Traffic

Traffic makes me happy. It really does. Not busy traffic, but the flow and organization of it all. I love the way people work together and obey the rules of the road. Now of course, there are those people who are rude and dangerous, but for the most part, we all follow the rules of the road and people get where they want to be even with thousands of cars on the road.

I've thought about this before, but was reminded today as i was driving along Sarnia Road ... at one point, it narrows and curves sharply over an old one-lane bridge. There is a small sign that reads, "please alternate." so there was a short line up on each side of the bridge, and one by one, each car from alternating sides took their turn along the shadey bridge. I mean sure, there was one car that tailgated the car in front of him to bud his turn, but for the most part, it was a beautiful synchronization of strangers, and it made me smile.

Things that matter

I'm in Occupational Therapy School.

I love Occupational Therapy. I love the ideas and the values of the profession. I love considering each person uniquely and seeing potential in all clients. I love that as an Occupational Therapist, you can work within any age group and in an incredible variety of settings (hospital, community, treatment centres, mental health facilities).

Then why do you constantly hear me say how i procrastinate when it comes to school work? Why do i always make sure people understand that school is a last priority for me?

The reason is that i know what i want to do with my degree. I want to work with children with special needs. This is my passion. This is my number one priority. And when we have to spend so much time in school preparing for the plethora of careers paths we can take, i get bored, i disengage and i procrastinate.

As of late, i have frequently found myself explaining to people my lack of interest in school ... and started second guessing myself. Maybe i should put more time into it? But on Monday night, my original beliefs were reassured!

.... Monday nights, i work with a young guy who is 12. He is your typical boy. He likes to get dirty, explore, play rough, eat, jump and swim. He is a sweetheart deep down who struggles with behavioural outbursts that are most often immediately followed by remorse and a visible, internal struggle with appropriate behaviours when he is trying to communicate. I love him. He likes me too!

I have been working with this young guy for 8 months, and unfortunately because of my new school schedule, my classes go too late on Mondays for me to work with him anymore. I dropped him off on Monday (my second last night with him) ... and stayed a bit later talking with his mom. (a usual occurrence as she is stressed out her mind with two children with special needs, a job, a house and all the extra stuff that goes along with that). Tonight, she was telling me how she was interviewing a new girl to come work with her little guy. She was telling me how he was acting out in front of the new girl. And through spontaneous tears, the mother tells me how he does this cause he knows yet another girl is leaving. Through tears, she tells me how hard it is when he will ask for a girl by name and she has to tell him that she is not coming anymore more. Through tears she tells me that he will miss me. Through tears, she tells me it is so hard for her to send him off with someone new. And through tears but without words she tells me how much she cares for her son. How much he means to her. How much she wants him to be happy.

My eyes were filled with tears, and i returned to my car to let them fall. And i sit for a little while ... Gain composure, and am reassured ... this is what i care about, this is what matters, this is why i'd rather spend time with these kids than reading 40 pages on evolution of the raised toilet seat.

My double life.

Thursday 4:30pm: Drove to Hamilton
Thursday 11:00pm: Drove to London

Friday 4pm: Drove to Hamilton

Saturday 3pm: Drove to London

Sunday 6am: Drove to Hamilton
Sunday 10pm: Drove to London

The results are in!

5:1 You would rather hit every red light than always be wrong!

3:1 You would rather drink a bottle of liquid soap than eat a bar of soap!

1:1 You can't decide if you rather see the future or change the past!

3:1 You would rather never be able to sit than only know 12 words

Thanks for voting! I LOVE this game! Your votes are completely anonymous so please put your vote in!!

miRANDOM!

1. I bought deli meat for the first time today (part of my mission to force meat on myself!) - and asked for 100 KILOgrams of black forest ham! i was the laughing stock of the superstore!

2. I hate full serve gas stations ... i feel totally unconfortable with the whole situation. I avoid them at all costs, but some cities (coughsarniacough) have them everywhere. I get all flustered and awkward, "mame, can you turn off your engine please" "oh right, er, sorry." For example, last time i was there, this is what happens:

• the stations empty and for some reason i pull into the furthest pump from the gas booth.
• he has to ask me to open my gas tank
• i say $20 please cause i thought i had the cash, turns out i didn't so had to pay with visa - why not just get him to fill it up - wasted his efforts to get it right on 20 - then he has to jog ALL the way over to his booth to ring up the visa

It's only 3 things i guess, but for a 5 minute interaction, thats pretty rough and horribly awkward!

3. some of you may know that since the age of 21, i have been having grey hairs, by now at the wise age of 23 i have LOADS of grey hair. Today, i discovered something new ... a grey hair on my FOREARM!! Pluck that!

4. you know what's actually not tasty ... coffee-mate straight from the package. (it was a triple dog dare! i couldn't back down!)

5. First day of school tomorrow - i'm procrastinating - have 2 articles i have to read and reflect on!