Recently got recertified with UMAB (Understanding and Managing Aggressive Behaviour), which is the training we got at my old group home job. I mentioned before that several long standing employees as well as my old supervisor were fired. Now an old friend of mine is running the house, and she has reached out to me to be more active as a relief staff.
The training was at the Cambridge location, which was much more convenient than the one in London Ontario, which required me to stay in Guelph, and then spend five hours on a Go bus and then five hours back. Regular city transit still had me riding for about an hour and fifteen minutes to get to the Cambridge location, although I got a ride back.
I was surprised that I knew four people at the training. They kept talking about stuff that had happened during the time I worked there, even though I'd worked there for six months and had been gone for eight. I felt like I hadn't missed a beat.
Because my last shift was over six months ago, that means I have to redo my file. That means, in addition to the training, I have to get a medical examination done, I have to get a criminal record check, and I have to get some youth-specific criminal record check. I might even have to get someone to read the manual to me with all the regulations. It's a big drag. Last time I went, the medical examination was $100, the criminal record check was $30, and the youth-specific one was maybe $15. So if I'm going back, I'd better make more than $145.
I also reapplied for my old Summer Program job with Extend-a-Family. I skipped last year because I was occupied with the group home job, but the two years before that I managed to find a position despite not being a student when it is normally a student job. If I get a position this year, it will be the first time I've been a student while working for this student job since I began four years ago.
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Taxes
The past few days have been crazy. Mid-April and we're getting
blizzards that are leaving huge snow drifts. It's a winter wonderland
over here. Everybody's got their snow blowers out, snow plows are
patrolling the city. It's the second time this has happened in April,
although the first round only lasted about a day, whereas this has
been a few days. One day to the next, you don't know what season it's
going to be.
Last time, I was supporting someone and it felt like we were literally fighting a blizzard. This time, I've had two people cancel on me because it's potentially dangerous to be outside.
When I did my Safe Management Recertification, my co-facilitator let me know that I'm the agency's "biggest paperwork headache. Apparently, of the hundreds of direct support people, I'm the only one who works both directly with them, and independently but using their system. Had no idea. I just chose to work with people using the agency if the agency found them, and I worked independently if I was the one who found them. Don't know why it's not more common.
Last time, I was supporting someone and it felt like we were literally fighting a blizzard. This time, I've had two people cancel on me because it's potentially dangerous to be outside.
When I did my Safe Management Recertification, my co-facilitator let me know that I'm the agency's "biggest paperwork headache. Apparently, of the hundreds of direct support people, I'm the only one who works both directly with them, and independently but using their system. Had no idea. I just chose to work with people using the agency if the agency found them, and I worked independently if I was the one who found them. Don't know why it's not more common.
I lost my Wal Mart Rewards Mastercard
somewhat recently. It had $1000 worth of credit on it. Canceled the
card that got lost and had it replaced. Now it's worth $2500. Don't
know why they decided to give me another $1500.
Did my taxes recently. Last year, I
came the closest I ever have to the poverty line. Just have to make
$10,000 more and I'm officially lower-middle class! Only had to work
three jobs, one of them being full time, to make that accomplishment.
I'm a student again though, so yeah right.
I learned in Social Psychology that
wealth only impacts happiness until you reach a certain income level.
However, I'd still need to make three times as much as I did last
year to reach that income level, so I think it's fair for me to keep
seeking wealth.
Although to be fair I didn't work at
the grouphome for a full year.
I made enough money last year that my
tax return went from increasing to decreasing. I was using a $15
service from Turbotax. After putting in my first two T4 statements, I
had a $3000 return, which is higher than I've ever received. Thought
it would really burst up when I put my grouphome T4 through, which
was my largest statement by far. Instead, it shrunk to $500.
For some reason, your return is much
smaller if you're a student than otherwise. In years past, my return
has gone from like, $1500 to $500 after stating I was a student. So
this year, having only a $500 return, I was worried I'd be $1000 in
the pit. But instead, after I stated I was a student, it raised to
$800, Can't understand it.
Tax day is an emotional day, watching a
number bounce up and down drastically with you having only a shaky
understanding as to why. Feels like gambling.
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Creeper in the Window
Finished my final essay for Russian Studies. Now I just gotta wait for grades to come back.
My brother was in some dance recital. He joined a Dance Theatre group and they did a performance based on a three song mashup from the movie Hairspray.
Sounds like it went pretty well. There were a bunch of other groups as well, including Irish dancing, Latin, Tap, Seductive, Contemporary, Jazz, Hiphop, and Sword Dancing. There may have been others as well, but that's what I remember him mentioning.
Last time I was in Guelph, my mother told me the neighbour was staring at me through the window.
They live in a basement apartment, so the window is closer to the ceiling, and to look into the apartment a person would have to get low.
I turn to look at the window, and indeed there is a man squatting and staring directly at me, eyes bugging out of his head, but it isn't our neighbour.
As soon as he sees me see him he runs away. I'm grateful for his absence, but that reaction shows that he's not just socially oblivious or something, and he realizes what a faux pas it is to stare at someone through their window.
I'm ranting to my mom about how creepy that was when he comes back. He motions at me to meet him by the front door. He's got a dead serious expression on his face and his gesture is sharp and weirdly authoritative. I'm a large man, and I'm unused to strangers being so demanding and authoritative on a first encounter. He walks out of view before waiting for my response.
I say, "He wants me to meet him?" Mom's like, "Well, you're the big guy."
Oh screw that. Letting people you don't know, who stare in your window tell you what to do gets you killed. I crack the window open and shout "HEY BUDDY!"
Guy comes back and asks about one of the upstairs neighbours. I tell him, "He lives upstairs and our apartment doesn't connect. Can't help ya." and close the window.
I shouldn't have even engaged him that much, to be honest. Should've just closed the blinds.
Mom tells me "Before you noticed him, he walked by the window with a shovel."
Now I don't fully trust my mother's eye witness testimony because she initially mistook the guy for our neighbour, but the image of him with a shovel certainly does ramp up the creep factor. Makes me imagine him waiting outside the front door where he gestured me to meet him, ready to conk me with a shovel.
Maximum level creep right there. I won't soon forget the image of him, with his deadpan expression and hyper-focused, wide eyes, staring at me, squatting outside our window, with a shovel just out of view.
In all probability he didn't have any ill intentions. Or if he did, they were perhaps intended for the neighbour. But man. Don't stare into strangers' windows please.
My brother was in some dance recital. He joined a Dance Theatre group and they did a performance based on a three song mashup from the movie Hairspray.
Sounds like it went pretty well. There were a bunch of other groups as well, including Irish dancing, Latin, Tap, Seductive, Contemporary, Jazz, Hiphop, and Sword Dancing. There may have been others as well, but that's what I remember him mentioning.
Last time I was in Guelph, my mother told me the neighbour was staring at me through the window.
They live in a basement apartment, so the window is closer to the ceiling, and to look into the apartment a person would have to get low.
I turn to look at the window, and indeed there is a man squatting and staring directly at me, eyes bugging out of his head, but it isn't our neighbour.
As soon as he sees me see him he runs away. I'm grateful for his absence, but that reaction shows that he's not just socially oblivious or something, and he realizes what a faux pas it is to stare at someone through their window.
I'm ranting to my mom about how creepy that was when he comes back. He motions at me to meet him by the front door. He's got a dead serious expression on his face and his gesture is sharp and weirdly authoritative. I'm a large man, and I'm unused to strangers being so demanding and authoritative on a first encounter. He walks out of view before waiting for my response.
I say, "He wants me to meet him?" Mom's like, "Well, you're the big guy."
Oh screw that. Letting people you don't know, who stare in your window tell you what to do gets you killed. I crack the window open and shout "HEY BUDDY!"
Guy comes back and asks about one of the upstairs neighbours. I tell him, "He lives upstairs and our apartment doesn't connect. Can't help ya." and close the window.
I shouldn't have even engaged him that much, to be honest. Should've just closed the blinds.
Mom tells me "Before you noticed him, he walked by the window with a shovel."
Now I don't fully trust my mother's eye witness testimony because she initially mistook the guy for our neighbour, but the image of him with a shovel certainly does ramp up the creep factor. Makes me imagine him waiting outside the front door where he gestured me to meet him, ready to conk me with a shovel.
Maximum level creep right there. I won't soon forget the image of him, with his deadpan expression and hyper-focused, wide eyes, staring at me, squatting outside our window, with a shovel just out of view.
In all probability he didn't have any ill intentions. Or if he did, they were perhaps intended for the neighbour. But man. Don't stare into strangers' windows please.
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Ice Cream and Chocolate
I finished my Social Psychology test, now I just have to wait on my final grade. If I pass the test, I pass the course, and if I don't... there's not a huge margin for error.
Got 93% on my Russian Studies presentation. Just have to write an essay now, and I'm done the school year.
Way back in Canada World Youth, during my rotation in Quebec, one time me and my counterpart, as well as another pair of counterparts and our Project Leader, went out to Quebec City. We went to some icecream place. I wasn't fluent, and when the server asked me a question I didn't understand about a topping I said "non" to eliminate further conversation and minimize the language barrier.
On the other side, everyone in my team is eating chocolate-coated icecream. I note this, and my Project Leader says, "Of course, we're at the House of Chocolate, Chocolate Favoris"
I'm like, "So I came to the House of Chocolate, the server asked me what what kind of chocolate I wanted, and I said NON?!"
During our initial cultural sensitivity training, we had a practice where we were asked to step back from a difficult situation and ask, "Will I be angry in five hours? Five weeks? Five months? Five years? So is it really worth being angry about?"
Telling people about that practice, I offer the example of Chocolate Favoris, and I say "It has been five hours, weeks, months, and years, and I am still mad I didn't get that chocolate covered ice cream!"
When I was carpooling with my coworker to my Train the Trainer recertification, at one point, my coworker screams. I ask what that's about and she's like, "This ice cream parlor is opening up! It's like Dairy Queen on steroids! They have like a million options for chocolate dips!"
I say "That's a bit of an extreme reaction for ice cream. It reminds me of this story where I..."
She says "I finally won't have to go to Quebec City for it!"
"WHAT?! What is the name of this place?!"
"Chocolate Favoris"
I screamed.
They are opening a location in Guelph of all places, and now me and my coworker are going to go there on opening day.
This will be so cathartic.
Got 93% on my Russian Studies presentation. Just have to write an essay now, and I'm done the school year.
Way back in Canada World Youth, during my rotation in Quebec, one time me and my counterpart, as well as another pair of counterparts and our Project Leader, went out to Quebec City. We went to some icecream place. I wasn't fluent, and when the server asked me a question I didn't understand about a topping I said "non" to eliminate further conversation and minimize the language barrier.
On the other side, everyone in my team is eating chocolate-coated icecream. I note this, and my Project Leader says, "Of course, we're at the House of Chocolate, Chocolate Favoris"
I'm like, "So I came to the House of Chocolate, the server asked me what what kind of chocolate I wanted, and I said NON?!"
During our initial cultural sensitivity training, we had a practice where we were asked to step back from a difficult situation and ask, "Will I be angry in five hours? Five weeks? Five months? Five years? So is it really worth being angry about?"
Telling people about that practice, I offer the example of Chocolate Favoris, and I say "It has been five hours, weeks, months, and years, and I am still mad I didn't get that chocolate covered ice cream!"
When I was carpooling with my coworker to my Train the Trainer recertification, at one point, my coworker screams. I ask what that's about and she's like, "This ice cream parlor is opening up! It's like Dairy Queen on steroids! They have like a million options for chocolate dips!"
I say "That's a bit of an extreme reaction for ice cream. It reminds me of this story where I..."
She says "I finally won't have to go to Quebec City for it!"
"WHAT?! What is the name of this place?!"
"Chocolate Favoris"
I screamed.
They are opening a location in Guelph of all places, and now me and my coworker are going to go there on opening day.
This will be so cathartic.
Friday, March 30, 2018
Presentation, Essay, SMG Trainer Recert
I'm done with my paperwork for the fiscal year, I did my Russian studies presentation, I finished my Social Psych paper, and I recertified as a Safe Management Instructor. It's been a whirlwind of a few days. Now I've just got a paper next week, and a test the week after and I'm done with the semester.
Last Sunday I had a full day of direct support work, then I had to get my paperwork into the Extend-a-Family dropbox because it was due by Monday. I couldn't bring it in earlier, because I needed two signatures from the people I worked with on Sunday. So I finish work at 9:00 PM and need to bus over to the office. Usually I just need one bus to get home, but it takes two to get to the office, and two to get home from there. So my one bus turns to four, and it's Sunday, so they only come every 45 minutes.
I get home at 11:30 and still need to finish my powerpoint so I can present by 1:00 the next day. I stay up all night and the next day I feel like my brain is bleeding.
I'm last in the day to present, so I have the whole class to compare my presentation to my peers and convince myself I don't stack up. Nerves are mounting. I didn't even get the chance to do a trial run beforehand and make sure my time is sufficient.
My subject is the psychological impact of being a doctor in Russia during the transition of Slavophlism (traditional Russian medical practices) to Westernism (adopting other European techniques) and comparing two characters from pieces of literature by Ivan Turgenev that we'd studied in class, one of them being a Slavophile and the other a Westernist.
We were supposed to present the topic that we will write our essay on. We'd already written an abstract for the essay, so I didn't have a choice on what to present.
My abstract had been done quickly. It had been due the same day I had to do that abstract art presentation and my field trip report. So I'd been exhausted that day as well. I leafed through the course content, pieced a few related bits together, and had written my abstract on that.
Despite continually encouraging us to use content covered within the course, all the presenters before me had found unique sources, so I was feeling fairly unoriginal. The instructor was giving feedback too, some more positive than others, so I felt like if I didn't really sell my topic, I'd get exposed.
Somehow, I managed to swing it. I was told I had a "very interesting interpretation" of the topic and she "looks forward to reading my essay" without any constructive feedback.
I went back home, decided I would finish my essay right away after I took a nap. Woke up at 4:00 AM the next day.
So now it's Tuesday and my SMG recert is on Wednesday. My cofacilitator is driving me to the office in Oakville where the training is being done. She lives in Guelph so we've arranged to leave from there, so I need to be in Guelph Wednesday morning, which means I have to travel on Tuesday. My essay is due Tuesday at midnight (submitted online), so I'm writing my essay as I travel.
Manage to get the essay done. Wake up at 6 the next day and leave at 7:15 AM.
If you'll remember, I've been to Oakville before, when they sent me there when I was supposed to be in London Ontario. It was the correct location this time. Felt weirdly nostalgic even though I'd only been there one night and one morning.
I was pretty nervous. Each trainer was randomly selected a segment of the course and we had to present it to the other recertifying trainers, as well as a Safe Management official in charge of evaluating us. I got "Limits and Interpersonal Boundaries". Basically talking about written and unritten rules, the importance of consistency in a staff team, and deciding what is and is not appropriate to share about our personal lives and the people we serve. I did fine. I "took it from a number of interesting angles and engaged the audience well". It was honestly kind of a love fest though. I don't think anyone got any real constructive feedback, we just spoke to each others strengths.
Then we had a written test, which was more difficult for some but I got through fine. Then we each had to instruct three or four physical techniques. I lucked out hardcore. I got Safety Position Basics, Safety Position A, Safety Position B, and The Worm.The Safety Positions are the first part of the physical component and basically shows in what way you should be standing depending on the level of aggression that you're dealing with. Basics as just a general rule, Position A for a lightly escalating situation, and Position B for a more imminent one. Simple stuff, and all pretty similar.
The Worm is a bit more intricate. That's the technique for assisting someone in escaping from a hair pull.
I got through it. In my initial training, I stumbled over one of the techniques but this time I was successful on each on the first try. I also did better on the written component this time around. The presentation too, come to think of it. I guess you do get better the more you do it.
Last Sunday I had a full day of direct support work, then I had to get my paperwork into the Extend-a-Family dropbox because it was due by Monday. I couldn't bring it in earlier, because I needed two signatures from the people I worked with on Sunday. So I finish work at 9:00 PM and need to bus over to the office. Usually I just need one bus to get home, but it takes two to get to the office, and two to get home from there. So my one bus turns to four, and it's Sunday, so they only come every 45 minutes.
I get home at 11:30 and still need to finish my powerpoint so I can present by 1:00 the next day. I stay up all night and the next day I feel like my brain is bleeding.
I'm last in the day to present, so I have the whole class to compare my presentation to my peers and convince myself I don't stack up. Nerves are mounting. I didn't even get the chance to do a trial run beforehand and make sure my time is sufficient.
My subject is the psychological impact of being a doctor in Russia during the transition of Slavophlism (traditional Russian medical practices) to Westernism (adopting other European techniques) and comparing two characters from pieces of literature by Ivan Turgenev that we'd studied in class, one of them being a Slavophile and the other a Westernist.
We were supposed to present the topic that we will write our essay on. We'd already written an abstract for the essay, so I didn't have a choice on what to present.
My abstract had been done quickly. It had been due the same day I had to do that abstract art presentation and my field trip report. So I'd been exhausted that day as well. I leafed through the course content, pieced a few related bits together, and had written my abstract on that.
Despite continually encouraging us to use content covered within the course, all the presenters before me had found unique sources, so I was feeling fairly unoriginal. The instructor was giving feedback too, some more positive than others, so I felt like if I didn't really sell my topic, I'd get exposed.
Somehow, I managed to swing it. I was told I had a "very interesting interpretation" of the topic and she "looks forward to reading my essay" without any constructive feedback.
I went back home, decided I would finish my essay right away after I took a nap. Woke up at 4:00 AM the next day.
So now it's Tuesday and my SMG recert is on Wednesday. My cofacilitator is driving me to the office in Oakville where the training is being done. She lives in Guelph so we've arranged to leave from there, so I need to be in Guelph Wednesday morning, which means I have to travel on Tuesday. My essay is due Tuesday at midnight (submitted online), so I'm writing my essay as I travel.
Manage to get the essay done. Wake up at 6 the next day and leave at 7:15 AM.
If you'll remember, I've been to Oakville before, when they sent me there when I was supposed to be in London Ontario. It was the correct location this time. Felt weirdly nostalgic even though I'd only been there one night and one morning.
I was pretty nervous. Each trainer was randomly selected a segment of the course and we had to present it to the other recertifying trainers, as well as a Safe Management official in charge of evaluating us. I got "Limits and Interpersonal Boundaries". Basically talking about written and unritten rules, the importance of consistency in a staff team, and deciding what is and is not appropriate to share about our personal lives and the people we serve. I did fine. I "took it from a number of interesting angles and engaged the audience well". It was honestly kind of a love fest though. I don't think anyone got any real constructive feedback, we just spoke to each others strengths.
Then we had a written test, which was more difficult for some but I got through fine. Then we each had to instruct three or four physical techniques. I lucked out hardcore. I got Safety Position Basics, Safety Position A, Safety Position B, and The Worm.The Safety Positions are the first part of the physical component and basically shows in what way you should be standing depending on the level of aggression that you're dealing with. Basics as just a general rule, Position A for a lightly escalating situation, and Position B for a more imminent one. Simple stuff, and all pretty similar.
The Worm is a bit more intricate. That's the technique for assisting someone in escaping from a hair pull.
I got through it. In my initial training, I stumbled over one of the techniques but this time I was successful on each on the first try. I also did better on the written component this time around. The presentation too, come to think of it. I guess you do get better the more you do it.
Friday, March 23, 2018
End of Semester Rush
Beh... In under two weeks, I have my last Social Psych test, a Russian Studies Presentation, a research paper for Russian Studies, and one for Social Psych as well. On top of this, it's the end of the fiscal year, so I have to have all my paperwork figured out by Monday, and on Wednesday I have to attend Safe Management recertification training. Plus I still have all my contract work, and I have to attend some research participation thing for Social Psych.
Little nervous to attend research participation. In Social Psychology, they like to make tests that state a purpose, but which have a secret purpose that determines that you are racist/sexist/homophobic or a potential murderer based on your unconscious submissiveness. I would like to not know these things about myself, but I get 2% for attending and an additional 2% bonus grade for additional participation.
Just did my final Russian Studies test last Wednesday. First one that I didn't get 100% on, I got one question wrong. It was a true/false question stating that Russian folk music could make a strong impression without strong emphasis on lyrics. Sounded true but it was false. Of course the one question I'd get wrong in the semester had to do with music. I am not a musically minded person.
I'm getting a raise in the new fiscal year for my Direct Support Work. I don't know if I mentioned it the last time it happened, but this is my second wage increase since I started. Of course, my initial wage was under what is now minimum wage, so it's natural that they would have to increase it. It's a little awkward now, though, because I also do some work independent from the agency that is linked with most of the people I support. When I work independently, I charge a bit more than I would if I went through the agency, because the agency takes a bit off what I make, and also because I've been doing this for so much longer than most people and I deserve it, darn it. But now, with the April wage increase, what I receive hourly from the agency will be more than what I charge for my independent work. So when I work independently, I'll be like a discount social worker. That's not a good look.
So I'm going to have to give myself a raise. I've never done that, and I feel like that could develop into some awkward conversation.
I don't know if I've mentioned it, but the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge area has been developing a Light Rail Transit system. It's been under construction since I moved to Kitchener about four-five years ago. It's been a really controversial subject, because the tri-city has put massive amounts of funding into it and the construction has caused a lot of inconvenience. There have been times where I've had to check the bus schedule daily because there were so many detours.
Well, they're finally sending trains over their rails, although only doing tests at the moment. I've seen them in motion, and they look sleeeeeek. They've caused me a lot of inconvenience up until now, but I have to admit, they look good. The stations also look marvelous.
They're getting rid of the bus stop that I've used to get almost everywhere since I moved into my current place. It's not a popular bus stop or anything, but out of coincidence, it goes by people that I've worked with, it goes by my old grouphome job, and it goes to the university. At first I was bummed out, but then someone pointed out that a station is going to be right by where I live, and it's a direct line to the University.
Since I've only ever known the LRT as the source of inconveniencing construction, I have only anticipated it finishing so that it can stop inconveniencing me, I've never really considered that it might be beneficial. Right now it takes me an hour and a half to get to the University, but this Light Rail could make that into a fragment of the time.
My life feels like it's... developing patterns. When I was in my early twenties, I did Ways2Work, Katimavik and Canada World Youth, living in five different communities, and had different job placements in each. I worked in eleven factories during my time in Guelph. When I moved to Kitchener, I lived in the Residence for a year, then student housing for two, then I subletted at a place after graduating before moving to where I am now. When I was in college, my part-time job changed twice. I lived with twenty different roommates throughout college, eight people in Katimavik, three different Project leaders, two host families in Canada World Youth and my counterpart. Even after graduating high school, I changed roommates three times.
I've been living at the place I'm currently at for two years and three months now, which is three months longer than anywhere else that I've lived since turning twenty, and it doesn't look like I'll be moving anytime soon. In one month, I will have lived with my current roommate longer than any other. I've been working as a Direct Support Worker for four years, three of which I've been with since I started. If I go back to the Summer Program for a fourth year, I will have worked sporadically with that program for five years.
I guess it's normal to become more consistent with age, and it looks good on a resume to show that you're able to maintain a position, but I won't lie... I'm feeling like a bit less of a... dynamic character. Feeling a little static in my lifestyle.
Little nervous to attend research participation. In Social Psychology, they like to make tests that state a purpose, but which have a secret purpose that determines that you are racist/sexist/homophobic or a potential murderer based on your unconscious submissiveness. I would like to not know these things about myself, but I get 2% for attending and an additional 2% bonus grade for additional participation.
Just did my final Russian Studies test last Wednesday. First one that I didn't get 100% on, I got one question wrong. It was a true/false question stating that Russian folk music could make a strong impression without strong emphasis on lyrics. Sounded true but it was false. Of course the one question I'd get wrong in the semester had to do with music. I am not a musically minded person.
I'm getting a raise in the new fiscal year for my Direct Support Work. I don't know if I mentioned it the last time it happened, but this is my second wage increase since I started. Of course, my initial wage was under what is now minimum wage, so it's natural that they would have to increase it. It's a little awkward now, though, because I also do some work independent from the agency that is linked with most of the people I support. When I work independently, I charge a bit more than I would if I went through the agency, because the agency takes a bit off what I make, and also because I've been doing this for so much longer than most people and I deserve it, darn it. But now, with the April wage increase, what I receive hourly from the agency will be more than what I charge for my independent work. So when I work independently, I'll be like a discount social worker. That's not a good look.
So I'm going to have to give myself a raise. I've never done that, and I feel like that could develop into some awkward conversation.
I don't know if I've mentioned it, but the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge area has been developing a Light Rail Transit system. It's been under construction since I moved to Kitchener about four-five years ago. It's been a really controversial subject, because the tri-city has put massive amounts of funding into it and the construction has caused a lot of inconvenience. There have been times where I've had to check the bus schedule daily because there were so many detours.
Well, they're finally sending trains over their rails, although only doing tests at the moment. I've seen them in motion, and they look sleeeeeek. They've caused me a lot of inconvenience up until now, but I have to admit, they look good. The stations also look marvelous.
They're getting rid of the bus stop that I've used to get almost everywhere since I moved into my current place. It's not a popular bus stop or anything, but out of coincidence, it goes by people that I've worked with, it goes by my old grouphome job, and it goes to the university. At first I was bummed out, but then someone pointed out that a station is going to be right by where I live, and it's a direct line to the University.
Since I've only ever known the LRT as the source of inconveniencing construction, I have only anticipated it finishing so that it can stop inconveniencing me, I've never really considered that it might be beneficial. Right now it takes me an hour and a half to get to the University, but this Light Rail could make that into a fragment of the time.
My life feels like it's... developing patterns. When I was in my early twenties, I did Ways2Work, Katimavik and Canada World Youth, living in five different communities, and had different job placements in each. I worked in eleven factories during my time in Guelph. When I moved to Kitchener, I lived in the Residence for a year, then student housing for two, then I subletted at a place after graduating before moving to where I am now. When I was in college, my part-time job changed twice. I lived with twenty different roommates throughout college, eight people in Katimavik, three different Project leaders, two host families in Canada World Youth and my counterpart. Even after graduating high school, I changed roommates three times.
I've been living at the place I'm currently at for two years and three months now, which is three months longer than anywhere else that I've lived since turning twenty, and it doesn't look like I'll be moving anytime soon. In one month, I will have lived with my current roommate longer than any other. I've been working as a Direct Support Worker for four years, three of which I've been with since I started. If I go back to the Summer Program for a fourth year, I will have worked sporadically with that program for five years.
I guess it's normal to become more consistent with age, and it looks good on a resume to show that you're able to maintain a position, but I won't lie... I'm feeling like a bit less of a... dynamic character. Feeling a little static in my lifestyle.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Social Psych Test, Old Night Shift Job
Did a Social Psychology test today. Last one was particularly difficult and I had no confidence in it, but I still passed. This time around, I thought I did pretty well on the multiple choice but thought I may have been off-base on the short answer. Oh well, last time I wasn't confident in either section and I did alright. This time I had confidence in one section, so we'll see how I did.
On the bus to school, someone got on at the stop passing the grouphome where I used to work. He was nearly screaming on his cell phone, "They won't take me off nights, apparently no one wants to do it so they never let night shift change shift! I want to work with the kids! Everyone blames night shift for everything! They pay peanuts!"
After he finished his call, I asked him if he worked where I thought he did, and I was right. It was really gratifying to hear so many of the complaints that I had about the position echoed by someone else.
Apparently there was a mass firing, and most of my old coworkers and my former boss lost their jobs. I don't know anything about it, but I assume they all have criminal records now. Kind of glad I wasn't around for it. Not because I ever did anything to warrant a firing or criminal record, but just because.... you don't want to be too close to that.
I told him that I worked there for six months, and it had been about eight months since having left the position. Weird to think that my time away from the organization has been longer than my time in it. Feels like yesterday I was going in to work there.
I'm still in touch with one of the morning shifters, and apparently no one has lasted as a night shifter since I left.
They recently upgraded the buses around here as a response to that series of near-strikes the bus drivers threatened awhile back. So far, this includes a new system where bus transfers are issued from within a mechanism after you have paid cash. These new transfers include a bar code which can be scanned by bus patrons on entering their connecting ride. This eliminates the responsibility of the bus driver to check each transfer to make sure they are boarding within the allowable time of the transfer, as the transfer deactivates as soon as the allotted time ends. It also means that, if a bus patron attempts to under-pay, the system will not produce a transfer. This takes away some of the accountability that bus drivers have in deciding whether or not to let people who underpay board.
It doesn't eliminate all awkwardness though. I've still seen people beg to be allowed to board, and have seen bus drivers concede so as to avoid a fight. The only difference is that the driver no longer has the option to count the rider as a passenger in their system. The new transfer system is also much slower than the old system of ripping off a bit of paper and handing it to a rider, so it has put all the bus schedules back a bit. I've seen a few buses have plexiglass shields for their drivers as well.
Have you guys heard of the Universal Law of Urination? This is the concept that all mammals, regardless of size, urinate for approximately 21 seconds! So an elephant, a house cat, and a human would all need approximately 21 seconds to urinate. At first, I thought there was no way that I last that long (ha), but decided I would put it to the test. And to my surprise, I was exactly 21 seconds! Next time you go to the bathroom, make sure to count, and see if you match up to the Universal Law of Urination!
On the bus to school, someone got on at the stop passing the grouphome where I used to work. He was nearly screaming on his cell phone, "They won't take me off nights, apparently no one wants to do it so they never let night shift change shift! I want to work with the kids! Everyone blames night shift for everything! They pay peanuts!"
After he finished his call, I asked him if he worked where I thought he did, and I was right. It was really gratifying to hear so many of the complaints that I had about the position echoed by someone else.
Apparently there was a mass firing, and most of my old coworkers and my former boss lost their jobs. I don't know anything about it, but I assume they all have criminal records now. Kind of glad I wasn't around for it. Not because I ever did anything to warrant a firing or criminal record, but just because.... you don't want to be too close to that.
I told him that I worked there for six months, and it had been about eight months since having left the position. Weird to think that my time away from the organization has been longer than my time in it. Feels like yesterday I was going in to work there.
I'm still in touch with one of the morning shifters, and apparently no one has lasted as a night shifter since I left.
They recently upgraded the buses around here as a response to that series of near-strikes the bus drivers threatened awhile back. So far, this includes a new system where bus transfers are issued from within a mechanism after you have paid cash. These new transfers include a bar code which can be scanned by bus patrons on entering their connecting ride. This eliminates the responsibility of the bus driver to check each transfer to make sure they are boarding within the allowable time of the transfer, as the transfer deactivates as soon as the allotted time ends. It also means that, if a bus patron attempts to under-pay, the system will not produce a transfer. This takes away some of the accountability that bus drivers have in deciding whether or not to let people who underpay board.
It doesn't eliminate all awkwardness though. I've still seen people beg to be allowed to board, and have seen bus drivers concede so as to avoid a fight. The only difference is that the driver no longer has the option to count the rider as a passenger in their system. The new transfer system is also much slower than the old system of ripping off a bit of paper and handing it to a rider, so it has put all the bus schedules back a bit. I've seen a few buses have plexiglass shields for their drivers as well.
Have you guys heard of the Universal Law of Urination? This is the concept that all mammals, regardless of size, urinate for approximately 21 seconds! So an elephant, a house cat, and a human would all need approximately 21 seconds to urinate. At first, I thought there was no way that I last that long (ha), but decided I would put it to the test. And to my surprise, I was exactly 21 seconds! Next time you go to the bathroom, make sure to count, and see if you match up to the Universal Law of Urination!
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