report card: how i like school

tonight, my head hurts. i get these terrible, raging headaches pre- period, and again at the end. i blame estrogen. my gynecologist suggested a Pill switch, but first, i'll tell dr. glick on tuesday, in case acupuncture helps. can you believe it was 84 degrees today? the cherry blossoms, apple blossoms, and dogwoods are blooming, and their intoxicating beauty and fragrance make spring my favorite season! plus, i typically find milder weather to be healing & energizing. ahhh, too bad working people don't get spring break. BUT...

...it's spring break for area public schools, which results in an easier week at work for me! i welcome the slower pace, as i've been dizzyingly busy traveling out to two area high schools. i like getting out of the office, but the commutes can get long. it does provide a block of down-time to think (if traffic isn't bad), but my new work-related travel has a drawback: i'm still slightly skittish about highway driving after last july's accident. i've driven regularly since then, but my view of the road is permanently changed. at some point, i guess you must face your fears...

SO, i'm still trying to figure out where i see myself the long-run, but i'm happy to report that for now, i enjoy working w/ h. s. & college students. i'd give it a B+ or A-. i've discovered (unexpectedly?) that these clients are so much more enjoyable to work with than the adults i used to have on my caseload. it's like a breath of fresh air. i had seriously started to resent some of those clients, b/c the adults are more set in their ways, resistant to change (e.g. refusal to properly manage their diabetes), and often have more complicated life circumstances that make it difficult for you to make progress with them.

right now, i'm learning about Autism and Asperger's Syndrome. fascinating! one of my high school clients is an autistic boy who reminds me of Rain Man. he's really set in his ways, he'll only eat oatmeal, and he insists on wearing the same color socks every day. he's good at math, music, and drawing, but has zero social skills. when i met with him at his school last week, he kept repeating, "OK, but i have to leave as soon as the bell rings at 2:15". i'm also excited about a recently referred deaf girl who has had a cochlear implant since age 5. she's really bright and high-functioning and wants to apply to Princeton this fall. she has a full-time sign-interpreter, but i may still get to work with her (i hope!). hence, i've resumed trying to learn basic American Sign Language (ASL) and will keep you posted on my progress!

ok. it's just past midnight which means it's past bedtime.