I have no problem speaking with others. I can share events in my life with gusto, as if I am living them all over again. I can also spin a yarn or share something that was told to me by someone that had been told by someone that had been told by someone. I am guessing that, at times, those around me wonder if I will ever shut up. I find it harder, at least as I start, to post a blog because I want to continually reread and change what I have typed rather than just go with my current thought. I am determined to get to a point that I feel as comfortable sharing in this form as I do when I am sharing one of my life's experiences with those around me. So, bear with me as I get used to this.
I decided to start sharing my thoughts in this form because I believe something needs to be said, and done, as the values that I hold dear come under continuous attack from people and organizations that have far different, or in some instances, no morals or ethics. I am amazed by the lack of interest people have in what is happening in the world around them. Michael Savage has used the term "sheeple" to describe people that follow blindly and unquestioningly. I use the word freely myself as it says so much so easily.
A false sense of security is a free ride to loss of liberty, oppression and control. That is a ride I would rather not take. As Edmond Burke stated "All that's needed for the forces of evil to win in this World is for good men to do nothing". We have seen it numerous times in history and, as we know, history repeats itself.
I do not want to be a fence sitter. I don't want to sit idly by as the world I know passes into a place that is no longer recognizable. I don't want to read the obituary and realize that I have done nothing to stop the plunge. I have been called a pessimist, conspiracy thinker and worrier. Whatever I may be, I cannot allow myself to sit quietly as we move toward a one world socialist oligarchy.
The question I keep asking myself is 'what can I do?'. I am just a guy, working 60 to 80 hours a week and I don't have time to be involved. That is the easy answer.
I must do something. This blog is a start. I welcome input from others as to how I, we, can be involved. I want my country back and I desire to be united with those Patriots that feel the same way.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Deflection as a Tactic: in Mental Health & politics
Working in the mental health field, working with criminals, and raising children, has given me plenty of opportunity to watch different tactics for moving from a discussion point, or point of focus, to a point that has nothing to do with the beginning topic. I am interested in sharing my thoughts about the tactic of deflection because it seems so prevalent in my work, in politics and in the news.
I prefer the smooth deflection over the blatant use of the tactic. It tends to leave a person either wondering what just happened, or moves one to another subject, without realizing that they have been taken for a ride. There are some in the political field that are good at the use of this tool while others appear to stumble over themselves and can't figure out how to get out of the bind they have created for themselves. If a person wants to truly become good at deflection I would suggest following an antisocial, used care dealer, drug addict, thief or longtime politician in mannerism, inflection and general nonchalance.
My interest in this came about quite accidentally when I noticed that I would ask a patient a question, or intervene when I noticed a problematic behavior, and the patient would make a statement that had nothing to do with what I had asked. The best deflections actually blame somebody else for a totally different behavior, hopefully of more consequence, so people will deal with that accusation rather than the current behavior. Example:
Me: "Jimmy, I noticed that you were telling Danny to give his money to you. That is not appropriate behavior and I would ask that you stop doing that"
Jimmy:"I just saw Billy trying to sell his radio to Marvin"
Notice that Jimmy moved very quickly to an offense that someone else was possibly committing in order to deflect the focus from himself. Another possible response would have been to say that another person was strong arming him and making him tell Danny to give him the money. The more that the person can defuse the 'blame" for what is going on the, less likely that person is to have any repercussions for the behavior because, quite honestly, it muddies the waters, confuses the situation and leaves the people dealing with the situation unsure of what the truth is.
Now, let's use a political example of deflection:
Nancy Pelosi was being focused on because she appeared to be lying about whether she had, or had not, been briefed by the CIA about the use of water boarding as technique for getting information from prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. The first thing she did was read (she needs some practice) a statement about what had, or had not, been said to her. Secondly, she insisted that she had never been briefed on the subject (Usually a patient, or criminal, would just say "huh?", "Whaaa?" or "I don't know"). Then, in an amazing show of deflection prowess, Pelosi, the left media and the administration, pointed out how Cheney had not informed them of an assassination program that was never moved into an active phase and that the CIA was not required to report about.
Notice how the fact that Pelosi is lying about the briefings is no longer the focus but, instead, the media is talking about charges against Cheney. luckily, even though Nancy stumbled, she had some help from left-media and the adminstration to deflect her outright lies and make it about Cheney and the previous administration. Though it was not a smooth transition of focus from Nancy to Cheney you can still see that it did, indeed, change the focus and deflect the blame.
Kudos to Nancy Pelosi, the left wing media and the Obama administration for being able to pull the wool over the sheeples eyes. If you need further instruction about how to do a better job at it please feel free to come by a mental hospital, or a prison, near you to learn the true art of deflection. With that you can get a full lesson on 'blaming others' and 'it's not my fault', as well.
I prefer the smooth deflection over the blatant use of the tactic. It tends to leave a person either wondering what just happened, or moves one to another subject, without realizing that they have been taken for a ride. There are some in the political field that are good at the use of this tool while others appear to stumble over themselves and can't figure out how to get out of the bind they have created for themselves. If a person wants to truly become good at deflection I would suggest following an antisocial, used care dealer, drug addict, thief or longtime politician in mannerism, inflection and general nonchalance.
My interest in this came about quite accidentally when I noticed that I would ask a patient a question, or intervene when I noticed a problematic behavior, and the patient would make a statement that had nothing to do with what I had asked. The best deflections actually blame somebody else for a totally different behavior, hopefully of more consequence, so people will deal with that accusation rather than the current behavior. Example:
Me: "Jimmy, I noticed that you were telling Danny to give his money to you. That is not appropriate behavior and I would ask that you stop doing that"
Jimmy:"I just saw Billy trying to sell his radio to Marvin"
Notice that Jimmy moved very quickly to an offense that someone else was possibly committing in order to deflect the focus from himself. Another possible response would have been to say that another person was strong arming him and making him tell Danny to give him the money. The more that the person can defuse the 'blame" for what is going on the, less likely that person is to have any repercussions for the behavior because, quite honestly, it muddies the waters, confuses the situation and leaves the people dealing with the situation unsure of what the truth is.
Now, let's use a political example of deflection:
Nancy Pelosi was being focused on because she appeared to be lying about whether she had, or had not, been briefed by the CIA about the use of water boarding as technique for getting information from prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. The first thing she did was read (she needs some practice) a statement about what had, or had not, been said to her. Secondly, she insisted that she had never been briefed on the subject (Usually a patient, or criminal, would just say "huh?", "Whaaa?" or "I don't know"). Then, in an amazing show of deflection prowess, Pelosi, the left media and the administration, pointed out how Cheney had not informed them of an assassination program that was never moved into an active phase and that the CIA was not required to report about.
Notice how the fact that Pelosi is lying about the briefings is no longer the focus but, instead, the media is talking about charges against Cheney. luckily, even though Nancy stumbled, she had some help from left-media and the adminstration to deflect her outright lies and make it about Cheney and the previous administration. Though it was not a smooth transition of focus from Nancy to Cheney you can still see that it did, indeed, change the focus and deflect the blame.
Kudos to Nancy Pelosi, the left wing media and the Obama administration for being able to pull the wool over the sheeples eyes. If you need further instruction about how to do a better job at it please feel free to come by a mental hospital, or a prison, near you to learn the true art of deflection. With that you can get a full lesson on 'blaming others' and 'it's not my fault', as well.
Thoughts from a retiring Mental Health Worker
This is from a note sent to employees by a person who is retiring from the Hospital I work at:
The Lighter Side of 45 Years Working in State Hospitals
June 30, 2009
I hope you find these short stories interesting; it was sure fun for me.
The Real Orientation:
I began working at Colorado State Hospital in July of 1964 while in undergraduate school. There was no orientation, just report to ward 77, maximum security for the afternoon shift, my title was nurse attendant and my pay was $1.55 an hour. On the second day, I was standing in the back of the dining room in my white cords and blue suede shoes when a plate of spaghetti flew across the room on to my white pants. Someone yelled “riot”. I didn’t know what to do, so I jumped on the back of a very big patient. He carried me around while he created mayhem. It did not go on for long and when it was over, the patient gently put me down and said “you done good!”
I knew I had a career ahead of me.
Shocking Interview:
One of the first admission interviews I observed was before security was of much concern, in fact, the psychiatrist, started by lighting a cigarette for the patient. Sometime during the interview, the doctor was asking questions and the patient reached in his pocket and pulled out a switchblade and stabbed it into his own leg. The doctor knew the patient had a wooden leg, and just said, “so Mr. Fink” have you ever thought of changing your name?
What Patients Can Teach You:
When out of grad school, I was watching a psychiatric exam. The doctor asked the patient what the phrase meant, “it’s an ill wind that blows no one some good”. I turned to my colleague and asked, I thought quietly, “what the hell does that mean”? The patient turned to me and said, “it means that there is some good in everything”.
The Great Escape:
In maximum security we had two tall fences with razor wire around the top of both. The Security Director decided the hospital should have dogs between the fences so that there would be even greater security. Well, the patients regularly brought food from the dining room to feed the dogs. One night there was a big event, two big holes were cut in the fences and 10 patients escaped. When the patients were found, the dogs were with them.
The HR Caper. What’s with 93?
In Idaho where I was Superintendent of State Hospital South in Blackfoot, we had a very interesting patient on the Geriatric Ward. He was a striking Native American with silver hair and a long braid down his back. He was one of those natural leaders and everyone always relied on him for advice and conversation. His age was 93. He decided to apply to become a direct care staff and so he sent in his application, while he was still in the hospital. When the personnel board in Boise sent him his score, it was 93. He proudly posted it on the door to his room. This got the staff to thinking, what if Blackie applied for a job? Blackie was the program’s Black Lab, and a very nice dog. They filled out the application and were very creative. Under credentials they put – licensed in the city of Blackfoot. Under relationships, they put-excellent, everyone likes me and say I’m underfoot all the time. You guessed it! The dog scored 93. When this came to the light of the Personnel Board, they called me to Boise, and chewed me out for about an hour, even though I didn’t know about it until after-the-fact. They told my boss, the Director of Health and Welfare to deal with me as he saw fit. He called me to his office and told me what he was told to do. So he said “that was great, let me buy you lunch”.
My Favorite Psychologist Story:
This didn’t happen while this psychologist worked at OSH, but I couldn’t stop laughing. This psychologist worked a little late one day and then went home. It was Halloween. When he got home, there was a note from his wife saying that she took the kids to a Halloween party and he could handle the trick-or-treaters. He looked around the house but couldn’t find any candy and then the doorbell rang. He crept along the wall and peeked out to see the neighbor kids, who were good friends, waiting and ringing the bell. He slid down and was crawling across the living room when he realized the kids might see him through the large window to the porch. He lay down behind the furniture, but being a tall man, couldn’t hide completely. The kids looked through the window, and ran home and told their parents that MR. was lying on the floor; it looked like something happened to him. They called 911 and when the paramedics showed up with the neighbors all around, he had some explaining to do.
The Psychiatrist’s Powerful Words:
We had a patient who had a history of traveling around the country on other people’s credit cards. When the doctor was talking with the patient about something, he said “it would be beneficial and theraputic”. When the patient escaped, we started getting post cards from all around the country saying, “the climate here is beneficial and therapeutic”.
The Blind Side Award:
When I lived in Idaho, I had a large ¾ ton pick-up truck, you know, “when in Rome…”. One day I parked to go in a store, a motorcycle parked right behind me. When I was leaving, I backed up and couldn’t see the motorcycle and pretty well crushed it. Sometime later, I was at a statewide Health and Welfare meeting where the Department Director was giving awards to several staff. I got called up and the Director gave me the Blind Side Award. Then said, “that was my son’s motorcycle”.
Shoes – You Will Be Remembered:
When at Dammasch Hospital, the CMO and I had an occasion to visit some group homes. A patient at one of these facilities kept making eye contact with the doctor. He had been discharged for ten years. He finally walked up and said “hi Dr. R. I see you are still wearing the same shoes”. He was. I told his wife this story and she threw the shoes out.
Lawyers:
In Idaho we had a Legal Aid lawyer who’s job description was to cause me grief, and he was good at it. I went up to him and asked, “what is the difference between a dead lawyer in the road and a dead skunk in the road?”
Then I said, “there are skid marks in front of the skunk”. Several months later I was skiing. I’m a shinny-side-up skier and take it easy. Out of the trees a skier shot right atop the front of my skis and, as I was rolling down the hill he yelled back “no skid marks!”
I am sure there are more stories but I have to stop. I have tremendous respect for you and our patients. Thank you for all the support you have given me over the years. I wish you well in the future.
The Lighter Side of 45 Years Working in State Hospitals
June 30, 2009
I hope you find these short stories interesting; it was sure fun for me.
The Real Orientation:
I began working at Colorado State Hospital in July of 1964 while in undergraduate school. There was no orientation, just report to ward 77, maximum security for the afternoon shift, my title was nurse attendant and my pay was $1.55 an hour. On the second day, I was standing in the back of the dining room in my white cords and blue suede shoes when a plate of spaghetti flew across the room on to my white pants. Someone yelled “riot”. I didn’t know what to do, so I jumped on the back of a very big patient. He carried me around while he created mayhem. It did not go on for long and when it was over, the patient gently put me down and said “you done good!”
I knew I had a career ahead of me.
Shocking Interview:
One of the first admission interviews I observed was before security was of much concern, in fact, the psychiatrist, started by lighting a cigarette for the patient. Sometime during the interview, the doctor was asking questions and the patient reached in his pocket and pulled out a switchblade and stabbed it into his own leg. The doctor knew the patient had a wooden leg, and just said, “so Mr. Fink” have you ever thought of changing your name?
What Patients Can Teach You:
When out of grad school, I was watching a psychiatric exam. The doctor asked the patient what the phrase meant, “it’s an ill wind that blows no one some good”. I turned to my colleague and asked, I thought quietly, “what the hell does that mean”? The patient turned to me and said, “it means that there is some good in everything”.
The Great Escape:
In maximum security we had two tall fences with razor wire around the top of both. The Security Director decided the hospital should have dogs between the fences so that there would be even greater security. Well, the patients regularly brought food from the dining room to feed the dogs. One night there was a big event, two big holes were cut in the fences and 10 patients escaped. When the patients were found, the dogs were with them.
The HR Caper. What’s with 93?
In Idaho where I was Superintendent of State Hospital South in Blackfoot, we had a very interesting patient on the Geriatric Ward. He was a striking Native American with silver hair and a long braid down his back. He was one of those natural leaders and everyone always relied on him for advice and conversation. His age was 93. He decided to apply to become a direct care staff and so he sent in his application, while he was still in the hospital. When the personnel board in Boise sent him his score, it was 93. He proudly posted it on the door to his room. This got the staff to thinking, what if Blackie applied for a job? Blackie was the program’s Black Lab, and a very nice dog. They filled out the application and were very creative. Under credentials they put – licensed in the city of Blackfoot. Under relationships, they put-excellent, everyone likes me and say I’m underfoot all the time. You guessed it! The dog scored 93. When this came to the light of the Personnel Board, they called me to Boise, and chewed me out for about an hour, even though I didn’t know about it until after-the-fact. They told my boss, the Director of Health and Welfare to deal with me as he saw fit. He called me to his office and told me what he was told to do. So he said “that was great, let me buy you lunch”.
My Favorite Psychologist Story:
This didn’t happen while this psychologist worked at OSH, but I couldn’t stop laughing. This psychologist worked a little late one day and then went home. It was Halloween. When he got home, there was a note from his wife saying that she took the kids to a Halloween party and he could handle the trick-or-treaters. He looked around the house but couldn’t find any candy and then the doorbell rang. He crept along the wall and peeked out to see the neighbor kids, who were good friends, waiting and ringing the bell. He slid down and was crawling across the living room when he realized the kids might see him through the large window to the porch. He lay down behind the furniture, but being a tall man, couldn’t hide completely. The kids looked through the window, and ran home and told their parents that MR. was lying on the floor; it looked like something happened to him. They called 911 and when the paramedics showed up with the neighbors all around, he had some explaining to do.
The Psychiatrist’s Powerful Words:
We had a patient who had a history of traveling around the country on other people’s credit cards. When the doctor was talking with the patient about something, he said “it would be beneficial and theraputic”. When the patient escaped, we started getting post cards from all around the country saying, “the climate here is beneficial and therapeutic”.
The Blind Side Award:
When I lived in Idaho, I had a large ¾ ton pick-up truck, you know, “when in Rome…”. One day I parked to go in a store, a motorcycle parked right behind me. When I was leaving, I backed up and couldn’t see the motorcycle and pretty well crushed it. Sometime later, I was at a statewide Health and Welfare meeting where the Department Director was giving awards to several staff. I got called up and the Director gave me the Blind Side Award. Then said, “that was my son’s motorcycle”.
Shoes – You Will Be Remembered:
When at Dammasch Hospital, the CMO and I had an occasion to visit some group homes. A patient at one of these facilities kept making eye contact with the doctor. He had been discharged for ten years. He finally walked up and said “hi Dr. R. I see you are still wearing the same shoes”. He was. I told his wife this story and she threw the shoes out.
Lawyers:
In Idaho we had a Legal Aid lawyer who’s job description was to cause me grief, and he was good at it. I went up to him and asked, “what is the difference between a dead lawyer in the road and a dead skunk in the road?”
Then I said, “there are skid marks in front of the skunk”. Several months later I was skiing. I’m a shinny-side-up skier and take it easy. Out of the trees a skier shot right atop the front of my skis and, as I was rolling down the hill he yelled back “no skid marks!”
I am sure there are more stories but I have to stop. I have tremendous respect for you and our patients. Thank you for all the support you have given me over the years. I wish you well in the future.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Death of a friend
I work in a environment that comes with a great deal of sadness, illness, violence and, sometimes, death. I work in a psychiatric facility. I say this just to make a point that, though many negative things surround me, it still feels different when it is someone you have a bond with.
A co-worker of mine died yesterday. It wasn't work related and I knew he had been ill recently, but it hit me hard none the less. I had worked with Al on a Maximum Security unit years ago and had gone to watch his band play, at the local bars, a few times. Being a 3 doors down fan made it easy for me to warm to his style of music since I was able to sing right along and Al was always smiling and always friendly whenever we ran into each other.
When things like this happen I can't help wonder why that person? Why not me? I stand firm in my Christian faith and certainly know that the Creator of the Universe is not beholden to explain why life happens to me........ yet, I can't help but try to figure out what makes it all happen. Do we really do things that shorten or prolong our lives or are we simply numbers drawn from a bowl. I know that it serves My God's purpose yet I cannot fathom how. I guess that is where the part about being as little children comes in..........trust God, for he directs our path.
I feel a sense of loss with Al's passing away but, more so, I feel sad for the family that he leaves behind. My prayer is that they will be comforted and that God will use this to His purpose.
A co-worker of mine died yesterday. It wasn't work related and I knew he had been ill recently, but it hit me hard none the less. I had worked with Al on a Maximum Security unit years ago and had gone to watch his band play, at the local bars, a few times. Being a 3 doors down fan made it easy for me to warm to his style of music since I was able to sing right along and Al was always smiling and always friendly whenever we ran into each other.
When things like this happen I can't help wonder why that person? Why not me? I stand firm in my Christian faith and certainly know that the Creator of the Universe is not beholden to explain why life happens to me........ yet, I can't help but try to figure out what makes it all happen. Do we really do things that shorten or prolong our lives or are we simply numbers drawn from a bowl. I know that it serves My God's purpose yet I cannot fathom how. I guess that is where the part about being as little children comes in..........trust God, for he directs our path.
I feel a sense of loss with Al's passing away but, more so, I feel sad for the family that he leaves behind. My prayer is that they will be comforted and that God will use this to His purpose.
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