I’ve been off the board for a couple months now and thought I’d drop a line.
I see the topics are as lively as ever. Nice to see Cranberry again. Mongoose of Righteousness is a great new addition.
As I mentioned before I lost my job with Pfizer in their big trashing of our local and 100+ year old pharmaceutical place here in town. It used to be the Upjohn Company.
Anyway I am going back to school to be a Paramedic. I recently landed a job with a local ambulance company doing wheelchair transport while I’m in school. The hours are very long. As a result I had to miss Thurlowe’s band yet again. She’ll never speak to me I’m sure.
But on the subject of wheelchair transport. I feel blessed that I have had the opportunity to do this kind of work. We transport a variety of individuals. From people temporarily incapacitated due to accidents to extremely mentally “challanged” people.
Like many people I have always had a fear and maybe even revulsion toward people with severe mental handicaps. I don’t apologize because I think it is a natural thing to be disturbed with people so greatly different from our concept of ‘normal’.
My experiences of the last weeks have changed that perspective.
I have a hard time explaining how I have grown to care about my riders. I’ve seen them through a different light. They are people. People who are happy and sad and angry just like anyone else.
I’ve sat here for 45 minutes and tried to express what’s happened and how I’ve come to know and love my riders but I’m not a writer and am unable.
Anyway I’ll drop by again soon. Oh and I had a great time playing in a flute choir last week. We did a medley of Christmas tunes with 8 flutes. Beautiful.
Hey, I’m glad you dropped by. And also glad things are starting to look up, and you’re able to go back to school. I am going to do that, too. Just thinking about it is exciting, isn’t it?
Quote @ geek4music
Like many people I have always had a fear and maybe even revulsion toward people with severe mental handicaps. I don’t apologize because I think it is a natural thing to be disturbed with people so greatly different from our concept of ‘normal’.
My experiences of the last weeks have changed that perspective.
I have a hard time explaining how I have grown to care about my riders. I’ve seen them through a different light. They are people. People who are happy and sad and angry just like anyone else.
I have never been afraid or otherwise skiddish of the severly mentally ill or mentally handicapped (Two different things, if you ask me. Mentally ill people can be extremely intelligent and not mentally handicapped at all.). They are people, and I sympathize with people. I think it’s a good thing when people realise that we are all the same. Because really, we are.
Hi,
just read your post, what you just said takes guts to say, I respect you for it, you’re honest, good luck on becoming a Paramedic.
Mac
p.s. Cran, just read your post so to be clear, I’m not saying you’re not honest, You always say what you think, 90% of the time I disagree but who cares.
Hi geek! Good to see a post from you. If I remember, you were talking about going into that field right? Just when we figure we know everything we learn that we don’t know nuthin’.
Dear Rick,
I completely forgive you for not coming out to listen to my erratic musical efforts. Of course, I still expect you to abandon your responsibilities the next time we play. Downtown London Grill, Friday Jan 9, 16, 23, & 30.
I assumed you were focusing your energy on the new career, and I’m glad to hear you made it happen. Congratulations! And thanks for sharing how it’s changed you in a happy way.
