Alaskan Spirit Blend

It may be a long two weeks. :)  Rando got here last night with his dad; thus begins the juggling of dogs and parents for two weeks.   Chet's skin is so thin that an excited dog can make a tear in his arm or hand just wanting to be petted.  It is like a doggie version of keystone cops--which dog is in which room?  Where does Chet want to go?  He's a good sport about it though, obliging the nature of a house with 5 dogs.

And speaking of a 5th dog, Roadie is just amazing me with how smart he is and what a quick learner.  I easily taught him "down" as in lie down last night.  He also responded to "no" when he started to chew on the tulips, and to "stay" when I wanted to leave the leaving room without his following me.  His most rambunctious time is in the morning, right after he comes in after having been fed.  He is one wild boy at that time, which is usually when he goes back in the box for a nap and to settle.  He has figured out that he does not want to go in the crate, though, as it means "play time is over" and just like a child, he fights it.

Oh, the name of the blog today?  My Alaska coffee I brought back last summer.  It is a robust brew, that tastes like something they would have in the bush--strong.  I figured I would need a little extra strength and spirit to get that floor done today.  I would be hard at it already, except I forgot to get my jeans out of the room that Chet is sleeping in, and I really don't want to tear out a floor wearing my pajamas. :)

Bathroom remodel take two

Well, I clearly underestimated this job. Prissy D would be proud of me. :)  After one and a half hours, J and I finally got the tub in half, but it won't come out.  Seems it is actually attached securely to a frame.  Now this would be the only thing in this house that Will securely attached to anything, as his preferred method was get within two inches and fill with caulk.

We are taking a little break while the battery for the saw recharges.  I wish it were that easy for me to recharge. :)

1:30  Okay, doing the second recharging.  Finally go the tub out, by ripping it into pieces with a pipe wrench--kind of like using a giant can opener--the old fashioned kind. :)

The good news is it looks like the studs are okay, and there is minimal damage on the floor except for the spot near the toilet.  That bodes well (I hope) for no damage to the joists!  It is one piece of plywood, so hopefully it will come out okay.  The sub flooring is old wide plank, and they came out pretty easy before, so hopefully, they will this time also.  The worst part is having to balance on top of the joists while removing sub flooring, and hope you don't miss a step.  You know, it is never a pretty picture under a pier and beam house, and especially one that has been here since at least the 50s and possibly longer.  I am a little bit on the freaked side when it comes to attics, basements, and crawl spaces--too many early childhood memories of going in my grandparents cellar in the middle of the night during a storm.

Miscellaneous Mississippi

It is kind of a blah day here in Mississippi today.  It's cooler than yesterday, and a sprinkle or two through out the day.  It was Egg Bowl--the traditional post Thanksgiving Ole Miss-Mississippi State game, where at last time I checked, we were winning 38-0.  So boring that folks were leaving the game and going to the liquor store, which tells you a lot about Mississippi--or at least, Ole Miss.  It was the usual maze trip to get to the grocery store--take all the back roads to avoid the 60,000 + folks in town for the game and all their cars parked on every spare spot of sidewalk.

I have been cleaning house and doing laundry yet all day again--in prep for Rando's dad's visit.  They will be here sometime tomorrow evening, so true to my "last minute" philosophy, I keep thinking I have lots of time.  Of course, Rando did just ask when he called if I had the tub out of the bathroom yet.  That was on my plans for today, but it is now after 4 p.m. so I am thinking it has now been shifted to tomorrow. :)  Getting the tub out is the easy part now, it's taking up the floor that will be the "Kodak moment."  However, if I have it all out tomorrow, then Randy will help me get it back in Sunday.  I know I thought I could do it alone, but I have decided that sometimes, my friend Prissy D was right:  I just act like I know what I am doing even if I don't. :)

Nonetheless, I think it quite an accomplishment to have gotten the house cleaned and all the laundry done, considering how long it has been since I did either one with all the travel during the month of September and October.

So with that said, I will post a few odds and ends of pictures and look forward to tomorrow and round two of Demolition Bathroom Derby.

Happy Thanksgiving

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Happy European Invasion Day

I was reading in the NY Times this morning about the French Huguenot settlement in Florida, which occurred some years before the Pilgrims landed the Mayflower.  It is always interesting to me how we re-invent our historical myths by conveniently ignoring what we do not want if it contradicts the story we do want.  I actually thought that the Huguenots came later, and had heard they migrated from Canada after escaping France and religious persecution, ending up in Virginia--at least some of them.  One of my ancestors was disinherited for marrying one, referred to in the historical family documents as "a dark-skinned people."  I assume that in Virginia, that might have been a little too close to "black" for the patriarch, but that is a mere assumption since I have no way to verify that.  Said son, however, was not forgiven until his father's deathbed, at which time, all the sons proceeded to lose the carefully amassed coal mines and land accumulated by their father, who had come to the colonies as an indentured servant.

The article was pointing out not only that we have ignored this earliest settlement on our shores (because it does not conform to the myth we wanted that labels us "English"?), but the many bloody battles that have been fought on this soil over religion.  The author (an historian) noted that it is predominantly myth rather than truth that the US was welcoming to those seeking religious tolerance and freedom, and that in fact, we have primarily been the opposite.  It made me recall the ship of Lithuanian Jews who were refused entry to New York (among other places) and finally returned to Lithuania and their death in the ovens.

I wonder at what point the colonists who were grateful for that first successful harvest, supplemented by wild game from the Native Americans, made the decision that the continent was not big enough for both of them.  Can you imagine "Thanks for coming and bringing dinner.  Now we will kill you and take your land."  What transpired between those two extremes?  Was it the "religion" question?  Was it a battle of culture, where in our ethnocentricity, we see all else as inferior to the culture to which we belong, whoever the "we" is?

One of my friends says what I write is "far too serious" (which was the nicest thing he said about my blog LOL).  He is probably right, but I just find the many contradictions between our myths and our realities sort of fascinating--bizarre, even, one might say, and cannot resist the urge to explore it.  There is also lots of room for the mundane (yesterday's chimenea/cat blog) and the humorous (the now defunct Lottabusha County Chronicles), but surely also for the occasional musing of the myths?

And, the latest thing I have found in the blog "A Sense of Place"--someone who writes he is seeking the respect of his dog. :)  Gotta love anyone who loves dogs and their place in our lives.  There is someone who takes life seriously without being "far too serious."  Or at least, that's my myth about it. :)

Mississippi Fall Day

It was a beautiful fall day again, so I enjoyed a late afternoon fire in the chimenea. It was always more fun back in Abilene when Jimmy W would sit on the porch with me, but I still enjoy it.  Killer keeps me company and I watch the birds eat while I enjoy the fire.

The Eve of Destruction...the rest of it

We started the bathroom remodel today.   Nothing like company coming to force you to clean house or fix holes in the floor.  This is, of course, part two of the bathroom remodel from a year ago where William S. Ashley, an alleged builder here in Oxford, remodeled the house we bought.  When the floor fell out of the hall way, we suspected a problem.  It seems that this guy actually built a shower by putting mortar directly onto a wooden floor with no shower pan or liner.  Needless to say, after 3 years of use with water seeping through the tile grout and mortar and directly onto said wooden floor, the entire floor, sub floor, and joists had to be replaced.  The damage from that spread into the hall way and the hall bathroom and we replaced part of the hall and hall bath floor.  When the ceramic tile totally cracked near the hall tub, we pulled it up to discover the rest of the floor and under the hall bath tub is also rotted through.  What a surprise, but he did not install the unit correctly and water was seeping down the edge of the tub and onto the wooden floor from the improper installation. 

Finally, since Rando's father is coming to visit and I could not chance his falling through the bathroom floor, we began the process of ripping it all out.  Actually, the wall behind the tub is not bad, but then, only the top part is off.  The damage is going to be where the tub is, as that is where the leaks from the improper installation let the water run down the back of the wall and onto the floor.  If it is anything like the master shower, we will have to replace studs in addition to the floor.

Rando took the hammer and beat a giant hole in the shower unit--allegedly to make him feel better, but I am the one who put all the labor into ripping into the sheetrock to get it off the lip of the unit so I could take it down.  Whew--too much work for someone my age.  Tomorrow out comes the tub--in pieces as there is no way to get it out the door in one piece anyway.  It is so brittle that it breaks apart pretty easily anyway, so I am hoping the floor will not fall through until I get the tub out!  J helped me carry the large unit out, and asked if he could stomp on it.  I said sure, why not?  He did, thinking it would break, but it did not.  He said he thought it would feel a lot more satisfying than that. :)

Take me out to the [basket] ball game

Last night was opening game for the Lady Rebels so we were in our usual mid-court season ticket seats.  It was an early game at 6, so I got treated to a hot dog and coke for dinner, followed by popcorn!  We have some new members who are very promising, and one of our great freshman players is back from last year.  She was top scorer, plus an upcoming new "Armintie" who made an incredible number of steals and shots.  Bianca is a great 3-pointer, so we are looking to a better year than last year.  Alas, we still struggle under the new coach as they have yet to find their cohesion as a team.  Amusingly, Renee (our new coach) stamped her foot and threw a little hissy fit at one point last night--now there is some role modeling for you.  Upshot was, we beat University of Memphis, but if we had opposed a team who had any skill at all, I doubt the outcome would have been so good.  Memphis could not seem to make a basket, with their team taking wild shots that rebounded so forcefully our team could pick them up and then go score.  We play Texas in a couple of weeks and I am guessing that is not going to be a pretty picture.

Wednesday and Half Way!

This has been a difficult and disappointing week.  Sometimes it seems as if you think you have turned a corner, something important has happened, and then bam!  Right in your face you see the evidence that it is not so.  The reasons are often disappointing when you see the very things you think you have accomplished unraveling in front of you.  But, that is the way of community work: it is not steady, and there are many ups and downs and backs and forths.  That is the way of educating social workers, as well.  Somehow, I have to trust that it will all work out, but it is difficult at times.  There are those in the profession who want the gates narrower and the hurdles higher; there are those who want the laissez faire approach and let the "market" deal with it; there are those who have no idea what they want.  All I can say is that I have always tried to have a somewhat balanced approach: looking for the times there should be an exception or an extenuating circumstance and looking for the person who "always" has something going on and is always seeing herself or himself as the exception, and deciding what to do about that in regard to the ethical obligation we bear to protect the public from those who cannot or will not practice professionally.  Anyone who thinks that teaching is a "plum" job has clearly never done it.  The decisions we make affect people's lives: the students, their future clients, the future of the profession.  It is indeed a heavy burden to bear at times, and one that I do not take lightly.

On a different note, today was the meeting for the committee on which I serve regarding International Student programs.  We were learning about a program for students for other countries to study for a year in America, with financial assistance.  The countries of eligibility are limited to date (the State Department selects them) but still, it is exciting to be a part of this and think about the opportunities for the exchanges.  Certainly I am a believer in the idea of traveling and meeting with, living with, and learning with people from other cultures and nations changes our entire perception of the world.  My work with Pastors for Peace, in South Africa, in the Pribilof Islands of Alaska, and other places has convinced me that understanding comes from being with people.  There is nothing like your actual experience there to help you see if what you read and hear in the news is accurate or propaganda.

My experiences in South Africa are nothing like many of the things I had been and have been told by people who left South Africa; my experiences with people who have been to Cuba are nothing like what I read in the news about Cuba.  Indeed, travel and meeting other people is the way to open our minds and hearts to the realities of others' lives.

Thank goodness, the "baby" is down for his nap

Wow, I had forgotten just how much work a baby is.  Roadie--the last of the foster pups we have from the rescues--has just about taxed all my energy today. :)  He is finally napping at my feet here at the computer, after my pulling the comforter out of his mouth several times.  Since he has eaten through two nylon leashes in the nano second in which I turn my back, he has graduated to a chain leash--left over from the days of either Sam or Rex, I can't remember which one.  I think I may have to spend the rest of the night here and just have Rando bring dinner in through the bedroom window...I think it is best to let sleeping dogs lie.  :)

Today was a beautiful fall day in Mississippi, crisp, cool, and somewhat windy.  The Dean had her annual faculty meeting just before the end of the semester, which consists of lunch in Lenoir Hall, and is well worth the effort to make the faculty meeting.  Lenoir Hall is where the campus' restaurant for the Family and Consumer Sciences hospitality program is housed.  It is a classy restaurant, with our own Chef Kelvin.  Today's menu was roasted pork loin with spice apples or chorizo stuffed chicken breast, and sides of macaroni and cheese (the real kind, with bread crumbs and baked) and stuffing--which was a wonderful sage, onion, egg, bread stuffing, with some spices I did not recognize.  It did remind me of my spinach-shitake bread pudding, though, so reminded me I might want to make that for my own mini-Thanksgiving dinner.  Since Rando will be in Texas then, I will be here with just my (currently) 5 dogs, cat, and one son.

I was a bit disappointed in the sweet potato pie, but have likely been spoiled by their earlier sweet potato bread pudding, which is out of this world. Although, I must say, my own chocolate bread pudding and dulce de leche bread pudding have won their own rave reviews among my friends.

I worked a bit more on a manuscript this afternoon after returning home.  It is due back to the journal in January, but I am trying to finish it early so I can start on the next research project. It should be ready to go by Thursday.

After all afternoon at the computer, I went out late and picked up firewood, lit a fire in the chimenea, and enjoyed the late afternoon sunshine and a glass of wine.  It was so pretty, with the sun setting through the trees, making the gold of the leaves shimmer with color.  Once it got dark, the cold set in quickly though and the warmth of the chimenea was not nearly enough to keep me out there.  This time of year, I just let it burn down early!  Lucky for me, I have my flying monkey sweatshirt hoodie from the Philly trip and it was helping me stay warm!

I'm all worn out and it's early yet

Wow, I had forgotten what it was like to have a puppy in the house.  Every 5 seconds, removing something from his mouth and redirecting to a chew toy.  Get him off the counter and redirect to a chew toy.  Take the sock away from him and redirect him to a chew toy.  I tried putting him out in the kennel (lovely sunshine for a change) but he did not like it all alone out there.  Back in the house and get him off the counter, out of my papers, repeat cycle endlessly.

Finally, after never getting settled long enough for me to accomplish even one thing, I decided it was time for a little crate time to settle down.  He was quite elusive once he figured out I wanted him to go in the box, but finally I managed and he is in there.  He is whining of course now, but he will settle down in a bit and take a nap.  What else is there for him to do?  Funny, but he napped a lot when Woody was here, and now he cannot seem to stop investigating stuff continuously.  I better take a nap myself if he settles; I'm worn out and he has only been in the house for one night!

He has discovered how to jump on the bed, and how fun it is to roll in the comforter!

Woody Gets Adopted

Woody just found his own family, a nurse with 3 children, two dogs and some cats.  Woody will have an older sibling lab and two younger sibling labs in his new family.  It has been a long journey since the day last May when we saw three little puppies in the road and tried to rescue them.  They were far too skittish that first day, but by the second day, were easily won over with food and water.  After only a few days of petting, brushing, and feeding regularly, they were happy to have some humans in their lives.  

We have provided regular vet care, they have shots and tags, and we diligently searched for homes.  Two of the placements have come through our local pet store!  Ally went home with a couple of students from Houston a few weeks ago, and her follow up check revealed she has adjusted well to her new home and the boys are happy with her.  Today, Woody finally warmed to his new family, though he would have been happy to stay here, of course. :)

Roadie jumped up on the crate and put his paws on the kennel and looked for him when he came in.  Rando promised that now, tonight, Roadie gets to come in the house and we will start to integrate him into the family brood.  While we still hope to find him his own forever home, we will not leave him in the kennel by himself.  He has already played in the back yard with our dogs, so being in the house should not be too major an adjustment.  Finally, I can remove the kennel from my front porch and repair my screened porch screens, which fell victim to little puppy chewings on a regular basis. :)

Still, all in all, it is a good feeling to know they had a better quality of life than if they had remained in the woods across the road, and hopefully will bring joy to the lives of their new humans.  They certainly brought joy to mine.

Getting ready for Belize

Kim and I finally booked our tickets for Belize today!  We will be leaving Memphis January 2 and arriving Belize that noon, out on the island by 12:15!  I am looking forward to the experience, meeting the people at the school, meeting the children, and seeing what all is being done there.  Kim will be there for the rest of the semester on sabbatical.  I will be meeting people, helping with assessments, and looking to the possibility for us to implement the South African child maltreatment model there. (A community-based, systemic, holistic approach to community well-being).  This is the preliminary step to collect data to put together a proposal for funding.  I am excited about the work, and about the opportunity to visit a new place and new people, the chance to do important work, and not just a little bit excited about being in a tropical place in January. :)

I am also delighted that the end of the semester is nigh, that we are about to finish rebuilding the bathroom, and that someone is coming to look at one of the puppies tomorrow and we are hopeful for another satisfactory placement.  It is Woody, my favorite, but I will still be happy to have him get a home and boy of his own, and then we will integrate Roadie into the household brood, at least until someone else might want him.  If he comes into the house, he will get better trained and better behaved, and that will no doubt make for a better placement.  Wish us luck!

Is that "Dawgs" or is that "Dogs"?

I was reminded of the wide chasm between me and my students today, as in age, experience, and culture.  I love these students in this class.  (Well, to be truthful, I generally love all the students in my classes, as they are so unique and it is just so much fun to learn with them and engage with them.)  I was talking about what I have learned from my dogs, and one of them said, "is that dogs as in "dawgs your homeboys" or "dogs your pets?"

It really might surprise them to know that back in Texas, we were saying "you dawg" meaning "you are so forward" long before Randy started saying "what up dawg?" on American Idol. :)  

The point I was trying to make was about the importance of relationship, boundaries, respect, and taking people (or dogs) where they are.  I know that I bear a huge responsibility for what students in the classes I teach learn.  After all, it is their educators who teach them how to practice social work.  But I also know as I come more and more (possibly due to advancing age and generativity vs. stagnation about to transition to integrity vs. despair) to believe that we are all in this together and that our heart, our passion, and our hope are as important as our knowledge and skills and that somehow we will achieve equifinality.  

For crying out loud, look at our own profession and how we struggle with where we are going.  How can we expect more of our students--the learners--than we are able to deliver ourselves with our years and years of experience?  I have a dear friend and colleague who used to say "If you have a choice between being right and being kind, pick being kind."  I am not so sure these days that being kind is not the better alternative when graduating social workers than being right.  I finally realized back in Texas that it was not my job to be the policewoman of the social work profession.  It was my job to create the opportunity for learning (sometimes not so comfortable and sometimes downright painful) and trust that the universe would take care of the details.  And then...I came to Mississippi and picked up my badge and turned into the policewoman of social work in Mississippi.  It has taken me several years to acculturate to the state and the unique needs of the people who live here...to remember that my job is to create the opportunity for learning, not just be the standard setter.  

It is about believing that we all do the best we can at the time with the knowledge and skills we possess, and believing that ultimately, people of good will and intention will find our way.  I used to say there were two main "rules" I used in my work:

1.  We do what we do, and don't do what we don't do, and

2.  If you accept people the way they are, you give them permission to be what they are not.

Meaning, we can only do the best we can with who we are, our experiences and understanding, and when we accept people for who they are and where they are, it creates the opportunity to feel safe enough to try new things, hear new things, and be new things.

I do not know where we are going in this state, this profession, this world.  I only know I am pleased to have been on board the train.

On the road again...to Batesville and Job Corps

The last group of social work students did their intervention today at the Batesville Job Corps.  When I pulled into the gate at 8:40 (20 minutes early!) I told the guard that students would be coming and he smiled and said, "They are already here."  I said they were really on the ball!  (They don't normally make it to class on time, let alone early!  I guess they were practicing professional behavior. :)

I told them that since they sent us to the Office Assistant classroom in the academic building, that meant we were having the students who had been in the program a while and not the new students in orientation--with whom we were supposed to be working.  For only a second, their faces registered surprise, "oh, no...what about our planned intervention?"  Before I could reassure them, one of the students said, "It will be fine...it's about team building and self-esteem and WE haven't done that with them."  I concurred and reminded them about "behavioral equivalency": act as if this was exactly what you planned.

They carried in their supplies and we located the room.  I saw the flashes of assessment: this room does not lend itself to our activity; we need tables, plus empty space.  How can we readjust to the limitations of this room?  Ah, like good social workers, being able to adapt to the environment and still make it work.

I asked if we could use the recreation room.  Yes, we could.  Sometimes, you don't have to adapt, but it was good to know they could have and would have if necessary.

We spotted the class leaders among the JC students as they took charge, led the way, opened doors, helped set up tables.  There was a new STARS program director from a facility in North Carolina there observing and training with the Batesville Director (with whom I work) and we chatted a bit about how the students and Job Corps partnered in a way that was beneficial to us both.

"Say your name loud and proud!  No one else has your name; no one else is you!"  Every one introduced himself or herself.  "Who is not from Mississippi?  We may come from different places, but we can work together to accomplish the same goal."  (Equifinality!)  Inputs: students serving as resources, so the other students could be the throughputs: intervention, and achieve the outputs: the desired goal.

The JC students laughed, engaged, interacted.  We encouraged, applauding when one student said she had taken her GED just yesterday after only 4 weeks in the program.  They shared their dreams and hopes, and the social work students shared theirs.  We were together, a community of believers: in the future, in ourselves, in each other.  There were tiny little moments of interaction, one on one. 

I thought of the moment when we arrived and one of the students saw us walk in and smiled and said, "oh, yeah, you are back again!"  I realized how much it means to them (and to me!) to have those opportunities to build relationships.  In all of my years of experience and the research--not just mine, but every social worker, it always comes down to that.  Relationship.  

They built a "wall of problems" and then had the JC students use their strengths to break through it.  It was symbolic, but powerful and joyous.  One of the teachers said to me, "If only it were that simple for them, but it's not that easy."  I smiled and said, "But it starts with believing that you CAN do it."  Ah, those naysayers!  Of course you cannot in actuality throw a wadded up ball of paper that lists your strengths at the styrofoam cups of your problems and have them fall in a second.  Wait a minute, who says we can't?  Isn't it about identifying your problems, and acknowledging your strengths, and using the strengths to overcome, or at least cope with, those walls--imaginary or real?  How many of our problems are of our own making, created by us with no more substance than a styrofoam cup we can crush in one hand?  And once we realize we have strengths and can use them, that we are more willing to look realistically at the next problem?  I say it is just that easy and simple, and if we have social workers who will stand with people, help them identify problems and strengths, and celebrate the victories whether large or small, we will build relationships, build families, build communities.

I just will not give up on any of us.  And I don't think these social work students will give up on any of us.  And I hope after this semester at Job Corps and Riverside, that these students and children will not give up on themselves and the rest of us either.  I believe in all of us.  I just wanted to say so.

Finally Friday: Put on some Garth

It has been a long week, what with travel for the last two weeks and then jumping right back into work full force.  On top of that, it has been something of an emotional roller coaster this week as well, what with the election night excitement, and returning to Riverside.

The group class was awesome today, which was a good thing, since my department chair was observing me teach in order to do an evaluation.  I shared Wednesday's blog with them.  I love writing and writing about things that happen to me and how I understand them.  More than that, however, I love trying to connect the dots: to connect and label events.  Last Wednesday, I saw so many parallels between the children at Riverside and the social work students.  It is sort of like the lessons I have learned from my dogs: amazing in how we can generalize relationship across so many issues.  We did our usual round robins, pair and share, group work, etc., and they did such a great job with connecting issues, participating, and taking risks.  As BA used to say on the A Team, I love it when a plan comes together.

The second Riverside group met today at 4, and it was so fun.  The kids were all pumped since we had been there Wednesday.  The topic was building self-esteem and educating our youth.  They had divided into stations, and as usual, I went from station to station to observe the interventions.  One group had done t-shirts that said "When I grow up I want to be..." and the children had to fill in the blank, and decorate the shirt.  During the decorating of the t-shirts, the facilitators were leading, encouraging, assisting, and the creativity of the children was blossoming.    Another group was seated on blankets outside, asking about the dreams and aspirations of the children, and why they wanted to do or be what they chose.  It was relaxed and informal, and the children were so excited in the intimate little circles, where they could be heard, encouraged, and "grown ups" were listening.  The third group had a "bag of tricks" and the child could select items for what he or she wanted to be when growing up and the other children guessed what the profession was, winning a prize.  The social work students encouraged the children (in all the different stations) about the importance of staying in school and learning how to do what they wanted to do.

I talked to one of the police officers who had known me before when the students came, and it was hard to hear when he said, "We thought you had forgotten us."  I met with a mom whose three daughters attended and she said, "The kids were so happy you were here Wednesday, and they have not stopped talking about it.  They are so glad you are back."  It was hard, because I know for the most part, the best we will be able to do is to come a few times each semester, and I know the need is so great for more than that.

When the children came up and were so excited we were back, it illustrated that often in community work, you plant a seed, and you do not know where, when, or how it will sprout, grow, or bloom.  I thought that we made an impact on the children before, but we were never sure just how much of an impact.  Today, it was clear what we had meant to the children and the importance of what we had done there.  They expressed pure joy at the opportunity to be engaged in learning--even on a Friday afternoon!  We had an even bigger crowd today than we did on Wednesday, and one of the first things they asked was "are you coming back Monday?"

How did the social work students do?  They had planned a variety of group activities to appeal to children: thinking, feeling, and doing.  They worked in teams to carry out their organizing tasks in preparation for the activities.  They encouraged and supported each other and the children.  The groups moved fluidly along with the social work students adapting to the demands of the moment, rapidly assessing, planning, and changing interventions to accommodate new inputs into the system.

Students modeled behaviors for both the children and their classmates.  They never wavered in their purpose of educating youth and reinforcing self-esteem.  I especially liked how they advocated for the children, providing supplies for them to take home so they could finish their work.  It was inspiring to see how they were willing to stay overtime to finish the work they had begun.

Once again, I was inspired by social work students who are so close to becoming my colleagues, and feeling so good about turning over this work to them.  They bring such excitement and energy to the work, and I just hope that they continue to be as inspired by this profession as I have been.  Yes, at times, the road is long and rocky, but there is no other road that I can imagine would have been as fulfilling to me as the road I have taken.  I am yet again gratified that these social workers have chosen this path and that we will be on the journey together.  Riverside 2, good job. :)

Riverside: Many Rivers to Cross

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Post Election Day

Last night we gathered again at the home of friends to watch the election results.  I was so ecstatic when I got home that I could not even make a coherent thought.  When I walked into my class this morning, my students were smiling and all said, "Are you happy Dr. A?"  I laughed and said, "Did you hear us screaming last night?" and they replied, "Did YOU hear us screaming?"  Our university paper ran the front page news on the election results, of course.  I found it interesting still how distorted the view of Obama is, with a student quoted as saying "To put some one with less than two years experience in the White House is just wrong."  Some of the most powerful and influential legislators and administrators in the government had their origins in community organizing, just as Obama did.  That is experience that is directly related to the presidency--of any organization or country.  It is about negotiating, and mediating, and bringing people together for a goal and a cause, and developing resources, among other things.  Following that, he was a state representative, which is legislative experience.  And of course, his recent years in the Senate.  I wonder why folks feel the need to discount all the experience other than the last 2 years when discussing his resume.

I clearly observed a renewed vigor in the African America students today.  They were talking about setting examples for their children, and the need to be a role model in their communities.  They asked me about our plans to begin community organizing in North Panola County of Mississippi--an impoverished area of the Delta where the life chances of young people are rapidly disappearing.  Two students have been actively recruiting other students to work with us on beginning a presence in the community.  The immediate community of Ole Miss benefits from volunteers and community efforts all the time, but I have been working toward expanding our efforts into the rural communities that have not been the recipient of as much student help.  It is a wonderful partnership where students can learn and we can contribute to the community.  We have been able to do activities in several near-by rural communities over the past few years, but our goal now is to have a long-term presence in a rural community in order to have a more effective impact.  

This afternoon, students in the groups class went to one of the public housing communities (where we did work for 2 years before taking a break last spring) to initiate a children's safety education program.  Our target system was children 5-10 years of age.  They had done preliminary work of going door to door and handing out flyers and passing out parental permission slips.  It was so wonderful to me to see the children I had worked with for 2 years, and how they have grown physically, emotionally, and intellectually.  They were happy to see me as well, and many hugs were exchanged.  We also had a few new children, escorted to the community room by their parents, whom we got to meet.

The sweetest thing was when one of the boys said, "I wish you would come back every Wednesday."  We had been there 2-3 times a week, every semester for 2 years, and it has been hard for them to accept that we did not come back last spring.  One of the biggest problems in doing community work is the lack of resources.  It was a poignant reminder of how important nurturing and caring adults are in the lives of our children, and a reminder of why we do this work.

The social work students did such an awesome job and I was just smiling the whole time.  They had planned well, and efficiently set up the room to divide the children by age-appropriate stages of development.  Not all of them had seen the facility before today, so they were a bit in shock that it was not what they expected, but they quickly rallied and went to setting up the tables and chairs, getting their activities and supplies organized, and I swept the floor while they completed their tasks.  

The children began to show up a few minutes before the appointed time and were so eager to participate.  It is a reminder of the joy children have and how important it is for us to nurture and protect that joy so that they continue to experience that in the future.  I was also gratified to see the joy and eagerness of the social work students as they engaged the children and interacted with them.  Working with children is not everyone's cup of tea, but you would not have known if that were the case with these students:  they were excellent in giving positive reinforcement to the children, praising and encouraging and nurturing them along.  They clearly demonstrated mutual aid as they helped each other and reinforced each other to carry out their goals.  Children need to be told that they are smart and capable and to hear good things about themselves.  I loved how one student said repeatedly, "You are so smart!  You know so much!"  I loved how students listened to the children and tied in what they said with the objectives of the class.  Children need to be able to take risks by sharing, and being encouraged along when it is not necessarily the 'right' answer.   I loved watching the students help the children to demonstrate the skills as well as talk about them, and how they used all the styles of learning:  they had visual, audio, and kinesthetic activities to match all the learning styles of children.  I loved seeing them be flexible and adapt when we had some children come in half way through the program, and include them and adapt to their needs and the changes that produced in the system.  I loved the concern for making sure the "little children" got home safely, and how they were able to identify strengths, contributions, and learning as we evaluated the outcome when the group completed.  It was great to see the cohesion in the group and see that visually represented in taking a group picture.

Every time I see a group of students go produce such an outcome, it just makes me so hopeful for the future of this profession, this state, this nation, and this world.  I believe in the social work students from the University of Mississippi, and one of the most meaningful events in my life has been the opportunity to teach here and to learn from the students here.  Today was another great example of a group of future social workers who are ready to launch their careers, but most importantly, a group who will make a difference in the lives of the people with whom they work.  I salute you, Riverside group 1!

President Obama!

I have no words.  I was on my knees.  

Going down Mississippi Memory Lane

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I'd rather live in a world of hope than a world of fear

I just got home a bit ago from voting.  We only have 547 registered voters, so it was a brief wait.  I went at noon and already over half of the precinct had voted.  I live in a predominantly (75%) black community, and the rest of us here tend to be progressives, so I expect a landslide for Obama in our precinct, though it will be hard to say how Mississippi will go overall.  This is the best chance I have had in years--due to our archaic electoral system--to have my vote count.

I chatted with a few friends, and then headed to the grocery store to purchase my items for the election watch party tonight.  I picked blue plates and white napkins, then at the last second got red flatware. :)  I wanted blue as we are hoping to turn Mississippi to a blue state, but somehow, the moment inspired me to go the full spectrum. :)  That being done, I got a blue vase, red roses, white carnations, baby's breath, and snapdragons, and blue daisies to take along.  My friends always like me to bring the wines, so then I had to make a stop at my favorite spot, where lo and behold, it was taxless Tuesday, which always allows me to stock up a bit more.  I selected a couple of whites that I know to be excellent--splurging somewhat in honor of the occasion--and a red with a fruitier taste for my friends that don't like dry reds as I do.  My job was also to bring cheese and crackers, so I found my usual rosemary and cracked black pepper flatbread, roasted red pepper hummus, a gouda, madrigal, and brie cheeses.  I also found some beautiful vine ripened tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil to make another appetizer.  

The young African American woman checking me out commented on my purchases and I said that I would either be celebrating or crying tonight, and either way, I would be with my friends.  She asked, "Who are you for?"  I said "Obama, and I just voted for him."  She smiled and said "Yeah!  I won't be crying, but I will be mad."  I replied, "I would rather live in a world of hope than in a world of fear." The older white woman who is a manager there was bagging for me, and she looked like she was going to have a chat with her afterwards about discussing politics with customers, but most likely because she was not happy with our choice is my guess. LOL

As I was loading my purchases into the truck, I happily thought of all the times back in Abilene when I would get together with my friends for pot luck meals on any occasion we could think of, and how much I was looking forward to tonight.  All those relationships I spent years and years building in Abilene left such a vacant spot in my life.  It is so good to feel I am finally at the point of building those kinds of relationships here at last.  

After all, life without friends, and love, and hope for all of us is just not worth much to me.  I want the day when everyone has the same chances I had: to grow up in a family who loved me and that in spite of all the baggage that comes with families, I never doubted that I could do anything I put my mind, heart, and hands to do because of the legacy my family gave me.  I had education by teachers who wanted me to learn, and helped me to do so because they had learned and had the skills to teach me.  I had health care--even though we were poor.  We lived in a wood frame house for $25 a month, and it had no insulation and was cold in the winter and hot in the summer, but there was always food on the table, even if beans and potatoes, or vegetables from our neighbor that they gave us in exchange for helping them harvest and can or freeze.  

At that same time, Mexican children in my town were living in tin sheds with only a fire in an open barrel in the middle of the floor and carrying mashed potato sandwiches to school for lunch.  The black children were still being bussed to Munday, Texas and a segregated school and had to get up twice as early as those of us living "in the country" in order to catch their school bus.

Today, in Mississippi, there are still children in segregated schools--not because of laws, but because of where they live due to poverty.  If you drive through Oxford, the Square, or Ole Miss areas, you will find beautiful homes and stores and parks and a multitude of condos.  Drive past the corp limits and turn down any county road and look at the dilapidated and rusting trailer houses, unpainted wood homes with rusted tin roofs or missing shingles and you know where the line between poverty and wealth lies.  I myself live in a modest brick house in the middle of an African American community.  There are other modest brick homes here, a few really nice homes, and many more rusted trailers or wooden houses in sad need of repair.  All of us work, or are retired and elderly.  

I still passionately believe it is about life chances, and the truth is, some of us are born with more of them than others, and even if we work hard, we started out a few rungs up on the ladder.  I want to open the gate and usher our young people through it--not shut it in their faces.

More Philadelphia Sites

These are the last of the photos I will post for the Philadelphia trip.  Included are Independence Square, a few more from inside Independence Hall and Congress Hall, and various other buildings and signs from around the city.

It's a beautiful fall day here in Mississippi and I am about to dress and head down to my tiny little precinct in Taylor to cast what is likely the most historic vote of my life time.  I will join my friends and colleagues tonight for an election watch party, marveling at the fact that I am sitting in the home of my African American friends, watching the returns for what I hope will be the win of an African American president, along with both white and black friends.  I came to Mississippi 6 years ago with high hopes, dreams, visions, and plans.  Some have materialized.  I have been ecstatic at times, depressed at times, despondent at times, and hopeful at times.  I have learned far more than I have given, and it was truly the most humbling of lessons that have been offered here.  I hope these last few months mark the turning of a corner for relationships--not just mine, but for all of us in Mississippi--as we continue to keep the faith in creating a new Mississippi, a new South, and a new world.

For any of you reading this, thank you for whatever you have contributed to my journey.