y goal is to be a teacher because I like kids. I like to get involved with them. I would like to teach them. When I am around the kids, they make me feel like they are my own. I like to be with them when they get hurt. I like to comfort them. That is why I am going to school, so I can work with them. I like to play with them. I like to read to them.

During Garden Week, I enjoy visiting the different locations. A lot of which I have had the opportunity to work in and help prepare these gardens for show. It is a good feeling to watch people come and enjoy them.

I have had the pleasure of visiting many famous gardens and parks. One of the largest places I have visited in the School of Horticulture in Ontario's Niagara Parks. Viewing the work of the students of the school is an inspiration to visitors. The Park has a schedule that reflects each season of the year. During my visit, the roses were most impressive. I also had a chance to see the Floral Clock that is an overwhelming design of plants. One visit makes you want to keep going back for more.

The Longwood Gardens located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was another interesting site I visited. It is exciting to see the different layout of gardens, fountains, ponds, and conservatories, many of which have Italian, French, or Roman flair. Mr. Pierre S. du Pont reproduced his gardens from many of the countries he had visited. He would see something he liked while traveling and come home and make a replica of it. Any season of the year is a good time for touring.

Coming closer to home I have seen the beautiful gardens of Williamsburg, Virginia. In williamsburg, you will find many formal and informal gardens. There are beautiful boxwoods with many interesting designs. To see the tulips around the Governor's Palace in the spring is overwhelming, also the dogwoods in bloom. Visiting many of the homes in Colonial Williamsburg and noting the beautiful flower arrangements, one can't help but notice the beautiful containers they are displayed in.

Maymont Park in Richmond is another interesting place overlooking the James River. There are a lot of beautiful attractions and designs. There is a Maymont Flower Show in February, which is very interesting. If you have never been to one it would be well worth your time. There are vendors from different nurseries all over the state displaying their wares.

Traveling around and visiting these gardens I have told you about has been an inspiration to me in my work. One of the latest landscaping jobs was renovating an eighteenth century farmhouse. I installed a new lawn surrounded with white dogwoods and redbud. The driveway was bordered with blue copperstone edging. A small garden to the right included lots of spring flowers such as daffodils and tulips, perennials and annuals were added to have year around beauty. There is a beautiful wisteria hanging over the walls to the left of the house and a small pond. This job gave me great pleasure because of the many comments that I received. It makes you want to do your very best and put your whole heart into what you are doing. Although visiting these places, I still hold the Albemarle Garden Week in high esteem and would encourage everyone to visit and see what we have in our own backyard.

I get along with the people I help to and from these places. They love to talk to me because I do not look mad at them. From these people, I have learned a lot of things in my years of service at the hospital.

An eighty-six year old man and wife came from West Virginia and stayed at the Red Roof Inn. One morning I stopped at the Inn and the couple got in the van. I said, "Where are y'all going?" "To the hospital," they said. They stayed approximately ten days, and we visited on the way to the hospital every day.

After his surgery, the old man got better. A few days later I picked them up, took them to the hospital for his check up, and drove them back to the Red Roof Inn that evening. To thank me for my courteous service, he gave me three quarters. He said, "That's what I used to work for each day, son. See son, when I was a young man, that was one day's pay." He said, "Thanks so much for your help. If I live, I will be back. I hope I will see you again. Take care and thanks so much until I see you again." I said, "I hope I will see you again too. Have a good day."

I remember another person I met through my job. Her name is Schrader and she is nice. Schrader and her mother were here about one year and I got to know them. Schrader is the one that is sick. It took a little while to get to know them, but once I started to talk, everything fell in place.

After that when she would ride with me and she started telling me about her sickness, where she was from, and about her boyfriend and child. I listened to the story she told me and I said, "You will live through this." She said, "What if I don't live through it?" I said, "But you will."

While she was in the hospital, I visited her from time to time. The first two times I went to see her she would look at me and start to cry. I saw her Sunday night and she looked good to me. Her mother was by her side when I got there. Schrader looked at me and said, "I thought you were not coming." I said, "I told you that I would see you. How are you doing?" She said, "I am fine but I hurt so bad." I said, "It will get better."

Now she is getting ready to go home. I told her, "Do not leave until I get here in the morning. I would like to see you before you leave." "I won't leave until you get here," Schrader said.

I have driven lots of patients and some of them get close to you when they are sick. Schrader is one of them.

I like my job because I meet people and help them. This is why I have stayed there for thirty-five years.

Then I got to thinking about why I can't keep a job. I think that the main reason is because it is too stressful to work while I'm in prison. And trying to go to school, work, and do the Therapeutic Community program is a lot of stress for me. It's hard for me to focus on three different things at one time. So I will just focus on getting my recovery and getting my education.

When I leave here, I will have my General Education Diploma (G.E.D.) and the tools with which to work. When I come across some problem that will lead to drugs, I will be able to say no, which has been my biggest problem in the past. By staying in recovery and school, I can become a stronger person and learn skills I need to get a better job.

My second trade is professional painting. Put a paintbrush in my hand and I am an artist. I have helped my husband paint a lot of houses in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Roanoke; I also worked at a place called C.T.C. It is a shipment company. There you work with packages. I also worked at a laundry called Airmart; I have worked all kinds of jobs at a place called Labor-Ready in Roanoke. But most of all the jobs I have done I love painting and landscaping the best of all. I like to work outside with flowers. I like to make beautiful flowerbeds. I also love to make ugly houses beautiful again. We also had our own business. We made sixteen dollars an hour for doctors and lawyers and the ex-mayor of Staunton.

This is an interesting and not easy profession, and remarkable also. It needs studying and preparing of the lessons at home, activities, and different attentions in the classroom.

Unfortunately, I was dissatisfied because, in my country, the schools don't have endorsements and the students don't like to study.

I guess that my profession is one of the most important, because without education, the human being wouldn't have evolved.

In the U.S., I don't think I will follow my profession, as it's necesary to have very much experience in English.

If you do have a serious injury in the workplace it will be a lost time accident.

Most workplaces will post a safety board in the main lobby to show how many man-hours they have worked without a lost time accident.

To help prevent accidents people in the workplace need to wear proper safety equipment, such as hard hats, safety glasses and safety shoes.

Most places also have a Safety Committee. They are a group of people chosen to study the safest ways to do the jobs in the workplace and to set up safety rules.

Safety Committee members will consist of one or two people from each department. They will meet once a week to discuss the accidents of the previous week, how they happened, and how they could have been prevented. Each person will have to give his or her judgment on doing the job in the safest way. Workers will also need to report all safety hazards to one of the Safety Committee members. By doing these things the work place will be a safer place to work.

I get up at 4 o'clock and I get to work at 7 o'clock. I get off at 12 o'clock. Here are the things I do when I get to work:

Making a bed

I strip the sheets. I throw them down the chute. I put clean sheets on the bed and I get the crinkles out. Then I tuck the bottom sheet like a hospital bed. Then I put on the blanket and the bedspread.

Emptying the Trash

I pick up the little trash can and empty it into the big trash can. Then I take it all out.

Cleaning the Bathroom

I pour on the liquid cleaner on the tub. I take a mop and scrub it. Then I rinse it. Then I scrub the commode. Then I shine the sink with a rag. Then I scrub the floor and mop it.

Cleaning Mirrors

I spray the mirror with Blue. Then I take a dry rag and wipe. I shine it.

Dusting

I take the papers off. Then I spray the dresser. I dry with a rag. Then I dust off the chair legs and the window sills and tables.

Vacuuming

I carry the vacuum cleaner. Then I plug it in. Then I push it around. Then I move the furniture. I vacuum around the electric heater and under the bed and furniture.

I feel wonderful after I work. It makes me happy.

I cope well when people want things, and I am really busy at times because I deal with over two hundred women. Sometimes it is really stressful because when some of the ladies don't get their way they holler and scream profanity. I have learned to ignore them and not let it get me down. I handle every situation with a smile on my face and patience in my heart. At other times my job is a get-away from the fifty women in my wing and their bad attitudes, for five hours a day. I hang out in the officers' break room and the officers are always stressing positive affirmations of how I can change my life and learn from being here.

I also keep the officers' break room clean, and make sure they have plenty of coffee at all times. Their bathroom is to be clean, as well as the front entry of the building.

It is very challenging to do the things that need to be done. I enjoy working and it helps me do my time, and I learn a lot of things such as being trusted, patience and responsibility, from being chosen for this position. I work for twenty-seven cents a hour. That is very cheap, considering I am used to working for at least $5.50 an hour in the real world. As I compare my sotreroom job to the jobs I used to have, there is a big difference. For one thing, I was used to living on the edge by selling drugs, making fast money, and hustling to make a living. I enjoy working for twenty-seven cents an hour. I know I am not taking any risks of getting hurt or being robbed, or any kind of violence at my new job. The only risk that is held is in my own hands, if I sacrifice my job by passing any messages or commissary items person to person. I would never do that, because I don't want to lose my job. Working this position has definitely helped me realize it's time to make a change when I get out. I want to get a real job so I can be independent, for once.

When we arrived in Williamsburg, there was no electricity. The power lines had been knocked down and the whole town was dark. We went out to a store to get something to eat. The store only had a little light, so we took our food back to the hotel and ate in the dark. When we woke up in the morning, we had lights and electricity.

We went out to get a hot breakfast and then we went to the local office to find out what we were going to do. A local person served as our guide and we began to clear fallen trees. The hurricane had blown a lot of trees down and we worked twelve hours each day. We stayed in Williamsburg for five days.

When I returned back to headquarters I went back to work on my truck. A day later my supervisor told me to go home and get some clothes. I called my wife and told her that I was going out of town again. She did not want me to go this time. I told my supervisor I would go one more time.

This time we went to Tappahanock. The motel we stayed at was an hour from the work site. I worked fourteen hours each day. I was so glad when we finally finished. I was very tired when I left on Saturday to drive the truck home. It took three and a half hours to drive back to Charlottesville. I did not go to our office. I went straight home and fell into bed. I did not return the truck to the office until Monday morning.

I am glad that we do not have many hurricanes to clean up afterwards. It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of hours. I like to help people get cleaned up after a storm, but I do not like to be away from home for weeks at a time. ss

My main job is as a truck driver. I drive a fertilizer truck that spreads fertilizer and lime. I also drive a delivery truck when we take feed to different customers in the area. There is another truck at the Co-op that we use to deliver liquid protein for cattle.

The liquid protein is made from molasses and urea. It is put into a round tank in a field for cows to help themselves to. This liquid feed helps to better feed cows if the hay is not of top quality.

When the weather is bad we don't operate the trucks. I work inside the store, either in the hardware department or in the shop. In the hardware department I might cut saw chains or make dog tags or simply refill nail and screw bins. In the shop I may service the vehicles. We grease and repair the fertilizer buggies.

One of the good features of my job is the hours can be flexible to my personal needs. This is very good if the grandchildren get sick at school or if I ned to go on a fire call. I also like my job because it is close to home. I feel fortunate to have this job. I hope they are pleased with me.

I was chosen for the job because I am A-Custody. A-Custody is something you earn if you follow the treatment plan, stay out of trouble, and remain ticket-free. I have been "down" thirty-four months now and have managed to do just that.

The warehouse is located outside of the perimeter just beyond the entry gates into this facility. Each day, five days a week, rain snow, sleet, or hail, I can look forward to going to work. I leave my building each day at a designated time. (Mass movement.) When mass movement is completed we leave out one gate and approach another gate, which is called the Sallyport. There we turn in our identification and our name is checked off of a roster. Then we are patted down and searched for contraband, because nothing is allowed to be taken out except cigarettes and lighter, or if you're a diabetic, a candy bar. Depending on who's running the gate and how many of us are working outside, or if there's transportation run, the whole process takes five to twenty minutes. It's a hassle and can get very frustrating when it's cold, raining, snowing, or a hundred degrees outside, but having to do it four times a day, everyday, you get used to it. Finally, after all of that, you leave out of another gate where your supervisor is waiting for you.

At the warehouse there are four inmates, the boss, the two supervisors, and one c/o for security measures, when she's not busy elsewhere. We all get along just like one big happy family. There are a few forbidden activities, such as fighting or stealing, which could cause major problems in your life. (Tickets and segregation.) You would automatically lose your job. The officer (c/o) has her own set of activities that are forbidden, such as cursing, forgetting to do a chore, forgetting to sign in and out of work, keeping break areas clean at the end of the day. If we forget or curse, she usually gives us a consequence. First of all, she finds out our weakness. (Math, history, science, grammar -- whatever you know least.) Then when you get caught she takes one or two cigarettes, and gives you about five problems to solve,. If they are right, you get your cigarettes back upon completion. If we mess up as a whole, she takes our coffee breaks away for a week, or amonth. She's always correcting our manner or speech, because behind these walls we tend to pick up words or phrases and other speech problems. She doesn't really do it to punish us. She just wants us to "maintain" and keep our manners and common sense, and at the same time be polite, courteous, and well-mannered, so that once we find employment beyond these walls we will be able to cope and relate to society without using profanity and slang words. She teaches us that, just because we are locked up physically, in our mind we don't have to stay stuck and we should always think before we speak. Which is a valuable lesson we can use on a daily basis whether in or out of the system.

My job at the warehouse varies from day to day. Some days are harder than others, and the work's hard. Basically, you might say the warehouse is the lifeline of the penitentiary. Everything that comes into the penitentiary (meats, milk, produce, canteen items, forms, clothing, shoes, medical supplies) comes through the warehouse.

Normally, we unload the tractor-trailers that are filled to the brim, and, on occasion, we find that the stuff for us is in the back of everything else. We would have to unload everything to find what we were looking for then put everything else back. It's nerve-wracking, but it's our job. Again, we get over it and move on. We also pull supplies for all of the nine different buildings on the grounds (the housing units, kitchen, commissary, personal property, medical, DCE, VCE, and administration.) It's a hands-on operation, but we are certified to work on the equipment. We have to kinds of different fork lifts; one for outdoor use and another for indoors. We also have a pallet jack and a flatbed truck. All of this equipment helps to make our job a little easier.

We are entrusted workers, which means that we work at our own pace and no one is standing over us every minute. We find out what's to be done and we do it. We handle and operate a lot of valuable equipment with a lot of care and skill. We do everything, from filling orders, cleaning, to makeing deliveries inside the compound. We take breaks and sit around and talk or we just sit on the receiving dock and watch the horses in the pasture across the road run around. In our mind we are riding away on the horses to some far-off places away from here and it's very peaceful. At that moment we are as free in our minds as we can be. Usually we end up thinking about our loves ones and children, and at some point of the day, we can look forward to the time alone to be free in our minds.

I always made those sick people laugh by combing their hair while they were sitting and watching TV, showing them pictures of my children or just listening to what they had to say. This meant a lot to me because I was making them feel like someone. I loved to see them smile. It seemed I was all they had.

Fear was leading the way to my first patient. I slowly walked towards a doublewide trailer that was bombarded with cats. I knocked on the door and Mr. Phipps abruptly opened it. At that moment my heart began to pound rapidly out of control. Paranoia set in like rigor mortis. I had no idea what was going to happen. I was introduced to Mr. Phipps. He was paralyzed. Every morning when I came in he would be asleep and I would go over to his bed, grab his hand, and call his name. He would wake up and see me standing there, happy to see me. He always liked the way I talked to him and spent a lot of time with him. I would get him up out of bed, bathe him and dress him. I would sit in his wheelchair so he could watch TV while I changed his bed and prepared his food. I enjoyed cooking for him and taking care of him. He really meant so much to me. It would make me happy to see him smile.

My next patient was Ms. Louise Jones. She had gotten her legs amputated and she enjoyed the soap operas. She and I would watch the soaps together and we would have so much fun. We would talk about our personal lives, our kids and about her grandson whom she spoiled rotten. Every morning she would be waiting by the door to greet me. She would love to talk about the men in her early years. She was one humdinger. This was a good experience for me, and I learned how to maek my patients happy and how to make them feel like they were somebody other than someone just here on earth. I made them feel like they had something to live for.

Mrs. Lula Jenkins, at the age of fifty-four, was hooked to an oxygen machine. She was a little old lady who has been smoking for thirty-three years, and her lungs were all smoked out. Mrs. Lula only had a piece of her lungs left. I used to go to the doctor with Mrs. Lula and her husband. One day while we were playing cards she said to me, "Lisa, you need to stop smoking, because it is bad for you." It was hard to do so when I wanted to smoke I would go outside on the porch. I met her son. He was a smoker, also. She used to always tell us not to smoke anywhere in the house.

All of my patients passed away in 1999. To know that I will never see them again is too sad to even think about. They all were a part of my family, and to have lost them all waslike losing family. I feel like if I had not gotten into trouble, they would still be alive. I feel that it was me that kept them going and gave them hope. I carry around with me an aura of guilt, but deep down inside I know that everybody has to die. They may be gone in life but they live in my heart.

Work. What I do at work is walk around the courtyard, patrolling for trash, from eight o'clock to eleven in the morning, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and sometimes at night. I also have to put the trashcans in front of the buildings when they come back from the outside perimeter. Some days I have to wash them out before putting them back.

There is so much more to do if you like your job -- and I like my job. Sometimes there is nothing to do but the trash, for instance, when it is raining real bad. Now, when it is wintertime, we work our butts off, shoveling ice and snow, spreading salt, sand and whatever else they have us put down. When it starts sleeting and snowing at the same time, they call us out to put the saqlt down so that no one will fall and get hurt.

I do my job to the best of my ability, or at least I think I do. My job is very important to me. When I go to work and ama able to get out of the wing for a little while, I'm able to get peace of mind. I'm also able to get a lot of fresh air, to watch the flowers grow in the summertime, hear the birds sing in the morning, and at night I see the stars. A lot of people tell me that I am a work-aholic and I just tell everyone that I like keeping busy. When my boss tells me what to do I will do it and then find something more to do. Even though my other co-workers had done what they had to do, I would go over and make sure that it's done, more or less covering each other's backs. For myself, I would empty the ashtrays, make sure all the trash is up off the ground, and make sure the trash is put in the trash cans. Yes, I do take a break here and there when I feel that I need to, but I like to get the job done and over with so I won't have to worry about it.

My boss is a correctional officer as well, but as a boss he is very good. He tries to be fair to all of his work gangs, and he lets us know when we do a good job, and when we dojn't. Some days he can be hard on us, and some days he's not. He does his best to work around my schedule, because I am in Therapeutic Community. I also get along with my co-workers. I've had only one problem with a co-worker. She and I were arguing with each other at one point in time. One day she was calling out my name and accusing me of being a snitch. She said I should go ahead and tell our boss, because that was what I was known for anyway. I went to my boss and told him about the situation and he called a meeting among her, himself, and two other witnesses. My boss told us we had to get along, because both worked on the yard, and if we felt we couldn't get along then we should make other choices for employment. After that incident there was tension between us, but each of us made a point to do our job while avoiding the other. One day I had two plants that needed dirt. The person who handles the plants just happened to be the person I had a problem with. I swallowed my pride, and went to her to ask for her advice about the plants. She gave me the help and advice I needed. From that day on we spoke and worked better together.

When you have a job where you are able to get along with everyone, then it is easier for you to enjoy it. Yes, we have our ups and downs like everyone does, but we still work together and get the job done as a team, not merely as different people or as a bunch of women arguing all the time. I love working with people that I'm able to get along with. It makes our jobs a lot easier.

During the fall season, we tong for oysters. Tonging consists of using two long shafts, between the lengths of eighteen feet to twenty-four feet, depending on the depths of the oyster bar you're working. On my boat we used eighteen footers. As my partner tongs and dumps the oysters on the culling board, I cull the oysters, making sure they're at least three inches long, and have no spats on them. Spats are baby oysters -- they're illegal. We get about eighteen to twenty bushels on a good day, with two people. Most boats have three or four persons per boat.

When the weather gets warmer we start preparing for the crabbing season. Then we "trout-line" crab with salted eel. It's hard but it's a good living. Crabbing is hard. You crab with the boat at a trolling speed. As the line comes up over the roller, it usually has a crab eating away. Then, if you're good, you scoop it in the net, and onto the next one.

During the hot summer months, crabbing is at its best. Also, we use nippers close to shore, for clamming, not the kind you have in Virginia but the kind we have in Maryland. Soft-shell clams are also called "manoes." They're good steamed with drawn butter.

Sometimes we gill net. Now that's different still. During spawning season, a lot of fish go back to their spawning spots. You set the nets and the next thing you know you've got your catch. We catch spots, herring or alewives, perch, shad, trout, and crappie.

Working the water has its hazards. Squalls can catch you out, ice can sink you, or you can lose direction and get lost. But being a waterman is good. You learn to love our waterways. The Marine Police are very good at making sure you're water eligible, meaning your boat is safe, licensed, and your papers are in order.

The watermen are a rare breed. Only hard work and a love of the water make a good one. I know -- I've worked the waters for ten years.

My job, Chaplain's Clerk, calls for me to set for all the religious programs here at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women. The prison has a lot of religious programs. I make sure there are enough chairs for people to sit on, and I make sure there are enough decorations to give the room more of a holy, spiritual, godly atmosphere. My job as Chaplain's Clerk gives me the opportunity to attend all the religious services that I set up for. I work at any given hour or time that I am needed, seven days a week.

I enjoy getting the opportunity to meet the volunteers that come to the prison. It gives me the reassurance that people on the outside do care about the inmates. The volunteers come and bring a lot of joy to this place. They have sincere concerns about the inmates. When the Kairos ladies come here, the joy always takes me away from this place. The joy reminds me of my love for my mother, father, sons, and sisters and brothers. I feel a minute of the outside world when I speak person-to-person (as children of God) with the guest giving our religious services.

When the winter holidays came I helped bag and deliver Christmas gifts for almost 1,000 women, which made me feel useful, jolly, exhilirated and joyful with Christmas cheer. The task took from 9:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. They were the most joyful hours I have had since my incarceration. I feel jovial at work. I feel closer to God because I am doing something positive with my life. The feeling of praising God takes over and I start singing. NO! I don't sound good but I feel like I have a voice from heaven. Now, as for my boss, Lynn Litchfield, she is a very funny, energetic person. For instance, at our New Year's service, as we were in the midst of praying, the one and only "Lynn Litchfield" was getting dressed as the "New Millenium Bug." When we opened our eyes she was standing in a bug costume -- antlers and all. We were caught by surprise. The whole church was laughing. One day, while at work filing the P.P.R. (Personal property Request) forms for the ladies here to get religious books, the chaplain had country music on the radio. I felt as if I was Charlie Pride because I knew most of the songs. That was one time I was able to surprise the chaplain. I feel that I not only have the best job in prison, but I also have the best boss.

I have a lot of beautiful palnts, or should I say once-beautiful plants, that I must care for. I am a person with a lot of talent -- a person with green thumbs I am not. It is as if the plants are in the desert for a week and an ocean the next. Hopefully, before it is too late, I will get it together.

When the Chaplain made the announcement about the opening, I knew that I wanted the job, but I felt my chances were slim to none because of the number of ladies in this prison. I can say that I am very blessed to have this position. I consider it to be the best opportunity that theFluvanna Correctional Center has to offer.

My first job was working at Econo Lodge Motel. Before I went to work, I was scared -- I did not know what to expect. My job title was Housekeeping and my hours were nine to five. I felt my job was the most important thing in my life. When I first walked in I was excited. Someone took me around and introduced me to epopel. The first lady I met was Vicky Wall. When I got to know her I told her that would be a pleasure working with her, and she was very helpful to me when I needed her assistance.

My job consisted of cleaning. I was responsible for cleaning, sweeping and mopping the floors. If I did not mop the floors before I waxed them they would not shine. I had to make the beds and clean the sinks. I put fresh tissue in the holders, and cleaned the toilet bowls. Before the rooms could be checked out they had to be inspected to make sure they were presentable for renting.

I had to do general cleaning to whatever rooms I was assigned for that day. The chemicals that I had to work with were dangerous. They could be deadly if they were mishandled. Sometimes I had to wear a mask so I would not breathe the fumes. One of the problems was that some of the people handling these chemicals were inexperienced. That led to many accidents. Therefore, the harmful chemicals had to be mixed with water.

Most of the time things seem to be going well for me. I approached my work as sweet and simple, making it look easy. I never had a problem with my boss. She moved me from job to job with a smile. One day the hotel staff gave the housekeeping staff a party, and all were invited. The party was to show the employees that our work was greatly appreciated.

My job was important to me because it offered benefits. I loved the work I did. It helped me to support my family. I have never had a problem with my boss. I was never rushed for anything. I had to concentrate and perform my job well so that I could do a good job and be proud of myself as well as gaining my boss' approval. I was always greeted with a smile on my job, and that brightened up my day.

I love to work hard, so that I can make it in life. There are lots of things to be accomplished. What I want most is to build a home for my children and grandchildren. Building my dream home is my challenge in life. My dream house will be big enough to accomodate my whole family if they need a place to stay. Also, I would like to go back to school and further my education so that I may someday become a suervisor, or maybe even own my own business.

My dreams and goals are realistic, and I know that with a lot of determination and faith in God, my dream will become a reality.

While it was fun working with the people I met, I also enjoyed the other side of my work, as a prep cook. I'll never forget my first day at Ruby Tuesday. I felt good about myself and the many dishes that I cooked. There was quiche, vegetable dishes, salads, and desserts. I got a lot of pleasure seeing customers, as well as staff, appreciate and enjoy the food I made. I also enjoyed working on the line, serving the public. I met a lot of interesting people.

One night I was working as aprep cook. I had to use the slicer, and after using it, I had to clean it. So I got two towels and tried to clean it. A towel slipped, and I cut my finger and had to get seven stitches. That taught me a lesson: not to clean a slicer without safety gloves. Another night, I returned to work and someone else didn't show up. I had to work by myself as a dishwasher. We ran out of silverware and I had to open some in a hurry. That was really a rough night for me.

I also like my job here at FCCW, because I like food service. I prepare the food the way I did when I worked at Old Country Buffet and Ruby Tuesday. All of my food items are clean, fresh, and approved by my managers. I enjoy preparing the salad bar because of the compliments I get from managers, officers, staff, and administrators. Also, my co-workers compliment me when they see me preparing the food. I enjoy preparing different types of food items that are being put on the salad bar.

I can always be counted on to be at work on time and use my skills. As you can see, I really love working in food service and hope to continue with it. I've been working in food service for ten years. I hope to continue with food upon my release from FCCW.

I was there for about six months then I moved up to a weaver's helper to help the weavers to keep their machiens running. AFter about two and a half months they gave me my own set of machines to run. I had to keep the machines running all the time. I needed to run good production and inspect my cloth twice a night with a flashlight for defects. If I saw defects I would need to stop the machine off. Altogether I worked night shift for about ten years.

I went to day shift for a cleaning position. I was required to wipe each machine off. The reason I took the position was so I could be home with my family. In 1997, Frank Ix went to twelve hour shifts. I had to go back to night shift but a different position.

I started the twelve-hour shift out as a smash hand. My duties were to start up new yarn warps and also put on new heddles and big breakouts in the machines. I was able to do a lot of different jobs in the weave room. I caught on very fast.

On September 1, 1999 my supervisor came and told me and all of the other employees that the plant was going to shut down for good. I felt very sad because I had worked there for 18 years, and I had a lot of friends and family members there.

On October 8, 1999 I went to work. My supervisor advised me this was my last night to work. I just couldn't believe this was my last night to ever work there again. It was very hard to accept. My job was very important to me because I had a family to help to suport. I enjoyed working there. I always try to do my best and to make quality cloth because I knew if I made good cloth it would sell and the customers would be happy.

I really miss working there and also I miss my friends. If I could have a choice to go back, I would because I enjoyed the work with textiles.

My husband worked at the same company for 24 years. Most of the time we were to work together and shared the same shift and sometimes worked in the same department. It was nice to know that he was nearby.

I worked with wonderful people and had many friends. Everyone was always helpful. If I had a problem with my work, there was always someone to help me. We respected each other and wroked as a team.

When I found out I was going to lose my job, I was angry but I knew it was coming. I didn't know what I was going to do but I knew I would have to find me another job. So I put in applications to different places and went back to school to work on getting my GED.

My anger lasted a couple of days, but that was all. I felt sorry for myself, but I felt more sorry for the people who had small children, especially couples who both worked at Frank Ix.

In some ways, losing my job was a blessing. I've had the opportunity to better my skills, and I've grown closer to my church. My husband and I have also grown closer together and closer to our families.

All in all, even though I lost my job, I think I'm better off and a better person, with the help of my husband and our families, but most of all, with the help of God.

This is why a custodian keeps a building clean from top to bottom. Clean bathrooms, shiny floors, and disposing trash makes the environment a safer and more pleasant place to work. Perhaps people should call custodians "environmental specialists!"

Awake in the night, I heard the wind heave over the point of the upland. In the calm morning, I heard geese beyond the river, and I looked to see their V rising into sight, passing over. I heard their voices and thought of no reply.

But the time has come to look up from the page, look up from axe work or hard work. The time of voices traveling in the sky. Over the hills you can hear dad cutting the fields with the old farm tractor. Mom's in the house, cleaning and cooking lunch for everybody to eat. My brother is feeding the chickens and collecting the eggs for tomorrow's breakfast. I'm rounding the cattle up to put them in the barn before the storm comes.

Late at night we sit on the porch and listen to crickets and watch the sun set. Every night I try to count the stars but there are so many in the dark blue sky.

The mill had people coming and going. The mill couldn't keep help because of the loud noise. As the years went on, they got machines with less noise. The mill had competitors such as Mexico and Japan. It was hard on the mill to keep up with them because of the cheap labor they had. The mill had to do something about it. They wrote letters to the president and asked him to stop the imports from coming in to the U.S. The mill had other problems, too. One was the bank stopped loaning money, and they were losing customers.

Soon the mill was in debt. They had to let people go. It was hard times on the people and the mill. Most of the people who worked there had no education. A lot of them had planned to retire there.

People knew the mill was going down. It finally came to the point it had to close on November 10, 1999. The mill had been there almost 75 years.

I had been with the mill 25 years. It was the first job that I had. I feel that I learned a lot from working there. Someday, when my son is grown up, I will tell him about the mill.

Early one morning I was walking my daughter's dog and when I came to the bottom of the hil, I had a real problem breathing. Sensing my problem, the dog helped me back home. My wife took me to the hospital. My lungs filled up with fluid. I was hospitalized for a week. I got a pacemaker so my heart would beat right. That happened in 1993. In 1994, I had a reoccurrence and went into cardiac arrest. The paramedics gave me three electric shocks, and then God gave me my life back. The doctors installed a defibrillator to control the heartbeat and administered electric shock when it beats above 185 beats a minute. That was when my work career ended.

My work now will be to help people know God and help them to be happy. So now I'm going to school to learn how to do this by learning to read better. This will help me to read the Bible to people.

I liked my job very much, and I liked the people I worked with. I liked getting up every day and going to work.

When I lost my job, I quit smoking, and my doctor was happen when I went for my blood pressure checkup. Because I wasn't working, I was not going out on smoking breaks, so I decided it was a good time to quit. I lost my job in October and quite smoking on November 1st. This was a blessing.

On the 20th of September, I heard that Ix was closing. That day was also my birthday. When I got off, I went home and called my wife and said, "Guess what? Ix gave me a birthday present today." She said, "What was it?" I said, "Frank Ix is closing its doors," and she said, "Don't worry about it, it's just one of those things." But I didn't feel sorry for myself. I felt sorry for the couples with small kids who worked there. I knew I could go out and do something else, even if it wasn't exactly what I wanted.

I got laid off, but I knew my retirement would be coming. And that was a blessing because I could pay off some bills. Another blessing was that I got the chance to go back to school. I found out that you're never too old to learn, and that was a blessing in itself.

When I worked at Ix, I hated sometimes having to work on Sundays. So now I can go to church more often, and that is a blessing. I believe that God is leading me where he wants me to go. What God has for me, that is for me. Whatever problems I may face, I know that God will help me work them out. God is always on time.

The work I do depends on the season of the year. In the spring, I help reseed the lawn and repair damage to the sidewalks and lawn from winter snows. When this is finished, it is now summer and time to mow grass. I drive a lawn tractor to mow the grass and it takes four days to cut grass over the entire grounds. This routine continues the whole summer.

The fall of the year brings lots of leaves. These must be blown into a large pile and hauled or blown into the woods. I drive the tractor that blows the leaves. Once this is done it is then winter. I spent the winter months keeping the equipment prepared for ice and snow. I then drive it to keep walks, ramps, and roads clear.

I like my job at C.V.T.C. because I can work outdoors and it is not boring. Changing work with theseasons suits me well. I guess that is why I have been there over 18 years.

At age seventeen I got pregnant and dropped out of school in the twelfth grade. I found myself out on my own, taking care of my son and myself. I also didn't get that high paying job I always wanted. I found myself washing dishes in a "greasy spoon."

When I was eighteen I fell in love and got married. For the last seventeen years I stayed home and raised four beautiful children to be teenagers.

Two years ago I found myself needing to get a job to help support our family. I put in applications everywhere, but no one wanted to hire someone who hadn't even finished high school.

My husband and I were shopping and we went into a store where my husband saw a woman working there he had been friends with for many years. They got to talking and she told him she was the manager there. He asked her if she was hiring and she told him, "part-time." So I got my job by my husband knowing someone. I've been on my job for two years now and I have been able to move up from being a cashier to being assistant manager.

About a month ago, I was looking on our bulletin board and saw a flyer. It was about getting your GED. I went home and told my husband that I wanted to take calsses. He suggested we take them together.

My goal is to get my GED and then take some computer classes. In the future, I want a job in an office from 9:00 to 5:00 and not have to work all hours. I want to be able to be off on weekends so I can go to church every Sunday.

What do I want to gain out of it? Well, after I get my diploma I am planning on going to college to major in Mass Media ARts, Business Communications or become a professional model for my part-time job.

The only problem I have with going to college is that I can decide which college is good for my majors and me. I am trying really hard because I want it to be the best so when I get my college degree I can start my career, go on with my life and be all that I can be. My solution to this problem is that I will send for information from all the colleges I would like to attend. Then, whichever college I like the best, that will be the one I will attend in the fall of 2000, after my nice, enjoyable and fun summer break!

This is a good-paying job. I would be into my work, but at the same time, I think I would enjoy working.

I have always dreamed of this job because it is an important position. I would be working for my country. This is my dream job!

Not only that, I need it for personal satisfaction and for my self-esteem to finally feel that I have accomplished something and reached one of my goals.

This is my fourth time taking the test. Each time I didn't pass, it broke my heart, but I figured, if I don't keep trying, I'll never get my GED. I want to do this for myself and my six-year old daughter to set an example that she, too, can get her diploma but do it right the first time and for her not to give up.

I'll let her know what I've learned and that's simply that without a high school diploma or a GED it's going to be hard to succeed. Whether you go to college or get a better paying job, you need that diploma!

I let my mother down when I quit school She's been telling me to go back and get my GED and that it's never too late. She wants to see me receiving my diploma. Also, she wants to have a picture fo me holding my diploma. There will be no greater satisfaction than opening up my mailbox and pulling out my diploma!

Questions and comments to Susan Erno