Comments

hmm. looks doric

DARKNESS IS YOUR FRIEND.

This says something to me...despite the ever progressing ravages of time, art is immortal. Yeah...that's what its telling me.

Thanks, GJ. :-)

Long Island - where I currently work our leading cause of staff injuries is almost always due to what we affectionately refer to as "challenging behaviors." Remember, a lot of these people aren't able to control themselves at all times, which is why most of them are here. The job of staff is to do everything they can to support our people, even when (especially when) they are out of control and/or aggressive, and staff must use ONLY nonviolent means to keep everyone safe or else they are fired (with very few exceptions).

Ironically, it is people who believe the world is supposed to be a "fair" place who have the toughest time with this concept. They believe (which is certainly their right) that you treat everyone the same and expect the same out of everyone. "An eye for an eye." That would be fine if we were all clones and in "perfect working order," but true "fairness" means giving everyone what they NEED, not giving them the same thing (or the same amount of something) as everyone else.

One day we'll have a better way to deal with folks who are out of control and become aggressive. Until then we are stuck with our imperfections, our bad days, our weaknesses, and our outdated medical/behavioral interventions. If anyone has a better answer or better way to do this, we all would certainly (and sincerely) be interested in learning how to do it. Money isn't the total answer, but with money you can be more stringent in your hiring/firing practices, you can increase the amount of training that staff receive, and you can recruit/keep some excellent people. Over the past 2 years where I work we have lost a number of our best clinicians because they pay so much more other places. States do not offer much in the way of pay in comparison with the private sector, and direct care staff can usually get as good a good working at Wendy's (and they won't be forced to work mandatory overtime or change anyone's undergarments - unless, of course, they work with Dr. Sketch).

P.S. Other than the usual cuts, scrapes and bruises that are part and parcel of the job, I have only had 2 injuries that caused me to seek medical treatment, so I have gotten off relatively easy. Once I was hit with a chair and got some cracked ribs and once a person with hepatitis B tried to pull out my right eyeball, but that's it. I have certainly dodged my share of flying furniture and other projectiles, however, as well as being "painted" many a time. Again, however, if that is something a person can't deal with, this is certainly not the right place to be. I always know that the person being aggressive either can't help him/herself or is looking at me as "one of them," so I just can't take it personally, so I don't respond in an emotional manner (which is where we get accusations of being cold and clinical 8`-] ). This behavior is just a different type of communication and my job is to help people learn a more functional means of communicating about their upsets, not to squelch their (often) only means of communication.

promised myself to save comments for last ..........these pictures are stunning. you are definately to be applauded mr. motts

Well, if it was a chapel, the marks on the wall may have been where small shelves were placed, to support religious statues etc. It's a common silhouette for that type of shelf in churches, anyway.

Wow, thats a beautiful altar..
Probably worth a fair bit with a little restoration.
Love the shot!

Looks like part of the surgery in Nip Tuck.. With a good 50 years of age included =)
Quite stylish really.

The X's just look like tagging to me... they're reasonably stylized, not like hurried construction markings or such.

i love seeing the progression of the trees in comparison shots such as this.

beautiful...

tommeh - it's rare that i find people's comments amusing...and maybe it's the fact that it's 2:14am and i'm tired as all get out, but your comment certainly made me laugh.

Dude One Word WOW

Hey, you know, whatever I can do to help ;)

You know, I've been (just for nerdy yucks on a Friday night) reading the conversation here on this board for a good part of the evening now, and I've noticed something very interesting: Those people who started out taking a stab at mental health care professionals just haven't seemed to be able to stick around to finish the conversation. Like cowards, they dart in to take a poke and then dart away with their tails between their legs before they can feel the sting of the blow that's returned. And yet the healthcare workers - you sadistic pigs, you [being facetious! not really a flame!] - hang in there steadily and continue to defend yourselves rationally with facts and opinions gleaned from hard fought experience. Now, I've never worked in the healthcare field myself - which probably makes me just as much an expert as the rest of these bleeding heart sentimentalists out there - but it seems to me that he who backs down from the fight he started lacks the artilery needed to finish it. I have news for you people - we live in a fallen world. Yucky things happen here. They happen all around us, right in our backyards, not just in state run mental hospitals. If you want to pick out some yuck to complain about, stick to subjects with which you have experience - more experience than just what you've heard 2nd hand or seen pictures of on a website, that is - and leave others who are willing to make a difference alone so they can continue to fight the good fight. Get off your high horse! You're irritating! Lynne, Marcia, Big ED - you keep on keeping on =) I have a tremendous amount of respect for you and what you do despite the odds against you. You all do or have done more for the fragile and forgotten souls of this world than these laissez faire, People Magazine reading, Doctor Phil watching couch potatoes could ever even comprehend.

*phew!* Glad I got THAT off my chest!

(breathes easily) thank you GirlJaye just what i needed! : )