Smarty WRCH MSW LCSW MFCC

I've had a variety of visitors ever since we started living in the beach house. Things progress along the usual relational spectrum.

I'm sure you've heard it all before. You know, that first awkward moment...


Followed by that person bearing their soul to me - sharing their secret dreams and fears, while I listen compassionately and nod knowingly...


This is followed by some act of kindness on my part, usually a physical gesture to let the person know that in this cruel, unforgiving world, there is in fact someone who understands, someone who cares.


And finally, appreciation is offered to me, perhaps in the form of a smile, a donation to my college fund, or a donation to a favorite charity. My favorite charities, by the way, would be Smarty Spot, my Food Pantry, and my college fund. I must say that in this world of small tippers, I'm seeing more and more people offer just the smile.


And there's nothing technically, legally wrong with that. A smile is nice. It doesn't pay for the paper, crayons, and erasers I'll need in college, but that's a long way off anyway.

Well, this past weekend, I received one of the best thank you gifts in a while - an all-expense paid round trip to the dog park! It was a gift from a newly engaged couple, along with the other usual suspects. All that listening, encouraging, and affirming finally paid off big! Not to mention my decision to include premarital counseling among my advertised services.


I still am accepting donations to the college fund, however. It's not that I think I need an advanced degree obviously, but it's almost like you need one (or two) to be taken seriously these days. I can't tell you how many times people have thought that Smarty Spot is a humor blog instead of a serious academic endeavor, and it all goes back to how many fancy letters you have (or don't have) after your name. It's crazy, I know, but that's the world we live in.

Besides, if I can earn the degree online I can pretty much have the whole thing completed during TV commercials and while my music is downloading from the internet. That also saves money on supplies, commuting, and even tuition if you lowball it. Plus, as you can see, I'm already doing enough work to count toward an internship. So really, it's no big time loss either.

The point is, stop by anytime and visit. I'm here for you. And I'm all ears.