This and That

I'm done with training and am a real live Parole and Probation Officer now. Work load continues to climb. There really is a crisis every day. And my caseload is double the size that is manageable. I do feel as if I have good support from my co-workers. My immediate supervisor goes so far as to ask me whenever she has a minute if there is something she can do to help and will run criminal checks and make odd phone calls for me when things start to bog down or two people or issues need attention at the same time.

Oddly enough, I feel less stress now than I did three weeks ago. I'm realizing that there is no earthly way I can actually get everything done that has to be done and no one can or will fault me for that.

I do wish we were allowed to work some overtime. At least that way I would feel less guilt about leaving some things undone. But I'm also starting to get a feel for the priorities and the things for which we get "credit" or rather what things are tracked by downtown. What's frustrating is that the things I believe are important and the things they think are important are actually drastically different. Not much difference there from when I was a counselor at the prison.

But help should be coming soon as they are getting ready to hire a fifth officer. This person will be responsible for the sex offenders and may get some "odd jobs" like transfer investigations and/or higher risk offenders or people with special needs. That would take some of the more time consuming folks off my pile.

So I came home tonight and read a few emails and then went upstairs to the fiber room and talked to Eleanor for a while. Ken came up (I think he missed me) and decided she needed more oil, so while I was spinning away he lubed her up real good. He seemed pleased with his help and amused that I find the spinning so relaxing, but even Macha (one of our dogs) seemed to enjoy laying down next to Eleanor and watch her work.

I must take the camera and a box of diskettes upstairs and start tracking my progress.