As of 3:30 pm last night, I am now Krista Long, BSW. I still have assignments I am finishing, and I have orientation for EMPACT on Monday. I should receive my diploma in a couple of months. As soon as I get the video (I keep checking the web site), I will post it!
On to the mix:
Labels:
FridayRandom,
music,
school
What is your most important goal in life? Why? (Please elaborate) How do you propose to get there? (Or how did you accomplish it). What sort of sacrifices will (or did) you have to make in order to achieve this goal? Once you’ve accomplished this goal, how will this change your life?
Labels:
Blog Talkers,
family,
school
Not for long, and I promise to come back. 36 days until G day, and I am making myself turn off e-mail groups and suspend posting (unless something major happens) so I can focus. love you all, and thanks for reading!
I know some of you out there are Web Developers, or have worked on web start-ups enough to have some vital information I hope to bum from you.
My senior project is coming due, and it is a proposal for a community intervention. I am a specialist in Children's Mental health, and through a needs assessment determined that families and line level staff need better communication about resources available, and families need ways to link with other families. One of my best friends and I years ago had a proposal for a web community that I am shamelessly cribbing from for this project, but our info is 6 years out of date. This is a project I am actually going to write a grant request for, so I need to do an awesome job, although there will be room for tweaking and clean up before it gets to that point. Right now I just need to get it turned in and get my A or B.
The summary:
Children's Mental Health in Arizona has seen many changes in the past several years. Families, however, are still having trouble accessing the services they need to be successful. Interviews of families and family run organizations pinpointed a lack of knowledge of what is available as one of the many impediments to access. This project is one avenue of addressing this issue by creating an interactive web site accessible by both families and line-level staff working with children. The site will have agency profiles, support boards for families, and a guide to the children's system for Arizona. Future stages will include providing agencies with a public computer in their waiting rooms to facilitate access, as well as a low cost computer program for families' homes.
Labels:
computer,
school,
social services,
website
I was on schedule and life was going swimmingly when, wham, Aidan got sick. Even worse, he shared it with me, and I have a crappy immune system. I was sick all weekend, and got nothing done. Chris came by on Saturday and semi-cleaned the kitchen and made dinner. I worked a bit on internship stuff, but I have a paper due on Tuesday, deadlines to meet, and other stressors. Aidan went to school today, and I got called by the nurse to come get him.
Meanwhile, I keep on trudging along. This is why I have done no meme posts, even though there have been some really fun ones from Ten on Tuesday, Blogtalkers and Photo Hunt.
I also need to work on promoting this:
Sometimes things are hard to think through, but then you get a push in the right direction. Due to multiple events, I have decided to wait to go to grad school for a year. I am also not going to ASU, but instead am looking around at the truly good schools in my field and am thinking about relocating. I am very busy trying to catch up on my internship with the MISS Foundation, those two assignments from before and keeping up with the current coursework.
I am on the Direct Supports Design Team through Magellan, which is very fun and making a difference. I am also having to relook at my priorities. I will end up needing a new laptop at some point, or a really good technician, because I am nursing this one along.
Life goes along, and I am in therapy again. I am going to try and journal about this journey and the new stages in my life, but I am making no promises.
For the first time since I have put my life back together post-divorce, I have chosen to fail a class. I realized this weekend, as I was struggling to catch up with all my assignments, etc from the back injury and general chaos of this semester that I was not going to come out of the class with a decent grade. And for that grade, I was going to have to work day and night. I don't mind hard work, but I also have an internship to salvage, as well as two other classes that can not be repeated. I can repeat research next semester.
So, having carefully thought this out, and making a rational decision, why do I feel so sick to my stomach? I will still manage to at least finish this chapter of my academic career, and the break between classes will help me get over this severe depression and back into the groove.
I really shouldn't be so hard on myself. Let's see- I am dealing with personal medical and pain issues, Konal's behavior, my depression from being injured again, the constant staff changes, the fact that they are requiring me to be more hands on with Konal in the evenings, my responsibilities with the Family Involvement Center and Magellan, taking care of the household, and even though this was mentioned before, it bears repeating: Every single day, I do not want to get out of bed. I don't want to wake up, I don't want to be here. I called my psych a few weeks ago requesting therapy again, and they never called me back.
So, now I am struggling. I will make it, but the problem is, right now I don't even want to.
Labels:
emotions,
introspection,
life,
Me,
mental health,
school,
support
Dear Diary,
It has been 20 days since I was stranded on this godforsaken island. I am running out of amusements to keep me occupied.
I thought about writing a hard hitting post about Medical Incompetence and Fat, but why duplicate greatness?
I am tired of the special needs thing. I need a break.
OK, much better. I decided that I really just need to get some sleep. Pulled an allnighter, got a brilliant presentation done, and wham! Computer in the classroom dead, dead, dead. Ran here, ran there. Got kids, dropped off mail, fought with child over whether or not he is going to his father's for Thanksgiving (I won) and now have the Mentos theme song running through my head for some strange reason.
So now I dialogue with myself. And Firefox spell checker doesn't think Dialogue is a real word. Damn you! I will prove it:
Labels:
Meaningless Prattle,
NaBloPoMo,
Quotes,
school,
sleep
Late Night Edition
This morning was the first time in a very long time that I over slept the alarm. I think it is those darn narcotics. It set the tone for the day. I never got any homework done. Life was usual chaos.
I have a saved draft in my blogger talking about the depths of depression. Right now, I realize I might need to pull that post out and work on it. My depression is a little different from the norm. I don't call it being sad, I call it disengaging from life when it gets to be too much.
The problem?
My life is in a continual state of chaos. Right now I am doing poorly in many realms of life: financially, Physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, academically.
I don't feel like talking, but instead have been brushing off my biggest supports because I couldn't muster the umph to answer them when they inquire how things are. Not their fault, just totally my desire to bury myself.
I have had to make the decision to miss another day of school, even though it puts me farther behind and I have more to make up. Events in the house tonight have strained my back and it is very tender. I will have to start my internship back up this week though. I can't afford to miss any more hours.
So what it comes down to, is that this disengagement just makes things worse. Life has to be dealt with or the problems multiply and become more stressful.
Repeat after me:
I can make it through this semester.
I can make it through this semester.
I can make it through this semester.
I can make it through this semester.
Labels:
emotions,
introspection,
mental health,
NaBloPoMo,
school
School is hectic life is busy- I will get to an update sometime. 1 statement- What made me think I could do 15 credit hours?
So I will leave you with this:
| This Is My Life, Rated | |
| Life: |  6.7 |
| Mind: |  7.6 |
| Body: |  4.8 |
| Spirit: |  8.3 |
| Friends/Family: |  6.1 |
| Love: | 7.7 |
| Finance: | 6.2 |
| Take the Rate My Life Quiz | |
Labels:
Meaningless Prattle,
quizzes,
school
In the process of updating some things on my web site and blog, I have been thinking about what I blog for. I realize that the intended purpose I started this for has faded. This was supposed to be a place to chronicle life events and my feelings about them.
I fully admit I am often overwhelmed, which is why it takes a while to update sometimes. Honestly, though, there is a lot I should blog about except that I don't want to examine it too closely myself.
In reviewing the past two months of posts, I see nothing about the major depression I am coming out of that left me unable to do any academic writing. I do not see much, if anything, about Konal's difficulties at the end of the school year, nor of the injuries to my wrist and knee. I see nothing about my frustrations with his IEP, and only tiny bits and pieces about the fact that I am feeling a tremendous amount of guilt about letting my partner down for the school project I was supposed to have done already.
I am setting a goal for myself. I am going to try to post weekly- about both Joys and Sorrows. Thoughts about life, politics, religion would also be nice. I am reclaiming this blog as a piece of myself as of today!
Labels:
Belief,
events,
family,
lifeevents,
mental health,
parenting,
school
"A survey of sleep-deprived teens finds they think that a later start time for school and tests given later in the school day would result in better grades. The survey was presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference, on Sunday, May 20."
Anyone who remembers being a teenager probably recognizes this issue. Since Konal has issues with Sleep Inertia, I am not looking forward to the upcoming years. I wonder if we can get an accommodation that he starts school at 10 am?
Labels:
disability,
Konal,
mental health,
parenting,
school,
teenagers
1 to go. I am running late on a paper for my policy class on developmental disability. I will get it done tomorrow. Meanwhile, I have a strong A in my Ethnics and Cultures class, A+ in my human behavior class, and a low A in my Native American Class ( I knew I should have done the extra credit)
If I didn't do this paper, I would still get a B, so I need to get it done and keep that GPA up so I can have a nice relaxing summer, get my house clean and do lots of stitching...
The countdown to summer has commenced!
Labels:
lifeevents,
school
Yes, I haven't posted anything except stupid quizzes for a while.
Yes, I have 5 papers due in the next two weeks.
No, I won't post them, since they will likely be crap.
No, I will not actually update you on anything of substance (although there is much of substance to report- like conversing with state senators about issues that count).
Yes, I will post another stupid quiz:
| You are 64% High-Maintenance! | |||
| You're pretty high maintenance. Not as much as some, but you definitely like it when you're taken care of. The idea of doing something when somebody else might do it for you might seem... unpleasant... but you'll get up and do it if it really needs doing. | |||
 |  | ||
 | |||
| 'How High-Maintenance are You?' at QuizGalaxy.com | |||
Labels:
lifeevents,
Meaningless Prattle,
quizzes,
school
| HUMAN SERVICES | B.S.W. | SOCIAL WORK |
| COURSE | COURSE TITLE | SEM HRS. | GRADE | HONOR POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W SWU 310 | SW PRACT I | 3.0 | A- | 11.00 |
| W SWU 331 | SOC POLICY/SVCS I | 3.0 | A+ | 13.00 |
| D SWU 498 | PS:ETHICS SW PERSPECTIVE | 3.0 | A+ | 13.00 |
| W SWU 301 | HMN BEH SOC ENVIR I | 3.0 | A | 12.00 |
| EARNED HOURS | NET HOURS | HONOR POINTS | GPA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEM: | 12.0 | 12.0 | 49.00 | 4.08 |
| CUM: | 109.0 | 12.0 | 49.00 | 4.00 |
Labels:
school
So, it is day three of an annual and excruciating process called clean-out. This is where Konal has to endure a liquid diet and high doses of laxatives, to get his colon back to an empty and flaccid state. From there we work with him on his treatment plan so it all works normally. There is so many things that can go wrong with plumbing on a human being. Unfortunately, I think we have experienced most of them. So, I am yet (as I have for a long time) still up to my eyeballs in poop. I was hoping I would be done with it when my children got out of diapers, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The poor child was hungry and tired and actually was willing to go to bed. He kept asking for food and refusing the liquids. It really breaks my heart at times.
Today is my brother's birthday. I hope he had a really good one because it has been a really shitty year for him.
This is the boys' first week out of school. Konal starts a transition to middle school program on Monday. I worry about the kids picking on him, but he really wants to go, so here it goes. It is hard to believe my baby will be in middle school already.
I did pick up my stitching again, and am working on a christmas ornament for an exchange. I ended up throwing out this piece a quarter of the way through- let's just say I made a fabric miscalculation and there was no salvaging it. I am glad I caught it when I did. After the ornament is done, I plan on finishing the baby bibs I started. I will put them away for a gift for someone. I have trouble working on them, because they make me sad to even look at. I had them in my hand when dad called me to let me know the sad news.
I spent some time outside this morning- cleaning up and planting some flowers. Now the 111 degree weather can kill them. The house is in good shape even if the boys are home. It makes me feel good. Now I have to get some of the home improvement projects done.
I have been going to the library with the boys. So far I have read the Motherhood Manifesto and am halfway through American Theocracy (Links forthcoming when it is not 11 pm at night). Good, although American Theocracy is a bit dry. Motherhood Manifesto had a lot of information I already knew, but it was nice to have it all in one place.
