[Y 'Management"?]

Optimism is the expectation of all things, Des, and the distinction in your closing comment is nothing short of revolution- a shift of perspective that accepts life as it is and makes the best of it. (Picture me clapping my hands and jumping up and down) <g>

"Progress" is by nature, collective; it is the future of the present with the essence of the past in its bones, a response to desire, not subject to it.

What we have is "forward movement"; clearly, the rate of loss is unsustainable and the story of your loss brought that home to me tonight, and with it a thousand species, a jumble of numbers held at bay. I'd call that worthwhile, and hope you will, too.

Tracy

[Y 'Management"?]

In the span of 4 or 5 years, my employer, a government-run non-profit organization and healthcare provider for the under-served population of the entire state of Minnesota, in the interest of viability underwent a radical change of governance to become what was, essentially, a non-profit healthcare provider to the under-served population of a single, albeit large, county, that for all other purposes adopted the business model and practices of private corporations all across America. And before the dust settled organizationally, I would see 2 new Lab Directors, 3 new managers, 5 supervisory changes and enough rearrangement of instrumentation and work space to keep me moving in circles forever.

Staff changes, benefit changes, rules, regulations, inspections, hospital evaluation surveys, lab safety, inventory, environment surveys, regulatory changes, procedural changes, all contributed to a general feeling of chaos and dissatisfaction, amidst an administrative model that solicited more opinions than it could possibly accommodate and at the end of the day, ignore them all.

Many of my coworkers had never worked anywhere else, and being less surprised meant listening to the indignation and sense of entitlement that government jobs are said to foster. Surviving the day on the good side of satisfied was my new measure of success.

Solutions are great, but sometimes being reminded that we are not alone in our experience of even the most complicated circumstances is all the relief the moment requires. Take comfort where you find it. (Wasn;t that a song, like a hundred years ago? Bread if I'm not mistaken...)

As usual, I found this looking for something else...I don't remember what it was now, and look what I got instead! Thanks Des, Cole, Princes if ever there was.

Tracy

[Well, why not?]

Well... I can think of one reason.

But will I remember it...

Thanks for your support guys.

Tracy

[the Second Time Around]

I am that gullible, naive eejit i'm sure--and as Camy says, it's a blog entry; I don't know what the heading above "posted in "Stories" means or what it is that has everyone qualifying their responses (James?), and since the worst I could be is wrong...If I am surprised by your candor, James, that is where it ends--it's not difficult to see that sixteen year old, offended by cruelty that makes no sense, strong in himself, bj or not; and going after Randy, well, we were all sixteen and we know what that takes. It's lovely to see your friends so happy for you, and of course, I am too.You're on Facebook? <g>Here's to chances, second, or twenty.Tracy

[EC vs. The Forces of Exhaustion, Erosion, and Erudition]

I remember my internship well, those six months of "practicing" what I would soon be doing for real; the chance to see if I had learned what I had paid the college to teach me before I went out, I get that, and now that I work at a teachining hospital I understand the benefits of taking on interns and having a pool of already trained personnel to fill vacancies for your trouble, but what exactly are we paying the school for when we're not there and their job is basically done? It's another of those things you shake your head, do what you gotta do, and when it's over you leave it behind for the next "that's the way we do things here", whether here is health care, education (I love Teachers), Des Moines, or King of Nonsensical practices and parent to them all, the USA.Did I say I love teachers? Oh yeah, I did, and you have my empathy and my support for what is the most important job on the planet--ask any parent.And no, not just because you keep them out of our hair for 8 hours a day...but that too.Tracy