Not such a productive day, but nice to be home...
Good morning. It’s a bit late to be starting at this hour … it is already 9 am. We had been working on edits earlier, but there were several interruptions. So, we decided to do all the good Ann stuff like showering, dressing and taking our medications. We’re waiting for those to take some affect in calming our minds. We’re still having trouble with our anger.
I don’t like this at all. It is very draining on one’s energy level to maintain such guardedness.
I’ve been trying to keep it separate from my school work. So far with that after we started, we were able to maintain our focus. There is a strong sense though of doing things on my own without the familiar supports. We’ve loosened up somewhat in that we’re now at least talking about a few safe subjects for a few moments at a time. But, we are stifling most of our emotions and guarding our feelings. There is a lack of trust. We don’t feel up to being hurt anytime soon. Especially not until this paper is handed in, which will complete the course. I am close enough to be looking forward to a break.
I would like to finish the paper by today or tomorrow, so I can have the rest of the week off. I haven’t spent too much time thinking through what I would like to do other than catching up on some blog reading. Reading comes to mind in general as something I would like to do. Maybe spend some time in the living in that nice comfy corner of couch under the light. Maybe put our feet up and not care overly much if we happen to fall asleep. I can well imagine, we’ll have to keep a hand free, because Chief and Missy would want some of that good attention. No one told me kitties need so much petting!
AHA! There’s a smile! I’ll take that thank you!
Damn we’re tricky!
Ok, now that we’ve cracked the lid … let’s see if we can ply off the cap. I can see it on her face … she’s not coming easily, though we’re pretty sure force is not a good idea.
Ok, uncle, uncle … we’re going to leave her alone for a bit.
Let’s go casual again … what would we like to read? ACK! No fiction! Hmm, maybe fiction? Sure been a long time since we picked up our ‘ol friend Balzac. Shoot … something, something … he might be tied to depressive thoughts. It is just that we loved to read his conversations particularly when the character was thinking on his own. If I would ever try picking up the pen, I would want to write like Balzac. Shh, I think we’re making her smile a little …
What would happen if I just walked over a little to one of the shelves? I know there are books there that have been left unread. There should always be something on the shelves that is left a bit mysteriously waiting, as if a corner bus stop/outdoor paperback sale. We got confused last time because of all the books he wrote had something to do around war time. Last thing we want to do is get into soldier mentality. Yeeks! Knowing Balzac whoever the soldier, there would be a girl around the corner. Hehehe I understood he had a female audience. Ugh. If I read fiction, I would have to put up with the romance too. Shoot, maybe we could take a little look …
AHA! Caught someone’s attention! We picked up a book of his short stories we had not yet read. Maybe that is enough to constitute a mental break in school work, without becoming overly infatuated. Yes, yes … we’d be developing reading skills! That’s just the ticket!
Ok, ok … but no more than one short story. We’d guessed correctly in finding the first couple of stories were of military men and they were being enamored with women and a royal Spanish monarchy’s family was beheaded. That curbs MY interest. I am hiding the book! Maybe I don’t like short stories or fiction so much … I know, I know blasphemy!
How about we compromise … we reward ourselves with reading, but we stick to psychology! Isn’t that a good idea! I found a book called “Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control” by Bandura. Let’s set the timer for just 30 minutes and we’ll see how inviting that is.
Good, we’re then in agreement!
Oh man was that great! I read one chapter sub-section that was 7 pages long. It took 42 minutes. What a mind experience though! Even though its slow-going and sometimes requires the dictionary. I didn’t know what the word ontological meant … It turns out that its something to do with the science or study of being. Wooo HOOO This is the good stuff!
We felt so good we made an entry over at the fitness blog. That’s the good stuff, but I’m being reminded now there are other things I need to be doing. The day is kind of passing by without me. I was encouraged by Darla enough to point me toward the treadmill. But, then we got there and remembered we were going to do music with it. We found out the radio in the room no longer worked. I guess you have to use it or lose it. It’s ok … it was over 10 years old, I should probably bury it
I have a nicer boombox thingy in the kitchen, but I couldn’t hear it and it seemed buried already into its nook. So, then the option was to use the boombox one of my sons had left here when he moved. The damn thing had SPEAKERS UGH! More cord work. Then we finally got it all in the master bedroom, but the main cord wasn’t long enough. We had to disconnect a few other things to get the system going. It works fine now and sits right next to the treadmill, but I’m going to have to maybe start hanging up some clothes, because temporarily those got dumped on the bed. YEEKS! With all this movement, my back complained she’d have enough, so were now on break *Sigh* We’ll give her another few minutes and try again.
I think by now, I’d almost rather write the paper, but this is the closest we’ve gotten to the treadmill all through the week. Need to keep trying. Rest, rest, rest BACK!
I’m going to double post this part, because I think it is SOOOO important!
"People are proactive, aspiring organisms who have a hand in shaping their own lives and the social systems that organize, guide, and regulate the affairs of their society."
"Self-influence: In their daily transactions, people analyze the situations that confront them, consider alternative courses of action, judge their abilities to carry them out successfully, and estimate the results the actions are likely to produce. They act on their judgments, later reflect on how well their thoughts have served them in managing the events at hand, and change their thinking and strategies accordingly."
"People's beliefs in their efficacy have diverse effects. Such beliefs influence the courses of action people choose to pursue, how much effort they put forth in given endeavors, how long they will persevere in the face of obstacles and failures, their resilience to adversity, whether their thought patterns are self-hindering or self-aiding, how much stress and depression they experience in coping with taxing environmental demands, and the level of accomplishments they realize."
(Efficacy - the belief one has the capability to produce desired effects by their actions).
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. NY: W. H. Freeman and Company.
Damn is that good stuff! I am going to confront the treadmill, give myself no option, insist I have the ability to do it, do it, give myself positive credit, then newly inspired I am going to focus on the paper, shake, stir, and repeat! BRB
Ok, ok … we’re going to skip the after workout picture.
Ok, maybe not … but if I look a little blurry it’s not my fault! Hmm, 1 pm. Was up on weight this morning, so I don’t want to eat a big meal … Hmm, maybe one of those nutrition bars? Then I’d be doing a Gab/Darla!!! Sounds good to me, hold on. We’ll have a little talk about peanut affect later … The bar claims to have 15 g protein (30%) and 14 vitamins and minerals. Seems all that is within about the 25% category. Eh, it works for me! 240 cal and 19 g carbs. Not sure if that is a plus or minus. I can never figure out if carbs are good or bad. Heyyy only 170 mg sodium know that’s a nice number. 2% cholesterol doesn’t look so bad either.
Hmm, ok, doing what we intend to do … that’s the new game in town. One smoke and back to paper … that’s what we’re going to do! Sheezz, already 1 pm and not too much got done except some editing. Ok, no self-defeating talk here. It’s what we ARE going to get done. Let’s look ahead …
We’ve finished sections on socio political issues and culturally appropriate interventions. We’ve established through case studies background information on the special populations of African Americans and a Hispanic American. We’ve discussed multicultural family interventions & cultural development. And, we’ve now processed three scenarios out of five for western and indigenous similarity approaches to treatment. Next, we have to write the fourth and fifth approach, which deals with psychologists (or one slim QMRP) working with her clients on strengthening interpersonal relationships and responding to the client’s past history. Let me think, we had … oh, I remember. We are going to use the 28 year old African Americans female’s story of relating to people at the community advocacy meeting. So far, the other three scenario’s given were negative and I wanted to switch that around. And, then for the fifth scenario? Let me think … Hmm, I’m thinking we could do something with that strong will power of the young 22 year old Hispanic female. That should balance things out, because the middle scenario with the 45 year old African American male was kind of long. These next two stories will be much shorter, because the readers already have a background in mind for these characters. It is a good idea to say positive things happen in psychology too. It’s not all about maladaptive behaviors. Even using them, we’ve managed to assure each of our scenario’s ended positively.
Whoops … then she slips off unto the night …
posted by Ann Marie @ 3/27/2006 05:20:00 AM
Comments: 1
