Do you ever find yourself with an uncertain future? I sure do. Five months ago I thought everything made sense. I had somewhat of a plan, nothing huge, but definitely easy to work with. I was going to do another... oh, maybe 8 months, maybe a year with my honey in that wonderful setup in the desert. But things just fell apart so fast. No, that's not true. Nothing fell apart. The plan just changed. I like plans! And S is always telling me that they're somewhat pointless. We're both right. He definitely has the edge on logic on this one-- no matter what you plan, things can easily change. But I have the edge on hope and a path. With a plan you know which way to work and where to set your sights.
Plans. They're great in theory.
I've started a new plan. Not terribly different. I was already heading down this path while still in Afg, but it's altered a bit. So I am going to keep this blog just as it is, with the same title as it has, and I'm going to add to it. I still am living on the other side of the world. I'm on the other side from S... for now. And who knows-- with the charms of an uncertain future, I just may end up there with him. Or he may end up here with me. Or we may go somewhere completely different. But there will always be an "other side of the world" and I'm going to always need to remember that.
And speaking of other sides. Here's where things will take a slightly different turn. I am currently going to write about school. Really, that's about all I do these days. School. S asks what I'm going to do today and the answer always includes "homework". Always. As of yesterday I have now doubled up on the classes. I enjoy it, for sure. I had a mild moment of sheer panic the other night when I started to doubt myself but with enough positive self-talk I got over it. I have my work cut out for me, for sure, but I am getting so much out of this, and I truly enjoy it. The "other sides" part I mentioned is in perspectives. Background. Culture. Ethnicity. Different views. Another world, entirely. I will be learning so much over these next couple of years. It's great. I am finding my text books absolutely fascinating. I can't get enough of them. But it's a little bit scary. In fact, I'm going to stop writing right now and get to some notes I made last month. I meant to update before now but I'm not so good at that sometimes. Obviously. Sorry. Sorta.
12/15/2012 10:59 PM
Plans. They're great in theory.
I've started a new plan. Not terribly different. I was already heading down this path while still in Afg, but it's altered a bit. So I am going to keep this blog just as it is, with the same title as it has, and I'm going to add to it. I still am living on the other side of the world. I'm on the other side from S... for now. And who knows-- with the charms of an uncertain future, I just may end up there with him. Or he may end up here with me. Or we may go somewhere completely different. But there will always be an "other side of the world" and I'm going to always need to remember that.
And speaking of other sides. Here's where things will take a slightly different turn. I am currently going to write about school. Really, that's about all I do these days. School. S asks what I'm going to do today and the answer always includes "homework". Always. As of yesterday I have now doubled up on the classes. I enjoy it, for sure. I had a mild moment of sheer panic the other night when I started to doubt myself but with enough positive self-talk I got over it. I have my work cut out for me, for sure, but I am getting so much out of this, and I truly enjoy it. The "other sides" part I mentioned is in perspectives. Background. Culture. Ethnicity. Different views. Another world, entirely. I will be learning so much over these next couple of years. It's great. I am finding my text books absolutely fascinating. I can't get enough of them. But it's a little bit scary. In fact, I'm going to stop writing right now and get to some notes I made last month. I meant to update before now but I'm not so good at that sometimes. Obviously. Sorry. Sorta.
12/15/2012 10:59 PM
This is really quite an eye-opening experience. I’m reading things like “Knowing when to
invoke confidentiality at the expense of a parent’s right to know is a daily
struggle” (Stone, 2009, p. 6) and reading about a counselor who tried to sue
the school district for not renewing her contract after she tried to teach
abstinence to the students and prayed with two of them. What would I do if students came to me and
actually wanted and requested to pray with me?
Will I be setting myself up for losing my job of I do so? I pray.
I think it’s an acceptable thing to do.
And though I would not ever force my beliefs onto a student, I would
love to think that I could share the actions of my beliefs with a student if he
or she wanted it. But that whole
“separation of church & state” thing really screws us up. My current text says that Americans really
try to give parents the respect and legal latitude to figure out how to raise
their children more so than any other country.
Oh my gosh how frightening that is!
We had yet another school shooting this week in this “Great
American Dream” of a country. Thanks to
my constant state of having my nose in a text book, I haven’t heard much about
it other than it was Connecticut and there were 20 something children killed. My poor S is now worrying about what I’m
getting myself into as a school counselor.
I’ll be working in just such a setting.
I’m worrying more about legal ramifications to going to work every
day! Seriously, I’m reading that
ethically we must always respect the client’s right to confidentiality unless
he or she plans to do harm to self or others and in the next sentence that
parents have all rights over their child’s
life/decisions/actions/thoughts/etc., and that when the law comes into play,
parents have the legal rights to know and law beats ethics. So… About that.
…
…
???
Ethically, and by counselor’s standards & goals, we are
to help the children learn autonomy—how to think for themselves, how to stand
up for themselves, how to be their own person.
Legally, these kiddos have no right to make even one single decision
about their own lives. I repeat, ???
Then again, it’s been a long time since I’ve had school work
capture my interest so much. I read
because I find this interesting. I can’t
put my text books down because I keep wanting to learn more. I guess I’m getting into a great line of
work. Not only does it interest me now,
it’s also so new and so constantly evolving that I will always have something
more to learn. I used to tell people
that if I could be anything I wanted in life I would be a permanent
student. It looks like I have found just
the right career to allow that. I’ll be
going to school all the time and I will be always learning something new. That’s just dang cool!
And please, let me apologize in advance for my APA
formatting in every new post. I need
practice!!! :D Never again do I ever want to have to spend
anything near an hour or more searching for the proper documentation of
something asinine like who to use as the publisher in a “production of”
situation. That was maddening! By the time I obtain my Master’s of
Education: Guidance and Counseling, I will understand the APA style of formatting
from top to bottom, beginning to end, right to left, and past to future. Just watch.
References:
Stone, C. (2009). School counseling principles: Ethics and law.
Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association.
