byrd

hi folks. so today i'm off to shoot some practice photos with a rad photog who does absolutely gorgeous work!
(eeeexcited).

i had the work week from hell. isn't it funny? you have monday off for a holiday, and the universe says, "that doesn't mean you get an escape from all the trails and tribulations that your average monday entails. no no no..."

my work week began with a bang when somebody reached into their pants durring excercise time, pulled out a fist full of their own shit, and dropped it on the carpet.

and then two people tracked it around while we were scrambling around looking for bleach, latex gloves etc.

for those of you who aren't aware of my current vocation, i work for a non profit that does job and life skill training for the developmenally disabled. so, as you can see, sometimes, shit happens. and really, i don't even get that freaked out by bodily functions anymore.

however, my genious employers (whose backward problem solving skills never cease to amaze me) decided to throw us a really fun curve ball on friday. see, we're a non profit, so we don't have the kind of budget that would allow for us to hire a painting company to paint this new wall that we've built, (also donated) for a new room in this workshop. so, since all this work is being donated, a few volunteers from some painting company show up to paint the wall on friday morning.
the wall is in the workshop where a lot of the people we serve work hanging clothes, cleaning toys, etc. all these items are sold in a thrift store, the profits of which go back to the organization, allowing people from the disabled population to earn a small salary.
since the wall was in the workshop, EVERYTHING needed to be covered with tarps, and all one hundred and some people that work there were herded into the cafeteria to sit. for EIGHT HOURS!!!!!!
here's a fun concept to visualize: take 100 or so people with profound mental, physical, behavioral, etc. issues, many of whom are prone to claustrophobia, and then contain them in a small space for a day.
what a fun sexy time. lots of chaos insued.

now at this point you may be asking yourself, "why would they have a bunch of people come to work when they can't work?"

hmmmm....interesting question.

see, since we're paid by the state for every person that shows up, this "not for profit" org still made money. the people we serve however, the people who are supposed to be our highest priority, did not. no work. no pay check.

i feel really dirty, like i helped contribute to something super skeezy and underhanded. i don't even want to begin to describe certain people's reactions to such cramped, hot, smelly conditions. it was a horrible thing to whitness.

it's enough to make me want to leave my job, but it's never that simple. i'm completely in love with the people i care for, and i can never just walk away from them. i intend to leave once i get lincenced in massage, but even then, i want to incorporate something into my practice that will benefit the developmentally disabled. they have made too big an impact on me, and the way i look at human relations will never be the same.
plus i've commited to being on the planning committee for a fundraiser that's schedualed for july. so i feel sorta stuck.
i work for beaurocratic oppurtunists with their heads up their asses. grrrrrrrrrrr...

i don't know if any of you were able to understand that. but thanks for letting me rant.

viva la fin de semana!

con besos,
ave (byrd)