TRIED

Tried to put some family archived photos on here. Wasn't gonna happen. The blog site won't take it.
Had fun with the girls yesterday. Took them to Vespasio on SoCo and Emerald's on Lamar--Book People and Whole Foods.

Looking at MBTI certifying conferences. Most of them are four day and around 1000 dollars. Then a flight is going to be 200-450, with hotel accomodations for five nights around 500. Food is another couple of hundred all totalled. Then taxi fare.....
....when I first enrolled in school, my hope was to get MBTI certified. It was all I knew I wanted to do then. When I took my first class in Psych, I knew I wanted to go to graduate school, like the grad student who was my teacher (He's at Texas State now--a prof, I've contacted him, His wife is studying to be a midwife and I've offered her my midwifery texts). At that time, even a Masters degree seemed so remote--like such a unrealistic dream. When I calculated how old I would be if I took my classes two per semester---I ended up around 40 years old---that seemed like it would take forever! And here I am. (and it sort was like forever--but not--how's that for philosophy).
Then I was not sure if I should keep going to school, but I wanted to be a midwife. Actually, I couldn't figure out how I was going to deal with many aspects of midwifery, not to mention the danger of lawsuit.....I enjoyed the conference, though, with a bunch of sensitive women concerned about feminine issues.
When I went to Disney in 2001, it reawakened my passion for China to an extreme level. I have always thought I would go there in my elder years, after Steve passed, as my consolation....because he was not interested in missionary work or overseas living (Unless we're talking England). However, I decided to work towards that goal in the present and look for opportunities independent of Steve, like short term work.
For whatever reason, my pastors decided it was not God's time for me and would not give me the recommendation that I needed to go with English Language Institute. So I decided I would find ways that do not require pastoral approval. Although I did not attempt to push for that certain trip--I realized that I was in the same position as Gladys Alworth (allworth?) who was refused by the missionary societies. She saved up her salary as a maid and made a dangerous trek by train through Russia! They ended up making a movie about her after she escorted hundreds of orphans to safety during the world war.
So I tried enrolling in UT's Asian program. I still had an eye on MBTI because all I needed to qualify to administer the test, was a degree. I was told I'd be a shoo-in for the liberal arts program because of my 4.0---something not too many liberal arts majors have ( I thought that was odd)--but I didn't send them my transcript. In an error of ignorance, I thought it got sent electronically.
I was so distressed, but unwilling to wait another semester. I enrolled in St. Edwards, which turned out to be a delightful experience. Expensive, for sure! But small classes and professors dedicated to teaching made everything wonderful. I only had one bad teacher in my entire undergraduate experience. (that's not what most other people say, so I am so thankful for the caliber of professors I worked with).
I was in the Organizational Communication program, which seemed like a really soft program to me. The work was hard enough, but it was so fuzzy as to what you were training for---it could be anything. I know one girl that got a 15,000 raise after she graduated, though. That's a good raise.
Along the way, however, I discovered the McNair Program. A little note on one of the newsletters (I scan through them for interest) and I was hooked. I called them up for information. They helped minorities get prepared for graduate school. Providence smiled on me when I contacted the reservation for the 5th time AND ACTUALLY GOT A PERSON FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. I felt it was a good sign. I had worked in vain to contact them before a family reunion in Montana, but they were never available and never called me back. As if they did not exist. And I had tried one other time, repeatedly getting no answers or call backs.
In no time, I was a documented Blackfoot. I was reading how UT was increasing the minorities in the graduate school--and that is what pushed me forward with hope.

I changed majors, to my favorite---and encountered a wierd group! The people in Org Comm are more of the extraverted business type. They are not quite as intense as the full business majors, who are very ambitious. Rather, these are right brained friendly people who want to get along and are conscientious. When I changed to Psych, suddenly it is a bunch of recovering addicts or alcoholics or people with difficult childhoods who want to help others overcome what they've overcome. It was just a larger portion of dysfunction than I've seen. That was a little discouraging, but I love psych and so I embraced those people as my peers. It was odd to hear so much inappropriate disclosure at random intervals. I wanted to do a workshop on "When to air your dirty laundry". Not that I don't have compassion. I'm high on Neuroticism myself ---which means CRABBY and anxious. I am one anxious girl!
(Not as bad as brad pitt in 12 monkeys)

But now here I am accepted to graduate school in a doctoral program! And I'll be getting qualified to teach psychology---when I was 17, 18, 19....I knew I wanted to do something where we discussed psychological ideas all the time. I didn't know what that might be. I knew you could be a counselor, but that was not exactly what I wanted---I wanted theoretical discussions--I just didn't know to call it that....I wanted grad school! I wanted to be a professor! I just didn't know graduate school existed yet. (and would not have been able to set such a lofty goal at such an early age. It would have seemed crazy.)

After doing the workshops with my speech prof, I want to do more of that. He is gearing up to do some serious work for Mr's company. I want to be a part of that. I want to go get the certification. If I do that, when I get up north, they may draw back. It is anti-psych to do the MBTI. They feel like it does not measure for bad traits (like N or psychosis) but that is not what it is for. And then to hear it is not validated---that's not true. I can find studies on psych info that show it is valid (and why). So there is just a field prejudice about it. I think psych just wants to monopolize the field. And they don't like business people who take a little conference being able to administer psych tests. It's rubbish to me. I like the MBTI.
I am an ENFP. I like BUNCHES of stuff and I love exploring and learning and discovering. Envisioning, creating, fun fun fun.

So I may go to one of those conferences. As an ENFP, I always have too much on my plate and love to start new things. Graduating does prove (and still being married!) that I am good for the long haul. That I have the determination and dedication to go the long road to accomplishment. So I am going to get my PhD. Then, if I cannot teach, I'll go work in business doing MyersBriggs. I'll be very authoritive with my degree from an excellent university. It will be great. I could have done the work without a BA, but society just doesn't want to listen to any yahoo (well, some people will, but they watch sally jessie and such, I have to remind myself to respect those people as having dignity by virtue of their creation by God).
and if I get to teach, all the better. I'm looking so forward to all the fun things! Now, if I can just finish this blasted paper. SO CLOSE SO CLOSE!