Rest? Eh, but at least I didn't have to leave the house. I woke up on my own at 11, and then there was shoveling, and a few urgent phone calls and emails that couldn't wait. I still have my indoor pants on, so I'ma count that as a win.

Sail, I know, it's kind of novel, isn't it? Facebook did really keep me sane, as well as the folks on the radio.

And a good reminder to all of us in winter climes about the importance of having enough gas, a phone charger, etc. in the car when you hit the road.

YES. Always make sure you have a full tank especially when inclement weather threatens. I'd also recommend a bottle of water and granola bars (or similar). Hunger was the biggest factor as the night wore on. Oh, and don't be a dope and leave the snow brush sitting in the foyer at home, though a golf umbrella does a good job in a pinch. Tested that myself last evening.

Ginger, I hope you continue to feel better.

Thanks, ChiKat!

Happy birthday Laga!

Smonster, ugh. What a suck day. On the flip side, angry girl realized she wanted to try to do something after the fact - even if she mistakenly expressed it in a way that tried to make it your fault. That's something like the beginning of ownership, kind of, which is better than leaning on shovels. I remember when they werent interested in doing anything. You have made a difference, even if it doesn't feel like it.

Pasta: Maria, so glad you made it home!

Sox is wise.

Thanks, y'all. It was definitely a "here go hell come" kind of day. I've had dinner, and vented to B for a while, and it's just about time for that adult beverage. And then I'll reflect on the day and prepare for tomorrow. Really, every time I focus on productivity, everything goes to shit. I'm just frustrated, I never get to catch up because I'm constantly dealing with drama.

I'm going to have to find some zen if I want to last in this field. I actually did pretty well today staying calm. Really, it's remarkable that I only lost my shit once.

Calli, I'm home early. Do you need anything?

Thanks. I spent a fair bit of time off-line napping with the cat, so I missed this earlier. But thanks for asking! I'm good.

Smonster, congrats on keeping your cool for most of the day. Sorry your zen was tested so much.

I have a new table. It belongs in my bedroom, which is upstairs. It is currently in my living room, which is downstairs, because it's too heavy for me to get up the stairs. I might be able to ask someone I kind of know from work if he can help me with it. If not, then I guess I can find someone on craigslist who'll carry a table up a flight of stairs for $10 or so.

I'm pondering signing up for piano lessons. I'm also pondering signing up for oil painting lessons. The oil painting doesn't start until March, so I guess I can start the piano ones and then see how much time I have for painting.

Yeah, I don't have a lot of wisdom here other than, yeah, you go in, and you do that, every day. The fact that you don't give up on them is what makes it work, because they've done this to other people before and those other people wrote them off.

Even you messing up yourself is okay. They already know you mess up, but the more you can model messing up...and then pulling yourself together and getting on with it...the more they can see and learn from it.

The thing is, the drama is the work. It's just how it goes. All of the stuff, and the life skills and all of that, it comes along with, but it's a long road.

I've got a kid right now who is dreaming about pursuing a doctorate in piano performance. I wrestled with him doing scales for years. And then his big brother left and his mom got beat nearly to death by her boyfriend so they took him out of her care and put him in the care of his aunt...who was the meth dealer to begin with. And so at eighth grade, he looked like his life was completely a wreck. He was never going to learn life skills and he was never going anywhere but into those swells of addiction.

But he's getting ready to graduate high school now, and he talks to me on facebook all the time (after no contact for nearly five years) and he's making hard life decisions in the right direction.

He's had a lot of other influences in his life too, so I'm not saying it was all me. But I taught him how to play piano, and I'm damned proud of him. Although I didn't think I was going to be when he was stealing money from the youth center to smoke weed in front of the church work teams.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, all you can be is who you are, every day, every day. And your workers have the opportunity to learn from that or not, but how you treat them in and out is the important bit today. You never know where life will take Angry Girl down the road, and you want to be part of that direction.

Whoever said it upthread is also right that her squabble with you is a positive thing because it reflects her burgeoning sense of ownership. Encourage that. Let her do it, and get it wrong. And continue to let her know you have high expectations for her.

And yeah. Give yourself a break. Get some rest. Come back fresh. It's a hard thing you're trying to do.

God, Liese. I need you in my ear like Leverage every day. If I ever get the chance, I am so coming to visit and volunteer. Any creative ideas on positive motivation/reinforcement?

Eight years on, one of my students/best friends from PC has gotten back in touch on fb, and she's in school, married, a mom, and not dead, which is pretty awesome.

I think I need to write "the drama is the work" on my bathroom mirror.

{{smonster}} sorry you had such a shit day. Liese is wise. I hope you have a restful night, and get that adult beverage goin'. If you need to vent, just call or text.

{{Zenkitty}}, much coping ~ma to you.

Maria, so goo to see you around these parts! I was watching the saga on FB, and I'm glad that you got some rest.

I left work at 2:30, because I got four hours sleep in three nights, came home, crashed hard. I woke up, and I have to do some work tonight, even though all I want to do is sleep more.