Westview News
June/July 2006
The Westview News is published by the newsletter editorial board at Westview House, located at 50 South Willard Street, Burlington, Vermont05401. The telephone number is (802) 658-3323. The newsletter reflects the interests and opinions of our clubhouse members, people who are recovering from psychiatric disabilities.
Living
When, down and out a while back I looked to the Declaration of Independence and what it said about “The Pursuit of Happiness.”
I also had other models of inspiration:
“S--- or get off the pot” - Fritz Pearls
“Pick a lane” - Television Commercial
“Don’t strike [iron] ‘til the iron is hot”
-Take your time don’t hurry
-Wait for an opportunity
“Pull yourself up by your bootstraps” - Theodore Roosevelt
“Your mother doesn’t work here – Clean up your own mess.”
“Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”
~Ben Schacter~
Westview Article
I am going to Maine Memorial Day Weekend to be with my family and to spread my mother’s ashes in the ocean with my father and three sisters. I took my 8-year old to church on Mother’s Day and I got a card that plays music from my big kids. Samantha flew into Phoenix and is on a road trip to San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Albuquerque, New Mexico then, back to North Carolina. It’s over 100 degrees in Phoenix.
Today is my first night shift 2:30-9:30 at Perkins Pier. I have 3 day shifts and two night shifts this week. So, I am busy. It was fun to go to North Carolina and watch Samantha graduated with honors from Appalachian State University. She is 22 years old and has a job that starts July 15th.
I am going to Maine June 26-30th and so are my big kids, Sam and Zachary. Zach is coming to Vermont after so that is cool.
To get to Maine, next weekend, I am taking the bus to White Rover Junction and my sister is picking me up the 28th. I will take the bus from Portland, Maine to Burlington, Vermont. In June I am taking the bus both ways.
Well, it is nice to be at Westview again; it is good support before work. I’d like to thank Becky Roy, M.S.W. my Case Worker for standing by me through all my ups and downs. She has turned me onto books, knitting and the “Happy Face Song.” It isn’t easy to be alone. I am lucky to live in Burlington where there is so much to do. Tom F. has been a good friend. Peace and have a great summer to all.
~Carolyn W~
Just for Laughs
I was sitting in the office and we were all laughing and having fun. I got so excited and was laughing so much that I jumped up and squished my cup of coffee. It went all over my pants - like I had really peed my pants! I had to go home, wash my clothes, and take a shower! Thanks for the laugh everyone
~Faith Landry~
Trip to N.C.
I went to my daughter Samantha’s college graduation at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. She graduated with honors. It was really exciting. I saw my son Zach also and we went out for a couple of meals all together. I met Sam’s boyfriend, Chad. He is a very nice young man. We went out to eat at Stonewalls in Banner Elk, North Carolina where we stayed ½ hour from campus. Sam is 22 and Zach is 20. We are all going to Maine the last week in June. I can’t wait to see them again.
I have to take the bus over to Portland, Maine to my fathers’ summer home where we are all staying for a week.
Well, I am happy. It was hard to travel but my sister made it easy and we had to run onto one flight! We flew Continental into Charlotte, NC and drove to Boune. Sam has a job waiting for her July 15th. She will be an Area Coordinator and Director of Intramurals. She has a 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment included with her salary of 25k plus full health benefits. All for now! Happy summer!
~Carolyn W~
Baseball 2006 – The Home Run Derby
Back in the early 1900s, baseball was becoming our national pastime – A player would lead the league with 10-20 home runs. Nowadays, there are home runs being hit out of the part at a record pace. Some players are being accused of using steroids that enhance their strength, but these drugs are illegal in baseball.
Back in the 1970s – 1980s, I remember players who hit 11 home runs in April that would be an unbelievable start. Today on April 25th there is at least one player who already has 11 home runs. In the USA today, I noticed a chart that said that 2006 is off to a better start than 2005 which was a record year. Many fans enjoy watching home runs go out of the park. Some people believe that baseball is a lot livelier, now that it was in the early days of the sport. No matter how you look at it, baseball is still a great national pastime.
~Andrew Inglis~
The Information Explosion
These days there is so much on people’s plates that it can be hard to eat. Oh, that was a saying that I made up. Most of the time the news we see on TV is negative which can create frustration among the US citizens. I have been noticing a lot of health problems and other related issues in people’s lives. Sometimes it can be so stressful that a person’s brain may not function that well. I have found it better is a person tries to keep their life as simple as possible, and not have too much information in their head, although it is not always easy to do. People seem to be in quite a hurry these days, and that can make accidents happen that don’t have to. I think some good news on the nightly news could help us all feel better.
~Andrew Inglis~
The Joys of Spring
Viewing a Robin in Burlington on April 2nd, seeing the yellow leaves of Forsynthia branches at the same time, Tulips were blossoming. The Lilacs come out, people graduate from college, joggers take to the streets The Umpire says “Play Ball” – These are the joys of spring that are treasured so much by me.
~Neal Muse~
The Video Game Review
I love video games. I bought nine PlayStation 2 games at Hollywood Video. Some were: Allstar Baseball 2003, Shootout 2003, Maden 2001, Maden 2002, Maden 2004, NFL 2003, and NBA Live 2006. The games are good except for Highheat Baseball 2003 which I haven’t played much. The only caviot about Highheat 2004 is that it is hard to set up a competitor computer game which I like. I like the rest of the games. The rating system Allstar baseball plus does not give the final score at the end of the game. Maden 2001 “A” does everything you would want in a football game. Maden 2002 “D” can’t set it up, but otherwise it’s fine. Maden 2004 “A+” Al Michaels is alive while Pat Sumeral is dead. Get back to you next month when I rate all my other games.
~Ryan St.Amour~
Back in the Year 1000
Back in the year 1,000 by sea and by land a global economy is born. Long before the Internet and E-commerce humankind laid the groundwork for a global economy. Overland by camel caravans of across the Mediterranean and the IndianOceans on their long range commerce and exchange. Equally renowned for their nautical from how to judge it the out of doors and everything the time one thousand to now I thing we are doing about the same as before because going on our head or judging from our head and things like that.
I have got some writing on the year 1,000 it was written by James Madison, but when you think of it the year 1,000 would not be that much different than today. They had disease back in the year 1,000 like today. The care was probably not so great as it is not so great think of it we have the same head, the same spirit as we had even back in the B.C. times. We have much the same personality as we had back in the year 1,000. We have had the same personality back in the B.C. times and before that – just think about that. The only thing that has changed is government.
You look back in history back to the year 1,000 and they did not have that much going bad. Then so I would think we have more going for us than in one or two-hundred years time than they had going on back in the year 1,000. So, just think of it how great we are and what we have to deal with now I will end there.
~Jim Patterson~
One Friday
On Friday, May 26, 2006 Jackie, Faith, Tom and I became certified in First Aid and CPR. After the 5 ½ hour training we were all relieved when we passed the test and received our cards. The First Aid certification will last for 3 years while the CPR will need to be renewed each year. Funny to think now I am certified in First Aid and CPR “That’s something everyone else does” – well, this gave me insight that new things in life may always find me so long as I keep an open mind. I would like to thank Tom Woodworth for his determination in seeing that this happened and The Howard Center for Human Services for paying for our training!
~Melanie Jannery~
Weekly Groups at Westview
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Weekend11:00-12:00
Community Meeting / 11:00-12:00
Newsletter Editorial Board Meeting / 10:30-11:30
Art Group
11:00-12:00
Walking Group / 11:00-12:00
Discussion Group / 10:00-4:00
Day-long Trips and Activities
(see monthly calendar for details / Sunday Breakfast
8:00-11:00
8:00-4:00
Peer Support
Socializing
Games●Videos
Art Materials
Musical Instruments
Laundry Facilities
Occasional Meals
12:00 Self-Care Lunch Group – Hot ● Delicious ● Full Meal – $1.00
1:00-2:00
Smoking Cessation Group / 1:00-2:00
Policy Meeting
Monthly Groups at Westview
Women’s Dinner ● First Monday ● 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. ● $3
Movie Night ● Second Tuesday ● 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. ● $3
Pick your own film at EthanAllenCinemas
*Short grocery shopping trip afterwards
CAN Meetings ● Last Tuesday ● 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. ● Free
Pizza supper and meeting at Howard Center ● Van leaves Westview at 4:30 p.m.
Shared Dinner ● First and Third Thursdays ● 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. ● $3
Friday Outings ● 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Day-long Trips and Activities ● See monthly calendar for details
RIDES HOME PROVIDED AFTER ALL EVENING ACTIVITIES
Westview House
50 South Willard Street ● Burlington, Vermont05401
802-658-3323
June 2006
Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / SaturdayComing Up
Annual Camping Trip
July 10th -14th @ Grand Isle / 1
Shared Dinner
5-7 p.m.
$3.00 / 2 / 3
8-4
Social Groups ●Videos
Arts and Crafts
@ Westview
4
Breakfast
8-4
Games●Videos
Social Groups
Arts and Crafts / 5
Woman’s Dinner
5-7 p.m.
$3.00 / 6 / 7
Art Group
10:30 a.m.
Walking Group
11 a.m. / 8 / 9 / 10
8-4
Social Groups ●Videos
Arts and Crafts
@ Westview
11
Breakfast
8-4
Games●Videos
Social Groups
Arts and Crafts / 12 / 13
Movie Night
6 p.m.
$3.00 / 14
Art Group
10:30 a.m.
Walking Group
11 a.m. / 15
Shared Dinner
5-7 p.m.
$3.00 / 16 / 17
8-4
Social Groups ●Videos
Arts and Crafts
@ Westview
18
Breakfast
8-4
Games●Videos
Social Groups
Arts and Crafts / 19 / 20
“Big Night”
HowardCenter
Annual Dinner
6 p.m. / 21
Art Group
10:30 a.m.
Walking Group
11 a.m. / 22 / 23 / 24
8-4
Social Groups ●Videos
Arts and Crafts
@ Westview
25
Breakfast
8-4
Games●Videos
Social Groups
Arts and Crafts / 26
Peer Leaders’
Meeting
(Breakfast)
9:30-10:30 a.m. / 27
CAN Meeting
5 p.m.
Free / 28
Art Group
10:30 a.m.
Walking Group
11 a.m. / 29 / 30
Sand Bar
Beach Trip
10-3
Westview House
50 South Willard Street ● Burlington, Vermont05401
802-658-3323
July 2006
Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / SaturdayComing Up
ChamplainValley Fair onAugust 28th 3-8 p.m.
Friends and Family Barbeque on August 16th 4-8 p.m. / 1
8-4
Social Groups ●Videos
Arts and Crafts
@ Westview
2
Breakfast
8-4
Games●Videos
Social Groups
Arts and Crafts / 3 / 4
TheForth
OfJuly
Barbeque
1 p.m. / 5
Art Group
10:30 a.m.
Walking Group
11 a.m. / 6 / 7 / 8
8-4
Social Groups ●Videos
Arts and Crafts
@ Westview
9
Breakfast
8-4
Games●Videos
Social Groups
Arts and Crafts / 10 11 12 13 14
Annual Camping Trip @ Grand Isle / 15
8-4
Social Groups ●Videos
Arts and Crafts
@ Westview
16
Breakfast
8-4
Games●Videos
Social Groups
Arts and Crafts / 17 / 18
Movie Night
6 p.m.
$3.00 / 19
Art Group
10:30 a.m.
Walking Group
11 a.m. / 20
Shared Dinner
5-7 p.m.
$3.00 / 21 / 22
8-4
Social Groups ●Videos
Arts and Crafts
@ Westview
23/30
Breakfast
8-4
Games●Videos
Social Groups
Arts and Crafts / 24
Woman’s Dinner
5-7 p.m.
$3.00 / 25 / 26
Art Group
10:30 a.m.
Walking Group
11 a.m. / 27 / 28 / 29
8-4
Social Groups ●Videos
Arts and Crafts
@ Westview
31