Happy Holidays!

Meet Purl, our newest member! Purl was rescued by Mary Beth, another Stitch-n-Bitcher, who brought her to the vet directly from the neighbor's deck after the nasty/idiot person left town for a week's vacation, leaving a kitten out in a winter storm! Purl has a few disabilities, but nothing like when we first saw her. She's a bit unstable on her feet in slow-motion and may be blind in one eye, but she definitely makes up for it when she sees a crumpled piece of paper and goes into afterburner! Funny how you can buy them expensive toys but all they want is the wrapping paper...

Speaking of, it's almost Winter Break! The semester's just about over! I'm supposed to be tweaking the thesis proposal today, woke up with a cascade of brilliance that rapidly winked out as I raised the shades and got snow-blinded by the backyard. Turkeys galore under the birdie tree, BTW, for our wildlife fans. Anyway, I'll be turning in the proposal on Monday, by hook or by crook! The reference section is as long as the paper itself, and I still need 3 more to back up parts of the innards. The presentation's this next Friday. I'm not very nervous-- all that practice in class and then going before the IRB (ethics review board) has given me confidence. It's a bit obvious by now that I know more about the subject than most of the people I'm speaking to. And it's interesting, showing how the brain heals over time. Okay, not HOW; but if, when & where. The when part's the most exciting as far as applications go. Already I've been able to use it doing assessments on recovering substance abusers, knowing that they're probably not making the full connections between events and consequences, being able to use more guided questions in those areas, which not only fills in the research blanks but also helps the clients realize the ramifications of their substance abuse. And it gives people hope that they WILL get better. But I blather on as if I had no impulse control...

I hope everybody has a wonderful holiday season this year! I'll be working at the internship and the lab up until Xmas, but I've got a week off between that and New Year's!!! Will attempt to drag myself out of bed and post a bit with some friends, maybe get a few more pictures loaded.

Until then, may your holidays be filled with friends, and may your hearts be filled with gratitude. And if anyone needs a boost in their holiday spirit, may you fill a few hours with service to others. There's nothing like passing a gift on to truly appreciate having it in the first place.