Work.
Mostly crossposted from a convo with Yukie I saved for this purpose:
Hey crew!
Work has been tiring, but as I say, it's a very good kind of tiring. I'm learning a lot about writing for different levels and even a lot about some of my friends. Every day I deal with anxiety disorders, bipolar, manic depression, severe ADD, schitzophrenia...the list goes on and on. I actually have one guy who comes to work in this humid, muggy weather wearing a pair of sunglasses, a leather jacket and gloves and a toque - because he can't stand anything touching his skin.
So- how things work is basically I teach people how to do tasks suited to their mental capabilities. But y'see, I've gotta be careful. Many of these people will become hostile and afraid if I am percieved as their therapist. Many of them were treated poorly or like idiots or something because of their mental issues. On that note, my boss was apparently told by a group of my students that I am the friendliest summer student they've ever had. It makes me exceptionally proud to be thought of like that.
A bit of a boast it might be to say so, but it has ensured that within this week alone, many of the individuals there have opened up to me. What's particularly interesting is the things like reading, video games and movies that can help me figure out what's filtering through these people's heads.
What's REALLY interesting is comparing the symptom descriptors of people I don't know to people I -do- know...and recognizing things. For example, the first thing my manic depressive student told me was that he's prone to compulsive buying sprees. How did I learn this? He told me he bought a PS3 when I started talking gaming with him. (He returned all the stuff he bought...except the PS3. I laughed and said I approve.)
One of my other students is like...well, he's BRILLIANT. He's read All sorts of books. And analyzies novels like an English student...and knows more art history than *I* do. However, his reading comprehenison is about a grade 5 level. He can NOT pick up a book and read it cover-to-cover. However, he buys books on audio tape and retains it perfectly. Needless to say, when I teach him tasks, I spell it out.
Yet another student of mine is...well...he's very willing...he's just maybe mentally about 15 or 16. He's twice my age at least, but he's completely defferential in an almost militaristic or school-boy fashion. I am "Miss". He stands when he speaks to me. He's UNFAILINGLY rigidly polite. He plays brilliant guitar.
The best part of the whole week was Paul and Peter. Peter is this guy who has had successful results working for Stride (The company) and he now volunteers his time whenever his kid's in preschool. THe guy looks like a biker dude. I swear to God. He could crush me with two fingers. And yet he just...helps out without a second thought...he lifted me up on the skid today so I could get boxes down for the workers...he sort of just tosses me around and brings me water and tapes my boxes for me.
Paul...is a guy with obsessive compulsive and severe ADD. He tries SO hard. And I taught him how to restock the candy bins. He was just SO excited that what I taught him stuck...and stuck the next day too. He was bouncing all over and shaking my hand and then he did a few bins and then he got distracted and got excited all over again.
SO yeah. Work. It is awesome. I could see myself doing something with this. Going back to school for Psych even. I don't even know. I didn't really give Psych my all when I did it for electives, but now that I'm doing this...I may revise that opinion. I don't think (And know for a fact that there are those who despise my being) that everyone loves me. I do know however that I can tolerate a lot. I don't have the patience for children, but I seem to have infinite patience for disorders.
I guess I'll leave things there for now.
Hey crew!
Work has been tiring, but as I say, it's a very good kind of tiring. I'm learning a lot about writing for different levels and even a lot about some of my friends. Every day I deal with anxiety disorders, bipolar, manic depression, severe ADD, schitzophrenia...the list goes on and on. I actually have one guy who comes to work in this humid, muggy weather wearing a pair of sunglasses, a leather jacket and gloves and a toque - because he can't stand anything touching his skin.
So- how things work is basically I teach people how to do tasks suited to their mental capabilities. But y'see, I've gotta be careful. Many of these people will become hostile and afraid if I am percieved as their therapist. Many of them were treated poorly or like idiots or something because of their mental issues. On that note, my boss was apparently told by a group of my students that I am the friendliest summer student they've ever had. It makes me exceptionally proud to be thought of like that.
A bit of a boast it might be to say so, but it has ensured that within this week alone, many of the individuals there have opened up to me. What's particularly interesting is the things like reading, video games and movies that can help me figure out what's filtering through these people's heads.
What's REALLY interesting is comparing the symptom descriptors of people I don't know to people I -do- know...and recognizing things. For example, the first thing my manic depressive student told me was that he's prone to compulsive buying sprees. How did I learn this? He told me he bought a PS3 when I started talking gaming with him. (He returned all the stuff he bought...except the PS3. I laughed and said I approve.)
One of my other students is like...well, he's BRILLIANT. He's read All sorts of books. And analyzies novels like an English student...and knows more art history than *I* do. However, his reading comprehenison is about a grade 5 level. He can NOT pick up a book and read it cover-to-cover. However, he buys books on audio tape and retains it perfectly. Needless to say, when I teach him tasks, I spell it out.
Yet another student of mine is...well...he's very willing...he's just maybe mentally about 15 or 16. He's twice my age at least, but he's completely defferential in an almost militaristic or school-boy fashion. I am "Miss". He stands when he speaks to me. He's UNFAILINGLY rigidly polite. He plays brilliant guitar.
The best part of the whole week was Paul and Peter. Peter is this guy who has had successful results working for Stride (The company) and he now volunteers his time whenever his kid's in preschool. THe guy looks like a biker dude. I swear to God. He could crush me with two fingers. And yet he just...helps out without a second thought...he lifted me up on the skid today so I could get boxes down for the workers...he sort of just tosses me around and brings me water and tapes my boxes for me.
Paul...is a guy with obsessive compulsive and severe ADD. He tries SO hard. And I taught him how to restock the candy bins. He was just SO excited that what I taught him stuck...and stuck the next day too. He was bouncing all over and shaking my hand and then he did a few bins and then he got distracted and got excited all over again.
SO yeah. Work. It is awesome. I could see myself doing something with this. Going back to school for Psych even. I don't even know. I didn't really give Psych my all when I did it for electives, but now that I'm doing this...I may revise that opinion. I don't think (And know for a fact that there are those who despise my being) that everyone loves me. I do know however that I can tolerate a lot. I don't have the patience for children, but I seem to have infinite patience for disorders.
I guess I'll leave things there for now.