NOW Group Facilitation Scares the Beejeebers Outta Me!

So, today in my Group Work class, there was six of us who did a role play. We had made a proposal for a psychoeducational group for teenaged girls to talk about self-esteem. All we had to do was the initial stage, which was fairly easy (or so we thought) because a lot of what you have to talk about is already frameworked for you.

So I made up eight profiles on fairly realistic teenaged girls- there were all different types of girls, but most women would be able to connect with several of them. Then another girl and I facilitated while classmates were the members.

Well, okeedina!!!!

I did not think my classmates would be so difficult! The horrible thing was that all of them stayed within their roles perfectly- but the conflict! There was conflict over showing emotion! There was conflict over how some had lots of friends and some didn't! There was even name calling!

And they moved so fast! You could not deal with one conflict, and try to relate it back to group process and the topic at hand, before there was another, and another, and another! It was like, which fire do I put out first? Or do I ignore the fires, and slog on with my agenda?

Then, to really botch it up, I chose dealing with the fires, and my cofacilitator chose slogging on with the agenda! It was a mess!! At the end of the group, none of the participants felt good about the group- and it was just a role play!!!!

Well, let me tell you, when it comes time for their role plays, I am going to be one of THE MOST challenging participants EVER!!!

So, what was supposed to be an excersise in feeling good about groups ended up scaring me to death.

By the way, I am sorry that only May-B really understood what I was talking about. :)

Book Meme

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post it on your blog, along with these instructions
5. Don't go running and finding something "cool" or "intellectual"! Really the closest book!

OK... well, nearest book does not have 123 pages... let's go with the next nearest book....

This is from "Social Welfare in Canada" by Steven Hick:

"This increase in divorce rate has, in turn, contributed to the changes in family stuctures."

I'm sorry! It was a textbook! I don't read it for fun!

Memeing- I really love it too much

Do you snore? Very, very rarely. Usually only when I am sick. I have a roommate, so she would tell me if I did. Anyway, the guy in the apartment below us snores enough for everyone in our building. Like, we hear him through the floor every night.

Are you a lover or a fighter? I am a lover until I blow my top. It happens very rarely, but when it does, watch out!

What is your worst fear? I am also going with phobia, and that would have to definately be mice. You know that high pitched, long, drawn-out girly scream on horror movies? The one that nearly cracks your eardrums? That is e when I see a mouse.

As a kid, were you a lego maniac? Hmm.... I had them, and I enjoyed them, but I was actually a dress-up maniac.

What do you think about reality tv? I am mixed about it- I really think it is horribly unethical, so I try to avoid watching it- but if I start- even if I only see one episode- I'm hooked.

Were you a cute baby? Yes. I had this adorable curly blonde hair. I wish I had it back... it was the best blonde hair ever.

Is the single life for you? Don't think about it!! I really hope it isn't. Really, really, really hope it isn't.

Do you sing in the shower? Very occasionally. Not often though.

Any secret talents? If I do, they are a secret from even me.

What is your ideal vacation? Right now, I would be happy anywhere (Calgary this weekend- yay!) but ideally, a summer off to go camp hopping and crazy roadtrips to wierd places in the middle.

Can you swim? No. In fact, I am one of the few pwople I know who failed the yellow swimming lesson three times.

Can you sing the alphabet backwards? No. I can, however, say it backwards, very slowly, with lots of pauses to think.

What are you addicted to? My computer, Friends, ice-cream, and cheese.

Crunchy or creamy peanut butter? Creamy, definately. What is the point of it if it doesn't spread?

What is the most annoying TV commercial? That one that advertises Calcium supplements, and had archetcture turning into bones. It is too wierd, and is on way too often.

What is the most clever tv commercial? Way back when Telus first started their animals on a white background themed commercials, there were some awesome ones. I've forgotten what they are though, it was several years ago.

Favorite song at the moment? I think it is by Kelly Clarkson- I don't know what it is called, but it is about how she trashed her boyfriend's car when he cheated on her.

Switch

Well, I made my decision. I am going to switch my field placement. I went back today to tell my supervisor of my decision, and to say goodbye to the few people that were nice to me there, and to take my learning contract back. No way was I leaving it with them.

I did get a confirmation that I was making the right decision, though. My supervisor could not even keep it confidential that I was considering leaving! Like, how awkward would it have been if I had decided to stay! I mean, for those of you who don't know, confidentiality is/ought to be one of the pillars of social work. So I was disappointed in my supervisor again before I left though.

Anyway, no more looking back. That is in the past, an unfortunate experience, but I got closure today, so it isn't going to bother me anymore. I'll have a few days off, and then I will be set up with a new, hopefully exciting, field placement, where I'll have a supervisor I see once in a while, and where I am not merely a go-for.

Meme

1. Comfort beverage: Hmmm... It depends on my mood.... but orange juice with pulp is fantastic, as it is becoming more and more rare to find these days. There is nothing wrong with pulp, people!!

2. Comfort chair: My parents bought this huge, overstuffed Lazeboy recliner, and I love it. I could stay in it all day.

3. Comfort book: Harry Potter- it is funny in parts, fairly simple to read, and I know it so well, it is like coming back to an old friend. Pus, Ron and the twins are just SO funny.

4. Comfort television/DVD/music- Comfort television is definately Friends. I own all 10 seasons on DVD, and I always plug it in whenever I get into a funk. Comfort DVD (which I will take to mean movie) is likely A Walk To Remember, or even any other romantic comedy. I am a gonner for sap. Ooh! Or any Pirates move- I mean, mmm, Captain Jack Sparrow. Oh, but then there is also The Mask of Zorro- I mean, that dancing!!!! It is incredible. Plus, some good boy-watching in there too. Comfort music... I made up 2 CDs of all country songs, or romantic ballads that I love. I used those today.

5. Comfort companions- Quite honestly, almost anyone will do. As long as I am not alone, I feel better. Today, my neighbor Andrea, her 4 year old son (cutest child ever), Rebekah, and Grant were mine.

Later...

Well, I am still unhugged, but at least I am coherant, which is an improvement. I talked it all out with one of my teachers, and feel much better.

I could use some prayer though. I have a decison to make this weekend about whether or not I want to keep my field placement, or switch.

(I had to add a title, cuz it looked stupid)

I really need a hug right now.

I met him!

Remeber that awesome crazy guy on the bus? The one in the crazy out fit with the beads on his boots? Well, I met him today!

So I was on the bus, like I always am, and it suddenly dawns on me that the old man next to me is that guy! So, I immediately started memorizing his outfit:

• Blue long sleeved button up shirt, with the same Hawiian shirt as last time over top, and for added warmth, a woolen vest over top of that.
• Track pants- they were Adidas- and your know that white stripe? Well, he had added red dots all the way down the stripe.
• Cowboy boots, with the beads missing :(
• A cowboy hat like Greg's (with a picture of George Canyon on the inside- he showed me) and sunglasses
• And then the best part- a grey western looking belt over top of his multiple shirts, with chains haning off of it!

Then he started distributing newspaper articles to everyone in reach, because there was an article in their about him! It made my day! Apparently, every summer he decorates a bike- and I mean crazy decorate- there was a picture of him with his bike, and you could barely see the bike. I'm gonna quote a bit of the article:

"When you look at Peter S's decorated 1954 CCM Glider five-speed bicycle, you can visualize it as a flat in a parade. The bike, which the 76 year old has owned since he was 17, is a colorful, entertaining work of art. Peter himself adds to the picture. A born entertainer, he loves to get all dressed up in his self designed, tailored western outfit, in which he looks like a modern day Roy Rogers."

It was an excellent bus ride.

Last Night

So, I had a paper due this morning (a proposal for group work), that I had not started yesterday. I planned to start it when I got home from school.

So I came home from school and rewatched the best parts of The Lake House which I had rented. Then I had supper, and headed to prayer meeting. It was then 9 PM, so I headed home and started it.

It was going along great, and then my friend from Manitoba that used to live in Edmonton dropped by. So we (Rebekah and I- she had a lot of schoolwork too) visited with him for a while. Then we did, like, another 10 minutes of work, until we decided to be impulsive and crazy and just go cruising.

So we drove around, listening to music, eating, chatting, and we found this spot with an awesome view downtown- at the Shaw Conference Center, looking over the ledge of the hill/roof.

So then we got home after midnight, and finished our homework. I got up at 6 to go to school.

It was so worth it.

This must only happen to me...

So I am waking home today, talking to my sister on my cell phone. I am carrying a wicker shoulder bag over my shoulder (kinda like a beach bag, y'know? I got it from Jysk.) Anyway, the pants I was wearing have a zipper to shut the back pocket.

Can you guess what happened? That is right. The zipper somehow got stuck into the bag. So my bag was stuck to my butt.

I still haven't figured out how to fix it. To get the bag off my butt, I had to take my pants off.

Why me?