"Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else."

[psyche29]

As I'm sure I've made clear several dozen times, I am by turns content and completely frazzled by my job.

It's not the job itself, really - cash is details, and details are most definitely my thing. I am loyal and reasonable and punctual, and I believe that getting the details right will make the big picture fabulous. I'm careful and accurate and learn quickly, I find shortcuts that not only allow us to work smarter, but are also correct, and I keep a light but firm grip on the reins of my coworkers and the things for which they are each responsible. I am well-versed in each component of the cash application area of my department, and the go-to girl for answers, be they questions asked by my team or by other people outside my team. There are two managers, two supervisors and ten or so people urging me to apply for one of the open supervisor positions because of what I know and what I can do.

However, I've been wanting to get out of here for quite a while now. I've been here for over ten years, and I've put up with a lot - A LOT - of garbage that other people in other workplaces don't generally put up with. Sure, everyone has bad days, there are always difficult (and even really fucked up) customers, be they internal or external. Everyone deals with petty ridiculousness in the workplace on a fairly regular basis; I'm aware of this, I acknowledge that I'm not the only one.

But my head is brushing the ceiling of my limit. I've been open, I've been willing to make changes, to roll with them and to find a way to replace existing procedures and thought processes with new ones. I can't stand the atmosphere here anymore, though, and am loathe to put any real effort into what I'm doing when I just don't care. I want something else, someplace else.

Last Saturday I went to a jewelry party. It was girly and fun, as it should have been, and I enjoyed myself. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was being held as a fundraiser effort.

There's an organization called Children's Lighthouse, and they offer child- and family-focused respite, transitional and end-of-life care to children with life-limiting conditions. There are something like 40 or so hospice homes for children in the UK alone, two in Australia and Canada each and many others around the world. If I correctly remember what Katie said, there's only ONE of these types of homes in the US. There are several hospice homes for adults, but none for children.

And my first thought was, "Here's something I believe in. How can I be a part of it?"

The foundation is being built right now, so it's still in the early stages; they are currently applying for non-profit status and searching for the right place for the home, which will be able to house six to eight children as well as room for their parents/families. There will be an end-of-life suite, and I forget the rest of what she said. It's so incredibly sad to think about, children with terminal illnesses - but I believe in the idea strongly enough to know I'd be OK with the realities of it.

OK, maybe not the needles and doctors stuff, but you get the picture, right?

Anyway, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I learned of it, and while their website (linked above) is still super basic, I still want to know if I could work for them from an accounting standpoint. It's what I do, and I do it well. I could learn the things I need to know that I don't already, and I could actually make a living doing something I believe in.

But...I don't know where to begin. The website is so basic that only their mission statement and privacy policy are on it, and a place to donate to the cause. I have Katie's card, but while we have finally met each other, we're hardly more than acquaintances.

A little background - Katie is one of Mikey's numerous cousins. I've mentioned his grandparents, John and Bunny, many times before. John has four brothers and two sisters; Katie is the daughter of his sister Mary. I knew Katie was Mary's daughter, and Katie knew I was Mikey's mom, but we only actually just met each other on Saturday - so seriously, the barest of acquaintances.

And she's the only person I know who's involved in this. I wish I knew how to approach it, because I am completely adrift, here.

Ideas? Thoughts?

Could you work for a place like this? Even if you don't have any sage words of wisdom for me, I'd be interested to see what you think of the organization, the purpose, and whether or not you think you could do it, and why you feel the way you do about it. :)

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

Comments

[herminia.livejournal.com]

People who want to do good, I believe, each have specific avenues open to them. For me, my passion is for international human rights - so I would be most inspired by the opportunity to work for an international aid organization, an Amnesty International, the International Commission of the Red Cross, in a place like the Balkans or Central Africa. There is incredible heartbreak in these places, but I feel particularly equipped to handle those sorts of problems. I have a passion for it. For me, children in hospice would break my heart and not energize me. For you, this looks like your thing. I think if you want to do it, you have more than enough heart. It takes guts, but you've got incredible inner strength

essay, much! sorry.

[kitkats-lj.livejournal.com]

Prompet by your last entry to have look t this, sorry I didn't see it sooner.

My thoughts ... I think it's a wonderful charity, and I really do hope it will be succesful - wit hthe school I've done some fundraising for a similar thing here, Helen and Douglas House.

But. But but but. Getting involved in something that's in such an early stage would be a lot of work; and, as a start-up charity, I don't know that it'd be able to pay you a decent salary? I don't think it'd be a viable career move.

The way you talk about your job reminds me a lot of how my Mum talks about hers - she's in charge of the Charity Accounts at the local NHS hospital, and she's very dedicated; but the hospital admin's going through huge changes, at she gets so much sh!t thrown her way it's unreal. She puts everything into it, because she beleieves in doing it right if she does it all, but I keep telling her - and, I'm telling you - imo, either become the person who does the hours they're pid to do, the tasks they're paid to do and not a jot more; or find a job where giving your all won't totally drain you, where giving your all is enjoyable.

Kind of went off track there, but my point was - if you can't make your job work for you, defintely look for a new one; but I don't think this charity is where you're going to find it. By all means get involved, but at this stage I think it's going to take more energy than your current job and not return the same amount.

*hugs*

[superbeffie.livejournal.com]

First- I think it sounds amazing. Could it be a career? Hard to say. Since it's early on it might be difficult, but then again, charities need bookkeepers and thing to run, too. I say contact them. Maybe nothing more than volunteering can happen right now, btu at least you are part of something you care about. And if you are involved then you have a better chance of getting on with a job when the time comes.

I don't think I could handle it personally. I have found myself sobbing openly because a client's DOG died. I cannot even fathom the children. But I have only admiration for those who can handle it. Someone has to be there for those families.

[loveweasleys04.livejournal.com]

So sorry. I completely missed this...

It's clearly obvious that you are on fire about this and have the motivation and drive to at least find out more. I think the company itself is a really good market since it is unique to our country and I could see something like this grow in leaps and bounds if given the right amount of funding. So it seems like a good company to invest yourself in.

If I were you, I'd get in contact with Katie. Tell her how you feel and see what she thinks and if she can point you in the right direction to find out more information about a possible job. The worst would be to let this opportunity go by. You owe to yourself to find out more. GOOD LUCK! and let me know how it goes. <3

WOW...a note for you from a fellow volunteer for Children's Lighthouse!

[(Anonymous)]

First of all, let me tell you I am so impressed that you had the opportunity to meet Katie (even though it sounds like you are a distant relative?), she is an incredibly gifted woman that I am so honored to call my friend! Secondly, for you to have taken so much from the jewelry party and pondered the thoughts to get involved in this important cause, bless you.

I currently serve as a volunteer for Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota (CLM), and I'll tell you that has been the most incredible journey, even though we are just taking the first steps of an incredibly large mountain, and there is so much more to do! I can relate to your post about your position, and finding a larger purpose in life. Those people like Katie that can serve in the social services environment when at times it is the most challenging role you could ever imagine, give me strength to do what little I can to be involved. Volunteering for a cause like CLM for the past 8 months has provided me educational opportunities and networking with my community that I would otherwise never have had the chance. Dreaming big about providing this kind of service to children and families in my community, while it can sound a little scary at times, you almost have to consider how those families get by now without a place like CLM. And that, and Katie's passion, keeps me grounded and pointed north.

So as you think about getting involved, think of what time you have to devote, as most organization would work with you to determine your interest and level of time you have. Who knows, if you are good at your current job, you can keep it, and find meaning and fulfillment through volunteering like a wonderful cause like CLM, under the most amazing and driven director, Katie L. Think about it, and don't hesitate to contact us to learn more!

Thanks again for spreading the word, and watch the news for more -- because while we appreciate all those have donated so far through various events, as far as communications go, you haven't seen anything yet! :)

Re: WOW...a note for you from a fellow volunteer for Children's Lighthouse!

[psyche29]

Katie and I...yeah, I suppose it'd be a distant relation! *LOL* My son, biologically, is my nephew. My sister is his mother, and she married his father, whose step-father is John, Katie's uncle. I have custody of Mikey, who would be a first cousin, once removed of Katie's...wait, a STEP-first cousin. My head spins at the idea of trying to explain that any better... ;) WAIT, I CAN DO IT. MY SISTER IS MARRIED TO KATIE'S STEP-COUSIN! Lord, what a fiasco explaining THAT was! XD.

Time is such a difficult commodity to come by lately, but I'm trying to be patient in awaiting more communications about it, because the more I stew about it, the more I want to see what I can do beyond monetary support. And if it's something that, once established down the road, I can do as my job, so much the better. But getting involved is hard when there's so little to go on at the moment, and the time available to one is fickle and fleeting. I've always been one of those people who don't quite know where to begin; I may end up just diving in and emailing her, but I'll definitely stew about it for a while, first.

And I had NO. IDEA. that there were no hospice homes for children! I suppose it's something most people don't generally think about, because hey, kids have their whole future ahead of them, and only adults need hospice care. But, sad as it may be, I'm sure there are just as many children with life-threatening or terminal illnesses as well, and I am floored that there is no place for them to go except the hospital. I want to help change that, and make it my job if I can, because every little bit has to help. There will be - down the road, obviously - a time when a home is built and people are using it, and I can't imagine why there wouldn't be somebody to take insurance payments and the like and make sure that part runs smoothly so that families have one less thing to worry about. More goes into it than that, of course, but the main point of it is "one less stone on the burden." I'd love to be in on it, if I could.

And as a side note, I think it is SO cool that you found this particular post on DW; it helps me to know I'm not just spouting off randomly and that I'm NOT the only one who thinks about this - it so often seems that way, like I must be the only person in the entire Twin Cities who knows about DW and people are so far away - it's awesome to realize that's not the case. Go, DW! ;)

[redroanchronicles]

I really think there's nothing more amazing than doing something you like and are good at -- even if it's something other people find dead boring -- to advance a cause that you believe in.

The trouble, of course, of working for charities and similar is that you will often not make much money, and you will usually be asked to go far above and beyond what other jobs will ask of you. I can't say that that's uniformly true, but my experience (in animal rescue) was really a negative one... I was overworked, incredibly underpaid, and slowly sliding into debt while my employer exploited my love for the animals and passion for the work. IMO, it doesn't matter how well or thoroughly charities take care of others if they don't also take excellent care of their own employees. Unfortunately, the ones that do seem to be thin on the ground. I'm sure this place is excellent, but most non-profits barely make enough money to keep themselves running, much less to hire staff. It's all immaterial if they don't have a place for you. Are you aiming to be employed by them, or just to volunteer your services? If the latter, I'm sure they'd be delighted; if the former, it's probably less likely, and probably not a good move until you're much more familiar with the place. I'd say the best course, if it's possible for you and the org, is to spend some time volunteering, even if it means doing things that are not necessarily your specialty, and seeing how you and the org fit with each other. If it leads to employment later, that's great, but you definitely want to know more before you make a huge change in life.