Well today has certainly been a mixed bag...

Had a couple of really frustrating interactions last night so this am I spent some time exploring mentors for someone.

I interviewed 15 people for our new Apprentice program. A valuable tool we use is to ask several questions and have them answer in writing. Some impressed me more in person than on paper. One, the only male applicant, had left a less than wonderful first impression...no eye contact, asking about time off early on in the process... When I read his response to the question, "Tell us about one instance in which you weighed the pros and cons and decided NOT to act." His response was striking.

He wrote about being a young black man and being perceived as being a thug among other things. He wrote about deciding whether to go with the "expectations" or not. To react to the perceptions with anger or not. He wrote that he decided to not go that route and to lead his own life seeking to be a better person, a better man.

That was a really important decision for him. He seems shy but chose to be that open. I was impressed. Needless to say, I put him in the program.

My afternoon meeting and presentation was canceled...and no one told me til 10 minutes before. That's okay though as now I am prepped for it.

Have had several really nice email exchanges today...did my heart good. You know who you are and now now how much it meant.

Then I got a confirmation that KT is in the freshman program she applied for. Nice to know. But then got conflicting info from the college on application information. Uggghhh.

She is off in the wilds of SC counting bugs, snakes and frogs for a research grant for her AP Environmental Science class. She is looking forward to it...so is Elliot. Yep, they are both on the trip...an overnighter. You see they had to be at school by 0600 to leave and get there by 0800 to start their research. Then back to the hotel to get dinner then back out for nighttime observations. Back to sleep then up early for more observations before coming home at 5pm. Youth makes that fun I guess.

E came by yesterday. He was there when we got home. I was supposed to take KT to check her prom dress alterations but that would have meant less couple time. So, I asked E if he would mind. Off they went quite happily. I remember thinking "but he will see her in her dress!" before quickly following with "good grief...wrong white dress!" At the shop, Kate said he was trying to not look at her so he would not see the dress. Sweet. He really is a nice young man.

Tonight, a class on quality care and documentation. Better make popcorn...this one will be hard not to make a sleeper!