44-Working Class Hero

I find inspiration everywhere. Whether I find it in people, photographs, places, simple things, whatever, I try to let life inspiration in any and every way. With that said, let me introduce my first guest blogger: Stacy. She has been such an inspiration to me in so many ways (probably far more than she will ever know), and because of that, I asked her to write a guest entry for my blog.
She's a 28 year-old Social Worker who is following her dreams (and her heart) to all of the places that it leads her, which if you know her, oftentimes means a Dave Matthews Band concert. But Social Work is clearly her passion, and I can definitely say that it suits her. She's a woman with a huge heart and a fervor for helping the world, one step at a time.
I could go on and on for days about her, but instead, I'll let her speak for herself:

[photo credit goes to Stacy Anderson]

"You know, I wasn’t always a Social Worker. The heart was there, the thought-process was there, but I didn’t even know what a Social Worker was until a few years ago. In fact, I wouldn’t hesitate to say that I’ve always been a writer. Back in the 2^nd grade, I wrote a story about a trail of money that lead to a haunted house. It was cleverly titled “The Money Trail,” and the protagonist followed the trail to the haunted house, where she discovered a pile of money. When the police arrived, they awarded her the money for being such a great detective. Not many 8-year-olds out there with $100 in reward money, are there?

My love of writing turned into what I thought would be a career in journalism. I wrote for the newspaper in college and had two journalism internships before graduation. I’ve always loved writing, so it seemed like a logical choice. It didn’t seem to matter that I didn’t really enjoy interviewing strangers about boring subjects like going bald, the juggling club, and a new unisex bathroom on campus (yes, actual article topics in my personal archive).

However, my idealism was short-lived when, after graduation, I *gasp* …couldn’t get a job! Journalism is incredibly difficult to break into and it just wasn’t happening. So I applied for anything I could and got a job as a “Community Educator” for non-profit organization.

Thus began a future of having to explain every job title I’ve ever had. What exactly is a Community Educator? What about my next job, Prevention Specialist? Well, unbeknownst to me, there was a much simpler job title I could have used: Social Worker.

Except being a Social Worker isn’t simple. Even after holding a Master’s Degree in Social Work, I still have to explain what I do (and gladly do so). The stereotype that Social Workers take away children and give buckets of money away is still alive and well, and while some Social Workers do this, many others work in hospitals, schools, private therapy clinics, non-profit organizations, and in local and national government programs.

The best way to describe Social Work is as the “Helping Profession.” Everything Social Worker’s do is rooted in helping those in need.

My newest title is “Coordinator,” and while vague enough to satisfy most inquiries, it still doesn’t accurately describe what I do (for the record, I help people with disabilities find jobs in local school districts).  But I find for most Social Workers, their job title cannot possibly describe what they do, because how do you describe a job where you serve those in society that no one else wants to help? The downtrodden, the disabled, the victimized. The old and the young. Those down on their luck and those born without any luck at all.

We help those who can’t help themselves."

Stacy, aside from being an amazing, heartfelt Social Worker is also a blogger (and one of my favorites, to boot). So please be sure to check out her blog "Every Little Thing".

And I can't forget a massive thank you to the wonderful Stacy for being a guest blogger for me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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17-I Can't Take my Eyes Off of You

10/365- Hide, originally uploaded by monica jennison.

I've always been a bit of a people-watcher. I like to watch people from a distance and just observe them. Places like malls, parks, airports are perfect for it. Personally, I think that's one of the quickest and easiest ways to tell if someone is truly a good person. What they do when they think no one is looking is a reflection of their true self. 

If those little moments when you thought no one was looking were actually being seen by someone, how would they perceive you? Would you like the person they saw? Would you feel the need to explain to them "okay, I know what you saw but"? You would have to back-track and explain yourself or validate and excuse your actions. You might think it sounds a bit far-fetched, but a lot of people do this on a daily, hourly basis without even realize it.

Just think about it. You need to be the person you want to be all the time and not just when you think people are watching.

2-One Hand on the Trigger of the Telephone

Fast-Paced Life, originally uploaded by monica jennison.

As a society, we are all too a bit obsessed with technology. Americans, especially are all too caught up in the "give it to me now", instant-fix kind of lifestyle. Most people don't worry about what they're putting in their bodies, they would rather spend big on the latest, greatest cell phone, or iPod, or car, then really stop to take the time and think that McDonald's may not be the best choice as far as their health goes.

How many of you (or friends of yours) freak out when they lose their cell phone, or leave it at home, or the battery dies? I know I am guilty of overreacting when one of those things occurs. But is it really necessary? No! Of course not. People survived running out of gas or going to the grocery store alone long before cell phones.

Now it would be really easy to sit down and throw your hands up and say, "I can't do anything, I'm a product of my environment. It's just the way I was raised!", but that's just laziness. You know better, you're just too lazy to get up and do anything about it. If you take the time to really think about what you NEED out of life and what you THINK you need (but really is just a desire), you may start looking at things a little bit differently.

Try spending just one day limiting your cell phone, television, or internet use. Instead, go to a park, read a book, go for a walk, anything. Go outside and get away from technology. Get in touch with nature and YOURSELF. Go meet a friend and have a face-to-face conversation, instead of an exchange of abbreviations via text. You might be surprised to discover that you don't really miss the things you're stepping away from, that you don't really need them as much as you think you do.