I hope we win!!!!

I so doubt it, but I just wrote a big long letter trying to sell our family for one of the newest HGTV shows that will be coming to the Long Island area.

Think good thoughts for us!!

So sad.

One of my pugs passed away this morning. I found her. I don't know what happened and I don't want to know. I do think she went quickly though and did not suffer.

RIP Ms. Emma girl

I am home-bound

My car wasn't ready yesterday so I decided to stay home today and do my work here.

Fortunately, I am pretty much caught up with all my work so it may just be a few phone calls and progress notes I have to write.

My son is already napping. It's super hot so I expect that he will probably be sleepy most of today.

I actually let him sleep in our bedroom last night on a little area I made him with pillows and blankets since it was so hot, and our only A/C right now is in our bedroom.

He's so cute. I need to think of something fun to do with him this weekend.

Things I do to feel happy + content

To appreciate the little things in life.........

*Create daily rituals. For me, I bring my son up into my bed for about an hour every night when I am officially "done" with my day (even if he's fallen asleep for a few hours already) to snuggle and play.

*Drink green tea.

*Burn a nice smelling candle. (I have a lemon cream one going right now).

*Grow flowers. And plants and spices. Walk around outside and water them each day.

*Eat dinner (or breakfast or lunch) outside.

*Take a shower (or bath) with yummy smelling bath products.

*Munch on fresh fruits like cherries.

*Take a walk around the block. Take time to notice little things like trees and plants. Say hi to everyone you pass. (You'd be surprised how many New Yorkers don't do this!).

*Start your day in a coffee shop place and take time to just read the newspaper from cover to cover.

*Wear a bright, fun head-band.

*Clean.

*Sit on the beach or by another body of water.

*Drink one cocktail (for me these days anything beyond that tends to give me a headache or knock me out the next day!).

*Make the bed.

*Make the bed with fun, colorful or mis-matched sheets and blankets.

*Write on bright colored stationary or in a cute notebook at work.

*Keep a bottle of cold water on your desk and drink from it throughout the day.

*Chat with your co-workers as you get up to fill your water bottle from the cooler.

*Change into comfy clothes as soon as you get home from work and all times when you aren't at work.

*Try to find a job that you can dress in comfy clothing that totally reflects your sense of personal style :D

*Have longer conversations about interesting work-related topics with colleagues that you normally don't get to spend a lot of time with. (This really works in establishing good relationships AND in getting stuff easier for some of my clients who can be difficult).

*Walk around a Farmer's Market or produce store and just browse.

*Make a fresh veggie every night with dinner.

*Buy fresh bread a few times a week. Eat it with cheese or dip it in seasoned EVOO for a snack.

*Keep candy on your desk at work.(This is another great way to establish a good rapport with co-workers).

*Try to sit outside and read anything for at least 30 minutes each day.

What are some of the things YOU like to do to feel happy and content?

Damn it.

So I am having car issues again. Last night, I raced home from work, rushed DS to the pediatrician (he's had a bout of diarrhea lately, poor guy) and made it home just in time to make it to my yoga class (I haven't been since last Thursday).

Anyways, I went to start my car and the lock wouldn't turn. I've had this happen before and just wiggled the wheel/lock no issues. Well, to make a long story short, the whole thing needs to be replaced.

I feel like every month it's something now with this car. I think DH and I will have to officially suck it up and start looking for something new. I sooooooooooo don't want to have to shell out a car payment, but with a small child not to mention the fact that "my car is sick again" is becoming an old excuse at work.......we are going to need one.

I also am feeling spoiled because my inlaws let me borrow their new Lexus today and tommorrow for work. I can't remember the last time I drove something brand new, and definitely not a luxury automobile!


I am debating on just keeping this car, in addition to something new and reliable and using the old one for work. I drive it so much for my fieldwork, and it only costs $30.00 to fill it up each week. I sometimes feel like I make a little money with this car when I turn in my expense report at the end of the month.


If anything, this is going to have to be motivation for DH to quit smoking once and for all. He smokes over a pack a day and cigarettes here in NYS are now over $10.00 a pack. I think we will certainly be able to afford something nicer and more reliable to drive if he gives up smoking.


I am really dreading having to start our search though, and meet with car salesmen. Wish us luck! And while you're at it, if you have any mid-size SUV recommendations, send those my way as well.

Social work line(s) of the day:

"I don't want to work with you anymore. I don't understand. You're a trained social worker. Why haven't you been able to fix my life. That's your JOB!!!!!".....................

Game of 8 Questions

I am stealing today's post from this blog. I also thought I would tie this in with my Social Work Question of the Week theme for all of you social workers out there for something light for a change !

Game of 8 Questions


What's your staple meal (ie. what meal do you cook most often when you can't be bothered to be adventurous)?

This depends, but my go-to meals tend to be some kind of pasta with tomato sauce, home-made pizza (although I usually buy store-bought dough!), and lately, we've been grilling burgers a lot.


What do you want to be when you grow up?

I have been working in the human services field since 1998. It's my dream to open up a coffee shop/yoga/music space/community resource center/housing program.


What book are you reading at the moment (if any)?

Ugh, I planned to hit up the library this weekend but just never got around to it. I've had The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold sitting on my nightstand forever it seems, but between working F/T, chasing a toddler around, housework and 90 minute 8PM yoga classes 2-3x a week, I really have been slacking on the reading. Being able to read a book a week is probably one of the biggest things I miss from when I used to commute by train to work in the city every day.


How do you relax?


I waste way too much time on the computer each day. I enjoy reading blogs of people who I tend to find are much more interesting than me (LOL) and I also frequent several message boards. I have also been practicing hot yoga since February and I have to say I am becoming mildly addicted.

What colour are the interior walls of your home?

Multiple colors LOL. We bought our house a couple years ago and we are still in the process of going room by room to fix it up. Since we are paying for everything out of pocket instead of taking out loans, DH working a ton of hours, and with an 18-month old, even painting has taken a lot longer than we have planned. Anyways, starting with our living room/hallway/stairway to our bedroom on the top floor, that color is a bland light green leftover from the previous owners. Moving along to the kitchen, there's a really tacky pink and green floral wall-paper that I can't wait to tear down.

My son's room is a nice forest green color and then he has chair rails and underneath that, it's painted cream. His playroom is a brightish-orange on top, with chair rails and cream underneath.

Our master bedroom walls are painted lavender. I love it up there!

The bathroom is painted peach with white tiles.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

ICE CREAM!! I must confess I eat it at least once a day.


What time is bed time and getting up time?

Bed time these days is anywhere from 8PM-midnight depending on the day of the week, my level of exhaustion and whether or not I am taking an evening yoga class. I get up in the morning usually when my son wakes up, which could be anywhere from 4:00AM to 6:30AM. (Although 6:30 is very rare. He usually doesn't sleep past 5:30AM).


How long do you spend reading blogs (per day or per week)?

Too. Many. Hours.

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extra credit:
*what is your favorite movie? I'm not sure what my favorite movie is, but I love cheesy and girly movies. Anything from Legally Blonde to old school Lifetime movies to Sex and the City (although I haven't seen the new SATC yet!).

*tell me something embarrassing about yourself. I have this constant habit of grinding my right side jaw. I often don't realize I am doing it and make a really strange face and then sometimes think people are starring at me.

*What really gets on your nerves? People who always compare themselves to others, those who feel like they are entitled to certain things in life and just others who gossip and put others down in general.

Friday, I am so glad you are here.

I love, love, LOVE only working a 4-day work week. I think this is one of the biggest perks of my job.

I have had a couple of phone calls today but nothing major at all (keeping my cell on was the agreement my boss had me make so I don't have to officially "work" on Fridays).

I had to get a few Father's Day gifts so I took my son to a local outlet place this morning. I'm not a huge shopper, but this was such a nice change of pace from the local mall/strip mall/big box store. It's gorgeous out here today so DS and I spent time just walking around and sitting next to the various outdoor fountains. He loved them. In fact, this child is totally obsessed with water. He shows no fear at all. A few weeks ago, DH and I brought him to a beach and we had to leave because he kept trying to run into the ocean. He was not content at all with just walking along the water.

Last night, I got to go to my yoga class so I was super excited about that. I also had a pretty good work-out, and was able to get into most of the poses.

We have no major plans this weekend. My town is haviing a carnival at the park down the block from my house so I will probably bring DS there at some point.

Going to a family BBQ on Father's Day but we will probably also get to spend some time hanging out in the new hot tub too at my inlaws house. DH is looking forward to this. He just re-did their whole backyard and put in a new patio. The hot tub was delivered last week. I am very much looking forward to lots of relaxation this weekend.

Aaaargh!

I have to miss yoga again tonight because DH got caught up with stuff at work and can't leave (one of the many cons of being self-employed). My son also fell asleep around 6PM. So it's all me by my lonesome. I have decided to make it a grilled cheese and soup night. So, so good, yet so, so, bad for me. The George & Marisa Tomei episode is on Seinfeld right now. Awesome!!!

Have a good evening all!

It's been a day!

I think this social worker is in need of her OWN social worker!

I had several incidents occur with clients today, one in particular where the person's mother they live with called me up and started the conversation with "I have to tell you something but you cannot tell anyone else............". That's ALWAYS a good sign!

She basically gave me a bunch of information which lead me to believe that my client's life is at risk. When I said I had an obligation to call 911, she told me if I did so, she was going to take the client out their back door which would prevent the police from taking him to the hospital, and never provide me with any information about him again.

The whole agency got involved in this one. We did not end up calling EMS after involving his doctors.

I should go to yoga tonight, but after a difficult class last night and staying up late to watch The Real Housewives of New Jersey...........going to bed early tonight is a much better option. I am going back tommorrow though, I promise!!! To both work and yoga!

Social work Question(s) of the Week:

How do manage working in a host environment, in particular one that is not overly supportive of social workers and promoting client independence?

What do you do when it's upper management that goes against you and tries to enable your clients by giving them whatever they want?

So........

that client I wrote about awhile back, the bi-polar one with the head injury...........we decided that she was just becoming too much of a risk for our agency. I met with her today and gave her a notice in writing that we will be terminating with her 30 days from now and that she needs to find a new provider to manage her case.

I felt (and still feel) bad about it. Especially after she told me that her brother wants nothing else to do with her and she has decided to go back on one of her mood stabilizers.

It's kind of too little too late though and I had a long discussion with one of my colleagues at work about her today (in fact I always have long discussions about her with him LOL)............he said I shouldn't feel bad because this is just HER..........there's never a good time to terminate. We gave her numerous opportunities to go on meds and each time, she refused. Hopefully she will find someone to pick up her case. I promised her that I was going to help her connect to someone new, and if not through the TBI program, then I will refer her back to APS. She is known to them now so they will probably follow her case if she does not have anyone supporting her.

She actually gave me a hug as I was leaving her house and told me she didn't take it personally, she really liked me but just felt that she couldn't trust me anymore after I called APS on her the first time around.

It's sad. I felt like I did everything humanly possible to help this woman..........but I was the only one doing the work.

Have a great week everyone!

I can't believe it's Sunday night already.

I've had such a busy weekend. Friday I went Upstate to visit my family and came home yesterday. We had such a nice time. My son got to run around the countryside and even rode on the "tractor" lawn mower with his Poppy. (We just have a push lawn mower since we have such a small yard).

I got to go out Friday night to an open mic sans bambino AND hubby. Had a wonderful time.

Yesterday was lotsa errands and cleaning up the house.

Today, more errands, I got a great yoga workout in, and then went and had dinner---macaroni and gravy old Italian style---at the inlaws. My MIL sent us home with plenty of leftovers so I don't have to worry about lunch and dinner for the next day or so.

Right now I am relaxing with a Frosty I picked up on the way home for my husband and myself. Now I am getting ready to lounge out and watch mindless TV and spend some quality time with the husband. He has been working constantly lately so we rarely get that at all. Anyways, have a nice week everyone :D.

Social work Question of the Week

I know this may vary slightly based on the population you work with, but what do you see as the biggest strength/resource for many of your clients?

For me, it is often FAMILY.

While a lot of my clients do not have the support of family for any number of reasons, many of them do. For some, they take this for granted though and do not consider it a strength in their lives.