2006-01-14
diary entry
0200 hours. It's raining.
It was an odd day at work: researching policies that other facilities have [if at all] governing consensual sex between residents; listening to someone who'd assaulted people ask to be let go because it was "...all a simple misunderstanding"; commisserating with the woman upset about staff making fun of her ethnic origins (yet still too intimidated but it to identify the taunters); plus making feeble attempts at entering data into the computer that shows I actually meet with people.... and I still wasn't able to leave work until late.
The last part of the work day was the best part; spending time with a patient whom I consider not just a peer, but a colleague in the long-standing effort to get people working with "mental patients" to see the "patients" as human beings, first, then finding out their concerns.
I spent my Friday night, as usual, taking Bill's grocery shopping. Three stores. The PriceRite, a downscale Sam's Club style operation; You bring your own shopping bags, rummage through the aisles for buys on everything from produce to canned goods and cleaning supplies. Then to the pricier Stop & Shop, where boneless chicken breast on sale still cost twice as much [1.89/lb vs 3.99/lb] as those in PriceRite's regular cost. One of the things I especially like are the Polish and Hispanic Aisles at PriceRite. Can't wait to see how these two food cultures will hybridize in the future [Red cabbage and Chorizo sausage? Pickled beets and dirty rice?]. After all that shopping, it was back to Bill's place.
Once the groceries were put up, we watched a movie. This week it was that pirate flick with Johnny Depp, something we'd seen before but it's still entertaining. Depp plays the endearing bad guy, hangs out with evil ghouls but has a heart of gold himself. You know, that strange permutation of fantasy that modern people have about heartless mauraders.
Bruce and I were supposed to go to New Hampshire tomorrow to move furniture but that's been cancelled, which is fine since I have no interest in strapping mattresses atop a Ford Explorer and driving 300 miles in rain, sleet and snow with 40 mile per hours gusts alongside for the adventure. Just imagine this picture on the right with sleet, snow and gusty weather. Fun, huh?
Saturday morning, it was a trip to the gym, with a side drop off to get the black truck serviced. In the evening, I'm off to a surprise gathering for one of the town's elder statesmen who is "retiring" from serving on town committees.
It was an odd day at work: researching policies that other facilities have [if at all] governing consensual sex between residents; listening to someone who'd assaulted people ask to be let go because it was "...all a simple misunderstanding"; commisserating with the woman upset about staff making fun of her ethnic origins (yet still too intimidated but it to identify the taunters); plus making feeble attempts at entering data into the computer that shows I actually meet with people.... and I still wasn't able to leave work until late.The last part of the work day was the best part; spending time with a patient whom I consider not just a peer, but a colleague in the long-standing effort to get people working with "mental patients" to see the "patients" as human beings, first, then finding out their concerns.
I spent my Friday night, as usual, taking Bill's grocery shopping. Three stores. The PriceRite, a downscale Sam's Club style operation; You bring your own shopping bags, rummage through the aisles for buys on everything from produce to canned goods and cleaning supplies. Then to the pricier Stop & Shop, where boneless chicken breast on sale still cost twice as much [1.89/lb vs 3.99/lb] as those in PriceRite's regular cost. One of the things I especially like are the Polish and Hispanic Aisles at PriceRite. Can't wait to see how these two food cultures will hybridize in the future [Red cabbage and Chorizo sausage? Pickled beets and dirty rice?]. After all that shopping, it was back to Bill's place. Once the groceries were put up, we watched a movie. This week it was that pirate flick with Johnny Depp, something we'd seen before but it's still entertaining. Depp plays the endearing bad guy, hangs out with evil ghouls but has a heart of gold himself. You know, that strange permutation of fantasy that modern people have about heartless mauraders. Bruce and I were supposed to go to New Hampshire tomorrow to move furniture but that's been cancelled, which is fine since I have no interest in strapping mattresses atop a Ford Explorer and driving 300 miles in rain, sleet and snow with 40 mile per hours gusts alongside for the adventure. Just imagine this picture on the right with sleet, snow and gusty weather. Fun, huh?Saturday morning, it was a trip to the gym, with a side drop off to get the black truck serviced. In the evening, I'm off to a surprise gathering for one of the town's elder statesmen who is "retiring" from serving on town committees.
PIX CREDITS: 1- PriceRite 2- Depp Disney Studios; 3- Mattresses moved from Strange Dangers | CUISINES: Polish, Puerto Rican |
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