Really? I only paid like $39.95 a month.

I had a friend call me the other day to ask for advice. This happens to me somewhat frequently, not like from this one friend, but friends in general. I've been told I give good advice or good feedback, stuff like that. This always makes me sort of uncomfortable...not the whole being asked part (I like that) it is the flattery that comes along with it. I mean, it shouldn't. Hopefully I am good at processing stuff with people. I was a counselor in the past and have dreams of doing it again at some point in my life. Let's hope I'm not totally shitty at listening and helping someone reflect on a situation...otherwise there may be some seriously fucked up people out there because during my tenure as a counselor I had well over a hundred clients. Let's not think about that too much. That sort of freaks me out.

I guess we just aren't taught to think about our strengths that way. For some odd reason we are socialized to turn compliments into less flattering statements. Tell a girl you like her outfit and most of the time she will say something like, "oh, I've had this for a while," or "I totally paid like $20 for this." We downplay things. We can't just say, "Thanks," or "Thank you" (either works). So, it is the practice of constantly downplaying one's successes or strong points (not that some one's outfit really counts as a success or strength, but it worked for the sake of making a point), it's this practice that causes me to say stuff like, "I'm probably giving terrible advice," or "Not that I really know what I'm talking about, but did you ever think blah blah blah?" Why the hell would I start a sentence like that? Someone at some point thought I was good at that shit. Hell, they gave me an office...with a couch! I clearly did something right.

But then it happened.

During the course of the conversation with my friend I said something like, "This is just like what happened on the Hills with Lauren..." Seriously, someone please scratch a record and make a crowd of people turn around and look at me. somebody drop your drink and your jaw. please. I deserve that embarrassment. Did I really use a Hills reference when talking to my friend, "oh this is just like the Hills..." I almost just threw up in my mouth thinking about it. What the fuck kind of counselor am I? And the truth is....I did think it was just like the Hills, which is why the whole situation is even worse and totally out of control. If I had a license (LCSW) I should really have it taken away. I guess it is good I don't have one yet. I mean, it's really good I don't have one because I would be talking about the Hills to my clients! Let's hope I get rid of all the stupid pop culture references and use them up on my friends because, seriously? I mean, not that I want my friends all fucked up and stuff, but they aren't paying for this crap that I'm saying.

So, for those of you keeping track...this was reason #437 why it is good I don't have cable: it will (hopefully) decrease the frequency with which I reference stupid reality television shows in everyday conversations.