Again, this photo has nothing to do with anything. This is my contorted filbert tree. For some reason, some of the new growth is refusing to contort. Maybe the tree, like my kids, doesn't like having its picture taken.
My life is suddenly very busy. It was busy all summer, but it was the stay-at-home life. I love that life. My new life will make me once again appreciate weekends. I've been busy, going to orientation for my new job. I will be a Direct Care Service Provider. Caps were probably not necessary. I have never had a job that had such an extensive orientation.
When I worked at Pelican Seafoods, orientation consisted of the plant manager giving a very stern opening lecture on everything that you could do to get fired. Now get back to work.
Now, working for Partnerships in Community Living, I have a binder with all kinds of materials and classes to attend within a time frame. Today I had CPR/ First Aid. The scary thing about this is that we were told that WE WILL USE IT. "Some of our clients will have four seizures a day and you just have to know what is normal for that person and how long their seizures usually last. But don't worry, you will find all that information in the person's binder at the house". That was just one example. The other thing we were told when practicing CPR is, "Oh yeah! You will get puke on you." So I said, "I hadn't thought about this, but I suppose it would be a good idea to have a change of clothes in my car." The response, "Oh, yeah, and a change of EVERYTHING. ALWAYS. Because you're going to need it." Well, as long as I know what to expect. It won't be that much different than having a bar (or kids). Think about it: seizures, vomit, poop. Sounds normal. The seizures makes me a little nervous, but they said that was perfectly normal, too.
It has occurred to me the past few days, that I'd never worked at a place where all the workers seem happy. They seem fulfilled, happy to be at work, love their clients and love each other. That is a novelty. And a rare accomplishment for any organization.
They use a video during orientation called FISH and it is all about the Pike Place Fish Market, and about how those guys have fun, and that having fun is a requirement of the job. It goes into great detail, talking about choosing your attitude and including your customers in your fun. All I could think while watching this video, besides just noticing what a fun atmosphere those guys do create for their clientele and each other, was that we used to get SCREAMED at at PSI: "THIS IS NOT PIKE PLACE MARKET! IF I SEE YOU THROW ANOTHER FISH YOU WILL BE FIRED!!! THAT IS A FOOD PRODUCT!!!!!!!"
I wonder what the response would have been if someone had replied, "Yeah, but we're having fun and that's what counts, right?"
Yeah, right. I'm sure they would have had a change of heart, a change of vision. Uh-huh.
I also think about what my friend Jimmy O. used to say on returning from bathroom break # I'm-not-sure-because-we-lost-count-because-there-are-too-many-people-working-up-here-right-now. Jimmy was known to bark (tongue-in-cheek, if it's actually possible to bark with your tongue stuck in your cheek): "I'm not here to work! I'm here to get paid!" And often the company was content to have too many bodies on the clock. I'm not sure why, but they were always afraid that everyone would be at the bar, otherwise.
PCL has already warned us that we will not get rich working there. Obviously. But the head of maintenance told us on the first day of orientation that he has been employed at PCL for 19 years and has only worked a couple of days in all that time. He didn't say he was unproductive, but these people love their work, love the people they serve, and they believe that having fun is an important part of the job. The maintenance guys seem to have the most fun of all, being pranksters, they seem to think that having fun IS their job. Who am I to complain? I just wish I were the least bit handy and could work in maintenance. Unfortunately, I'm not the least bit handy.
I've loved my stay-at-home life. The life of a housewife, free-lance writer, amateur gardener. My posts will probably not be quite as frequent. I'm going to try, but some days will be crunched. Some days, my house, my bills (Oh, dear God, please help me remember to pay those things tonight, unpleasant tasks are so easy to forget), my dogs (yes, thank you, Louise, you idiot, for making friends with skunks at 1:00 in the morning on a work night), and my kids, will demand my attention and my time. But, as I said, I'm going to continue to try. I haven't decided on a schedule yet, but my desire to work on my novel is strong. My desire to finish it, rewrite, and finish it again is even stronger. Another goal of mine is to not babble on and on for so long. Like now. I would love to master short, witty posts, but I've always worked in a more "organic" style, stream-of-consciousness, which is why I babble on and on so much. It's not so much my writing as my brain. Unfortunately.
So today, tonight, that is where I am at, that is what has been happening. I may have become involuntarily employed, but so far, I drive a pleasant little commute, while listening to the soundtrack to "Mama Mia" and my good mood has continued throughout the day. And that is a novelty. This is going to be the best job I never wanted.
Posted by: |