Wheatley Wedding Pictures

Love

Cutting of the Cake

Maid of Honor Toast

Best Matron Toast

Move to Thailand and SNOW!!

Yesterday was quite the day! Sadly, I missed yoga because I slept through my alarm and for 11.5 hours. When I woke up and realized what I had done, I was a little upset. Well…I knew I couldn’t get to the studio and walk in late so I waited until the class was scheduled to end and still made it down for a visit. For those of you who aren’t really up to date, I kinda have a thing for one of the instructors. For the time being, we’ll call her B. She’s one of the younger instructors although she’s 6 years older than me. She’s lived in Colorado Springs for 3 months now and just got back from spending 2.5 years in Asia teaching Yoga. We connected on our traveling experiences and are growing closer as we discover more that we have in common. Unfortunately, our work schedules are completely the opposite of each other with me working evenings. We’re trying to find time when we can connect outside of the yoga studio and outside of work. She’s a really great woman and I’m finding myself coming up with reasons to see her. Hmm… anyways, while this “thing” is exciting the bad news is, she just signed a 6 month contract to return to Thailand to teach yoga and she’ll be leaving the first week in January. I knew she was planning on relocating for a little it but I didn’t imagine it would be outside of the country again, not that I can really blame her. She told me after the last yoga students of the day’s class left. She was also very quick to invite me to go visit and promised we’d have a blast. I’m not really sure if I’ve got the cash to splurge on a trip to Thailand but we’ll see how I feel by January.

On a different note, work last night was tiresome. I had to mediate a conflict resolution between two patients. One patient allegedly physically assaulted another younger patient and left some fairly intensive bruises. I had to explain to the parents of both parties what had been reported and explain their legal rights. I also had to monitor the police examination and help with the report. It was the first day, I found myself not wanting to be at the hospital. Let’s hope this evening goes much smoother!

Finally, last night was the first snow storm of the season! It snowed 2 inches at my house in Monument. While driving home from work, it was basically white out conditions which were both a shock and a bitch to drive through. The wind was fierce too; trying desperately to push my car off the highway. I love the snow though! The days are so much brighter and exude an energy that just makes you feel happy and uplifted.

Wedding Thoughts and Good Times

After an exciting but long week of work, I finally reunited with several of my friends for a joyous occasion, the marriage of Chris Wheatley and Michelle Nilsen. I’ve been looking forward to this event for a while and can’t believe how quickly it arrived. Thinking back, I still remember when Chris told me he was going to propose. When he told me, I sensed something in him I’ve never seen before. It was happiness so rare and pure that absolutely nothing in the world could ever break it. I saw that same happiness in Michelle when I saw her at the announcement dinner. This summer, I finally left Spokane and returned to my beautiful home state. I haven’t been back to the Pacific Northwest since. It felt good coming back. Friday morning began a little before 5am and I didn’t arrive at the airport terminal until 7:30. David Gaines’ connection was in Denver and we spent the majority of the flight to Portland catching up on life. Once in Portland, my friend Rachel picked us up from the airport and took us to lunch. After lunch, she went back to work and David and I headed to the church to practice music and orient ourselves. I picked Rachel up from work and we both headed to the rehearsal. Dinner was fabulous although a little chaotic and filled with enjoyable stories and great company. After dinner, Rachel and I headed back to her place to grab her debit card and the plan was to rejoin everyone at the hotel for a night at the bar. Well…that didn’t happen because the tunnel we needed to go through to get back to the hotel was closed for cleaning. Yeah, you read that correctly. They were power washing the tiles of the 26 West tunnel around 9pm. Needless to say, Rachel and I never made it back to the hotel. We watched the movie 21 and had wine back at her apartment. I had a little bit too much to drink and I’ll just leave it at that.

Saturday, Chris and the groomsmen were pampered and treated to massages. They were full body massages and I really must add that David had a male masseuse whose name was Roberto. David said it was not really awkward except for the fact that the man was whispering to him. When I heard this, I laughed SO HARD!! Anyways, after the massages, had lunch at the Cheesecake factory and spent the rest of the day relaxing before heading to the church. Pictures were taken before the ceremony and although it was pretty cold, I was told I couldn’t complain because, “the men at least have jackets while the bridesmaids are freezing.” Chris looked pretty slick and Michelle was absolutely gorgeous. The ceremony went quickly and I’ll admit I had to fight back a few tears when I saw Chris cry a little bit. Even more strangely, it was at that point when I accepted the notion that I think I could be ready to think about marriage. This is absolutely not saying that I’m gonna start looking desperately for a woman just to get married but it’s simply saying that the idea isn’t something I’ll immediately dismiss anymore. The reception was a blast and I’m thankful for new friends and FAMILY, especially Kari and Laura – sisters of the bride and groom.

It’s gonna take a lot to top this weekend! Pics to be posted later...

Winter's Coming

Writing this, I’m completely and utterly drained as I spent my weekend in Fort Collins with two of the most amazing people I have in my life right now. I went up for CSU’s Homecoming weekend and got to meet Raine and Carina’s parents. I adore them and had the wonderful opportunity to speak with them about the upward struggle of the career oriented world and gained valuable insight into my own path. The main message I took was that it’s really important that you do something that you find meaning in. In our economy, it’s tempting to look for high salary paying jobs with comprehensive benefit packages but it’s not worth it if you’re not happy. The economy IS SHITTY right now and there’s nothing we can immediately do about it…So do the best with what you’ve got and keep on pushin. In my situation, I don’t get paid as much as someone with a college degree should expect but I do have healthcare, dental, and vision. More importantly I enjoy what I do. I love working with my staff and the patients and I feel like I have a reason to get out of bed each day. I know that I’m making a difference in peoples’ lives and helping them find ways to cope with their insecurities and internal conflicts. I finally see that I’m beginning to be that Change…

It’s an exciting and uplifting transition and I’m beginning to discover perspectives I’ve never seen in myself. I’m happier and I see the world through brighter eyes. I notice more love and compassion in others and it motivates me to be an even MORE compassionate individual in this collective mix of working-class professionals. I think people are viewing me differently as well. I have a title and an institution behind me. I’m a Mental Health Technician and I provide structured treatment to community members who have fallen due to mental illnesses, chemical and substance dependencies, results of traumatic experience, and victims of violence, neglect and abuse. I care for the people who are discarded by society in hopes of healing them back to a point where society will accept them again. I am a healer, a teacher, a caregiver, a lover, a protector, an advocate, a guardian, a foundation, and a peace keeper.

Appropriately, the season is beginning to change here in Colorado. This weekend marked the early signs of the winter to come. Winter is quickly approaching and it’s going to be filled with beauty and awesomeness. Pikes Peak has revealed the season’s first snow on the Front Range. There’s been talk about the mountain towns already getting several feet of snow which means it’s going to be a great season for skiing. The aspen trees are shedding their leaves and displaying luminous variations of yellow and gold. It’s certainly a sight to see. With the season’s change comes an opportunity to change within ourselves. I think it’s going to be a great winter.

New Strides

It’s 1:13am and I wanted to get a quick update out. We had a fairly considerable turnover on the unit with 4 new admits today and 2 more scheduled tonight. The kids are wonderful and it breaks my heart to see some of them leave. It’s good because a lot of them are on the right track and are learning some constructive coping methods but it sucks that I don’t get to see them anymore. We’re doing great things with these children.

A quick update on the Yoga instructor. I got to see her again today and finally got the nerve to ask for her phone number. I got her number and we’re gonna try and see if we can get our schedules to work out so we can spend some time outside of work. Aside from teaching Yoga, she’s also a part-time bartender.

A Fire Ignited

I want more from this life. I’m not content with the status quo and the way things are. I feel like I’m falling back into stagnation and its killing me! I’m a 24 year old man who is living at home with the parents and working a job that I love but doesn’t really pay well enough for my situation to change. Colorado Springs is stifling and I don’t really know anyone around here. Most of my friends are up in Denver and Fort Collins which is all good and well but that means its far and few between when I actually see them. I need more excitement and accomplishment to fill my void.

I was talking on the phone with a friend the other night and we were talking about lighting the world ablaze with our gifts and talents and as I spoke to her, I realized how much I long to do something spectacular. It’s all about small steps and like building a fire, you’ve gotta start small. I get that. I really do! But how long before I can actually get my hands dirty and start doing? Taking the quote from John Lennon that was posted on my friend’s blog, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." I feel like life is passing me by and I’m somehow missing it. Where’s the opportunity to be passionate? Where’s the opportunity to use my compassion creatively and constructively? It’s times like these when I question the change in myself spurred from that voyage of the world. If I hadn’t gone, would I be here questioning these things or would I be content with the regular routine?

I guess what I’m really questioning is whether or not I’ve been truly in touch with what I want or need. It kills me to admit this but I’m lonely. I don’t really have a social network here to help me when I’m feeling down or even when I need the social interaction of peers and people my own age. I went up to Denver yesterday to see an old high school friend and observed a budding new relationship developing and I could see from my friend that it was an invigorating and exciting experience. I want to meet new people and experience that for myself. At least in Washington, my friends were either in Spokane or Seattle. They weren’t spread all over. I feel like I’m closing up or that my personality is changing because I don’t have people to surround myself with.

2 Weeks of Training and I'm Set

Well, I survived the first two weeks of orientation and shadowing and it’s been quite the experience. I shadowed on the Child Acute, Residential, Chemical Dependency, Connections, and Adult Units and I’m happy that I got to transfer to the Child Acute Unit. The children are much easier to manage on the Child Acute and there’s a quick turnover rate. Some of the children in the long term units are a handful and I don’t think I possess the necessary patience to deal with some of them. One patient in the Residential Unit had to be put in locked seclusion for two hours and just kept screaming and banging her head against the wall. It was all for attention and when I witness this, I was shocked! The staff said it happens all the time. On the Connections Unit which houses children with Reactive Attachment Disorder, I had to step in for two managements which are physical restraints. You wouldn’t believe how strong some of these 8 and 10 year olds are!! It took three of us fairly large staff members to contain the 10 year old. I got a nice kick to the ribs and managed to escape from several bite attempts. Needless to say, no one ever stays at Connections. Overall, the shadowing was a great experience. I found out from the person who makes the schedules that everyone requested me to be transferred to their units. I didn't quite believe this but when I was given my new unit, I was told that I could go anywhere else I wanted to because my performance during orientiation was so great. It's nice to hear things like that.

This month is full of traveling and joyous festivities. Next weekend I’m going up to Fort Collins to participate in the Homecoming Race at CSU and see some friends. The following weekend, I’m off to Portland for a wedding and the weekend after that, my cousin is getting married. Fortunately, I was able to get the weekends off, which isn’t something that will regularly happen. The policy at the hospital is that employees are required to work every other weekend to make things fair. Seems like a reasonable policy to me. It’ll be good to get out and see people. Aside from work, I spend much of my time alone and its kinda a bummer. There aren’t too many people to hang out with in the Springs and the people from work all live in south Colorado Springs which is the opposite of where I live. The rest of my friends live in Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins which are all at least an hour away.

With my new work schedule, I haven’t been able to make it to Yoga either. The classes I normally go to are in the afternoon and since I’m working 3-11:30, I can’t make them. The morning classes are way too early for me. I get home around 12:15am and the morning classes start anywhere from 6am to 8am. I guess I have to get used to my new schedule.

Change always comes with adjustment.