Comments | lapis_lazuli615: Introduction

lapis_lazuli615

Introduction - Week 0

Nov 18, 2015 23:51

So, I've always been the kind of person who thought that their vocation would be in some type of service.... For years, I had planned to be a teacher. Graduating my Bachelors with less than stellar grades made that nigh impossible, and then I long-term subbed for a year or so. I found out quickly that I loved teaching and the students - but I hated ( Read more... )

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Comments 28

bleodswean November 19 2015, 21:50:08 UTC

I really enjoyed reading this! I'm amazed by your tenacity. And great job on that Masters!! Best of luck with this new adventure!

lapis_lazuli615 November 19 2015, 23:13:17 UTC

Thanks! It's going to be an adventure. My brain was swimming about noon today after dealing with a person served who had escalated, helping give a tour of the facility to a possible new client, and going through only about half of the ton of paperwork I will be responsible for. Fortunately, the afternoon went much better ( ... )

bleodswean November 19 2015, 23:25:36 UTC

It's already an adventure and you seem to have the totally RIGHT attitude for it! There is no question that there is a huge tradeoff between cash and happiness. If you are working at a job (which can, obviously, support you) and it's making you happy and accomplished, that's worth more than the difference in salaries. I count myself blessed in that regard.

Interesting about your communication style - I have been told similar over the years. I guess I come across as exuberant and over-enthused. Not sure why that frightens or turns folks off...but it does. I've tried to tone it down or sideways....usually not too successfully. I have come to learn that it is a certain "type" who is affected negatively by my "type". Best of luck with that.

lapis_lazuli615 November 22 2015, 02:28:55 UTC

The job actually cannot support me, which is the crux of the problem. I LONG to move out (or kick the spouse-hole out) and start divorce proceedings, but I cannot do that while I'm making less than a living wage. What this position will do is help pay the bills that we share, with little left over. :(

Loving what I do is a good thing, but in the long run I need to be out of here and in a place where I can be happy in ALL of my life, not just my workspace.

eternal_ot November 20 2015, 13:57:42 UTC

Reading this made me feel happy for you..very few people enjoy what they do..so yeah, Cheers! to that. God bless. Best wishes..<3

lapis_lazuli615 November 22 2015, 02:21:43 UTC

It makes me happy so far - but it is a step backwards in a life goal, so we'll see how that affects my overall happiness. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the happiness. :)

And thank you!

kickthehobbit November 21 2015, 06:58:12 UTC

Grats on the masters, and on the new job! Welcome back to Idol. :)

lapis_lazuli615 November 22 2015, 02:19:50 UTC

Thanks, thanks and thanks!

kathrynrose November 21 2015, 15:23:52 UTC

Congrats!

lapis_lazuli615 November 22 2015, 02:20:07 UTC

Thankee sai!

eeyore_grrl November 22 2015, 05:17:18 UTC

1. Just fyi, when I worked with incarcerated minors I rarely had to deal with their parents. That was, at times, a plus to the job.

2. Having you admit that you can be uncomfortable with the special needs population is huge. (Well, not you per se, but you know what I mean.) It really is the first step - name your difficulties, uncomfortable moments, fears - then you can learn to be more comfortable with the population.

3. Rock on.

kehlen November 22 2015, 11:29:09 UTC

2. Completely agree. Admitting things that make you feel uncomfortable or vulnerable makes them less so, in a weird way.

lapis_lazuli615 November 25 2015, 04:59:01 UTC

Yeah, I suppose so. It's the whole "showing of vulnerability" thing that punches me in the gut though. I'm not a guy, and this is (sterotypically) more of a guy thing, but I've learned the hard way not to show weakness. Which is kind of sad really, because I grew up with a beautiful example of an open heart in my mother.

lapis_lazuli615 November 25 2015, 04:56:50 UTC

Nods.
I've worked with the differently-abled before, in several different types of settings. But never long enough and consistently enough to become comfortable.
Honestly, I think it's just that I have no frame of reference. I was shit at teaching little kids to read because.... my brain just cannot comprehend NOT being able to read. I've been reading literally longer than I can remember. I don't know what it's like to be blind, or deaf, or not in control of myself. The closest I have to even compare to is my post-partum depression experience - and that totally sucked. I cannot imagine my life if the drugs hadn't helped and I was stuck there, you know? So I find myself empathizing, but still not quite understanding.

I am truly loving my interactions with the large majority of our persons served though. They just make me smile.