2022-07-19 - 11:13 a.m.

All kids are awake in the living room. One however has been awake since waking up at 9pm last night.
DAMN I have things to do but think will just go drive to town to pick up the damn controlled substance prescription that is supposed to help with their sleep disorder.
The damn medication a sleep specialist prescribed - again So long ago I can't recall.
Which they needed a designated PRIMARY Doctor to then re-fill.

Its like impossible to get into the specialist without waiting months AND

of course that Dr. does not take the new crappy insurance. She of couse (the Dr.) wanted a follow up to see how it helped. The medication DID HELP when it was filled.

SO I think after the conversation now - instead of working ( as I was about to do!) on the voluteer work
I am going to run errands.

drive all the heck over the place to go to the pharmacy to get it done rather than wait two MORE days.

Heck- I just want these kids to all have their medications that help them to not feel like crap, help get sleep and be FUNCTIONAL.

They are all of this mindset they CAN'T WORK!!

Except the youngest. Who says she IS going to make a follow up phone call to schedule and interview as the kitchen manager said he would do with her this week.

I told her I think it is ON HER to call him as I think based on the inital conversation where all she said was WHY She couldnt yet schedule one "I can't drive. HAve to talk to my mom." and said when he told her he needs servers " I really don't want to interact with people ,I would rather be in the kitchen"

I mean it was the funniest worst job interview ...

I just kinda laughed as was PROUD she is making effort to FIND the job- took the call talked to him and says she will follow up. That is a positive step!
ITs just she seemingly was unprepared without interviewing skills.

Dang this school being remote harmed kids for sure. The depression; the lack of social interaction.

The thing is this kid used to come with me on weekends OFTEN To volunteer and play games when in middle school!! I still get questions about how she in particular is doing from the one guy she would play chess or another game with.

I brought these same three with me and two out of the three were really great at hanging and interacting with the old folks. The one was really enthusiastic about singing and reading poetry during coffee hour! She is a performer ( this kid went to gov school for voice).
They ENJOYED It then.
Then they got a bit older and didn't want to go with me all the time.
The third who was ALWAYS antisocial- I mean that kid is the one later in life diagnosed with autism , would go and have headphones on and sit quitely by themself and did interact and help out once in a while when asked. They did not seem to LIKE IT, but did it capably enough.

My youngest used to be HILARIOUS when she called bingo as you could hear those Bingo numbers WAY Down the hall she yelled them so loud. It was so funny! We all ( That worked there) got a big kick out of her. That is the same kid who was so out of her element with the job interview with absolute shyness and outright social anxiety!

The current kitchen manager is new in the past few years. He is such a good guy- I mean he has his positives and negatives like everyone. I really liked the one before him much and the one before him KNEW all my kids better. This guy is more the typical chef personality ! HA HA

Its been said he is not the best manager. ( That is to be kind. He is when folks do what they are supposed to do. He loses it when they DO NOT do what is expected! HA I know my kids will get along fine with him as they too see things really lineear!! My not very social kids GET it that you follow best practices. They are rule followers. They are responsible when make commitments. They will be good employees IF They know how to get the schedule and I can get them there on time! HA

They also have no confidence in the abilty to get there on time when dependant on me which is REALLY unfair.

Basically YES I run late- but this is a place where if you show up 5 min late they are STILL GOING TO BE GRATEFUL you are there ready to work hard. YES It is BETTER To not EVER BE LATE

But this is also a place where they have tremendous respect for all and SEE people's good and work to encourage strentheing the weakness.

I mean they value everyone and accept what every employee offers. I notice that the management have hired a number of folks with disabilties and make effort to find good work that adds value that they can do!! There is a blind dishwasher. He rocks his job!! ( Seriously) There was a kid with a learning disabilty- really kinda lower functioning not very bright but the sweetest kid and they obviously worked with a job placement at first- I think he had job coaching and you know that dishwasher worked there for about 5 years total and just left as he found a job at a restaraunt on his own as a dishwasher. He came in and rocked his work!! TRUE these folks may have had a longer learning curve but the learned the job and they STUCK with it happy to be working and earning a paycheck for years. They were treated with respect.

I just don't think it abelist of me to tell my neurodivergent 19 yr old they should not ASSUME They can't do the jobs available that they CAN'T physially handle a server job twice a week - that they should TRY IT and see! My 19 year old gets mad I nag them to TRY !!!

I don't think it abelist to believe that there are workplaces that will work with them each in particular and each of my quirky kids will find a good fit. That kid is mad I sent info on the VA rehabiliative services office that works on vocational testing and training and even providing transportation for disabled folks to get to work. My kid says "I need a car to work" I Say
"That is a bullshit excuse"
There is a freaking bus right near our house.
THere is a bus stop NEAR this workplace-
Hell I relied on it when my car was taken off the road as it was fiscally smarter to not pay insurance and for me to work close to home and hop on the bus for $1 and hustle a ride home. There are workers that head west to go home every night and honestly we live so close to the exit it is 10 minutes out of their way and a few were SO gracious would not even dream of taking gas money from me at the time!

They all were women who had kids and who had been there- some still there and KNOW The only way we all rise ahead and move forward is being willing to help each other out.

I mean that is the best lesson one can learn in working a lower wage job.

I think that is why I want my kids to work in THIS PLACE.

Because there is something about low wage care workers. They CARE
They develop a comunity where they work and the CARE for each other.

They SEE each other and accept those who are different. Health care is a professiion that has relied on immigrant women's labor for YEARS as CNAs, RN, LPNs etc.
Not sure about doctors- but among the people delivering actual hands on daily care to others

If you spend any time amoung that group of people in an enviroment where they work together to care for others-

I swear it can be truly transformative.

I mean it will make you see the best of humanity.
It will make you see how there are good people who genuinely will go out of their way to help each other and not compete with each other with actual compassion.

I feel like that alone can be an antidote to depression.

And the beuty of it- is that when it is amoug co workers who become friends. there are not strings attached. I mean really-

There are always strings in dating relationships.

I mean it is like a negotiation when it is with someone with sexual interest- alwasy feels like a negotiaton.

It is so healing to just have the help of folks without expectation of anything in return because they really apprechiate your very PRESENCE.

I mean that is the feeling I alwasy got when working at this retirement community.

I could not tell the kids this as they would see me as hokey or whatever...

think its "Toxic positivity" HA HA

I would be called abelist..

now just joking.
Thankfully I have not heard the slinging of toxic positivity in a while. The kids TRULY ARE Less depressed than in past.
But yeah- I think I will just bite the bullet of spending gas to drive all over creation and pick up prescriptions. Heck maybe the one will want to go to the DMV today.

OK just vented. I will do this today if she wants to go to the DMV

BUT I ALSO will first write the damn emails for volunteer work. Its not THAT HARD but it will take an hr as honestly I have to be thoughful in the construction of the email; messaging; and navigate that i contact system.
OK gonna get THAT Done and then run the errands. As these kids need their medicine!!

�

�