I like my job.

I’m enjoying my work with adolescents.  My favorite part about them is that no matter how much shiz they’ve been through in life (and believe me, these people have gone through so much in 14/18/19 years), they are still hopeful about the world.  They still dream, and they dream big.

I’ve noticed that I used laughter as a major tool of engagement.  And then 5 minutes later, my client will be crying as I hand over the box of kleenex.  It works, man.  I’ve been described as ditzy in my day, but I think it makes people feel comfortable around me.  I’ve been through therapy (like…8 sessions) and I really hated it when my therapist would smile at me with that fake smile of encouragement.  So I try not to do that.  I like to think my style is just…being myself.  I let myself react.  Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I give a confused look, sometimes I say, “dude…that sucks,” or, “I know, right?”

Someone told me today that I am very “proper.”  I wanted to disagree at first because I was afraid he was thinking, “how do teenagers connect with this hoity toity?” but then I realized…I do sound proper, but it’s not because what I say is especially intellectual or anything…I just happen to have awesome diction from years of being in choir.

My average 1.5 hour commute (each way) is slightly getting to me.  Friday was the WORST.  I got in my car, anticipating horrible Friday traffic, so I turned on the radio.  Top 40 songs were causing my head to pound because there is only so much “you feel like paradise, and I need a vacation tonight” that I can take in one day, so I decided to hit up an old friend: country music.  Country music was a must have of mine for several years and after I moved to NYC, I didn’t really listen to it anymore except for the stuff that crossed over to Top 40 stations.  I don’t know what it is about country music, but it slowly relaxed my body, muscle by muscle and made my commute home so much more enjoyable.  I think I’ve found my own self-therapeutic tool; a coping skill, if you will.  Thank you, country music, for being weird, funny, touching, wholesome, and cheesy, but oh so good for the soul.

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