Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

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My funding has been approved

I’m going back to school.  I’m taking Office Administration.  My funding has been approved.  I have my schedule for the first semester and orientation starts September 2.  I’ll still be working, part-time too.  Will my writing suffer?  It’ll probably slow down some.  Good thing I don’t have a life!

It’s almost been a month since I told my editor I wasn’t making more than half of the changes she wants me to make.  So, I don’t know where things stand with that.  Sorry to disappoint those who are looking forward to reading my novel.  I don’t know how long this is going to take and I don’t know what my rights are. 

Grateful Blurb 2014

Grateful Blurb
July 18, 2014

     I wish everything in life was easier.  I know if things in life were easy it wouldn’t be worthwhile.  Right now I’m double-sided about so many things.  Last year we moved to Dryden, Ontario.  I was thankful to see Thompson in the rear-view mirror.  I’m still thankful to be out of there.  I miss my best friend, Gaylene, I miss the museum and I miss the incomes that Mike and I made.
     We moved to Dryden on a chance.  We didn’t buy the book store, like I was wanting, someone else bought it.  Living in Dryden is great, beautiful, peaceful and so much better than where I grew up…except jobs are not so plentiful here as they are in Thompson.  I’ve worked at two jobs since I’ve been here and I’ve made the least amount of money, imaginable.  However, because I’m making so little I’m able to go back to school, full-time and funded, in September.  After months of being fickle, I’ve finally decided on taking Office Administration.  I’m grateful for the opportunity to go back to school.  Hopefully the funding will be approved. 
     Eight years ago I started writing a novel and I finished it two and a half years ago.  Over the last two and a half years I’ve re-written it more than twice.  Last year, December 23, 2013, I learned that a house wanted to publish my novel.  I was grateful; everything I’ve dreamed of was coming true.  I felt I was finally going to be someone.  Now I’m distressed.  The editors of the publishing house want me to totally change the way I write and delete more than a quarter of the book.  I’m grateful I’m strong enough to stop being their puppet, even if it means they might decide not to publish my book.  I refuse to bend and to make any more sacrifices.  I’d rather publish the book myself than butcher it any more.  Grateful?  Yes, I’ll consider this a learning experience, someday. 
     I’m talking to my dad again, after seventeen years.  Forgiveness is a powerful gift.  A childhood of emotional abuse led to an adulthood of more emotional abuse, (until eight years ago) but I’m still grateful.
     Our cat, Princess died May 23, 2013.  She didn’t get to see Ontario.  I would’ve been happy if she stayed with us longer.  I’m grateful she isn’t in pain any more.
     My boys, Will and Scott are still with me and I’m grateful for that.  I’ll always be grateful for them.
     To be insured to drive the truck, in Ontario would cost a small fortune, so I’m not driving and I’m not grateful about it.  I am, however, grateful for my electric bike that I purchased last month and it doesn’t need to be insured.  If only it didn’t snow in the winter.  I’m grateful Will has a walker now.  Too bad he won’t be able to use it in the winter either.  Maybe in the spring I’ll get him a four wheel scooter.
     I’m scared and worried about the next year of my life but I’m still excited, and as always, grateful.  Freedom, always and forever I’ll be grateful for. 

Did someone say fickle?

It’s been a crazy few months, but I’ve made a decision.  I’ve already applied at Confederation College, in Dryden and I’ve already applied for funding for it, with Second Careers.  I’m going to take Office Administration.  It’s a full time, one year program.  I decided to take Office Admin instead of Business Admin, this way I won’t have to write that Canadian Adult Achievement Test before taking the course.  Crazy?  Me?  Probably. 

My editor has disappeared, so now I have a new editor.  She’s to do a second edit on my novel.  Hopefully she’ll read it this year.  I’m about half way done the second book.  Hopefully I can have it finished by the end of January and hopefully my first book will be out on the market by then, too.

Career Portfolio 2014

Index

 

Skills learned:

Page 1………………………………………working as an online learning centre assistant
Page 2 and 3…………………………………………working as an Educational Assistant
Page 4……………………………………………………………...working at the museum
Page 5………………………………………………... on the museum’s board of directors
Page 6 and 7……………………………................. working at daycares and the preschool
Page 8............ working as an Administrative Assistant and Child Development Worker at 
                        Futures
Page 9……………………………………………………... college, courses and workshop

 

Certificates of courses and workshops pages 9-20
Page 10…………………………………………………………...Community College 1988  Page 11…………………………………………………Level II in Child Care 1988         
Page 12…………………………………………………… American Sign Language 1998   
Page 13…………………………………………………… American Sign Language 1999   
Page 14…………………………………………………… American Sign Language 2000

Page 15……………………………………Communication Skills in the Early Years 2000
Page 16……………….. Working Effectively with Violent and Aggressive Students 1997        
Page 17……………………………………………………… Portfolio Development 1999 Page 18…………………………………………Speech and Language Development 2001 Page 19…………………………………………………………………Teacher Talk 2009 Page 20……………………………………………………………..Teacher Talk 2^nd 2009 Page 21………………………………………………Emergency First Aid and CPR 2009                                                            

 

List of summer jobs:

Administrative Assistant and Child development Worker                                                  1999
Futures

 

Special Needs Worker                                                                                                     1997 Riverside Day Care



pg. 1

 

As an online learning centre assistant at Contact North, Ontario’s Distance Education and Training Network

 

- listened to students  and communicated with students and instructors
- solved problems, fixed technical issues with computers, televisions, cameras,  
  projectors, etc
- opened centre, opened classrooms, turned on computers, televisions, projectors
   and started scheduled programs/classes
- ensured all equipment was operational
- checked voice mail messages, emails and mail
- cleaned computers, mousse, monitors, keyboards, televisions, etc
-  reviewed schedule for the day and following day
- rotated course guides and updated, as new catalogues arrived
- recycled outdated course guides and materials
- Invigilated exams
- Mailed or faxed exams to instructors or sent them by currier
- provided regular support and encouragement
- turned off programs, computers, projectors, televisions, turned off lights and
   locked doors

 
Certificates attained at Contact North

- WHMIS January 23, 2014
- Bill 168 Employee Training January 20, 2014
- Workplace Violence and Harassment Training January 16, 2014
- AODA Customer Service Training January 15, 2014
- Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Training for Workers in Ontario
   May 13, 2014

pg. 2

 

As an Educational Assistant:

 

- interpreted for deaf students using American Sign Language
- taught one deaf, kindergarten student (with no language) sign language
- worked with an oxygen dependant child and non-ambulatory students
- worked with Downs Syndrome, Autistic Syndrome, Aspergers Syndrome, Turners   
   Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, blind students and students with Fetal Alcohol  
   Syndrome and/affects
- assisted in preparatory work
- assisted in keeping students engaged in a range of activities, in the classroom/group
   settings/1 on 1
- responded to needs of students in a timely and appropriate way
- operated and maintained specialized devices, equipment and technologies for disabled
   students
- assisted students by explaining, demonstrating and modeling skills and attitudes
   necessary to encourage and support learning as facilitated by the teachers
- assisted classroom teachers with the supervision of students
- watched for potential problem situations and prevented escalation of conflicts whenever
   possible
- assisted students who require on-going, long-term support through plans developed by
   an in-school team
- engaged students in activities that promoted learning
- motivated and encouraged student participation
- supported students to prepare for and successfully complete transitions throughout the
   school day
- assisted students with gathering and organizing information and materials, meeting
   deadlines and assignment requirements, reviewing materials and preparing for tests as
   assigned
- supported student learning by providing explanations, skilled demonstrations and by
   modeling appropriate classroom behaviour to reinforce lessons taught by teachers
- assisted students in resolving interpersonal conflicts
- established positive and respectful relationships with students and fostered an effective
   learning environment

- facilitated students independence by reinforcing strategies to help students develop and
   use a process for problem solving
- applied strategies to help build students self confidence and promote students
   independence
- reinforced an atmosphere of safety and respect
- Communicated effectively and respectfully with students, using language and tone
   appropriate to students and situation
- interacted with staff in a manner that contributed to positive relationships
- worked collaboratively and cooperatively to support student programming

pg. 3

 
- organized and coordinated daily work activities to complete specific tasks
- identified work requirements and timelines from written and verbal instructions, asking
  for clarification as required

- approached the teachers to access information and resources in order to carry out work
   assignments
- assembled, organized, collated and constructed materials according to teachers
   directions
- assisted with supervision in school and community settings
- observed and recorded performances/behaviours objectively and report it to the teachers
- operated, maintained and supervised student use of specialized devices, equipment and
   technologies, following safety requirements
- clarified elements of lessons for students
- reinforced specific techniques, strategies and language as directed by the teachers
- documented, monitored and reported objective information to the teachers
- collected and recorded data for use in students evaluations
- marked tests and assignments for teachers to review
- reported to teachers on students’ strength, achievements and needs
- reported to teachers on observed students’ behaviours and outcomes
- implemented strategies as described in students’ individual education plan
- encouraged student independence
- motivated students to maintain focus and attention when learning new skills
- provided students with appropriate cues and prompts
- reinforced target behaviours and new skills effectively
- supervised classrooms in teachers’ absences
- supervised and taught (plans and assignments organized by resource teachers) small
   groups in separate rooms or libraries

- tested children on academic areas

- kept confidentiality of students and/family members of students

 

 pg. 4

 

Working at the museum:

 

- opened and closed the museum

- cleaned the museum, including archival items

- set up art exhibits for display from various local artists

- conducted guided

- designed, controlled and maintained the museum’s website, heritagenorthmuseum.ca

- wrote and posted Community Memories for museum’s website

- photographed museum, tourist attractions and Thompson and posted photos, videos and
  slide shows on the website

- maintained computers

- handled emergencies and acted as manager when executive director was away

- worked independently
- trained and supervised summer students 2007, 2008 and 2009

- sold merchandise and local art in museum’s gift shop

- used cash register

- cashed out at the end of each day/week/month

- helped with inventory of merchandise

-displayed merchandise in gift shop

- handled tourism and gave information regarding Thompson, its history and the
   surrounding area.

- maintained the museum’s gardens and lawns

- maintained the grounds, winter and summer

- collected funds from clients who advertised their business/service through the
   museum’s guide book

- helped with annual guide book
- typed and/ wrote ‘Community Memories’ according to previous interviews from people
  who had resided in Thompson from 1956 and on; placed those ‘Community Memories’
  on the museum’s website

 

pg. 5

 

On the board of Directors for the museum:

 

- attended board meetings

- sat on two committees, marketing and advertising

- researched ways to do more fundraising

- served dinners at social functions for various caterers (one of the museum’s fundraisers)

- printed raffle tickets; cut, stapled and stamped tickets

- sold raffle tickets at the mall

- organized volunteers for fundraisers, such as dinners being served and barbeques for
   Co-op Gas and annual yard sales

- barbequed and served hotdogs for Co-op

- sorted and organized items donated for annual yard sale

- worked at the annual yard sale, set out items and packed away items not sold

- counted money that was earned at the yard sales

 

pg. 6

 

Working at the Day Cares and Preschool:

 

- completed and evaluated observations on activities

- intervened in trouble situations; children fighting, arguing and/crying

- helped develop and refine gross and fine motor skills with movement education, circle
   and art activities

- encouraged fair play and imagination through their play and interactions with other
   children

- monitored children

- counted number of children throughout the day to ensure children’s safety

- prepared children for kindergarten

- documented daily activities and incidents

- observed children and wrote objective documents

- planned weekly themes

- followed schedules and planned appropriately regarding different themes

- planned art, circle, math, social studies, drama and movement education activities

- entertained children through play, drama, music and reading

- conducted communications with parents; Kiddies Northern Preschool

- implemented positive discipline using positive direction

- provided positive direction

- encouraged proper hygiene and manners

- assisted in the improvement of behavior management, in children, through structured
   activities, schedules and consistency of rules

- acted as director in director’s absence; Kiddies Northern Preschool

- evaluated director at the end of the school year for the board of directors; Kiddies
  Northern Preschool

- taught the junior kindergarten program in the junior kindergarten teacher’s absence;   
  Kiddies Northern Preschool

- improvised with an unplanned circle or other activities in other staff’s absence

- tested children on various academic areas

- assisted in administrative duties

- taught children to use the computer

- researched, initiated and created activities for children

- Established problem solving strategies

- conveyed respect to children and parents

- kept confidentiality of children and/family members of children

- assisted junior kindergarten teacher with the junior kindergarten program; Kiddies
  Northern Preschool

- cared for and was responsible for preschool and school-aged children

- created songs to assist children in transitions, circle and Christmas concert; Kiddies
  Northern Preschool

pg. 7

- assembled lay-out for center and monitored workability of floor plan with children’s
   traffic and interest

- formulated differences in developmental levels 0-6 in doing art and circle activities

- promoted centre with arranging bulletin boards, pictures, children’s art work, etc.

- role-modeled appropriate behavior, attitude, manners, etc. to encourage children to do
  the same

- participated in fund-raising; Kiddies Northern Preschool
- promoted centre with arranging bulletin boards, pictures, children’s art work, etc;
  Kiddies Northern Preschool

- helped develop fine and gross motor skills through movement education and cutting,
  gluing, colouring, drawing, play and interactions with other children
- organized, compiled and ordered Troll (Scholastic) books for children
- attained Emergency First Aid and C.P.R



pg 8

 

As an Administrative Assistant and Child Development Worker at Futures

 

- reviewed children’s activities and play area

- suggested new activities for children and parents

- assisted in administrative duties

- upgraded future policies for cleaning and sanitation for the centre

- obtained more knowledge of resources for clients

- modified, edited and retyped Procedures Manual

- reviewed children’s activities and play area

- assembled future layout of centre

- made advertisements for volunteers

pg. 9

 

College, courses and workshops

 

- provided positive direction to preschool children at KCC (ECE II)

- provided structure through play and curriculum with art, science, social studies, drama
   and circle activities     

- developed monthly plans according to themes in all curriculum areas; facilitating for
   different age groups at KCC (ECE II)

- cared for children in a professional environment at KCC (ECE II)

- compiled, evaluate and do observations on activities at KCC (ECE II)

- examined nutritional value in foods for children at Nutrition workshop

- attained Emergency First Aid and C.P.R in workshops

- developed the skills to translate and interpret both American Sign Language and
   American Signed English at KCC and workshops with The Society for Manitobans
   with Disabilities

- edited manuscripts through course in writing for children and teenagers

- produced manuscripts for publication through course through course in writing for
  children and teenagers

- created stories for young children through course in writing for children and teenagers

- demonstrated the ability to extinguish small fires in Fire Extinguisher workshop

- learned to work effectively with violent and aggressive students in WEVAS workshop

- implemented positive discipline in workshop

- learned about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome 

 

I hate editors!

A friend of mine, who is also a writer, told me that editors are not your friends.  I didn’t believe her at first.  I believe her now.  I went from having an editor who was probably just recently working behind the counter at McDonald’s, to an editor who is even worse.  Maybe I shouldn’t have complained about the first one…years ago I placed a lot of ‘hads’ and ‘had beens’ in my manuscript, thinking they were needed.  I learned that they weren’t needed and they just made the finished product frustrating to read.  I spent days taking them out and changed the way I wrote.  My previous editor added some ‘hads.’  I thought, ‘I can live with that.’  Her grammar was bad though and she took out the quotation marks from the characters' thoughts.  I decided I could live with that too but I couldn’t handle a couple of other things.  My new editor is drowning my story with ‘hads’ and ‘had beens.’  She keeps commenting on my “bad grammar” and “bad English” and I’ve only read her notes on the first chapter.  My personal editor, is a college instructor and is my best friend.  He says my only faults with grammar is my use of commas and that the majority of readers don’t notice such things.  I’m very tempted to tell the publishing house to go fuck themselves and I’ll find another publisher.  Can I do that?  I’m a first time author, would that be a smart thing to do?  Sigh…

So fickle

I am so fickle.  First I decided to go back to school and take business administration.  When I was trying to explain to my father as to why I decided to go back to school, I thought, ‘Yeah, why am I doing this?’ I thought about how I’d have very little time to write if I go back to school full-time.  I want to write.  Just recently, I got a casual position as an Educational Assistant and an Early Childhood Educator.  I’ve worked two shifts in two weeks.  I’m still working as an online learning Centre assistant but the money as an educational assistant is definitely better.  If I were to work two shifts a week, I would make more money than I do at the Centre.  I’m unqualified, which makes me wonder if I should become qualified to ensure more shifts and the possibility of a full-time job with the schools.  Of course, that means going back to school.  I can do that; it would mean part-time studies while I’m working, at one job only.  I don’t think I can handle two jobs, part-time studies and writing.  We’ll see what happens.  In September or October I’ll take another look at things and make a decision.  Chances are, I’ll quit at the Centre and concentrate on the schools and my second novel.  I’ll try not to lose my mind in the mean time.

I finished making the changes that my editor wants me to make on my novel.  We'll see when my book will be accessible, hopefully soon.  I'm still working on the website too.