Ayn's Multiple World

Yeeks ... here's a retro-post from April 20th we forgot from work

Good morning. We’re at work now … It’s about 8 am. We took the first period of time going over the vacation, sick time, and personal days. We’ve used up the personal days (3), we’ve got 6 more vacation days to use over the next 2 months, and we’ve got 6-7 sick days. I don’t remember already. But, this time, we wrote it down. There were a couple days that were forgotten to be marked down, but it seemed that we had more time left than we knew about. I was glad we did it. Sister wanted to make sure some more was happening with it, but it’s not really a lot … It’s just that we have a lot of days, because we had 4 sick day carry over plus have now got 15 days vacation and the 3 personal so that totaled this year 31 days off. I know … it’s a lot, isn’t it J? Especially, when you consider working Mondays from home and the fact we have like about 17 holidays or so. It’s the biggest benefit of being at St. Rose Center. The days have been especially useful for when there are school projects due or we’ve gotten too far behind.

There was something else that was going on … I’m not sure, but I think I was getting the rough end of the deal. One of my clients had shown me this big ugly scab on the palm of his left hand yesterday. So, I wrote a note to his staff saying that it should be cleaned with peroxide and if we don’t do that here to send a note home to his mother. She was intimidated to send a note home without sister’s consent, so I wrote a quick two sentence note to look at it. Sister went back and forth from her office through the one I was figuring out my days off, to the workshop where the client was. She made a big issue of saying that it wasn’t infected, but then said it might be, and then said what to do just in case, etc. The only time she talked to me was to say it obviously wasn’t infected the first time. We don’t usually say something when she’s like this. It was obvious the staff had said something to her about Ann saying … That was ok, because I did say it, but the problem was that Sister had been the initial one to look at the hand and she was frustrated, because she’d relegated it a low priority and we’d come in and made a bigger deal. I hadn’t known she’d looked at it, because there wasn’t an incident report, but it was like stepping into a hornet nest, because it then had the outer appearance, that I considered her neglectful. It wasn’t anything like that … I just had seen it and knew there should be peroxide on it to clean it up because it was crystal like, which meant it had been oozing. Unfortunately, I know that whole thing put me on her bad side.

The next notification that I’m on her bad side was that the staff in the room next to me isn’t here yet, because she’s having a personal transportation problem. But, instead of having me do something with her group, Sr. has come in twice to “supervise” that the group be doing something worthwhile on their own – without telling me that I should be paying attention of them. That tells me that she’s really not wanting to interact with me in giving me any more “power” than what can be avoided. That’s fine with me, because I have other places to be putting my mind, although, I have been listening to the group. Basically, they are just having loose chit-chat, which I think is fine for them getting to know each other and just “hang-out.” I’d step in only if there was a reason, because if I did and Sr. had it under her wing to organize the group I’d get nailed for butting in. As long as the group is safe and fairly calm, no reason to get more involved.

Oh oh, she’s back for the third time. Whoop, that gave me another clue that she’s upset with me. She saw a client with a paper bag and jumped to say that “Ms. Ann” told you to bring a paper bag ??? It was a tense second, then the client clarified, “No, Ms. Brandy told me.” Pswhoo. Felt like she was looking for any reason to nail me to the wall this morning. Most often I try to stay out of stuff. The less you interfere the less trouble you’re going to cause. She is feeling pretty dangerous to us this morning. Not sure why we’re on such a bad side. I did talk to her for a moment to clarify that I did have 15 days vacation, but that shouldn’t have made her so upset. I get my years confused, but didn’t want to make a mistake. I don’t know

Right now I’m feeling a little warm. I just got back from the washroom. There is one problem in that I feel the back of my forearms are being pulled and that seems to me making my arms hurt and my fingers feel numb as I’m typing. Like they are being strained. I’m not sure how to fix that and the though that it could go on seems to have me feeling a little nervous. I’ve been stretching them a little, but it doesn’t seem to help so far.

Hmm, Sister is back again … She is going over chapel instructions this time. Each time she confirms that the staff isn’t here yet. She must be pretty upset to do this much work with the group not to be calling me in. Sometimes I think she hates for me to be more responsible or in a position of being needed, more than she can throw me. L Not feeling very good about this. Let’s look on the optimistic side. Maybe she knows that we are too important to be “bothered.” This rule doesn’t always stop her, but I think we’re following that idea now.

Hmm, now she was on the loud speaker. Apparently, someone had left a McDonald’s meal on the table … and she had to get to the bottom of it. From the sounds outside the room, it was one of this group’s. The clients are also feeling precautionary on not making Sr. feel mad. They mentioned that he should get his lunch without making her feel mad.

Ok, some time has past. It is now 11:21 am. I’ve got about 20 more minutes to lunch detail. I’ve been fixated on the school work, which must mean that CARF is feeling too hard. I would really like to catch up over this next couple of days, and I know it would make my sweetie pie so happy. The next paper is on effector’s and receptors. This seems kind of dinosaur like to me. We did a lot of searching around and we found most the scientific journals on-line to specific in complex details that we couldn’t understand. So, the references we have start at the Merriam-Webster On-line dictionary and then about 8 pages of information collected from the Encyclopedia Britannica. It’s not my usual resource, but this isn’t a normal thing. I couldn’t find any conversation on receptors and effectors in my text. There is a possibility there is information in the other required reading, but in the half dozen reports I’ve seen submitted – no one is using information from those sites. At the time, it meant an extra $65, which I didn’t have. And, since the previous two times taking the class I didn’t need the material, I had decided not to pay again.

I will admit that the classroom work has been changed a bit. The first two assignments were the same, but I don’t think the second two assignments followed. Even in the information I collected on the physiology of pain, it wasn’t real laden in information on effectors and receptors. When I had done the Journal research, most of the information using those terms was from back in the 20’s and the 30’s. I think receptor now is a blanket term for the dendrites on neurons. The dictionary states receptor is either a cell or group of cells that receives stimuli, or it is a chemical group or molecule (as a protein) on the cell surface or in the cell interior that has an affinity for a specific chemical group, molecule, or virus. The effector is a bodily organ (as a gland or muscle) that becomes active in response to stimulation, or a molecule (as an inducer, a corepressor, or an enzyme) that activates, controls, or inactivates a process or action (as protein synthesis or the release of a second messenger). That says a lot, right? So basically an effector activates something and a receptor receives the chemical message. Kind of seems like the general flow of messages being passed up and down the line.

I think I have some pretty good information. I haven’t read carefully through the assignments that are out yet, but some seem able to explain stuff and others are like copying out text from medical journals with no comprehension of what’s going on. I hope to explain the process in a manner, in which makes sense to most of our parts. Some terms, we are not going to know, and those terms we’d like to find analogies for. That worked real well in the last paper in describing a person – male who could play the piano. We met up with this nice sounding lady named Barbara, and she and I took to the light banter between us in mixing her female piano player and my male. Unfortunately, her model was a daughter just married 2 weeks ago. Shoot, this goes to prove the good imaginary characters are already taken. Hmpf!

Ok, we’re back for a few moments. I’ve got about 10 minutes prior to the Thinking Group. We did lunch group, ate lunch, wrote a note to Sweetie Pie, and planned out the Thinking Group. Today we’ll be going through barriers to service. I’m going to try getting them more involved. I’m already warm I can’t imagine after we get talking and moving around. I don’t know if its an internal state, the temperature of the rooms, or that I just am feeling to big to be comfortable. Any of the above would of course do. I’m still having that feeling that my hands are being pulled on from the back of my wrist and forearm. And, of course, this is making my fingers feel fat and numb. I’ll be ok, right? Just 3 more hours until the end of the day. I think I have a meeting with the DSP too to go over one of the goals. I think she was serious about meeting today. We shall see. I know that it is something I would rather not be doing too, because I’d rather free think. But, we both have to be responsible. If she nudges, I’ll be right there. Ok, 5 minutes to, might as well go in now .. wish me luck.

Woo Hooo we’re back … We’ve rested for the last 20 minutes from doing the Thinking Group. I couldn’t see the DSP who I was supposed to meet with when I went past her room, so I decided … eh, another day. I did get some ice cold water though and that’ made me feel like a million bucks. The group went pretty well. We’re still having the problem where people keep getting dismissed from the group for their transportation. I don’t know how to do that part better. Unless Sr. set it as a priority I guess its going to continue being a dwindling population. It’s something that you just expect. We followed through in talking about barriers today. There was 7 barriers. For archictecture, we had 3 groups of 3 come up and try to design programs. It was up to them to provide everything from the front door to the basketball hoop. It’s funny, but all 3 groups agreed that there should be a hoop. They also got into placing an entire house on the property, which got them past building all the smaller structural features. Only one individual started off with just a wall. The next barrier was environmental, so for this one we had them telling me what they would do to make the environment safe. Then for the next one for attitudinal, we had them figuring out what kind of rules they would need for to help people stay happy. The budget went surprisingly well. They didn’t have as many ideas, but they knew the general costs such as electrical, heat, and water.

After that, we talked about what kind of employees the center should hire. We were looking for attributes, and the group didn’t fail to impress. They were great! They thought well into this one. In many ways it seemed they were explaining their best friend. Hmm, shoot I forgot communication. I was going to give them an imaginary turn on the broadcasting system. Say that you all hear Sister on the intercom, now what is it that you would like to say. And, during the last one – we had just five minutes left. I had them tell me what means of transportation they could take if they had absolutely any choice. I was a little disappointed here in that they most often just said the same way they were coming in now. I was looking for something on the nature of horse or tank. When I suggested them, they thought I was being pretty silly. *Sigh*

So that was that. We’ve had a small thing come up now in that Sister is still being cranky. She made her point in saying that if they offered to take the printer to give it to them rather than keeping it. I thought that was rude, but then she worsened it by telling me not to say anything to them, because they were costing her money. That seemed to suggest to me that I couldn’t say anything to them or ask a question that was within reason. She’s been in a bad mood all day though. She made herself inconvenient during the Thinking Group too. She came in often to interrupt. She would stand in back of my vision and just start talking over me as if I were rude for interrupting her. And, then she came in and started yelling because one of the DSPs hadn’t made sure all the notes were folded and put in lunch bags. She didn’t apologize at all for interrupting our work, it was like it didn’t matter and I felt defensive as if she was trying to come up with something I was doing wrong. But, I was doing my job … there wasn’t any reason for her to complain with me. There’s nothing else I should be thinking though, except she’s been in this terrible mood all day.

Now the computer guy is in and he’s brought in the new printer. He’s going to be working in my office in a minute. Sister is going to be mad because he wants to put the new printer in my office. It’s like whatever you need to do. He says that it is hooking up my printer to all the little computers, because he can change the IP address so they will work with them, where here he only has to change my address, because I am the only computer hooked up to this printer. Now that I’m thinking of it … I want the Q Assistant plugged onto it and my laptop too. I wonder if that would be too much trouble. We’ll have to wait until he gets in here. I’ll pretend I’m not talking to him. This is what happens when bosses get cranky and dump on their employees. They seem more apt to do what they’ve been told not to. He asked me the first question, I had to answer … that would have been rude not to. But, to have him out and not ask for all the computers to be hooked up, that would be wrong too. Oh bother, oh bother.

I think we are going to get out of here pretty soon. I’m going to close up and spend the last few minutes cleaning up my desks. Sound like a plan??

posted by Ann Marie @ 5/05/2007 12:00:00 PM Comments: 0