Not unlike many of my friends who grew up in the 1960s and stumbled through adolsecence in the early 1970s, I earned spending money babysitting. I must have been pretty good because I found myself keeping quite busy from Friday nights through Sunday afternoons (and sometimes on week nights) managing children so that parents could get away for a few hours to enjoy a "date night," engage in community charity events or fulfill some social or business obligations.
Once the children were settled for the night, I would clean up any messes we made, then I would either work on homework or check out what was on television. Keep in mind that in the early 1970s there was nothing close to 24/7 news and sports coverage, cable with channels dedicated to food, movies, DIY programs, or reality shows which are so common now. Depending on where I was babysitting (some families had better television coverage than others), I was fortunate if my choices expanded to four channels.
One thing I could count on, though, was that Friday and Saturday nights typically aired old movies after the 10 o'clock news. I'd check in on my little charges to be sure all was right in their dream world, then I would switch on the TV, ready to be transported to wherever the film would take me.
Most of the time the movie was what my Mom used to call "a B movie" -- the ones starring the less than high profile actors and actresses of the time or the early pictures of rising stars. Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, June Allyson, Kirk Douglas and Van Heflin, were the headliners, although every now and then I might see Rosalind Russell, Katharine Hepburn, Clark Gable, Lana Turner and Spencer Tracy. It really didn't matter too much; I was content to see a good story brought to the "screen" with great dialogue, costumes and pretty good acting. It really didn't matter what sort of movie it was: I liked comedies, dramas, historical costume extravaganzas, musicals......westerns, military, horror and sci-fi, not so much. Every now and then the television station would throw me a curve ball and I would find myself watching some movie starring Elvis Presley or one of the post-studio driven movies of the late 1950s or early 1960s. On those evenings, I always prayed that the parents would be home early.
Sometimes the parents did arrive home at their stated time and I would leave before seeing a movie to its conclusion, which was a real bummer if I was enjoying the film. Never fear, though, my mom would not go to bed until she knew I was home and it was not uncommon for me to get in the door to see her sitting in front of the TV watching the same movie I had been viewing. Rather than call it an evening, we would sit together to see the movie to its conclusion and she would recount to me where she had seen the picture in a movie theater "when she was a young thing" and what people thought of the movie at the time.
It was not often that my mom would talk to me much about her life growing up, but those moments shared watching a movie were pretty special. It is funny, now that there are channels dedicated to those "classic" films I have chances to watch them again. I can't see The Ballad of Cable Hogue or Desk Set or Love Me or Leave Me without thinking about her. She would share much about what it was like growing up during those years and when I see these old films again, I can't help but have a richer experience of those years gone by simply because I connected with her.
Now that these classics are so readily available through television and DVD, I still get to be transported to the diverse times and enjoy seeing not only old favorites but others as well. I also am enjoying that I get to see Jeannine enjoy these films. I have been amazed, but she readily enjoys old movies (newer ones as well), and if she happens to catch me folding laundry while watching a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers marathon, or whatever "star of the month" is showcased, she will usually watch for awhile and then suggest that when I finish folding clothes we put together some snacks and watch some more. More often though she will suggest that we go online to order the movies so that she can watch them anytime she wants. Her interest was not really in the plot details or the clothes or any of the things that film critics assess. For Jeannine, she likes the relationships she sees, especially those characters who exhibit the qualities of kindness, concern, helpfulness and love.
So for what it is worth, what started out as a means to pass time while children slept has become a lifelong interest and really a passion for me. Movies are a wonderful vehicle for entertainment, escapism and in many ways learning and understanding history. Films like Gone with the Wind, The Buccaneer, Anna and the King of Siam, or The Desert Fox, whose historical settings bring to life the events of previous times and deepen our understanding of the people and places which cannot be gleaned by mere facts and dates alone. From the comedies, especially those starring Cary Grant, Danny Kaye or Doris Day, we are able to tap into many of the foibles and inconsistencies in human nature that we all share. Beyond all of this, though, I have a tremendous fondness for what film has done for me in connecting with others; first my mom and now Jeannine. On one level it was a way to know and understand my mom that could not have been communicated otherwise; on another, it is a way to stay engaged with Jeannine even if it costs me playing Fred Astaire to her Ginger Rogers as we recreate some dance sequence from The Barkleys of Broadway.
Showing posts with label Jeannine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeannine. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Monday, July 4, 2016
In the Clinic at Monthy Staff Meetings
It took me a very long time to actually schedule regular staff meetings for the office. Quite frankly, when the staff was just me and a medical assistant, there was little need to have a formal time set aside to update workflows or disseminate information and address any problems that surfaced. As we added more administrative and back office support, however, there became a crying need to keep everyone on the same page as well as provide a place where general clinic workflows could be handled.
Not that I was consistent, mind you. There were years where three or four months passed between meetings. Even then, the meeting agenda seemed to focus on upcoming changes to our computers or, most often, my efforts to redirect employee behaviors in a non-confrontational manner. As we grew from a staff of two, with one provider, to a staff of four and a half supporting two and a half providers, it just became necessary to be consistent with these monthly meetings.
The first Thursday of the month is the chosen day for this monthly gathering and we try to get things started by 3 pm. We block the schedule out at 1 pm so that the providers are able to finish with any patients coming through the office, and enable all of us to work on our desktops so there is no last minute rush to finish work after the meeting concludes. In order to make the event less threatening, I decided that a light bill of fare, complete with wine might be helpful. Tim had no objection to this, and we encouraged staff to contribute whatever they might like to the meeting snacks.
Little did I know that this would throw a salvo of panic through our otherwise merry little band of coworkers. In an attempt to model the behavior, Tim and I would try to contribute healthy choices like veggies or fresh fruit, cheese, crackers or bread, along with one bottle of red wine, one bottle of white wine and a sparkling cider for those who were interested. All Thursday morning, the banter heard throughout the office swirled around who was bringing what and if someone needed to go out at lunch to pick up anything. By the time we gathered for the meeting, though, we were able to settle in and tackle the agenda.
The biggest hurdle in these meetings besides the food, that is, has been to find a way for Jeannine to be part of the discussions in a meaningful way. As much as we have worked on her "conversation" skills, she still has a remarkable way of grabbing the floor and launching a stream-of-consciousness stand-up act that covers anything from her organizing the patient confirmation calls, to Danika taking her for a "spa day" sometime in the nebulous future, to how she is going to be getting another job somewhere else because her job at Cleary Medical is too stressful.
Thankfully we are more family than coworkers, so Danika, Andrew, Mary, Maureen and Tim patiently sit and nod as she takes over directing the meeting. At length, however, I have to intervene, at which point she rises from her seat and storms out of the meeting. Understand that our meetings are held in our patient waiting area where there is the most room for all of us to gather, and as she bolts through the door to the reception area, we can all see her running -- flailing, really -- her head tossing from side to side until she disappears to the back office.
As I regain control of the meeting, Jeannine decides that I have not been punished enough. We hear her talking to herself, mostly quoting movies and television programs that are amazingly germane to the situation. Quotes like, "You weren't invited," or "Nobody asked me...." can be heard quite clearly from the back office. It doesn't help that everyone but me starts laughing in a kind and knowing sort of way. Luckily as we are closing in on the end of the meeting, which is reserved for the "I Spied..." comments, and as the staff really look forward to going home right after the meeting, we refocus.
We instituted the "I Spied..." comments for two large reasons. In an attempt to do some team building, I thought it would be a good idea for us to place little handwritten notes in a box, each note beginning, "I spied....." and completed with whatever the person spied someone doing. "I spied Dr. Cleary cleaning an exam room," or "I spied Andrew making Mary laugh," are some of the things shared. This worked well for a time, especially if we had a new person join the staff and wanted to be sure they felt welcomed.
The second big reason we did this was for Jeannine. Many of the comments were about Jeannine helping by making copies, or printing patient paperwork, or just giving hugs and kindness on busy days. So getting to this part of the meeting always brought her back to the waiting room. Not only did she like hearing about how she was truly a part of the team, she also liked when I read her "I Spied" comments about what she sees, hears and appreciates about each of us....and she was not one to leave someone out: each of us could count on hearing about what she had "spied." The most amusing aspect is that many of her comments have nothing to do with clinic doings. Andrew can count on being told that he is "cute and funny." Danika is her "Cheeto" and when will they go out on a spa date again? Mary is "pretty" and she likes hanging out with her. Dr. Cleary is "handsome" and the greatest man. Maureen is "beautiful" and she likes sharing cookies with her. I, well I am her "beautiful Mom" and the "best cook ever."
So for what it is worth, our monthly staff meetings are much more than going through an agenda of items. It is a time for working on those things that will bring better patient care to the clinic. It is a time for us to come together in what I always hope is a relaxed environment to share ideas, concerns and updates on clinical medicine. More than that, it is fun to watch and hear staff as noon approaches, each offering to help each other get work done so that we can get to the meeting sooner and thereby perhaps leave a little ahead of clinic hours closing. Once again, though, Jeannine steals the show. She provides comic relief as she vents her frustrations with me in particular; she celebrates each of us as individuals with her sometimes out of the blue "I Spied..." comments; and she brings us all together as a team by reminding us of our unique talents and value to the clinic.
Not that I was consistent, mind you. There were years where three or four months passed between meetings. Even then, the meeting agenda seemed to focus on upcoming changes to our computers or, most often, my efforts to redirect employee behaviors in a non-confrontational manner. As we grew from a staff of two, with one provider, to a staff of four and a half supporting two and a half providers, it just became necessary to be consistent with these monthly meetings.
The first Thursday of the month is the chosen day for this monthly gathering and we try to get things started by 3 pm. We block the schedule out at 1 pm so that the providers are able to finish with any patients coming through the office, and enable all of us to work on our desktops so there is no last minute rush to finish work after the meeting concludes. In order to make the event less threatening, I decided that a light bill of fare, complete with wine might be helpful. Tim had no objection to this, and we encouraged staff to contribute whatever they might like to the meeting snacks.
Little did I know that this would throw a salvo of panic through our otherwise merry little band of coworkers. In an attempt to model the behavior, Tim and I would try to contribute healthy choices like veggies or fresh fruit, cheese, crackers or bread, along with one bottle of red wine, one bottle of white wine and a sparkling cider for those who were interested. All Thursday morning, the banter heard throughout the office swirled around who was bringing what and if someone needed to go out at lunch to pick up anything. By the time we gathered for the meeting, though, we were able to settle in and tackle the agenda.
The biggest hurdle in these meetings besides the food, that is, has been to find a way for Jeannine to be part of the discussions in a meaningful way. As much as we have worked on her "conversation" skills, she still has a remarkable way of grabbing the floor and launching a stream-of-consciousness stand-up act that covers anything from her organizing the patient confirmation calls, to Danika taking her for a "spa day" sometime in the nebulous future, to how she is going to be getting another job somewhere else because her job at Cleary Medical is too stressful.
Thankfully we are more family than coworkers, so Danika, Andrew, Mary, Maureen and Tim patiently sit and nod as she takes over directing the meeting. At length, however, I have to intervene, at which point she rises from her seat and storms out of the meeting. Understand that our meetings are held in our patient waiting area where there is the most room for all of us to gather, and as she bolts through the door to the reception area, we can all see her running -- flailing, really -- her head tossing from side to side until she disappears to the back office.
As I regain control of the meeting, Jeannine decides that I have not been punished enough. We hear her talking to herself, mostly quoting movies and television programs that are amazingly germane to the situation. Quotes like, "You weren't invited," or "Nobody asked me...." can be heard quite clearly from the back office. It doesn't help that everyone but me starts laughing in a kind and knowing sort of way. Luckily as we are closing in on the end of the meeting, which is reserved for the "I Spied..." comments, and as the staff really look forward to going home right after the meeting, we refocus.
We instituted the "I Spied..." comments for two large reasons. In an attempt to do some team building, I thought it would be a good idea for us to place little handwritten notes in a box, each note beginning, "I spied....." and completed with whatever the person spied someone doing. "I spied Dr. Cleary cleaning an exam room," or "I spied Andrew making Mary laugh," are some of the things shared. This worked well for a time, especially if we had a new person join the staff and wanted to be sure they felt welcomed.
The second big reason we did this was for Jeannine. Many of the comments were about Jeannine helping by making copies, or printing patient paperwork, or just giving hugs and kindness on busy days. So getting to this part of the meeting always brought her back to the waiting room. Not only did she like hearing about how she was truly a part of the team, she also liked when I read her "I Spied" comments about what she sees, hears and appreciates about each of us....and she was not one to leave someone out: each of us could count on hearing about what she had "spied." The most amusing aspect is that many of her comments have nothing to do with clinic doings. Andrew can count on being told that he is "cute and funny." Danika is her "Cheeto" and when will they go out on a spa date again? Mary is "pretty" and she likes hanging out with her. Dr. Cleary is "handsome" and the greatest man. Maureen is "beautiful" and she likes sharing cookies with her. I, well I am her "beautiful Mom" and the "best cook ever."
So for what it is worth, our monthly staff meetings are much more than going through an agenda of items. It is a time for working on those things that will bring better patient care to the clinic. It is a time for us to come together in what I always hope is a relaxed environment to share ideas, concerns and updates on clinical medicine. More than that, it is fun to watch and hear staff as noon approaches, each offering to help each other get work done so that we can get to the meeting sooner and thereby perhaps leave a little ahead of clinic hours closing. Once again, though, Jeannine steals the show. She provides comic relief as she vents her frustrations with me in particular; she celebrates each of us as individuals with her sometimes out of the blue "I Spied..." comments; and she brings us all together as a team by reminding us of our unique talents and value to the clinic.
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