Look what I got! My name on the score board!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Spatial Relations
The foster "child" in our care cannot find her way out of a paper bag. She's gotten lost, severely, twice that I know about and based on how long it's taken her to get from here to there on occassion with a special brand of panic on her face when she gets there, I know she got twisted around then too. (The brand of panic on her face when she's been doing something wrong is very different. She's very transparent. The poor child cannot figure out how I always know if she's been up to no good. I have finally figured out how my mother always knew when I was. Then I promptly draw the conclusion that I'm getting old, and I try to think about something else.)
She had an appointment today. She's proud to be driving her OWN car, and proud to be propelling her person to these obligations on her own once in awhile. The thing is, she has to be on time. Which means, I have to know she knows exactly how to go. There is no time to drive 25 minutes in the wrong direction before either figuring it out or calling me in hysterics. So, as you would imagine, I spent a few moments inquiring as to her comfort level about her voyage ahead.
She said she was glad I asked, because when she gets to this road? What way should she turn? Right? And then that road is next? And which way then?
This is when I wish the coffee pot would speed up because I am low on patience in the morning, bless her heart, before I have sufficient caffeine intake.
I begin with the current position of her car, and ask her which way her car is pointing now. It's the 439th time she's started this drill with our own street, but she gets flustered and can't figure it out. Usually, I patiently walk her through it. Step by step, turn by turn, and ask her to visualize this in her head however she wants. I expected the blank and confused look through the first several of these conversations. But I've grown concerned at the fact that things aren't falling into place for her. It's been long enough for her to hear regularly that the corner store is found by travelling south on our street, which is that direction, then turning west, which is that direction, then finding the store on the right. After weeks, when you ask her how to get to that corner store, you'd think she'd be able to tell you. But she can't . She will have an instance of slightly confused panic, lift her hands as if she were about to talk with them, and then start to turn her body as though she's trying to face her nose in the direction she wants to go and have that serve as a tool to describe it. Good Lord in heaven.
So today, fearing that she's just not getting it with regard to direction, I pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. The coffee wasn't even done yet. I started from the beginning, as I always do for her. "When you look at a map, any map, North is always at the top of the paper unless it tells you specifically otherwise, which is so rare I've never seen it." I hold up the pad with a blank sheet I've not touched with the pen yet.
I lay the pad down, and draw one line across the paper. This is XYZ Road. I turn the paper to draw the next portion of the map, and she cries out, "That does NOT make sense!" Dear girl, how does a single line on a piece of paper that is not even labeled yet manage to have a chance to not make sense?
I stop the map to allow her a chance to speak and articulate her thoughts. Because during these moments where the rest of us would politely say, "hey wait, I don't get it," and be very calm, she is OVERCOME with emotion. She essentially screams, "THAT road runs east and west! YOU have it running north and south!"
Again, bless her heart. I was drawing the map in the "landscape" orientation of the paper rather than the "portrait" orientation. I figured out what she meant, and told her it was all okay. The world wasn't ending. I was just using the paper longways, and she'd see in a minute how it fit together.
I drew out the rest of the map while she watched intently, and then I drew a little compass on there that confirmed the basic directions, north, south, etc.
She was very calm at this point in time, and she confirmed the map made sense to her. Then she added, "It makes sense on the paper, but I can't see it in my head." Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself. I told her I'd get her one of those books to develop spatial relations with exercises like looking at a closed up box, and picking the option that shows that same box all unfolded, or showing a shape and picking the option that shows it spun around in another direction.
She replied that she didn't really need that, and "when she grew up, she would just move someplace where you don't need to know the directions to drive somewhere. " Classic.
She had an appointment today. She's proud to be driving her OWN car, and proud to be propelling her person to these obligations on her own once in awhile. The thing is, she has to be on time. Which means, I have to know she knows exactly how to go. There is no time to drive 25 minutes in the wrong direction before either figuring it out or calling me in hysterics. So, as you would imagine, I spent a few moments inquiring as to her comfort level about her voyage ahead.
She said she was glad I asked, because when she gets to this road? What way should she turn? Right? And then that road is next? And which way then?
This is when I wish the coffee pot would speed up because I am low on patience in the morning, bless her heart, before I have sufficient caffeine intake.
I begin with the current position of her car, and ask her which way her car is pointing now. It's the 439th time she's started this drill with our own street, but she gets flustered and can't figure it out. Usually, I patiently walk her through it. Step by step, turn by turn, and ask her to visualize this in her head however she wants. I expected the blank and confused look through the first several of these conversations. But I've grown concerned at the fact that things aren't falling into place for her. It's been long enough for her to hear regularly that the corner store is found by travelling south on our street, which is that direction, then turning west, which is that direction, then finding the store on the right. After weeks, when you ask her how to get to that corner store, you'd think she'd be able to tell you. But she can't . She will have an instance of slightly confused panic, lift her hands as if she were about to talk with them, and then start to turn her body as though she's trying to face her nose in the direction she wants to go and have that serve as a tool to describe it. Good Lord in heaven.
So today, fearing that she's just not getting it with regard to direction, I pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. The coffee wasn't even done yet. I started from the beginning, as I always do for her. "When you look at a map, any map, North is always at the top of the paper unless it tells you specifically otherwise, which is so rare I've never seen it." I hold up the pad with a blank sheet I've not touched with the pen yet.
I lay the pad down, and draw one line across the paper. This is XYZ Road. I turn the paper to draw the next portion of the map, and she cries out, "That does NOT make sense!" Dear girl, how does a single line on a piece of paper that is not even labeled yet manage to have a chance to not make sense?
I stop the map to allow her a chance to speak and articulate her thoughts. Because during these moments where the rest of us would politely say, "hey wait, I don't get it," and be very calm, she is OVERCOME with emotion. She essentially screams, "THAT road runs east and west! YOU have it running north and south!"
Again, bless her heart. I was drawing the map in the "landscape" orientation of the paper rather than the "portrait" orientation. I figured out what she meant, and told her it was all okay. The world wasn't ending. I was just using the paper longways, and she'd see in a minute how it fit together.
I drew out the rest of the map while she watched intently, and then I drew a little compass on there that confirmed the basic directions, north, south, etc.
She was very calm at this point in time, and she confirmed the map made sense to her. Then she added, "It makes sense on the paper, but I can't see it in my head." Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself. I told her I'd get her one of those books to develop spatial relations with exercises like looking at a closed up box, and picking the option that shows that same box all unfolded, or showing a shape and picking the option that shows it spun around in another direction.
She replied that she didn't really need that, and "when she grew up, she would just move someplace where you don't need to know the directions to drive somewhere. " Classic.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Top ten lists...
Top ten worst things about being laid off:
1. I'm supposed to keep the house clean. Actually clean, not just picked up.
2. Not much human interaction going on these days.
3. Recruiters are generally rude and do not return phone calls. I hate this. Why is this?
4. Everyone seems to think this is the time to ask incessantly if we are going to have a baby. You know, since I'm "off" and all.
5. The foster kid has 8 - 12 more hours each day during the week to drive me batty.
6. The dog has gotten so attached to me that I fear she won't survive my going back to work eventually. Yes, she is lying at my feet. Maintaining physical contact all day long. If I go to the kitchen, she goes. If I go to the bathroom, she goes.
7. This will be yet another year we don't make our Peachtree trip. Because we always spend a crapload of money, so if we don't have it, we don't go. Last trip was 2005, if I remember correctly.
8. I have no cause to put pretty clothes on every day. And shoes. Heck, most days I don't even wear shoes at all except to start Aaron's truck in the morning.
9. There are no deadlines, and therefore no motivation for any of the tasks that need to get done most days.
10. I'm not a fan of television. If you are not a fan of television, stuck at home is not a good place for you to be.
Top ten best things about being laid off:
1. I really did need a break. It hurts my soul to admit that, but I needed a break.
2. I figured out I can cook. And I like it. The cost of feeding our bodies will be far less when I go back to work, because we will not fund Chili's or B-Dubs for multiple meals each week.
3. The little things get done. Which otherwise, during normal lifestyle commencement, never get done.
4. The basement will soon be clean. Seriously. This is huge. I will have to take pictures. Then have a party.
5. I have seen certain family members more in the past three months than I usually do in about the span of a year.
6. Aaron can focus on work and school, because I'm home to do everything else. This is actually a very cool thing.
7. A tank of gas in my car lasts two months. It used to last 5 - 6 days.
8. I have time to go to the gym. Although, admittedly, I have not gone once yet. (I didn't have a car to use during the day until about a week or so ago.)
9. I have had a chance to realize that, believe it or not, there are more purposes in life than just working a gazillion hours.
10. I have time for things like this. To actually blog, and not just spend 7 - 20 minutes per day flying through the pages I follow and reading everyone else's.
And with that, I'm off to clean the house. Really clean it, not just pick up and straighten. (hee.)
1. I'm supposed to keep the house clean. Actually clean, not just picked up.
2. Not much human interaction going on these days.
3. Recruiters are generally rude and do not return phone calls. I hate this. Why is this?
4. Everyone seems to think this is the time to ask incessantly if we are going to have a baby. You know, since I'm "off" and all.
5. The foster kid has 8 - 12 more hours each day during the week to drive me batty.
6. The dog has gotten so attached to me that I fear she won't survive my going back to work eventually. Yes, she is lying at my feet. Maintaining physical contact all day long. If I go to the kitchen, she goes. If I go to the bathroom, she goes.
7. This will be yet another year we don't make our Peachtree trip. Because we always spend a crapload of money, so if we don't have it, we don't go. Last trip was 2005, if I remember correctly.
8. I have no cause to put pretty clothes on every day. And shoes. Heck, most days I don't even wear shoes at all except to start Aaron's truck in the morning.
9. There are no deadlines, and therefore no motivation for any of the tasks that need to get done most days.
10. I'm not a fan of television. If you are not a fan of television, stuck at home is not a good place for you to be.
Top ten best things about being laid off:
1. I really did need a break. It hurts my soul to admit that, but I needed a break.
2. I figured out I can cook. And I like it. The cost of feeding our bodies will be far less when I go back to work, because we will not fund Chili's or B-Dubs for multiple meals each week.
3. The little things get done. Which otherwise, during normal lifestyle commencement, never get done.
4. The basement will soon be clean. Seriously. This is huge. I will have to take pictures. Then have a party.
5. I have seen certain family members more in the past three months than I usually do in about the span of a year.
6. Aaron can focus on work and school, because I'm home to do everything else. This is actually a very cool thing.
7. A tank of gas in my car lasts two months. It used to last 5 - 6 days.
8. I have time to go to the gym. Although, admittedly, I have not gone once yet. (I didn't have a car to use during the day until about a week or so ago.)
9. I have had a chance to realize that, believe it or not, there are more purposes in life than just working a gazillion hours.
10. I have time for things like this. To actually blog, and not just spend 7 - 20 minutes per day flying through the pages I follow and reading everyone else's.
And with that, I'm off to clean the house. Really clean it, not just pick up and straighten. (hee.)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Another one joins the ranks....
I just got a call this afternoon from a very dear friend who got laid off on Monday. She had a feeling it was coming, but I can tell you from personal experience it never helps all that much. It's so hard for any of us to not feel worthless and helpless in this situation.
It was great to hear from her, and I'm glad she called. I'm thankful that she was a little more upbeat at the end of our conversation than she was at the beginning. Hopefully a reminder that she's not alone, and that she has friends to lean on helps. She was also in that "place" where she sat there not knowing what to do first. I know that "place" all too well, so I was able to help her get moving. Now if someone could just help me get moving again.... My job hunt has really been at a standstill this week. I'm sad, and I can't get started. It's very difficult to explain these feelings accurately to anyone who hasn't been in this situation recently, if even at all.
If anyone caught the Today show this morning, there was a piece about job fairs all across the country. People camping out in tents the night before. 250+ people spending the night at a firehouse for 35 open positions. The worst detail? Over 11 million Americans are out of work right now. All we can do is pray and wait.
In other (and better!) news, Aaron's job is going wonderfully, and he's liking this whole housewife thing better than I am... :o) But I don't hate it as much anymore. It's really kind of nice for a change. Hopefully a temporary change. I'm not too shy to say I'm still not very good at it. There are no deadlines or pressure or challenges. Therefore, as my brain is wired naturally, there is no reason to get moving. Not a good thing. I've tried to make a game out of it. Sort of like a "beat the clock" game. It worked for ahile. I'm bored with it now and just want to go to work. (sigh...)
Hopefully soon.
It was great to hear from her, and I'm glad she called. I'm thankful that she was a little more upbeat at the end of our conversation than she was at the beginning. Hopefully a reminder that she's not alone, and that she has friends to lean on helps. She was also in that "place" where she sat there not knowing what to do first. I know that "place" all too well, so I was able to help her get moving. Now if someone could just help me get moving again.... My job hunt has really been at a standstill this week. I'm sad, and I can't get started. It's very difficult to explain these feelings accurately to anyone who hasn't been in this situation recently, if even at all.
If anyone caught the Today show this morning, there was a piece about job fairs all across the country. People camping out in tents the night before. 250+ people spending the night at a firehouse for 35 open positions. The worst detail? Over 11 million Americans are out of work right now. All we can do is pray and wait.
In other (and better!) news, Aaron's job is going wonderfully, and he's liking this whole housewife thing better than I am... :o) But I don't hate it as much anymore. It's really kind of nice for a change. Hopefully a temporary change. I'm not too shy to say I'm still not very good at it. There are no deadlines or pressure or challenges. Therefore, as my brain is wired naturally, there is no reason to get moving. Not a good thing. I've tried to make a game out of it. Sort of like a "beat the clock" game. It worked for ahile. I'm bored with it now and just want to go to work. (sigh...)
Hopefully soon.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Happy New Year & Welcome
Hello and welcome to our new blog!
We're glad you stopped by. Come back soon!
We're glad you stopped by. Come back soon!
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