I think heir conditioning has a lot to answer for
Speaking of heir conditioning, I was thinking this evening of munchkins ...I work with them...for some reason I have the week's munchkins very much in my mind - a parade of little, and some bigger, faces.
I can't say a heap about them, for obvious confidentiality reasons, and because much of my work is not the stuff of amusing threads, but there they are...the little boy munchkin who is recovering, at last, after we made him a nest to be safe in and buried him in soft toys, from his terrible, unexaminable, crippling fear of the father recently released from prison for what he did to this one and his family....the little girl munchkin who finally found the courage this week to tell her mum herself, what her mum would believe from nobody else, that she gives 90% of her love and attention to the little brother (cos he almost died)..NOW mum is trying at last - the little boy with whom I have finally negotiated an acceptable way for him to be able to deal with some of the worst of his neglect, abandonment and abuse trauma and on and on and on.
My room is littered with tissues, drawings to hang up, messages on my white-board, tired puppets and soft toys who have been a bewildering variety of people and feelings, undone paperwork, coffee cups, thoughts and feelings and sadnesses and fears explored and slightly the less toxic for being so, laughter and giggles and stunned looks at my weirdness......
Normal week at the office.
When I woke up I thought I saw light at the end of the tunnel. I looked the other way and I thought there was light at the front of the tunnel.
I've been burning my candle at both ends for too long. So i blew it out and went back to sleep.
I think I have to work today, and I know I don't wanna!
I know I have to work today, and I know I don't wanna, but I know 'tis Friday, and I think that is good!
i was forced to think today. gave testimony with other members of the guam chamber of commerce and the guam contractors association at the guam legislature this afternoon. asking/demanding that the legislature repeal the 50% tax increase they are imposing on business's. my impression is that this was an exercise in futility.
Hmmmmmm -- sometimes even your futility needs to be exercised - 50%? Cos of the cyclone thingy?
no not the typhoon. just your average government mismanagement of funds. what they need is government reform, but since the government of guam is the largest employer on island, the legislators don't want to piss off the voters and will instead pass the cost of mismanagement onto the private sector.
off what sort of percentage tax base for business?
actually it's more complicated than that. the new taxes i was speaking of relate directly to my business. there is also a new sales tax, wholesale tax and a "sin" tax to take effect. upward spiraling costs of services and goods will hit the consumer in the pocketbook since we will have to pass these costs on to the consumer. this is not the way to revitalize a stagnant economy.
btw, did you know that march is the professional social work month in the us of a?
"Sin" tax?
It IS? Goodness gracious me! What on earth happens in that month?
not sure, just read it in the newspaper. from what i see, plaques and such are handed out and forgotten until next march.
Hmmm - I cannot bear to think of how my friends would victimize me if such a thing existed in OZ!
the one effect of this new tax is that i will have to really look at donating/giving monies to organizations that i have previously supported. one that you would find interesting is a place here called erica's house, where conflicting parents exchange children to each other under the watch of law enforcement officials.
http://www.guamjustice.net/Ericas%20house/Ericas_House.htm
the erica in question though met a tragic end to her young life.
Aha - we have them - run by different folk, though. Or people do it at police stations - which is pretty awful.
It is a pity re the donations - sounds like you are really gonna be affected.
and one other that you will find interesting:
http://www.rainbows.org/
couldn't find a good guam link to that. in reality i will keep those two as priorities and maybe dispense with the red cross and youth sports teams that i usually support.
Hmm - looks interesting - I sent myself a link to the book they mention - always looking for material - though American programs often do not suit Australian kids all that well - strange that there is enough cultural difference for that to be so!
