Another semester down and several more to go. I can't wait until i start the Masters Program. I think I will see the light at the end of the tunnel but for now I will continue to plug along one semester at a time. Sure is hard though. This is definitely a serious commitment. Summer off. Have fun and enjoy it. Will talk again in the Fall.

Well another semester completed. Looking forward to the Summer off and lots of camping.

Different types of writing are confusing to me other than getting straight to the point. The most confusing is the Arabic way because it goes back and forth. I attended a poetry class one semester and it was so difficult to understand the poems. Most used so few words and left the mind guessing what the author meant. I guess I was not used to using my imagination that is why it seemed difficult and confusing. some words can have several meanings and it depends on how they are used in the sentence as to the meaning of them, but sometimes it can be confusing and the author may be using a play on words which makes it even more difficult to understand. I like it when I don't have to guess at what the author means and just comes right out and says it. It doesn't get any more straighter than that. Why try and beat around the bush when you can just come right out and say what you mean.   

This is frustrating when you have trouble getting into your own blog. Is it technical problems or memory loss. Thanks to Crystal's very easy instructions I made it back.

Right-side or left-side of the brain, which do I use. I am pretty much in the middle and use both sides some what equally. I am more critical than I am creative when it comes to work but I tend to be more creative when I am at home. I think sometimes it is good to separate your work life from your home life, although sometimes it tends to cross over.  

 However you see yourself whether creative or critical, you must take care of you.

I'm not saying I am, but I strive to be.
Does anyone else want to join me?

Writing can take many forms for different people. It can mean freedom for some, expression for some and just peace of mind for others For me I think it is a little of all of these. I like to write to express myself and to tell the story. I think it reflects back to who I am and in some sense it allows the reader know some parts of me and my life. It allows me to say what I want in so many words. It is not easy to write sometimes. The hardest thing is when there are people around and I can't concentrate. I tend to write when there are no interruptions and can stay focused. There is always a problem with making it perfect, because I am such a perfectionist, I want everything to be just right. I am not the best writer by far but I strive to be better. I know I need to build my vocabulary in order to write better. I procrastinate beginning any writing assignment because I have to think about how it needs to be set up, then review it and then review it again. Sometimes I end up starting all over because I don't like how it turns out. This frustrates me and in the end I just accept what I have written and turn it in. It is far from perfect and I am disappointed in my work. Writing is a skill that I need to perfect and only through time will I get better.

In my job, I write to document the facts as I see and hear them. This is definitely different from free writing. It takes skill into not allowing your personal opinion to muddy up the reports. This is intense and hard to keep your opinions out of the reports. Sometimes I see manipulating words in favor of the social worker in order to make a point being used. I think there should be no manipulation of words to benefit the social worker but I just view it as a writing skill. Is it a skill I want? No, not now. I may change my mind but for now I just want to write the facts as I see and hear them. Don't get me started on the grammatical points of writing. I can barely understand the simple English rules and then they throw in even more difficult ones to confuse me even more. 

Some days, I can just sit down and start writing and other days I have to really concentrate to find the right (perfect) words that I want to use. I'm told that Rome wasn't built in a day and that things take time but sometimes I don't have the time. Does writing ever get easier? Why does writing come so easy to some and others have to work at it? Well, till next time, keep on writing.

As a social worker,  I believe I write short stories on each family I encounter. I only get a glimpse into their lives and then have to assess and write a report. In doing so, I do my best to just state the facts. Sometimes it can be very difficult to keep my "opinions" out of the report. But I want whoever reads it to be presented with just the fact and without any biases or opinions. Sometimes this is not easy as history has shown us. Many of our history stories are written by a person who had one glimpse of a particular incident and wrote it as best as they saw it but sometimes it was not how others would have seen the exact same thing. We all have different interpretations when it comes to what we see and writing about it is no different. When we write it is from our own perspective. We all have different writing skills and levels and see things different. It's the same thing in conversations. One person can interpret something they heard to completely different as to what the person meant. How can things stay universal and how can social work work for everyone?  

So, I am sitting here on my day off from work (Lincolns birthday) trying to catch up with the schoolwork. It is just not happening for me today. I can not focus and keep looking out the sliding glass door wanting to be outside. It is so beautiful and I want to be part of it. It keeps calling me outside and I find any reason to just step out the door knowing I need to concentrate on school. Do we sometimes compromise what we should do to enjoy the things we want to do? I know I do and I need to learn to not procrastinate and just do the work before I enjoy the fun things. I think not! I will enjoy my time and be better focused if I have fun first. This is just how I work. It may not work for everyone.

Okay back to work. The NASW Code of Ethics for social workers are guidelines of how a social worker should act and treat others. Cultural Competence is a very important part of these standards. I've always thought I have been culturally sensitive to others. At work, I was handed a referral that was culturally sensitive and was asked to assess the situation for any illegal activity. I found myself asking "Do we (CWS) have the right to interrupt a cultural tradition even if the "Western" culture does not believe or condone their beliefs?" This question is not an easy one to answer because I understand culture and how important the rituals and beliefs are to the people. It was and still is a very confusing question for me to answer. Fortunately, there was no illegal activity or abuse/neglect happening and I was happy to report I was glad. I still wonder who is in the right to tell a "people" who or what they can do within their culture. Most of all respect others and they will respect you.

I am really working hard on carefully choosing the words I use and understand that sometimes I may offend others with my words. So I am sharing something that reminds me of how words can hurt. I never want anyone to feel like this so like myself, choose your words carefully.

Well, it's back to school to learn more needed skills and techniques to use in my job as a  social worker. This is a new blog and I will apologize in advance for getting emotional. My goal this semester is to learn to write more effectively and communicate in a more accurate way through writing.

On another note, I would so enjoy being here right now with a really good book. Sometimes, I need quiet time and this looks so quiet and comfy.

2013 Spring Semester

This is my beautiful granddaughter Shaylee. We have a great time on the banks and in the water of the Smith River. So looking forward to the summer.

This is the new improved Blog for me because I was unable to remember how to sign into my last one. I think I am losing parts of my memory. Oh well I will use this one for the time being. Looking forward to this semester with the continuing students in the BSW program. Lets get started.