camp-counselor-life

[camp-counselor-life]

I heard Thriller on the radio the other day (I have never heard it any day except Halloween, but whatever) and I was transported back to being a CIT, where my counselor sat us down in our yurt and told us that Micheal Jackson had died.

#death tw #CITs

[camp-counselor-life]

Coworker: We were on the phone when you were getting ready for your program and then you said the van you had reserved was gone and you hung up. Did you figure that out?

Me: Yeah, I took a different van, but I didn't check if it was reserved, so idk about that.

Coworker: So you compounded the problem?

#trail.mixed.adulting #stuff staff say

[camp-counselor-life]

It feels like summer is just around the corner because spring seems to be flying by, but really it's still April for another week and it's just the sunshine on my skin making me feel on top of the world that makes me think summer is here.

#summer joy #trail.mixed.adulting

[camp-counselor-life]

My mom wanted help with something tonight and I did a bit and then I told her I would go for a walk and then help her. Then she just ghosted me in my time of excitement about the pay rule, so no more help for her tonight.

#trail.mixed.adulting

[camp-counselor-life]

As someone who makes less than this and regularly works overtime, this is life changing.

Republicans would never do this for American workers… NEVER…

But Biden did...

#full time girl scout

[camp-counselor-life]

I now have a few programs that I have run four or more times each, both of which I will end up running more times this year. What I've learned is that there's never going to be a one sized fits all curriculum. If you want to run a program, even if it's the same program over and over again, it's going to be different every time, because the kids are different.

Some groups are more chatty, some are more active, some understand certain concepts quicker or have more or less kids who do. Every little troop or group has their quirks. Just because something worked perfectly last time does not mean that it will work perfectly the next time.

So there's your lesson on kiddos today.

#campers

[camp-counselor-life]

I got overwhelmed today. In a meeting that I was leading. Which is the second worst place to get overwhelmed (first is during a program I am leading). My voice broke while I was trying not to cry, thankful my camera was not working. The meeting ended and I cried, alone with the door shut in my office.

Afterwards I went to my new boss and asked for things to be done differently next time. I said that it was too much and too late to be told that during the meeting, that it had been overwhelming. I needed to know that earlier. Much earlier. She said that she would keep that in mind for the future.

Being autistic is hard. Being autistic in a job that seems like a bad fit for autism is hard. Advocating for yourself in that position is perhaps the hardest part. But I did it, and that was a good thing.

#that autism life

[camp-counselor-life]

#camp

[camp-counselor-life]

Thank you to everyone who voted, I will now reveal why I take a nalgene everywhere.

I take a medication that makes me incredibly thirsty and I require near constant water. It is easier for me to bring a water bottle, even if it stays in the car to be chugged after the date, then to ask the waiter to refill my water glass eight times or to have to refill a cup all night long. I bring water everywhere, and a lot of it. Dates, friends houses, walking in the park, everywhere I am allowed to bring it or can sneak it in.

It's also a comfort thing, like, I know I'll have water, even if nothing else goes according to plan.

Is it a little weird? Yeah, probably. Seems we agree on that. But it's justified I guess?

I just realized that something I do might be weird. So tell me:

This is completely a joke, I will continue to drag my nalgene everywhere with me.

#trail.mixed.adulting

[camp-counselor-life]

Ok, so I opened up my work email, just to read the subject lines of emails, and I feel like 135 emails for over a week isn't horrible. I was able to delete 39 just by looking at the subject/sender, which is great. More that I know I won't need to respond to, just read. Also nothing that can't wait, which is even better.

My week off has been... interesting. Between the anxiety and the exhaustion of being sick while working a 55 hour week, it's been not as fun and rejuvenating as I'd hoped. Definitely for the best though.

Am I "better"? Am I miraculously healed from taking a week to run around doing errands and cleaning and working on projects? Definitely not. I don't know how to solve the problem of chronic stress in a way that doesn't mean taking the source away completely. I'm trying though.

#full-time girl scout

[camp-counselor-life]

#nature

[camp-counselor-life]

I just realized that something I do might be weird. So tell me:

This is completely a joke, I will continue to drag my nalgene everywhere with me.

#polls

[camp-counselor-life]

What is Stimming?

Neurodiverse Journey

#that autism life

[camp-counselor-life]

This ask is brought to you by Taylor Swift (much apologies), but do you know the nevertell about albatross soup?

I haven't heard of that one. But I'd love to learn.

#camp games #camp asks

[camp-counselor-life]

I try really hard not to judge parents because children can be a challenge, but also, I don't think it's fair to ask your AuDHD 7 year old to remember her own meds in the morning.

#parents

[camp-counselor-life]

Sometimes I listen to psychology audiobooks and I get to listen to winning sentences like this:

What are you going to do with your cortex today?

#trail.mixed.adulting

[camp-counselor-life]

Every so often, I look at my parent's council's open positions when they float across my LinkedIn feed.

Shoutout to the council for trying to recruit for a FT, exempt position at 35k/year. That's just... not gonna work.

#full-time girl scout