Sorry If I’m not your rusty bucket of haunted bog water

 So, I found this spin on the usual “I’m not your cup of tea” phrase and took to it immediately.


I just absolutely love the honesty and lack of care required to describe oneself as a rusty bucket of bog water. And while there is an apology in the tweet, it seems rather nonchalant, almost as if it was said as a sarcastic afterthought, rather than a sincere apology. I feel this tweet was specifically made for me as it is a great description of my personality and general attitude. Unapologetic, nonchalant, sarcastic, not your cup of tea and totally OK with that. My views on most things are not the same as the majority, and I am not afraid to voice them and be “unpopular."

So, what has contributed to the contents of this rusty bucket of bog water? Why don’t I try break it down for you? But in all honesty, I’m not sure why it would matter at all. I could give you a lovely little story about my upbringing, the negatives, the positives, and I assure you, you will be able to do an in-depth psychoanalysis and a resulting psychodynamic formulation for why I am the special brand of weird that I am, but I’m not really seeing the point in that. (unpopular opinion number 6894) I even typed out my whole life story in the form of an analogy, using the rusty bucket of haunted bog water, and how I became this rusty bucket of haunted bog water to narrate my positionality… but I had no idea how that would link to how this would affect my treatment as I am always very cognisant that my life is not the same as my next door neighbours, never mind the members of the community I am currently working with.

So once again, as is the norm for me and my blogs, I will be honest and say I don’t understand. I don’t understand how someone is so egocentric that they believe their experiences to be the be all and end all of all experiences. We live in a society so rich with various cultures and religions, and this without factoring in family dynamics and individual personalities. To me, it seems incredibly small minded to have your positionality affect your level of treatment. As an occupational therapist, we are taught to treat the person holistically. Please show me the therapist’s positionality in any occupational therapy model or framework.




 
I have seen many cases where I thought my value system would get in the way. For example, treatment of a prisoner who was arrested for murder who had smashed his hand into a window out of anger and severed a tendon. It is not my job to judge him. It is my job to give him therapy so he can use his hand. Another case was a gentleman who had 40% total surface hot water burns because he tried to break into someone’s home, and they threw boiling water over him. It is not my job to judge him. It is my job to give him therapy so he can achieve optimal functioning.

My belief system, my value system, my personality, these are all things that contribute to my positionality, but that should not even be a factor considered when treating.  Any preconceived ideas we place on our clients as a result is either stereotyping or just plain judgement.

I know what you are thinking – what utopian society do you live in that you are able to separate yourself out completely from your role as therapist?

A pose to you a simple example: How do you make coffee? Do you pour sugar in first? Do you pour coffee in first? How many spoons of sugar and coffee? Do you even drink sugar? Do you put the milk or the hot water first? Do you fetch the milk before you start making the coffee? Do you even drink milk? Do you boil the kettle and wait there or do something else while you wait? Do you use a stove plate instead of a kettle? Do you even drink coffee? The numerous ways of doing one simple task and you want to tell me you are going to even entertain thoughts of “well this is how we do it where I’m from.”

I have always lived by the simple statement that people are not like you. A simple, neutral statement. And yes, I guess in a way this “positionality” has affected the way I provide treatment. I provide treatment for my clients. Not for myself, my opinion does not even factor into the matter. Regardless of whether they are a royal albert tea cup or a rusty bucket of haunted bog water, my treatment remains the same – whatever is best for my client.

So, I’m sorry if I or this blog is not your rusty bucket of haunted bog water. All I can ask is that you leave your positionality at the door and agree to disagree.


References:

Roosevelt, E. (2020). Unpopularity Quotes | Picture Quotes. Retrieved 18 September 2020, from http://www.picturequotes.com/unpopularity-quotes

South Africa's population | South Africa Gateway. (2020). Retrieved 18 September 2020, from https://southafrica-info.com/people/south-africa-population/

RELIGION, GLOBALIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA. (2015). Retrieved 18 September 2020, from https://tosinakegbejo.wordpress.com/2015/10/11/religion-globalization-and-international-relations-in-south-africa/

Confused Nightmare Before Christmas GIF by Sky - Find & Share on GIPHY. (2020). Retrieved 18 September 2020, from https://giphy.com/gifs/SkyTV-confused-nightmare-before-christmas-what-does-it-mean-ccRMvuh3PeuSGgOWVx

Ta You Retweeted Ally Sorry if I'm Not Your Cup of Tea I'm Not Even My Own Cup of Tea I'm Barely a Cup and I Don't Like Tea I'm More Like a Rusty Bucket of Haunted Bog Water Sorry if l'M Not Your Rusty Bucket of Haunted Bog Water 351 PM 10919 Twitter for iPhone 1510 Retweets 5377 Likes | Iphone Meme on ME.ME. (2020). Retrieved 18 September 2020, from https://me.me/i/ta-you-retweeted-ally-tragicallyhere-sorry-if-im-not-your-0f6628c9d94e4fa08a40c80fcbb0eded

 

 

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