Get up at 9am, get dressed, go to JCC, swim for 40 minutes, come home, shower, do a load of laundry, make lunch, do dishes, clean rat cage, call new group home, post daily chuck.....



then go to work

Since i have started working for the DDSO, the powers that be have been talking about "campus" closing. The old institutional model is way outdated, and units have slowly been closing. Our unit has individuals that have been more difficult to place in the community, and therefor, have been a bit of a tough crowd to work with. My original placement within the organization has been in a unit that gets me looks of sympathy, shock, awe, and sometimes, respect. But, it always gets a reaction....

Lately, the powers that be have really been speeding up the closings, moving units and individuals around. They have made plans for bosses and had them bid on what they want in a community group home. Our boss, Shirley is getting screwed and her theory is if she is, us lowly workers will too. So, she arranged a union meeting for us to find out what is going on. I think there still might be some smoke i am shitting out because of how far up my ass it was blown by the union reps.

Through all of this, the usual monthly set of bids was put up. I have been interested in one particular home for a while, but the last time they had an opening and was on the bid list, it just couldn't be done.

This time, i saw a bid for that home i have been eying, part time, 80% (32 hours/week -- i currently have part time 50%, 20 hours a week). So, i filled out the papers and faxed them in.

Then, i had about 5 days off in a row. When i got back to work on Saturday, a co-worker saw me in the office and congratulated me. Stunned, i hopped onto the intranet to check it out. There it was in black and white, the bid list, the bid i put in and at the bottom beside the word successful bidder was my name. I got my bid. Wow.

Not sure of any of the details as yet. I think i have to call them up and go over there and fill out some papers. But i think within a few weeks my commute will go from 35 minutes down to 5.

OMG

P.S. We got our new roof! And now, i have to call them and tell them we have a leak in the new gutters. *frown*

P.P.S. Here are the chucks i plan to wear today.

I also plan to try to reinstate the Daily Chuck.

Whenever i am at the Botanical Gardens, i am just inspired to snap a few pictures.


Pond Scum


An Orchid's beautiful flower


Can he smell them?


Coffee


Hard to capture the feeling of sitting in here....


Yet it just makes me want to go in there more!


I heart succulents!


This fish was nibbling that plant

I texted a co-worker to ask if i started at 5pm (as scheduled) or 3pm.

An hour or so later, i got a call asking if i could do an ot shift, which i declined, then asked that co-worker when i start work and was told 5pm.

Within an hour, i got a call from the co-worker i had texted. She asked if i could come in at 3pm, due to a situation with an individual and i said i could.

Then, she let me know that a fellow co-worker who had recently been diagnosed with cancer died. He was a good guy. He found out he was sick when he was on vacation, or that is when he started to feel ill and wasn't able to go camping like he had wanted. Then, testing. Then, the results. Then, the surgery. Then, within a couple of weeks, he died. Start to finish, this all happened in a matter of 4 months, max.

I remember going to a Sabres game at work last winter. Found out last minute i was going. Along with us, several other staff and someone who once worked on our unit, but got transferred out. He and i had some good laughs that night. Watching the drunk girls try to pick up drunk guys, by dancing in the hallways. I did a pretty decent drunk girl imitation, and i will never forget him saying, "Lee, you're alright". An understated kinda guy.

Not long afterwards, he was transferred back to our unit. Everyone, including myself was happy to see him back. He will be missed greatly. 26-2 Campus Team will not be the same without him. RIP