Randomness
Today is Friday. My 'day off' school. I got up a little before 8 when I got a text message from my cousin Hillary. I don't think she realized how early it was here. I played online for a little while to wake up, then exercised to work off some stress. After a really warm shower, I sat down to study around 11. It's now 8:00 PM and I have probably studied over 6 hours today. I'm finding that I'm taking more and more breaks this evening than I did earlier today. I have to get a little ahead to be able to enjoy going to Fresno next weekend. I have to work tomorrow, and I promised Alan we would have some kind of fun on Sunday since I am not working. The goal is to put down the books tonight and not pick them up again until Sunday evening.
In other news, any one that has taken the CBEST, hit me up. I'll chat with Carrie next week, but I need some input. I have to take it in August. Haven't taken a standardized test in 10 or 11 years.
Chatted with Sarah over email and texts today. That was a nice break to the day. I miss Team Nayked in between all the craziness. How is everyone doing out there in Fresno anyway???
School update
I haven't posted much since school started, because frankly, I've been busy. Here's a little info about my classmates. There are 5 of us total. I appear to be the old one of the group. There is David from Columbus, OH. He has lived in CA for about 5 years, and recently came back from working in Hawaii for 7 months. He has an undergrad degree is some form of education. Katie is from San Diego. She has a degree in English and Asian studies. Jess is from Pennsylvania. She is a Penn St grad in education. She moved to LA about 7 months ago. Kristina is from New York. She has been living in Colorado near Wyoming until about 1 1/2 months ago. He fiancee just got out of the Air Force and moved with her. She also has a degree in education. I enjoy my classmates. They are smart and quick-witted. I have a good time with them. I think all of us a overwhelmed with the workload, and I know at least most of us, have a hard time organizing our load. There is a ton of knowledge to learn in a short amount of time, and a lot of paperwork. All of us eagerly await our refund checks and stipends.
Since the first day, we have learned how to guide someone up and down stairs (with and without a railing). We took our human guide techniques outside and tooled around campus. We tried elevators, stairs of different heights and lengths, crowded cafeterias, the library, the bookstore, and lecture halls. We also learned how to trail a wall with no device using upper and lower body protective techniques. We used constant and selective trailing. I say there is nothing harder than trying to stay oriented to where you are in a hallway with no device and no vision. I, and a couple others, got disoriented and lost. We also started to learn how to write a route and describe it to a person with no or low vision. We were introduced to white canes yesterday. We learned how to teach someone to carry a cane not in use, the 3 grasps, diagonal technique, constant trailing with a cane and selective trailing with the cane. I have no idea if that is all I learned. That is all I remember.
Our lectures are a mix of review for me and new knowledge. We learned about optical devices today. Next week is diabetes. There is just so much reading, that I am not sure I am absorbing it. For the most part, it hasn't been too dry. Today's reading makes me want to stab my eyes out, but that has been the only one thus far. Tomorrow I have to make phone calls to set up observations on my 'free time'. I need 20 hours in 2 quarters with 7 of them being before the end of the sememster. I'm hoping to get a good chunk done soon. We'll see. That's all for now. It is late and I am tired.
First Day of School
So. I went to school today. I only made one wrong turn getting to school. I got on the 101 instead of the 10 where the 101, 5, 10, and 110 all smash together near downtown. Oops! No biggie. I left at 6:45 AM for my 8:00 class. Even with my detour, I got to campus at 7:15. What did I do for 45 minutes!?!?! I walked all over the daily park lot looking for a ticket dispenser that worked. One in the whole lot. Pretty crappy. Then I walked around campus because I couldn't remember where the building was. So I got there at 7:15 to show up at class at 7:50.
Today I signed my life away to get grant funds for school. Then I paid my tuition and got my student ID. After lunch of California rolls, we started learning something. Today I started learning Human Guide Techniques. I learned how to lead a blind individual through open spaces, close spaces, and crowded rooms. I also learned how to make basic and about face turns. I learned how to take a person through 4 kinds of doors: open away and to the left, away and to the right, open toward and to the left, and toward and to the right. I also learned how to cue someone to switch sides during guiding in different circumstances. We learned how to navigate elevators also. That was less than 3 hours of training. Tomorrow we learn stairs and begin leaving the building. Apparently, one of our practicums will require that I am blindfolded and then I am driven to a location (still blindfolded). Then I will have to navigate myself back to a designated location (still blindfolded). For anyone that knows me, if I survive that, my instructors deserve an award. I can't find my way around with vision. Yay!
All in all it was a good day. I came home, did my reading, and bought plane tickets. I didn't find myself overwhelmed today, however, it's my first day. We'll see how I feel next week.
Did ya see....
how many days until school starts? YIKES!!!
Hey PG and other Fresno people!
Alan and I were talking the other day about how he should spend his vacation time. He wanted to take a week at Xmas, and spend it in Fresno since I'll be off for school. However, I need to work and suggested just taking a long weekend--4 days of so. I talked to Jeanine last night, and she suggested I work at PG while I'm in Fresno then I can maximize my work time during break. I called Chris today, and he ok'd that I'd still be per diem in December. So the plan is, Alan and I will spend the week between Xmas and New Years in Fresno. Alan hopes to run a improv workshop for some high schoolers that week, and I'll work at PG. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone for more than just a few hours on a weekend. Everyone thank Jeanine for the idea.
What's new you ask? (Ok you didn't but I'm going to tell you anyway!)
This week has been grueling compared to what I've been used to. The alarm goes off at 6, I get up by 6:15. On the road to work at 7. Drive 12 miles from West LA to Sherman Oaks via Laurel Canyon Dr (mostly one lane mountain road). Get to work about 7:35-7:40. I relax in the car until almost 8 because my schedule won't be ready if I go in earlier. This place is nicer to me schedule wise. I only am scheduled 420 not 440 or more, but every minute counts. I work 8 hours and enjoy the people. The rehab director likes me and wants me to hire on. I can't obviously, and it's an Aegis building so I would be reluctant anyway. I try to leave no later than 4:30. If I leave before 4:30, I get home in 45 minutes. I leave later it takes me 55-60 minutes. By the time I get home, I'm tired. I walk to dog when I get home since Alan has been getting home later than I am. I'm going to do a little exercise tonight I hope. I had an easier day today, only worked 7.5 hours, and did 385. I got lazy at the end of the day and slowed down. They anticipated I'd get out in 7 with 385. I was still over 90% productive because unlike Covenant Care, breaks are not added into my productivity.
In other news, for those present for the death of my water purifier...it was under warrenty still. I got a new casing the other night in the mail and now it's all shiny and like new. YAY!
Interesting facts of the day
#1. Rent went up today to $865.20. 20 cents? yes...20 cents.
#2. Coldstones opened today...in our neighborhood. I live within walking distance of Coldstones! Oh yeah!
#3. The only 2 sets of sheets that matched the new bed set we have, weren't available in queen size. Damn them!
#4. It's flipping cold here even though it's June. I sat in the sun and still froze. Even Alan thinks it's too cold.
#5. Little Cesaers at the Grove doesn't have a door knob/handle. If the door is shut you can't get in.
Day 2
So today was an interesting day. I get to work and am scheduled to work 460 out of a 450 day with no overtime approval. Funtimes!! As lunch nears I see that it is impossible for this to occur. During my treatment of my first patient after lunch, I hear that one of that part time OT's that is scheduled for 4 hours isn't coming in. Apparently her license expired yesterday and the CBOT website has not listed her as renewed yet. I'm asked if I want to work overtime. Saved! So I run a group with one of my newly aquired patients and do 595 in a 600 day. Woohoo. Damn I'm tired. So I had some really awesome stroke patients today. And for those PG people...you think you don't have good rehab patients? I treated a guy for an hour in a coma and a ventilator. Dear God I wanted to kill myself.
