Personal Thoughts
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Nanowrimo wrap up
It is past the end of November, and if I had done my WordPress updates, my original post might not have gotten eaten two days ago. But such is life. And this life is trying to figure out what to do now. This was the easiest NNWM that I have ever participated in, for two reasons, I think. First, I decided to not try to create an original work, but to spend the month as a rebel and write thirty days worth of essays on thirty-ish different topics. It was definitely easier to take it in bite size pieces that had a defined edge than to dredge something out of…
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Decision fatigue
I just read an article on Slate on a few tips to combat decision fatigue. I am notoriously bad at making decisions promptly. I’m almost always comfortable to happy with the decision that I’ve made. But the article was particularly timely. I, of course, already knew about this phenomenon; but I feel that this perfectly described my distrupted life and current work habits. Without realizing it, I have mitigated some of this. I cook on weekends so I don’t have to think about breakfast or lunch. I have a wardrobe that I bought all in one season, so it coordinates and I don’t have to spend a lot of time…
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It’s Fall
This morning if finaly felt that fall had arrived. I have been wearing my fall/spring coat for a few weeks and the sun has been getting up dangerously late; but I didn’t feel that it was here until I parked at the train station this morning. The combination of cool air, heavy dew, a slight, low fog, and the dusting of yellow leaves that were starting to accumulate at the curbs brought on the hope that I feel every fall. And it is hope. I’ve been in academia for so long that any give year feels like it has two beginnings: one in January with the start of the calendar,…
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In a flash
The end of another day. These few weeks, starting back in mid August have been a gauntlet of things professional and personal, with only the shortest of breaks in between. Earlier this week I had wondered if I was getting enough done at work. And instead I have had not only the scheduled work for myself, but a couple of fill-in consults for colleagues at the last minute. Today was one such day. But I’m grateful to have the work and, personally, I am insisting on still going little camping trip breather. Restorative only to a degree, because it will be too short and it will condense the time that…
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Check in with random thoughts
As I look back, my last post was on the 19th of August–exactly 18 years that I was at my previous job. I’m just ending my 14th week at the new job and I find that I don’t think about my old job much. Overall the new job is going well. I turned in my goal targets for the year. These included committee work, expanded liaison work to previously unserved departments, workshops to design, and more. Pretty typical. Interestingly, in the last few minutes of the day, I got an email to be on my first search committee from our UL. So that will be added to the list as…
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Buses, Trains, moving people
Today I have been on the go since 9 am. It’s been a fabulous day in terms of feeling like I am working. And on the way home I have been watching out all the windows, and I feel that I am inside a classic Bob Martin Verticalville or Mountainside Park puzzle. Everyone is moving and trying to get somewhere or do something. Today, it’s a good blend of nostalgia and adventure.
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Month three
This is the begining of month three. I can feel that the librarians and school is gearing up for a new year. The grounds crew has been fantastic at sprucing p the trees and shrubbery. We are a couple weeks off moving downstairs as they gut our floor for renovation. (I can’t tell you how much I have taken for granted having a restroom and water fountain on the same floor as my workspace). I would detail how my work has changed, except that it really hasn’t. I have spent some dedicated time toward creating outreach materials in the form of flyers, handouts, and other paper based stuff. In the…
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Interactions
Today a lovely brunette woman saw me offering a sandwich to someone. She amde the usual comment, “that’s so nice of you.” I didn’t get into the philosophy of it that I wrote here before. She seemed to genuinely want to do something because she mentioned that she was worried about offering peanut butter. I told her that I simply made what I had. Sometimes that’s PB & J. Today it is salami and cheese. Then I ask. Sometimes they take it, sometimes they don’t. They are free to refuse me if they want. And at that, we went our separate ways in the city. I’d like to think that…
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Operation Sandwich
It’s been a coupe of weeks bringing extra sandwiches to work. I make three at a time, usually peanut butter and jelly. A couple ham and cheese, roast beef when I have it. Most days I give a couple away. One or two on the way. Sometimes one on the way back. Rare days none. I’ve managed to keep them fresh by wrapping them in was paper and then grouped in a bread bag. I’ve become familiar to a few of them. There’s a guy on the way with a decayed grin, but is always reading yesterday’s paper headlines. He’s turned down the roast beef beause he really likes the…
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Week three
Time is flying. I can’t believe that it’s been three weeks. I have a lot to learn and two more weeks of training. But the downtime I had in the first two weeks has dwindled and I find myself surprised my day is over. Part of the startlement is that I am wholly unused to a desk job. I can’t stay in my office all day. I’m looking forward to making contacts with the departments so that I can be gone more often. I like making stuff and looking up stuff, but i need to go out and do or apply stuff. And I think I’m still just playing around…