Ranting about work, I'll get over it!

I work in a small town that was dependent on the textile mills for it's economic well being. As the mills closed, the unemployment rate grew until the rate seems to remain at a figure well over 10% and sometimes nearing 20% or more. Although the town itself boasts a home where Jefferson Davis visited and several homes with architecture that is recognized throughout the state, there is also a great deal of government housing and many homes that are in ruins. The idea of generational poverty is not new here and because they have had government support for so long, many of the youngsters have no idea of how hard some people have to work to obtain things. They view the world as a place where Santa is in the shape of their single parents or step families and they get things without having to work for them.

There are also no consequences for misbehavior. I work in a school where the students can talk to me any way they choose because the Principal thinks that I am too strict and does not believe in firm discipline. It is her philosophy that these children should be nurtured no matter what they do. I had a child yell at me yesterday and when I told him that he wasn't going to talk to me like that he said, "Well!" Which means, "well I just did, didn't I and nothing is going to happen to me is it?" And it's true, if I had sent the child to the office nothing would have happened. Another child was told that she shouldn't do something and when I asked her to please go to her seat, telling her again not to do what I told her, she looked right at me and said, "Well, I just did it anyway." The children know that no one is going to make them behave and that if I do they can go to the Principal and say that I am too mean and that there will be no consequences for them. It is very frustrating to say the least.

I have begun to feel as though someone is out of touch with reality. I am not sure if it is me or the administrator that I work with. I have talked to others who agree with me so perhaps I have not totally lost my grip. I do know that nothing you say to many of the people I work with is the least confidential and that much of what is said is twisted and retold to best serve the teller of the tale. I know that many of the women that I work with smile in your face and then run back to others to make sure that they are the first to carry the latest bit of hopefully damning news. It is all so tiresome. Just yesterday I, being naive, told a fellow employee, in confidence, something that had happened that involved their position. I was not being malicious or anything else. I was just carrying information that I thought the person should know. I had no idea that they would immediately carry the tale to someone else to verify it and try to find out more information/gossip. Now I will have to wait to see how soon I get summoned to the office for yet another letter telling me that something I have done has ruffled the feathers of the administration. What comes after tiresome?

Well, it's off to bed as I have yet another day at the Salt Mines awaiting me in about 3-4 hours. Oh JOY! At least I have a job and that I AM thankful for.

My life has gone to the dogs!

They have eaten the couch. Okay, not such a loss as I didn't like it anyway and really they only ate the cushions, but that stupid foam all over the house was a real pain! I'm still finding pieces of the stuff and I took the couch out three weeks ago.

They are still actively trying to liberate the prisoner who lives next door. I have to go out every day or two and fill in the holes that have been test dug to test the enemy's resolve. So far the enemy is holding fast but the incarcerated victim is now actively attempting to aid the rescue effort.

Charley helps with the prisoner's exercise program by making him run up and down the fence while calling out instructions and encouragement.

The head of the excavation team spends long hours trying to recruit other members of the family to help in the efforts. Poppy can be seen regularly conducting practice sessions at training sites in throughout the yard in a never ending search for help in the plot to rescue the prisoner. Today the training exercises involved either digging for a mole or looking for the Evil Squirrel's hidden stores. At any rate there was considerable flying dirt, shallow trenches and a great deal of snuffling. Charley helped out some, while Hannah, Ashley, and Angel watched. Hannah stayed for the whole class while the other two simply lost interest and wandered off.

I kept expecting the Evil Squirrel to take advantage of the fixed interest of the dogs to lob a few acorns, but alas he must be sleeping. I have noticed that he seems to be a little slower these days. I wonder if age is creeping up on the little varmit. Of course, it could have been that the nasty little thing was waiting for me to be dumb enough to walk under the tree. HA! Not today you Evil creature!

Well, it's time to go... there is laundry to wash and sheets to mend... Yep, that's Angel's new passion, digging to nest in the bed and shredding the sheets in the process. Perhaps the next episode will include details about the goings on of the "Claws of Death!" In the mean time, I think I'll go enjoy the sun with Bernie who is napping on the back porch.