I'm old!

Ugh... I took a 15 year old client to the hospital the other night for vomiting blood, and all the nurses (and even the doc) kept assuming that I was her mother. I would have been 12 when she was born....

Do I really look that old?!

Gang Activity

I learned about a new (new to me) gang tonight at work. After searching the client's school folders, I was showing a co-worker

this sexually inappropriate, slightly creepy drawing I confiscated from one of the folders. She immediately expressed concern that it was gang related... The Juggalos (or Juggalette feminine). Huh... never heard of it.

The Jugglos were initially started at an ICP concert when one of the musicians referred to the crowd as Juggalos... and it stuck. There have been violent acts ranging from homicide to arson

associated with the Juggalos, and due to this activity they have been classified as a gang in Utah, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and California. Though "studies have shown" that the violence has no relation to ICP's music, this is why ICP paraphernalia is not allowed in schools... I always wondered that.

Additionally my co-worker filled me in that Juggalo's "worship" the hatchet man, and carry hatchets as their preferred weapons (rather than guns). They consider themselves to be societal outcasts, and to be a family. Several of them will paint their faces like ICP.

Therapy Dog

I had a meeting today with my potential new boss, who is the therapist that runs the Canine Healers at Excelsior. In addition to Interviewing for the open position for Group Living Counselor in Edge Point, I expressed my interest in animal assisted therapy, and my desire to 1. Train Amos to be a therapy dog, and 2. to specialize in animal assisted therapy. She told me to look at TDI (Therapy Dogs International), or Delta, which are the two most recognized certifications for therapy dogs.

I was looking at the behavior requirements for TDI, and I'm feeling a little bit discouraged that Amos will be able to become a therapy dog. There are several things he can do, but several he just can't.

1. Greeting people and sitting politely for petting. Amos is just too exuberant, and happy to see everybody. I've worked with him with this...
2. The dog will welcome being groomed and examined and will permit a stranger such as a vet, groomer or friend of the owner to do so. Yeah right... ain't gonna happen. Amos is TERRIFIED of being groomed, and totally flips his shit every time he sees the brush, unless I have him in a small enclosed room (such as the bathroom), and am giving him treats every 30 seconds and am speaking sweetly to him... and even then its a bit of a struggle.
3. Coming when called.... needs some work. He's just inconsistent, which I know is my fault, as I'm inconsistent as well.

These are the one's that I'm worried about. I keep telling myself manners can be learned.... It just might be a bit of a process.... Le sigh.