Ayn's Multiple World

Headed home to fishy friend suprise dinner - CHOW!

Good morning. This is me again … I’m going to write just a short note, I hope, because I really do want to get some work done. I’ve been at work for about an hour and it has taken this long to do my “catch-up” reading. I went through some membership benefits that came through from ASCD and skimmed through the “TIME” magazine. I figure that I’m getting it for staff, might as well take advantage. As it turns out it really wasn’t too long. I should be able to fit it in … it made me feel more on top of the general week. I also looked through top news on AOL and sped through emails. Pshwoo. Ok, that is that.

Ok, ok … shhh where are we going next?

I think the important one was that I wanted to finish up the story – condensed version of being with Joe. He was so fantastic to be watching. As I was stating before … he spent a good proportion of the time being a judge. I thought it was a very cool thing that the judges were so close to judging. They flipped their scores on a board, then the three of them opened it at once to the score keeper to their left. Then they showed the audience.

Joe was just as considerate of the very young kids as he was the older people – even the one’s doing the kickboxing. I think he was grateful to have something constructive to be doing, since his events were going to be so much later down the line. A good part of the audience left before the black belts finally got up, so it was a very homey type environment. They only used the one center area.

Joe was in three events, but then he was put into two others. I’m not sure if I can name them proper. I think there was one for “forms,” another for “kickboxing,” and another for “weapons.” Joe had something you hold in your hand that had three prongs coming out with the longest one in the middle. He let me hold them for a moment. They were very heavy. He also participated in another form one I think … there was only one participant and they asked Joe to do something just so he could go against someone. He did a great job. He improvised. Joe took 2nd in all the three trophy events. The others was for a cash prize for the first place person.

And, the last was like an all-around where they asked Joe again to participate. I think they knew this was his first experience with this kind of thing, and they were giving him credit for his effort and enthusiasm. He also got some kind of credit for the Sensei he had trained under. Sensei Steve is well known.

We took a lot of videos. I have to get something to download them on computer though. Then we will upload them to YouTube. I will then leave links. You really have to be in to the stuff to watch them all. I don’t think I will be able to mend them all together, but maybe that is better. I think Joe will look at them, he might pick out a few for his friends to watch, and I’m pretty sure that Maury will look at them. I don’t know if they will recommend them to their father, but the step-brother and Thom will be told about them if they are interested. They might be too much into their own thing. Not sure.

In-between things, Joe would come over and talk to me, especially between warming up for his events. I think the hardest part for me to figure out is that he is enjoying himself so much. He takes to it like a fish! I was really impressed with all of them really. I didn’t feel such a shock in that people were really nervous.

Maybe I wasn’t actually looking for that, but the whole thing was so professional and casual at the same time. I really, really enjoyed myself. I hope that Joe invites me back again. If I had the money, I would volunteer to pay entry fee.

But, that was too much for me. We did however pay for dinner.

Dinner was a long ways off though – maybe about 6 pm. We got home around 8:30 pm.

There was some long downtime after the actual event was over … Joe had gone out to get the car and I waited. But, he came back saying that someone had left the lights on and the battery had died. He tried asking about a dozen people if they had chargers, and no one had them … so I wheeled the approximate ¾ block to the car and Joe called the Honda Care Service that came with the car. They said it was going to take an hour. We made an executive decision to try going back to the school because we needed to use the washroom. That was a very good decision. The janitor had gone out for his cell phone and he let me in. We also got a long drink of water, because it was so hot out. And, then we filled an empty bottle for Joe. We waited a bit and then another guy – he had parked his car about 10 spaces to the left of us, but had run out of gas. Well, he came back and it turned out that he had jumper cables. So, that was good and then we canceled the other and had a nice pizza and lemonade at a place around the corner. Joe was tired and famished. Poor kid.

We had a hard time driving back. Joe was out of it for most the time, and then there was another hour after we dropped him off. I don’t do really well with night time driving. It feels dangerous to me, because I can’t see very well in the dark.

Joe said he doesn’t drive well when he is tired, so we made that compromise and worked very hard to stay on top of it. It was a very good day … and the chaser was that when we got home slurpy face was there to meet us. WooHOOO!!!

Well, that all went as it did. I still don’t have the full fishy report. I feel a little deprived. The cool part for Rich was that he won the event for the weekend, not the full year deal, but for the champion weekend. I think his fishing partner actually caught most the big fish, but as a team they took first. That was pretty darn cool, because it made him so happy. But, he came home tired like Joe. He said that the fishing was so poor that he and his partner made it, because they over-fished their peers. Just a lot of casting over and over again. Times four days.

They are good fishy guys.

You already heard then of yesterday. I was soooo grateful that our fishy friend was in as much as he was and we’ll use the opportunity again to be doing business stuff with him. We still gotta get into grants, but I think there is something about us that make doing some kinds of work – especially writing that was non-blog difficult. I am obligated to try harder though. It should be easier after we start. I don’t seem to get into the parts where all the books are saying that we can’t see money and go for it with no real plan. We need to be able to meet needs that deserve funding, because the fit some society need. I might have to look into that more. Maybe part of that could be met by studying the web sites of some competitors. That way I would be able as a whole know where we were helping out.

It also means going back and reading the State plans, and the Arcs. Somewhere we should be filling some niche that others aren’t. I think it has to do with these curriculum ideas that we’re working on … I want us to be able to have a verifiable good plan. That could be supported by the reports that I should be writing for CARF. If I could only get the business down on paper, I will be at an advantage as to selling ourselves. I should be able to come up with something unique.

I know should, should. So much to do before we retire. RETIRE?? Who said that.

I’m afraid I’m in it for 18-20 more years. I don’t know if St. Rose will be here, but something will. I’m sure I’ll be an asset to someone … Might have to do some real work though.

I just got a phone call about one of my staffing tomorrow, and a client is back to check her blood sugar. That’s work like. She’s progressing fine. I am supposed to give her as much independence as possible, but in the meantime, I’m listening for the sounds … ok, she opened alcohol pad, beeped the machine, etc. Hmm, back … she was 62 … low, but not as bad as she had been. She’s getting some juice now. We sent home a note last week recommending another serving of juice in the morning or a fruit. Maybe they listened. The client is recording her numbers and now that is going home at the end of each week. Good stuff. We’re working through things with the client. She’s very independent, just needs a little help.

The next thing we’re going to need doing is check on the annual coming up tomorrow and the Qnotes. Ahh, now I know which one … better arrange to meet with her DSP.

Shoot the DSP I need to meet with is gone for the day … I’ll have to figure out by stopping in to Sr.’s if she’s just gone for the day, or whether, we will have to plan differently for her staffing tomorrow. I also have to stop and visit the staff in Group 4 about making up a couple extra goals for the lunch period so we can get paid for that time period from the state. Ok, better do that now. BRB

Ok, we’re back … it’s about 1:15 pm. The morning has passed, a group was accomplished, lunch is complete, and we’re registered for another web seminar. I also met with that staff about the two new goals. That’s what’s next – we will want to write out the goals. I’d like to do then an ICAP, and get other papers ready for the staffing tomorrow morning. I know the CSO person will be there, but I should check the parent. We also had an impromptu meeting with Sister and my leg was discussed. She was frustrated with me I think for being lame. We talked to her for a moment about talking to the doctor about the stomach surgery. Apparently, the whole building knows about Holly’s “dumping” after she eats too much. Sister wanted to make sure the same thing didn’t happen to me. That be a very terrible thing. I would hope the feeling of the stomach being full would be enough to stop me. I’m not someone who purges. I don’t know that kind of rattled me. I told her I didn’t like being compared to Holly, I also told her I would do the web seminar next week, but not with Holly. She makes every experience uncomfortable. Well, not every, but most …

Ok, we’re going to need concentrating now. We’re looking toward teaching the first individual how to work with the timer. The goal will be the individual will be …
Pshwoo … we’re done with that!

We finished the two extra lunch time goals necessary to continue funding in those programs. One goal is that the individual will learn to eat more efficiently. He tends to want more than an hour where all that is expected is a half hour. And, the other goal will be for the individual to bring her paper napkin to the garbage can and come back. It’s a tough goal because this person needs a lot of cuing. Stand up. Pick up the napkin, go to the garbage, repeat, repeat, and repeat. She gets distracted by all the other individuals in the room. Both of them might be very good goals. I think they are well written … there was the long goal with all the steps spilled out 28 in one and 32 steps in the other. Steps often get marked by the amount of prompting (low, medium, or high) and in the other individual’s by the amount of food he has eaten in a certain amount of time. The goal is 25-30 minutes, that’s what we’re shooting for. It’s very opportune, because by that time the DSP has to go for her own lunch and the client falls under Sister’s territory. We don’t want her involved, so the time will be taken from the time he sits down until the time the DSP leaves. I think it will work. Both also have goals and objectives sheets, and a worksheet for tallying up the different steps. Nothing around here is easy!

It is about 4:15 now. We just called Rich and it turns out that he is already home, but he encouraged more work, because he was making something special and it wouldn’t be done until 5:30 or 6 pm. Maybe we’ll work for another half hour. I’m thinking that I should do the ICAP and write out the agenda for that meeting tomorrow … I’m missing the goals, because the DSP who’s in charge of this person wasn’t in today.

I want to give her as much opportunity as possible to participate in calling the shots for this goal. Ok, that sounds like a plan … Oh and did I tell you? We wrote up the lesson for the rest of the week for the CIRCLES program. That was a good one to have out of the way, because the staffing tomorrow might have interrupted the planning of that. I feel good about the days productivity. Getting these two goals out of the way was important. I think Sister is due again for asking if they are done. I know Candice doesn’t have her extra two done, so it will help assert my “leadership” position of setting a good example. I hope so at least. Be another good example if we could finish a couple of annuals and Qnotes by Friday. Hmm, that’s almost like a far-flung plan, but maybe?? Ok, next the ICAP.

WooHoo 4:54 done with the ICAP. I think I’m going to print it out up front, leave it in my mail box, and head out. I’m thinking something is happening with that surprise dinner at home … its taking mushyface a bit. He said he went to 3 meetings and came home. I really think he’s sliding into early retirement. Hehehe Good fishy face!

Better be heading out … tomorrow!

posted by Ann Marie @ 10/09/2007 04:56:00 PM Comments: 0