Thursday, May 31, 2007
Ta-Ta-Ta-Today Junior
From the Hooskow
I am very proud of being a social worker...until I run into weak as hell social workers. These WAHSW's have no idea the damage they do to peoples lives. There has been one WAHSW that I've been working with lately, she's supposed to be in charge of making sure one of my clients daughters is being taken care of properly. She is totally disconnected. I knew that her daughter was relapsing, cutting, running away before the WAHSW did. Why? Because I answer the phone. Because I have developed a report with the treatment center the daughter is at. Her treatment councilor now informs me of everything and doesn't even bother communicating with the WAHSW. All this is leading up to the confrontation I had with the WAHSW. Yesterday I finally got a hold of her and very professionally put her in her place. I wasn't inappropriate, just straight forward, really; I'm kind of doing her job for her and that ain't right. So here's why I even bothered getting into all of this: she has a rather significant speech impediment that apparently surfaces when she's nervous. "I'm so sowwy, pwease tew hew how sowwy I am". It's moments like that when I know I have done my job. Hopefuwy she'll straighten hew business out so she doesn't get fiwed.
Life
Things have been going pretty well. E is all kinds of sick. She has a really nasty case of somethin'. Her throat is all jacked up, she's achy, she has really bad headaches. She hasn't gone to work this week yet; which is good. In many ways it's totally unfair that she has to be sick from pregnancy AND regular sick at the same time...and I just got done enjoying a bowl of cereal...see, not fair.
I am very proud of being a social worker...until I run into weak as hell social workers. These WAHSW's have no idea the damage they do to peoples lives. There has been one WAHSW that I've been working with lately, she's supposed to be in charge of making sure one of my clients daughters is being taken care of properly. She is totally disconnected. I knew that her daughter was relapsing, cutting, running away before the WAHSW did. Why? Because I answer the phone. Because I have developed a report with the treatment center the daughter is at. Her treatment councilor now informs me of everything and doesn't even bother communicating with the WAHSW. All this is leading up to the confrontation I had with the WAHSW. Yesterday I finally got a hold of her and very professionally put her in her place. I wasn't inappropriate, just straight forward, really; I'm kind of doing her job for her and that ain't right. So here's why I even bothered getting into all of this: she has a rather significant speech impediment that apparently surfaces when she's nervous. "I'm so sowwy, pwease tew hew how sowwy I am". It's moments like that when I know I have done my job. Hopefuwy she'll straighten hew business out so she doesn't get fiwed.
Life
Things have been going pretty well. E is all kinds of sick. She has a really nasty case of somethin'. Her throat is all jacked up, she's achy, she has really bad headaches. She hasn't gone to work this week yet; which is good. In many ways it's totally unfair that she has to be sick from pregnancy AND regular sick at the same time...and I just got done enjoying a bowl of cereal...see, not fair.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Long story short
The Clink
I think my boss best summed up the events during the morning meeting after the attack:
"Long story short, we've got problems"
Yup. At the core of all of these problems is community, not unlike the problems that our society faces. I've decided the best way to combat these events is to motivate the general population to do something in order to preserve facility safety and programs.
Up North
This weekend we went to my father-in-laws cabin. It's pretty amazing, not overly so in outward appearance, but in the fact that he's making it himself. He cleared the land, made the foundation, put up the walls, roof, did the electrical etc... It's really pretty incredible. The cabin borders one of the clearest lakes I've ever seen. Being urban in origins, seeing clear lake water is absolutely astounding to me.
We were kept company by E's younger brother and two of his 14 year old friends. It was fun to be around that mentality, to remember what it was like to be that age. Before school and debt, failing and succeeding. Just running around with zits laughing at things that nobody else seems to think is funny. Actually, come to think of it, I still get zits and there have been numerous times I have found myself the only one laughing whilst everyone else looks at me askew. I really just wanted to use the word askew; one should not eschew askew...it's time for bed.
I think my boss best summed up the events during the morning meeting after the attack:
"Long story short, we've got problems"
Yup. At the core of all of these problems is community, not unlike the problems that our society faces. I've decided the best way to combat these events is to motivate the general population to do something in order to preserve facility safety and programs.
Up North
This weekend we went to my father-in-laws cabin. It's pretty amazing, not overly so in outward appearance, but in the fact that he's making it himself. He cleared the land, made the foundation, put up the walls, roof, did the electrical etc... It's really pretty incredible. The cabin borders one of the clearest lakes I've ever seen. Being urban in origins, seeing clear lake water is absolutely astounding to me.
We were kept company by E's younger brother and two of his 14 year old friends. It was fun to be around that mentality, to remember what it was like to be that age. Before school and debt, failing and succeeding. Just running around with zits laughing at things that nobody else seems to think is funny. Actually, come to think of it, I still get zits and there have been numerous times I have found myself the only one laughing whilst everyone else looks at me askew. I really just wanted to use the word askew; one should not eschew askew...it's time for bed.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
It is isn't it?
Coming into work this morning I made eye contact with one of the women in the parenting library off of my office. She scrunched her face up in a scowl, "I don't like the weather today". I nodded; "today is going to be a weird day". She dipped her head in agreement, "it is isn't it?"
Later on one of the mothers that I've been working with for some time was brutally attacked. She was stabbed repeatedly in the face and neck. It was the worst attack at our facility to date. I want to articulate all of this in some moving and poetic way, but it just sucks ass. The morning meeting tomorrow will be heated; there will be all kinds of talk about security, safety, what do we do, etc... At some point someone will realize that we have children that come here. They will turn to ask me "is it safe for them to be here". The reality that muscles its way to the front of my mind is "is it safe for them anywhere?". It's not what they want to hear, but it's the truth. This existence, in general isn't really all that "safe". Kids get shot, smashed against walls, shaken to death, beat against radiators, strangled...it's a part of this life. In this case it's a simple matter of keeping kids away from general population; which is what we already do. There will be huge repercussions because of this incident, we'll just have to see what happens. I feel tired on many levels.
Later on one of the mothers that I've been working with for some time was brutally attacked. She was stabbed repeatedly in the face and neck. It was the worst attack at our facility to date. I want to articulate all of this in some moving and poetic way, but it just sucks ass. The morning meeting tomorrow will be heated; there will be all kinds of talk about security, safety, what do we do, etc... At some point someone will realize that we have children that come here. They will turn to ask me "is it safe for them to be here". The reality that muscles its way to the front of my mind is "is it safe for them anywhere?". It's not what they want to hear, but it's the truth. This existence, in general isn't really all that "safe". Kids get shot, smashed against walls, shaken to death, beat against radiators, strangled...it's a part of this life. In this case it's a simple matter of keeping kids away from general population; which is what we already do. There will be huge repercussions because of this incident, we'll just have to see what happens. I feel tired on many levels.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Hmmm
"The discovery that sharks can reproduce asexually by parthenogenesis now changes this paradigm, leaving mammals as the only major vertebrate group where this form of reproduction has not been seen."
full story
Strange, you would think that throughout all of recorded human history there would have been some woman somewhere that would have had a virgin birth by now. I would imagine if something like that did happen, it would likely be noted...somehow...oh well...
full story
Strange, you would think that throughout all of recorded human history there would have been some woman somewhere that would have had a virgin birth by now. I would imagine if something like that did happen, it would likely be noted...somehow...oh well...
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Quote of the Day
"I got my leg shot off at Nicolett and Franklin"
Note to everyone: Mind your shady business well, lest this happen to you.
Note to everyone: Mind your shady business well, lest this happen to you.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Work-Life
One of the biggest struggles I've had as of late is how to balance living and working. Work is good, however it can be overwhelming at times. I routinely work an extra hour hear and extra hour there, add that to the two hour commute (round trip) and I'm gone for a disgusting part of the day. I feel my work to be important and fulfilling...but miss the aspects of my life that make me who I am and who I will be.
I need to be with friends more. I need to be in the woods more, in the rivers more, hanging from bluffs and cliffs more. I absolutely need to manage my time differently when our child comes into this world. I look forward to introducing a little one to the world, and those I've surrounded myself with as a welcome committee.
I need to be with friends more. I need to be in the woods more, in the rivers more, hanging from bluffs and cliffs more. I absolutely need to manage my time differently when our child comes into this world. I look forward to introducing a little one to the world, and those I've surrounded myself with as a welcome committee.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
a new sun rising
There is too much that happens that I wish to share with those close to me that I don't. There are many reasons why, though I'm not overly happy with any of them and have begun to wonder if they aren't so much reasons as excuses.
That being said; I have decided to begin yet another blogtastic venture. I will write about happenings and insights, ramblings and musings.
Of course the biggest thing that has happened to me is that fact that E is pregnant. Some time in November I will become a father. This to me is beyond profound. It's a perplexing combination of daunting and exhilarating. I have taken to journaling my thoughts about what I want to tell my child about this world. As a way to christen the sylabic land of Yoshistan I'll copy an entry from the journal:
As I write this to you there is a woman being attacked outside my office door. In the time it took me to write the previous sentence security staff has flooded the area. Commands to separate are bellowed and followed.
The woman lays in the fetal position, the blood of her ancestors sprayed across the floor. I know this woman. I have held her children. I was present when rivers of sorrow flowed down her stoic face as her child screamed upon her lap for a mother that wasn't her.
I was not present years ago when she chose to stab two sisters repeatedly before she got into her car and ran them over. One was killed, the other permanently wounded.
The woman that attacked her is the niece of the woman she murdered, daughter of the woman crippled for life.
This is vengeance my little one. Without vengeance we would have no mercy.
That being said; I have decided to begin yet another blogtastic venture. I will write about happenings and insights, ramblings and musings.
Of course the biggest thing that has happened to me is that fact that E is pregnant. Some time in November I will become a father. This to me is beyond profound. It's a perplexing combination of daunting and exhilarating. I have taken to journaling my thoughts about what I want to tell my child about this world. As a way to christen the sylabic land of Yoshistan I'll copy an entry from the journal:
As I write this to you there is a woman being attacked outside my office door. In the time it took me to write the previous sentence security staff has flooded the area. Commands to separate are bellowed and followed.
The woman lays in the fetal position, the blood of her ancestors sprayed across the floor. I know this woman. I have held her children. I was present when rivers of sorrow flowed down her stoic face as her child screamed upon her lap for a mother that wasn't her.
I was not present years ago when she chose to stab two sisters repeatedly before she got into her car and ran them over. One was killed, the other permanently wounded.
The woman that attacked her is the niece of the woman she murdered, daughter of the woman crippled for life.
This is vengeance my little one. Without vengeance we would have no mercy.
Friday, May 18, 2007
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