table conversations and inspiring women.

 As I was sitting with my parents, husband, and daughter at the table following lunch and trying to keep up with what each person was saying while filtering out the background noise of the fire, cars driving by, and dog walking around,  it dawned on me that one of the main reasons that I always disliked sitting around the table and talking is that there is just way too much stimuli  to filter and keep track of...not to mention the absolute torture of small-talk. I honestly do not understand the point of talking just to make conversation; rather, I prefer to converse about a topic that has a purpose...does that make sense?

On another  (very unrelated and random) note, why do we have to make up silly female superheroes when history is full of amazing women? One of my special interests is women who served for the SOE during WWII and I decided I would like to make a running list of inspiring women that all girls should know about:

Marie Curie 

Suzanne Spaak

Sybil Luddington 

 Mercy Otis Warren

Nancy Wake

Odette Sansom 

Virginia Hall

Vera Atkins

Temple Grandin

fantastic employer

 Wow what a wonderful company that I work for...I have been contacting my boss for more work (at reduced rates since BEFORE the pandemic) and when she finally would get around to responding to my offers (days if not weeks after I initially contacted her) I was repeatedly brushed off. Well now that the pandemic is in full swing and enrollment is at an all time low I have a single client....who shows up maybe 60% of the time. 

Did I mention this is the same company that I connected with Uconn to participate in a study and then they decided to give the BCBA role to another BCBA without every mentioning it to me. When I confronted my boss she informed me that she assumed I would not want to drive to another area; in reality, I would drive twice the distance in order to be involved in this study utilizing evidence-based practice with trained therapists but I was never even given the chance. 

Right now, with the low cases, the full time employees are given priority with cases and I can accept that. However, when I asked if I could add my name to the availability list for nearby towns where another contractor works and has at least 3x as many cases as me I was informed that because I had limited availability due to my medical leave, the company promised this other contractor more cases if she quit her other BCBA job.....now I am not a moral authority in any way but does that not seem wrong? As much as I cried and grieved over the study BCBA position due to assumptions (did they ever hear of the saying "never Assume because it makes an ASS out of U and ME?) Anyhow, I can somewhat get over that because yes my availability at the time was limited to the mornings and early afternoon because I wanted to be home with my daughter. But giving away cases because I had a brain tumor??? That seems incredibly wrong...I am now on a year of not really working and my boss suggested that I look to other agencies for cases....is this real????