new job

i have been very neglectful of my fantasized blogging goals as of late and would like to explain why. "Who am I explaining this to?", you might ask yourself, cause I certainly ask myself that question every time I blog. Who cares, it gives me an outlet, and we all need that.

I have recently been fortunate enough to experience employment for the first time since October. I must say that it is quite exciting to know that I actually have money coming my way for something other than random and desperate eBay sales. I now have a job working with developmentally challenged adults at a day facility. My job entails certain methods of teaching the clients social skills, independent living skills and behavioral control methods. Although some of the clients will unfortunately never be able to reach higher degrees of independence, we can still help them function better within the society that they desperately strive to be a part of. I am currently in my fourth week at the Center and enjoy the clients very much. I never would have dreamed of having the amount of patience necessary to perform such task. I used to get so fed up with my father, dealing with his situation, that I would previously have considered this one of the last jobs I would take.

In an almost providential unfolding of events, I simply replied to a very vague ad in the local newspaper. The only description was "aides and counselors needed". I applied on a Friday and was on payroll and clocked in at eight o'clock the following Monday. Nervousness was rampant inside of me for the first few days, which as many of you know is not very typical of me. Over the first week, some of the clients took well to me and in turn me to them. Already, its almost like second nature going to work and dealing with the frustrations that naturally occur in any field such as this. However, all of that is overcompensated by the immense joy that comes from the little victories that the clients experience almost everyday. Be it finally understanding what it means to subtract or getting hired for even a few hours during the week, when they are happy, everyone around them knows it.

soon, I hope to get back to a regular blogging schedule, I would like to talk about the shootings at VaTech today, but I am too dumbfounded and disappointed in my fellow man (and/or woman) to even comment on such a terrible atrocity - my sincerest regards go to the attendees, faculty and staff, parents, and fellow citizens of Blacksburg and surrounding areas.