Proud Mom

Meet my son, 2LT Hill, US Army Infantry.  (His dimples are for real!)  Here are his top 25 statements on life.  I am inspired to do the same and hope you are as well!   

1.  I love to get lost in my imagination.  In fact imagination has almost completely replaced memory and patience in my brain.

2.  Calvin and Hobbes is the best comic ever.

3.  Nearly a tenth of the money I have earned and a tenth of my life has been spent upon a game called Warhammer 40k.  I don't care if chicks don't think its cool.  It balances me out.  And I will continue to spend money and time on it until I die.

4.  I have always had a dream of owning my own hobbystore/artgallery/pub.

5.  I don't travel anywhere without at least 3 novels.  And that is bare minimum in my family.

6.  For the first 16 years of my life I lived without TV in my house.  I was much happier then.

7.  An amazing day is always spent completely outdoors.

8.  Every US citizen should do at least two years of public service.

9.  Before I die I will complete high altitude free fall, achieve an avation license, and bungee jump off something ridulously tall.

10.  50% of Americans would sell their citizenship for a million dollars if they could.  I would still die to defend their right to give it up.

11.  Slowly I am becoming my parents.  I play golf, attempt to keep my house clean, am starting to eat healthier foods, and even have started to become a "pumpkin" during late nights.  thanks mom.

12.  I am a crazy sleeper.  In a given night I will switch positions 50 times, constantly flip the pillow for the "cold side," drool, and eventually spread out so that my body is limb to limb spread to every corner of the bed with most of the sheets on the floor.  

13. I am addicted to dental floss and Listerine.  The green original kind.  The tartar stuff is bs.

14.  My social, moral, religious, and aesthesthic mindsets were designed by two women.  My moter and my sister.  However, women have and will always be an enigma.

15.  Math is stupid.

16.  History is amazing.

17. My sister, my grandparents, my mom, and myself all have different last names.

18.  I have always wanted to live on a mountain next to a lake.

19.  In 6 months, I will live in Italy, hopefully on a mountain next to a lake.

20.  Nothing bugs me more than the way your teeth feel after eating spinach.

21.  People who sacrifice comfort for fashion in clothing deserve to be incredibly uncomfortable for the rest of their lives.

22.  People who sacrifice everything even for just one other person are beautiful.

23.  I grew up a Carolina fan. I have since fogive my mother for leading me down the path of ignorance.  I bleed red.  GO PACK!

24.  Raleigh, North Carolina will always be my home.  No matter where the Army sends me.

25.  My favorite color is green.

I'd love to  hear your reactions to this list and if you have a top 25, send them to me!  :) 

Get the Word OUT! NASW on YouTube

Check this out!  Gary Bailey's testimony last year to Congress about social work is on YouTube.  He explains the important work done by social workers across the country and the world.  This is just another reason why I appreciate my membership in NASW!  We need to support the ongoing effort to "get the word out" about social work.  Gary Bailey is doing a great job!  (Here is a shout out to Dr Dietz and Professional Communication - note how Gary responds professionally to the mispronunciation of his name and title given by a member of Congress.)

Gary visited Texas Christian University last year for the Green Chair and met with social work students, faculty, and TCU leaders across campus.  He set a powerful example for us about our responsibilty to the profession (see the NASW Code of Ethics for more details).  We all need to follow Gary's example and have the skills and knowledge to "get the word out" about social work!  Tell me how you have followed Gary's example and told the story of social work!  

Texas State Laws and Rules for Social Workers

This week, I attended a 6 hour workshop given by Vicki Hansen on the rules and laws that govern social work practice in Texas.  We met at the Union Gospel Mission - what a privilege to learn about their important work to serve the homeless in Tarrant County!  Some who drive down Lancaster and see so many homeless people want to roll up their windows and get away quickly.  I appreciated the opportunity to spend time with the dedicated staff 
at Union Gospel Mission and hear about their important work with hundreds of women, children, and men who live on the streets of Fort Worth.  The number of people who depend on Union Gospel Mission EVERY day is staggering.  The call for social justice is staggering here in our town.  If you haven't had the chance and are interested, send me an email and I'll connect you with the Program Director to learn more about their work.  Social Workers are called to serve the most vulnerable and the staff at Union Gospel are meeting that call for service every day, 24/7.  

So, what did I learn about Texas laws and rules and social work?  First, Vicki Hanse

n, Executive Director for the NASW Texas Chapter, did a great job of showing us the multitude of laws and rules t

hat govern social work practice in Texas.  It is mind-blowing and nearly mind-numbing.  But, she accomplished her goal which was to make us aware of these laws and rule and how to "keep  up" so that we reduce our risk of getting in trouble.  As a social work educators Dr Tracy Diets and I became acutely aware of our responsibility to my students and field instructors to help them understand their responsibility to know the rules and laws that govern professional practice of social work.  Based on all that I learned from Vicki's workshop, I strongly encourage any social worker who hasn't already attended this vitally important workshop to do so as soon as possible. Buy the book Texas Law for the Social Worker:  A Sourcebook - it is VERY helpful.  Next, I remind everyone that Vicki Hansen will be giving this workshop at the NASW Texas Conference in October.  Sign up now and check out Vicki's presentation.  The feedback from past confrences showed that Vicki was one of the top rated presentations at the conference.  

Social Workers in have to follow countless rules and laws.  Keeping up to date with that information is essential to reducing risk and managing ethical challenges.  

 

Same Kind of Different as Me

My very wonderful daughter, Megan, encouraged me to read a great book, Same Kind of Different as Me, a few months ago.  After she read it, she called me and told me how it touched her heart AND the story was based in Fort Worth. She told me, "Mom, you will LOVE this book!"  

Forgive me, she deserves a better mother!  Today, so many days (months) later, I have the book, thanks to my church, and I am so excited to hear from the authors who are scheduled to speak to us in Februrary.  I will be reading this book this week and I hope you follow Megan's advice better than I have.  READ IT!