TGIF

Hi folks.  Here's what happened next.

 Ruth picked me up at my closet and drove me into town to start at my office.  Once again, thank you, Ruth, for driving since I had no money for the bus fare.  I walked to my office about one mile outside of Reading Town Center, during which I stepped off a curb and twisted my knee.  Damn, that hurt!!!  Once there, the office staff looked at me like I had three horns growing out of my head when I asked whom should I see to get started on my job.  I wish I could have bottled that look on their faces -- it could go for a high price on eBay.  The one "secretary" (by the way, they do not call them secretaries or office administratiors here -- but I am not sure of the other word they use) called someone, then Jackie, a Through Care manager came down with notebook in hand and said "Ready?  Come with me.  We're going to a planning meeting for a casse you are taking over." Holy poop!!! No time to take off my coat or even hit to "loo" because we were already late.

Driving over, I talked to Jackie about living in England and the experiences I had so far.  I had laughing.  BTW, did I mention just how much I love the British humor?!!!  I sat in on this planning meeting for a young boy who is in the foster system, and I was given serveral tasks to do concerning my first case.  These did not sound very diffucult at all, but I know my duties will be magnified until I get accustomed to the system over here.  Once back in the office, I was assigned my office and cases, which I am not too anxious about.  I share an office with another person, Rob; quite a nice fella (that's the British coming out in me).  They do not use "paper" files here so everything is on their computer system, except the older files which pre-dated their computerized system.

Well, I know why they have a backlog of child protection cases -- their computer files and system suck.  Not saying that the computers do not work, but one needs to click into so many different file on-line that it is extremely difficult to visually put all the information into some working order.  They asked me what I thought of their computer system and I let them know how I felt.  The rest of the caseworkers/managers agreed with my take of this paperless way to run a child protection agency. If anything is going to happen here for the better, they MUST have open, active paper files on these children.  Too much gets lost within this paperless system.

Sidebar:  Forgot to mention that I found out where my mail was going -- to my office.  I got all my checks, debit card, paystub (Yeah), and other mail sent to me.  It was all in my inbox.  Thank God I was able to get money out -- i have  to do some shopping tomorrow.

After work, the newbies went out for a drink at O'Neill's pub.  I had one drink and was fading fast.  I still had to catch my bus back home to my closet, so after watching a football game on TV and trying to talk over all the shouting, I left the pub at 8:00pm.  I know I drifted in and out of a semi-conscious state on the bus because my brain and body were now able to rest for the weekend.  Luckily, I snapped into awareness just before my bus stop.  WHEW, that was close!!!  I jumped on my computer last night to check emails and look at the news back in the states (pretty crappy weather the 'Burgh is getting -- at least I am warmer and see the sun every now and then).  Finally, I drifted off to sleep.  TGIF!!!!