So I've done a little bit of complaining about having to work on the "first shift" this week. I have a week long training that is called "Advance Block Training". Based on the first two days of the training, it should really be called "How to think of and treat people like human beings, dumbass!" And that's how I felt, like a dumbass. I mean I try really hard to provide good services at work, at least I thought I did - but after two days of this training I am starting to realize just how much deeper I need to dig and mature in my work in this field.

This is a very purposeful training, meant to produce real results in the life of one of the guys I support. I was very dubious that I would come away with anything useful, feasible, or even meaningful. Yet here I am at 3:18 in the morning realizing all the little and big ways that I really could, and really haven't helped empower and enrich the life of the one guy that I'm focusing on, but even more so for all of the guys in the house.

It was like my eyes were suddenly opened to things I thought I'd understood, but about which I'd really given little practical thought in my day to day working. While I do feel a little bit of guilt, even a bit of shame, I also feel for the first time in a long time that "the system" actually has room for this kind of growth, that "the system" is desperately encouraging it. I feel like, for the first time, I can really work hard at enriching and fostering much deeper and broader dignity.

So I woke up and started writing out more of the activities that we did in the classes that were designed to improve "staff" thinking on these techniques.

It's so nice to be excited about work!

 Foux Du Fafa by Flight of the Conchords from Flight of the Conchords (Rating: 5)