Cheers to the New Year!

As the year comes to a close I have very much to be thankful for, and many memories to look back on.  For the most part this year flew by quickly, so much happened in what feels like a short amount of time.  I began the year entering my final semester at Ball State University, a three-year relationship, and one handsome little kitten.

In March I went from dating the man of my dreams to being engaged to him. January seventh marked my three years with Matthew. On March sixth while meeting Houston’s local elephants I was asked a very important question! Matthew proposed that we spend the rest of our lives together, changing our status to engaged.

In May I graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology! Four years of hard work all paid off the second I walked across that stage with a degree, something many people aren’t fortunate enough to obtain.

First Day of Work

In July I accepted my first position out of college working in Applied Behavioral Analysis, and promptly started on July 20^th. I am currently six months into my career, and having a steady job in my field couldn’t be more perfect for someone who has just graduated from college. I love my co-workers and all my clients dearly, I couldn’t imagine working at another center.

In the beginning of August we adopted a new family member, Penny. She is the perfect kitten, and a wonderful sister for our cat Leo.  She has blessed us in so many ways and I couldn’t be more thankful for how well her and Leo get along.

After such a busy year I can only look forward to growing in 2016. Saying I do, building a family, and developing in my new career. Although many may disagree, 2015 was a good year; not everything was perfect, but the good most definitely outweighed the bad.

 

Cheers to the New Year, and here is to making 2016 another year I can be proud of.

Keep it Sassy 

Childhood Gambling

Once you turn eighteen in the US you are legally allowed to gamble. Gambling comes in all forms, but a popular form is Scratch off tickets. These tickets produced by the state lottery can range in price from 1$ up to 30$, and winnings can range from $1 to Thousands. Odds are slim but that doesn’t stop people from contributing millions of dollars per year to these little pieces of paper. I’m guilty too; my fiancé calls lottery tickets “Stupid tax.” Although frivolous and often wasteful, they can be fun and sometimes extremely addicting.

These days there are new forms of what I consider “gambling” and they are targeted towards young children. One of my favorite Youtubers, Graveyardgirl (Bunny Meyer) has done a few episodes on her channel unboxing Shopkins. Shopkins are little figurines with no worth, just collector’s items with cute names and equally adorable design. They follow the theme of supermarket products, clothing items, and every day tools; cookies, pencils, boots, hats, and vegetables. After looking at the website there is said to be 3 series and 115 figurines all together.

The main way to buy these products is in what they call “Blind Baskets” each basket has two figurines that are sealed in yellow plastic so they are a complete surprise until purchased and opened. As it could be guessed there is no science to getting all different figures, duplicates happen. Another issues is that there are various figurines that are considered rare (harder to come by) which result in more purchases in hopes to collect them all!

I did some math and figured what it costs per figurine. I looked up the price from target and they retail for 2.99 per basket (3.20 with tax in the state of Indiana). So this comes down to 1.60 per figure and all 115 figurines, assuming you get no duplicates, is 368 dollars. As mentioned these things have ZERO worth just fun for collecting. In my opinion they are the equivalent of a scratch off ticket. If you get a duplicate its like a losing ticket, and getting a rare item is that of winning some significant some of cash. It the end, it is all a gamble.

Although I’m not of some odd religion where I see gambling as sinful and work of the devil, I feel that it is important to understand the possibilities that these fun collectors games are similar to those of betting. It could be concluded that these tendencies in young children could create the need to wager money in the future when the prize may not always be so tangible. Over all, its just an opinion and I don’t judge anyone who participates, this is simply and observation.

BUST IT OUT with a SMILE!

This time last year I was finishing up my first senior semester at Ball State and spending a good majority of my down time watching Netflix and laying around. (Those were the days) Now I barely have time to do things I enjoy. I work my day job, the whole reason I went to college, for 35ish hours a week and my old serving job for another 10-15 hours. I’m siting here writing as I have anxiety over the fact I need to organize and clean our apartment. I just got off my third day in a row working both jobs and I’m exhausted. I really regret not taking advantage of the time I had in college to do nothing between classes and homework.

I’m slowly trying to get moved into my new apartment and juggle both jobs along with sleep. I feel like I don’t get but one hour before bed to have to myself, and I’m too busy getting my life in order so I don’t live in chaos. I don’t necessarily need the second job, but I just can’t let it go. I’m starting to drive myself insane. But regardless I’ve learned a few things working in both the professional word as well as still maintaining a part time server-life status.

One reason I love serving is because I know what I’m doing, and I do it pretty well. The environment I work in is more open, I can joke with my coworkers say things that you would never hear in a boardroom and tell my managers to “suck it” in a joking manor without getting a second look. I love that I don’t have to feel like I need to be someone else; I can 100% be myself without judgment.

I like working in a more stable career but I feel like everyone is walking on eggshells and has to pretend to be someone else. I feel like I am to outspoken and tend to throw people off because I am not one to hold things back or be REAL! I don’t like to feel like I have to pretend to be something I’m not, but I feel like even though I hold back quite a bit I’m still not the person I would prefer to be.

In the server world you get cool with your co-workers quickly, I’m just getting comfortable with a few people at my new job. Both places have co-workers you aren’t fond of and those you are super tight with. Either way, I realize there are many differences that will keep these worlds different; both enjoyable, and frustrating, in their own rights.

Working in a “real job” versus serving makes me realize how hard serving really is. People think serving is for those who can’t do anything else. To be honest, it takes a lot to be a server and not just anyone can do it or do it well. It takes multitasking, endurance, and even strength. All the money you make relies on YOU and YOU only. You can’t just sit on your phone and play games; you’re constantly running around.

If you want to make money serving you have to pretend the customer is NUMBER ONE and make them feel like they are high priority. I can be having a terrible day and I have to walk up to tables like I am the happiest person on the planet and I couldn’t be more excited to serve them! (I guess acting is a requirement I forgot to mention.) There is no taking it easy, and if you’re feeling sick there is no time to rest or take it easy, you have to BUST IT OUT. 

Working in the cooperate world people call off for the most ridiculous reasons, sick or not. If you call off as a server you SCREW a lot of people over. The rest of your team becomes more overwhelmed without you there to take those tables and it could leave the servers working having to take 5 plus tables in a row. Tonight we had one server who was sick and our busser who called off, this made the rest of us super busy and I didn’t stop moving from the time I clocked in till the time I clocked out. I constantly had something in my hands and never sat down unless I was kneeling next to a table to take their order or help them with their tabletop computer system.  I’m not saying this for sympathy or to make myself seem like a harder worker than those who work behind a desk, but it makes the point that servers are hard workers too. People don’t give those in the restaurant scene enough credit, and tend to think they are a bunch of lazy know-nothings.

Moral of the story, all professions have their difficulties, and I know for a fact that serving is its own demon from personal experiences on both sides of the job spectrum.

Professional Badass...?

Now that I am officially five months into my new career I am at a point where I feel like I know semi what I am doing. I’ve learned sooo much about my field as well as working in a professional environment in general. In my previous job of serving I had become somewhat a professional. I knew how to read guests, multitask and get things done to maximize my income as well as make people LOVE me. Not to brag, but I’m a pretty badass server (TOOOT TOOOT). I still serve on the side because I just can’t leave it; it’s quick easy money, and I’m good at it. Unfortunately I’m not at the level of professional Badass as a behavioral therapist.

Before I get down on things let me say, I Love my position working with children who have autism! It’s super rewarding, but I still have a long way to go. It has only been five months, no one is gonna rock it out that quickly. I still doubt myself and tend to try to work above my pay grade. It is obvious to myself that I genuinely care about the kiddos I work with, and I’m not just there to go through the motions and get a paycheck.

One thing that has made me more confident over time is the relationship I have built with my clients. Now due to HIPPA I can’t say too much about them, but all that matters is that they are amazing. I love watching my kids succeed and do well.  I love to hear them laugh, and I love that they show they love me too. One of my youngest little nuggets always greets me with a big kiss on my face (more like a face lick) but it warms my heart to know he loves me. Two of my clients are non-verbal, and their hugs and squeezes are the BIGGEST rewards I could have for doing my job.

I must share that one of my clients, who is verbal, was at home one day and got put in time out for hitting his sister, when he was sitting in the corner he told his parents “I want Erica!” How stinking precious, he thinks of me when he needs someone to comfort him. Although he isn’t always my biggest fan when I tell him “no,” he still has a place in his heart that thinks of me when I’m not around. That makes me feel very special.

One thing that is the most stressful, and something I mentioned in a previous post, are the dreams that come along with what I do. Often I will have dreams that my clients are in a massive behavior, throwing tantrums or having potty accidents. Sometimes the dreams are good, I’ve often had dreams where my non-verbal clients are talking and saying all sorts of hysterical things. Not all the dreams are bad, but I definitely take my work home with me.

My job definitely isn’t easy, and those who ask “so are you like a baby sitter?” know that you HAVE no idea what this job entails. A lot of people, even me at one point, assume this job is just glorified babysitting, (Spoiler ALERT) it is one of the roughest jobs I have ever done. Although it can be stressful I wouldn’t trade it at this point in my life.

Wedding Traditions

As I prepare for my wedding in May I am surrounded by various conflict as I make decisions for my big day.  I receive so much advice, wanted and unwanted, when it comes to planning my big day. One thing I am conflicted with is traditions and wedding etiquette. This day and age we are able to have wedding websites, and register for gifts without leaving the house, things that are far from anything that has been done long ago. Weddings have come a long way, but traditions typically stay the same… Something borrowed, something blue, something old, and something new. Small things that seem silly, but brides continue to follow what their mothers and grandmothers have done in the past.

This post has nothing to do with my wedding, or how I plan to follow tradition, but rather it is about another bride who did something differently, and although I was not present for her big day, she filled my heart with joy and my eyes with tears.

She took a different rout than what has typically been done, and it couldn’t have been more brilliant.

After the couple shared their first dance as husband and wife they asked all couples who were married to join them on the dance floor. As the song got going they asked all couples who have been married for one year or less to kindly take their seat. They continued to ask those to leave the dance floor until there was only one couple left, that couple had been married for 55 years. The bride then gave her bouquet to couple. In my opinion it was an exchange between the newest marriage and the most seasoned marriage.

The couple left standing on the dance floor was my Grandparents.  After 55 years, three daughters, and five grandkids, they have stuck by one another and still love each other as much as they did in 1960; decades before wedding websites, and online registries. I feel that the true tradition to be recognized is that of love. This bride went outside the box. Instead of tossing a bouquet in hopes to start a new marriage, she shared the flowers with a couple who has already proved they can handle a marriage for over half a century.

Sleeping is stressful...

I know I’m not alone when I say I have difficulties sleeping at night, many people suffer from insomnia, bad dreams, and skewed sleep schedules. Something I have struggled with for years are dreams about working. No matter what jobs I’ve held I dream about being at work and it is always the most stressful of situations that I am forced to deal with in real life re-imagined by my mind into even more un-manageable nightmares.

These dreams first occurred when I was seventeen and working at the local tanning salon where I lived in Florida. I would be sleeping and think there were customers in my room and I would be sitting up in bed talking to my regulars trying to sell them lotions and put them in tanning beds…. These were the most mild, they were most stressful because they woke me up and I felt like I was ignoring people if I didn’t do anything.

These dreams grew exponentially worse when I began serving in College. The dreams were not waking me up, but they were stressful situations such as not being able to greet my tables, getting double sat, having issues ringing in food and not being able to find what I needed (basically taking FOREVER)! The problem with these dreams is they stressed me out in my sleep and kept me from feeling rested the next day. I still continue to have these dreams even though I work that position part time.

The dreams are becoming terrible at my current job too. I currently work as an ABA therapist helping children who have autism. I was up majority of my night last night thinking I was trying to provide services to one of my clients. It was at the point where I was half awake moving stuff in my bed and thinking the child was in front of me. I’ve even been having dreams about kids I don’t work with directly, hearing their screams or behaviors and feeling stressed that there is nothing I can seem to do to fix it.

Part of this job requires me to correct bad behaviors such as children voiding themselves or engaging in aggression/destruction. It is already difficult some days to deal with it in person, but dreams always seem to feel like I’m trudging through quick sand and unable to move fast enough. I’m not sure how to go about correcting this issue, but I am willing to try anything.

Part of me knows I take my positions seriously, if I didn’t it wouldn’t bother me when these things were going on, but that is the difference between me and someone who just does their job for money.

Recently I’ve been planning my wedding for next May, holding two jobs (for no good reason), and trying to make time for everyone in my life. I don’t remember a weekend I haven’t been on the move. Working roughly 7 Days a week for 60ish hours really makes me tired, but being unable to have restful sleep is making it even harder. I know I’ll finally catch a break where I’m not doing anything for a few hours and eventually feel bored, but for now I feel like I’m moving at 100 MPH and still not being able to breathe.  I haven’t even had time to keep up on my blog/youtube due to life. I feel like finding time to shower and do laundry is hard. I can’t imagine having children when I can’t even make time for myself.

After spending four years in college and getting in a job in my field it’s worth it to know at least I’m busy and not jobless living off mom and dad. Just let me say how awful it is when I’m putting in all these hours and that girl from high school whose now a stripper posts a photo of her new BMW… Lucky for me my degree will last longer than my youth and ability to swing on a pole.