I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

CherrylH

Trained social workers are even more "narrowminded"  than what, Athena. I am a former social worker and I ama damn openminded, well educated, well read individual. I'm proud to be the latest profession to be labeled a "menance" to society, joining  teachers, police, fire fighters and other union thugs.

Chickadee

How the heck did this descend into a union thug issue? Every profession and job has star performers and headaches.





Former union thug here.

YramAL

I think we all know people in all professions who give a damn and do a good job. We all know people who just put in the time to get the paycheck. When it becomes tragic is when the job involves the care and welfare of children. I know many, many, teachers, social workers, counsellors, and SLPs who do the best they can with the limited resources today's schools have. I've known a few that are just putting in their time. 

Making generalizations is not cool. 

Bartender-I'm sure you were(and are) a damn fine social worker.

Union thug here,

Mary

pip57

Chickadee...you are sooooo boring!

Suzie...that news item made me cry.  It is like the heavens are yelling at us all to stop the violence!

Chickadee...your baby and puppies made me smile again.

3monstmama...so sorry about your mom.  I have done a lot of hospice work and seen some deaths (including my own daughters).  It is such a spiritual moment and emotionally tragic at the same time. 

IllinoisLady

3 monstmama....I doubt you will have time to come back here, but wanted to say you'll be in my thoughts.  I know what you mean about the body as a container.  Our souls would not look right if we did not have a body to attach them too while we are here on this journey and when we have used them up we continue further on the journey no longer in need of the covering. 

Peace & Love,

Jackie

IllinoisLady

Trying to put some info in here and hoping it opens like a link.  I thought the first read was very interesting.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

The study the NRA’s top Washington lobbyist hopes you won’t actually look up.

Teenager who performed at the Inauguration last week was gunned down yesterday in Chicago.

Senator catches the NRA’s top Washington lobbyist in an epic flip-flop on background checks.

GOP senator: people need to arm themselves because GOP-forced budget cuts will mean fewer cops.

Missouri bill would force all first-graders to take NRA-sponsored gun class.

Communism, polygamy, and human cloning are more popular than NRA lobbyists’ position on gun violence.

Republican witness claims mothers need an AR-15 assault rifle to defend their children.

Meet the nine year-old girl who would likely still be alive today if high-capacity magazines were illegal.

Another shooting happened as the Senate held its hearing on gun violence.

 

Jackie

 

suzieq60

3monst - I'm so sorry for your loss - hang on to the memory of your happy trip to Europe.

ananda8

3monstmoma

May you be well in this difficult time.

Metta,

notself

GatorGal

Chickadee, so happy for your boring results! Boring is always good.

3momstmama, so sorry for your loss. It does sound like your mom did it her way and we have to respect that.

Have enjoyed reading your thoughts and links about the death penalty and gun control. Loved the cartoons.

Thinking of all of you who are going through treatment changes and upcoming tests. For me, the taxol is pretty easy other than neuropathy. Left foot is the worst.

Flying to Florida to my moms on the 4th and back on the 11th. She and her DH are having some major health issues. I get to talk to them about the possibility of assisted living. He has a mass on his pancreas that is being treated for an infection. I would have insisted on a biopsy.

Oh, those baby and puppy pictures brought smiles to my face and I am loving Wendell.

Reading this thread is always a treat. Binva, Thinking of Bren always.

1Athena1

((((3monst)))), I am so sorry for your loss...I know your mother was struggling with this for a long time. I suppose we often choose paths that are hard for others to understand when it comes to illness and how we treat it.

May your monsters keep you company in these hard times.

1Athena1

(((((Bartender))))), I bet you are a wonderful pastor and social worker and that you've made a difference to the lives of everyone you have ministered to.

I am sorry for saying social workers were narrowminded - I was projcting from some awful encounters (I HATE when I project!!).

But echoing what others are saying about how all professions have their good and bad lots, I do remember some heroic social workers I came into contact with years ago and I am shocked that I didn't remember. My more recent encounters have been so negative that they obscured those - the brain is unfair sometimes.

The two situations that come to mind --I should be ashamed of myself, these people were heroes- involve social workers in areas where society had really broken down. This was in another country. The first one was a town that became a target of violence between guerrillas and paramilitary groups. This particular group was the only entity that was trying to look after the welfare of all. The second instance involved the social workers at a home/drop-in center for child prostitutes in a very large city. The social workers spent much of their day convincing these girls to get off the streets, taking them in and getting them in school, well fed and clothed. They had to fight an uphill battle against pimps and others trying to get the girls back on to the streets.

In both cases, the soial workers were puting their lives at risk, as they were surrounded by real "thugs" would wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet through their head. In a few cases, they doid indeed end up giving their lives, as they were caught in the crossfire.

I will just close with this:

WATCH OUT FOR CRAZY PEOPLE - especially bipolar!

They are ALL nuts.

And that, my friends, is a valid generalization.

alexandria58

(((3monst)))  So sorry about your mother.  Wishing you peace and comfort.  Mothers never really leave us.  Mine has been gone for four and a half years, but she's as alive in my thoughts as she ever was.

Bartender - as I tried to say - the majority of caseworkers did care and tried their best under adverse circumstances, but I did have some bad experiences.  That could be said for all professions, though.  I will further say, though, that we as a society do not value social workers - or teachers -  we do not pay them enough and we dump so much work on them that it is difficult for them to perform well.

RetiredLibby

3M, I, too, am sorry for the loss of your mother. Life is change, we continue to learn, and change is hard. Wishing you peace and all the help you need in making this particular transition.



Have never had experience with social workers, but have always admired those who chose the profession and did a good job at it. There are slackers in every profession, and I don't judge whole categories by the bad ones (otherwise I would loathe teachers, given my fourth-grade teacher who truly hated children). I briefly considered becoming a social worker when choosing a college major, but decided in short order that I would bleed to death and I didn't have the inner strength to cope with what I would find. My hat is off to those who did!



L

Belinda44

Good morning, all!

Chickadee, so glad you had good results at your doctor's visit.

3monst, so sorry for your loss.  Be sure and take good care of yourself during this stressful and hectic time.

bluedahlia

Union thug here too!  Thank God!

The only true constant in life is change.  So true HL.

IllinoisLady

I have to admit to lumping within a category.  It is the poorest results ( teachers, social workers, Dr's, etc. ) that tend to stand out more and grab attention.  I do know ( my boss is a retired teacher from last yr. ) that often rules and government standards are changed making a difficult job at times even more so.  It is seldom that those more outstanding get recognition for it.  Even then, I think for the best it is a real calling and so major recognition is not the end product they seek.  Easy to forget sometimes  when failures in the system get all the attention. 

Not that they would ever know but hats off to those who truly lead with the love of their profession and seek to do the right thing, with the only recognition a positive outcome.  We are blessed by the many who live just that way. 

Jackie

spell checker is not in the above category.

1Athena1

Belinda, that's so sweet!

Bren-2007

Morning Gals,

Did everyone survive the storm last night?  OMG .. I was so scared ... the rain was coming down sideways and the wind was fierce.  We have a lot of branches down but that's the only damage.

Monstamom .. I am so sorry for your loss.  It is so hard to lose a parent.  I still miss my dad so much.

Belinda .. Thanks for the picture this morning.  Glad to hear the big "U" has my back today.

I'm a happy camper .. have lots of work to do today, so I better get to it.

hugs,

Bren

pupmom

Three monsts I don't remember if I have given you my condolences and a big (((HUG))) (Aromasin brain and too many pages to search). But whether I did or didn't I want to now. I have lost both my parents, and although they lived very long lives, dad passed at 93, mom at 86, I still sorely miss them. Lately I've been dreaming about being with them again and really believe they have been visiting me. Take care of yourself!

YramAL

3monstmama-big hugs for the loss of your mom and everything that goes with it. I'm thinking of you.

You said something about really realizing that the body is just a vessel for the soul(or something like that) when you viewed your mom's body after she died. I remember thinking that when my brother passed away before I was able to get there to say goodbye. What was on that bed certainly wasn't him-it was just a container. Our spirits move on.

Mary

QuinnCat

3monst - so sorry.  So many things in this message about your dear mother.  I appreciate you sharing this experience with us.  She was lucky to have you by her side, but then again, she probably had a hand in raising a daughter that would be there for her like you were.  xxo

CherrylH

Athena,

I apologize for over reacting. I am so tired of teachers, police, fire fighters and other public sector workers being marginalized and maligned by tea baggers that I blew it. I'm proud of my training and time spent in social work. I think I made a difference for the better in a few lives.

1Athena1

I don't doubt that, bartender!

I am also tired of hearing hard-working (often overworked) teachers, firefighters, etc... be maligned and then be practically set up for failure because they are not given the resources they need by tea baggers/Grover Norquist followers. Hugs to you!

crazy4carrots

Athena -- You might add embassy and consulate (see Benghazi) staff to your list.......

Good morning, all.  After a balmy day (high 50's F) yesterday, we're back to slightly below zero temps with gusty, gusty winds here in Niagara.  I was shocked to read about the tornadoes in Georgia yesterday.  Wondering if those Georgia congressmen who voted against disaster funding in NY and NJ will be coming to the feds with their hands out for funding to repair the damage done yesterday.......

To 3monst:  These last few years have been darn hard for you.  Take comfort from the fact that you have a most loving husband, and that your little "monsters" are truly angels, thanks in large part to you.

bluedahlia

I'm glad you all have religious criminals down there.

208sandy

3M - my condolences to you dear lady - you've had a very tough year.  Losing your Mom is the toughest (I lost mine when I was 25 and still miss her all these years later).

bluedahlia

So you think my grooming costs will diminish?  Hatefull!

gardengumby

3monst - I am so sorry to hear of your loss.  Both my parents have been gone for some years, and at times it still crosses my mind to pick up the phone and give one of them a call.  Be glad that you are the kind of daughter you are, and that you've had a good relationship with her.  These have been rough years for you, so be sure to treat yourself kindly.

In regards to social workers, teachers, fire-fighters, all kinds of public sector workers, Boeing engineers and all other Union Thugs - there's good, bad and ugly in all forms of work.  Unions help us all.  Former union thug here.

BTW - it appears that we might have sold our house (full price) - dependent, of course, on the course of events in the next few weeks.  The inspection is Saturday....  wish us luck...

3monstmama

Thanks all for the kind words and the metta. 

My relationship with my mother was never an easy one, at least not after I developed my own opinions at about 3-4 years of age, but I am working on having a balenced memory of her.  Unfortunately for her, I am not sure what memories the kids will have as she did not spend as much time making memories with them as she might have, particularly in the last year.  that said it was her choice and not for lack of invites on our part.  And they do have the trip to France.  Can't change the past though, can we?

I concurr with the good people and bad people in all professions.  Alas, like in much of life, the negative gets ever so much more attention than the positive.  For this reason, I gave up on watching local news and find I am a happier person.

QuinnCat

GG - fantastic!!  Fingers crossed the inspection and all goes well.