Hi Honeys, I'm Home!
Ok, so that subject title was stolen from a banner at Starwood, but it was so appropriate in both places that I couldn't help myself.
This year I attended both Sirius Rising and Starwood and now I'm sure I will feel like I have missed out if I can't attend both festivals in the years to come. I really have conflicted feelings about these experiences that are so wonderful they develop into addictions after the first time. I mean, yes, everyday life has it's small pleasures and I really enjoy them, but when I develop a new addiction it seems like the rest of the world stops somehow until I can once again think clearly and focus. My gods, that was amazing! And the people I met (and those I already knew but was able to share the experiences with) were mostly why.
As Nomad has said, "what happens at Starwood, stays at Starwood." And others have rightly stated that it cannot truly be translated into words. However, I will say that the transition from one world to the other has been interesting. I notice things differently and find myself having trouble focusing on everyday tasks at times because I am still tired and also because there were such lovely things to remember. Mmmmmmmm. (Big stupid grin)
Ok, so today I talked a woman out of making decisions she would later regret and monitored the symptoms and functioning of a few people who are not always stable and said things to encourage them to remain stable as much as possible so that they can function outside of jail or the hospital. A lot of what I did today revolved around parenting issues for a couple of my clients and access to medical care.
Even though all my clients have Medicaid, they don't all have access to medical care. Stupid, huh? Well, Medicaid in Ohio switched to privately managed care plans and each person had to choose an HMO or they were randomly assigned one. Now the HMOs are not paying doctors for services that were medically necessary, so doctors are not willing to accept the HMOs anymore and people are not able to receive medical care. I remember something like that happening in the 90s w/ MDs not accepting Medicaid. I don't know what happened to change that but it seemed much better until the HMOs got involved. Anyways, that's a systems problem. Not that unique since there are many without insurance at all and many on HMOs through employment w/ similar problems. Still, it really sucketh.
My real issue for the moment is trying to unpack all the stuff I brought with me on my trip. I mean, it's no herculean effort or anything but I am reveling in slack. (Praise Bob!) And I came home wanting to really clean up before Q comes home but I also really wanted to read and respond to emails and catch up with everyone so very much that I decided to post this online rather than send each person individual messages. I mean, I really want to have many individual conversations but I must get some of this stuff put away so that the level of chaos in the house is at least manageable.
So, much catching up with people is needed (and much catching up with myself, especially!) but I will have to do so a little at a time, so please be patient with me and try to understand. I'll do the same even though it's difficult with all the various intense emotions I'm experiencing still....
This year I attended both Sirius Rising and Starwood and now I'm sure I will feel like I have missed out if I can't attend both festivals in the years to come. I really have conflicted feelings about these experiences that are so wonderful they develop into addictions after the first time. I mean, yes, everyday life has it's small pleasures and I really enjoy them, but when I develop a new addiction it seems like the rest of the world stops somehow until I can once again think clearly and focus. My gods, that was amazing! And the people I met (and those I already knew but was able to share the experiences with) were mostly why.
As Nomad has said, "what happens at Starwood, stays at Starwood." And others have rightly stated that it cannot truly be translated into words. However, I will say that the transition from one world to the other has been interesting. I notice things differently and find myself having trouble focusing on everyday tasks at times because I am still tired and also because there were such lovely things to remember. Mmmmmmmm. (Big stupid grin)
Ok, so today I talked a woman out of making decisions she would later regret and monitored the symptoms and functioning of a few people who are not always stable and said things to encourage them to remain stable as much as possible so that they can function outside of jail or the hospital. A lot of what I did today revolved around parenting issues for a couple of my clients and access to medical care.
Even though all my clients have Medicaid, they don't all have access to medical care. Stupid, huh? Well, Medicaid in Ohio switched to privately managed care plans and each person had to choose an HMO or they were randomly assigned one. Now the HMOs are not paying doctors for services that were medically necessary, so doctors are not willing to accept the HMOs anymore and people are not able to receive medical care. I remember something like that happening in the 90s w/ MDs not accepting Medicaid. I don't know what happened to change that but it seemed much better until the HMOs got involved. Anyways, that's a systems problem. Not that unique since there are many without insurance at all and many on HMOs through employment w/ similar problems. Still, it really sucketh.
My real issue for the moment is trying to unpack all the stuff I brought with me on my trip. I mean, it's no herculean effort or anything but I am reveling in slack. (Praise Bob!) And I came home wanting to really clean up before Q comes home but I also really wanted to read and respond to emails and catch up with everyone so very much that I decided to post this online rather than send each person individual messages. I mean, I really want to have many individual conversations but I must get some of this stuff put away so that the level of chaos in the house is at least manageable.
So, much catching up with people is needed (and much catching up with myself, especially!) but I will have to do so a little at a time, so please be patient with me and try to understand. I'll do the same even though it's difficult with all the various intense emotions I'm experiencing still....