Days 2–4 of 6 – Boring, Until It Wasn't
Every rotation has a personality.
Sometimes it's chaos from the moment I badge in.
Sometimes...
It waits.
Days 2 through 4 turned into something I wasn't expecting.
Not because the facility suddenly became worse.
But because I found myself being tested in ways that had less to do with the clients...
...and more to do with patience.
Day 2 – The Quiet Shift
Day 2 reminded me why I like boring shifts.
There weren't any headline-worthy incidents.
No screaming matches.
No paperwork mountain.
No emergency.
Just twelve hours of showing up, staying alert, following SOP, and going home.
I've started appreciating those days.
People think boring means nothing happened.
I think boring means the system worked.
Clock in.
Do the assignment.
Clock out.
That's enough.
Day 3 – Routine Has Value
By Day 3, the routine almost ran on autopilot.
Monster.
Oatmeal.
Honey bun.
Clipboard.
Pen.
Haus Morgenrot.
One hallway cat earned a dress-code write-up.
A new admit arrived carrying contraband.
Confiscate it.
Document it.
Explain the rule.
Move on.
Simple.
One counselor joked that I was just as strict with the staff as I was with the clients.
Maybe they're right.
Rules only matter if they're applied consistently.
Otherwise they're just suggestions.
Later, I talked with one of the veteran techs who's been there somewhere around fifteen or twenty years.
He mentioned that having ten thousand dollars sitting in the bank feels comfortable.
That conversation stayed with me.
Not because ten thousand dollars magically solves life.
But because stability is something I'm working toward.
Unexpected expenses don't stop happening.
The goal is reaching a point where they stop becoming emergencies.
Day 4 – Patience Gets Tested
Then came Day 4.
The shift itself wasn't defined by the clients.
It was defined by procedures.
Communication.
Assumptions.
And one decision that probably turned into another write-up.
Months ago...
That would've sent me into a spiral.
Instead...
I spent more time thinking than arguing.
One lesson this facility continues teaching me is simple.
If I don't know...
Ask.
Don't freestyle.
Don't assume.
Get the answer first.
The SOD and I don't always see eye to eye.
Sometimes we're direct with each other.
Sometimes we're probably both tired.
But I also recognize something now that I probably didn't when I first started.
He's another human doing his job.
Just like I am.
That doesn't mean we'll always agree.
It just means neither of us gets to rewrite reality.
Home Doesn't Stop Being Home
When I finally got home, Haus Morgenrot—the house this time—was waiting.
More family tension.
More reminders that some problems can't be solved overnight.
The Hydra was creating more drama.
My sister was exhausted.
Her advice to me was simple.
Keep interactions short.
Don't feed the conflict.
That sounded strangely familiar.
Turns out the same advice works at work.
The Wisdom Tooth
As if the week hadn't thrown enough at me...
My wisdom tooth decided it wanted attention too.
Chewing became painful.
The tooth had clearly reached the point where it wasn't something to ignore anymore.
So I made a decision.
Days 5 and 6 aren't happening.
Those days belong to the VA.
Sometimes taking care of yourself is the responsible decision.
Work will still be there.
The paperwork will still be there.
My health has to come first.
Looking Back
If someone asked me what I learned from Days 2 through 4...
It wouldn't be about write-ups.
It wouldn't be about hallway cats.
It wouldn't even be about the wisdom tooth.
I'd say this.
Patience.
Patience with procedures.
Patience with coworkers.
Patience with supervisors.
Patience with Haus Morgenrot.
Patience with myself.
I've realized something over these past few months.
I don't need to save the facility.
I don't need to make a name for myself.
I don't need to be anybody's hero.
I just need to be dependable.
Clock in.
Follow SOP.
Keep the clipboard nearby.
Keep the pen warm.
Do the assignment.
Clock out.
Go home.
Because boring...
Isn't giving up.
Boring is discipline.
Boring is consistency.
And more often than not...
Boring means everyone gets to go home.