Confession:
I hate today.
I miss my mom.
I feel lonely.
100 people could sit in this room and I would feel lonely.
11 days seems like a lifetime.
And last thought for today, I am starting to harbor major resentment to the Tarrant County medical examiners office since they won't tell me what happened even though they know! FU jerks
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Loss
I am sorry I couldn't keep up with this blog so well lately. Maybe I can find comfort in rambling later. I was just getting started and my best friend, my mom left this world. So I just can't get my mind right. My mom was the most thoughtful, generous, considerate, funny, best person ever. Closest to a saint I knew.
Rest in peace, Mom.
June 2, 1956 - May 6, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
This is probation, not vacation...
Everyday on the way in to work I imagine that my life should have a soundtrack and I should surely be riding in slow motion down 35W, windows down, starbucks in hand, going the exact speed limit, shirt tucked in while the music blares "they see me rollin, they hatin, patrollin they tryin to catch me ridin dirty..."
I am a probation officer. I am not a cop. Those aren't the same thing. I don't wear a uniform, I don't get a flashy car with lights (just a white car with the county logo on the side), I don't carry a gun, nor have I cuffed anyone, but I have had people arrested. I just make the cops do the hard part :) The most physical I have gotten is a handshake, and even that is almost always unwelcomed. But, don't be fooled, this job has the potential to be extremely dangerous and I have law enforcement grade pepper spray and an "adult probation" windbreaker and I know how to use them!
Sometimes I just say I am a babysitter since its essentially the same thing. If you are wondering if you might also be a probation officer, here are some things I have experienced and they may help you determine if you are a probation officer, too.
If you have ever had to wipe your feet AFTER you leave someone's home.
If you have ever been to a home where there was so much bird shit from the pet parrot that you couldn't walk through the house.
If you know people who think its YOUR job to get them a job.
If you have been told the reason a drug test is positive is because an ex was trying to get even and spiked the punch with cocaine.
If you have been told the dentist instructed him to put cocaine on his tooth for pain.
If you have been told sexual intercourse passed the methampetamine from his body to hers, causing the positive drug test.
If Med-Star ambulance visits your office more than often than the white house has a sex scandal.
If you've ever told someone to shower and get a job in the same day, and its not your child.
If you go into a house and there is no floor and the roof is leaking, but there is a brand new 60' Plasma TV.
If your answer to everything is "first, get the breathalyzer."
If you walk into a bar and the bar clears.
If your idea of a "round up" is throwing on a bullet proof vest and checking homes and bars.
If you don't have to talk to someone... you can just read their tattoos.
If your ringtone is "Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do..."
If a male has followed you into a female bathroom. (and subsequently went to jail)
If your idea of a bracelet is double hinged handcuffs.
If you have ever seen a grown woman pee in a cup.
If you have ever seen a 400 lb grown woman pee in a cup.
If you have ever seen a 400 lb grown woman pee in a cup and then try to go ahead with "number 2."
If the most expensive piece of jewelry you ever give someone is an electronic monitoring bracelet.
If you have ever seen more infectious disease than the community outreach center.
If you have seen a grown man with a piece of bologna in between his ankle monitor and his leg.
If you have ever found a baggie of weed at work (and it really wasn't yours).
If known gang members have tried to bring illegal knives into your building.
If you have used the words "being a felon sure is inconvenient, isn't it?"
If you have to go out of town to party and have a good time.
If your friends ask you to run a check on the baby daddy.
If your idea of a good read is someone's criminal history.
If you've ever taken a urine or hair sample from someone and then gone straight to lunch.
If you have to do a background check on everyone you date.
If you have to avoid all the fastfood restaurants in town.
If you have EVER had a half hour conversation on the appropriate color of urine.
If you buy hand sanitizer and Lysol in bulk.
If 10 of the 20 people you talk to in the day have tooth. (as opposed to teeth)
If every third phone call is "John Doe's mom."
If one of your on-the-job hazards is someone throwing a cup of their own pee at the wall.
If small children greet you with "Is daddy going away again?"
Take my word for it, there is some crazy mess going on out there. Listen to me. I am going to tell you how to stop this from being you. Hugs, not drugs. And, kids, stay in school. BAM!! Prison population should go way down now that I told the secret. You're welcome.
I am a probation officer. I am not a cop. Those aren't the same thing. I don't wear a uniform, I don't get a flashy car with lights (just a white car with the county logo on the side), I don't carry a gun, nor have I cuffed anyone, but I have had people arrested. I just make the cops do the hard part :) The most physical I have gotten is a handshake, and even that is almost always unwelcomed. But, don't be fooled, this job has the potential to be extremely dangerous and I have law enforcement grade pepper spray and an "adult probation" windbreaker and I know how to use them!
Sometimes I just say I am a babysitter since its essentially the same thing. If you are wondering if you might also be a probation officer, here are some things I have experienced and they may help you determine if you are a probation officer, too.
If you have ever had to wipe your feet AFTER you leave someone's home.
If you have ever been to a home where there was so much bird shit from the pet parrot that you couldn't walk through the house.
If you know people who think its YOUR job to get them a job.
If you have been told the reason a drug test is positive is because an ex was trying to get even and spiked the punch with cocaine.
If you have been told the dentist instructed him to put cocaine on his tooth for pain.
If you have been told sexual intercourse passed the methampetamine from his body to hers, causing the positive drug test.
If Med-Star ambulance visits your office more than often than the white house has a sex scandal.
If you've ever told someone to shower and get a job in the same day, and its not your child.
If you go into a house and there is no floor and the roof is leaking, but there is a brand new 60' Plasma TV.
If your answer to everything is "first, get the breathalyzer."
If you walk into a bar and the bar clears.
If your idea of a "round up" is throwing on a bullet proof vest and checking homes and bars.
If you don't have to talk to someone... you can just read their tattoos.
If your ringtone is "Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do..."
If a male has followed you into a female bathroom. (and subsequently went to jail)
If your idea of a bracelet is double hinged handcuffs.
If you have ever seen a grown woman pee in a cup.
If you have ever seen a 400 lb grown woman pee in a cup.
If you have ever seen a 400 lb grown woman pee in a cup and then try to go ahead with "number 2."
If the most expensive piece of jewelry you ever give someone is an electronic monitoring bracelet.
If you have ever seen more infectious disease than the community outreach center.
If you have seen a grown man with a piece of bologna in between his ankle monitor and his leg.
If you have ever found a baggie of weed at work (and it really wasn't yours).
If known gang members have tried to bring illegal knives into your building.
If you have used the words "being a felon sure is inconvenient, isn't it?"
If you have to go out of town to party and have a good time.
If your friends ask you to run a check on the baby daddy.
If your idea of a good read is someone's criminal history.
If you've ever taken a urine or hair sample from someone and then gone straight to lunch.
If you have to do a background check on everyone you date.
If you have to avoid all the fastfood restaurants in town.
If you have EVER had a half hour conversation on the appropriate color of urine.
If you buy hand sanitizer and Lysol in bulk.
If 10 of the 20 people you talk to in the day have tooth. (as opposed to teeth)
If every third phone call is "John Doe's mom."
If one of your on-the-job hazards is someone throwing a cup of their own pee at the wall.
If small children greet you with "Is daddy going away again?"
Take my word for it, there is some crazy mess going on out there. Listen to me. I am going to tell you how to stop this from being you. Hugs, not drugs. And, kids, stay in school. BAM!! Prison population should go way down now that I told the secret. You're welcome.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Avery can
"We would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord."
-Corinthians 5:8
So, those closest to me have known that for the last week I have not been able to get this little girl, whom I have never even met, off my mind and my heart.
Read her blog & story here:
http://www.averycan.blogspot.com/
*WARNING: you will need a box warehouse of tissues*
I found little Avery's blog over the weekend and she immediately found a place in my heart. It was extremely painful to read about her and I cried and cried. So, then what did I do? Well, like any self-respecting masochist would do, I subscribed to every single piece of social media I could get my hands on that had to do with Avery. I combed over the pages and pictures of her blog and her facebook fanpage and decided I would make myself part of her "bucket list."
Then, Tuesday morning I logged in and saw the blog entry that nobody expected to see yet. Avery had already lost her battle with SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) and went home to the Lord. While that is a wonderful place for Avery, that is surely painful for those left behind. I cannot stop thinking about her mommy & daddy and how they are doing what no mommy or daddy should ever have to do, right now... planning their daughter's funeral. This wasn't how it was supposed to go! How sad, how unfair! She was supposed to have 18 months! I couldn't keep it together at work and had to lock myself in my office for a while and bring myself back to the reality that life isn't fair.
I am not sure why this story affects me so much, when there is admittedly an overflow of sadness, sickness all around me. Maybe its because I saw a picture of Avery where she had on the same onesie that Lila has. Maybe because she and Lila are about the same age and I can see Lila's little face in those pictures of Avery.
Whatever the reason, I feel like maybe if I share in the story, read the story, cry, feel, remember the story, then I can help absorb a tiny, infinitesimal piece of this pain for those parents and that baby girl. You may think that sounds crazy, but I say prove me wrong. There are a lot of things in the universe I cannot explain. And it's the least I owe the universe.
So what can you, I, or anyone do? Well, Avery would like to spread the word about SMA and also advocate the testing for it so that less babies will be born with SMA. The testing is simple bloodwork done on one or both parents to see if they are carriers. If you are planning to have a child, please ask your Ob/Gyn about testing. Even if you already have healthy kids, you could still be a carrier and pass it on to future kids.
Not having kids? Done having kids? Well then you can make a donation to SMA research through The Sophia's Cure Foundation, as found on Avery's blog. You can also find them here:
Sophia's Cure
An anonymous donor will be matching all donations up to 500k! Please read more on the above link for details about the gene therapy and about donations (tax deductible!)
As for me, I made a donation and I will be asking for SMA carrier testing the next time I think it's a good idea to have a baby (and it's gonna be a while!). And THAT was the biggest item on Avery's bucket list.
Life if fragile, handle with prayer.
-Corinthians 5:8
So, those closest to me have known that for the last week I have not been able to get this little girl, whom I have never even met, off my mind and my heart.
Read her blog & story here:
http://www.averycan.blogspot.com/
I found little Avery's blog over the weekend and she immediately found a place in my heart. It was extremely painful to read about her and I cried and cried. So, then what did I do? Well, like any self-respecting masochist would do, I subscribed to every single piece of social media I could get my hands on that had to do with Avery. I combed over the pages and pictures of her blog and her facebook fanpage and decided I would make myself part of her "bucket list."
Then, Tuesday morning I logged in and saw the blog entry that nobody expected to see yet. Avery had already lost her battle with SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) and went home to the Lord. While that is a wonderful place for Avery, that is surely painful for those left behind. I cannot stop thinking about her mommy & daddy and how they are doing what no mommy or daddy should ever have to do, right now... planning their daughter's funeral. This wasn't how it was supposed to go! How sad, how unfair! She was supposed to have 18 months! I couldn't keep it together at work and had to lock myself in my office for a while and bring myself back to the reality that life isn't fair.
I am not sure why this story affects me so much, when there is admittedly an overflow of sadness, sickness all around me. Maybe its because I saw a picture of Avery where she had on the same onesie that Lila has. Maybe because she and Lila are about the same age and I can see Lila's little face in those pictures of Avery.
Whatever the reason, I feel like maybe if I share in the story, read the story, cry, feel, remember the story, then I can help absorb a tiny, infinitesimal piece of this pain for those parents and that baby girl. You may think that sounds crazy, but I say prove me wrong. There are a lot of things in the universe I cannot explain. And it's the least I owe the universe.
So what can you, I, or anyone do? Well, Avery would like to spread the word about SMA and also advocate the testing for it so that less babies will be born with SMA. The testing is simple bloodwork done on one or both parents to see if they are carriers. If you are planning to have a child, please ask your Ob/Gyn about testing. Even if you already have healthy kids, you could still be a carrier and pass it on to future kids.
Not having kids? Done having kids? Well then you can make a donation to SMA research through The Sophia's Cure Foundation, as found on Avery's blog. You can also find them here:
Sophia's Cure
An anonymous donor will be matching all donations up to 500k! Please read more on the above link for details about the gene therapy and about donations (tax deductible!)
As for me, I made a donation and I will be asking for SMA carrier testing the next time I think it's a good idea to have a baby (and it's gonna be a while!). And THAT was the biggest item on Avery's bucket list.
Life if fragile, handle with prayer.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain...
Or woman behind the curtain. While there is no such thing as Oz (right?), there is someone blogging behind the curtain. Who am I? Well, thats a good question. I would love to sum it up for you in a quick few words, paragraphs, pages, chronicles, or yellow brick roads.
BUT *I* haven't even decided who I am yet (are you a good witch or a bad witch?), so I cannot tell you. Maybe we can figure it out together because I have not yet determined it's time for me to stop moving, changing, growing, evolving, searching... for a little courage, heart and brains!
I can, however, tell you some static information about myself and that could help you make some dynamic assumptions. I am 30. I am female. Bored already? You haven't even given me a minute to warm up! I haven't written since college.
I am a mama. I am a probation officer for one of the biggest counties in the great state of Texas. (insert yee-haw here) I am married; we'll call him "Jason." We own a new house in the whereabouts of Keller/Ft.Worth. I am healthy to my knowledge. I have a younger brother I adore, a mother I still need, a dad with a one-of-a-kind personality, a dog who barks too much, a cat who throws up too much and a partridge in a pear tree. I was born in South Carolina in BBBTS (beautiful Beaufort by the sea) and have lived in the Lone Star state since my mom ran away with the gypsies when I was about 3 or 4 years old. Ok, so really, she didn't run away with "gypsies" so much as a young US Marine, fresh out of the corps (my dad). I went to school, got good grades (with the exception of a 3 in Algebra), got in trouble here and there, played the Cowardly Lion in a school play somewhere in there, graduated highschool with the "FIRST CLASS OF THE MILLENIUM" in 2000 (that will definitely not be so cool when my daughter understands it, as it was when I was in 3rd grade and the school staff decided it would motivate us all to stay in school) and went to college at University of North Texas. There, I changed my major 3 times, wasting many man hours and man dollars before I landed in Criminal Justice with an English minor. I did graduate (with a 3.25+ GPA). And it only took 7 years and a summer. No, I am not a doctor. To this day, I am angry I took 4 semesters of American Sign Language for my foreign language credits, since I did not need foreign language in my new major. I looked quite the fool signing the story of The Ugly Duckling to my class of potheads (poppies, poppies....) and a few deaf tutors. I digress.
Anyway, that pretty much leads me to today (with quite a few nooks, crannies, decades, and gaping canyons missing but we can fill those in as we go).
So, let's just start from today.
I don't have a "goal" or "reason" for this blog. It will be random. Like life.
PS. I promise to add pics in future entries, because lets face it, everyone hates to read words when you can try to figure out the whole story via pictures, even if it takes much longer ;)
Oh and please, do leave a comment. Or don't if it's a rude comment. Or just lurk and pretend you didn't read this. Thats ok, too.
Stalker.
Now go, before someone drops a house on you!
BUT *I* haven't even decided who I am yet (are you a good witch or a bad witch?), so I cannot tell you. Maybe we can figure it out together because I have not yet determined it's time for me to stop moving, changing, growing, evolving, searching... for a little courage, heart and brains!
I can, however, tell you some static information about myself and that could help you make some dynamic assumptions. I am 30. I am female. Bored already? You haven't even given me a minute to warm up! I haven't written since college.
I am a mama. I am a probation officer for one of the biggest counties in the great state of Texas. (insert yee-haw here) I am married; we'll call him "Jason." We own a new house in the whereabouts of Keller/Ft.Worth. I am healthy to my knowledge. I have a younger brother I adore, a mother I still need, a dad with a one-of-a-kind personality, a dog who barks too much, a cat who throws up too much and a partridge in a pear tree. I was born in South Carolina in BBBTS (beautiful Beaufort by the sea) and have lived in the Lone Star state since my mom ran away with the gypsies when I was about 3 or 4 years old. Ok, so really, she didn't run away with "gypsies" so much as a young US Marine, fresh out of the corps (my dad). I went to school, got good grades (with the exception of a 3 in Algebra), got in trouble here and there, played the Cowardly Lion in a school play somewhere in there, graduated highschool with the "FIRST CLASS OF THE MILLENIUM" in 2000 (that will definitely not be so cool when my daughter understands it, as it was when I was in 3rd grade and the school staff decided it would motivate us all to stay in school) and went to college at University of North Texas. There, I changed my major 3 times, wasting many man hours and man dollars before I landed in Criminal Justice with an English minor. I did graduate (with a 3.25+ GPA). And it only took 7 years and a summer. No, I am not a doctor. To this day, I am angry I took 4 semesters of American Sign Language for my foreign language credits, since I did not need foreign language in my new major. I looked quite the fool signing the story of The Ugly Duckling to my class of potheads (poppies, poppies....) and a few deaf tutors. I digress.
Anyway, that pretty much leads me to today (with quite a few nooks, crannies, decades, and gaping canyons missing but we can fill those in as we go).
So, let's just start from today.
I don't have a "goal" or "reason" for this blog. It will be random. Like life.
PS. I promise to add pics in future entries, because lets face it, everyone hates to read words when you can try to figure out the whole story via pictures, even if it takes much longer ;)
Oh and please, do leave a comment. Or don't if it's a rude comment. Or just lurk and pretend you didn't read this. Thats ok, too.
Stalker.
Now go, before someone drops a house on you!
The Inaugural post
Its unfortunate that my inaugural post has to be just a test to get this thing up and running... but what can ya do?
testing, testing...
testing, testing...
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