Ayn's Multiple World

Finishing up on Friday

Hey There. This is me. It’s FRIDAY!! I’ve got only a half hour before I need to take a shower though, but then again there IS a half hour. That’s a good thing. Hmm. Do you think that coffee is ready now? Might as well check? Hmm, that’s what I was thinking too! Hold on.

Whoo … we got a “strong” cup … that’s the cup that’s first out of the pot before all the other guys come. Hmm, what’s that kittie crying for … he just got wet/dry food AND water. Hmm that was quick … I reached down to give him a quick pet and then he jumped up demanded another pet, and now is holding the space in front of me ransom.

Pet me or I won’t go away. Hmpf! Yah … Then he laid down and wanted more, and well then yes, you know the story. Oh man … he finally settled down and now I hear from the distance Missy. That just wouldn’t be fair!

Ok, less than 20 minutes now. But, cat happy half a gazillion happiness credits!

Not much time for much, but maybe … hmm. She is making some noisy bowl activity out there that got Chief’s attention shhhh. We were going to suggest a brief outline for later?? Ok!

Work

Circles Group I

Circles Group II

Staff Training

Meeting with Sue

Hoping Candice would be nice again

Hmm getting things in order

Trip to Dr. Marvin’s

Being at Dr. Marvin’s

After Dr. Marvin’s – Being at home AND going to BED!!

Now is now.

Ok, that’s about it hehehe 12 minutes left wooHOOO!! Well, I thought it was funny!

SHEESH! Crabbikins this morning! Well at least I’d gotten somewhere. Oh .. I’m sorry you were just kidding.

Ok we’re going to use the outline later, but now we’re just going to talk about now. Sir Sweetie pie is in bed sleeping comfortably. We got up in the middle of the night about 11:30 … I don’t know he might have just come in because he had some rain music on in his bedroom … I forgot sometimes he used to do that. Ahh, they are playing Kenny G’s Brahm’s Lullabye how appropriate! But, I smooched him after going to the bathroom. Then I went to my computer and I sat down and turned on my music and I fell asleep, but then I think Sweetie woke up and figured out we were sleeping in the wrong spot and so he put us back to bed. I can hear it now … someone complaining, “but you didn’t tuck us in before, so we didn’t get tucked in right.”

Yep, that’s about as much logic as we carry in the middle of the morning. But Rich is always patient with us. Sorta like … ok, shhh. Time to go to bed now. “Yes dear.”

Woo HOOO!! We made it to work. This is good stuff. We’ve settled into our office stuff. It’s now 7:53 am so we are making pretty good time. Candice is in the next office working very hard. It is she that is going to become a very good inspiration to us. Ok, let’s see where are we. We had a very good morning. There is never enough time though. We took our shower a few moments earlier, so we could sneak an extra snuggle in. That was the nicest part. We got some good pillow talking in … Sir Sweetie didn’t say too much about his daughter or the fishie man meeting, but he did say that he is treasure again for now his third year in a row. He started to list off the fishing spots for the next year, but we weren’t going that far with him.

We talked about a few things with Dr. Marvin’s appointment, just basically about the difference with what was going on with the impressions from the new Dr.’s meeting and that we had talked about sexual things with stuff that had happened in Dr. Woollcott’s time with the old employee’s before Rich. But, we were pretty sleepy muddled to remember much seconds after we had mentioned it. Rich seemed to be listening though. We remember him saying that I would work it out with Dr. Marvin.

I seemed to know that that made sense.

Afterward it seemed a rush to get everything in. We weighed in and it seemed amazing but we had lost another couple of pounds. I don’t remember exactly, but it might have been 2.5 pounds or so. Rich lost about .6 pounds, which was very good considering that he had an early steak and ribs with his daughter yesterday – so we were very proud of him. We made sure we told Brandy that we’d lost 10 pounds since Tuesday when we walked in and her jaw just about dropped on the ground … hehehe. I knew she’d be excited. She was sure then that she was going to start the diet on Monday. She said she would get the right food over the weekend …

AHA! I just fixed up a menu and ingredient list for Brandi and just as I was printing it up, she came in to weigh herself so I gave to her. She had a bee in her bonnet by now *giggle* this is what friends are for! She was saying for sure she was going grocery shopping … she repeated you lost 10 pounds? She said she wanted to lose 20-30 pounds because that’s what the doctors were telling her for her fertility things. I could understand her need to be motivated there. I emphasized the need for having the vitamins and that this was a short-term diet and that afterward, we were going to need figuring out a way to maintain a lesser weight. I told her we were seeing a new psychiatrist for weight management and he was pro weight management by liquid diet and that we’d be seeing him on January 10th. I think she heard, but again, she didn’t. So, we’ll go over that later.

That was good work for this morning. Two important staff goals. For us to get thinner and for her to conceive – woohOOO!

Ok, maybe personal, but just the same! I’ve been having side thoughts of watching thinner people walking in front of me and wondering how there life is different … in that many of them have never had to worry about weight and how that must free up sections of their mind and what could they be spending all that extra thinking time on. I know I spend a considerable amount of time thinking about weight and health.

I suppose you could be thin and think of healthy, but just the same … you can look at body shapes, and just figure that a good percent have always been that way by the confidence in their walk or dress. But, even if they are new to being thin … am I going to consider weight just as often when I’m thin, or will I finally be able to let some of it go and think about other things? Hmm, maybe those are though the people that are off thinking about weight management and health like the people running and being at the gym? That’s some healthy thinking. I would like to be one of them people. WooHOO!!

Ok, right now I’d like to be a worker person … let’s get some of those thoughts down. Hehehe I just had to catch Candice. Lordy … I’ve never heard such a noisy person. She’s been clicking her heals and pushing through that desk – I’ve never heardher so noisy and we told her … in a friendly way of course, but sheesh. We asked her what got into her hehehe. She laughed and said she was almost done. I’ve been aware that sometimes she gets in a “mood.” Then it’s like “look-out!” I’m pretty sure some stuff got thrown out. She has a staffing today she was prepared for last Friday and its going to be in an hour. I’m supposed to keep the lid on the fort if things get blown out of proportion in Brandi’s room, because both Brandi and Candice will be gone and Brandi’s group will be let to themselves. It should be ok, because the major talkative person was placed back to a lower group. We’ll see.

I’m supposed to stick my nose in in case of an upset. I will take the ear phones off and leave the door open. I hope they can make it without intervention.

Ok, going back to the original outline this morning … thanks! That was good thinking~!

Ok, Circles Group I (hmm, she’s back to moving around too much again … it will be ok, right?) Shhh Circles!

Yes Maam just saying!

Ok, Group I. We were going over the Orange circle with them which was the one on strange kids that you didn’t know very well. Like neighborhood kids and kids in malls and in parks and such. We watched the movie and did the role plays and then we did the coloring of the grids, which is the part where I can watch to see how well they are working individually, independently, and as a group. The movie part usually works out pretty good. I had to redirect one person, but he usually needs some help. He’s my most problematic person and later I had heard he’d gone through an upsetting situation previously. During the role playing situation … his need for attention became very pronounced and he began pushing his peers. I got aggravated, which I shouldn’t have. If I’m feeling emotional … I should and I did put myself in check. But, as I was I let myself ride a bit.

I was conscious that two DSP peers were watching how I handled the situation and then later a peer had complained that one of the clients the one who had been lowered down to the other group who for major problems had copied us had imitated our scolding … well anyway … I guess that’s what happened. We scolded him. I told him I wouldn’t put up with that kind of behavior where he was attacking others because he wasn’t feeling good about himself or his situation. Nobody kicked or touched him. I told him to look around him and that his peers felt pushed to crumple themselves in a corner to avoid touching him and that if he felt he could not sit in a space without threatening his peers he could get up and leave to another table. We also told him if he felt like being aggressive that he would address a staff, such as myself, and that he would not be allowed to address another client. Then we gave him the option of participating or not. We asked him if he’d like to be in a role play. He said yes, so we asked him if he wanted the adult or child part. He chose the adult part, so then we went on and everyone in their own way praised him or encouraged him for taking on the more responsible part and being part of the group again. I think they get that part from Sue.

He was good for the rest of the group until he went in and went into the group and the previously mentioned peer tried to scold him. But, that was a horse of another color. I walked into that situation … I had walked in right behind the client so it couldn’t have taken place for too long … Sue was trying to stop it, but we over-rided it. I had gone in to make sure that everyone had made the transition. Sue likes to blame problems on – well, something must have happened in Circles.

Humbug. The mothering client had started to say something and I said it was before I came in so it was over and the bottom line was that she had to pay attention to her own behaviors and not get involved in that of others, right? She agreed. She seemed calmed, because I’d taught her that over and over and she just needed reinforcement.

Then the other came up and wanted to get into the story. And, it was the same thing. That whole situation is over. She’s not doing it any longer. It happened before, it was addressed and it is over, let’s move on. What are you supposed to be doing. That gave him the freedom to go on without the baggage. Sometimes I think they need to know that things are going to be safe. I still don’t know how to make it safe for them in each other. Basically, when staff isn’t paying direct attention, they like to attack each other negatively. I’m not sure why they do that? I know that my kids don’t. So, like it doesn’t have to happen where people are picking on each other. I don’t know how much my ex stepped in, but I don’t think he got overly involved … I had impressed a lot that they had to be looking after one another, that I wasn’t always going to be there to do that for them. I guess a lot like the relationship between myself and the Leadership group with both Candice and Brandi this morning was that I want them to do the job of taking care of themselves on their own. Sure I’m going to listen in – but that’s again more observational than anything. I want to see them taking care of themselves.

We’ll have to watch for more of that when we can start concentrating again more on the observations and on the curriculum. We had it … we were going forward, and then we lost focus into the doctor appointments and just trying to stay on top of things. Ok, we’re going to go forward here.

As to the rest of the Circles group with Group I … it went pretty much as could be expected. It’s been very standard that each of these groups have started thinking that they wanted or should be relating to the children, but at the end they automatically reverted to thinking or at least responding NO there was no good reason to be playing or taking care of stranger’s children. There has been some introduction by me in each case, usually exaggerated of some mad person or persons – usually some mother coming running down a hill at them shouting she is going to throw them in jail for abusing her child – because they were touching her for things like walking her across the street, or pushing them on the swings. I have to place in their minds some where a form of consciousness where they know it’s wrong to touch people in any capacity whether it is being invited to play dolls, or fix a scraped knee or have someone sit on their lap. It is a very good naturally given session.

Wow! I didn’t know that! If I look up at the right time with all the leaves down I can see a train!! All these years – well 4 since being back here I can see a train… And now they are singing a song people keep a coming and the train done gone Wow… that’s pretty strange. Maybe I should go to chapel? Ok, let’s not panic here.

Maybe we’ll just walk by and get our water refreshed. What’s the coincidence of this happening now. We had just teased Candice. She had said the other day when we were giving her a ride to the bus stop that she was going to the Chapel service because Sr. had indicated that she thought that the Q’s should be represented at the service and we thought fine … great idea that Candice cover for us. When she wasn’t here a little bit ago, we’d thought she’d gone, so when she come back in, we said, what?? We thought you were covering us. Then we both laughed. I knew she had the staffing, but in our younger parts … I think we were looking for some church insurance protection. Ok, let’s go get that water. Maybe we’ll be inspired.

*Giggle*

Hmm, ok … it’s been awhile… I’ve been doing official stuff. We challenged Brandi’s group. We said that if they maintained the order without needing to come to me – though we kept the music off and the door open – that they could have the sugar free life savers … I know seems like behaviorism, but I wanted them to have some reward and pride in themselves for caring for themselves.

AHA! Ms Ann strikes again! Hehehe … one of the staff – Theresa came in stating she thinks its laziness or “something,” but she’s having trouble with one of my clients not wanting to exercise during the 15 minute period even though they are only doing chair exercises. So, after a little bit we told her that we would come in on Monday if she gave us a 15 minute warning call and we would go through the exercise with her and then repeat if necessary, until she was on-track. We also are going to talk with another client today, because Sue came in last night and said that one of her clients is off-track and acting strangely and not really talking about what is really going on. Hmm, I might want to devise a little test for that.

But, in the meantime Leadership group is talking, but they are still handling themselves. I think though that Sue’s person is due pretty soon, maybe I’ll just think test in the back of the mind until I can figure out if I think there is anything wrong. But, how will I know if anything is wrong. Probably a good idea to check in in general – ask about his work and relationships – how is he doing. That seems like enough. Oh yah, I remember now … the meetings actually at 11 that’s in about an hour. Better take some V8.

Hmmm… what happened there. I was here then I was there and I don’t remember where.

Last thing I remember doing was that I was doing something for Candice. We were correcting her annual report. Same kind of errors as usual. She’s taken the approach on the one paragraph that more is better, but it’s not. There were a few “grammaticals,” but mostly Ok, she did great on the first page and the middle of the three sections. There was a lot of stuff on the first of the three and what she’s got on the last part is skimpy and old. It looks like she took it from the last staffing and not this one. This meeting was very dynamic, because it had a whole lot of information on a family emergency and none of that and the consequences were even mentioned. So that part needs to be done over.

Not a big problem just some tedious editing. OK, about 15 minutes before that last mentioned person. Let’s move along … anything else happen? I think so, but don’t really remember. I know that Brandi came in and said something about sister being mad because Candice being short on information and Kathy from CSO being not there.

I don’t think this will fall on me, because this one was supposed to be supported by Holly. We’ll see. Remembering the least involvement is the best involvement.

REMEMBER THAT GEORGE BUSH

Hmm, 10:48. Ok … Should think a little through here. There are a couple of meetings coming up this afternoon. There’s one with the Leadership group and then the Thinking Group. Do I have that planned yet? Maybe I should give that some thought before anything else? The meetings are from 12 to 12:45 and from 1 to 1:45

. Let’s put on our Thinking Cap yo busy bee.

Ok, good Wow … that took a while. I planned the two groups and ate most of my lunch. It’s now 11:38 pm. So, 20 minutes. I had tried one thing for the Thinking Group, but that got too hard, so I went with something else and it was a lot more fun. I’ll tell you about it later after I see how the group does with it, but for just a teaser it has to do … well … shoot here it is there are two parts of it there is the price is right part where they have to compare costs and there is the memory part … I’ve got one of those coupon books for the south side of Chicago where they all live. So for awhile they will here prices of foods from restaurants and the closest without going over wins – the winner will get a ticket with their food item on it. Then the next they will get a ticket for remembering one of the places that I list off from a group … I’ll vary the numbers. I will tell them at the beginning the one that has the most tickets at the end wins the book. The problem part will be is that the book is a 2005 version so they will be able to play with it, but not use it at the restaurants, shows, etc. eh … it’s just a learning game.

The topic today is educational development in the achievement domain and increased community participation. Figured this would be a great exercise. We’ll see. For the other group. Nothing much there except to say that it is going to be a red day – so we’re introducing leadership to strangers. WooHOO! They are always a great
group and I think they are down to 7 people today so there will be room at the table. There’s not too much discipline problems at this level, but some. I heard one of them being bossy, and another cranky … so again … we’ll see.

So 13 minutes free, what next?

Hmm, my one client came in the one who was supposed to be a trouble maker … I’ve never really seen him in too much trouble. I’ve heard a couple things, like him taking things, but usually just talking helps. We’ll watch out for him. It wouldn’t hurt to take a tour now and again. What about us being out in the rooms dear? I don’t want to think about that! Shh, just saying. It’s just that after doing all these groups, we want to collect ourselves through the writing. We can go out and do it … just need retreat time. *Sigh*

We let the client go and will talk to the staff later. We’ll say that we didn’t see a problem that he seemed to answer coherently and was appropriately excited about Christmas. He didn’t really like his job, with the candy, but didn’t want to talk about it. He did want to talk about getting a check for $60 and that he then bought a watch for his mother. I was so proud of him. He was so happy. Good … Naw, I don’t think this one is too off. It’s just Christmas … they are all off at that time. I don’t like all these conclusions being drawn without asking my opinion.

They are all drawing these way off conclusions. I think this is worth drawing sister’s opinion, because I think she will side with me that all is ok.

Hmm, we’re back. I think someone reading me some day might be saying … man she has a bit of a nasty personality doesn’t she. I guess I would have to agree. I am just am so unappreciative of this major what is it called a coup? Whatever it is where the old government gets taken over by the new more militaristic one because they get the farmers to start carrying guns. I don’t know Bob and although he was told he should be talking to me … he made a choice to bypass me … I’m not going down to that level and I’m not taking second hand information passed on by a DSP. So as far as I consider it is no notes. I let Sue give me her best summary of his conclusion in one or two sentences. She stated afterward after I asked what did that mean – that she didn’t understand it. But, the most obvious question had been was he a psychologist. He had said something about Charles feelings. I had no knowledge and I imagined that he didn’t either because he didn’t have the appropriate diagnostic background or tools to test emotions or feelings. Sheesh!

Anyway … that’s my bad mood for the day. I just got tiffed because he’s trying to come off as a pro, but he’s more like a lame duck. I don’t respect his work, word, or authority. He is very authoritative. A power pusher. Can’t do it.

Anyway. Both groups went fairly well. I’m having a little problem with Mario and Gerardo, most especially with Mario. He is a distraction. He wants to be on the cutting edge of something – macho I would guess, so he interrupts his peers often to talk to them about something or another that he thinks is funny. I’m not sure all of it, but I could guess. Most of it is in male Spanish. He’s embarrassed when I step in saying things like ahh, something you want to talk about? No no. Ya, right. I will need to do something about it and I’d like to try something more creative than just separating the two. Today, during the second group I moved closer to the back of the room during the last 1/3 of the meeting, but it was too late the poorer precedent had already been sent and I couldn’t get their attention without poor attention of my own. Not that I’m against male bonding, but he’s not in my group to distract others. He’s there to learn what I have for greater or poorer, I’m afraid.

I think I explained most of the lesson set-up before. I think there was a certain group that was having more fun with it than others. The back table was only partially engaged, partially, because of this one and partially because the loudness of my voice may not have been carrying or the task was too difficult, or that some of the frontrunners were grabbing the best opportunities. It developed into a game where the closest hands were being called faster. I didn’t intend it that way, but that’s what happened. It was my only way of quieting them down due to the excess excitement. They were so excited. I said something to Rich after the meeting who had stopped by. He said they could hear them all the way back in our offices.

That’s pretty loud. I didn’t mean that. They would quiet to no talking in-between rounds, but then get very loud again.

The game ran pretty much as described. I did about 4 food items where they were guessing at costs. There was an Italian dish, fried chicken, shrimp, and steak. I think I caught most their interests. And, then we went through 3-4 rounds of restaurants, and then ended the game with about 3 rounds of entertainments centers like golf clubs, enchanted castles, and theme parks. It was fun. The competition for the book was spread out pretty thinly with the exception of three people who are usually on top of things. Hehehe Actually, the three were all people I’ve mentioned earlier today as being “troublemakers.” Yah, right. Now you can imagine how troublesome people are around here. Terrible … just terrible. Uh huh. Zzzzzzzzzz…

Ok, ok stop being so silly.

Hmm, Rich just left, which means I have these back offices to myself for the last hour. That’s kinda nice … Candice left a couple hours early to do something with her final test – so that was a break for her. We saw Brandi out, we did notice Margarita’s things about when we stopped in the washroom a few moments ago. Holly is most likely here too. But, the back is cleared so I finally took off the ear phones. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but a change is nice … and as a rule, I like to hear the clickity-clack of my fingers. It lets me know about where I am.

Rich and us were having a pretty good little talk because we were both doing our own stuff and only saying a few words between us and the wall, but then he used the washroom and on the way out the door we were talking about a situation brought up with Sue and that client. She had followed-up to see if I learned of anything with the client. She opened the doubt that the client had actually gotten a watch for his mother and then nastily said, well you may not have a problem, but Bob and I have a problem. I think I may have said it sounds that way. I didn’t mean I wouldn’t work on it and in fact said we’ll take another, but by then she’d hung-up and I just thought she needs a weekend. So, then I sat their and developed a crab and then Rich walked in and played devil’s advocate. He was right I was more upset by space given this Bob person than anything else. I know the DSP, but this stranger given birth to “my” clients without checks and balances disturbs me.

I’ve seen this with Sr. before … She’s like … he’s a male let him handle it … he came with degrees … so obviously he knew something … I heard him repeat the same story 4 times, and I though this is an educational person whose been around the bend and should have retired. Enough said. I don’t believe in many spouting “God’s honest to God truths.”

Hmm, Margarita is running a vacuum … I wonder if she’s going to get closer. I suppose I should look around. Hmm, I picked up, but she didn’t bother with our section… Ohhh shhhhh, what do you mean bother … you’re starting to sound cranky … maybe a little tired? I know half an hour more for both you AND Margarita. She’s trying to get out of here too. Maybe cutting corners. Looking sorrowfully over the rug knowing she won’t bring the vacuum out for another week, plus because next week will be preoccupied with the holiday party. Ok, girls let’s let it go. K?

While Rich was here, we figured out bills a bit. It looks like there will be enough money there for bills and Christmas, but maybe later we’ll figure out we cut something short, I don’t know. It seems enough … And, that’s really the part that makes us nervous. I’m going to deposit the check … wait til it clears … pay the bills, and then make sure there’s enough to take out. We’re going to take out a clear $500 … As mentioned $100 for each of the boys and Lauren and then $50 for the granddaughters. I’d like to give Alex a $100 too, hmm $50? That might be an insult like he wasn’t a fully accepted brother. For me it has to be more than being a brother it’s do I accept him as I accept my sons. I’m interested in him like I am in the others. I recognize him as part of family events. I don’t recognize Bob the same way – the boys step-brother. The boys will worry about my money situation.

But, I think it’s a strong token of building family relationships. Do I believe in Alex as much or as = money power as I do two granddaughters added together? They aren’t old enough and I don’t pay out enough to give them more. I don’t have enough to give them all $200, but I have an extra $100 – and there is enough to give Sr. a gift. Rich no – we agreed – no expensive gifts. We’ll have to contemplate that though, because I don’t think he’s understanding. Hmm, it’s 4 pm though. It’s time for the weekend. For the record I looked at Alex’s pictures. I’m a little daunted by all the drinking pictures. There are a lot of him drinking with his peers from school, but then he was with our family on his 21rst, but then it was he and Maury and Lauren and Bob who drank. Thom and Joe don’t drink. They won’t be influenced by Alex. I do wish Maury and Alex could be influenced by them. But, they all have their balance and I shall stay put – yo mother of margarita slushie woman.

Ok, now. Time to drag yourself out that door, K? Maybe a stop up at the front though never know traffic, but we do know frequent restroom needs

posted by Ann Marie @ 12/15/2007 06:43:00 AM Comments: 0