Michelle profile picture

Michelle

I am here for Friends and Networking

About Me

People tell me that I am well-grounded, calm, and that I have a laid-back presence/personality. I have a tendency to suprise people when I become passionate about certain topics, ideas, or issues...and when I stand up for something or speak out. I enjoy my work as a substance abuse counselor very much. I enjoy watching "the lightbulb come on" when people who are dying begin to see what it is going to take for them to live and decide to work really hard at recovery. I enjoy being a part of that process with people. I enjoy helping people make changes in their lives that make them happy - even though they are difficult and painful changes. I am in love with a wonderful, thoughtful, intelligent, driven, funny, sexy person who continues to surprise me on a daily basis. I am extremely content with my life in all areas...which has been a long and difficult process for me, but a process that I really wouldn't go back and change at all.

My Interests

Running, playing guitar (although not so much anymore), music, finding good food/places to eat, career stuff...perhaps going into private psychotherapy practice one day, cooking, reading fiction (recommendations/recent reads: Kite Runner, Secret Life of Bees, The Lovely Bones, Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Atonement, Shantaram, A Thousand Splendid Suns).

Music:

Best cd in my collection: Sweet Forgiveness by Bonnie Raitt (1975)...amazing. Other favorite artists: Michelle Malone (check her out at michellemalone.com), Catie Curtis, Dar Williams, Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls, Brandi Carlile, Amy Ray, Patty Griffin (amazing songwriter), Shawn Colvin, Howie Day, Bob Schneider, Karla Bonoff, there are just too many to think of them all...

Movies:

American Beauty, Shawshank Redemption, The Hours, Frida...been a bit busy to get to the theater, although I love to go. I recently rented Little Children...which I enjoyed.

Television:

I find that I am not that into tv. I do enjoy Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice...although I find that I am a skeptic when it comes to dramatic tv...but I do enjoy the characters. The L Word is back to being good again this season...and have recently indulged in "Exes and Ohs" on Logo...which is cheesy at times, but cute. I had a family member visit who was into "Dancing with the stars" and I got into that for the last two episodes...just to see who would win. :)

Books:

Kite Runner, The Lovely Bones, Rubyfruit Jungle, Curious Wine, Pages for You, The Secret Life of Bees, Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Atonement, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Shantaram. Authors: Margaret Atwood, Isabel Allende, John Updike...many others.

Heroes:

My therapist :)

My Blog

Belonephobia

Belonephobia - I have it....and I have it baaaadddd. I fainted (for the second time in the past 3 years) at work today. I was invited to observe an ECT treatment (electroconvulsive shock therapy) at t...
Posted by Michelle on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:24:00 PST

t-minus 7 days and counting...and updates

7 days until we leave for Acapulco! I cannot wait! I've been running 11-12 miles per week for the last 8 weeks and lifting weights so that I can wear my bikini. :) As far as the update on not com...
Posted by Michelle on Sat, 12 Apr 2008 04:29:00 PST

Positive developments at work...

This is a follow-up to my blog post entitled "passionate rant about frustrations" : I’ve continued to voice my concerns/educated opinions about psychiatrists and other doctors prescribing and us...
Posted by Michelle on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:08:00 PST

Acapulco it is!

Malone and I have decided to travel to Acapulco for our vacation! Malone has a good friend who has a house there...right on the water...with pool and private chef! This friend and her husband invited ...
Posted by Michelle on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:33:00 PST

Vacation needed - suggestions?

I got a call yesterday while at work...my dad was in the ER. Of course, I freaked. My mind immediately went to scary places. He is really okay, we think...just a scare...but I have really been struggl...
Posted by Michelle on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:06:00 PST

Mardi Gras and New Gym (in that order)

Malone and I went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago...I've added pics. It was a fun trip...our drive there was very rainy and dangerous - we saw several accidents through the bli...
Posted by Michelle on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:52:00 PST

kinda sad news

I found out Sunday that my old cat, Katie, that my ex-partner still had was killed by three dogs in the neighborhood. It was shocking news and really made me sad. It was strange that I still felt...
Posted by Michelle on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 07:22:00 PST

passionate rant about frustrations

Work continues to go well. On a regular basis now, I see more and more value to my past experience working in a drug/alcohol rehab center. I use the education I got there every day to guide and advoca...
Posted by Michelle on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:27:00 PST

Jury Duty

Today was my last day of Jury Duty. I served for three days at $10 per day and 10 cents per mile. :) I was actually happy to serve. I thought it would be a nice change from my work on the detox u...
Posted by Michelle on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 01:14:00 PST

Letter to an ex

A -   I've had some feelings floating around for a while...and no way to really share them or let them out...so I thought perhaps expressing them here would help. Perhaps you will read this, per...
Posted by Michelle on Fri, 28 Sep 2007 08:29:00 PST