Tales of the Unemployment Office

For most of my life I have walked around convinced that there must be a hidden camera on me with all of the wild things that I go through!   At this stage of my life, experiencing the loss of a job, I find myself in a whole other realm of strange: the unemployment office.

Not only is that place the best EVER for people watching, it's just a great arena for gut laughing!   Let's take today, for instance.  You must go through a "class" in order to learn how the whole system works and what you need to be doing to find a job.  If I don't know the latter by now, I'm in serious trouble, but onward I go because....I want a good laugh.  I need and deserve it!!

Our "teacher" for the day was there to show us the ropes of unemployment...we were his captive audience for 1.5 hours.   He insisted that we begin the class with all of the "negative stuff" so he could "get it out of the way".  Oh yay...just what I wanted more of:  NEGATIVITY!!   He then proceeded to let us know that there are three kinds of "C" people who come into the office: criers, cussers, and complainers.  Really??  You are talking about people who are out of WORK!  I felt like standing up and saying, "Hey, I'll give you all three just to prove your point and spice up this presentation if I have to!"  I'm a bit amazed at how must disdain I've seen there over the last few weeks.  One worker told a GROWN MAN, "Hey, let's not have another day of attitude, okay?"  Shaking my head...that's what I do most of the time!!

Upon discussing the dos and don'ts of looking for work, our teacher told us, "Now look, people...PLEASE make sure you use an appropriate email.  Make sure it is professional and gives a good impression of you.  I like to use the example of a man who was looking for a job with the email ANTISOCIALTOKER.  So already you've told that employer that you, first, don't like people and second, that you smoke pot!  Is this going to get you a job??!!"  I laughed out LOUD at that one and then asked for a pen, indicating that I needed to write that one down!

One worker today said to me, "You know, you don't look like you belong here."  I replied, "None of us "belong" here in reality, do we?  And just what makes a person look like they "belong" here?"  She didn't have answers, of course.

Friends, I've come to realize that I sort of DO belong there....for laughs, if for no other reason!!

Shot of Courage, Within Reach

There is a picture that I keep close by within reach.... for when I need a shot of courage.  Sometimes we find ourselves doubting...wondering what we are really made of and if we can jump over the next hurdle, whatever it may be (and there are many, huh??!!)  Seeing this picture reminds me of who I was when it was taken.  It takes me back to a time when I had a big task ahead of me.

This picture was taken 23 years ago when I worked in an after school program with Catholic students who couldn't receive speech therapy in their schools.  This little guy was in kindergarten at the time and was on my caseload.  After meeting him, I quickly realized I had my work cut out for me.  Only having vowels in his speaking repertoire, he could be understood by nobody....not his family, his teachers, or what friends he had at school.  His mother, who brought him to therapy each week, told me that she nor her husband could communicate with him and that it was tearing them apart.  Time was ticking on and nobody could help him, it seemed.

I gripped the steering wheel all the way home that evening and dragged out every book I ever had in college, looking for the recipe on how to help him.  He wasn't like any child in those textbooks, or one I had ever had in clinical rotations a mere few years earlier.  I came to the swift conclusion that he deserved another therapist....one with more experience and knowledge, but I was the one with the file.  So....I cooked up a plan, threw in every possible ingredient that I knew of, said a quick prayer for mercy and prepared myself for the task ahead.

Over the that school year that little guy worked...hard.  His family sat in on numerous sessions and worked...hard.  We worked side by side....hard.  Little by little, week by week, a whole new world opened up for all of us.   At the end of the school year, his mother invited me to his kindergarten graduation.  I was overcome with excitement sitting in the auditorium that spring evening.  Some children had speaking parts, and my guy was one of them.  I waited anxiously for his turn at the microphone.  His face lit up, seemingly surprised at what he was hearing himself say.   What came out of his mouth was, to this day, the sweetest symphony I've ever heard.   His father whispered a thank-you, through  his tears.  I replied that he was welcome...and that it was my job.  What came out of his mouth next is something I have never forgotten: "You did more than a job.  You gave me back my son.  I can talk to him now...I know what he thinks and how he feels.  I never knew any of that before."

I got curious one day about 13 years after this picture was taken and called this family.  Turns out he was ready to graduate high school and head off to college...on a scholarship...possibly pre-med.  His mom told me they spoke of his therapy often, wondering what had become of me.  I assured her I was still alive and kicking!

Today, when I look at the picture of this girl, I see a few things (other than the fountain of youth!):  She was nervous, but she had a plan.  She was unsure, but she took the reigns.  She needed success, and she made it happen.  That's why I keep the picture close by....because I'm still that girl.

What are you reaching for when you need courage?

Play a While...

When was the last time you played?  I don't mean cards or a game of tennis, but I mean REALLY played?  If you work with kids (or have them) then likely you play quite a bit....and isn't it fun??  When did we stop playing and why??  I ask this because a few days ago I was shopping in Goodwill (one of my favorite stores, BTW) and came across a bag of dinosaurs and a sundry of other little toys....a zebra, army man, palm tree, etc.  I was thrilled because toys are a mainstay for a speech therapist.  When I got home, I made some animal soup to clean them up.

They had to dry off, so onto a towel they went.   I sort of forgot them until my son....not a little guy at age 19...came in and saw them there.  He said, "I remember having some of those!  I think I had this one...and that one....but what did I DO with them??"  I said, "You PLAYED with them!!!" He looked rather puzzled by that replying, "How do you PLAY with these??"  Typical of kids (and they are all kids when you are 51!) today who just don't PLAY with things anymore.  They text, play video games, or whatever it is, but they don't PLAY with things like they should!  That's why I love working with young kids....you can play even the silliest games with them and they just eat it up!

So anyways, the next morning I woke up and inspected my toys chilling out on the towel and noticed something....there was a little arrangement set up that hadn't been there the day before!!  I smiled to myself because I knew what had happened.

My son decided to PLAY a while....even if for just a moment.  I asked him later about his encounter and he sheepishly said, "I kinda liked it!"  Of course he liked it!!  Who doesn't enjoy PLAYING??!!!

Your takeaway for the day:  Just forget what's up in your life and play a while.  Play anything.  Just play!!!

Here's What

I'm not new to blogging, but this one  is going to be a whole new experience for me.  I have another blog where I unleash my artsy side...the things I make, redo, and transform.  But that blog has gotten to be too much  pressure for me.  There's a lot of talented people out there and keeping up with the Jones' isn't easy!

So....that leads to the reason for this blog.  I find myself at a place in life where I never thought I would be: unemployed.  Up to this point, I've held quite a few jobs.   I've worked for a newspaper and sold cemetery plots over the phone.... at night....in a building AT the cemetery.  I've waited tables, sold clothing and shoes, and been a lifeguard.   Most of my life has been lovingly spent working as a speech-language therapist.  Twenty years ago I decided to learn sign language on a dare from a co-worker and entered a night school program to embark.  That sent me down a whole new path of working with deaf children and consequently deaf adults, which I've greatly loved and considered to be the highest honor in my illustrious career.   Recently at my school where I worked there was a reduction in force.   Since I had the least number of years there, I was let go.  I'd like to tell you I've taken it like a champ, but in reality, it has rocked my world.  Now I find myself on a new path and I'm determined to make it a colorful one.  Life is colorful....you just gotta keep your eyes open!  That's what I'm going to do here: report what I see with my eyes wide open.  While I do find myself "under the bus" sometimes, I also find myself in the driver's seat just as many.  This blog will give you a glimpse of both positions.

There's only one rule for this blog that I've set up for myself:  I won't write anything here that I wouldn't be willing to say face to face.  That way, at least I can sleep a bit better at night.  I can't promise you that it's going to be stuff that will have you on the edge of your seat, but if I can make someone reflect, ponder, smile or laugh from the gut, then I did my job in that post.

Welcome to the path!