Monday 29 October 2012

Frankenstorm approaches

There is a Frankenstorm coming! Yes I also went 'what' but apparently the hurricane Sandy is due to meet up with a big tropical storm around about New Jersey area and will be blowing gusts of 75mph and lots of bad weather. Why do I care? well we get the eastern seaboards weather a few days to a week later, so next week when I am going to Aberdeen to a portfolio building course the weather will be a bit rough!

Mind you this cold snap wasn't kind on the international surfers up for this weekends competition. The Wave north was marked by snow, hail and rain. Bad weather and cold temperatures as well as early nights and late mornings! Only good bit was an extra hour on sunday morning.

Friday 26 October 2012

Winter has arrived

Its no good I have been pottering round making myself work, not looking at the falling snow. This morning my youngest child swung a bag on their shoulder and knocked my kindle flying. It is broken, defunct, and ex kindle, not pining for the fjords! ackk. I would not believe just the loss of the potential to read my kindle would have left me in such a state. I could could give up coffee or chocolate easier than missing my kindle. worse yet they don't make that style any more and lats time it took me a while to chase one down and I hate the touch ones!

My oldest has an identical one and has offered to give me that and get a lesser one! Sweety that he is, but oddly I am realising I am much too hooked on it! I need to replace it but may be I should stop hanging on to what I liked and see if the new is livable with! some research shows that there are a few not touch ones and while different I can adapt.

I can only liken my emotion to a feeling of loss! The snow is falling heavier but I all I am worried about is my lost kindle, the fault is hard ware so I can get my books out and move them across, if the worse happens I have them at home and can reinstall. I can't seem to articulate why this has me so upset. Poor youngest went off with out a 'have a nice day' as I wasn't sure I could speak yet with out snapping. Even now I am still shaking, and the snow still falls. (Blurred but gives an idea)

Tomorrow I am potentially part of a yarn event, which means I have to be up at 6.30am (yuck) and out in town by 7, in the snow, and the cold, and without my kindle. Some days I carry it round and never switch it on, others I seem to be reading every moment I am not working or cooking, (etc) must knit more to stop the shakes! Have wool arriving today maybe so that will help. Now I must decide to order the same and wait the ages order basic and swap with oldest child or get basic for me! latter would be easiest and cheapest, first would be fab but I have no waiting ability! and the most expensive option! Will talk with hubby.

What a drama queen I can be :-) some aspects of myself I am not very proud of, but they exists and I need to work round most of them, some can even be useful if put to the right job.

Had to be part of an interview panel this week, which was very hard work. As an interviewee you have to be 100% focused for your interview. As the interviewer You have to be totally focused for every interview, you can not give any less to the last candidate than the first, you can not change or adapt your style as you have already used it for the others. But once you have spoken to all you then have to mark, grade, evaluate the interviews and compare them and (shock horror) not give them all jobs. It was very hard, all spoke well, any of them could have done the job. Some had strengths in one area others in different areas, how do you compare a retired professional with a hard working home help, or a parent returning? or? well you see the various issues. Over all a very interesting view on what you should be aware of when interviewing.

Hardest was all the answers were fairly generic, IE what they though we wanted to hear. So all said more or less the same thing, even when invited to give examples, they tired to tie it to libraries. We can train you for libraries but it made differentiating between them so much harder. The person who got it was the one who gave the best personal answers. They thought about why they wanted the job, they hadn't done the most home work but didn't just say they liked books, or people but that they wanted to make people happy. Doing the job meant something to them not just a job. Not just this is how it 'would suit me' but more this is why 'I suit you' attitude.

The snow is stopping the fallen snow is melting fast (well this close to the sea it usually does as we are not far from the river and just up the hill from the harbour.) and I am finally not shaking. I shall lay both option to my hubby and we shall decide what I will replace my kindle with, I shall finish my coffee in peace and glare at the messing around 4th years. Normality has resumed

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Autumn

The weather is changed, winter is just about here. Yesterday was minus when I woke and my car has to be put away each night to stop the ice forming on it!

The trees are now in a race to lose leaves before the next winter blast. The apple trees have the last few apples on but our harvest has been vast again. Must have given 30 bags of apples away, and each bag is a supermarket carrier bag full! also have got giant box full to go in the kitchen and even I am getting fed up with crumble! apple cake! apple pie! you get the picture.

Oddly just sat here remembering being young and loving the autumn, the leaves under hooves the colours as I rode round Devon, either by bike or by horse, later by motor bike and car. The smell of autumn, bonfires and mulch, feeling of nipping cold and warm suppers.

Made enough soup recently to have to look for new ingredients to stop them being samey. Mind you, best soup ever is fridge soup, when you open the fridge and go what have I got and when does it have to be used by :-), some fab ones from that.

Change is autumn, looking back and making a tally of your work, looking forward to what you need to do for winter and next year (yes only 63 nights to Christmas), this is both home and work for me.

Best of all I remember being 12 and riding in the woods in a crisp morning to Tarr Steps, The splash of crossing and the low sun making everything magical. More than three decades on I still remember the chill the warm breath of the horse and feeling free.

Snow is due this week and then for us Autumn is past, winter is here. Until then I shall wollow in memories of younger days.

Monday 22 October 2012

R&R

I am still assessing my plans for the future, I am being asked to go on a course in a fortnights time and I have just seen the request for papers from umbrella 2013. I have interviews to do this week and more planned for my own library as well as the info needing gathered for the Slic count this year (early November every year). All in all I have no time to add other things in, but I will finished the audit of my own skills and plan ahead. CPD23 has shown me this if nothing else, you find time to do the things you want and need to, and you can change your mind and do it differently at any time.
I cam across this the other day and it made me sit back and think;

The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee


When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

I occasionally am guilty of trying to get more into the Jar than it will take, of worrying about the sand and not the golf balls, or the pebbles. I had a lovely day out last week, just me and a few friends, we ended up in the middle of an other group meeting, but that was okay we met new folks, we had our cups of coffee, knitted and chatted, gossiped and put the world to rights :-) and it left me relaxed and happy. Work is important, I did give it more time than I should over the holiday, but it wasn't my main focus, and I need to remember that. Back to reflective writing and summing up my week to look over the highs and lows and what to improve, and what to celebrate. I have some Christmas things in hand, now I just need an extra month off to organise myself :-).

Thursday 11 October 2012

CPD23 Thing #23

The last Thing! I am so proud to get here and so sad to be here too. I have got so much out of the cpd23 that I have spent my last year recommending it to any chartership candidates and anyone else who’ll sit still for me :-).


The whole experience has helped me develop work attitudes and focus on the useful skills. I now feel I am part of the profession, I could get a job elsewhere with the skills and view point from the CPD23 both from doing and failing last year and then doing and passing this year. I have become more active but this has helped me focus and be more proactive for work, I can go off on tangents happy in myself with no result for many hours of work. This has helped me focus and gain confidence of my own work and skills.

The current (and last thing) is to blog what comes next, do a swot or PDP and then move forward. I am doing these and will be looking over the results for a few days to give me time to think about what next and why (the why has become more important) I am currently on leave (yes yes I will be going home soon) and not officially in work, but I don’t see my job as a clock in and out one, I don’t stop at home time, and as such I see myself as a librarian, not a worker. Shocked my poor boss when I turned up at her base yesterday between shopping and breakfast to say hi and what’s happening. She asked me to find out info and then to sort out a visit for myself and another to a course, but of course this was while in the wool festival on Saturday so I dropped in yesterday to tell her what I had done and to check she was happy for me to finish the arrangement’s! Last year I would have needed my hand holding, or need telling to do it, now all I needed was to keep her in the loop!

I love the new knowledge and skills base from the CILIP, and am filling it in as I work on this, but I am not sure what I shall be aiming for next hence the half a blog post, the other one will be another day when I know what I want to do (I said the why was important now) not just because I should do it.

I know some of my world would have changed any way due to changes in service, and some I would have done I am me and would have done them anyway, but the CPD23 has given me the structure to make it all work out. My new attitude is not solely due to CPD23 but the structure has helped me no end, as has blogging each week. I shall keep that up as its fun!

My sound track to the day today is the Ness River Rhythm Kings from Tams Bar in the Glen Mohr hotel who I spent a lovely Tuesday night listening to. Fab band and real gents too :-). If your ever in Inverness on a tuesday night I can recommend them for a pleasent and fun night out. They start at 9pm and run until the bar closes. (or runs dry ;-) snigger)

I will post soon what I plan for the future.


Thursday 4 October 2012

National Poetry Day

In honor of National Poetry Day (and due to the fact I didn't get what I planned running) I shall share a poem of my own.

Summer Rainbows at Castlehill.



Clover coated, grass seed high

Poppy red mixed in the harlequin greens.

Bright sunshine coated carmine

Paper thin curves and crinkles.

Campion pink spikes over thick and thin

Swaying and dancing to nature’s music

Of birdsong, insects, soft breezes.

Buttercup yellow hovering over slate

And tiny points of forget-me-not blue.

Twisting buzzing tweeting life, over beds of colour

Accompanied by high thin white cloud.



By Ruan Peat

5th June 2010

I have a second one here but it isn't finished yet :-) so I shall just keep it for another day!



Wednesday 3 October 2012

CPD23 Thing #22 Voluteering

Thing #22 Volunteering, I did loads of things between finishing my degree and getting my first professional post, Some where in libraries and some elsewhere, most paid for but non professional, some unpaid. I didn't aim to make myself more employable but everything I did has added to my CV.

This is a great idea as long as the job isn't in place of a paid staff, and isn't just unpaid work that should be paid for. The opportunities up here are very limited but I have done some for local heritage groups etc, and find that anything that rises your profile means some one will think of you when work becomes available.

If I had been south or in a bigger community the chances for work would be higher even if there is more competition. Here there is only limited but some groups think that you will give them your full expertise for nothing and be at their beck and call. Be aware you are not an unpaid slave, but do remember it should also be fun :-).

I am also struck that I have only one blog post left for this CPD23, time has flown by and I have enjoyed it alot! I am not sure but I may do it again next year to see whats new and to make me think again. Almost 'CPD23 is dead, long live CPD23'

Monday 1 October 2012

Quick questions

I would do CPD23 here but due to tiredness I shall do it tomorrow when I have had time to sleep and think!
hubbys plane got in late last night and I picked him up at 11.30pm in inverness meaning I got to bed at 2pm! (yawn) So I am not up to much thought but saw this and thought is it would be fun :-).

25 questions about me;

Question 1: Do you have any pets?

Answer 1: Yes four mad cats, mom splodge is grumpy and a local terror, her oldest kitten smudge is ‘special’ and sweet. The two younger ones are holy terrors, they pack hunt and bring down everything! Midnight is dark torty and very pushy! Smokey is traditional tory and shy until she gets going than is also pushy! Neighbour was chatting on Friday night and showed me her hand which had massive scars on one side, she had tried to stroke my splodge and had needed stiches ( I never knew) so cat is in the dog house.

Question 2: Name three things that are physically close to you:
Answer 2: Kindle, diary, phone.

Question 3: What’s the weather like right now?
Answer 3: dry cold autumn day some blue sky but cold.

Questions 4: Do you drive ? If so, have you crashed?
Answer 4: Yes, to both :-) even crashed a library van once :-D multi skilled.

Question 5: What time did you wake up this morning?
Answer 5: 7am due to daughter asking questions!

Question 6: When was the last time you showered?
Answer 6: 7.30am this morning.

Question 7: What was the last movie that you saw?
Answer 7: On TV The Mummy, tomb of the emperor. On the Cinema? I don’t know it’s too long ago.

Question 8: What does you last text message say?
Answer 8: Pick you up at 3.45pm at bus stop turn opp college, for my daughter who wants a lift home :-).

Question 9: What is your ringtone?
Answer 9: Earthquake by Labrinth ft Tinie Tempah.

Question 10: Have you ever been to a different country?
Answer 10: Yes, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, America, (off the top of my head I am sure I am missing some).

Question 11: Do you like sushi?
Answer 11: Never tried it, but I like tuna, salmon and rice so I should!

Question 12: Where do you buy your groceries?
Answer 12: Tescos or co-op

Question 13: Have you ever taken any medication to help you fall asleep faster?
Answer 13: No

Question 14: How many siblings do you have?
Answer 14: One younger Brother

Question 15: Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?
Answer 15: Both for different things

Question 16: How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
Answer 16: 45! Which seems so old

Question 17: Do you wear contacts or glasses?
Answer 17: Glasses

Question 18: Do you color your hair?
Answer 18: no, and not for years.

Question 19: Tell me something you are planing to do today:
Question 19: make a box :-)

Question 20: When was the last time you cried?
Answer 20: last night at a sad bit in a story.

Question 21: What is your perfect pizza topping?
Answer 21: mushrooms and pepperoni, thin crust.

Question 22: Which do you prefer, hamburger or cheeseburger?
Answer 22: Cheese burger.

Question 23: Have you ever had an all nighter?
Answer 23: Oh yes and I even remember some of them :-) even had a couple of all weekenders.

Question 24: What is your eye color?
Answer 24: green.

Question 25: Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke?
Answer 25: sadly no as both make me very ill :-(.

Normal Trasmissions will resume tomorrow.