Is My Niece Headed For The Stage?

There is no doubt about it--my niece is a talented singer. She can carry a tune and has a good range. She has been a member of various singing groups, and had to audition to get in them.

I am hoping that she will branch out now to acting. She has never done that before, so she might need some help to make that transition. I hear there are acting coaches you can get to help you prepare. Not only that, but once you have picked a role you would like to play, you can get an audition coach to help you nail the part.

I used to be part of musical groups, but never ventured into acting--not my thing. But I think she might be a natural, and I would like her to experience it. I am hoping she will try out for a few of her high school productions to see if that is something she would like to pursue.

Watching The Tudors Marathon And Loving It!

I have been trying to watch The Tudors for a while on BBCA, but it has been frustrating, because they don't always air the shows in order. So I have been so confused!

But luckily, they aired the whole 5 seasons over Memorial Day, and I DVRd them. So I have been rewatching them in order, and now I get it! It all makes sense now. I had never seen some episodes at all, so there were gaping holes in my understanding. I am glued to the TV set and am loving it. So very interesting. Very bawdy and gory as well. If you were in the king's inner circle, sometimes you would pay for your good fortune with your head!

Cigar Circles

When I go to my local Starbucks, I get a kick out of watching the guys in the cigar store next door. Many of the times I am there getting a coffee, I see guys sitting in a circle in the store. They are smoking away. Not sure what they are smoking--I am not a cigar expert, but a guy sitting next to me in SB said he thought they might be smoking arturo fuente cigars. I wouldn't know a good cigar from a bad one, but I do like the smell. Sometimes watching the guys in the circle, I wonder what they are talking about? Politics, the city, the weather, the cigars? Maybe a little of all of it. Just a curiosity to me.

Graduation--A Bittersweet Time

It is the end of the school year, and that means graduation announcements, graduation gown, parties, trips, etc. It is an exciting time but also a sad time. Bittersweet. Nostalgic.A beginning and an end. The end of an era. The beginning of a new one.

I have been through several graduations myself. I wasn't that sad at my high school graduation, mainly because I was excited about going to college, and it never dawned on me that I might never see my high school classmates again. (I guess I needn't have anyway, since I have seen most of them at reunions throughout the years.)

But I was definitely sad at my college graduation. I must have known that it was definitely the gateway to adulthood, and that is kind of sad. Plus, your classmates may truly be going hither and yon, and who knows whether you will see them again?

But then who could have envisioned facebook and all of the other social media sites? Everyone can get in touch with everyone now, and that is pretty comforting.

Sometimes I Miss Working In A Professional Office

It is funny the things you miss. Sometimes what you get tired of is what you miss later. And then you find that again and miss what you left then. I know it seems weird, but it seems to happen, at least in my life. I indicated in my last post that I am not that fond of my job. It is a small blue collar environment. Some might find that refreshing, but I find it limiting. I recently started feeling like I miss a professional office, one where people at least sort of halfway dress up, there is protocol, and a hierarchy where you can complain if your immediate boss doesn't treat you well.

The other day I had to make a stop in an office building and I had that feeling again. Walking past the woman relaxing at lunch near the outdoor fountain made me think--what a nice place to work! Walking inside and going up the elevator felt nice. I am sure that if I were back in such an environment, I might soon tire of it But maybe not.

We Are Down One In Shipping Department

I have my fingers in a lot of pies right now, but I still have my full-time job. But I have gotten to the point that it is the least interesting part of my life. But at least it is a paycheck. I am sure I am not alone in feeling like this. One of my favorite people left the other day, which means I don't have that many favorite people left. Haha.

He worked in shipping, and when he wasn't dealing with packing boxes and pallets and wire ties, he was talking to me and brightening my day. He always knew the latest gadgets and what to order in terms of computers and other tech stuff. He also knew the latest weird news. He is so funny. I know he has a better job, and for that I am happy. But I miss him. And so does everyone else. He was a bright spot in our dull corner of the world.

Becoming A Foster Parent--Part 2--Beginning The Process

I can't believe it was last November when I wrote Part 1 of this series. That is how busy I have been getting ready for my new role as foster parent for my minor relative.

Shortly after responding to the letter from social services asking if I wanted to be considered as a placement for her, and of course saying yes, the ball starting rolling. If successful, it was going to be an interstate placement, which is more difficult than an instate one.

My law degree, especially my juvenile law class, and my previous experience with CASA were invaluable to me during the process. For example, I understood what social services meant when they said they had a dual goal of both return home and placement with a relative. That meant they were first going to try to return her home, and if that didn't work, she would be placed with a relative. Often people don't understand why a social worker would try to return a child back to an abusive home. But it is thought that it is in the best interest to reunite families when possible. Everything is guided by what is considered to be the best interests of the child. The hope is that with counseling and other services, the family can be whole again. Because, who really doesn't want to be with their parents when possible?

What social services wanted to see was the depth of my interest. I said I wanted to take her into my house, but would my actions back that up? For example, they wanted to see if made trips to see her, which in my case involved long distance travel. Would I send her letters and gifts? Would I follow up on other recommendations and requirements of the placement process?

The answer for me was yes. Fortunately I was able to make the trips and complete the requirements, which included marathon phone calls, emails, and paperwork. There was a hurry up and wait aspect to the process, which can't be helped, I guess, because of the mass number of cases in the system.

I  knew I had to take a parenting class, but was unsure of where and when. One day I got a call from my local department of social services saying that my parenting class was to start the next month. There would be 6 class meetings that included homework assignments. I realized I was looking forward to starting this next step.