Yes, much anticipated... I am extremely happy to report that Tevita is back to work! Yay! I've seen him with my own eyes - hugged him - and told him off!!!
As far as I know, he was in for some checks.
I hope he doesn't do this again to us all.
I have passed on the messages I've received.
Wednesday 28 October 2009
Saturday 24 October 2009
Friday fav
Yes, this is Saturday, but I spent a lot of Friday wondering what I would pick as my fav when, just before I left work, it became apparent.
If you've ever visited my workplace, you've probably seen Tevita, our security guard. You might have heard me talk about him. But what you may not know is that his physical size is dwarfed by his heart and his generosity.
To Tevita, every single person inside this building is an individual - be they staff or customers. He makes a point of getting to know the regulars - many of whom are homeless. Each person is special to him. We are his extended family. When one of our staff was being stalked, Tevita would come in on his day off, to walk her to the bus stop and make sure she was left alone on her way home. One day my mum visited me at work, and gave Tevita a hug and thanked him for being so lovely (she's heard the stories) and he said 'nobody hurts my girls.'
He goes out of his way to make all of our lives easier. Trust me, the Saturday staff have noticed a marked decrease in problems since Tevita started working Saturdays. This weekend he's working on Sunday, too, because the troublemakers - the bad ones - come in when he's not on duty. And that one day is a Sunday. (Thank goodness it's a long weekend, so he gets his day off. We don't want him back in hospital suffering from exhaustion & a dickey heart. It's happened before.)
Tevita has made a room full of council staff cry, in a training session on dealing with 'rough sleepers' (ie homeless) - he just told us all how he feels about them. How he had had to stop giving them the $2 they needed for a feed at the shelter, because it was costing too much money. How it is important to get to know them, and to treat them as people, and to respect them. Seeing this giant of a man in tears set us all off.
A few years ago, Tevita received an award for being GREAT (exhibiting all the aspects of our customer service standards) and received a standing ovation from the staff in Central. I overheard the council staff member who oversees libraries saying 'he must be well-liked.' He isn't. He is loved. And he loves us all back.
I was inspired to choose him as my fav because yesterday, just before I left work, he told me about a regular. Every day Tevita is called upstairs to wake this guy up - he falls asleep on the floor of the newspaper room. So, after a few days of this, Tevita tells him he might have to trespass him. The guy explains that he can't sleep at night because the others beat him up - hit his feet with a baseball bat so he can't run away - so he sleeps in the safety of the library during the day. Tevita tells him he understands, but that he is upsetting the staff and other customers and that he can't sleep on the floor. However, he can come & find Tevita, and Tevita will find him somewhere. And - Tevita told me he has a spare car at home that he might give to this guy, so he has somewhere to go and be. Tevita wants to see him sitting in this car, with a girlfriend beside him - turning his life around.
Tevita - I am humbled by the beauty that is inside you. I am blessed to know you. You inspire us to be better people. And to see beneath the surface of someone's circumstances to who they really are.
Thank you. God bless you.
If you've ever visited my workplace, you've probably seen Tevita, our security guard. You might have heard me talk about him. But what you may not know is that his physical size is dwarfed by his heart and his generosity.
To Tevita, every single person inside this building is an individual - be they staff or customers. He makes a point of getting to know the regulars - many of whom are homeless. Each person is special to him. We are his extended family. When one of our staff was being stalked, Tevita would come in on his day off, to walk her to the bus stop and make sure she was left alone on her way home. One day my mum visited me at work, and gave Tevita a hug and thanked him for being so lovely (she's heard the stories) and he said 'nobody hurts my girls.'
He goes out of his way to make all of our lives easier. Trust me, the Saturday staff have noticed a marked decrease in problems since Tevita started working Saturdays. This weekend he's working on Sunday, too, because the troublemakers - the bad ones - come in when he's not on duty. And that one day is a Sunday. (Thank goodness it's a long weekend, so he gets his day off. We don't want him back in hospital suffering from exhaustion & a dickey heart. It's happened before.)
Tevita has made a room full of council staff cry, in a training session on dealing with 'rough sleepers' (ie homeless) - he just told us all how he feels about them. How he had had to stop giving them the $2 they needed for a feed at the shelter, because it was costing too much money. How it is important to get to know them, and to treat them as people, and to respect them. Seeing this giant of a man in tears set us all off.
A few years ago, Tevita received an award for being GREAT (exhibiting all the aspects of our customer service standards) and received a standing ovation from the staff in Central. I overheard the council staff member who oversees libraries saying 'he must be well-liked.' He isn't. He is loved. And he loves us all back.
I was inspired to choose him as my fav because yesterday, just before I left work, he told me about a regular. Every day Tevita is called upstairs to wake this guy up - he falls asleep on the floor of the newspaper room. So, after a few days of this, Tevita tells him he might have to trespass him. The guy explains that he can't sleep at night because the others beat him up - hit his feet with a baseball bat so he can't run away - so he sleeps in the safety of the library during the day. Tevita tells him he understands, but that he is upsetting the staff and other customers and that he can't sleep on the floor. However, he can come & find Tevita, and Tevita will find him somewhere. And - Tevita told me he has a spare car at home that he might give to this guy, so he has somewhere to go and be. Tevita wants to see him sitting in this car, with a girlfriend beside him - turning his life around.
Tevita - I am humbled by the beauty that is inside you. I am blessed to know you. You inspire us to be better people. And to see beneath the surface of someone's circumstances to who they really are.
Thank you. God bless you.
Thursday 22 October 2009
Thought for a Thursday...
aka: time and distance is all relative.
You know how it is... you're stuck somewhere (classroom, meeting, work...) and the time just drags and drags... or you get caught up in something and suddenly a whole hour has gone by and it feels like moments... it's all relative.
A month or so I walked 35 minutes to a shop (I don't drive, so few options, really) and it was pleasant and took no time. But that 7 minute walk home from the bus stop each nights takes forever...
You know how it is... you're stuck somewhere (classroom, meeting, work...) and the time just drags and drags... or you get caught up in something and suddenly a whole hour has gone by and it feels like moments... it's all relative.
A month or so I walked 35 minutes to a shop (I don't drive, so few options, really) and it was pleasant and took no time. But that 7 minute walk home from the bus stop each nights takes forever...
Tuesday 20 October 2009
Now, everyone say "awwww"
There you go... new baby!!! Welcome to the world - and my crazy family* little Olivia*and take comfort in the fact that none of them are related to you by blood, just karma & habit...
Hello goodnight kiwi
It's the anniversary of the last airing of Goodnight Kiwi... Oct 19 - or 20... 1994
Which part of my brain thought this was a good plan...
or... why I haven't posted for a while...
Wed 23 - Fri 25 Sep: at home
Fri 25 Sep: head up north... come on Sun 27 Sep with 25 minutes until the taxi picked me up for the aiport to go to Christchurch...
Mon 28-Wed 30 Sep: Christchurch, for SLANZA conference [hey, SLANZA buddies!]
Wed 30 Sep: off to Dunedin!
Thu 1-Fri 2 Oct: training in Dunedin
Fri 2 Oct: home...
Sat 3 Oct: work
Sun 4 Oct: to the airport & Christchurch!
Mon 5-Thu 8: training in Christchurch
Fri 8-Sat 10: work
Sun 11: to the airport & Christchurch!
Mon 12-Wed 14: Christchurch, for LIANZA conference...
Then, finally!, home again... at least until the end of November...
Wed 23 - Fri 25 Sep: at home
Fri 25 Sep: head up north... come on Sun 27 Sep with 25 minutes until the taxi picked me up for the aiport to go to Christchurch...
Mon 28-Wed 30 Sep: Christchurch, for SLANZA conference [hey, SLANZA buddies!]
Wed 30 Sep: off to Dunedin!
Thu 1-Fri 2 Oct: training in Dunedin
Fri 2 Oct: home...
Sat 3 Oct: work
Sun 4 Oct: to the airport & Christchurch!
Mon 5-Thu 8: training in Christchurch
Fri 8-Sat 10: work
Sun 11: to the airport & Christchurch!
Mon 12-Wed 14: Christchurch, for LIANZA conference...
Then, finally!, home again... at least until the end of November...
Friday 9 October 2009
Monday 5 October 2009
Catching up
I've been in & out of home for a while now & it's going to continue for another couple of weeks...
So - I worked on a chandelier in preparation for Miss Olivia's arrival...
Yes, I know it looks awkward - but parts of it WERE bloody awkward!!!Went up North & worked... photo of Dad's grave & a pansy on it...
Went to Christchurch for a conference... here's some blue flowers that may - or may not - be bluebells...
Then to Dunedin... the view from my hotel room & Baldwin Street - steepest street in the world...
Visited Olivia's room - with completed chandelier & the blanket I made for her... soon I'll even get to meet her!
And, now I'm back in Christchurch... will be home Friday - and then back to Christchurch (yes, the third week in a row!) on Sunday. I hope to meet Olivia, our new baby family member, over the weekend.Saturday 3 October 2009
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