I sort of look at my blog as my journal and you having free access to it. I always want to begin a post with,"In Jennifer's mind..." because it's so easy to get my thoughts out this way! Mark says he rarely reads my long posts, and I'm not too sure other people do either. I don't mind because like I said, this is kind of a good place for me to purge my thoughts. Lol.
Anyway, I said before that I was drinking two pots of coffee a day! I'm back down to one, thank goodness. Man, I'd been drinking two pots since I got those mugs from Christi and I've subtly gone down to one. I say subtly, 'cause I tried not to think about it. My mind is funny like that.
When I was smoking, if I REALLY thought about quiting, I couldn't stop. I'd have more. But *bam*, the second I stopped thinking about quiting, I did and haven't looked back since. That was over a year ago and I still enjoy a guilty pleasure or two on "big" weekends and such. But I don't buy them anymore. (Yeah. I'm one of THOSE people now - I just 'bum' them! Lol.) Sara was asking me if they were gross when I have them so few and far between. And it's funny, because they aren't. I enjoy every single puff but when I'm done. I'm done. I don't look back.
But I have to admit, this last weekend was a little different. It was graduation weekend - a busy weekend and I had 3-4 smokes! That's a record for me, for the past year anyway. And there's that teensy-weensy part of me that would enjoy having one now and then. But really, all I've gotta do is remember how groggy I felt every morning when I'd wake up. I sure don't miss that at all!!
Showing posts with label Therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Therapy. Show all posts
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
What's in a Name?
What's in a name?
Maybe not much, if you're always called the name you'd like to be called. :) But I've had three names. Come to think of it, I've had more than that ;) but only one of which I've been trying to ditch since the second grade!! ;) That would be the ever stubborn and persistent Jenny. I have a strong preference to be called Jennifer. Even Jen works in a pinch for those who feel it's too formal to switch from Jenny to Jennifer. There are definitely a handful of stragglers out there who still call me Jenny (and don't worry! I know who you are. Lol). ;) I haven't had anyone refer to me as Jenny on my blog yet and that's why I thought this was a perfect time to bring it up. I have no desire to make anyone feel uncomfortable. I don't want anyone to feel bad either.
When I was a baby, my parents called me Jenny. Of course that took off with a flying leap from everyone else's mouths and for many years, at that! :) But as I got older, I wished to be called anything but Jenny. At times, I even wanted to change my name to Stephanie or Valerie. As a kid, I could think of so many other cool names. I've had my work cut out for me! You have no idea how hard it is to have people change your name after they've called you by another for so many years! Lol. Unless, of course, you've had the same thing. ;)
Now, moving to Minnesota in '97, helped a bit. It was like a clean-slate for me when I moved to the cities. I just introduced myself as Jennifer and that was that. I was called Jen or Jennifer but not Jenny. Of course, my aunties (and uncles) will always call me Jenny and that's okay. The ones I've known my whole life can get away with stuff like that. ;) But I'm a very stubborn Finn and my insistence on being called Jennifer has paid off. :) My family and many close friends, have made the switch to Jen or Jennifer and I'm so happy about that! I know it wasn't easy for any of you to "change-my-name"!
So, when we moved to our present location I figured, no problem, another clean slate! Wrong! ;) Lol. For some reason, Jenny resurfaced again (as I said, she's very persistent). Where did she come from this time?! Lol.
Aaah. The lightbulb moment. Jenny Pietila has lived here her whole life! (Her real name is Jenny and not Jennifer). I know there may be people who think, "Aaah, what's the big deal? It's just a name." and it is a name, but it's also who I am and it matters to me. :)
And I understand how hard it is to call someone by another name after you've known them your whole life. I've had the same thing with many of our friends, Becky to Rebecca, Annie to Anne and Mindy to Malinda - to name a few. And if any of you girls come across this, I try very hard to call you by your given names. It's hard when we've always known each other as one thing, to change to the other. But I try. And I hope others will try for me. :)
I was trying to think of some comparisons to the Jenny/Jennifer thing to help people understand. I suppose it's like my mom is Anne and not Annie but then again we call my dad Freddy and not Fred as a nickname - but just us kids do that! Lol. But I just can't imagine Sue being called Susie (but then again, you may have close friends or family who call you that as an affectionate nickname...I don't know!)
(Aah. Isn't *therapy* great?! Lol!)
Maybe not much, if you're always called the name you'd like to be called. :) But I've had three names. Come to think of it, I've had more than that ;) but only one of which I've been trying to ditch since the second grade!! ;) That would be the ever stubborn and persistent Jenny. I have a strong preference to be called Jennifer. Even Jen works in a pinch for those who feel it's too formal to switch from Jenny to Jennifer. There are definitely a handful of stragglers out there who still call me Jenny (and don't worry! I know who you are. Lol). ;) I haven't had anyone refer to me as Jenny on my blog yet and that's why I thought this was a perfect time to bring it up. I have no desire to make anyone feel uncomfortable. I don't want anyone to feel bad either.
When I was a baby, my parents called me Jenny. Of course that took off with a flying leap from everyone else's mouths and for many years, at that! :) But as I got older, I wished to be called anything but Jenny. At times, I even wanted to change my name to Stephanie or Valerie. As a kid, I could think of so many other cool names. I've had my work cut out for me! You have no idea how hard it is to have people change your name after they've called you by another for so many years! Lol. Unless, of course, you've had the same thing. ;)
Now, moving to Minnesota in '97, helped a bit. It was like a clean-slate for me when I moved to the cities. I just introduced myself as Jennifer and that was that. I was called Jen or Jennifer but not Jenny. Of course, my aunties (and uncles) will always call me Jenny and that's okay. The ones I've known my whole life can get away with stuff like that. ;) But I'm a very stubborn Finn and my insistence on being called Jennifer has paid off. :) My family and many close friends, have made the switch to Jen or Jennifer and I'm so happy about that! I know it wasn't easy for any of you to "change-my-name"!
So, when we moved to our present location I figured, no problem, another clean slate! Wrong! ;) Lol. For some reason, Jenny resurfaced again (as I said, she's very persistent). Where did she come from this time?! Lol.
Aaah. The lightbulb moment. Jenny Pietila has lived here her whole life! (Her real name is Jenny and not Jennifer). I know there may be people who think, "Aaah, what's the big deal? It's just a name." and it is a name, but it's also who I am and it matters to me. :)
And I understand how hard it is to call someone by another name after you've known them your whole life. I've had the same thing with many of our friends, Becky to Rebecca, Annie to Anne and Mindy to Malinda - to name a few. And if any of you girls come across this, I try very hard to call you by your given names. It's hard when we've always known each other as one thing, to change to the other. But I try. And I hope others will try for me. :)
I was trying to think of some comparisons to the Jenny/Jennifer thing to help people understand. I suppose it's like my mom is Anne and not Annie but then again we call my dad Freddy and not Fred as a nickname - but just us kids do that! Lol. But I just can't imagine Sue being called Susie (but then again, you may have close friends or family who call you that as an affectionate nickname...I don't know!)
(Aah. Isn't *therapy* great?! Lol!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)