Saturday, October 31, 2009

Busy weekend, Halloween and mid term

Well I have made it thru the second week of school. My brain is partly in overload. Not just did we cover Freud last week but we covered several other methods as well. I have come to the conclusion that I dont much like any of the cognative interventions. Maybe its just that they are more confusing in what they are trying to do or just the fact that I believe you should deal with things in the here and now and sorry but the past is gone, ya cant change it. Carpe diem! Im rolling along fine with my first project and only have a rough idea for my second one and its due first, go figure. Got to get my arse in gear and get some of it done. We have our mid term so to speak for this course on Tuesday, so come tomorrow hangover or not, guess what Im going to be doing! Kinda kewl though, the teacher gave us a review booklet that covers all the questions that we NEED to know from each chapter. We are to go thru it and answer everything and this in turn becomes our study guide. On Monday the whole class will review the answers that we have to study further on Monday night. I kinda looked it over on the way home last night and I have maybe 50 percent in my head, maybe a bit more. That was just a quick glance. What Im going to do as I start to answer them is the ones I have in my head, Im going to type out in black and the ones I have to look up will be in a different colour. Hopefully to put the emphasis on them as I study. Im not looking forward to this at all. Hopefully it has changed since high school, but I used to get test anxiety and end up flunking the test cause I get myself so worked up oveer it.

I have been trying hard at the nightly journal to make sure it is what the teacher is looking for and have asked her to read over a few entries to make sure I am on track. She says I am and not to take too much time editing it as it is only 15% of my mark. But hell if I can get a high mark on it, then it will help if I do poorly on anything else, like the second project or the exams. I think I will do okay but would really like to do well. Mind you if I do really well then I have an expectation to live up too, where as if it is so so then at least I can strive towards a higher mark on the final. Yep warped thinking. But hey maybe a bit of the Paradoxical Therapy might work on me and I will do just the opposite of what Im thinking.

Spent last night doing up some pumpkins for the party tonight, would like to do more but not sure if I will have the time. I like to have a dozen or so around the house but then with school, I didnt have the time to do any during the week. Will see how the morning goes. Have one more here to carve, have to go postal and pick up some eggs from Vince and Cheryl. Put up some more decorations that the girlchild hasnt succeeded in doing yet, finish putting our costumes together and just generally straighten up. I know I have a few that may be spending the night but not sure how many, so I should go and hunt out the air mattresses just in case. I know I have some spooky halloweenie music around, just not sure where I hid it. So far looks like the weather is going to be on our side. Not calling for any of the wet stuff til overnight. So lets hope that we are all spooked out by then.

Oh well, just a quick run down for now. I will make sure to do some kinda blog in the morning after the party cause that will be the fun stuff. Til the morning when the clocks go back!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

The suns out, think I need my own Reality Therapy!

Well its a week into the actual class now and I think Im hanging in. Has been alot of info to take in. Some I understand and some makes little to no sense at all. The first day, I was kinda stunned, feeling like a deer caught in the headlights! It was a simple day really, the rest of the class reviewed their last final, then we had a round of introductions, covered the course, the projects and expectations as well as the grading for this course. After a break, we came back and did a brainstorming exercise. At first I was a little intimidated but then the ideas started to come and I was an active participant in my group. Still felt lost as the rest of the class was using the jargon and I of course didnt have a clue, can we use some layman's terms here??? Each day we have to write a reaction journal, on what we did in class and something that we liked or disliked from our opinion and our view on it. I thought this shouldnt be that hard, ya right, I have rewritten the first 3 days and may still change them up some after getting the teacher to have a look and let me know if I was going in the right direction. She said not to change them again as she likes to see how we progress thru the entries. I think I may still alter them some.

Day 2 brought on ideas of the counselling process and how it all works. Not to bad and got the general idea of it all but look out Hump day cause here comes Freud. I can grasp some of his ideas but for the majority I think this guy was a nymphomaniac. All his theories are based sexually. And I just cant wrap my head around this. He is a psychoanalysts, which is all what is going on in your mind. All your problems are suppressed in your subconscious and you have to dig in to find them before you can fix anything. His different forms of therapy make sense to me but not so much as a whole. Thankfully the heavy theories being taught was broken up with an easier lesson on Thursday. It was on at risk youth and more towards peer counselling. This made sense completely and I can see how many of the ideas would work in a school setting. Thank goodness for a relatively easy brain day, cause I was still trying to grasp Freud. For Friday we dealt with Glasser and his reality approach. This I get and like. It makes complete sense to me to deal with what is in the here and now to move forward in a positive manner. He deals with behaviours hence if you can change the negative behaviour to positive, you can move forward past the problem in a positive manner.

Im glad we ended the week with a theory that was not to stressful on the brain. It should be pretty simple to write my journal entry for yesterday. Nope didnt do it when I got home as my sweetie took me out for dinner and dancing. Guess he figured I needed it and to get my mind off things for a while. It was nice just to get out together for a change, without the girl or the bikes. Did I just say that??!! Oh ya well the weather wasnt the best for a good ride last night, but today the SUN is out and the roads are dry, guess we will have to create some of our own reality therapy today!!!! Mind you that is if we can get the bikes outta the damn driveway. The landlord has allowed Mainroads to bring in the fill that they have dug out of the ditches and fill in some of the swampy holes in the upper yard. After her cutting down a zillion trees it has made quite a few big openings that could be filled. Well that is all good but pretty bad that they decided to start doing so in the friggin rain. Well we have had back to back dump trucks pouring into the driveway plus an excavator pushing the crap into the holes, which has only create a friggin mess at the hill and top of the drive. It is heavily rutted and just like sludge up there now. Even the trucks are slidin to get up the hill and stay the course. Not friggin happy about this! Needless to say if we get the bikes out they are going to turn into mud bikes and they will be needing a good wash when we get home. One would think that they would be a little more considerate on the state they left the driveway in. We arent driving monster machines here that can plow through anything!!!!! If I see them on Monday, Im going to have a friggin talk with them, cause as ya'll know if the roads are dry, Im riding to school and if I cant get the bike out, Im goin be some pissed with them, better yet if I end up dropping it because of the mess they created and left for us!!!!

Well I guess its time to get on with the day, do my homework, move a few more things and then out for my Therapy, hopefully! Tomorrows going to be the shits again so will do some major house cleaning now that Len is moved in. Get the worst of the mess cleaned up so next Saturday will just be a quick clean before the party. Hey speakin of which, I gotta get out the Halloween decorations and am going to have to start buying some pumpkins and getting them carved up for the party. Got our costume idea on the go and methinks it good thing Bear isnt going to make it this year as he may have another episode similar to the blow up doll year!!!! Going to miss ya buddy but understand and you are just going to have to wait for the pics to see what ya miss!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

First week

Well I made it thru the first week of school. I wasnt nervous at all heading there for the first time, actually I was looking forward to it. I guess what they call it on the first week is an intake class. There were 9 of us in the class and all but myself were taking the RCA course. I was the old man out so to speak. So most of the info given on courses was more related to the RCA's with a little thrown in for me. We spent the week doing pretty basic tasks, some simple keyboarding, and using their online system called G2 learning. It was based on finding out your learning style and what type of person you are in relation to learning and study habits. All of this I had done before so it wasnt any surprise to me with my answers. We also learned different ways of note taking and study habits. I was actually a little bored the whole time. The computers were damn slow and I was bout ready to pitch it out a window. How they can have such a large network and yet the system lagged so badly. If we were going to be doing any great amount of work on these things, I wanted my laptop!!!!

Well finally yesterday afternoon, near the end of the day, I got to meet my course instructor and she gave me my textbooks. I am really geared up to get into the class and get going. The class is small, only 11 students and Im the only one that is entering into the class this rotation. I talked with her a bit about the practicums and how they choose the place, as I was told by the director that the teacher works with each student to organize where and what area they wish to explore. I asked if it was a possibility at all to find something closer to home for me instead of being somewhere in Vic. She said that wouldnt be a problem and would actually be helpful to her as she would be able to make some contacts up island for future students. I told her what I was thinking of for a long term goal, which is eventually going into probation but that I think I would like to start within the addictions field. She said that they have had placements in the youth detention center with a probation officer. Now that sounded really kewl to me.
The next block that I will be starting into is all about child and youth counselling. She said that it is alot of theory, which has me a little unnerved. Having to digest so much information when your just starting into things but Im going to do my damnedest. Will be a hell of a lot of note taking for sure and a pile of reading. She said typically that she does the first 3 hours of class lecturing and then the last hour we work on homework or assignments and that alot of the students leave and go elsewhere to work. Now that sounds good to me as well cause I will be able to get outta dodge a little ahead of the traffic. I was scanning the textbooks a bit on the way home last night and some of the statistics they have are staggering. I thought for a minute, what the hell am I getting myself into! But I guess that is why there is a calling for this profession.

I have a feeling Im definitely going to have to set up some kinda schedule around the house for the evenings and make sure that my girlchild understands she cant be bugging when Im studying. Not that she is a huge pest but she does have a habit of showing up and annoying at the busiest moments. Mind you with class not starting until 1, which means I dont have to leave til 12ish, I do have all morning to get things done as well. As long as I have nothing else booked to get done then. Mornings may work well for me as Im an early bird and once I chase both of them out the door, I will have the house to myself. Mind you I think I would still take an hour in the evening to review what we did that day and try to keep it fresh in my mind for the next morning.

So for now it is time to relax and enjoy my last possible free weekend before the real stuff begins. Not that I have a free weekend by any means. Still have a bunch of stuff to get done. Have to help Len get his fish tanks moved and the last couple of large items over here. Tomorrow, I have to head to the lake, pick up truck and crew and get the guys to help move the hot tub over here and of course return them all to the lake. Also picking up a new to me car. Pretty good deal actually for $500, think it is a 99 Achieva and should beat the hell outta the Exploder on gas for commuting. Mind you, ya know I will take the bike every chance I get cause it is way cheaper and has nothing to do with my own therapy! Which I may need once things get rolling with school.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Im a Student!!!!!

Well thankfully the stress has all ended! There were still more loopholes to jump thru but somehow I managed to pull it off. I got the call around noon on Wednesday from the funding agency and was told that the only thing holding up my application was the lack of a letter from Rev Can. And even though I had given approval for them to talk to the agent at RC in regards to the many conversations that I had had with her, he was not allowed to make the phone call to her. Nor would she call him as she is too busy harrassing others for money. Nice bureaucratic catch 22!!!!! Here we go on the edge again not sure what the hell to do as RC was adamant that they wouldnt write a letter and Amber (the funding agency) were not allowed to contact RC for verbal confirmation. Amber did suggest that if I were on a payment plan with them and that they gave me something on paper that that would also suffice.

So back on the phone on the edge of complete breakdown, leave a message for the RC agent to call back ASAP. Then I called Len and started freaking out, trying to figure out a way around this mess. Then I spoke to Mountain as well asking what he thought. He said yes if you are on a payment plan that they do give some kind of documentation stating that, so I would try that giving her a whole $20 per month while in school. He also suggested going to my MLA and see if they would intervene on my behalf. While waiting for RC to call back we finished the job we were on and Mountain wanted us to head to the site he was on. Just before leaving RC called back and even with a payment plan there is still no paper trail to be had. Well phuk me, now what. I headed to the other job site and was going to search out the MLA when Mountain told to me to go home as I was going to be useless to him the rest of the day. He also suggested to go to m,y RC agent and sit there and bug until she did something. Well that is a little impossible as she is in Surrey. I head out with either the intent to track down the MLA or head to Vic and see if I can get someone there to write a damn letter.

I fly in the door to change my clothes and grab the bike as parking is easier and can get thru traffic better as now Im on a tight schedule to get there before they close. Just as Im about to jump the bike the phone goes and it is RC. Half an hour later and under some strict guidelines she agrees to send a letter stating my life history just about and the agreement we have made. Hope the hell it is sufficient for Amber. She said she would fax it directly to them for me and mail me the original. I called Amber to let them know that something would be coming within the hour from RC.

Now the waiting game continues. I went to the post office and when I arrived my phone was beeping a message, I listened and it was Amber please call back. OK is this good or bad, will call when done in the post office. While finishing up in the post office the phone goes off again and I answer. It is Amber again, he is calling to let me know that he got the letter from RC and yes it is sufficient. And so that I dont have another sleepless night, YES Im approved for funding!!!!!!!!
Hurray this means Im going to school!!!!

Well from all the stress and tears and ups and downs, I succeeded in cutting thru the red tape and got the funding I required. Now I got tears of happiness going on. What a friggin roller coaster ride, let me tell you.

Few more papers to sign at both the school and Amber and I start my first day on Tuesday in Victoria. I will be working towards a diploma as a Community Support Worker - Social Services and then eventually may look into taking the course at the Justice Institute for being a Probation Officer, but that is down the road a ways.

This is going to be a big change for me, starting school again 20 years outta high school, but I know if I got thru all this crap then Im sure I can pull it off!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

On Pins and Needles

Well it has been a few weeks now and I have been busying myself trying to get things done to get into school and receive the funding. I have filled out all the required forms and made appointments for all of the pre requisites. I received the letter from my doctor stating I was capable of taking the course. I booked the appointment for the TB testing but still have to wait for that day to arrive. I applied for my criminal record check, but this seems to be a problem for some reason. I have never in the past had any problems with getting one and it is usually done overnight. It has been 2 weeks and it still isnt done. Getting a little anxious here waiting for it. Hope the hell my past isnt resurfasing for some reason and if it is that it doesnt affect my chances of getting into school or getting work. I have been back to the job councillor twice and done everything that she requested and managed to complete the application forms and addition market research information needed to apply for the funding. Finally yesterday I turned in my application for the funding. Only thing there is a hit with Revenue Canada. Yep I owe them money and the funding program usually requires a `comfort Letter`from them stating that they will not attach to the training monies. Well my damn case worker wont write any such letter even if she says that she wont go after any of the monies. She told me that it is not in their forms, letters etc, they have no such thing! But yet for some reason to all the others that I have been dealing with, they seem to think this iss a completely normal thing for Rev Can to do. So my only option was to include her name and number with my application so that they can call and speak to her if need be. I swear if it wasnt for bad luck I would have no luck. Everytime things look good and seem to be working out, I get thrown another twist that I have to try and solve. So for now, Im in the process of waiting on my crim check, the TB testing and praying the funding comes in. The biggest being the funding, but I guess dependant on what comes back in the check that may affect me as well.

I also found out when I saw my job councillor that, I could not be on a medical EI claim if applying for funding. So even though I had got it reinstated and was a little more relaxed knowing that I would have some money to pay the bills, I had to cancel the claim. So of course that just tightens the strings even more on me as I have absolutely no income for this month besides the regular dribbles that I get from Child tax and GST credits as well as my minimal maintenance cheque.

I left the funding service yesterday after turning in the application, relieved that it was done, but also on pins and needles that I need to wait til the end of the week to here if Im approved. Nothing I can do but wait now. Came home to a message from the RCMP in regards to my check and she explained to me what the hold up was and that supposedly they are digging further into my past to see exactly what was there from my teens! Why I have no idea, never had it happen before. She said she would be back to me in a day of so. Great now I have to worry about this. Oh well not much I can do but wait.

I ended up going down to Vic to keep myself busy and help Len on his job. I decided to be nice and ride his bike down instead of mine. Yep just for fun but also so that he could ride home at the end of the day instead of fighting traffic in the truck. Yep sometimes Im just too nice! LMAO Made his day to get to ride home that was for sure after the stressful day he had fighting the tiles he was working on. We got home to another messsage. This time it was from the funding people! Oh fuck is this good or bad. He told me a couple days to go over the application and that I would prolly hear back on either Wednesday or Thursday, not that afternoon! I listened to the message and all it was, was a request to call back, no "in regards to"! Damn it all, now I have something else to dwell on over night!!!!

Dwell I did, I havent been sleeping the best since I found out that my EI claim was finished and hope and pray that every night I will get a good nights sleep. Most have been a labour to say the least. but yep last night my head was going. A million things rolling through my brain, did I fill something out wrong, has Rev Can decided to be an ass, I didnt do enough market research for the job Im potentially heading for and worst of all had dreams or flashbacks of my shitty past and what my crim check is going to come back with. For crying out loud, it was over 20 years ago and people change. I am surely not the scared, naive teenager that I once was! Well all I can do is wait til 830 when the funding office is open and call back to find out. Of course Im thinking the worse because the call was just to soon for an approval but maybe just once things will be positive for me and Im not going to have to do more running around to get my application approved.

All of this on my head and then trying to keep Len calm with trying to move his things. Yep those that dont know, he is moving in. No sense in paying 2 rents and utilities when we are always together at one or the others house. Most of his things we have been slowly moving over. His office and bedroom are here as well as all of his tools for work. Of course I have a 2 bike garage now, so that gives me an option on what bike I might choose to ride each day! LOL Well of course as long as he isnt riding. We disassembled and reassembled his shed on Saturday and it is here now. So just a few minor big things that have to be dealt with, the worse being the fish tanks oh and the hot tub! The later I have sorted out though. I can use one of the flat beds from Mountain and I think I have bribed most of the crew to come and lend a hand in a couple of weeks to help us out. In return they will get burgers and beer. Fair deal for an hours work especially on a non pay weekend when they may be wanting a beer or 2. we will be working on having mostly everything done by the 24th, as the following weekend is Halloween and we are hosting this years haunted soiree for our friends.

So for now Im sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear if Im going to start school next week. If I do great! If not then some one is surely going to need to call in the men with the pretty white jackets, cause Im surely going to go off the deep end!