I Am Exhausted

Today was the day of the South Plains Branch of NASW annual ethics workshop.  We used, once again, the beautiful venue of the International Cultural Center at Texas Tech http://www.depts.ttu.edu/international/.  Our topics this year were about the LGBTQ community, and ethical and practice implications working with LGBTQ youth.  Both speakers, Ann Aiken, MEd, MDiv-eq, LPC and Adam McCormick, MSW, PhD, were excellent.

I have been on the workshop committee off and on for more than 20 years. I enjoy helping to put the workshop together:  my job is sending out announcements, developing sign in sheets, and helping with sign in.

For the most part, the workshop went off well.  Our refreshments in the morning did not include coffee, but Bonnie Anne Rudd, the chairperson, resolved that issue.  We started a little late in the morning, but all was well.

Our numbers were small.  We used to have 40-70 attend our annual meeting. Several things have happened to diminish that number:  We had a year of not very good presentations in a location that was noisy and not conducive to hearing the presenters.  The economy has effected employer's willingness to pay for attending workshops, and although our workshop was not very expensive, there are much less expensive online CEU opportunities. But our numbers were respectable.

And, today, our topic was a little risqué for this part of the world.  Last August, we had the morning speaker, Ms. Aiken, address our monthly CEU meeting about the topic, and she was well received, with many social workers saying they wanted to learn more.  But, we also had people who were so repelled by the topic, that they disengaged themselves from the group! That is really sad. Social workers are supposed to be open to working with any client, at least to do no harm, and send them to a more appropriate professional, if need be.  My thought is that the social workers present today were the ones who did not need to be there, and, as the speakers acknowledged, they were "speaking to the choir."  Although our social work ethics require us to be culturally competent, there are many professionals in this part of this world who are not culturally competent, based on a conservative "Christian" orientation. 

Usually, these workshops exhilarate me, recharge me.  Not so today. I was just glad the day was over with.  While I really appreciated both presentations, I was just tired at the end of the day.

I did stop at the Lifestyle Center before going home to do a PT routine.  My hip was hurting, although I spent most of my day sitting, which generally helps my pain, and although I did not have to walk far or spend a lot of time on my feet today.

So, I came home, and fed the cats, and used the workshop paperwork to update the email information we have for the communication network.

But, I am tired.  Not recharged. 

The one good thing I can say is that I worked on the baby blanket for my youngest grandniece. She is some 13 months old, and I hate that I did not finish the blanket before she was born, but it is what it is. 

But, I am not sure why I am so exhausted.  Maybe I am just getting old.

Wheel of Fortune: America's Game

 Do you watch Wheel of Fortune http://www.wheeloffortune.com/? I have, off and on over the many years this TV show has been on television.  At this point in my life, I do not usually watch game shows in their entirety and on purpose.  I frequently watch game shows as "fillers;"  in other words the show is on the same channel as the next TV program I want to watch, or is on the same channel as the TV program I just watched, and I do not want to watch something else, until the next awaited show airs. So, I may or may not be paying close attention to the show.  The same is true for Jeopardy http://www.jeopardy.com/.

One thing about Wheel of Fortune is how the role of Vanna White http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanna_White has evolved.  In the beginning she was just the letter turner.  The letters could have been turned mechanically, like the blocks were turned on Concentration.  But some genius recognized the value of having a dazzling beauty perform this chore. I suspect that about 50% of the viewing public are as interested in watching Ms. White turn letters as they are in what the puzzle is. Ms. White has gone from being a mostly silent letter turner to an integral part of the speaking show. 

Her job could have gone long ago:  TV has the digital capabilities of turning or lighting up letters with no help from a person. But Vanna White is as much a part of Wheel of Fortune as is Pat Sajak http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Sajak, the host.

So recently, and I cannot tell you when, I have noticed something on "America's Game." that I found very exciting and positive.  When the game's winner is decided, the winner is asked who is cheering for them in the live audience. Contestants bring anybody and everybody:  parents, siblings, children, spouses, aunts, uncles, cousins, best friends, coworkers, for example.  Recently, I have noticed contestants introducing same sex supporters as "my special friend," "my partner," "my life partner," and most recently, a male contestant introduced his husband. 

I think this is so positive that people are willing to acknowledge their relationships in public and on national TV.  The Wikipedia information on Pat Sajak indicates he is a conservative, so I have to wonder how he feels about this. But it is what it is.  30 states now recognize same sex marriage.  We have to deal with the reality that sexual preference is a right.  And should be accorded the benefits, privileges and freedoms accorded to that right.

I think this is a good thing for the American Public. People with same sex "special friends" have been in my life as long as I can remember.  I learned about homosexuality in high school, and got to know many homosexuals in college.  As my life has evolved, I have gotten to know many more people who are homosexual, who are in various degrees of acknowledgement of their sexuality. And my relationships with them are in various degrees from acquaintance or co-worker, to good friend.

Years ago, I was in a break room at work, and my co-workers were disparaging homosexuals.  Uncharacteristically for me, I was brave enough to say they should be careful how they talk about homosexuals, because they do not know who in the room might be one. I embarrassed some people that day, and made enemies of others.

Some people in my life have accusingly told me that my friends are homosexuals.  My response has been "so."  I did not care if the accusation was right or wrong. It makes no difference.  Those people are right.  I do have friends who are homosexuals, but not all of my friends are homosexuals.  I make friends based on the character of the person, not their sexual preference.  I have very few close friends, and I cherish those I have.  Their religion, ethnic origin, or sexual preference is of no consequence to me.  Their character and interaction with me is.

Isn't this "America's Game?"  Not our race, religion, gender preference, sexual preference, creed, national origin, ethnicity, age, or physical and mental capability, or socioeconomic status? Are we not all created equal under the law? True we are all individuals with individuals talents and capabilities, but should we not all be offered similar, equal or consistent opportunities under the law?  Sure our personal circumstances do not necessarily offer us equal economic, educational or social advantages.   But shouldn't we have the opportunity to those if we can access those? And shouldn't our government be working towards making those opportunities more universally accessible to all citizens? Isn't this "America's Game?"

The Shortest Day of the Year

Yesterday, December 21, was the shortest day of the year.  Well, that is not true.  All of  our days are about 24 hours, including the nighttime hours.  So, December 21 is the day with the fewest daylight hours during the year.

One of the things I have noticed in West Texas that the daylight hours drastically change even within a few days of the winter solstice. The same is true of the summer solstice, but the summer days are really, really long compared to those of Western Massachusetts. I am not sure that the winter days drastically lengthen after the solstice where I grew up in the northeast, but then, I am not sure I ever really paid attention to that sort of thing.  Now, I do.

But what this brings to mind is when people say "There are not enough hours in the day."  or "I don't have the time someone else does."   Those statements do not make sense.  There are always 24 hours in the day.  The problem people experience is that they do not plan well or anticipate time required, for the most part, when they set their expectations for the day.  And, when things come up unexpectedly, or things take longer than anticipated, they do not adjust their expectations accordingly. 

I think, personally, that it is some of the "I want it all" mentality that so prevails in our culture. People do "want it all."  So, when something interferes with that plan of having it all, they do not adjust their expectations or desires accordingly, and find themselves falling "short of time" when really what they did was over-anticipate what was realistic in the time frame allowed, given the interferences of the day.

I find that I am frequently re-evaluating my situation at work and in my personal life so I can make an adjustment for what I want and what I have time for.  I do not fret or stew over this re-evaluation, and frequently "do it on the fly,"  or do it without really stopping to dwell on it. I also find that I am not as frustrated about these changes in plans as I once was.

I never have a day that is too short, I just have a day in which I get less done than what I had planned.

Perspective on Aging

Although I cannot do the same things as I could just 5 years ago, and although the wear and tear on my body is obvious and limits me with what I can do, I still do not feel old.  I still think I have my life ahead of me, and there are good things in my future.

I enjoy life. I am happy to be alive. I am not as active as some people are, and I am not as interactive as some people are, but I do enjoy experiences, including new and different things. And, I find that there are many people who tell me I am very active and adventurous in my experiences.

I have not done much traveling lately.  I have not been motivated to travel. But if there is something in town that sounds interesting, I do take the opportunity to experience it.

I enjoy learning,. I was attending the Osher Life Long Learning http://www.depts.ttu.edu/outreach/ classes for a while, but the timing of their classes is difficult for me.  I either have to miss work, or rush to classes after work, neither of which is comfortable for me, so I have decided to opt out for now.  Maybe, in the future, I will re-join.

I like my weekly junk food fix at work, when they sell snacks and junk food. I get excited about my favorite sports teams. I enjoy pleasant surprises. I like word games and other puzzles. 

I am not as young as some people my age, but I do not think I am old, wise, or stuck.  Sometimes, I think I am, then something arouses me, and makes me realize "Hey, I am not that old."  I had some moments today that made me realize that I am not as old as I had been feeling lately.  And, I power through some of the physical trials I have, and get it done, although I am struggling.  But I realize that I am still very blessed by all I can do. 

Context is So Important

I know I have mentioned before how much I enjoy the movie "Desk Set" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050307/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm.  This is the story of a research department for a network facing computerization in 1957, and being concerned about computers taking over jobs. It is also a romance, and a story about not discussing take overs to prevent changes in stock values.  Do these issues sound familiar?

There is a line in the movie that did not make a whole lot of sense to me.  Peg Costello, the Joan Blondell character, is describing Richard Sumner, the Spencer Tracy character, who is the computerization fiend. She makes the comment that she thinks he is one of those men who had recently started drinking vodka. 

Today, I was listening to a story on NPR about soju, an alcoholic beverage from Korea http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/09/22/224522548/move-over-vodka-korean-sojus-taking-a-shot-at-america. The story reflects Korea's efforts to increase the market for soju in the United States. The story comments on the fact that until the 1950's, vodka was not very popular or common in the United States. I grew up thinking vodka was a common alcoholic beverage. What do I know.  But it explains the comment in the movie.

I think about this.  I wonder how much more rich a literary or cinematic  experience would be if the consumer has a thorough knowledge of the customs, habits, and culture of the times. If historical information and events are known by the audience. We miss a lot otherwise, but sometimes, it cannot be helped.

Time Warp

I am sure that I have mentioned before that I am a creature of habit, and my Saturday morning habit is one I have kept for a very long time:  I get up and run errands, especially going to the grocery store, gassing up the car, and frequently, going to the library before I run all other errands.  The last few weekends, I have not kept that schedule, and have done fun things, or just read, which is a really fun thing, before running errands.

This Saturday, I tried to get back into my habit: I did not need to go to the library, but I did get gasoline and run errands.  My intent was to get home, unload the groceries, and go for a haircut.

Well, I tried very hard to keep Haiku out of the garage as I was unloading the groceries, because she gets up on the top shelves, and getting her down is a precarious business. I have done it a couple of times, but the precariousness of it makes me be very careful about when I scrabble her down. She gets herself down quite nicely, thank you when she is ready. But, she raced into the garage, anyway.  I went after her, and she could sense that I was upset, so where did she end up? On the top shelf.  I know she knew I was upset.  I went back into the garage, and sweet talked her, and I could tell she settled down.  But still, I way over reacted about not getting to go for a haircut when I wanted to go.

Haiku stayed on the top shelf for several hours, and came down just within the window for me to go to  get a haircut. Because I use the local Pro-Cuts, and can wait for more that 30 minutes to be waited upon, I figure more than an hour for a haircut.  I was debating if I wanted to go or not, because I wanted to be home for the start of the Yankee vs. Red Sox game.  Well, a dear friend called, and that made my decision for me. We talked for quite some time. We had not talked in a couple of weeks, and I was so glad to hear her voice and connect with her. By the time we finished our conversation, I decided I could not get a hair cut and be back in time for the start of the Yankee vs. Red Sox game.  No big deal.

So, I watched the Yankee vs. Red Sox in the afternoon and early evening.  After the game, I started reading, waiting for the temperature to drop to make sitting in the yard comfortable.  All of a sudden, I had to realize that it was no longer light outside.   As the evening went on, I had the sense that it should still be light out, but of course, the evening was progressing.  Even after midnight, I had the sense it should still be light out, and it was not, of course. 

This kind of time warp happens to me when I am reading a book that absorbs me, and I have no sense of time.  It was well after midnight, when I went to bed, but it did not feel that late.  I was reading a Deborah McCrobmie mystery: In A Dark House,  which kept me absorbed until late.  So, it felt like it was much earlier in the evening than it was, when I finished that book.

After I finished that book, I started the next book: Gilbert King's Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America.  This is a very serious book about the civil rights movements in America, even before it was popular, in the 1940s and later on.   I did finally get tired enough to go to sleep.

But even with changing to that book, I never felt like it was late enough to go to bed.  Hmmm.

When I experience a time warp like that, I am very uncomfortable.  It is almost as if I have an "out of body" experience. But of course, that was not what happened.  It was just a discordant reality feeling.

Loose Ends

The last couple of nights, I left work a few minutes before 5 PM.  I usually do not leave work until 5 PM, or sometimes, much later.  But we have been on lockdown, and clinical efforts are severly restricted by that. 

I had done everything I could do within reason, and left close to the end of the day. Having said that, I put in well over 40 hours this week at work.

Last night, I had an errand to run on the way home. Even so, I arrived at the house much earlier than is normal.  As I did tonight.  However, because it was within feeding time for  the cats, and they are accustomed to me feeding  them when I get home, I fed the cats, did little household chores and then chilled out before fixing and eating dinner.

Last night, I could not get comfortable and found it very difficult to fall asleep.

Tonight, it is too early to think about falling asleep. I finished a book, and will start another soon, but am feeling at loose ends, and unable to settle down and really relax.

Part of the problem is the heat. We had had a spell of very pleasant weather that enabled me to open the house and sit in the back yard, in the evening, reading. I know it is too hot to open up the house. I think it might be too hot tonight to sit out, but I need to check that out.

Sometimes, I just feel "out of my skin." I dislike that feeling. But I know it is temporary. I do not know what causes it. I do not know what cures it.  It just is.

Why Do I Care ?

I was watching the Tonight Show http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/ and some starlette or actress or beautiful body woman was talking about her relationship with an ex-boyfriend who was cheating on her. I did not recognize the woman, and did not recognize the boyfriend's name, and I asked myself "Why do I care?"  And the reality is, I do not. So I shut off the television.

I used to be more discriminatory about what I watched on TV. After I stopped subscribing to the Lubbock Avalanche Journal http://lubbockonline.com/ this year, because of their outlandishly overpriced subscription costs, I have started watching more local and national news on TV, and paying attention to TV shows that might have bearing on today's culture. 

But this show did nothing for me.  Actually, a lot of the news shows I watch do nothing for me.  I used to tell people that I got my news on The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/.  Well, guess what, that is still the truth. I trust The Weather Channel more than I trust most news sources. The second source of news I trust the most is ESPN http://espn.go.com/.  Of course, part of that is because I like sports so much. But they also report the social implications of sports, and are more factual and less biased than many "news" channels.  I also listen to NPR http://www.npr.org/ on my way to work in the morning, all work days, and most work days, on my way home from work at night. So, I feel I get a good smattering of what is happening in the world.  

I also check my home town newspaper online Monday through Saturday. I get headlines from the Austin Statesman http://www.statesman.com/ and The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/ in my email inbox. So, I try to follow the news locally, nationally,and internationally.

And, if there is a "breaking story" I search out the best media source to follow it.

I want to be aware of what is happening in the world. But I do not want all that awful chatter in my head about what is happening that is inane, inconsequential, stupid, self-absorbed and socially insignificant. I can try to relate to my patients at work who complain about "the voices" who do not let them be.  It is like having TV blaring at you day and night.

So, for many public figures I do not care about their intimate, personal lives. I do care if they are involved in some socially significant event.  But leave your love life at home. Leave your sex life at home.

 

The Weather Channel - Geography vs. Perspective

Since I have very few regular readers, if you stumble upon this blog, you would not know that I am a fan of The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/.  But I am. I was watching their Weather Center live broadcast earlier tonight, and they showed video of a very large tornado that occurred last night, April 1, 2013, in Briscoe County, Texas. They reported that this tornado occurred "northeast of Lubbock, Texas" which is technically and geographically correct.

But that is like saying that Philadelphia, PA is southwest of New York City, or, from my home town perspective, that Greenfield, MA is west of Boston, MA.  Well, these are all geographically correct descriptions, involving a distance of about 100 miles.  But, it leads the reader to think close vs. intervening territory.

Granted, in West Texas, there are not a lot of intervening markers between Briscoe County and Lubbock, Texas.  This area is largely rural, the towns in between are small, and probably unheard of outside of West Texas, and the two "marker" cities are Amarillo, northwest of Briscoe County, and Lubbock, southwest of Briscoe County.  So, from the perspective of name recognition and national notice, I am glad to report that Briscoe County is northeast of Lubbock, Texas.

SNAP!

I have been struggling with my conscience in regards to writing about this topic, but after some open and honest discussions with co-workers today, I have decided I will try to address this topic in the most careful and respectful way I can.

It is my perception that many people on the South Plains want to believe that we live in a world, here, that is not subject to all of pressures and influences of the modern world.  Well, of course, that is nonsense.  But people in West Texas are insular, or at least, think that we are insular, or that they want us to be insular.

But the South Plains is subject to all the influences, pressures and lifestyle problems that are found anywhere else in the world.  And, that being the case, the people of the South Plains are subject to the pressures and payload, emotional, psychological, financial, that people the world over find that they, too are subjected to.

Most recently, there have been two incidents that have brought this home to me.  A co-worker, known to me in passing, engaged in a most horrific and tragic episode that resulted in two deaths, and later, he himself, died in an automobile accident.  Why these events occurred, we may never know. It is not our right to explore and dissect the inner workings of the families involved, who have suffered horrifically, and who will continue to suffer, given the legacy of the actions of this person. 

These families deserve our circumspect respect. They do not need to suffer our prying eyes.  I am not trying to intrude. I want to use this as a learning experience for us all.

The repercussions of the acts of this person are multi fold: The pain and suffering from the losses that spreads across the immediate and extended families. The shame and guilt associated with the man's actions. The faith that at some moment before his death, he made his peace with God, and that we are better human beings because we understand that this instantaneous revelation can occur.  

His actions were so out of character and make so little sense, I have to believe he had some sort of psychotic break . Otherwise it makes no sense.  The question is, what are the pressures and stressors that mounted to the point that this psychotic break occurred. We cannot know the load that another human being carries, and what one more stressor can do to that person. 

Some of us are not schooled in the skill of decreasing stress, knowing our limits or even asking for help. Many of us could  not recognize, in ourselves, when we get to the breaking point, and that is frightening.

The second event is the suicide death of a young man who, many would have thought, had the life many others would want to live.  It is hard to know why this young man engaged in the irrevocable act of suicide.  What pressures and stressors we could not see from without that he was not handling appropriately from within.  What are the pressures and stressors that a young man might experience that would drive him to this ultimate act of desperation.

Because I am not in the inner circle, I will never know. I do not know if those in the inner circle will ever know. 

But I do know that we must treat all life with value, treasure, respect, dignity and immense caring. I believe if we give humans true understanding of their worth, as humans because they are human, and do not have to have value added to their lives, the quality of their lives will improve.

For the poor, the down-trodden, the victimized, the abused, the under-appreciated, and often, the disabled of mind and body, this notion of inner worth often is non-existent.  I spend a lot of time talking to patients about the fact that they have value simply because they are a living human being, and no one can take that away from them.  

I cannot know what bundle of stressors caused these two people to SNAP. I can only hope that in the course of my days as a social worker, I am able to reach out to people and maybe help someone who is close to snapping, but does not.

More importantly, as we go about our daily lives, I hope we develop a sense of caring and compassion that helps everyone in our world to stay away from that desperate edge. I hope we remember to be kind, considerate, respectful, caring and compassionate, so we send the message to all with whom we have contact, that they are a wonderful, special, unique and valuable human being.

Bagpipes and Melancholia

I have a wonderful CD of bagpipe music, The Spirit of the Glen http://www.discogs.com/Royal-Scots-Dragoon-Guards-Spirit-Of-The-Glen/release/3808222.  When I listen to it, I have such nostalgic feelings.  Some of the songs make me feel nostalgic for the Appalachians. When I drive through them, there is so much mist, mystery and wonderment, and the music evokes that in me.  The song "The Last of the Mahicans" evokes such aching, and nostalgia. I can not explain this well.  Driving East, going through the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, I have such aching and longing. Even going through the mountains of Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina and North Carolina, that same aching and longing persists. It is as if I am called to the mountains, the wilderness, the isolation, the separateness that the fog and mist creates. 

I Am TooTired

I have been very busy at work, and this week, I have had an activity every evening.  So, as I sit here, I am very tired. And, I know I have a long day again tomorrow.

Sometimes, this happens. There are just a lot of things happening at once. I can manage these activities, especially because I know about them and work on a mind set that welcomes, and eagerly anticipates these activities.  But, as I age, the physical wear and tear takes its toll, and it becomes harder for me to recover from the exertions.  But, I do. Because that is what we do.

A Changed Perpective

Last night, Sake was on the sofa. She had positioned herself so she was smack dab in the middle, and stretched lengthwise, so there was no room for me on either side of her. I moved a floor lamp to one end of the futon, and sat there to read.  It was not as comfortable as the reclining sofa, but was comfortable enough for me to stay there reading. The biggest concern was that I had no place to put my drink except on the arm of the futon, and my fear that a cat would knock it over.

So, I had a change of perspective last night.  It was good. I need to change things up sometimes in my life:  I get too set in my ways.  I can be flexible, but I tend to be entrenched.

Kneading

For those of you with cats, you will no doubt be aware of, understand, and maybe even identify with the behavior I am about to describe:

Sake, the "bitch kitty" likes to "knead" soft places. Generally, it is a rumpled up throw or afghan, but it might be a pillow or cushion.  Interestingly, since the weather has turned cooler, she is doing more "kneading" as a prelude to curling up on a soft place.

I watch her as she kneads.  She seems to be in some sort of kitty ecstasy.  It may almost be orgasmic, but who am I to know?

Hmmm.

When Is it Appropriate?

When is it appropriate to publicly berate an underling on your staff?  I think never.  I know it happens frequently and regularly in the world of sports, professional, amateur and collegiate. 

An incident happened on November 10, 2012 during the Kansas vs. Texas Tech game in Lubbock, Texas.  Coach Tommy Tuberville did something that could be perceived as slapping a coaching assistant
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/11/10/tuberville-takes-a-slap-at-one-of-his-assistants/. 

Coach Tuberville initially said he was trying to get the assistant off the field, but later apologized

http://redraiders.com/filed-online/2012-11-12/tuberville-apologizes-sideline-incident-staff-member#.UKFRGuT7L0c.
It really does not matter. No one should be treated that way in public, unless they are so out of control they are putting theirself at physical risk of harm, and the slap is an attempt to bring them into reality.  But when does that ever happen?

What is the role of the coach?  You might have your own opinion. I have mine. A coach has many roles:  educator, motivator, role model, and lastly, disciplinarian. I think the emphasis on the role of the coach varies, but in academic sports, including collegiate athletics, role model is the most important function of a coach.  The young people in the charge of these coaches are so susceptible to the influences of their coaches, that an ethical, reverent, compassionate role model is a must.

I know that in my employment position, if my supervisor slapped me, harassed me physically or verbally, I could file a complaint. I also know that in private business corporations, there are less protections for people,although those same protections are supposed to be present. 

It will be interesting to see how the authorities of Texas Tech react to this inexcusable display of disrespect.

Community Service, Christian Service, Catholic Service

My social work career started at Catholic Family Service, Inc. Diocese of Amarillo http://www.cfsama.com/our-story.html in 1977.  At that time, the Diocese of Amarillo included Lubbock, Texas.  It also had a mission program: Laymen in the Amarillo Mission Program (LAMP). LAMP recruited teachers for the diocesan schools.

When I graduated from the College of Our Lady of the Elms http://www.elms.edu/, I was looking for experiences outside of Western Massachusetts.  I applied to the Peace Corp http://www.peacecorps.gov/, VISTA http://www.americorps.gov/about/programs/vista.asp and several domestic programs, including LAMP, and asked them if they could use a social worker. LAMP was the program that responded first. 

Foolish though it may have been, I was eager to get out of Western Massachusetts.  I had a telephone interview with LAMP, accepted their offer, and was off.  I flew to Amarillo (I had never flown before) and after a week of orientation, took an agency car from Amarillo to Lubbock. (Thinking back, what a leap of faith these people had in me.)  I was planning to stay a year.  Hmmm.  Before my year was up, I was offered a paid position, versus the stipend position, and that was that. I spent 10 years at Catholic Family Servi, Inc

I moved to Texas in June 1977. In December, 1977, I was contacted by the Peace Corp.  They were looking for people to go to Nicaragua.  I had a commitment to the Diocese of Amarillo, and declined, but told them to contact me in June 1978.  I never heard back from the Peace Corp. 

I thought and even tried to leave CFS a couple of times, but something always intervened.  I was there when an assistant director was hired, with the plan that this person would become the director, because the Diocese of Amarillo was being changed, and Lubbock was going to become its own diocese. So, I also worked for Catholic Family Service, Diocese of Lubbock. 

It was good for my social work career that I moved on to other things. Some years later, I was asked to serve on the board of directors, but the changes in my personal life made that untenable.

I attended the 25th anniversary of Catholic Family Services, Inc. Diocese of Lubbock. I winced at the mangled history that was presented. If you were not there, you would not know, and it did not matter. One of the board members, who I had known since I moved to Lubbock, asked me if I would be willing to be on the board. I said yes.  In 2010, I became a member of a committee that worked with membership recruitment and commemoration activities.  The next year, I was asked to join the board of directors. 

As of January 1, 2012, Catholic Family Service, Diocese of Lubbock, has become Catholic Charities, Diocese of Lubbock.  I was firmly in favor of that change. I had sentimental ties to Catholic Family Service, Diocese of Lubbock, but the reality is that we needed the change. The Catholic Charites name gave us national alignment with Catholic Charities USA http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/. I am all for change for progress, but not change for change.  I want to see the agency move toward accreditation.

When I was working for Catholic Family Service, Inc. Diocese of Amarillo, we worked for accreditation.  I believe that Catholic Charities,Diocese of Lubbock, needs accreditation.

I try to be as helpful as I can as a board member, but am not sure what my contributions can be.  I did a training on documentation and confidentiality.  I have helped with some fund raising activities. I helped organize a committee to look at counseling options and needs.  I have looked at some grants. I have sent out information about job positions. I have met with potential employees.

As a board member, I have had the opportunity to attend a legislative forum luncheon.  It was organized by multiple agencies who are concerned that state funding for child abuse prevention programs will be cut in the upcoming legislative session. Because I am considered a state employee, this is tricky. 

I applied for leave, so I would not be considered "on the  clock." My supervisors concurred that there was no conflict of interest in this activity.

The Catholic Charities staff and board members were at one table. I sat next to the Bishop.  I had the opportunity to tell him how much serving on the board of Catholic Charities has been a blessing to me.  He seemed to understand.

I will just say that this is a great service.  I am blessed to be able to do it.

  . 

Pre-Game Reality

I do not always listen to the Texas Tech football pre-game show.  I had especially stopped because the Tech announcers sometimes talk as if it is a foregone conclusion that the Tech team will win.  I was pleasantly surprised that their language included "we have to do this or else we will lose;" "let's hope this or that happens or doesn't happen;" "we were 3 and 0 last year at this time, and we know what happened last season;" "let's hope we don't see injuries like we had last year."

This is better. It is more realistic. There are times when the Tech announcers, in my opinion, spout so much braggadocios rhetoric it is sickening. It is okay to root for the home time.  It is okay to be supportive and encouraging and hopeful.  But to deny the facts and actually broadcast as if you assume the team is going to win is very bad journalism (if you can call radio sportscasting "journalism.")

Texas Tech football has taken a downturn since Mike Leach was dismissed as coach, and Tommy Tuberville was brought in.  There is less fan energy, and less overwhelming interest and local media coverage.  We road a big wave when Mike Leach was coach.  Having a winning season was not a certainty, but it sure felt like it was.  Now, we are back to reality.

Changing Schedules

I usually do not let Haiku into the garage when I know I want to go somewhere, because Haiku gets on the top shelves and will not come down on command.  I sometimes can reach her, but my house step stool is so short, I can not reach to the back part of the shelf.  And, this is where she sits when she does not want me to get her down.

This morning it was raining, so I decided "what the heck," I could run errands later in the day, maybe the rain would stop.  So, Haiku and Sake both spent some time in the garage this morning, much to their delight.

Thus it was afternoon before Haiku came down and I could then get out of the garage with the Vue safely.  I could have done chores around the house while I was waiting, but I decided to read instead.  After I ran chores, I decided to finish the book I was reading.  When I get close to the end of a mystery, I get really eager to finish the story.

So, I did housework late in the day.  I do not like doing house work late in the day, but so be it, I did.  It does not hurt me to do house work late in the day, it is just a mental thing: I like to get my chores done early so I can relax the rest of the day. 

But really, what part of the day I relax, and what part of the day does not really matter, except to my psychological state: I like not having chores loom. And, sometimes, because I am really, really in a hurry to get the chores done late in the day, I do not always do a good job.  I did a good job today.  I do not regularly do "deep cleaning," but what I did was good. Part of that was I was listening to the Texas Tech pre-game show, and that held my interest, so I did not feel I needed to rush to get to something else.  Hmmm. 

Drying Electronics

Although I am adventurous about working on some computer things, there are a lot of electronic things about which I have no knowledge.

Recently, I was talking to someone who I know is very electronically and computer savvy.  She told me if I had a wet electronic device, such as a cell phone, I did not need a commercial drying product.  This person, who I trust explicitly regarding electronic devices, said to put the wet electronic device into an airtight (that is the key) container with rice, and let it sit some several hours (24 or more.)

Hmmm.  I grew up in a part of the world where the ambient environment was sometimes very humid.  My mother put rice in the salt shaker to keep the salt from clumping when it was humid.

This is an old solution to a new problem. 

Isn't that interesting.  As I age, I realize that there are a lot of tried and true solutions that take care of problems. 

The more things change, the more they stay the same?

Epilogue

At work today, there were very many people who checked with me about my well being, and how my car was doing.  I am so grateful that I work with such wonderful people. 

I know that part of the reason is that we are sometimes in very dangerous, or difficult situations. When people share these types of situations, especially repeatedly, they tend to form a bond.  We are not best friends. But we care about each other, and want to protect and help each other.

I was listening to something recently that discussed the psychological impact, on soldiers, of dealing with very dangerous or difficult situations, having no down time, going back to work as usual, and being faced with the possibility or reality of another dangerous or difficult situation. This is a recipe for post traumatic stress disorder.  It is also a recipe for people developing strong bonds with their group. I recognized this as what we have at work.  We do not have to be best friends. But when the chips are down, we are there for each other.

I see that in so many ways: we often have fund raisers to help people who are down on their luck.  My situation is not dissimilar to others who have had problems and need help. The players may vary, but we really are all in it together.  We  recognize and congratulate and celebrate.

This is a great feeling.