, and mountain top views of the Salt Lake Valley and mountains. It's right next to the new Draper LDS Temple. B) Playing Rock Band on the very large projection system in the theatre room. HECKA FUN. I think that we'll have to go up for another movie/x-box party . . . It's nice to have contacts. :P

Update on the Spider Bites . . . they've healed. No horridly hideous wounds on my arms. However, there are still faint marks left. It actually looks like "track marks" from IV drug use. So, for a while I was wearing long sleeves at my substance abuse job -- didn't want my clients to think I had fallen off the wagon. I like to think of myself as a walking anti-drug campaign (probably not a very good one, though).

Spider Buffet

If any of you were unaware . . . I HATE SPIDERS. I just wanted to set the record straight. If I see a spider in my house - I kill it. I don't care that it is "God's creature." In fact, someday I plan on having a lengthy conversation with God as to what he was thinking when he concocted the idea of a spider. I mean, really. Julie says it's because we need them to eat other insects. I disagree. I'm pretty sure that with as smart as God is - he could find a Plan B (or even a Plan C-Z for that matter). I also disagree with Julie due to the following: I am becoming a friggin spider buffet!
Yeah, that's my arm. The red areas - bites. Lots and lots of bites. They're on the other arm too. And my leg. They hurt. A lot. Yesterday they also had a nice ring of red around each, which led me to look at "spider bites" on Google. Not a good idea. Suddenly I was afraid that my arm flesh was going to become necrotic and fester. Not a pretty picture? Imagine fearing that as the future of your appendages.

So, I'm trying to be logical. Spiders don't typically attack humans unless they feel in danger. So, I'm thinking that I must have rolled onto a spider while I was sleeping Sunday night. And then Tuesday morning I woke up with even more on the other arm and my leg. So apparently the spider keeps coming back for more. And does Julie have any spider bites? Nope. Now, I'm glad that my wife is not being eaten alive, but I have to wonder . . . WHY ME? I still hate spiders - especially those who want to overtake my bed!!

I did go to the doctor today. He's pretty sure they're spider bites. Most likely Hobo Spider. Possible Brown Recluse. I get to do the "wait and see if they get worse" game. I love waiting for serious problems. Fun for me. So, tomorrow I'm going to bug bomb the bedroom. Enjoy the last night of the Brian buffet . . . tomorrow you die!!

Cat for Sale

Please refer to this post on Julie's blog for the background to this story . . .

Cat for Sale:

For sale, 2005 House Cat (Felis catus). Two-tone white and orange coloring with Hitler-esque trim. Upgrades include, claw-less braking and removal of internal male sex organs (these posed to be detrimental to this model). Answers to the name "Howie" (but also answers to "Retard", "Monster", and sometimes even "Tweedle Dumb" - so I don't think it matters much). Loves dry cat food, but appears to not know when to stop eating. Has an irrational fear of water (ok, maybe that's rational for a cat) but for some stupid reason won't stop splashing around in the water dish. Also loves to watch the "DVD" logo bounce around on the TV while movies are paused - and to chase the cursor on computers. Selling because he's too stupid to stop throwing water around the bathroom and knocking things over even though he's been threatened several times. Please make offer.

Possible Graduation Present . . .

So, my sister-in-law (Vanessa) sent me a fun link. The item listed today was this:

Desktop Warfare - USB Missile Launcher Kit with Software Control

Connect to your USB port, you'll use a software guided aiming system to shoot foam missiles upto 10 feet. Take back control of your office. Shipping just $5 to your home or office.
Yugster Price: $21.95

So, I would REALLY love this. Oh my, would it be incredible fun. Whoever invented this is my new hero. Seriously, it includes software that helps you aim and shoot missiles. Now, imagine even more fun of using a remote access to the computer to shoot your coworkers from home when they're not expecting it. Yeah, that would be awesome. So, if any of you are thinking graduation present . . .

I think Jesus taught us about hypocrisy . . .

I vaguely remember the bible teaching me about hypocrisy. Then, today while I was driving down 4th South in SLC I saw this . . .

Again, I realize the image isn't great. It's from the I-wish-I-were-a-camera Blackberry. This was a nice little Suzuki driving next to me. The small bumper sticker says "I Buy American First." Now, I'm really happy to see someone wanting to support American workers . . . but last I checked Suzuki was NOT an American car company. Yeah, Suzuki sounds pretty . . . I don' know . . . Japanese! Not that I'm against Japanese cars - I LOVE my Nissan and Mazda. But I wouldn't use them to encourage others to buy American-made products.

(And, before anyone tries to discredit me by stating that many foreign car companies now have US plants where the cars are manufactured . . . still not an American company. Nike is made in some crazy sweat shop in rural India. Now THAT's an American company!)

Ben Folds is AMAZING live!!

So, Julie and I went to the Ben Folds concert last night. It rocked! He's really good live. He did some interesting things - like putting stuff (tins, etc) ON the piano strings. It was cool. Did NOT enjoy the venue (SaltAir - I hate that place) and of coarse there were stupid people around. Utah concerts . . . We got to see the compassion of Utah drivers as nobody was letting people merge in order to clear out the parking lot. Boo.

We made it in time for one opener. He was ok. After a few songs, though - they all sounded the same. He did some funny stuff, though. He was having technical difficulties with his guitar during the first song, so he just held it up to the mic to catch the sound. However, he still needed to sing into the same mic - so he was trying to get his mouth and the guitar strings as close to the mic as possible. The result - looked like the hunchback of Notre Dame playing a guitar. Pretty amusing. He also sang a little tune about having a music video with Tiffany Amber Thiessen and getting to kiss her 5 times cause he is a lucky (well, I won't repeat his potty mouth . . . you can imagine). He kept pronouncing her last name as "Tea-sin" cause he's Brittish or retarded (I get those two confused). And, he did a "completely pointless instrumental solo" which is when "the band engages in something completely pointless for their own enjoyment." He pretty much ran the mic across the guitar strings and plucked at it with his teeth - sounded horrible but entertaining.

Yeah, so that was our concert experience. Ben Folds ROCKED. He can tickle those ivory very good! It is simply amazing to watch his hands literally FLY over the keyboard. I've never seen anything like it. His hands/fingers were just a blur - no kidding!! But Julie and I are starting to think that we're getting old. All the other concert goers just annoy us. However, it is worse at UT concerts than concerts out of state. Maybe that's a good reason to move . . .