July 9, 2004

 
There was a time when I thought that we were perhaps at the end of this particular journey. Not the journey itself, but the telling of it. But writing it down here, I'm not so sure. I could be wrong; it does happen.

I don't know why I can't sleep well -- I wake up often at 4 am or so and can't get back to sleep. So I get up, I come out here to my laptop, and I do some work or I do some writing, and then later I can go back to sleep. And I do sleep well, I think, when I sleep. And Andrew is there, and I sleep very well with him. I think this is serious, but don't tell him that, okay? I don't want to scare him away.

Stew did well yesterday. We went to meet someone who needed some consulting on selling a product on ebay, and since he is working at being an expert, I took him to see her. I know little about ebay myself, but that's because it's not my job, it's his. She was referred to us by Sven, because I'd mentioned to him that selling on ebay was one of Stew's talents.

So we met with her. And though he'd been extremely anxious about it, and wasn't sure if he knew what he was doing or how to do it, it all came together well. He did most of the talking, which, considering I was just along for the ride, is good -- if I'd had to take over I would have sounded like I didn't know anything. He gave her advice, suggestions, and then set her product up on ebay right then and there, posted and up for sale. A trial sale to see how it goes.

I was her first customer. I wanted to be the first. And somehow I got myself retained to do some editing for a project she's working on. My current work load is chaos as it is, a mish-mash of assorted tasks in different fields altogether; bookkeeping, consulting, training, sales and marketing, vocational rehab (I like to add that last one in even though no one is paying me for it -- I feel like I do it anyway) so why not go ahead and so editing and writing again?

Why not? I think I need an assistant though.

Anyway. He did well. Comported himself well, was helpful and knowledgeable, got the job done while we were there, didn't hesitate. I am so proud of him -- he goes and does what he needs to do, and he doesn't let the fear get in the way overly much. It's a continuing process of course -- he'll have bad days and good days. He forgot to get his scrip renewed for his anti-psychotics yesterday so today might be a not-so-good day, but I asked him to go to his weekly support group anyway, not so much even for the therapeutic aspects but just the socializing. The socializing IS, I believe, therapeutic, it's an important part of him getting on with things. It's difficult of course, but I like to think that just makes it more rewarding when it works. It's so hard for him to be around people sometimes. So today he'll get his scrip and go to therapy, and perhaps start cataloguing the laserdiscs I brought home from another client who wants them sold on ebay . . . assuming I remember to get my car over to his place so he can get them out of the truck. And for the weekend I have some data entry work for him to do.

I make the boy work, that's true.

I think I'll go back to bed soon - it's almost 5:30, and I should get some sleep before I get up.