Unwinding

So it was February of 2004 when I decided a change had to happen. My friend Danny Henley was reminding me today about all the lunches we used to have, and how I'd rail against the evils of working for commercial TV.

Over 4.5 years later, I'm finally here. I've got my MS, passed my state boards...

I have some administrative stuff to do before I get license in hand. I will probably have the official piece of paper in 4-6 weeks.

I'll be counseling in a local church for starters, though I have renewed interest starting a private practice thanks to a good lecture from a peer I heard Saturday.

Here's what greeted me when I got home today.


***

The test was HARD. The questions come out of a test bank, and I gather that no two students get the same exam. I've had classmates take it who thought it was difficult, and some who thought it wasn't bad.

I can tell you that I thought it was far worse than our exit exam.

I'd studied hard for a week, but really, I should have been studying hard for at least a month.

The Rosenthal book I used was helpful in a secondary way; not many of the questions from that book were on the exam, of course, but Rosenthal's techniques for approaching the questions helped. His input was useful in helping me eliminate answers when a correct one didn't jump out at me.

***

I'd slept poorly, but I didn't wake up feeling bad. Had a nice breakfast and headed out.

An hour into the test I was ready to:

1. Throw up

2. Give up

I took their advice and gave myself breaks. Ever read so many word problems that after a while the words don't even make sense? I had to read questions over and over and over... when I reached that point I'd step away for a break.

[and the cat just peed on the floor again...]

I made myself go back over every question, though, and that helped. I didn't change many answers, but looking at my selections, I came to realize that I'd made good ones.

I finished with cautious optimism. It took me exactly three hours.

***

They print out the results and hand them to you rather unceremoniously. It's a sheet covered with words...

"Uh... did I pass?"

Yes.

"Oh!"

And one of those tiny words reads, "PASS," and that's good enough for me.

***

I feel the same way my nephew did after the dentist pulled his tooth: I never want to do that again.

***

If you stop by here, you know that I periodically get obsessed with whatever musician(s). Jeff Beck, Jason Falkner, Helmet, whoever.

Currently, man, it's Porcupine Tree. I never get tired of their We Lost the Skyline.

Here's frontman Steven Wilson doing "Sentimental"


***

Guess I'd better knock off. Thank you all for your kind words.

***

[Edit: Former UFC champion Evan Tanner has died. Apparently he was in the desert on something akin to a spiritual quest and was overcome by the heat.

I wasn't really a fan, but I thought he was an interesting guy, one who was definitely not cut from the same mold as most of the others. Honestly, I felt like we had some things in common. His passing is terribly sad.]