Tweeting

I'm not a twitterer, but if I were this is what my day would have looked like.

• 5:00am (CST): Overslept. Was supposed to be up an hour ago. Good thing I packed my bag last night. On the other hand, another day in San Antonio wouldn't be the worst thing ever.
  
  
• 5:50am (CST): Final boarding call for my flight. Hopefully that's just the first final boarding call because I'm still waiting to get through the security checkpoint.
  
  
• 5:58am (CST): Made it to my gate with only seconds to spare. Still rocking a major case of morning breath and some serious bedhead. My apologies to those sitting near me.
  
  
• 6:30am (CST): Apparently my lack of hygiene this morning has not deterred my seatmate from falling asleep on me. It wouldn't be so bad if it were an attractive female and not a large man who is built like a linebacker.
  
  
• 7:30am (MST): Seriously, I've never met a more sound sleeper than the man I have just been elbowing in the arm for the last 2 hours.
  
  
• 7:45am (MST): Made it to Phoenix. I've never been more grateful for a layover just so that I could brush my teeth and comb my hair.
  
  
• 9:30am (PST): Locked out of the house. Waiting for the manager. Thankfully she was better about answering her phone than the time when our sink was clogged.
  
  
• 10:00am (PST): I think I might need a nap before I can face the rest of this day.
  
  
• 11:00am (PST): Made it to work finally. Glad I took the nap first. I guess I should be more concerned if I left town and there weren't a million problems waiting for me when I got back. Job security, right?
  
  
• 4:30pm (PST): Wow. This was like the ultimate Monday...only it was Tuesday. Going home early before more stuff goes wrong. Good thing Thursday is Friday this week.
  
  
• 5:00pm (PST): Already changed into pajamas. Roommates out of town, and I have the whole house to myself. Perfect end to this day. Going to bed early tonight for sure.
  

Three Years

Three years ago I was a grad student living in a retirement home. I was waiting to hear back from the med schools I had applied to, and Christmas was spent at home in San Antonio.

Two years ago I had moved out of the retirement home and was enjoying my job as Director of Resident Services there. I was waiting to hear back from med schools, and Christmas was spent in California with my brother's family because my job kept me from going home.

Last year I was still working as director of resident services (contrary to my plans). I was not enjoying my job. I was once again waiting to hear back from med schools, and with my brother's family out of town for the holidays, Christmas was spent alone in California.

This year I started a new job as the administrator of a retirement community. I have been arranging for two students to move into the community starting in January, and the only thing I am waiting for this year is Christmas which will be spent at home in San Antonio.

Bethany Towers, the Retirement Community where I work now

Shopping

Those who know me also know that I am not usually a big shopper. However, there are those times that I get carried away in the spirit of things kind of like that time I went to buy a fan.

Today our kitchen sink backed up necessitating a trip to Home Depot.

Home Depot Trip #1

Item to buy:

• Plunger

Items purchased:

• Plunger
• Drano

Not so bad. Only one unplanned purchase, and it was related. Unfortunately we couldn't get the drain unstopped using either method which resulted in a second trip to home depot.

Home Depot Trip #2

Item to buy:

• Snake

Items purchased:

• Snake
• Fire Extinguisher
• Work Gloves
• Flashlights
• Batteries
• Small Toolbox
• Dust Masks
  
• Glow Sticks

The sad thing is the sink is still clogged...except now it has a snake stuck in it as well. Clay and I finally admitted defeat and called the manager. Another trip to Home Depot would be too risky.

Los Angeles Welcome Wagon

It's official. I'm an Angelino. This past year I gave up my Texas residency when I purchased a new car and obtained a California driver's license. The Los Angeles Welcome Wagon finally paid a visit last night.



Like any good Welcome Wagon representative, they left me with some coupons.



As of now we have no suspects, but we have included this reporter as a person of interest.

Only in Hollywood

My car was in the shop so I walked the mile and a half home from work today. I always appreciate my neighborhood so much more when I'm on foot. I went through Little Armenia where I heard more people speaking Spanish than Armenian. Then I walked past the Bulgarian Orthodox Church which is right down the street from the studio where they tape Judge Judy and just around the corner from the gas station where I once saw Sandra Oh. I turned the corner and headed up the street while enjoying a beautiful view of the Hollywood sign. Sometimes I really do love my neighborhood. Where else would all of that be in one spot?

On a related tangent, thanks to my friend Kati who came out and visited from Texas I am now also noticing all the people with crazy hairstyles. While she was here, I was supposedly pumping gas right across from somebody with bright orange hair. "How about that guy across from you?" she asked. "What about him?" "He had orange hair." "Oh? I didn't notice." Just so you know Kati, there were 2 different people on my way home that had orange hair and 1 with green.

How did I become the bad guy?

Here's the 30 second update on my life:

A while back my company was asked to manage another retirement community about a mile away from the one where I work. During this process the executive director was let go. My company was asked to step in during the interim, and my boss and I have been overseeing the daily operations for a couple of months now. Professionally it has been an amazing experience. I am involved with the budget, I oversee the 45 employees, and on a daily basis people are coming to me to make executive decisions. I even attend meetings with the board of directors, president, and senior vice presidents. A few weeks ago my boss told all the employees and residents that I have full decision making authority and to always go to me first. It's a little overwhelming because somehow I'm still supposed to keep up with my responsibilities as resident services director of the old place too. My cell phone rings constantly.

I love my new responsibilities. It's a rush to go into work and be the highest ranking employee there (when my boss isn't around). But don't worry. It's not all going to my head. This job has a way of humbling me. Back at my old job I walk in and the residents give me hugs, they tell me they love me, that they miss me, and I feel needed and useful. My new job is a different story. I have my fans. There are those that love to see me and think I am the answer to all their problems. On the other hand to others I am the one that is evicting them for non-payment, I am the person responsible for the layoff of their friend, and I am the guy who is trying to change everything when it was "fine" the way it was. I sometimes want to scream, "You don't understand. I am the GOOD guy!" I want to bring my residents from my old place over so they can vouch for me. In reality I know that it will take time to build their trust and that with my new responsibilities I will not be liked by everyone. That's a hard thing to accept. I'm not used to being the bad guy. Today I was helping a resident and she said, "It's good to see that you actually have a heart." I was hurt. How could she know me for two months and not know how much I love older adults and that I got into this field to make a difference?

With the new job, much of what I do is administrative. My mom commented, "I miss the stories about cute old people." I do too. They're still there, but it's different. Here's one from my first day on the job.

Male Resident: (angrily) Oh. I know who you are! You're the one that got the executive director fired and are now trying to take over.

Me: Actually that's a common misconception here. In reality all personnel decisions were made by your board of directors. My company does not have that decision making power. We were just invited to manage in the interim to make sure that things run smoothly here.

Male Resident: So I guess it's not your fault she was fired...Well do you know what really makes me upset. They sent a KID! You don't know what it's like to be a 90 year old man.

Me: You know, you're right. I don't. I hope I do someday, and in the meantime you'll have to tell me what it's like and what your needs are so that I can see how we best meet them. But let me tell you about myself. I have my masters degree in gerontology from USC. I have been working as the director of resident services over a retirement community with over 200 residents. Before that I was an intern there where I actually lived within the community. So you're right. I don't know what it's like be a 90 year old man, but I do know what it's like to live in a retirement community.

Female Resident: Would you lay off him? Would you really want the place run by a 90 year old? They hire the young kids because they have the energy to do this stuff so give the kid a chance.

Rough days and perspective

I had a resident at work ask me how I was doing today. He seemed sincere in his question so I told him I was having a rough day. He listened and offered some kind words. Towards the end I remembered that the gentleman I was talking to is dying of cancer and decided that maybe my day wasn't that rough after all.

10 signs you might be spending too much time at the Social Security office

1. You notice when there are new posters on the bulletin boards.
   
   
2. You stop reading the forms before you sign them. You just check the effective date at the bottom to make sure it's the same form as last time.
   
   
3. Sometimes you educate the people working there about Social Security policies and regulations.
   
   
4. You know where all the broken meters are where you can park for free.
   
   
5. You actually have all the right forms with you on your first visit.
   
   
6. You know better than to even slightly raise your voice, even if they are wrong and not listening to you. After all, that's how you almost got thrown out the last time.
   
   
7. You help the people around you with the check-in process.
   
   
8. You know which workers are the nice ones and which ones are less than helpful.
   
   
9. You can estimate your wait time correctly give or take 10 minutes based on how many people are there when you arrive.
   
   
10. A worker walking by calls you by name, says it has been a while, and asks how you have been doing.
    

Canadian use your brain, common sense

Today we had a meeting with a resident who has lived at the retirement home for about a month. We do this with all new residents to make sure they are adjusting well and are happy with the change. He is 96 years old and has very little short-term memory. Despite reminders he forgot about the meeting. Consequently the meeting was held in his living room with the marketing director, marketing manager, executive director, health services director, resident services director (me), and his friend while he was still in his bathrobe.

Resident: Had I known I was going to be the center of such an auspicious occasion I would have worn my tux.

He's happy with the home although he is still trying to figure out where it is.

Resident: I think I finally figured out where we are. We are south of Pico right?

Friend: No. We're in Hollywood.

Resident: Well...it's nice to have a change of locations, I suppose, even if it is just in my mind.

I wish I had more residents like him. Very easy going. Today he got a breakfast he didn't like but shrugged it off.

Resident: I suppose the kitchen staff is human.

Executive Director: I have 211 residents that I would like you to meet. Maybe you could teach them a thing or two.

Resident: It's because I'm from Canada.

E.D.: Maybe you could teach a class on Canadian etiquette.

Resident: It's not Canadian etiquette. It's called "Canadian use your brain, common sense."

You can tell he loves to get a laugh.

Resident: Are you going to make an announcement or something?

E.D.: Yes.

Resident: Good. I'm all ears...

E.D.: I was going to say...

Resident: Don't interrupt the joke. I was saying that I'm all ears and a couple of chins. Now go ahead.

I think we're going to like him. The E.D. already wants to set him up with the 101 year old lady.

California Living

I have lived in Los Angeles for a total of 3 1/2 years (with a one year break after the first year when I lived in Texas)

Things I am still not used to:

• The cost of living. It still blows my mind what people pay for houses here.
• When somebody asks me for my ID and I pull out a California driver's license instead of a Texas one. Surprises me every time.
• The fact that I'm driving a car with California license plates.
• Seeing the Hollywood sign whenever I'm almost home.
• The walk of fame is right around the corner from my apartment. (It's really not that glamorous. Pep Boys is right around the corner from my apartment too.)

Things that I have adjusted to just fine:

• Sirens
• Helicopters
• Driving 30 minutes to go only 5 miles
• Driving with my sunroof open and wearing short sleeves during January.

There might be a correlation between the last two. But truth be told my heart is still in Texas. Today I was chatting with somebody, and in response to their status of "Where are you?" I wrote "I'm in Texas." before I remembered that I really was in California.

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