Hanging around with my professors.
Friday, 04/28/06 - 9:52 pm.

For the past week, the child abuse workshop had had 20, 25 people attending, all coming from different organizations. Victor and I were exploited endlessly.

But today, it was an improvement. First off, we were only expecting ten people only...actually, I didn't know that at first, so I made 55 cups of coffee (most of it went down the sink, sadly, but I was following orders), and prepared the usual 25 desks. Second, I knew these people: they were the therapists from the psychology clinic of the university. Mr. Basket, my professor for Methods of Evaluation, and my adviser for the same subject were among them.

Also, this time I didn't have to run any errands, like going to the supermarket. Only get some photocopies. The morning was spent mostly hanging out with Daisy, the secretary, who is a nice gal, and making some progress on some papers I need to turn in next week.

Lunch was the best. I spoke a lot with one of the therapists, who kind of looks like the singer of Creed. He stabbed (literally) Irene when he was her adviser last semester, but I chose to omit that fact, because I'd never talked to him and at least on a conversation he's very fun. Also, my professor for CommPsych tagged along, I don't really know why; Sara, the lady in charge, invited her. She ended up having lunch with us -yay!-, even though she isn't a therapist. As it's said in my village, great chat over lunch, great people. I was feeling small among those eminences (not quite, but indeed), but still I was feeling part of the group.

It's funny to think I enjoy hanging around with my professors and the like, a bit more than I enjoy hanging around with people of my own age group (except obviously my friends). It's because they know a lot and I always catch something new and interesting. Getting their degrees abroad, their experiences of working with people...so cool.

In the afternoon I was able to sit at the back of the classroom and listen to their expositions. They were talking about the detection of cases of abuse, and the worst, most heartbreaking stories of children. It was strange and yet cute, seeing my professors and adviser, and the others, working in groups and making expositions, like real students. I mean, you don't think of your professors that way.

The guy from Spain, who came to direct the workshop, also works with abused children, so it was great hearing new perspectives; "I'm not teaching, I'm sharing", he said. He also sticks to the schedule (it's a cultural thing, we're always late), so at 3 o'clock he was wrapping up the workshop. I moved the desks, closed the windows, washed the coffee machine etc. I was given the responsability of some keys, and that was huge. Long story short, I was done before 3:30, and by that time I was saying goodbye to the spanish guy, he's going back to Spain on saturday. He's the kind of people that come and go in your life, but I learned a few things, if indirectly, from his visit and his workshop.

I didn't have classes today, the hours of today will be taken tomorrow: a workshop (argh) for Methods of Evaluation II, from 8 to 12, and some kind of dynamics I still don't get for CommPsych, from 2 to 6. Somewhere between those times I have to help Mr. Basket with the Social Psychology midterm, and work with my friends in an Abnormal Behavior paper.

Speaking of Social, this guy Isaac asked me one of these days for my phone number. We're classmates, but I'm also his instructor in SP. So, no way, man. I won't be putting up with your 11 pm phone calls the night before your exam, just because you couldn't leave 5 damn minutes of your time to come to my cubicle and ask me to help you with your doubts.

Carmen did, you know. She just fucking called me and asked me which was the classroom for the midterm. No problems about that, actually. But then she asked if she could call me later on if some "existential doubt" came along. Ugh, I could only say sure. She went on and on and on and on and on and on about how busy she's been. I told her "wait 'til you get to fourth year", but she didn't listen and went on and on and on. Whatever, you can't tell her anything. She's so caught up in herself, seriously.

And the last event of the day, the visit of my brother's ex-girlfriend. She's 7 months pregnant. I've always thought she's like a little girl in many ways, but she's sweet, and I loved listening to her baby tales. I could listen to those for hours, and I can't wait until the baby is born; she's so happy and excited. Kinda makes me have one of my own, and deliver that little surprise, finally meeting him or her...but Christ, not yet. In fact, I'm still too scared about giving birth and sometimes I still wonder if I should just adopt, which is also a good option. All those questions will be answered in time, and I suppose that in the pursue of those answers I should include the opinion of my sperm donor (Joseph! I love him!).

For the time being, I'm busy and tired, tired and busy. So I'll get to work and then go to bed. Another long day tomorrow, but hopefully it'll be as fun as today.

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