Catching Up...

It's been awhile since I've been able to get back to this cyber keyboard world. On a daily basis, I've thought of writing many times but life, visitors, school, work, and more visitors have delayed me. What fun it is to blame others!!

Chapter 1: One of my younger sisters, Andie, came for a visit to celebrate her 50th birthday. I was totally honored for her to come and share this big marker with Kim and me. We spent much time just talking and visiting. She's the perfect visitor in that she is totally fine with entertaining herself and she enjoyed getting out and creating her own adventures. This is one outing we did take together--hooking up at the Pike Market when I finished work. What you don't see in the picture are the many shopping bags we accumulated at a local kitchen store....

The Pike Market is a bustling fun place. The amazing thing is that I am there every day as I make my rounds to the various buildings but I don't stop and visit it--not even for fresh fish or vegetables, or whatever. I remain on its fringes and it rarely enters my mind when I am in worker bee mode.

I haven't been a Seattle tourist in quite some time--certainly since having returned from Italy. I never tire of this view from the Pike Street Market.
Our busy port.

Chapter 2: Dove tailing on Andie's heels was friend Ellen. She was visiting from Honduras where she now resides and fills her days with amazing deeds. She is her one person Peace Corp and has built schools, brought health services and other humanitarian programs to the impoverished area where she lives. At some near future date I hope to do a blog just on her. Until then, you can go to her web site, Project School Supplies and get a feel for her work:
http://projectschoolsupplies.org

Chapter 3: Next in line for a good visit was older sister, Gloria and brother in law, Bill. They took a long driving tour up to Seattle from Los Alamos. It's been good to keep in touch with my sisters. When parents die, one never really knows if there will be enough glue to keep us all together....Gloria has made it her job to remind us of this and is very good about keeping in touch.

Here we are in West Seattle, near Alki.

Poor Gloria and Bill hit it just in time for constant rain. On their third day, it finally cleared a bit and we quickly got out to take a driving tour around the city. I was tour guide and drove their SUV! ME in a SUV, HA HA HA. I could barely reach the pedals.

One of our destinations was the Locks.

The locks allow the boats to move from the fresh water of Lake Union

to the salt waters of Puget Sound.

Churning waters of intensity.

Watching the boats flow by is meditative.

Later we had a nice dinner at Fisherman's Terminal.
This is where the boats and ships that fish out at sea and in Alaska dock.

Local residents.

Here is a memorial to all the individuals who have been lost and killed at sea.
Give them a thought the next time you enjoy a seafood dinner....

Chapter 4: The real reason Gloria and Bill came to Seattle:

Prior to selling my parent's home in NM, I took a walk around the perimeter and collected rocks that my father had collected over the years. When he would be out in the woods hunting or hiking, he would bring home rocks that called to him.

I have developed this habit as well. I loaded up the rocks from their house and took them to Gloria and Bill's for safe keeping.
They are not the kind of things that travel via UPS or in airline luggage.

Gloria and Bill transported these gems to me in Seattle.

They are now safely tucked in our Seattle garden.

Each day these visual reminders bring my parents back

into my mind

and heart.

They will be here long after I am gone.
They have become my prized possessions.

Chapter 5:
And I thank them.

Oh, Yum!

Before you is a standard, basic diet for a number of my clients. It boggles my mind just how much the human body can tolerate.

There are days when I laugh at myself as I try to make sure I've taken my vitamin D, had enough calcium, eaten my green leafy veggies and have taken in enough fruit. Then there are those extra pounds and making sure I get in my 10,000 steps per day...Don't drink too much wine and try not to whine too much about that.
On it goes...

Then I look at the DOB of my client, see how close in age we are thinking that we are separated by light years and are worlds apart. I have to say, it does make me wonder....

Its Snowing in Seattle....

Spring time in Seattle has been beautiful with the many trees blooming.

Despite the beauty, today I growl.
Work sometimes is harder than it needs to be.

It's not the clients, it's other "professionals".

The streets and sidewalks are covered with the raining blossoms, which look like a different version of snow.

Really annoys me when we can't be kind to one another and put our egos aside for the betterment of our clients.

I've been working with him for two years...
I don't know why you're involved.
Too many cooks spoil the pot.
I don't think my client needs others involved.

The blossoms smell wonderful and their sidewalk droppings add more beauty to an already dazzling spring-time.

This is not the first time this has happened.
Same group of "social service providers." What am I doing wrong that this keeps happening? One co-worker says, "It tells me that you're doing your job." Nonetheless, I've let this get to me and I remain pissed
and I am forced to look at how I can carry a grudge.

Spring time in Seattle.
My learning never ends.
Sorry for such a boring entry.

Doors...

In my daily wanderings I encounter many doors and they are a great place to learn about who's behind the closed door. I find that many people like to decorate or put messages on them. The following are just but a few of what I encountered just today...

Technically, this really isn't a door but when I saw it from a distance, I thought it was a door.

I would never dare to park here!

This was at one of the housing buildings that I go to...It's a bit fuzzy due to my attempt to be surreptitious. The top writing reads, "Me myself and I are..." I didn't knock.

Housing inspections are a big part of my clients' lives. Another issue are bed bugs and they can be a real problem in these buildings. It's not just where the poor live but bed bugs are everywhere, even in the fanciest of hotels. As staff, we are always being trained on bed bug prevention protocols, as in how not to bring them home. Just a little warning to those of you who may like to shop at thrift stores for whatever delights you might find: it's not uncommon to bring home the little nuclear survivors--just a little warning & prevention tip.

The sign on the left reads: "Bug man's coming Wednesday, 4/7."

Here's a door of an instructor at my local community college. I like the advice.

And another....

Some folks prefer to keep their doors pristine and just put their messages nearby....
I cannot speak to the chop sticks message.

This is one of my favorites. Remember Mr. Mexican Mafia guy from a few blogs back? Well, this is his door. He's working on trying to get clean. People knocking on doors is a real issue in the buildings and I hear many complaints about the phenomena. What do they want? Often money, drugs, and yes, sometimes just a cup of sugar. His message does cover a broad spectrum.

And speaking of cups of sugar. Today as I was doing my rounds, I knocked on a woman's door. She greeted me warmly dressed in a very open, slinky robe. She invited me in and as I stepped over the threshold my eyes locked with a buck naked gentleman looking a bit panicked.

Me: Ohhh. I'm pretty sure I've come at an inconvenient time.
She: Oh, no, that's okay come on in.
Me: Ummm, no, I'll come back another time.
She: No really, it's okay.
Me: No, I'll see you another time. This is bad timing.
He: Do ya think??

One never knows what's behind those doors. She had no sign.

Back To School

May I always continue to learn something new every day—until my last day when I will learn how to die.

I’ve started back to school and have joined the throngs at one of our local community colleges. This Spring quarter, I am taking three classes—one on Ethics and the Law (as it pertains to chemical dependency issues), a class on doing special evaluations for folks who are seeking treatment, and lastly, a class on domestic violence.

Why, why, why, some may shriek? Well it’s all for future planning and getting a certificate that I want that ultimately makes me a Chemical Dependency Professional.

My peers--sort of, technically speaking....

This deciding to go back took a bit of pondering. Most people I have spoken to have said, in such a gentle manner, “Sounds great but the process and the classes will drive you crazy”. I’m guessing they will be correct at times but I am bound and determined to make it through despite the fact that I possess many years of experience (working and teaching) and according to the State of Washington, they do not count. So, I’m taking a bit of my own advice and just doing it—jump the hoops, click off each class and ultimately end up with the certificate.

A community college is very different than what I have been used to over my academic career. The spectrum of classmates, sights, sounds and events will keep me quite entertained if I can hold the attitude that we are all there to learn together and good for all of us for being there!

Learning has no boundaries and just on my first night I learned about how two women skillfully and thoughtfully chose their seats…Both spoke their streams of consciousness aloud and it took me a minute to realize that they were not talking to me particularly, but to our Universe in general.

Woman #1: Oh my, I’ll never fit in one of those desk seats. Nope, not gonna work—not here or even over there; nope none of them. I wonder where I’ll end up sitting in this room…..
The instructor quickly pointed to a long desk in the back of the room and encouraged her to give that location a try. She happily rolled her large suitcase back there and was satisfied with the solution.

Woman #2: Where shall I sit? Why, I think I’ll sit right here; right here is by the door and if I have to go to the bathroom, I can just get up and go, right from here. Yes, this is good; if I sit over there, well then I will have to walk by people and then everyone will know my business. Yes, I do think this seat right by the door is a good place to sit. This is where I’ll sit.

As I left my class today, I walked outside and was greeted by a group of protesters. They were in their organizing stage--making signs and placing bandannas over their faces to protect their identities. I learned that it was a coordinated protest between Seattle and Olympia organizers: their goal, to protest many things including the police and social injustice issues. For me, I secretly admire their zeal and how they are questioning authority; I am reminded of my youthful passion for Patty Hearst, the SDS, and the many marches I myself have attended over the years.

On the other hand, I take offense at a sign which read, "Rest in peace Maurice Clemmons". He executed four police officers several months ago and was killed by a police officer trying to arrest him. I shake my head in frustration at the sight of the sign.

The irony was that there were a number of police in attendance--almost more than the protesters. When I walked by them, I thanked them for their service--not to be a Polly Anna but because I feel for the dilemmas they must encounter every day and how letting down their guard while drinking a cup of coffee can be their last moment on earth. So, I carry both parts: question authority while examining all sides of the issue.

These officers were entertained by protesting musicians who played an enthusiastic rendition of "Down by the Riverside".

Down By the Riverside

Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Ain't gonna study war no more.

refrain

I ain't gonna study war no more,
I ain't gonna study war no more,
Study war no more.
I ain't gonna study war no more,
I ain't gonna study war no more,
Study war no more.

Gonna stick my sword in the golden sand;
Down By the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Gonna stick my sword in the golden sand
Down by the riverside
Gonna study war no more.

refrain

Gonna put on my long white robe;
Down By the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Gonna put on my long white robe; Down by the riverside
Gonna study war no more.

refrain

Gonna put on my starry crown; Down By the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Gonna put on my starry crown;
Down by the riverside
Gonna study war no more.

refrain

Gonna put on my golden shoes;
(ETC)
Gonna talk with the Prince of Peace;
(ETC)
Gonna shake hands around the world;
(ETC)

All of this and just my second day of class!
Stay tuned.
PS: I am really sorry if you can't get the tune out of your head for several hours....

Going Home....

While heading home today I had the following encounters--

On a busy Seattle downtown street,
a gentleman sitting in a wheelchair
both legs amputated just below his hips.
He slept deeply, looking almost serene.

Below him, an exploded bottle of red wine;
a running red star permeates the sidewalk.

Marking Passover, we the crowd,
part around him like the Red Sea.

I now sit on my bus, heading home.
Another gentleman in a wheelchair sits in front of me--
he rambles loudly and incoherently.
"Wanna hear a joke?"
"Hey man, I'm an alcoholic, not a junkie."
A clean cut man tries to speak to him, "Lower your voice."
"Hey you! Go look in the mirror--and God bless you."
Young men leave the bus and as they pass his seat they scream,
"F*** You!"
He quickly replies, "Wanna get a drink?"