Endless Summer?

via timetoweep


Summer is over.... Today is my first day of classes... and last year of my MSW program. Lots of conflicting feelings. I miss my job in the Bronx already, and I am not ready to give up my happy hours in exchange for office hours. I guess it's just another transition.... Still need to recap the summer, and preview the fall.

More posts soon....!

My Work. My Life. Conflict of Interest?

Forgive me, Tory Burch, for I have sinned. When the weather changed I had to turn in my jeans and Nikes for (conservative) dresses and flats. Not that much cuter, but I'm not sweating like a beast any longer. The thing is... I really like my job. So much. I love it. It was my 1st year internship originally, then they hired me for the summer. I work with Homeless individuals and, even though I have an office, I spend most of the day in the field.
I have a client who I have had a lot of trouble finding lately, he has an apartment in Manhattan, but spends a lot of his time with his clique in the North East Bronx at the end of the 6 train.

My poor flats....

My co-workers leading the way before the "path" ends.

Today I came out with my 2 Favorite outreach workers, Jose and David to find him. I had a couple tips about where they were and wanted to check it out. Back in the day my client and his clique had a huge tent encampment deep in the woods, but they got cleaned out a while back. I told them that I had heard through the vine that the encampment was back, and that I'd seen a couple of them walking into the woods the day before.

I think my co-workers were a little skeptical because the Tents were a major deal back in the day. And here's the conflict of interest. Like could I be a bigger oxymoron. Here I am in a black cotton dress, Tory Burch flats, and accessories (including over sized sunglasses) walking into the woods with my two male co workers who are In jeans and boots. We pulled off of I-95 and at the light change people start honking their horn. Why? Because the cars are too busy rubber necking and have missed the light turning. Die.

We get into the woods...and I mean... There's a "path" but it's still pretty Outward Bound. The path stops but I like, I am high stepping in grass up to my waist, prob. flashing my underwear to anyone if they happened to look. I told Jose I'd seen my clients shopping cart (shopping carts are like cars to clients, and if you know your client, you know their cart) with a bag of charcoal in it. So, after I spot my clients cart and charcoal near by, I'm pretty much positive they are set back up in there again.

I mean.... its 9:30 am. Seriously.

The Tent!

More of the Encampment.

My clients cart.

And we did. The entire encampment was back! Hahaha I know nobody understands how exciting this was/probably are still confused as to how/why I do this job (especially if you know me personally...) But it was effing dope. I'm literally covered in big raised mosquito bites, and am cut from thorny vines but whatever....

Anyways, I wanted to share that because this is what I spend a lot of my time doing (working, not wandering in the woods in sundresses), and I don't write about it much, but I have had some requests to talk more about work (and by "some requests", I just mean K.Beau and Bex) So, I obliged.

thoughts?

Like Trina Says, 'Rise & Grind $$$.'

Yup. My job starts today. I'm not really sure why this feels so different, I mean, I interned at this place for 8 months. At the bare minimum I shouldn't be surprised about how early I wake up. That's my alarm (set 10 minutes fast) and I beat it this morning. I'm not gonna lie though, I forgot how nice it is to wake up in the quiet, fire off some e-mail, take a moment to sort of ease into the day, you know??
I'm excited to get back to work for a lot of reasons. 1) I need structure in my day, and this job provides that for me, M-H, 8-4pm 2) I really like the feeling of not being broke (ie: I hate how I feel right now) and so income is a tasty lil treat. 3) I miss my co-workers (read: supervisor. Haha) and 4)?? I really do miss my clients/the work in general. I am excited to put on my Social Worker Hat back on and get back out there. Gonna be doing some groups this summer--- can you imagine...?! Ok. Enough social work nerdiness for the moment. It'd too early for all that ish.

A Week in Review.

0: the number of homeless people found in my zone.

230: dollars spent on textbooks this semester.

0: number of times I went out this week.

1: painfully awkward/fail engagement witnessed (more on that later)

2: days I had drinks before the sun had set

3: Kim Kardashian butt workouts done this week

1: dual purpose trips to Chase Bank

2: food items/meals added to the 'can't eat' list (more on THAT later)

A week in review

Nights out: 5
Hours overtime at internship: 7
Inches of Subway eaten: 24
Text messages sent between the banker and I: 279
Falling asleep with make-up still on: 3
Contact Lenses lost: 1
Episodes of Jersey Shore watched: 9
Times UNC disappointed me: 2
Old friends caught up with: 3
Gym workouts: 0