Pulling a New Thing from the Bag of Tricks! in A New Beginning

I am not thrilled about being wrong. Who is?! But once I realize it, and learn something, either from someone or otherwise, I actually LIKE telling about it. Admitting that one made a mistake equals saying that one learned something, so how can that be a bad thing? :o) I have a good friend in our spiritual community who has told me many times that I should be doing yoga for my sciatica, in addition to the injections I get. I finally realized she is right. Besides, my friends here on Prosebox told me something I already knew but wasn’t acting like I knew, namely that I don’t HAVE to go to a yoga class; I can get a yoga DVD and do it at home. Yea, I knew that, but I haven’t done it because I AM LAZY ABOUT SOME THINGS. Well, I ordered one. And I MUST use it, and begin to do yoga stretching exercises. I have no one but ME to blame if I don’t. It could help me feel better, and that would be great!

I have been quite happy at work this week…all two days of it! ;o) One of our workers from last year had been on short term disability, and finally switched to long term disability, so her position could be posted as “open,” and filled. Bradley, a young man who has been working as a substitute for us for two years, got hired. I AM SO GLAD!!!!! Generally speaking, I highly dislike working with substitutes because most of them don’t seem to do much more than get in my way. But I have always enjoyed working with Brad. He is such a nice, pleasant, and often very funny guy, and he might not be the best at things, but he tries hard and genuinely cares. That counts for a whole lot, in my book. Not everyone has been as delighted with Brad as I have been. Within the past year, he applied for 3 or 4 openings in our school district (none at my particular school though) and was not hired. I sat on each of these interviewing committees and I can tell you why, because I heard what was said. People didn’t want to give Brad a chance because he has Asperger’s Syndrome. Well, he does the job just fine! And I would always speak on his behalf! Plus, he spoke well on his own behalf anytime he was interviewed. But our Director of Child Nutrition actually encouraged the women on the committee to not pick Brad.

I was on these interviewing committees because Brad’s mom is head of our union and she asked me to be, in her stead. Normally she, as union head, is on every interviewing committee, but she couldn’t be if it was her son being interviewed. I related what went on to her, and (with help from a close friend of mine who is a professional educator of young people with autism and Asperger’s) put her in touch with a good attorney who has worked with our school district before on similar discrimination issues.

Ultimately she told me she wasn’t going to pursue it any farther, BUT Brad now is working for us! I feel good to have helped in some way, to bring about good for someone who deserved a break but wasn’t getting one.

I guess I’ll mosey along for now. I sure am glad to be writing here again, and hearing from you friends! Here’s wishing you a nice evening and Friday!