Brain Dump
Oct. 7th, 2003 08:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
judecorp- The first thing I want to do is to thank all of you for all of your kind words, congratulations, and support. It really means quite a lot to me to have such a cool group of friends all over the world. I'm really very touched at the amount of positive support and celebration Jennifer and I have received through this medium. I'm not usually the sort of person who looks for external validation for my choices, but (as you all know) I'm very sensitive about and protective of my love and my relationship. I'm thankful to have so many people reinforce that what we have is just as important and valid as what you (or others) may have. (I'll remind you that if you do feel passionate about marriage equality, you can always sign on at http://www.millionformarriage.org.)
- Coworker Sarah, the one who has been letting me shadow her all over creation, is a Big Scrapbooking Nut (and even teaches scrapbooking classes at a scrapbooking store), and hand made a "congratulations" card for me and Jen. It is /so/ freaking adorable, I just love it to pieces. I hung it up in my office, so I'm well on my way to having a Big Gay Office again. YAY! I need to hang up my little rainbow flag, since I already stuck up my HRC symbol window sticker that Big Gay Matt gave me at Faith Mission.
- Today, my new coworker (Tamarine, who happens to be my officemate) had her first day. She seems really cool, and I think I'll really like sharing an office with her. The best thing is that she is a little older than me, /and/ has a Master's degree (in counseling, not in social work), /and/ is working toward advanced licensure. So I feel better that I am a good fit for this job, because obviously she felt it was a good option, too. I think my current plan of Job Domination is to stick around, prove myself invaluable, and become a Team Leader. Yep.
- One of my in2books pen pals wrote me a letter, and oh my gosh, it is the cutest thing ever. Her name is Chika and she is 7 1/2. I could just eat her up with a spoon! I also got my first book today, The Cool Crazy Crickets, about four friends who start a secret club. How freaking adorable is that? This is too much fun. I think I'll write my next letter tonight. (I still haven't gotten my pen pal letter from my second kid.)
- I'm kind of enjoying getting dressed up for work sometimes. I bought this pair of stretchy grey women's trousers at Old Navy this weekend, and I have to admit that I look pretty hot in them. Coworker Sarah was like, "We need to get you some more girls' clothes," and I couldn't help but laugh. (No, I don't need any more girls' clothes.) Tomorrow, we're going to Youngstown to visit one of her clients in residential, and I can wear whatever I want. YAY! I'm starting to feel comfortable at work and with the job, which is good. I know that I'll get nervous all over again when I'm working by myself with my own clients, but I've been filling out the forms with no problems, and I'm much more vocal about my thoughts and opinions on Sarah's cases. She's been really amazing about everything - she always asks me what I think about the cases, and about my opinions of her work. I like learning alongside her, because she has experience but we're still learning together. She's shown me that everyone is new sometimes, that everyone screws up (even big time), and that everyone has something they have to ask about. So that's good.
- Jennifer and I have been doing some really serious, heavy discussing about our future plans. We're trying to come to some sort of terms with where we want to live (here, or somewhere else), what our time line looks like, how we're going to reach our goals, and what the details will be. I know that we can't predict the future, and that it's way early to be discussing some of these things, but both of us are planners, so I think it makes us feel better. Plus, it's exciting and giddy to talk about the future with her. I'm really looking forward to seeing where this journey is leading us! (I don't remember ever feeling this excited in my previous long-term relationship. Do you?)
- Speaking of which, I /really/ hope this whole job thing works out for her. She's so unhappy in her current job and feels so underchallenged. I want nothing more than the very best for her - she deserves it. She has an interview tomorrow for a relationship banking position, and I hope she knocks 'em dead! (Well, not literally.)
- I've been doing a lot of thinking about friendships, and about my friends in particular. I've been graced with some really great friends here in Columbus, and I'm really thankful for that. At the same time, it's been a bit of a struggle to figure out who my real friends are, and who are just fair-weather friends or convenience friends. I'm starting to feel like some of the people I thought were good friends really don't care for me all that much. And I'm also starting to really REALLY become attached to some other people that I might not have known so well before. I know I'm tough to be friends with because I'm so busy and crazy and self-absorbed, and also because I've been /really/ relationship-focused this past year, but I'm glad some people have really put the effort into me, because I really appreciate it. <3
- I think that
Christina should come up to Columbus for our birthday party, so she can be involved, too. All the cute October girls should come celebrate with us! We're already going to have Shani Jean here, and I am SOOOO excited! YAY! So yeah, you should totally come up, 'stina, because we'd have a hoot of a time! (Especially now that you won't be in Boston.) - This is getting really long. I feel like I have so many words in my head, but have been too frantic to do anything with them. It's almost like I can see them floating around in the air, and I just can't quite grasp them. At work, everything is GO GO GO (home visits and foster home visits and unannounced visits and placement visits and court and on and on and on) and I'm so rarely at my desk. I try not to eat out at lunch time, but we're always on the road. When I have my own clients, I'm really going to have to work on that. I need to work out a plan of time management and make sure to bank some thinking-time in, because trying to play catch-up with my feelings and thoughts is going to become overwhelming really quickly. Today I actually had the thought, "Oh, I'd love to go to a spa," which is really weird because I never want to do any beauty pampering type stuff. I guess I'm just running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I hope Jen can fall in love with one, just like in that Magnetic Fields song.
(Don't forget, I have a Birthday Wish List!)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 05:53 pm (UTC)I found, for keeping food and water in me, that I bought a medium sized cooler (and ice packs) that I keep stocked with 'easy to eat while driving' foods (eg cheese sticks, veggies cut up, pretzels, crackers, fruit cut up) and I carry an insulated water bottle.
You'll find it will make a huge difference in your days if you are properly fed and watered. *giggle*
I'm glad you are liking the job! :)
no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 06:02 pm (UTC)(1) glad to hear you're feeling better and more confident about the work situation. i know you will do just fine in your job if, like you say, you just settle in and really throw yourself into the challenge. you'll get out of it what you put into it, and all that crap.
(2) i totally agree with what jen was saying the other night about marketable skills, and i think it really sounds like the right decision for her to be looking for a job where she can really grow. and make a hunka change on the side. Ha! but seriously, she can always take a "creative sabbatical" later in life, when things are more comfortable, if she feels the need to get back in touch with her artsy-fartsy side, as it were.
(3) DUDE. totally just admit it. you TOTALLY want to stay in columbus because I. AM. GREAT. and you think i am the HOTTness. and you want to give me a million dollars.
(4) just kidding! i know you don't have a million dollars.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 06:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 06:23 pm (UTC)b. I know that I will never make money, but I have no fear that I will not be challenged. Social work is always busy, always challenging, and always exhausting.
c. If I had a million dollars, I would gladly pass some on to you.
d. You are definitely the HOTTness. I look forward to getting to know you better over deliciously fattening food!
no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 06:25 pm (UTC)However, if that ends up not being possible, then the cooler in the car is definitely a good idea! :) I already do carry around a huge Nalgene bottle of water - I learned that at Philmont!
no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 06:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 06:31 pm (UTC)or would we...?
no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 06:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 06:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 06:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 07:19 pm (UTC)I'm glad to hear you're settling in at the job. I told you it was going to rock.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 08:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-08 05:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-08 07:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-08 11:48 am (UTC)Also, I really hope I am not a fair-weather friend.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-08 06:11 pm (UTC)Funny, that describes my time-management problem as a mental health case manager perfectly. I kinda miss spending time in my own office...although it is cool to go places and see things.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-08 07:15 pm (UTC)But lunch in a park every once in a while sounds lovely.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-08 07:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-08 07:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-08 07:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-13 06:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-13 07:05 pm (UTC)