Confessions of a Theraputic Farmer, II

I like to keep things moving.  When I have to hang out and wait while I'm working, I get tired and (slightly) annoyed.  So I like to think that the residents I work with have a similar mindset.  I know 90% of the time they don't.  But sometimes their interest is so short lived I don't even want to give them a second to think about how they could be doing something else.  I hope that doesn't sound harsh.  I definitely do not take out a whip and yell, "Move faster!" or "You should have this 4 acre field fenced in 15 minutes!"  I want to create expectations that will be similar to what they will meet once they leave The Ranch, expectations that they can set for themselves.  I also want to create an environment where they can just do something physically, become almost zen-like, so they can get out of their heads.

This afternoon was unfortunately not one of those days.  It wasn't the end of the world, and I have had worse days than this.  But I hate feeling like something was all planned out and then falls apart.  And I know that things don't always go as planned.  But there is a difference between the unexpected and poor planning.  Today was poor planning.  It makes me feel silly in front of the residents.  I'm suppose to be this role model (especially with my position as Head Farmer), and I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off because I can't find bleach.  Meanwhile everyone is just waiting for me to get it together.  It's a frustrating part of my job, and unfortunately one that I seem to be running into more often than not lately.

New plan: every afternoon after work is over, I will sit down and write exactly what the next day is going to look like, examine to see what has to be prepped so the following morning I can do it.  I'm usually good anyway, making a list on Sundays of things to accomplish during the week.  But now I'll be a little more detailed.  Tomorrow is Day 1, we'll see how it goes.