Thursday, July 23, 2009

hey mon
















I've spent some time in an assisted living joint. The client is great but I really love accompanying them to the dining room. There is a wealth of material there. Its like being back in high school. Those old folks love to make fun of the food and the service. If the gravy runs out at breakfast its a major happening. The flank steak is usually tough and they all shout it out to the new comers at dinner.

Yesterday the table behind us was reminiscing and trading stories about when they all had their first strokes. I was only temping, going to miss it there. My lovely summer floral and tropical print wardrobe fits right in with the ladies twice my age too. I dont do ruffles but I love florals. Cant help it. When I was in the big city a few weeks back we were talking to some homeless guy in the park and he looked at me and said I wasnt from around there, I didnt look like the rest of them. I took it as a compliment.

The third agency has just hired me with a schedule consisting of 8 to 12 hour shifts. Right now I'm driving all over the place w#@king shifts averaging 3 hours but up to 12 hrs. I'm putting in 60 hrs this week the hard way. I have one 24 hr stretch w$#king with 4 different people with only an hour or two off in between this weekend. Good thing I'm a coffee achiever.

Anyway I went to quit the second agency expecting them to be understandably pissy and they were so nice. Three people there asked me if I would still stay with them at least a few hours. As luck would have it they sent me reluctantly to their pickiest toughest client who cant stand most of the caregivers and that person loved me. I only temped a few shifts but on my second day with them this person was on the phone with my boss when I walked in their door trying to get the caregiver after me to come in later so I could stay longer. They are high maintenance but we get along. Its nice to be appreciated. So I said I would still try to fit some hours in for them too.

I guess extreme w$#k beats extreme poverty for now. Everyone I w$#k for is so nice and positive. Soon I may not spell it w#@k. NOT! But after 125+ jobs I have found the one most tolerable for me until the powerball comes in. Its really a surprise after all these years.

Cavedog is not getting the 24/7 concierge service he grew to know and love and is getting wilder by the day. One short walk isnt cutting it and no time for the bark park.

14 comments:

  1. As a galloping old fart (or perhaps someone galloping toward old-farthood) I hope that I have someone like you by my side if i need some help.

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  2. I had kitchen duty and then service duty for two nights during my one week stint at The Nursing Home. Classic stuff, pretty much the same as you described. Only thing topping it, The Smokers Room in The Nursing Home. I bet they don't come with one of those anymore.

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  3. there is something very liberating about being around people who don't care what others think -- but they are quick to voice their discontent as well as praise. and sometimes you just never know what to expect. but there is an honesty about the elderly that is actually quite refreshing. sometimes they just cut right through the crap -- they know their time is limited. and there is much to do for them. they are not comfortable.

    and they deserve our respect and care. they understand all about the ephemeral nature of things. they've done a lot and seen a lot to make it to where they are. and most of us are terrified of growing old even though we're all headed there.

    well this will be great stuff for many blog posts to come. you may have found your true calling, rusty. good work and congratulations!

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  4. Its really mind boggling when I think that I'm more than old enough to be a grandma and some of these peeps still have 50 yrs on me. They may get confused or I have to speak a little louder or slower but I dont baby talk. If I make it that long and I kinda hope I dont but if I do and someone baby talks me they're getting an orthopedic hiking boot up the bum. Not all my peeps are elderly I have some younger ones who end up wheelchair bound either through disease or accident. It all comes down to shit luck as one peep with a great energy described his accident.

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  5. That Hey Mon clip is priceless. It reminds me of the 17 jobs I had when I should have been studying.

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  6. curious. i could've sworn i left you a comment yesterday, but it sure ain't here.

    anyway, i said i was happy for you and your 145 jobs. and i remember that clip!

    and i was wondering if you'd be interesed in designing a banner for my new website, www.newyorknosh.com. i'd love to see what you could come up with and of course, you can use any photo of mine you wish. are you just modifying pre-existing templates or are you writing whole new ones? anyway, the only thing i like about it currently is the color scheme. i think brown is warm and inviting and will put people in a receptive mood to read about food.

    i realize you have a life now - actually, sounds like you have several - so if you can't, i totally understand. if you just don't want to, i understand. but if you can and you'd like to, well, please shoot me an email.

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  7. hi there rusty, glad to hear you have a tolerable job finally. and one that allows you to interact with people who need you and where you can touch peoples lives and a make a difference. not everyone gets that. and there is much we can learn from our elders, we tend to forget that as we push them out of mainstream society. i'm happy for you. tim

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  8. rusty, you'd tell me if you were dead, right?

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  9. i just wanna say hi and how much i LOVE your new blog artwork!! i'm sorry that i don't stop by to shoot at empty beer cans more often, but they only let me out for brief periods and closely supervised.

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  10. come back!!! it's November!!! even if you're EST, you've still got 34 minutes to post something before it's too late!!!

    !!!

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  11. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  12. i posted a post just for youuuuuuuuu

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  13. Thinking of you!!! come back?!? or are you back somewhere else?

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