Tomorrow marks my third day with Comprehensive Mental Health. This will be longer than I lasted at the Scott Greening Center. So far, I think I'm happy there. I won't start seeing my own clients for another week, so right now they just have me shadowing. I think once I learn their paper work, I'll be set.
The atmosphere seems real relaxed. In fact they don't really care if you come in at all. They make their workers sign an agreement to provide a minimum of 25 billable hours a week (and make sure your paper work is in). You are paid a generous hourly rate for billable hours and you can work as much as you want. The only draw back is that there is no paid time off. Basically it's like running your own practice. You even get paid for meeting with your supervisor (who so far mine seems pretty cool) Overall I wouldn't say that it is a bad deal.
I've decided to do one more interview for a place in Olathe called KEYS. It is for a supervisory position. I'm only considering it because the drive is closer. I also have a pending offer from Kansas City Kansas Housing Authority for a property manager. The pay isn't bad, but I'd have to move into Wyandott County within a year. My goal is to move further from Wyandott, not into it. I'll talk it over with Wah-Wah though.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Goodbye to Scott Greening
After rushing back from St.Louis, I had my third and final interview with Comprehensive Mental Health. By the end of the interview, I had a offer and a start date on next Monday. Since I'll be starting there next week, I'll need to say goodbye to the Scott Greening center which I worked for for 2 days. This is a record for me. I usually last for at least a couple monthes.
It is with a heavy heart that I say good bye. Social Work has high turn over, which is a shame since people rely on you to help them meet their needs. But the salary Scott Greening was paying me was pretty insulting. I've always known that I'll never make millions doing social work, but their salary was well below the standard.
Comprehensive Mental Health has potential to do well. The catch is, I'll be paid for only for time spent with clients (certain meetings are paid for too). The hourly rate is good, but there is no paid time off. Also I can work any hours I want, but it is way out in Independence. So it has it's ups and downs. I was hoping to get on with the adult unit (I'm really wanting to get more experience with adult mental health), but I'm in the children's unit again.
Comprehensive Mental Health isn't the perfect job, but it is a lot closer than Scott Greening. I still have a few more interviews that are already scheduled, that I'll check out. Who knows, maybe I'll be somewhere else next week.
It is with a heavy heart that I say good bye. Social Work has high turn over, which is a shame since people rely on you to help them meet their needs. But the salary Scott Greening was paying me was pretty insulting. I've always known that I'll never make millions doing social work, but their salary was well below the standard.
Comprehensive Mental Health has potential to do well. The catch is, I'll be paid for only for time spent with clients (certain meetings are paid for too). The hourly rate is good, but there is no paid time off. Also I can work any hours I want, but it is way out in Independence. So it has it's ups and downs. I was hoping to get on with the adult unit (I'm really wanting to get more experience with adult mental health), but I'm in the children's unit again.
Comprehensive Mental Health isn't the perfect job, but it is a lot closer than Scott Greening. I still have a few more interviews that are already scheduled, that I'll check out. Who knows, maybe I'll be somewhere else next week.
Concert of the year
I have just returned from what I would have to say was the concert of the year-U2 Vertigo 2005! This year, I've seen some good shows- Keane and Coldplay, but they are pale in comparison. For this show,I needed to drive 4 hrs to St.Louis trying to keep up with A Forrest's driving (we took separate cars), but the show was well worth it. To put it simply- U2 shows you how good music can get.
After I dropped $70 for 2 T-shirts, rapper Kayne West took the stage. Being the rock fan that I am, I've hardly ever seen a rap show, but Bono came on stage and personally introduced Kayne West, so I thought I would give it some attention. I have to respect U2's idea about bring rock and rap music together. Here are 2 artists that make music with a purpose. West wasn't as bad as I thought. Unlike most rap acts, he didn't swear every other word and he actually used real instruments with real musicians.
I've seen U2 8 times over the years, and this was by far their best entrance. The opening song "City Of Blinding Lights" has the same uplifting effect of "Where the Streets Have No Name." Watching U2 is like watching a well oiled machine. These are the same 4 guys that have been playing music together for almost 30 years, so you can tell that they really know each other and their different styles.
Once the band started playing "Love and Peace or Else", the climate got very political and focused on the Third World. Bono had on a head band that read "Co exist" and he talked at almost every opportunity about the plight of Africa.
One particular moment during "Sunday Bloody Sunday", Bono pulled up a young boy out of the audience, probably not much older than 6, and had him sing "NO MORE" during the guitar bridge. I thought that was pretty cool and showed the song's message in a different light.
I think I had one of those surreal moments during "Where the Streets Have No Name". This is the song that builds with guitars and explodes with lights and sounds. I remember thinking, "Music doesn't get any better than this. This is what music is all about. Freedom of the spirit, and no one on the planet does it better than U2
After I dropped $70 for 2 T-shirts, rapper Kayne West took the stage. Being the rock fan that I am, I've hardly ever seen a rap show, but Bono came on stage and personally introduced Kayne West, so I thought I would give it some attention. I have to respect U2's idea about bring rock and rap music together. Here are 2 artists that make music with a purpose. West wasn't as bad as I thought. Unlike most rap acts, he didn't swear every other word and he actually used real instruments with real musicians.
I've seen U2 8 times over the years, and this was by far their best entrance. The opening song "City Of Blinding Lights" has the same uplifting effect of "Where the Streets Have No Name." Watching U2 is like watching a well oiled machine. These are the same 4 guys that have been playing music together for almost 30 years, so you can tell that they really know each other and their different styles.
Once the band started playing "Love and Peace or Else", the climate got very political and focused on the Third World. Bono had on a head band that read "Co exist" and he talked at almost every opportunity about the plight of Africa.
One particular moment during "Sunday Bloody Sunday", Bono pulled up a young boy out of the audience, probably not much older than 6, and had him sing "NO MORE" during the guitar bridge. I thought that was pretty cool and showed the song's message in a different light.
I think I had one of those surreal moments during "Where the Streets Have No Name". This is the song that builds with guitars and explodes with lights and sounds. I remember thinking, "Music doesn't get any better than this. This is what music is all about. Freedom of the spirit, and no one on the planet does it better than U2
Monday, December 12, 2005
My first day
Today was the day that I finally started working after being unemployed for almost 3 months. I started at the Scott Greening Center as a Community Support Worker. I spent most of the day watching another CSW doing her job and this gave me an idea of what this place is all about. Basically, the center is a drug and alcohol treatment for a residential treatment program. The kids are bused in every morning and stay the whole day and return to residential treatment at night. A CSW, meets with the kids and does one on one counseling with them and coordinate any other services.
It's different from what I'm used too. The first thing I noticed was that you don't get out much. Your clients are already there. I also noticed that a lot of these kids don't want to go home and miss behave on purpose.
I liked a lot of the people I met today, but I really don't think I'll be there for very long. I think I might like the job, but the fact is that the pay sucks. It's well below what I was hoping for. So, my job search continues. The problem is sneaking out for interviews. I think I could only use the doctor excuse so many times.
Comprehensive Mental Health wants a third interview to see if I would be interested in an child Case Manager position. I was hoping one day to break away from youth, but I would take the position. It is a little further and it is at a hourly rate, but the pay is much better and it is out in the community.
It's different from what I'm used too. The first thing I noticed was that you don't get out much. Your clients are already there. I also noticed that a lot of these kids don't want to go home and miss behave on purpose.
I liked a lot of the people I met today, but I really don't think I'll be there for very long. I think I might like the job, but the fact is that the pay sucks. It's well below what I was hoping for. So, my job search continues. The problem is sneaking out for interviews. I think I could only use the doctor excuse so many times.
Comprehensive Mental Health wants a third interview to see if I would be interested in an child Case Manager position. I was hoping one day to break away from youth, but I would take the position. It is a little further and it is at a hourly rate, but the pay is much better and it is out in the community.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Woogy
I decided that this blog, I will dedicate to my son, Woogy and some of his accomplishments at 3. He is definitely seeking our attention more. He seems to want to be constantly entertained. I assume this is just an adjustment to Nibbles coming in the family. He has started playing "Star Wars" (something I use to do when I was a kid). He likes to challenge me with his lightsabers. I have to admit, that I like playing lightsabers more than Thomas or Bob the Builder.
If he doesn't want to play Star Wars, he wants to play on the PS2. Of course, he can't even load a game, but he loves to watch me play and share the controller. Don't worry, we are not playing anything rated "m". He also loves to play games on the computer, and this has taught him a little about the internet. He knows how to turn on the internet and click to his favorite site "Nick Jr" and can play almost any game on his own. Not bad for a three year old.
I think the most amazing thing is how much Spanish he knows. He can count to 15 in Spanish, knows all his colors, and can form complete sentences. I think a lot of this comes from watching "Dora" and "Deigo". It doesn't hurt, that his babysitter speaks Spanish around him. I think it is pretty cool that he knows more Spanish now, than I knew in college.
This is the first year that I think he is aware of Santa Claus. On Saturday, I took Woogy to go see the "Polar Express" in I Max and 3D. Even though the movie was geared for kids, I thought it was really cool. The 3D made the movie feel like virtual reality. The animation was spectacular. Woogy enjoyed the movie and began asking questions about Santa. I think Wah Wah is really looking forward to him in believing.
With Woogy knowing how to operate the internet and becoming fluent in Spanish, it's amazing that he is not potty trained. He is aware of what the potty is for, and we have offered him every incentive we can think of, but it doesn't help. He'll be 4 in another six month's, so I'm starting to get a little worried.
If he doesn't want to play Star Wars, he wants to play on the PS2. Of course, he can't even load a game, but he loves to watch me play and share the controller. Don't worry, we are not playing anything rated "m". He also loves to play games on the computer, and this has taught him a little about the internet. He knows how to turn on the internet and click to his favorite site "Nick Jr" and can play almost any game on his own. Not bad for a three year old.
I think the most amazing thing is how much Spanish he knows. He can count to 15 in Spanish, knows all his colors, and can form complete sentences. I think a lot of this comes from watching "Dora" and "Deigo". It doesn't hurt, that his babysitter speaks Spanish around him. I think it is pretty cool that he knows more Spanish now, than I knew in college.
This is the first year that I think he is aware of Santa Claus. On Saturday, I took Woogy to go see the "Polar Express" in I Max and 3D. Even though the movie was geared for kids, I thought it was really cool. The 3D made the movie feel like virtual reality. The animation was spectacular. Woogy enjoyed the movie and began asking questions about Santa. I think Wah Wah is really looking forward to him in believing.
With Woogy knowing how to operate the internet and becoming fluent in Spanish, it's amazing that he is not potty trained. He is aware of what the potty is for, and we have offered him every incentive we can think of, but it doesn't help. He'll be 4 in another six month's, so I'm starting to get a little worried.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)