NaNoWriMo Day 11 - 24, 242 words

[Buffy]

NaNoWriMo Day 11 - 24, 242 words

Went to work today early. Weather was most cold even with a winter coat on standing at the bus stop. Felt motion sickness on the bus at every turn and detour. Relieved to get off the bus. Had to climb into the van to go to a work meeting in Milwaukee to the agency I work for that helps children, family, and those with mental illness. Today's topic was Trauma Informed Care. How to deescalate a situation using sensory intervention with individuals who have experienced trauma. Very hard topic for me to hear about cause I witness how trauma has affected clients where I work. I don't like seeing people suffer yet I am in a line of work where I am very up close and personal with people who have experienced a lot of trauma. I asked a question of the presenter relevant to the group work I do. I tried to use my ideas to help make the environment where I work more like a sanctuary so people can heal, but some people don't like change. It's frustrating. I felt drained after wards.

After wards I met with my social worker. We talked about my personal needs. She is so wonderful. She sent me a Native American card recently with a quote of Black Elk on the front and a scene of a forest with a wolf. It said "Give me the strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is!" It was absolutely inspiring what she wrote on the inside. She thanked me for sending her information about the perilous position of the Congregation of the Great Spirit, a native church in Milwaukee that I had been going to that is in jeopardy of closing. The Archdiocese cut a large amount of money that paid the salary of the pastor and that covered a large amount of operating costs. I was a part of a fund raising effort for the native church at Indian Summer selling bakery and beverages trying to raise money to keep our church doors open. We raised $3,600, but they need to raise $100,000 a year or more they estimate they need to cover church operating expenses. That includes $65,948 to cover Father Edward Cook's salary and benefits. Oh by the I saw Jim Casler there come to think of it at Indian Summer while I was helping the church do fundraising. Was good to see him there. The article on the plight of the Congregation of the Great Spirit is at:
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/indian_70604___article.html/american_milwaukee.html

I love how my social worker uses her art therapy background and encourages me and helps me to explore my creative side. She takes the time to look at my artwork with the pastels and asks me how my progress is going with my "Two Step" novel. She thinks I am doing a great job even though I beat myself up yesterday for not reaching my daily goal.

My writing buddy at NaNoWriMo.org is a former journalist who lives in the South east of Wisconsin. He sent me a link about a story he had wrote for the paper about the importance of sleep after he heard about how little sleep I was getting. He cheers me on when I reach milestones. He listens to the struggles of my day to day life. I try to reciprocate by giving him pointers and cheerleading his accomplishments.

Sleep is very important and I am starting to see the necessity of preserving it when one takes upon themselves an intensive project. It was catching up with me so I took 11-11 off from writing. I went to bed at 6:30 pm I was just that plumb tired. It was affecting my creativity like the my writing buddy wrote article indicates besides my day to day functioning.


November is:
Native American Heritage Month
This Year's Theme:"Celebrating Tribal Nations: America's Great Partners."

National Novel Writing Month - NaNoWriMo.org