Might skim this one - think it comes out to 26 pages *sigh*
Good morning. This is me. WooHOOO!!! Saturday! Can’t get any better than that!Ok, well true fishyman in the sak would be better, but then again we’re ok with some private time … biggest thing at the moment is that we’re up to the part where we get to write and from this first sentence, I can say it seems like it’s been a very long time. The week takes on a life of its own and then we’re just left scrambling to catch up.
We were in bed early enough last night so that we were up about quarter to 5. I think Sweetie Pie is trying to convince to read in the washroom, and has left a magazine or two in there … we’re getting in a couple of pages each time. I think its sorta ok, but the kitties are saying it’s a no-go. They don’t want any fiddling between sitting and reaching for the paper. They are like … can we discuss BREAKFAST??!! Ouch!
We aren’t ready to weigh in with all that yet. I find the more I read of the particular magazine the less interested I am in it. It is a copy of the Cosmopolitan that Sister no longer wants at work. Actually, neither did we and we might have bungled it in suggesting the new Q change it over to her address. I was trying to follow sister’s directive and not have it go to the center without wasting it, but now I worry about pressure in having sent it to our new star. She seems to want it, I hope she’s not putting us on.
In the meantime … getting in the back end of that deal, Rich was sitting in his office when sister brought it in … and he was saying pretty quick afterward that we should have taken the magazine home, because we don’t know what’s in it to be picking up. *Sigh* One never knows.
So, I brought home the second copy that had come in (first having gone to Candace). I’m not backing out … I gave it to her and she can keep it. She’s young and in love and is much more apt to keep up the reading of the silly thing. I will let you know for the one issue we have if anything interesting comes up. I do think Justin T. is pretty hunky for a guy way too young, but on the interesting list. Whoo!
Ok, nuf of that … what do we have to add about our fishyman stories? Hmm, let’s see I guess I’d have to add that the quality of the last exchange was not too great. I get very poor connections in the St. Rose building. So, there is a certain mysteriousness in catching 3 out of 4 words after having scouted out the best reception. Maybe he has a clue as to where I should be standing. Silly bars. From what I gathered on this last call is that he’s still hehe being kinda embarrassed about the part of leaving his clothes behind, but has resolved that issue in his good natured prompt response manner. He says he has a new pair of jeans and that we’ll have to open a new drawer to fit in all the extra underwear. WoW! Pretty darn cool. If it were most girls, we would have freaked out … No clothes!?? Well, maybe if it had been me. I guess most girls love to shop, but the thought of wearing the same jeans might not have been appealing. He is saying his clothes may be walking home. I think this is an outdoor guy way of saying … I hope my partner doesn’t mind the smells. Hehehe … I think fishyman’s pants are going to be going straight to the wash! I’m glad he got another pair of jeans, because he should have had it all along.
The word on the fishes is that he’s catching them, though hasn’t caught the biggest. He says that, of course, today is the first day of the tournament. I think that’s right … maybe I forget … does the tournament start on Friday or Saturday … hmm, I’m not sure. We’ll have to recapture that part of our memory. But, the thing is he sounds like he’s enjoying himself, but is not there quite yet. He went into this weekend knowing that he is and his best friend knowing he is … 1 point ahead. That allows for a certain amount of challenge in a guy to guy manner of speaking.
We were emphasizing … be nice! But, we’re not sure where he lays. I know he loves Bob to pieces, but there is something very solid about guys wanting to out fish the other. I think this is better than checking out who brings home the biggest dinosaur or black eye, so we’re ok with this. I don’t know, but it seems that extra bit of testosterone, has been suiting us fine all along.
I had always thought that my ex was a little more she-like in that he couldn’t really get into the fishing, camping, sports, stuff. I guess he could do the sports – basketball, baseball, and volleyball, but it’s not the same as the stake our Sweetie Pie has put into it. The ex wasn’t into organized sports, he was more into backyard play with friends and family.
Ok, let’s not get into ex things. It is funny to note that after 17 years of being separated and divorce, that he is still having a thought space in my head. I guess this is what comes from only having a couple of loves in one’s life. We have a tendency not to give up our hard thoughts.
Ahh that brings us to Dr. M. I think you’ve already gotten the gist of it? Just in Dr. M’s brief explanation of growing up helpless and being motivated thence to remain helpless, though that is not necessary in the relationship with Rich and us. He’s going to love us and take care of us not because we are helpless, but because we are us. Just don’t know who us really is. It’s going to be ok, isn’t it? Shoot … feel just now the helplessness feeling overcoming us. I think it seems like a lot in how we regress to younger parts to deal with the feelings.
Ok, little break here. Missy is telling us that she desperately needs some time to be petted.
Ahh that was nice … we just had a ten minute nap with Missy. I think after we really fell asleep and the petting stopped she thought … well, we ran this well dry! Then she got up and left. By the way it’s now about 6 am. Speaking from the framework of helplessness … why don’t we consider that last bit a power nap, hmm?
Ok, let’s take it a little deeper … is there anything else we can read from Dr. M’s statement?
Hmm, being motivated to stay young/childish? To get our needs met. Wouldn’t exactly explain why we are young in so many different ways. We’re this age, and that age and this other age.
Hmm, too hard for us yet. Maybe it would be better to talk about business? Still feeling a little groggy because of the nap. Is there anything we need? Maybe we could have breakfast??
Cereal be good, wouldn’t it?
Hmm, by the way … just want to leave a little note here that the flowers we got from Rich on our birthday have taken to blossom and they are beautiful. They are like pink blush and there are a ton of them – roses and they are because he thought of making us happy … and that’s about the best birthday present a guy can get for a girl.
Hmm, we’ve been up wandering about a half hour … Missy came back to be petted and we sort of lost our way … think we’re going to head east for a second all the way over toward the medicine. It’s about that time … brb.
Ok …ok that was a good run … got things accomplished. Ahh… fresh cup of coffee too!
It’s about 7:15 am now … so we’re going to mark this point with the medicine and check in as to how steady we are in a half hour. Not that we are real jittery just we have had trouble calming into something more than a couple of lines … that’s always a danger sign. Not sure what we’re going to talk about. Miss the bunny. Hmm, no we don’t want to go there either. What would happen if we started with some house cleaning? We could for example clear the desk, and maybe even bring in that office work we brought home with us? I think there were a few things we wanted to go over there as to putting things in order. You know how much we like to do that kind of thing on a Saturday morning. Real master planning work, hmm? And, then we need to get into some solid work with the grant books, and it also wouldn’t be a bad idea to finish the book on binge eating. Ok, well … we’re not going far on that, but let’s just say the birthday treats are almost gone with or without having stopped at DD’s … but for the record not stopping on Friday was major good, k? Good girls. Ok, now … why don’t you take some things into the kitchen and come back with the work bag, k? Go ahead. It won’t bite!
Ok, good dishwasher is started … I feel better about taking care of that earlier than later. Then after a while, we might think of working through a collection of garbage … not here at the table, but last time we started a new garbage we didn’t put in a bag, so that’s no good. There’s no mushy food in there, but even with dry garbage … we know the trick is in having a bag. Then, another task is that we note that the infamous set of dirty clothes has collected in the living room. I’m thinking that we should just set aside a basket in the corner where we take things off and trust that we are going to get things clean and so throw the dirty clothes in without thinking of wearing it a second or more time. We’re getting a little better with that with Rich around, but there stands room for improvement. Living room otherwise? Eh, mostly straightening pillows and blankets kind of stuff. I think we’re do for a vacuuming pretty soon though, might want to think of getting that done too this weekend. I think there is some stuff gathered on the kitchen table and counter and perhaps a few things to put away in the bedroom. In the bathroom the sink and mirror could take some poofing and there should be clean towels laid out. Might want to bring that laundry and maybe a load or two of Rich’s to the cleaners, but might have to wait for him to retrieve it, because we think we’re not doing so good with money. Let’s see what he has?
AHA … there’s a start … Rich is got about a half bag each of towels and colored clothes so we’ll throw that in. Since he went out and bought new underthings, we know that he’s going to be ok on that. A half load of whites, is just not that consuming as a half load of colored clothes. I brought that basket in and it seems that we have about a half load of clothes too. Hmm, maybe we could afford then to do his whites? Would give him a nice break for coming in on Sunday night just to be doing the picking up rather than rushing over to drop off. Hmm, seems kinda like a partner thing to do to realize that the other is going to need clean clothes and appreciate having an empty dishwasher. Of course its him too we think about when we go over to fluff the pillows. Good Rich. Good us. J
Pretty sure he’s out on the water now thinking what a glorious day it is to be fishing and NOT worrying about stale clothes hehehe … funny guy. I really don’t mind this little bit of picking up in that it helps us to feel more grounded, especially into the routines of the apartment. One of the things I asked him about last night was the call that had come in from our land lord. He wanted us to know as requested when and if the neighbors were going to move out across the hall, because at one point Sweetie had thought that would be a good option in having his own place. BUT, now sweetie is saying that if he moves its going to be because he found a place on the Lake. Hell, that bothers me a lot, hmm? A lake with mushy face AND waiting for that time with him snuggled into our place together. Yeah, we could go with that.
It’s going to be a bad sign for the landlord though to be figuring that we might be close to moving out ourselves. If sweetie is going to find a place, I hope he does it quickly. I’d like to move at the time our lease expires at the end of October, but we’re thinking his divorce won’t finalize until next February, which would mean being here another year. The only problem I have with that is how hard the stairs are to manage. And, I know they are hard for Sweetie with all he’s bringing up or down.
We’ll have to figure that part out. He’s got to make a couple of decisions, or the decisions will be made for him. I think he has to deal too with the part about having furniture over at the other place that he should really be getting out of there. I wouldn’t want to be the ex and have his stuff around if I were to be thinking of doing something else with the place. I think she has a lot of extra furniture and is paying top dollar to keep the extra stored. I guess she has to make some choices too. She’s not going to be able to do that until she knows what kind of space she is going to have. Plus, I think Sweetie said something about it being soon that his son and his girl might be tying the knot. What they do for living space is going to have an affect on that furniture distribution, so its all got to come together at the same time. I think Rich’s ex and son and probably the girl friend are spending time up on Mac Island now so it would be a good time for Sweetie to go over and start shuffling, but I’m unsure if those plans are solidified. I guess it would be fair that if he’s still vacationing, she might want to do so also. This seems to be working out as an amicable divorce, I’ll keep spending, you keep spending and we’ll see where it goes from there hehehe.
*Sigh*
Ok, enough of other people’s lives. Ok, we’re into it a half hour on the meds. So far so good, but we’re feeling that familiar drain on the fingers … wondering if we should put on the formal braces. Ugh. Girls? It’s going to help in the long run, hmm? We’re only on the 5th page and we know we’ve got a length to go. Let’s try, hmm? Ok, just going to take a bit of adjustment now.
We propped up the back of the keyboard and took of the wrist support, because the braces make everything more bulky and hard to reach. I’m feeling now the depressurization feeling to my hands and wrists and not all that is such a bad thing. There is less pulling. We look like this …
Yeeks that is looking terrible. I think we can take out the metal brace in each though and through it in the wash. The other big ticket item is the bag that I carry to work … there sure are a lot of coffee stains on it. I hope it comes clean. We’re not saying anything about our dirty hair … Ugh.
Hmm, just got the regular 8 am message ringing and we checked the phone and found a few messages on it. I didn’t realize that it was so easy to connect with phone messages. There was one from Coach Sweetie, and another again on that apartment. I might have to find the other phone to get the apartment number. I don’t remember any other place I might have put it.
Shoot … no power on the other phone … maybe I could call directory assistance. Shoot that didn’t work either. I know, I think I listed a number for the bank account .. Probably a good idea to stop there anyway.
Ok, here’s the scoop … there is $862 in there and we found the old apartment number, but it forwarded us so we typed in the new number to the bank account and to the telephone. They took a message, but Mike won’t be in until about 11:30 am. So, we’ll call back then. I don’t want to string him along if there is a chance he could get the ad in sooner. I wish I could have given him better news. There was something exciting in the thought of seeing what Rich’s place would have looked like, knowing that his kids could come over to visit, and having the top floor between ourselves. I do however like waking up in the morning and peeking into his bedroom.
I think to that we really do seem to stay close to each other while we’re both in the apartment.
He seems to get some alone time in the am, because he works from home first thing in the morning while I go in, and because he’s gone so many evenings and weekends with fishing and sports. It really would be a waste, especially if we were thinking he could be saving the money to get some place nicer. So we’ll stick with that and be grateful we get him as much as we do.
Sometimes it is really an amazing set of thoughts to believe that at this age of our life … now recently turned 48 that we are living with someone again. Thank goodness he is into massages … tell me … this looks like the face of someone being spoiled, right?
Isn’t he just so gosh darn cute … don’t those eyes just say … well you never mind what they say … just that he’s looking pretty spoiled God Bless his heart! Those eyes just give him away for being such a softy. *Sigh* my poor fluttery heart! Now I forget what we were talking about all together. Something about something.
Eh, let’s not read up … the point ??? I’m just in majorly crushed with this guy. Feels just like a school girl, but in this story there is a happily ever after. How could I have in my wildest
dreams conceived of meeting and LIVING with such a hunk of a guy??
I think I should repost this picture of Rich every time I think of stepping outside the line – especially food line. He seems to be saying … “Now, now … we don’t need that do we?” He like is bringing us to tears … need to stop or we’ll be in floppy mood the rest of the morning! It’s about 8:30 am now. Ok, so we’re going to be moving on to something. We could give it a round of pillow fluffing?
Ouch, ouch. It’s going to get better, right? Just need a string of good days without ice cream and cake in the house. Mmm, that was very good though. Ok, ok we’re done with that now.
Just one more meal of pizza and then all the food memories will be in the background. I really think we do better at home on the weekend without any extra … hmm, forgot … we’re going to be visiting the boys tomorrow … ok, well … well if they have birthday cake … *sigh* it’s a hopeless battle.
Good good … we remembered to call Sensei Steve’s phone and leave a message for him to call when he gets in. I would like to take care of our gift arrangements today yet. That would be worth a trip out. This is going to work, because we’re pretty sure we want to do something nice for our son. Samurai sword … who would have thought it … something to be doing when we reached the age of 48 . Hehehe this is a good sign I think. Ok, how’d we get to here? Oh yeah straightening up some plans. Ok, clean house, write, read, go to Sensei Steve’s … might as well throw in a shower. Yah … that will work. I hope he is going to be around today. I know he is a religious person so maybe he doesn’t have karate on Sundays.
There was one real nice thing about going to Sensei’s on Thursday in our first attempt to get the gifts. We met another sensei who was named Bridgette and she talked to us just a few moments about the test … she said that Joe is rock solid and she led me to believe he had less push-ups to do than normal. She says she had watched Joe grow-up since back in the days that she was taller than him. I could see her pride in his progress and that made me even happier. Joe is leaving a very good impression on many. I will be excited to see him with the gifts. We still haven’t heard from Maury to see where he stands on chipping in … I wouldn’t mind giving all the gifts, but I don’t want Maury to feel less appreciated.
Ok, that’s enough of that. We watched the movie Miss Potter last night – the one on Beatrice Potter. I can’t say I really liked Renee Zellweger. I didn’t like her face and I thought that it was an acted presence. But, I did like the story being told of a woman who had a talent to write stories and draw pictures. It was unfortunate her beau died before the wedding, but on the other hand it ends with her feeling at home in the country marrying an old flame. I felt though as if she were pretty naïve and sheltered, and they painted her in as being sort of a loon and as if she created the theme of novelty.
Speaking of … did you see my happy birthday balloon? Wait … let me show you these too … they are my happy birthday roses!!!
Oh man what a ladies man our Sweetie is!! Hehehe we just sent the picture to Sweetie. His flowers are really quite beautiful and there is so many … I’m thinking he might have bought 4 dozen to make 48 years old … If I could just live up to their beauty on the inside then I would be a very happy person.
Eh … not so beautiful though … we just scared the cat off the table to avoid the NEXT set of petting. We’d been scratching her as she patrolled by, but she was frustrating me in the amount of attention being demanded. See … I just don’t have it in me to be the kindest heart, but I do have one and it has been touched by fishyman. We sent off a letter of appreciation and a note to each of the boys about tomorrow. Good … good.
Ok, what is next? We’re already up to 9:10. I don’t know why I’m watching the clock so much this morning. Though I have always a sense of the clock escaping me. I don’t know how far we progress, because so much time is lost within the parts. We try to hold that it is all benefitting the one of us, but there still is that familiar sense of loss. What did it feel like to be in that moment … even moments ago. The pictures help us a lot in holding our space. Ahh who is that beautiful girl peeking around the flowers. Can that really be us? Is that who we are?
Ok, we’re going to stop playing right? This is someone still being pretty giggly over her recent fortune! This is the picture we sent Deb. We don’t see her around as much, but we’re still thinking she’s the crème de le crème.
Woo HOO! Ok, someone turn off the happy button … it’s going to bust us open! Shhh, ok girls quiet!
Let’s be a little more serious? We haven’t thought much except for being with mushy face all morning … think we need to get on with the day? Ok, you … let’s try having serious thoughts.
You can do this, try harder!
Uh huh … yes grapes … that makes us serious right? What happened to that work we were going to do? I know … did we talk yet about the work stuff? Maybe that would be a step between doing working and thinking of work. Hmm? Ok, where do we begin?
I think the place to begin is to say that we had a pretty good week. One of the ways of assessing this is how close we feel to sister. Sr. Theresa and us seemed to be pretty paired up all week. I think some of it is that we’re in training with the new Q, so we are staying closely attuned to that, but also because she’s been sharing more projects and visits with me. We always like it when she comes down to our office to fill-us-in with stuff.
This last set of visits … particularly one was of note that Candace is fitting so well into the picture. She seems uncannily ready for the experience of St. Rose Center. She has taken to the role of being a Q like a fish takes to water. At one point she was just finishing up on some Qnote work on our computer and Sister had come in to sit and talk. She had some papers in hand that she was going to be transferring over to us. So, after Candace finished up, she turned her chair around and actually listened into and made attempts to be a part of. Where with Mirza I couldn’t seem to bring her up to a partnership feeling … with Candace … two weeks and she’s done more than I got Mirza to do in a year and a half. Mirza just didn’t want responsibility where Candace thrives on it. We have to learn about not giving her more than she can get done, but we think she has a great attitude on taking on more work.
In some ways, she seems to be saying already that she’s all good with the annuals and she’s ready to take them on all together. She seems unruffled to be going into a meeting and sprouting out everything she knows on Ronald’s behalf. She seems to have picked up on what to do for goals already and its only been a week. She not only set up the schedules for the ICAPs and goals, she’s taken both of them on. We sat down on Friday before she went home and we reviewed what she could be saying about Ronald’s goals and giving reasons why he will be doing the same ones again. His goals are on riding bike, doing sequencing, and one other that I forget. She talked to Imelda who obviously didn’t want to put too much work into it … I didn’t see anything wrong with keeping the same goals, though I find it odd that there isn’t work being put into revising them to better fit actual circumstances. But, perhaps as they are they are good enough. Whose to say … the DSPs wanted something more simple and maybe that is what they are going to get with Candace. That might be something that they like.
There are a couple of instances already where she seems to be soliciting their best confidence.
She’s gone out and met them on their terms and she’s brought them back to her office so that at least Brandi, Sue, and Cathy have all entrusted her to new ideas and energy. They seem to appreciate getting her attention and I’ve had to let go of stingy feelings of wondering why I’m being cut out already. But, if we are to turn the ball of wax over to her … that is exactly what we need to do. We need to watch ourselves for defensiveness. It is hard to give up that your clients are not your clients anymore.
I don’t know how to work on the part of having her do her own caseload versus taking on the entirety of both our caseloads. Like with the goals, annuals, and Qnotes, will it be ok that we are asking her to do both and that we are treating the caseload like we are both sharing it. Candace seems to be gobbling up a workload and we’re suggesting to her that she comes up with some kind of a specialty … right now leaning toward music where she gets to inherit a group like Holly and myself. I think she would enjoy that and the clients wouldn’t mind seeing something new.
Sister took great pains in reminding me that I’m still staff trainer and that just because I’m off for the summer, it doesn’t mean I’ve not got that position. I like the feeling having Candace around gives me as to finishing up some of the separate work projects. If she is doing the work of annuals then I really get time to get other things done that Sister has put on our plate. Sr. has told Candace that she will be getting a caseload of 25 individuals. I know she’s got 10 of mine, she’s to take on one of the new ones, and she’s getting at least 2 of Holly’s so she’s still got a dozen more to go. Chances are that as little as I like it, she’s going to take on a dozen of Holly’s before taking on the balance of mine. It’s not certain that is how it is going to go, but I think that Sr. has appeased Holly with information I don’t know and Holly seems happy go lucky so most likely will be losing some of her work load. There’s writing on the wall too in that Sr. had taken effort to let me let go of the most troublesome clients. Now the next question will be … if Holly is going to have half a caseload will she still get the services of Candace one day a week, and if so, wouldn’t that be grounds that we get Candace once a week so might get some help with the Qnotes?
I’m thinking that one way or another, I’m going to try doing whatever I’m assigned without complaint. I could think of giving over the Circles program in the fall, because it would be a good teaching experience for Candace, but then I lose a little control over the program aspects - though I think that the experience would be good for Candace. I still think that I need time learning and being able to teach across the board equally. There is some too on making sure the program goes over well. I fear though the affect of teaching 45-1 hour 4 times a week. One of the last notes prior to the weekend was that I look into on my one CARF day a week completing some more of the performance improvement activities, which will get me into working with some of Holly’s clients and that I can appreciate.
I really don’t think I have a full grasp on all that Sister is planning, but the sense was this week that she was giving me things she could take off her desk. I don’t get the impression that Holly is doing the same for her. Holly is still doing a little with her clients and money, but seems to be spending a fair amount of time doing the home base work. I think understandably so that she’s spending a good chunk of time on the phone. I think it be hard to tell which of us is more manipulative, but we’d like to think we are working mostly for whatever the clients are interested in. We did have one major setback in that Ms. Eskra didn’t talk to us about it, but she’s gone off a limb and let the boys talk her out of having someone help her with the girls. I would like to do one more thing in asking if she can do that with allegations against her from OIG … we’ll have to go through Cathy with that and it seems Cathy had not thought through that though on her own. So, we will see. I also played devil’s advocate and hooked up Kelly’s mother with Ana’s mother in talking about deductions and where money is coming and going from through the federal programs. They are both big-winded talkers so I figured they might appreciate each other and in trying to get words in elsewise.
I do know that this is a very good time to back away from the Eskra’s because she’s gone behind us several times now showing a lack of trust. She’s made decisions to cancel services offered her even though effort has been made beyond belief and she’s done it without respect of what we and the other services are telling her, and after she’s made her final decision … she’s told everyone, but me, which means most likely that the pressure I put on her is being felt, but not appreciated … so … as it turns out with Candace’s arrival … she is no longer going to be my program, and she can see how she fares with the next one. I can admit though my thoughts, in that if she doesn’t keep up with her end and the girls get abused again or in abuse of each other then I will not hesitate to call in the authorities to guarantee the girls’ safety. There is this uncomfortable feeling that she’s looked a gift horse in the mouth and rejected services offered.
If she can’t help herself, neither can we help her. She’s got to commit to the benefit of the girls.
One last thought of that is in the boys purported interest in the girls and the different agencies dismay that a bedroom is being used for fish while the two girls are put upon to be sharing the same room, without a lack of privacy. That is going to count against them in the long run. Fish cannot be prioritized over people. And, from what I can tell, the girls have no true belongings.
The mother collects stuffed animals, the boys fish, and the girls … what? Barbie dolls and coloring books. Mrs. Eskra isn’t supporting them with adult activities. That will count against her also. I know that if I were asked to stand-up in court to for her to gain custody, I would clearly state those two objectives. I don’t think she can give the girls the best support they can get … what she knows to offer them is minimal. The focus is on maintaining control, not development. This is in itself not a crime, but a waste of human potential. If the boys were going to be that much help, then the girls wouldn’t be in this much trouble.
Ok, ok … I’ve got to be moving on from that. We’ve had enough … now turning her over. I think that Candace will be fair with them, but she’ll also be more of a social worker type person who is going to feel put out if someone is not doing what they ought to be doing. She is quick to assess and that will be a very honest outcome of relationships with the families. I feel glad now that we last moment switched Ana to Candace’s load and kept Lilyana. Ana’s mother is difficult in that you have to go through the long conversations where she is just talking and talking.
We usually, can keep it within bounds, but I really don’t even want that much work in keeping things on an even keel. I didn’t mind after the first few moments looking up information from Ms. Chaidez, but she is like Mrs. Eskra where they believe so hard in whatever they believe that they do not listen to their resources, whether it be our agency or the next. So, they end up in states that become a pickle for them and a source of complaint. They both also have taken to the wedge that CSO becomes through Cathy. Cathy and us got into a disagreement between parents in that she made it a loud and specific point to say that St. Rose has to pay for transportation, although she knows that St. Rose holds a different position. This has become her Ace of Spades card. I hope one day to put a conclusion to it … but, I believe that the threat of transportation going up to$8 a day, is going to put more pressure on it than not.
More forcibly the parents are going to want it paid, and more realistically, the agency is going to not be able to support it. $100,000 is too much for the agency to pay, and now the government is not even guaranteeing what it will pay. Especially with families in and out and trips to Mexico for months at a time, there won’t be sufficient money coming in to pay for services. The first thing we will lose is the staff, and once they start falling it will be like a deck of cards. Without money coming in to pay staff salaries, any extra will have to go. I don’t think the parents understand that Sister has gotten special money to make improvements, but she doesn’t have the supported money to pay transportation. I think the best scenario would be if CSO became responsible for transportation or other services. Right now they are taking a survey as to what services the family would like, which makes them seem generous, but the truth be told they are not offering those services, they are offering to be put on a list, which is just going to the front so that they can be sure of what they are not doing for the community. There is no reason to believe the situation would change – particularly with the lack of ability the state has in settling differences. As long as we spend our time talking about gambling boats and private interests … major interests like the people are not going to be served. I find myself more resentful now after the Eskra affair in thinking that families best understand or appreciate what the state and federal governments do for them already. I feel bad they have family members who will never take up their share in the maintenance of a family income, but they have tried to push that burden on others without paying their dues. If they can’t understand quality in a service then they can choose the service of majority, which is of lesser value.
There was one more case in point. There has been contact through a new client – Mario’s family that they are upset about his check. They seem to think that we are teasing him by telling him he’s earning a check where in fact he was given only $5. There seems to be a bridge of communication that has to be reached. The client did miniscule work, and the workshop doesn’t pay very much money. So, when the checks went out … because Mario is new and didn’t fit into the payroll period … sister gave him something to be encouraged. Instead of anyone figuring out for him how much he was going to make or in conversing realistically about the value of the general checks, Mario was under the assumption that the check would be bigger to which the family is saying that he earned $10 to $200 at his high school – it isn’t clear whether that is a week or month, but the general idea is that the family feels ridiculed and the agency feels put out. I always do my best to stay out of these things, because the front office has put in so much toward this instead of handing it cleanly over to the Q. In fact, though the mother doesn’t speak English, so has gone through the secretary. Both the secretary and the DSP should be held accountable for not being more clear or upfront with the client. Because this is another client being handed over to Candace my thoughts are that if anyone were to handle it it will be her. As to what I would do? I would reestablish confidence with the family and understand their frustration. I would make it very clear the services we offer in job training not sustaining and I would emphasize the points that Mario shows low adaptability to work, and cannot work more than 40 minutes, which is unsatisfactory in getting a job in the community. If they want, they can opt out for sending him to a work training program.
Speaking of which and to turn the track out past argument, we had a very good time over the last couple of days understanding what it is that we want to be doing. Basically, what we’d been doing all week was tracking the projects both incoming and outgoing. We used the journal for this purpose and we brought the journal home, because we still feel in touch with it. We had a couple major project paths. One was in getting the CARF material progressed and the other was in annuals, and then there is many projects falling between those two cracks as well as taking care of meetings and training.
Whoops little intermission here. Maury just called to confirm dates for this weekend. I knew I should have gone back and said Sunday … I’d said 11 am, but hadn’t said which day on the reminder. Maury had to take care of another call now, but he’ll call back. He was talking that Joe had a second interview with a company who paid higher than he’s now making, which would about double his income. I think Joe is going to be for that and it would help him get closer to work in personnel if that’s where he was going to go.
AHA! Now I’ve finished talking to both of the boys … Joe just for a second and not much longer to Maury. Maury knows what we’re doing with the Karate stuff, but he says he can’t contribute to it. And, we let him know that we do not need a birthday present and we were serious about that. He indicated money was tough and that he would give me a rain check for a dinner down the line … cool, cool with us! He was getting into the new Harry Potter book, and he was getting ready for his father to come over and put in a new storm door, so we let him get going because he wasn’t even dressed. With Joe it was a goofy conversation. We told him we had a surprise and we were so excited about it that we could tell him, or we could keep it a surprise. He asked, “Which is harder?” Definitely keeping surprises! So, he said that’s what we had to do. Wow!
My first Sensei Joe teaching. WoooHOOO. We told him that we were so excited because we thought he was going to like our surprises that we had to go, and we wanted to see him happy, but we had to go so we wouldn’t tell him. He understood that … I think sometimes he must think I sure have a funny mother. Hehehe. Oh man we’re just terrible being the grown up sometimes! Damn seems something that Rich would recommend. Eh, it’s gift time … hard to be adult with all that about us!
*SIGH* ok, ok … you planet landing? Hmm? Ok, ok … grounding here again … we get in that happy space and we don’t know what to do with ourselves. It’s about 11 am now and the braces are working great … feeling like the energizer bunny.
Ok, ok serious stuff again girls, hmm? *Sigh* ok, ok … landing, landing, thud.
Oh one more thing … Maury volunteered to get the gifts for us. He said that he’s only 10 minutes away and could make that swing by either today or tomorrow. We were kind of excited about getting the gifts ourselves, but I like the idea that Maury is involved. I think he really is proud of his brother, but it is hard to give that much attention to him because Maury does not have the same credits going to him. I don’t think Maury is the kind of guy who could hold his brother down, but at the same thing maybe there is kind of a male competition that is inert. I don’t know … just right now he is willing to share the gift giving and that as a mother I will go with. If I could think of the proper way of giving Maury credit then I would do that too. But, I don’t want Maury to feel dishonored if we said the gift came from the both of us if he felt different inwardly. I know he can’t do the money so that has to be a concern. There must be some reason to gift Maury? Maybe then he could regift to Joe. We’ll have to figure that out.
Hmm, think it is almost time to make lunch. Wouldn’t fishyman be proud of us if we could make our own sandwich? Oh that’s right! Pizza! WooHOO!! BRB
Ahh we are back! That took about 6 minutes. Well, maybe a couple more, but not much. Pizza good … we warmed it up a couple minutes to make the cheese melty – deep dish – and then we dipped it in spaghetti sauce … woohooo! Good stuff!
Ok, I think we are starting to calm down … We would like to go back into the work thoughts if that is ok with you? Well, actually even if it isn’t, cuz I’m the one here at the keyboard hehehe.
Ok, I know we’re being silly again. Sorry.
Ok, where were we. Hmm, read over the last few paragraphs just prior to Maury’s call.
Whoops side-tracked again. We were looking at Samurai Swords. We felt as though the $100-150 range too low. Real swords start at like $700 and go upward quickly … $1800-3500 not unseen. We made another call and asked about raising the payment to about $200-250. He still isn’t answering his phone, so most likely busy, but we shall see. I’m pretty sure that something will have to be ordered. I wish I could afford more for Joe, but that is about as high as I can go at the point of no return.
Ok went out to the limb for a few more moments. We were reading about sensei and karate. I don’t have much knowledge, but it reminded us of a time back in college the first time where we hoped to be more of a student of Eastern philosophy. I didn’t think I had the brain for it at the time, and then I learned I was a distracted student. I think that counts for me now as well. It’s interesting they talked about finding freedom within confinement. I could relate that to the job at the center as well as us within being a multiple. That thought is also too difficult for now though. Just like to say that the confinement in ourselves comes from the restriction of finding yourself entombed in others’ battles and knowing you have to get through their hardships to advance to your own plain. The confinement is one being held by oneself as others.
Ok, tiptoeing away from that. Starting to get that strange sense that we are on the edge of knowing what we say and not knowing at the same time. It is the same sense that we had earlier with Dr. Marvin where we were not quite putting together the framework of diet and health. It is a very conscientious process, but one we haven’t figured out where its front door stands. I think Dr. Marvin is like a Sensei and that might be real in that doctor’s are given the formal title with respect. But, basically it is in that every time I look at him he is perfect and even when sick is still himself within a skeleton of himself. It feels the need protect him though he stands in his own defenses.
Ok, stop that … we are sounding strange. Quit talking like that please? Too much philosophizing. Let’s go back to our business plans, ok? Just wanted to say one short thing though as to Dr. M. being a sensei … it can be asked who his or her lead student is. Dr. Marvin teaches psychiatrists, so must have had favorite students. I would still like to think that although all Dr. Marvin’s patients are equal, that the reason I’m still being seen in psychology is that after 23 years, I continue to learn about myself making the journey worthwhile. It has to be that or otherwise I would be weighted under the pressure of patienthood to the degree we’d never be able to stand. I’ve been with Dr. Marvin 8 of the 23 years – so 35%. Hehehe I wonder if he could appreciate that I’m indebted 35% of my craziness to him. This is a good idea … the doctor is the outside sheath holding in all that feels abnormal … so it is his doing that we are the way we are … did you note that slight sidestepping of responsibility? It works for me. Let’s not go review this paragraph … remember we were discussing work???
Ok, I think we’d tried to break up before the differences in tasks we were facing. At last thought to now perhaps the divisions were superfluous. For now we have been meaning to open our journal and peak inside its world, because we’ve been enamored by it and would like to understand it better. At work, we last left off that all those thoughts could be held together in ways no one could just read through and understand. It seemed that each new task I had reached was just as odd as the next. Here I am in the middle of my life, and we are pertaking in these odd rituals of thoughts and behaviors. It would be no different than if I’d stated to myself … get up, twirl three times, lift your right arm, and then eat a noodle.
The first page of our book is now holding a shrunk page – going from 17” down to the normal paper length of 11” We had figured to set the paper in our handy dandy what do you call those machines? Scanners! That’s it. It was and has been very easy to use the machine and the quality is fairly good, though not perfect. On the yellow sheets, were the guide I shared with the new Q, in that we listed the various clients who need work done on their cases starting with the first in July, that we have not finalized. There is a date listed of the staffing, the person’s name, and then whether she has work to do in our column or the new Q’s. For example the first client, it is my responsibility to perform and teach annual reports to the new Q. I also am responsible for putting out the long goals, and she is responsible for signing papers, and filing them. By the time we get to about 5 clients down, she is responsible for the Qnotes, ICAPs, goals, annual report, and then papers signed and filed. We both share the goals part and the meeting, but she
is willing at this point to do both goals and meeting. That is what we were trying to say before.
I would like to hold her to only expression of the goals past, present and future and we will moderate the meeting. I don’t think sister would appreciate me turning the full thing over.
She’s not been tested for making sense yet. Usually she starts at places to easy for the other and she is slow to getting to her points.
The main part is that she’s made a tremendous amount of progress as to surface processes. She does them more simply than us, because we are so wrapped up in the significance of all the little steps, the larger step becomes too difficult. I think the staff will appreciate her adding less complexity to their lives. I don’t look forward to the comparisons that are already being drawn between us. I’ve noticed a speedy defection from our services to the new. Maybe we were holding more importance of ourselves than qualified by the actual response. Ok, though for now … we are going to try avoiding self-blame and persecution, and we’re going to credit the girl where credit is due and to the point that I must be a good teacher and using her time for Q-work opposed to filing. YEEKS! That scares me just to think of it, but we’ve had to try hard all week not to look down upon our other peer, because we didn’t want to pass on our bad attitude to someone else. She has to find her place between the two of us elder Q’s, and then we each have to scrabble over our mom-like boss and who we think she favors. YEEKS … you know I don’t think psychology gets any more profound than this. There was this really poor instant, maybe toward the end of last week, but Holly invited herself to our lunch period and I found that difficult to swallow. At the end, I had asked point blank why she was having lunch at this time and location.
She of course got defensive, which we thought sorry, but … and then we told her 2-3 of her bad habits, which included talking over everyone that attempted to speak even when matters did not pertain to her or at least shouldn’t. I’d floated a couple of things past to test this theory … and she fell in line with it each time. I also prompted her to say anything, but the negative of whatever we had said. So if I said the sky is green, she would say, no it is red. This is a way of disqualifying others and if I weren’t this bright would be offensive to me, because I would think she’s trying to make me a lesser person than we are. I know generally what causes Holly to be out is her positioning herself as Lord over others. People agree just to shut her up. But, many are not conscious that it is her that is off and not the inferior mess she left of them.
One of my basic points in having stuck my neck that far out there was to make her very conscious she was interfering not only with my lunch there goes the peace, but also my relationship to the DSPs and new Q. I’m working hard at being an equal and don’t need the business of Holly trying to dominate. I mentioned it once to sister in brief passing, but sister is trying to put together a good work team. I will cause a noisier stink if she thinks I will tolerate her noise. I will resort to having lunch by myself again rather than to submit myself to those abuses. It is no different than the first week I tried to sit down with the group. Holly’s theory was … I didn’t realize so many people were eating lunch at this time. My thought … please don’t realize it and crawl back to your hole. Sister understands our general point in that Holly is messing with the psyche of the staff via negative manners. If she wants that not stopped it is going to be up to her and yes we would all live with those consequences.
Shoot, I really hate getting myself bunched up about Holly stuff. Sometimes I forget just how much she bothers us. I think she can be a real person, but she’s got that other demon that wants to dominate and bully. Totally inappropriate.
Let’s go back to the book. As we said the first pages of the yellow sheets tells us the updated progress that the new Q and us are having with the annuals. The second set of pages has to do with one of the projects we were working on. This is the one from CARF where we are working through addressing the regulations. Each of these became projects within themselves that had to be addressed. We realized at some point there were too many things going on to keep up with it, so we wrote out a handwritten summary – 2 pages, that explained where we were with the week as to each mini-project. There were 5 basic sections addressed. The first had to do with obtaining permission and ordering a new security system for the computer. We are not talking anything more profound than Norton 360. Although waters muddied in the Admin meeting by our unfavored peer, they were sullied by the expertise of Brian at Unique. We would have completed the whole ordering process, but the other sister in the building inadvertently placed herself as the center’s authorized purchasing agent, so that had to be straightened out over the weekend.
The second issue had to do with simulating medical emergencies. For this we made arrangements for the CPR First Aide guy to come in for a 6 hour training session in November.
The next one had to do with priorities in registering ourselves with the insurance company for on-line checks of motor vehicle reports. This way we could check people who should or should not be driving and who might have problems with whatever name the new nurses aid registry is under. This is the part where if you were arrested for abuse, it makes a difference as to your job standing. The next part has to do with getting an attorney’s instruction on how to handle investigations, subpoenas, and other legal matters, when it presented itself to the staff.
The next one was a really long part that grew even a little more confusing though actually and eventually through it simplicity became mightier than the sword. Actually, what we are talking about was a research process where we looked into various assessment for the center. I was satisfied for the moment with the brief work survey that I refound and gave to Sr. This could be given to select clients, or to all clients preferably the latter. I would like to test each for aptitude to see if there are things we ought to be teaching them to be out in the job world. Along with that though much later, we found a small 30some page book that teaches directly – natural supports a foundation for employment and community-based instructional support. These were two of the five books found at aaidd, which is like a major advocacy group for people with DD. The foundation for employment book teaches step-by-step strategy for developing natural supports … that means finding relationships for people with MR who aren’t paid to do so. This meant becoming a facilitator in promoting the goals and interests of individuals in the work setting. The second book on instructional support had to do with sequenced stratetgies for setting educational goals, developing a task analysis, selecting the strategy, and collecting data for decision making.
Ok, now thinking over what we just looked over, what do I hope to get from these two books?
Mostly our mental processes are working on getting individuals out in the community past sisters radar of not paying extra for staff or transportation … that is an entire other issue we battled this week. Mostly, in looking at either jobs or volunteer work, people need natural supports – because there isn’t enough money, nor would it be in the client’s best interest to go without. So the first book teaches us how to get out there in the community where the supports are, and the second book sets up educational strategy to be be meeting community goals. I see the books working very much hand in hand. The first book puts out the supports out there, and the second book makes use of valuing our goals in meeting the other. Good good. This has to do with the first survey which again is job/community natured. I’m not sure if sister is still planning on getting the volunteer from the school/brothers, but we would hope to put out something of a plan to him.
Now for the next goal and the next. We had basically written in the CARF that we were going to assess jobs, quality of life, and natural supports. We are very interested in the survey written by one of the head MR guys named Schalock who put together a quality of life instrument. We brought home approximately a 30 page manual on the testing of the instrument, we did a lot of reading in between and the third book we purchased was by the author called Quality of Life for People with Intellectual and other developmental disabilities applications across individuals, communities, and systems. Basically, what we want to do here is to set up testing so that we can evaluate progress in that we would hope that individuals who were at our center were learning to develop a higher quality of life. We need some kind of measuring stick to figure out how we are doing than simply by client and family survey. They are good, but not complete. This book purports to be a blueprint to us as a center in enhancing QofL It provides an assessment and methodology based in needs and outcomes and it gives ways in which this is all helpful to the client at all levels of the game. It also suggests itself as a means to measure performance – though it is not positive at this time whether they speak to the performance of individual and their goals, or the performance of staff as supports. Either would be fine.
The other two books are both on positive behavior support – one on designing plans and the
other as a resource guide in curricular training. This becomes important as to one of the other goals for the week of arranging that staff all go to a positive behavior training program. This had another use in that the staff really wanted to get out of the building to learn something. We set it up so that half were going to Elgin an hour away and the others were going to stay back in the city. One way or another, we will hope they learn skills so they can stop asking how to resolve behavior problems. I think the material is going to teach them how to make learning opportunities out of these other needs.
Finally, the last survey is the supports intensity scale. This measures support needs of the individual across domains of home, community lifelong learning, employment, health and safety, and social. I have been looking over that one and I still have mixed results. It’s becoming a standard issued test, but I’m unconvinced yet that its need is urgent. I am thinking that most of our clients are going to evaluate at the moderate level which will tell us very little about them.
It will graph out their needs which could be commonsense, but not supported. If a client scores an 11 or 50%ile rate at behavior due to self-injury, then didn’t we already know then to support that need? It does add structure that is full-balanced. Considering each of these different things, so and so is doing ok, or needs more assistance. Or, possibly the individual needs more training. We are not really a service that goes round the clock and some things might be like can cook for himself 0, but its do to a more than helpful mom than inability to do the chore. This instrument makes it appear that all these things have equal bearing on the individuals’ life. If the individual had money and transportation then he could access public buildings, the fact he doesn’t work and gets confused make it likely that he’ll score higher, hmm, but they are nestled together, so that when we evaluated job, and then social or lifelong learning we might see where one impales the next. I think we would then have to evaluate the kinds of support that we would be able to give.
Ok, we’re back. It’s about 3:15 pm now. We’ve been going over the SIS. I could definitely see more value in it than I had before. It orders things so relatively easily. Just now too I could imagine pulling out special groups. Like the group could score in a set amount of percentiles say 80 and above, 40-80, or 0-40 and according to that number they could be given specific lessons on how to do things keeping practicality in mind. For example, hmm that would be again 1-40, 40 - 75 and 75 – 99. Or, in a sense the low medium and high groups. If an individual scored high in all but employment and community then he would be pulled aside for that with others of that ability. Still thinking though that our groups at the center are averaged out so they are falling within a range previously sorted. Hmm, just looking at the scoring that they needed. I could see how they made an assessments out of the needs … I’m a bit concerned over the generics of it in that each of the six groups points to from 7-9 areas of need, so in general you are providing support for a variety of 40 to 60 settings, which hasn’t told you square one how to take care while we are at that issue. For example if the individual was self-injurious it wouldn’t tell you how to fix it, but it might point out the amount of time to be spent here or the amount of direction, for example verbal or just monitor. I guess it comes down to its purpose as a guide not cure, but it would be helpful in directing attention. I could see assessing the 4th group and the individual needing more support due to self-injury as being alma, so when the staff is directing their time and attention, perhaps she is in more need and then receives more staff assistance.
Ok, drawing to a long drawn-out close … these are the three assessments we are considering … job, QofL, and supports. I would have to think more seriously of how those all fit together.
Maybe in a little bit we’ll look more at the QofL. We had that one last report to study. But, I wanted to get on with more sense of where we are at work. I do feel we’ve advanced these last causes somewhat, but more has to be done before we project them as part of a learning plan.
Ok, the next part and we say this noting we’re already long of wind – page 22, and long on time – 3:45 pm, that we should have some stopping place in mind about an hour and a half out. Then perhaps we’ll eat dinner and spend the rest of the evening reading. If for nothing else, but to give our hands a break.
Hmm, I think we are going to focus now more on the jobs left to do to see if we can’t mobilize some sort of pattern. I would like to say that a lot of jobs earned their black dot this week, but not nearly enough to detract from the stack. Maybe if we tried listing out by dot color. That would give it a first level of priority. We’ll also start from the oldest to the newest.
Red – urgent needs to be done now
Yeeks … forgot … progress Latino grant
That’s the only one … I think that is gaining more priority as minimal a 5 hour project. If we’re going to be at Maury’s at 11, it means being ready to leave here by 10:15 … Woo too early … we wouldn’t want to start at 5. What does time after look like … Probably home by 3 and Rich home by 6 … that would give us 3 hours … hmm, better plan on starting by 7:30 am going to 10:15, and then 3 to 6. Not sure if I can keep those hours, but it would be a goal. The other option, of course, is that we do some work on it tonight, and put off the reading of the Qof L report until tomorrow morning. Basically, all of this surveys thing has been a part of making our curriculum plan. Noooo, we have not forgotten it. Just looking for an easy way to ease into it.
The grant is hot though. Maybe I should cut over into all that in an hour – or 5 pm. That give us til about 10 or about 5 hours, then we can reassess by tomorrow.
Ok, then we have an hour to plan out the orange priorities. Let’s look at that.
1. Check outstanding client file documents
2. Devote one day a week toward CARF – work on the performance analysis
3. Consider staff in-services and thinking group every other week
4. Check out DVD order – see sister about budget and priorities
5. Complete insurance motor vehicle report – next step write two policies
6. Learn how to use Sister’s camera – get instruction book (check with Rosa)
7. Check that OIG papers were completed by Holly
8. Further improving our computer system – next step web seminar on technology
9. Purchase Norton 360
10. Check on call to attorney for subpoenas, search warrants, investigations, and other
11. Assure that physical fitness constraints are being met for job descriptions
12. Advance the 3 surveys, job/community, QofL, and Supports
13. Evaluate Annual report
14. Send in forms for Gifty to evaluate Candace as Q candidate
15. Schedule Candace for course at Anixter
Ok, that seems doable, right? Let’s look over the list in total.
Hmm, we’ll need to also include in here work on the annual, and what was the last step of the CARF stuff started originally. No that was it there were 5. 1) purchase Norton, 2) first aid, 3) motor vehicle report, 4) job descriptions, and 5) research on the 3 surveys. Hmm, AND then there is the part of the annual, which sort of holds the position of training the new Q. Basically we need to include a
16. Advance the Annual and Q training
Number 16 is red hot and it’s necessary to stop all the others, if we need to be progressing that.
It is an ongoing project. I think we will make Tuesdays our day to work on CARF, because that is the day the new Q is working with the old Q.
Hmm, looking at the schedule … If we could keep it tight, we could get everything on the list done this next week, but that would mean about 8-10 hours overtime. We need to consider there are about 3 hours of built in meetings IF things don’t go long. Plus, sister is taking up some serious time with her impromptu meetings. Let me think could that be a fair week’s worth of work.
Mon 10.5 (+ meeting for staffing)
1. Advance the Annual and Q training (3-4 hours per day)
2. Consider staff in-services and thinking group every other week (curriculum) 1-2 hours per day
3. Complete insurance motor vehicle report – next step write two policies 2-3 hours
4. Send in forms for Gifty to evaluate Candace as Q candidate (30 min)
5. Schedule Candace for course at Anixter (30 min)
6. Further improving our computer system – next step web seminar on technology (half an hour)
Tues 10.25 (+ meeting w/Rich)
1. Devote one day a week toward CARF – work on the performance analysis 8 hours
2. Consider staff in-services and thinking group every other week (curriculum) 1-2 hours per day
3. Purchase Norton 360 (15 minutes)
Wednesday 10 (+ meeting for staffing)
1. Advance the Annual and Q training (3-4 hours per day)
2. Consider staff in-services and thinking group every other week (curriculum) 1-2 hours per day
3. Advance the 3 surveys, job/community, QofL, and Supports (3-4 hours)
Thursday 8.25 hours (+ staff meeting and Dr. M)
1. Advance the Annual and Q training (3-4 hours per day)
2. Consider staff in-services and thinking group every other week (curriculum) 1-2 hours per day
3. Check out DVD order – see sister about budget and priorities (1-2 hours)
4. Assure that physical fitness constraints are being met for job descriptions (.25 hours)
Friday 9.5 hours (+ meeting – Thinking group)
1. Advance the Annual and Q training (3-4 hours per day)
2. Consider staff in-services and thinking group every other week (curriculum) 1-2 hours per day
3. Check outstanding client file documents 2-3 hours
4. Check that OIG papers were completed by Holly (5 min)
5. Check on call to attorney for subpoenas, search warrants, investigations, and other (5 min)
6. Evaluate Annual report (.25)
Weekend
1. Learn how to use Sister’s camera – get instruction book (check with Rosa) weekend work
Ok, good we’ve got all that timed out. With this we could get a major important chunck done, but it is going to take all week to do it. If we devoted ourselves especially on that 3-4 hours per day annual, we could be feeling pretty good about it. Big 8 hours on CARF, good work on the curriculum … and all the other orange tasks good. Now the problem is that there are more tasks than this. We haven’t covered the yellow, blue, and green tasks. For now let’s just pretend there wasn’t any blue and green, and just worry about the yellow.
Ok, let’s make another list. Hmm, this means we’re back 20 hours into next week. With the regulars of annuals, curriculum and CARF that means we’re into another full week of overtime – IF there wasn’t anything more scheduled. But, there is this nice part that the majority of this list could be complete in 2-3 weeks. This is of course with the assistance of Candace. She’s a major player in all this … REALLY! Plus some of the work could be taken home. Would be better to get back to walking, but there’s a lot of work to get done.
1. Write Joel’s goal - Candace
2. Complete Qnotes - Candace
3. Check into Sr’s progress with courses over at St. Mary’s - moment
4. Talk to school counselor about canceling school – half hour
5. Check Bethsda Luthern for in-service tapes and up-date book – 8 hours
6. Complete the typing of DSP In-service book 1-2 hours
7. Check in on the Satisfaction survey over at the Leadership group half hour
8. Sign-up for membership in ICAN “Improvement through curriculum Awareness and
Networking” half hour
9. File client and other – 10 min
10. Read through audit report 10 min
11. Register Theresa and check status of Stephanie 2-3 hours
12. Pull SS# for all staff to run complete register 2-3 hours
13. Check status or help needed for one year report - moment
14. Check to see status or help needed to engage Gage Park program - moment
Ok, good good … we’ve done some good advance scout work. I like conceiving that we could complete all this work. When we start back on Monday … we’ll go over to this new book and hope to complete as a goal this other book by a goal of August 10th. That over-schedules us, but takes into account that there will be more tasks added before completing the others. We would have to decide then whether to complete the blue/green (two weeks to more than a month projects), or to carry them over. I’d really not like to take any red, yellow, or orange, with us.
Deal?? Ok, good … this is what we mean by planning.
It’s 5 pm now and our dinner is in the microwave. It’s taken a whole day and 26 pages to get here, but I think we’re at the end of the blog for today. Remember we are going next and for the rest of the night into grants. See you briefly tomorrow … thanks V for reading. You're Great!
AHA! And one more surprise picture of the fishyman ... God Bless the ground he walks on - oh and that goes for the stone he stands on too!
posted by Ann Marie @ 7/21/2007 05:06:00 PM
Comments: 1
