mental health miscellany

Years ago I worked for a mental health agency. The work was crappy but the benefits were amazing. Oh what I would give to have those benefits again. Towards the end ( I had worked there for almost 3 years) I was accumulating almost 3 days per month to use for vacation/sick time. The best (along with the health coverage that was completely employer paid) was Of those days accrued I could take 5 off per year for "mental health days". Didn't feel like coming in? Wanted to go to the coast for a day? Hated your coworkers and the thought of spending one more day with them would drive you insane? All you had to do was call in and say "I'm taking a mental health day" They never questioned it. It was heaven. And did wonders for every one's sanity.

Today I took a mental health day. Thankfully it's one of my days out of the office so I didn't have to call in to explain. As much as I get along with my bosses, they would have frowned on my "I just can't take it anymore and need some time away" excuse. But I didn't work from home, I skipped class and I ate potato chips at 9 AM. (later on I attended a class at the gym to counter act those fat grams and extra calories)

Speaking of eating chips (hello Weight*Watchers!) I've scheduled Fridays for my weigh-in days and without fail I end up doing something on Thursday to sabotage it. Last week it was pizza and wine with a friend up the street. And by my acts - I hadn't eaten pizza in 20 years. Two servings of pizza and cheesy bread sticks and I fell into some sort of food coma. Delicious.

School sucks! (can you tell I'm taking a class with freshmen?) Someone forgot/neglected to take a history class her freshman year (actually I did but it was at a "quarter system" university and this semester school uni won't accept just one class) So everyday for the past week and a half I've sat in a classroom of 9 other kids and listened to a professor drone on about colonial history for 2 full hours. It has been miserable. 11 more days.

Pizza and bread stick friend (see above) has recently split with her boyfriend of 2 years. She's having a rough go of it. She's also a teacher and has the summers off. But b/c of her depression, she hardly leaves the house. It's sad to watch but other than be there for her (and who am I to say no to her offers of "glass of wine?") I'm not sure what I can do.

I live in a relatively nice area of town but on my way over to her house (1 measly block) I was stopped by some creep who still lives with his mother. or grandmother. or elderly aunt. Who knows? But he ran into the sidewalk, blocked my way around him, and grabbed my hand. Insisting that I tell him that his shirt is cool, nicer than mine, and to "have a great day". It was strange and a little frightening. For so long I've insisted that my neighborhood is safe.

My dad left today for a motorcycle road trip. Who says 68 year olds are old? I'm always worried when he goes on these trips. There's no doubt I inherited my grandmother's ability to worry about everything!

The boyfriend and I walked downtown last night for margaritas. Other than the creepiness of neighborhood guy (see above) I love the fact that my house is close enough to walking distance to our downtown. Boy am I gonna miss that when I move after graduation.