Busy days

 I’ve been busy lately, and OD has been SLOW to upload, and I’ve missed it.

I thought I should write something – I’m still here.

My job as a Life Skills Trainer is a "play-it-by-ear" sort of job; I suppose when you work with people, that’s the way it is.

This job with Mentor is only part time;  Last week, i worked every other day, but this week looks slack; school’s beginning and the kids are, I guess, busy this week.

My first staff meeting today – an interesting event.  I got to ask and get answers to questions I had, and I still think I’m in "the right place".

My second job, as an On-Call Group Home aide is beginning on Friday – the "new hire orientation" is at 8 am (!).  I’ll have to get up much earlier than usual to get out to Troutdale by 8  I told my supervisor about it this morning, about the second job, and he was excited, because I will be working with the full spectrum of Developmentally Disabled people:  Kids with Mentor and Adults with ALSO.

My counselor at VocRehab asked me this morning what made me change my mind about the work I was seeking.  I had been looking for Customer Service jobs, because i don’t really want to drive for a living any more, and working with DD people is a kind of customer service, one with high social value.  My Job Developer suggested this, and I thought, "why not?"

Having a direct impact on people’s lives is… what’s the word I want here?  Interesting?  Fulfilling? Fun?  All of those things, and more.  There is a high level of satisfaction with my work – coupled with wondering, "am I doing it right?"

At today’s staff meeting, I learned that I am doing it right, making it up as I go along.  That’s pretty much SOP – standard operating procedure – for us, because we’re dealing with individuals, and no one is a copy of anyone else.

Mentor is expanding their services, in conjunction with the County and the State, to "normal" homes too – not just to Foster Homes.  We will need a bigger conference room soon – the one we used today was tight, with us all in there – 9 or 10 of us, the Program Director, the Coordinator, and the mentors.

I like this job much better than those bus driving jobs; I feel more like I know what I’m doing, even if I am making it up as I go along.

 

*****