Job Security

     Well yesterday was an interesting one.  I got to work and was called into the main therapist's office by our boss for an impromptu meeting,  Apparently the employees aren't the only ones in the dark.  We spent the better part of an hour discussing all of the "what if's" relating to the upcoming downsizing.  There should be more information to be had come Wednesday's mandatory staff meeting.  That will be fun.  According to the information given by Mrs. Shannon yesterday, all employees, (including her and Nathan, the therapist), will have to reapply and re interview for their jobs.  This is all legalese; when we reapply and re interview, if we are not "hired" for our own jobs, then we do not get unemployment, because we put in an application for a different position.  In applying for a different position, we have essentially quit our old one, and quiting a job does not get unemployment.  It keeps being said that "there will be jobs within the organization for anyone that wants them".  This, however, means we will be "babysitting" the autistic kids.  Don't get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for anyone that can work with the autistic clients, but I took this job to get me ready for counseling therapy, and I do not have the patience nor the drive to work with the autistic population.  Perhaps, if I am not allowed to keep my own job, there will be some clerical or administrative position I can stay with.  The whole "wanting to go back to school thing" seems to be almost detrimental to me staying, as well.  It may seem like I will not be with the company for long, and why keep someone for six months when there is someone who wants to stay for six years.

     There are going to be changes in the house as well.  From the information given to me, one of our clients, a ten year old that most people--other than me--are not fond of will be moving to the younger boys' house next week, and we will be getting a 16 year old.  That action will be entertaining, since I have come be use to working with younger children, and I am not sure I will be able to earn the respect of the older clients.  I say this only because there is a 12 year old who pictures me not as an authority figure, but as a peer with whom he must create negativity in an effort to create a negative attention seeking circumstance for the older staff.  Last night, he threatened to kill me twice.  I am not upset or worried about it, he simply was showing his displeasure with the circumstances surrounding a situation.  He has been through so much in his life, and his only way of dealing with events that displease him is to place himself back into detrimental situations.  I can't yet tell if he is showing transference by considering me a father figure who is expected to deliver unjust punishment, or a peer with whom he can cause turmoil in the household dynamic.  

     On a lighter not, I'm playing with Pete and Squishy, my ferrets.  Pete is a boy and looks like most people would picture a ferret, and Squishy is a silver foot girl and is much smaller than Pete.  They are adorable, but slightly destructive.  Whenever I am not paying them direct attention, they seem to want to destroy my room, especially the carpet under my closet door.  I have been trying to use a squirt bottle to train them not to dig, but it doesn't really seem to be working.  Squirting only seems to put their actions on hold, and causes Squishy to do a "war dance".  It's cute.  

     I believe I'm going to try and convince Chris to come over and help me redecorate my room to better accommodate my new little friends.  I used to have a lot of my decorations adorning my floor, but after Squishy urinated on my record player, (thank goodness it was closed), I moved most things onto shelves.  I placed my Japanese shrine where my record player was, and Squishy LOVED that, she has climbed into it a few times and looked at me, as if to say, "What?  I'm not doing anything wrong, I'm just being cute.".  

    Today being Saturday, I will be working a twelve hour shift.  I do and I don't like Saturdays at work.  They are great because the boys are allowed to be boys, they are not treated like clients to the extent they are during the week.  They are allowed to play video games until their eyes bleed, and usually go outside to play some sort of sport.  (Thank the gods it's raining, I don't feel like playing football today).  However, I love the therapy part of the job.  The conventional therapy part that is.  I enjoy leading group therapy, even though it is much more scary than one would think; and I like to do the individual counseling with the clients as the schedule directs.  It's nice to see the "click" clients get when they have come to understand a feeling that once confused, and thus, frightened them.

     Well, it is drawing closer and closer to the time I need to leave for work, and I have yet to get in the shower.  I overslept at Marcus's last night, so I got home about thirty minutes later than I wanted to.  I plan on staying at work a little later than usual tonight, just to hang out with Jenny before she transfers programs.  I hate to see her go, she is one of the only people I am comfortable being myself around.  This may be because the kids are asleep most of the time that she is at work.  Nevertheless, Glenwood beckons, and I must oblige.