The Ramblings of a Social Worker

Between assisting LEA (law enforcement association) with drug raids (two), working 9 or 10 hour days, completing assignments for school, managing my hectic caseload, going to church, studying for the CSET, and commuting…I’ve had a pretty hectic October/November.

Assisting LEA has been very interesting. I’ve only been a social worker for 11 months, and it’s interesting to see how rapidly my caseload has changed. I first started out with basic general neglect referrals (dirty homes, no water, no electricity) and gradually progressed to receiving more intense referrals (physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse). I can’t go into much detail about the nature of drug raids, but let’s just say that carrying a can of pepper spray is not going to cut it! One home had machetes, brass knuckles, pistols, and rifles, in addition to the meth they working cooking in the presence of children.

As far as the school and full time work goes, that’s not a big deal. I’ve been working and going to school full time for the past three years, so it’s pretty much what I do. I think it was much harder working and obtaining my Bachelor's degree. Thankfully, the Bachelors process took 4 years and is behind me. However, I’m attempting to get my teaching credential and meeting Californias regulations is the proverbial thorn in my side. Regulations for teachers have tightened in the past few years and all teachers/potential teachers must pass several main tests. I passed the CBEST almost two years ago because I thought I was going to be a substitute teacher. I found the CBEST to be very easy and didn’t study. BUT!!!! The CSET: California Subject Examination for Teachers was more intense. It has three subtests, and the subjects include English/History, Science/Math, and Physical Education/Human Development/Art/Music. It’s hard to study, because there’s no guarantee that anything you study will be on the test. I decided to quit worrying and pray. I got discouraged because MANY people me that it was impossible to pass all three subtests on the first try, and said that I should just take one at a time. I signed up for all three subtests, took the test on November 1st, got my results on November 24th, and I passed all three! I was so happy, I yelled out, “THANK YOU, JESUS” at work, cried a little, and nearly ran around the cubicles.

It’s 5:24 AM and I should be finishing a 5 page paper due this evening at 5pm. I barely started last night, but I am on my 5th page…I’m not too worried about finishing. I had plans to be with family in Los Angeles on Thanksgiving Day, but those plans have since changed. Our church has foot washing and communion on Thanksgiving Day. I know most churches have FW/C on New Year’s Eve, but our church has been having FW/C on Thanksgiving Day for centuries (ok, decades). I always think of my new year as Thanksgiving Day, because I always start my new year with God after FW/C. As a child it was easy to crack jokes about washing feet, toe jam, etc. FW/C is now a very special time for me and I have been looking forward to it for a few weeks.

Ok. So there you have it. My mini update. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

To Catch a Thief

Anyone who knows me knows that I have slight case of attention deficit disorder. Miraculously, I have survived 23 years without being prescribed medication for it! I've always known that I can't sit still for very long. I'm not exactly sure how I survived 3 years working in an office, a bank, and now another office (although I'm usually out in with clients)!

At any rate there are a few pros to working in a county office:

1) controlled climate/environment (a/c in the summer, heat in the winter)
2) office hours
3) FLEX days (one day off every other week; mine happens to be Mondays)

Here is one con to working in a county office:
1) SOME CO WORKER HAS BEEN JILTING MY SNACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to Target and bought some trail mix. Like an idiot, I left the trail mix on my desk. Imagine my surprise when I looked over at it a few days later and it looked a little "low". I assumed that maybe I consumed more than I imagined. Nah, that wasn't the case. I didn't touch the trail mix for 3 days, yet its amount continued to decrease. I came to the shocking conclusion that another social worker was sticking their grubby, filthy, social working hands allllll up in my trail mix. HORRORS.

Another incident involves my cookies. If you know I have ADD, you know I love cookies. I try to LIMIT my serving sizes, and once again was surprised when a WHOLE row of cookies had been consumed without my knowledge.

I am truly a nice person. I promise. I wouldn't mind passing along my trail mix. Or my cookies. Or my cereal. Or my red licorice. Or....WOW! I'm ending that food list. In essence, I share and I love to share.

But seriously: even if I knew who the culprit was I don't think I would confront them. "Hey, Betty, I know you're eating my chips. You better knock it off." Only to have Betty say, "Yeah, right, psycho. I don't want your junk."

I don't even know where I'm going with this blog. I'm just venting. But what do you think of me laying of laxatives nicely transformed into chocolates? The culprit will consume said "chocolates" and will make their way to the bathroom in a manner of time. Hm. But that may lead to work place violence. I think work place violence is against the rules. Ah, well.

Miss Locker Loves 3rd Grade

Well, along with Shaundra, Shandra, Trandra, Chondra, and Changa...(the mispronunciations of my name) we can add Miss Locker, Miss Lock, and Miss Lockhead to the mix.

I have had the privilege of observing in a 3rd class for my elementary education course this quarter and a few of the students have decided to call me whatever comes to their minds.

In addition to my misnomers, I was asked by one student if a black kid in the class was my cousin.

Student: Miss Locker, is Tom your cousin?
Me: Whaaaa?
Student: I asked if Tom is your cousin?
Me: Um. No. Actually, I've never seen Tom before.
Student: Well, is he your cousin's cousin?
Me: NO!
(Let's keep in mind that Tom was about 45 shades darker than I and we share no resemblances whatsoever.)
Student: Oh. Well, are you married?

I've also had the joy of playing tetherball and football during recess. I'm not sure what possessed me to walk in the sand with sandals; I will admit that after recess I had some ashy ankles and all of the lotion at Bath and Body Works wouldn't have done me justice.

I happened to look up at one point after I caught an interception during the aforementioned football game and noticed several school bus drivers (men) watching me and probably wondering what I was doing. You heard it here first: I was a tomboy in a previous life and only converted to my feminine side, like, 8 years ago. Don't be fooled. Third grade recess brings out my tetherball, football throwin', basketball shootin' spirit like no other.

I've said all that to say this: I, Chandra D. Locker/Lockhead/Locke aka Lockett, am smitten with 3rd grade.

Back to Reality

My week of respite and relaxation in the fabulous Silicon Valley has come to an end. BOO. Back to reality. No more Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW), no more sushi, no more Santana Row, no more H&M.

I'm back in Delano and I do not like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Birthday Announcement

I interrupt my blogging rants and raves to announce that Brandon's birthday is today!

Happy 25th birthday, Brandon! YAY!