Things have been pretty busy around here, even the weekends and I admit I have been a bit delinquent at updating this blog over the past few weeks. I have even been having a hard time keeping up with my journal, because since we are so busy and I am so tired, I usually just go right to sleep. But I have been getting used to it and things have shaped up a bit this week.
So here are some of the highlights of the last few weeks:
Work
- Doing a serious overhaul of our resource books, since some were woefully out-of-date. I am now an expert at the excel sheets we use to make our resource book. I have also developed a close bond with our fickle color printer, which I have named “George”.
- Sr Betty picking up some blankets from St Pius for some clients…and me recognizing the blankets I had dropped off two days earlier.
- Me going to St Pius with some clients and seeing some of the shirts I had dropped off earlier.
- Sr Betty finding me a potential husband in criminal court (don’t worry, she’s pretty sure he’s a law student, he was working there) but so far, she has not given him my card as she hasn’t seen him since.
- Explaining how a fee waiver works to several people at the Daley Center who were surprised when I told them I don’t actually work there.
- Lurking in a corner at the LaSalle/Van Buren “L” stop waiting for a client to call me back and let me know if he actually had a court date that day, since there had not been anyone in the courtroom when I got there, so I left. Turns out he did.
- Getting in a fight with a client at a public library in Pilsen.
- I’m going to be spending more time at our St Agnes location, so I helped out at Fussy Babies again this week and Kerry showed me around the office again. I also saw a client during Fussy Babies and then Kerry took me out to lunch at the Green House Steaks—which is not actually a steakhouse and as far as I know does not have steak on its menu, but it was delicious.
Amate/Other (aka not work)
- My roommates patiently listening to me freaking out on election night…were they actually paying attention to the elections? Not so much.
- Amate Mass planned by North House, in the North House chapel, which I estimated is half the size of our entire house.
- Taking the Illinois Basic Skills Test (terribly named because if you fail it, it means you fail at basic skills, how mean is that?) so I can eventually become a school social worker. Whether or not I actually want to be a school social worker remains to be seen.
- Going to a party thrown by a couple of people that lived in my house last year, and seeing two of my co-workers there. And having them play the Glee version of “Teenage Dream” twice, awesome because that is my new favorite song.
- Amate Thanksgiving! We started with the “Turkey Bowl” which was a flag football game traditionally played Volunteers vs. Alumni but there were not enough alumni at the beginning to field a team so we mixed them up. I was forced to play but kept my sunglasses on (relinquishing my snuggie to a roommate who remained on the sidelines). I was sore for a few days afterward because I did so many squats trying to intimidate my opponents. I also body-checked several large men, which was a bad idea in retrospect. After the game I scooted home to change and came back for Mass (I was a gift bearer). After Mass we went to the church basement and had a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner, which was delicious. And then, the volunteers had to clean up.
- Celebrating Michelle’s birthday on Monday with a ‘hike’ through the house taking her to ‘Barnes and Noble’, the ‘Chicago Ballet’ (aka Jessie) and a showing of her favorite youtube clips, all followed by a dance party. She says it was her best birthday yet.
- Arriving at 9:15 am for our 9:45 am showing of Harry Potter 7 Part 1 (Fandango said to arrive 30 minutes early for the best seats…we were merely following instructions) and finding the theatre closed.
- Watching Harry Potter 7 Part 1…so good!
