College does not prepare you for real world, grown-up, 40 hour work weeks, and 10:30 pm bed times

I was inspired by Kristina to describe a typical day as a JV in DC.

Let me just preface this by reiterating the title of this entry. COLLEGE DOES NOT PREPARE YOU FOR REAL WORLD, GROWN UP SCHEDULES.

Should I repeat myself?

COLLEGE DOES NOT PREPARE YOU FOR REAL WORLD, GROWN UP SCHEDULES.

Why do colleges forego informing their students that once you graduate, there is no time allotted for naps?!

My alarm goes of at 6:45 am. I silence it as quickly as possible. It's a terrible noise. It makes my stomach churn a little bit.

Ten minutes later, my alarm screams at me again. It's still a terrible noise.

I get out of bed and run downstairs straight for the coffee pot, with only one eye open, and my hair looking like I've been electrocuted.

I wish that I had remembered to try and figure out the timer on the coffee pot last night so that I don't have to do this every morning.

I debate quickly between Chock ful 'o Nuts and the Rwandan blend that our Dutch neighbor, who works for the world bank gave us as a souvenir on one of her many worldly travels.

I decide on the Rwandan one since I know Lucas will enjoy it more than the Chock ful 'o Nuts I grew up on.

I empty the dishwasher.

I eat some breakfast.

I go back upstairs and stare at my closet. Then I stare at my laundry basket. I think to myself that I should have done laundry because all of my favorite clothes are dirty.

I pull a shirt out of my closet.

I look at it and think to myself that I don't even like it so I should just give it away.

I pull a pair of pants out of my laundry basket. Don't judge me. I'm embodying the JVC value of simplicity by wearing dirty clothes.

My hair looks catastrophic so I tie a scarf around my head. Also, I haven't owned a brush in years.

I go back downstairs and throw some lunch in my backpack.

I walk 20 minutes to work down 1st St. with my coffee in hand.

I say "hi" to people walking their dogs.

My coffee is now cold, so I dump it out in someone's flowerbed.

I get to work just after 8 am.

I say "good morning" to everyone, then walk upstairs to my office.

I print off the schedule for the day, check my e-mail, waste some time reading trashy news.

I go back downstairs and plead with some of the members to run the morning meeting.

Ms. Mary agrees.

I watch James play solitaire.

I watch David play crazy eights.

I compliment Ms. Doris' purple hat.

Ms. Debra asks me why I never look nice for work. (maybe because I haven't brushed my hair in years?)

I watch Roger pour 4 packets of sugar into his coffee, then 4 packets into his cereal.

I ask Ms. Debra if she is going to sing karaoke with me today.

She says no. (maybe because I haven't brushed my hair in years?)

Ms. Pam asks me to open the Isaiah House store.

I go to the first aid kit and find some band-aids. I knew these shoes would be a terrible idea.

I say good morning to Joy and Jamie.

Morning Meeting starts at 9:15 am and ends at 9:30 am.

Exercise starts at 9:30 am. The members sit in their chairs in a circle and do leg lifts, arm lifts, head rolls, ankle rolls, and toe touches.

The next group starts at 10:15 am. It's my group. "Understanding Our World."

I decide on a topic, optical illusions, and print off some "magic eye" pictures.

It turns out that discussing illusions with former drug addicts and people who experience hallucinations was not a good decision.

The group is over at 11 am.

At 11:15 am the journaling group begins. Since I don't run that group I catch up on case management stuff. Yelling at case workers and social workers, the usual.

At noon we serve lunch.

Members complain that I don't make the portions big enough. "I'm a growing boy," one guy says. "Can I get 3 chicken legs?" another asks.

At 12:15 we serve seconds.

At 12:30 I eat whatever leftovers we had at our house from dinner the evening before.

The afternoon chores begin at 12:30.

"Ms. Emily, where is the mop?"

"Ms. Emily, I see that the floor is dirty, but do I have to sweep?"

"Ms. Emily, why do I have to clean today?"

"Ms. Emily, the dishwasher is broken."

"Ms. Emily, the butt can is outside and it's cold."

The next group begins at 1:15.

Karaoke time.

David sings "Smoke gets in her eyes."

Ms. Johnnie leaves the room because she is tired of hearing David sing that song every week.

Ms. Debra sings "Heya" and starts doing a booty dance.

Don breaks the microphone.

Everyone leaves at 2 pm.

I retreat back to my office where I spend the next 2 hours writing progress notes, calling case managers, getting releases of information, reading files, and researching drugs (legal, psych drugs).

At 4 pm I log off my computer, grab my stuff and walk 20 minutes back home.

I walk in the front door and Kierstin is sitting at the dining room table eating some fruit and reading the newspaper.

Shortly after, Jordan walks in the front door with his bike.

I put on my running clothes thinking that will motivate me.

It doesn't, so I just wear my spandex until I take a shower later.

I load the dishwasher and Kierstin and I exchange stories about difficult and/or funny clients at work. She laughs about Ms. Debra. I laugh about Tim the Stabber.

Tricia gets home and yells, "Hello!"

Lucas and Kristina get home and start talking about a lady with a pet lizard in her purse at work.

Someone starts cooking dinner. The other 5 stand around the kitchen washing dishes and/or drinking wine.

Lucas sets the table.

We all sit down. I sit in the same spot every night. Everyone else adapts better to change.

We say grace.

The food is served. Usually beans.

We eat.

Then we eat seconds.

Then we eat thirds.

Then we divide the rest for lunches the next day.

We clear the table.

We load the dishwasher.

Lucas sings some Breaking Bread hymns in a pseudo-operatic voice.

Tricia shows us her cheerleading moves from high school.

Jordan and Tricia talk about med school.

Kristina and I watch Gossip Girl.

Kierstin tries to give Lucas a hug.

Tricia calls Lucas' dad and asks him to bring baby pictures of Lucas when he comes to visit.

Kristina and I talk about going running at 6 the next morning. (it doesn't happen, by the way)

Kierstin goes to bed at 9 pm. (she goes into work at 6 am)

Lucas and I dance a little bit.

Kristina blogs.

Jordan plays soccer.

I take a shower.

I get into bed.

Kristina and I have some pillow talk.

Lucas and Tricia come cuddle with us briefly.

I go to bed at 10:30 pm. Because I'm not in college anymore. Because once I graduated I lost my inherent ability to stay up for more than a couple of hours after the sun sets.

I drift off to sleep thinking about how lucky I got getting placed at Isaiah House and how blessed I am to have such a wonderful community.