Working at the Family Justice Center: Week 1

I’ve survived! My first week of working full time. 40 hours. Arg! I’ve been exhausted!

So, two posts ago, I mentioned that I got a new job working in the Children’s room at the Family Justice Center. The Family Justice Center is a program under Mayor Bloomberg’s Combat Domestic Violence office. It’s basically a one-stop shop for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence or domestic violence. Clients can walk-in anytime from 9 to 5 and get all kinds of help: speak with a lawyer about a case, speak to our police officers to make a report, speak with a counselor or case manager, get help finding a shelter, get food or clothes for the night, receive help getting benefits etc etc. The purpose of the Children’s room is to be a peaceful, safe place for children whose guardian(s) is getting services at the Family Justice Center. Any guardian or parent who would prefer that their children not listen in on their conversation with a lawyer, or counselor are welcome to leave them with us in the Children’s Room. It is then our job to make the possibly traumatize child as happy as possible and provide a place where they can leave their problems at the door, even for just a little while.

In other words… I get paid to play! lol

In the past week, I have played UNO, Memory Match, Operation (both original and Shrek version), Go-fish, and Life. I have also been very creative and colored an Ernie and a scarecrow, drew a teddy bear and my dream home, and made a bead bracelet. I even painted a ceramic fish (which I forgot at work on Friday *pout*)!

What’s even better about working at the FJC, is the people. I get along really well with my co-intern and my supervisors. Despite its corporate look, the FJC offices, as well as the employees are very welcoming. My co-workers are so friendly, laid-back and easy to get along with. I spent one lunch hour playing hang-man with my boss for gods sake! LOL Never thought that could ever happen.

In short, I’m enjoying my time there and look forward to the next three weeks!

Want to see my amazing artistic ability? *grin* Look below!

 

Coloring! And I didn’t even go out of the lines…much. =) Yay!

Pretty bead bracelet! Excuse the slightly hairy arm. Yes, it’s mine. =)

Ladies and Gentlemen. I introduce you to… Sally Bear! (The bear outline was a stencil. I ‘m not that good. But the outfit and hair are Tuma originals!)

My dream home with the white picket fence, nice forest behind it and swing set. Okay, so my fence isn’t white, the house is an atrocious color, and I have a grey and pink cat despite the fact that I don’t like cats much. Sometimes Most times, things look better in your head! lol

Just my name with some random doodles. Oh, since I’d be annoyed if someone asks me what’s that green thing. It’s a FISH, a fish, people! I know it came out weird looking. lol

That’s all, folks!

Until next time,

Tuma

Life is Funny!

OCD, Anal Retentiveness, or simply a rare case of Weird-Tuma-itis?

Now that I think about it…I do a lot of weird things. Or what would be considered weird to others. To me, they’re perfectly logical. The actions themselves aren’t weird, but the amount of time, energy and attention I pay them may seem weird.

Could it be possible that I have a slight case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? Or maybe it’s just me being Anal? OR most likely, it’s simply me being, well...ME?

Before diagnosing me, let’s get some definitions of the way. I’m an English major, I love words and books. Dictionaries, on the other hand, are like a wet dream come true! A BOOK of WORDS?! *swoons*

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: “an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and persistent thoughts and feelings and repetitive, ritualized behaviors”.

Anal retentiveness: “used conversationally to describe a person who pays such attention to detail that the obsession becomes an annoyance to others, potentially to the detriment of the anal-retentive person”.

So, neither one sounds QUITE like me, but I do exhibit traits of both.


Examples:

• Both yesterday and today, I ate 13 cherries. I do alot of things in either 10 or 13, as those are my favorite numbers.
• I put on everything from my right: Right arm pulled into right sleeve first, right sock put on first, right shoe first, right leg into right jean leg first etc etc Though this may have more to do with Islam’s disapproval of using the left or “impure” hand for anything except potty purposes.
• My closet is organized…like scarily organized! From the right: dresses, skirts, pants (sorted by color) , jeans (sorted by shade), shirts (sorted by type (tees, blouses, button-ups), sleeve length and color), sweaters (sorted by sleeve length and color), hoodies (sorted by thickness and color), jackets (sorted by thickness and color). O_O Pretty anal, huh? Sigh…
• EVERYONE in my phone book is saved by first AND last name. Even my mom and dad are Mommy Hydara and Daddy Hydara. *droops head*
• My computer has a folder for each semester of college. And each semester folder has a folder for each course, and each course folder has separate folders for assignments and readings…. Is that being nicely organized or being anal? I JUST DON’T KNOW! *wails*
• My binder sections for classes are ordered by day and time, so that my Monday morning class is first and my Friday afternoon class is last….
• My babies, er books are sorted by Author last name, then title, but with series together. I’ve thought of doing it by genre, then author, and title, but, even I think that’s too much. But I’m really tempted to do it anyway.
• I’m also a hoarder, refusing to throw things away, especially documents. I still have every report card and certificate ever received since KINDERGARTEN (all through grade school, high school and college). I have every bank statement and credit card statement that came in the mail. I have every manual for every appliance or electronic ever bought for our home. Oh, crap…. I won’t have many friends left after this post goes live and people read it! haha =)
• I set the clock in my room two minutes ahead, but set the alarm on my phone to wake me up. This way, once I’m up, I always think I have two minutes less time than I actually have. So, if I need to leave the house at 8:30 and I glance at my clock and I see it’s 8:30…I think, “oh shit, I’m late” and run out of the door, BUT I’m NOT actually late, because it's only 8:28. This is more GENIUS, than crazy, huh? Don’t you think so? *nudge nudge*
• I wake up every morning and the first thing I do….is check my emails. Not use the potty, not take a shower, not even check my facebook, but my emails…. smh. haha

Hmmm? What other weird habits do I have. Oh, I also…you know what? I think I’ll stop here. ^__^ A little mystery is good for a girl's attractiveness. *winks*

Do you have weird habits? SHARE THEM in the comments! =)

Konbanwa!
Tuma,
Life is Funny

Visit to the NYPD Headquarters

Hello lovely people!

I recently got a job at the Family Justice Center. It’s a program created by the mayor to serve victims of Domestic abuse. As an alumni of the Ladders for Leaders program, I was referred to the opportunity and after an initial meeting got the job. I’ll be working in the Children’s room, entertaining little rugrats as their parent(s) or guardian is being helped.

Before, I could start though, I needed to be fingerprinted and undergo a background check. Ohhh…ominous! lol So, I was given an appointment with an Officer R. for this Thursday morning at 10:30am over at the NYPD Headquarters located at One Police Plaza.

For those who know me, you may know that I have a thing for men in uniforms—firefighter, paramedics, military—I’m not really picky. And on that list, is of course police officers. So, couple that fetish with an overactive imagination and you can guarantee a fun time in Tuma-land!

One, I imagined (hoped) Officer R. who I had my appointment with would look something like this:

Except, obviously the good looking, young ones aren’t usually stuck behind a desk doing fingerprints, but are out doing more exciting things.

On to number two. I imagined a slick, technologically modern building. I mean the first security check-in was about 4/10 on the coolness meter. After going through the metal detectors I had to go up to this Metrocard machine looking thing and type in my name and take my own webcam pic. lol Kind of lame, huh? For a score of 10, the machine would have needed a retina-eye scanner, fingerprint scanner and voice recognition that pulls up all my information from which hospital room I was born in to what my grade was for Lit 132 before admitting me clearance into the building. Man! That would have been WICKED cool!

So, after the lame-o metro card machine clearance, I walked to the actual building. It was unassuming, so boring, so bland. Nice touch was the “Officers lost during duty or Performance” (forget the exact phrasing). There were a LOT of name and I was kind of humbled. I gave a mental salute (because a physical one would have brought attention to myself) and walked up to the next security check-in to get my pass.

I was supposed to go to the 6th floor, but Officer V. (I’m pretty good with names, huh? I’m not making these up. Really.) gave me a pass for the first floor. I went back and then he gave me a past for the 5th floor. What’s going on Officer V? Didn’t have your coffee and donut, yet? KIDDING. lol Bad cop joke.

Anyway, he waves me on and says it’s alright. And I’m mentally freaking out because there was a CLEARLY VISIBLE sign telling visitors that they were NOT allowed to be on any other floor except that which was indicated on their pass and they could be arrested if they did. AR-RES-TED (repeated for emphasis).

Despite that, I was able to get to the 6th floor with no mishap and got my fingerprints taken. This consists of having all five fingers rolled in ink and pressed on a card individually, then your two thumbs together, then your four other fingers together (both hands done separately). It was strangely entertaining, having my fingers handled and rolled and inked and pressed. Some of my amusement must have shown on my face because Officer R. suddenly asked, “Kind of fun, isn’t it?” And I giggled. Giggled! LOL Like a 12-year-old.

It was over pretty quickly and I left the building. I was expecting something MORE out of the NYPD headquarters. Not sure what, especially since I was only visiting one office on one floor, but the mind works in mysteriously ways, you know. No? You don’t know. So, it’s just MY mind then. Oh Phooey!

Stay out of trouble with the law!

Hasta la Vista,
Tuma,
Life is Funny.