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Hi folks, we just wanted to pop on for a minute to say that we’ve been getting questions for Ask Gerianne and we’re working on putting videos together. We hope we’ll have, hopefully in the next couple of weeks we’ll start answering questions. So far, I’m really happy with the questions we have gotten and I look forward to answering them on video. So, stay tuned and we’ll be seeing you.
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Last evening, we happened to take a look at this blog and realized that it’s been a while since we’ve actually posted something on here! It’s amazing how time flies!
Now, that doesn’t mean we haven’t been doing anything. Actually, the opposite. Mary and I are always putting stuff on the Facebook page and if you want to see the latest of what’s going on, you can always visit us there.
So, some of the highlights since the great wheelchair debacle:
We are plugging along with Teamwork’s Self Employment Program, every Tuesday and Thursday, and so far even with the snow, rain and ice, I think we’re becoming better than Canada Post, because we haven’t missed a class yet!
Beyond the SE Program at TW, Mary and I, along with my assistant Kristina and also help from Victoria, we are in the midst of the annual drudgery of doing T4s, (Yay) which is always a bit of a nightmare. If anyone thinks this is a simple process, think again. Things have to be checked and double-checked at every step, and inevitably there are always mistakes to be corrected, which can lead to ALL KINDS OF FUN! – Not!!!!!
However, there’s still lots of fun stuff to do, such as taking part in today’s “Biz Success Tips,” a business seminar and panel hosted by CEED (Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Development.) We got to hear from graduates of the “Plan to SucCEED” program and get first voice advice about everything from self-care to bookkeeping, to work-life balance, to setting and meeting realistic goals, and much more. The panel were all excellent speakers and very willing to share their personal experiences with the audience.
After the seminar, we made a short visit into the March of Dimes {MOD} office, (in the same building as CEED) to introduce ourselves and DisabilityPride.net. We had a nice chat with Beth Lynch, who is the Lead Conductor, of their Conductive Education program. During our conversation, Beth gave us two pieces of information to share. First, on Thursday, February 20, the MOD Bayers Road office is having an Open House, from 3pm-5pm; and second, they’ll be starting a Cerebral Palsy Mobility Pilot program, as well as a Free Balance and Mobility Program for Stroke Survivors, soon. So, If you’d like to know more, visit: www.marchofdimes.ca/ce
And with it being Valentine’s Day and all, we decided to celebrate a little by going out for our first “Business Lunch” at the Chameleon Café and Supper Club, where we had two excellent servers and we want to give a big shout out to Erin and her coworkers. We thanked them in person for their excellent service, but want to acknowledge them and he Chameleon Café, here too.
And of course, we want to wish all our readers, followers and supporters a happy Valentine’s Day!
Don’t forget to check in with us on Facebook. We love hearing from y’all!
Most Thursday mornings, I go over to my church. In my mind, I’m going to hang out with my minister and a couple of people who are generally in the office on Thursday mornings. For me, this is “my time!” It’s a couple hours each week where I can put all (or most) of my stress, my obligations and my worries aside and just be among friends. We talk, laugh, tease each other, etc. That’s how I look at it.
But last February, at our Annual General Meeting, our minister really surprised me. Usually at our AGM’s, people are thanked for this and that and various things they do and what not. So, as Mike was going through his list of thank you’s, honestly, I was half zoning out and it took me a few seconds to hear him say: “I also want to thank Gerianne.”
My first thought was: “What the hell is he thanking me for?” He went on to tell people “Gerianne comes over most Thursday mornings and is with us in the office. She contributes ideas, gives feedback and input, helps us plan things like bible studies, our 3D family worship evenings, and so on. So, I want to thank Gerianne for her valuable contributions.”
I sat there thinking: “Wow! And I thought I was just hanging out. He’s making it into a purpose thing – with intent and value. That’s friggin’ awesome.”
What I didn’t have the chance to directly tell Mike that evening is how much I really appreciated his thank you and comments. As I said, he saw a purpose to the time I take “for me.” Mike saw the bigger picture and my contributing to the life of our church.
Still, of course, when it comes to Mike and my relationship, there always has to be a punch line. So he ended his remarks by mentioning that in one of our bible studies, he asked us to journal our reactions to what we were learning. His last comment was: “And for those of you who didn’t like the journaling, y’all can thank Gerianne for having to do that, ’cause that was her idea!”
Recently though, I’ve been accepted into Teamwork’s Self-Employment Program, and as fantastic as that news is and as much as I’m looking forward to learning incredible things, since the program’s classes are all day Tuesdays and Thursdays, it means for 4 months I won’t be able to hang with my amigos. I know we all say: “It’s only 4 months.” But sometimes the possibility exists that “it’ll never be quite the same.” New “inside” jokes and “you know” things will naturally take place, and that’s to be expected. Still, it was nice to get this message from Chelsey when I got home from my first Thursday “away”: She wrote: “Weird without you today!” These words tugged at my heart-strings for a bit. Everyone deep down wants to be wanted and hopes they’ll be missed. It’s just nice to know that I was missed this week.
Just a random end thought. One of the things I very much love about the Presbyterian denomination (going back as far as I can remember) all of the clergy go by their first names. There is Mike, Sydney, Nancy, Kenn, Gwen and so on. There does not seem to be an attitude of superiority. Not very often do I meet a clergy where they introduce themselves as: “I’m Rev. so and so.” There is very much the attitude of we’re all in this together. No one is greater or less than, which is really nice if you think about it.
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Mary again! Earlier this week, I had a blast hanging out with Gerianne while she got her
hair done by Patsy of Hair to GO Mobile Hair Service. Patsy offers an amazing experience, bringing beauty and hair care to people who face barriers getting to a traditional salon or barbershop. We had some great discussions which will probably spawn some very interesting posts in the future however, while I was observing Patsy, I was reminded how much beauty there is in watching someone work, doing what they love. There is a special kind of beauty in that and in the tools they use to get the job done.
