geminigirl (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
geminigirl) wrote2004-03-15 02:24 pm
geminigirl) wrote2004-03-15 02:24 pm
(no subject)
Something, quite likely caffeine is triggering my asthma. [1]But I'm caught in a cycle-can't sleep, need caffeine to stay awake, caffeine makes it harder to fall asleep, need more caffeine, and so on and so on.
I haven't advertised Imagine this year as much as I have in the past, but if you're local, you should plan on coming out for it on 4/24. If you're not local and you want to come out for it, you should too...it's fun. Starts with dinner/drinks/dancing/etc at Club Chaos on 17th street-usually we have drag queens too. Then we leave there, head into Old Town for dessert....really good desserts, and more dancing and auctions...silent and regular. Cool stuff in the auction this year. A couple of paintings but one of Andy Warhols assistant, some tickets to various events, spa packages, all kinds of stuff. Ask![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
quillon and roosterbear-they came down from Rhode Island last year for it, and had so much fun they're coming again this year. It's the largest fundraiser of the year for work, and it is actually a fun event. Usually I ask $10/person, more if you can, less if you can't, so don't worry if you're strapped for cash...come out, have a good time, give what you can.
And more work stuff...
There's a peer educator who I've had a number of occasions to work with this year. He's gotten kind of close with me, we talk a lot about things that are going on. It's therapy, but informal. I think you can't work with teenagers without getting into that sort of thing with them sometimes. I may be a social worker, but I'm not really comfortable doing counseling on a long term, ongoing basis. (personal note-I get too hung up on doing it "right" and it makes me nervous. My supervisors have always told me I'm good at it though, and I suppose in the right circumstances I could do it...it wouldn't be my ideal situation, but it wouldn't be that bad either.) But anyway...so I'm driving peer educator home from the training he was assisting with on Saturday, and he's telling me that he's amazed at how I am, how I don't get agitated with him when he says things that push people's buttons and so on. And I didn't let slip that he does frustrate me that way, but that I also don't let it show, remain noncommittal, and all that. But he's also planning to become a Marine next year. He's a very bright kid, lots of potential, very strong leadership skills. And based on our conversations, I know he's also having second thoughts about his decision to go into military service. And we got to talking, about his choice, and I said something to him about his constant need to defend his decision, and that it indicated to me that he was seeking approval cause something was missing. After he got over being flabbergasted that I could figure that out, he disclosed a whole lot of stuff about his choice, why he did it, why he was having mixed feelings about it and wanted to know what I thought. And I did in fact offer an opinion on the situation, a very personal one, directed towards him. I don't know what he'll do with that information, I don't know if he'll change his mind, or if he'll have second thoughts, or become more devoted to his choice.
But more to the point...this informal counseling is something I enjoy. I'd love in some ways, to find work in a teen center or something like that, where I'm not doing theraputic work but kind of casual, incidental stuff. There's something inherently satisfying sometimes working with teenagers for me, even if it is frustrating on a regular basis. I miss working in the LGBT youth center-I'd love to do that again, to work with queer youth, doing drop in programs and some informal support groups. It was fun, and comfortable, and felt good.
[1] The fact that I haven't been able to afford to fill anything but absolutely most essential prescriptions-birth control and rescue inhaler for a few months also undoubtedly has something to do with it, although it was fine until I began indulging in larger quantities of caffeinated beverages during the day.
I haven't advertised Imagine this year as much as I have in the past, but if you're local, you should plan on coming out for it on 4/24. If you're not local and you want to come out for it, you should too...it's fun. Starts with dinner/drinks/dancing/etc at Club Chaos on 17th street-usually we have drag queens too. Then we leave there, head into Old Town for dessert....really good desserts, and more dancing and auctions...silent and regular. Cool stuff in the auction this year. A couple of paintings but one of Andy Warhols assistant, some tickets to various events, spa packages, all kinds of stuff. Ask
quillon and roosterbear-they came down from Rhode Island last year for it, and had so much fun they're coming again this year. It's the largest fundraiser of the year for work, and it is actually a fun event. Usually I ask $10/person, more if you can, less if you can't, so don't worry if you're strapped for cash...come out, have a good time, give what you can. And more work stuff...
There's a peer educator who I've had a number of occasions to work with this year. He's gotten kind of close with me, we talk a lot about things that are going on. It's therapy, but informal. I think you can't work with teenagers without getting into that sort of thing with them sometimes. I may be a social worker, but I'm not really comfortable doing counseling on a long term, ongoing basis. (personal note-I get too hung up on doing it "right" and it makes me nervous. My supervisors have always told me I'm good at it though, and I suppose in the right circumstances I could do it...it wouldn't be my ideal situation, but it wouldn't be that bad either.) But anyway...so I'm driving peer educator home from the training he was assisting with on Saturday, and he's telling me that he's amazed at how I am, how I don't get agitated with him when he says things that push people's buttons and so on. And I didn't let slip that he does frustrate me that way, but that I also don't let it show, remain noncommittal, and all that. But he's also planning to become a Marine next year. He's a very bright kid, lots of potential, very strong leadership skills. And based on our conversations, I know he's also having second thoughts about his decision to go into military service. And we got to talking, about his choice, and I said something to him about his constant need to defend his decision, and that it indicated to me that he was seeking approval cause something was missing. After he got over being flabbergasted that I could figure that out, he disclosed a whole lot of stuff about his choice, why he did it, why he was having mixed feelings about it and wanted to know what I thought. And I did in fact offer an opinion on the situation, a very personal one, directed towards him. I don't know what he'll do with that information, I don't know if he'll change his mind, or if he'll have second thoughts, or become more devoted to his choice.
But more to the point...this informal counseling is something I enjoy. I'd love in some ways, to find work in a teen center or something like that, where I'm not doing theraputic work but kind of casual, incidental stuff. There's something inherently satisfying sometimes working with teenagers for me, even if it is frustrating on a regular basis. I miss working in the LGBT youth center-I'd love to do that again, to work with queer youth, doing drop in programs and some informal support groups. It was fun, and comfortable, and felt good.
[1] The fact that I haven't been able to afford to fill anything but absolutely most essential prescriptions-birth control and rescue inhaler for a few months also undoubtedly has something to do with it, although it was fine until I began indulging in larger quantities of caffeinated beverages during the day.