organise with me the journey continues

So, I know that I have been neglecting the blog and using ChatGPT far too much, and I know people can see that. However, it is a tool—a very new tool—and we don’t yet know what the long-term implications are. Here's why I’ve been neglecting the blog, and there are a couple of reasons for it. The most important is that I’ve been spending quality time with the people in my life who are important to me. The second reason is that the podcast is taking off, which is amazing. It’s also wonderful to see the support from guests who are willing to give up their time. A special shoutout to Debbi Lund for being a regular guest!

Another reason is that I can reach a wider audience on YouTube, which is also taking off, but it’s impacting my margins of time and priorities. However, I’m now at a place where I can refocus and get organized. For me, part of that means carving out time for the blog again. Additionally, the platform I use for blogging makes it hard to get monetized. To be honest, the blog started out as something to do during COVID, during a time in my life when I wasn’t well at all. It led me down the path of content creation, which is a lot more work than people realize.

Getting monetized when the cost of living is so high is difficult, which is why many creators turn to sponsorships. On YouTube, there are two thresholds you need to meet to get monetized. The first one is uploading three long-form videos and reaching 500 subscribers, which unlocks super chats and thanks that go directly to the creator. Then, to unlock ad revenue, you need 400 watch hours and 1,000 subscribers. That’s a huge milestone for many creators to reach, so it’s really a play-to-win situation.

For long-time listeners, yes, this is my second attempt at YouTube. I did start a channel that has since been scrubbed from the internet, based around a podcast I was helped to start by an unethical support worker. As a support worker, if you work for an agency or organization, they will have a code of ethics you need to follow. But for platform and independent support workers, the lines can get blurred, and this is where boundaries come into play. Sometimes, a client needs friendship rather than support, but that can get difficult and challenging. What happens when it gets messy, or you need to move on?

This is why I believe the role of a support worker is to facilitate people in making friends. Let’s be real—it’s hard for adults to make friends due to work and family commitments, but it’s possible. It can be even harder for people with disabilities, who may not have the funds to do what others are doing. They may also struggle with appropriate behavior or grooming, and they may be manipulative or use their disability as an excuse. People are allowed to get tired of this behavior, and they do see what’s going on. Additionally, some people may get jealous that you have care or may not understand the role of a support worker.

As for getting organized, we’re looking at getting me a freezer, and as I post this, it's on order. I know people in my personal life will be groaning, but it seems sensible to get one so I can buy in bulk. It has taken months to get into a good, healthy routine, but the big focus now is carving out time to finish craft projects and create content for the blog. As I’ve said over on YouTube, getting organized when you’re working with a support worker takes time. It could take months to get everything in place—sorting clothing, organizing closets, working through mountains of laundry, and giving away clothes you don’t use. A support worker can't throw anything away unless it’s food waste, without permission.

It might take months to sort out budgets, compare bills for the internet, set up payment plans, and get the fridge and pantry organized. This is where the rubber meets the road in support work, and I’m grateful for the people in my housing facility who help me stay organized, as well as my community access organization for getting me where I need to go. I’ve only had the occasional challenge, such as during school holidays when support workers didn’t fully understand their role and enforced their own travel limits. They were wrongly informed about what the organization will pay and what they can claim on tax. Most support workers use their own car, and this particular worker was clearly aiming for a work car, not understanding that they’re meant for bigger trips—like taking people to Brisbane for doctor’s appointments or taking one-on-one clients on day trips for the comfort of others.

For those unaware, a one-on-one situation on a group day trip generally means either you need significant physical support (e.g., if you use a mobility aid), or it could be that you can’t be trusted in a group setting or have behaviors that need to be monitored.

Getting organized when you’re working for yourself is a massive challenge, and I’m thankful for the people who support me and even tolerate my views, even if they don’t always agree with them.

So, let’s continue this journey of getting organized together. I’m committing to one blog post a month that is genuinely me and not snarky, because being snarky all the time isn’t cool and is alienating people in my life.