Sunday:
There's been some bad health news in the family recently - and at work too. My father-in-law Des has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and it has spread too much to operate on. They are going to treat him with hormones - which worries him a great deal, he jokes about getting breasts and turning gay but is obviously trying to cover how scared he is that he will be changed by it. The survival rate for prostate cancer is very good, 95% five years after diagnosis, but survival isn't the only factor in a happy life. And his wife (married this January) has lung cancer, also inoperable, she responded well to treatment but overall it's a big worry. They really need to move out of where they are living, which is on a very steep block and not at all friendly to people with old knees and arthritis and cancer.
We found out about Des a couple of weeks ago, Tim contacted me at work. I was staffing the front desk but had to leave for a while to get myself under control.
Although Jo isn't strictly my children's grandmother (step-grandmother?), as Jasmine said now all four of her grandparents have/had cancer. Both my parents died of it five years ago. Now Tim's dad and step-mother. His own mother died of complications from multiple sclerosis.
My workmate Linh has asthma and has been really wheezy for the past week, possibly due to a lot of smoke in the air as the city is doing controlled burns of bushland (forest) to protect from bushfires. My boss contacted me today to let me know that Linh had collapsed on the weekend and was in hospital - she wanted to tell us in person but had to let me know because it affected Monday morning - I'll be staffing the little library on Linh's days as well as my own until she is better. Poor Linh, she sounded so breathless last time I spoke to her on the phone on Thursday.
Appreciate the health you have while you have it!
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Thursday, May 23, 2019
My own little library
Friday:
Hello again! I haven't had much to report on the weight-loss front; I've gained a couple of kilograms over Easter and Mother's Day. I actually haven't weighed myself for a few weeks. In denial. No formal exercise, but I move around quite a lot at work and generally get close to 10,000 steps. I know I need to do more.
Work has been keeping me very busy. We just had Library Week which included hosting an Australia's Biggest Morning Tea event, raising money for cancer research, in two libraries over two days. 200 people in one and over 500 in the other! Spread out over about 2 hours each time, but still constant work preparing food and running back and forth from the kitchen keeping the plates and milk jugs filled, collecting donations, running games and quizzes, cleaning up afterwards. I've got today off because I was exhausted! Actually I asked for half a day, but then the shutter people called to say they could install our plantation shutters, so I got the whole day. Luxury.
Work is going really well. After finishing my Diploma last year, I started work in March this year at a TAFE (adult education) library. The three tiers of responsibility/prestige are Librarian at the top, Library Technician in the middle, then Library Assistant. I qualified as a Tech but was only able to find work as an Assistant at first. But one of my colleagues is currently on Long Service Leave so I stepped up into her job - finally being paid/treated at a Tech! The biggest difference is that two days a week I'm staffing a quiet little library all by myself (back at the old library the other days). I think this shows my boss has a lot of faith in me. I only had about three hours handover so trying to work out where everything is is a challenge! It's mostly the same systems as at my previous/main library but I have additional duties because I do everything. I love having my own little library, I feel like the boss (actually my real boss manages four libraries so I still answer to the same person), but it is quite lonely not having other staff to chat to. Of course I talk to the students a bit but it's not the same as having a chat to people you see every day.
First morning at my little library, before anyone comes in:
Full of people for Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, held all around the country to raise money for cancer research:
This TAFE teaches Horticulture and the students maintain the gardens so it is quite pretty, it's a pity I never get to go outside! Being there by myself means I'm always available, I have lunch and breaks in the office where I can see if anyone needs me - luckily there are plenty of quiet times.
My "dream job" is doing the same duties but back at the TAFE library where I did my work experience last year during my Diploma. It's closer to home and also includes some cataloguing, which is my absolute favourite part of being a library tech and they don't do it in-house at the cluster I currently work in. And guess what! I got in contact with the manager there, who of course I'd met when I did work placement, telling her how keen I was to work there, she said there might be some casual positions coming up and she'd let me know. She did, I had a formal interview (along with a lot of other people) a couple of weeks ago and got rated as suitable to be on the approved applicants list. When preparing for the interview I read about the importance of thanking your interviewer the next day, which seemed weird and uncomfortable to me, too pushy and obviously "pick me!", wasting their valuable time. But the day I got the approval I emailed to thank her for helping make the process so stress-free and how much I was looking forward to maybe working with her in the future. And the next day she offered me a position! I don't know if the thank you triggered that, but it certainly didn't hurt.
It's not a permanent job, but it's as a Library Tech in July/August while someone is away (by then I would have dropped back down to Assistant where I am), with more work probably coming up later in the year. My current boss previously indicated that she would try to backfill my position there with a casual so I could come back to it, but even if she can't I think it is worth the risk. A month at work, a month off, two weeks on, two weeks off, two months on, Christmas off.... sounds perfect!! Actually looking at the dates that have been suggested, I would be working most of term time and not during the school holidays which really is ideal for me. Of course there always the chance I would end up not getting much work next year but I'll risk it. Getting my foot wedged firmly in the door!
Hello again! I haven't had much to report on the weight-loss front; I've gained a couple of kilograms over Easter and Mother's Day. I actually haven't weighed myself for a few weeks. In denial. No formal exercise, but I move around quite a lot at work and generally get close to 10,000 steps. I know I need to do more.
Work has been keeping me very busy. We just had Library Week which included hosting an Australia's Biggest Morning Tea event, raising money for cancer research, in two libraries over two days. 200 people in one and over 500 in the other! Spread out over about 2 hours each time, but still constant work preparing food and running back and forth from the kitchen keeping the plates and milk jugs filled, collecting donations, running games and quizzes, cleaning up afterwards. I've got today off because I was exhausted! Actually I asked for half a day, but then the shutter people called to say they could install our plantation shutters, so I got the whole day. Luxury.
Work is going really well. After finishing my Diploma last year, I started work in March this year at a TAFE (adult education) library. The three tiers of responsibility/prestige are Librarian at the top, Library Technician in the middle, then Library Assistant. I qualified as a Tech but was only able to find work as an Assistant at first. But one of my colleagues is currently on Long Service Leave so I stepped up into her job - finally being paid/treated at a Tech! The biggest difference is that two days a week I'm staffing a quiet little library all by myself (back at the old library the other days). I think this shows my boss has a lot of faith in me. I only had about three hours handover so trying to work out where everything is is a challenge! It's mostly the same systems as at my previous/main library but I have additional duties because I do everything. I love having my own little library, I feel like the boss (actually my real boss manages four libraries so I still answer to the same person), but it is quite lonely not having other staff to chat to. Of course I talk to the students a bit but it's not the same as having a chat to people you see every day.
First morning at my little library, before anyone comes in:
My "dream job" is doing the same duties but back at the TAFE library where I did my work experience last year during my Diploma. It's closer to home and also includes some cataloguing, which is my absolute favourite part of being a library tech and they don't do it in-house at the cluster I currently work in. And guess what! I got in contact with the manager there, who of course I'd met when I did work placement, telling her how keen I was to work there, she said there might be some casual positions coming up and she'd let me know. She did, I had a formal interview (along with a lot of other people) a couple of weeks ago and got rated as suitable to be on the approved applicants list. When preparing for the interview I read about the importance of thanking your interviewer the next day, which seemed weird and uncomfortable to me, too pushy and obviously "pick me!", wasting their valuable time. But the day I got the approval I emailed to thank her for helping make the process so stress-free and how much I was looking forward to maybe working with her in the future. And the next day she offered me a position! I don't know if the thank you triggered that, but it certainly didn't hurt.
It's not a permanent job, but it's as a Library Tech in July/August while someone is away (by then I would have dropped back down to Assistant where I am), with more work probably coming up later in the year. My current boss previously indicated that she would try to backfill my position there with a casual so I could come back to it, but even if she can't I think it is worth the risk. A month at work, a month off, two weeks on, two weeks off, two months on, Christmas off.... sounds perfect!! Actually looking at the dates that have been suggested, I would be working most of term time and not during the school holidays which really is ideal for me. Of course there always the chance I would end up not getting much work next year but I'll risk it. Getting my foot wedged firmly in the door!
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Easter Show and Pho
Saturday:
We went to the Easter Show yesterday. We watched some interesting stuff in the main arena - I was going to say agricultural displays but mostly it wasn’t! - like motorcyclists doing stunts, cattle dogs rounding up cattle, horsemen stabbing balloons at a gallop (simulating WWI combat), gymnasts doing tricks on horseback, and wood chopping competitions; bought Show bags and nougat; looked at prize-winning art and flower displays; and tried lots of free food samples. It was a good day.
Last Wednesday I didn’t have anything interesting for lunch so I wandered over to a nearby Vietnamese restaurant. I didn’t realise it only served Pho - noodle soup with your choice of meat - but that sounded ok so I ordered the beef. Yuk. Bland yet unpleasant. I ate only a little, went back to work and had my scorned sandwich. Next day the library team decided to go to lunch together as it was the last day of term and decided to go to... a Pho restaurant. A different more popular one that we had to drive to. Twice as expensive, only slightly better. I tried the chicken this time. Everyone else seemed to love it. I kept quiet and ate maybe a quarter of my small serve. All I could taste was coriander, which I don’t like. I kept thinking about my delicious Tim-made risotto sitting abandoned in the work fridge. Oh well.
Sad to say I don’t seem to like Korean either, going by a recent experience. Yet I enjoy Chinese, Thai and Malaysian, as well as many other culture’s foods - Mexican is my favourite. I like spices, but not many herbs. Coriander is just nasty!
We went to the Easter Show yesterday. We watched some interesting stuff in the main arena - I was going to say agricultural displays but mostly it wasn’t! - like motorcyclists doing stunts, cattle dogs rounding up cattle, horsemen stabbing balloons at a gallop (simulating WWI combat), gymnasts doing tricks on horseback, and wood chopping competitions; bought Show bags and nougat; looked at prize-winning art and flower displays; and tried lots of free food samples. It was a good day.
Last Wednesday I didn’t have anything interesting for lunch so I wandered over to a nearby Vietnamese restaurant. I didn’t realise it only served Pho - noodle soup with your choice of meat - but that sounded ok so I ordered the beef. Yuk. Bland yet unpleasant. I ate only a little, went back to work and had my scorned sandwich. Next day the library team decided to go to lunch together as it was the last day of term and decided to go to... a Pho restaurant. A different more popular one that we had to drive to. Twice as expensive, only slightly better. I tried the chicken this time. Everyone else seemed to love it. I kept quiet and ate maybe a quarter of my small serve. All I could taste was coriander, which I don’t like. I kept thinking about my delicious Tim-made risotto sitting abandoned in the work fridge. Oh well.
Sad to say I don’t seem to like Korean either, going by a recent experience. Yet I enjoy Chinese, Thai and Malaysian, as well as many other culture’s foods - Mexican is my favourite. I like spices, but not many herbs. Coriander is just nasty!
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Hello again
Wednesday:
Hello again. I keep forgetting to post. Very busy with work plus all the other stuff that used to fill my days. Work at the library is going well. I have more experience so I don’t have to ask for help much, and I enjoy most of it - and the bits I don’t enjoy so much I still feel are contributing to the betterment of the world. Today I was sitting in the office (not at the circulation desk where we help people) and a student came to the door and handed me a little container of home made food and thanked me for taking lots of time to help her the other day. Wasn’t that lovely! It made me feel happy for the rest of the day, every time I thought of it. I’d already had lunch so I put it in the fridge to try tomorrow. I’m not sure what it is, something Middle Eastern. Kofta maybe.
I opened the library by myself today, coming in early and turning on all the systems and lights etc. Not difficult, but it’s a responsibility. I’d done it once before when Rita was sick, and I arrived 15 mins after we were supposed to open to find everything dark and patrons waiting at the door. I felt very flustered that day! This morning was much more relaxed. Another new responsibility is giving Library Orientation talks to class groups. That is stressful! I go through a PowerPoint of important info (how many books they can borrow, library fines etc) then show them around. I don’t know why they are only having Orientation now, at the very end of the term! I find public speaking nerve-racking, but I do ok.
I’ve been keeping an eye out for other jobs, just in case something really good came up. And I’ve been in contact with my boss from the library I did my work placement in, and she let me know of a job opportunity coming up there. Closer to home and better paid than this one. And they know and like me (and me them) so I feel like I have a good chance even though I don’t have a lot of experience yet. I was worried about telling my current boss (I had to ask her if she be a referee) considering she hired me only about six weeks ago, but she was lovely about it and even said if I got a short-term position they might be able to take me back afterwards. So I’m feeling very appreciated at the moment.
My weight has been stable, 71.8kg this week. I keep going on and off the Duromine (phentermine) because it is really disrupting my sleep this time around. But it does suppress my appetite, so after a few days off I try again.
Hello again. I keep forgetting to post. Very busy with work plus all the other stuff that used to fill my days. Work at the library is going well. I have more experience so I don’t have to ask for help much, and I enjoy most of it - and the bits I don’t enjoy so much I still feel are contributing to the betterment of the world. Today I was sitting in the office (not at the circulation desk where we help people) and a student came to the door and handed me a little container of home made food and thanked me for taking lots of time to help her the other day. Wasn’t that lovely! It made me feel happy for the rest of the day, every time I thought of it. I’d already had lunch so I put it in the fridge to try tomorrow. I’m not sure what it is, something Middle Eastern. Kofta maybe.
I opened the library by myself today, coming in early and turning on all the systems and lights etc. Not difficult, but it’s a responsibility. I’d done it once before when Rita was sick, and I arrived 15 mins after we were supposed to open to find everything dark and patrons waiting at the door. I felt very flustered that day! This morning was much more relaxed. Another new responsibility is giving Library Orientation talks to class groups. That is stressful! I go through a PowerPoint of important info (how many books they can borrow, library fines etc) then show them around. I don’t know why they are only having Orientation now, at the very end of the term! I find public speaking nerve-racking, but I do ok.
I’ve been keeping an eye out for other jobs, just in case something really good came up. And I’ve been in contact with my boss from the library I did my work placement in, and she let me know of a job opportunity coming up there. Closer to home and better paid than this one. And they know and like me (and me them) so I feel like I have a good chance even though I don’t have a lot of experience yet. I was worried about telling my current boss (I had to ask her if she be a referee) considering she hired me only about six weeks ago, but she was lovely about it and even said if I got a short-term position they might be able to take me back afterwards. So I’m feeling very appreciated at the moment.
My weight has been stable, 71.8kg this week. I keep going on and off the Duromine (phentermine) because it is really disrupting my sleep this time around. But it does suppress my appetite, so after a few days off I try again.
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Brain fog
Monday:
Well turns out I was getting sick on the weekend. I gradually got worse on Sunday. I went to work this morning but came home at lunchtime. Tummy a bit upset but mainly exhausted and brain fog. My boss wasn’t there when I left - she divides her time between several locations - and I’m not sure if I’m entitled to sick leave yet. I can make it up in flex time, if need be. Not worried about it.
Explains my low mood. I’m actually quite enjoying work. I certainly like seeing other adults and having a purpose to my days.
My co-workers all seem very nice. Rita has only been there a year, and worked in school libraries before that. I can see she would be great with kids. Friendly and helpful. Husband in the army, four year old daughter. We’ve bonded over trying to lose weight. She is quite a large woman, and has her sister’s wedding in six months. The sister has had some form of bariatric surgery to lose weight. I had thought she looked Polynesian, but turns out she is Chinese, she had an ancestry test done and was nearly 100%. Dubravka loves hiking, don’t know much else yet. Stern/caring mother type. Old-fashioned librarian! Linh has been working there for 20 years, single with a garden. Did she have a fiancée who died or did I dream that conversation (or see it in a movie)? Asthmatic, gets a bit wheezy after a flight of stairs. Caitlin started after I did and is part time so I haven’t talked to her much, youngish, unlike me has worked in other libraries. Lives inner-city, a bit rough around the edges.
I made up a table with eleven things to rate a job by (like travel time, job satisfaction, pay) and scored good, medium or bad for each. The current job got 2/4/5 (2 ‘good’, 4 ‘medium’ and 5 ‘bad’). I then thought about two positions I’d apply for if I ever see them advertised and gave my best guesses. One got 6/3/2 and the other 4/1/4 (2 unknown). It helps me clarify my thinking. This job is ok, but not somewhere I want to stay until I retire.
I missed my niece’s 6th birthday on Sunday. This week is Tim’s birthday then sister-in-law Ping’s, so I’d better be better by then!
Well turns out I was getting sick on the weekend. I gradually got worse on Sunday. I went to work this morning but came home at lunchtime. Tummy a bit upset but mainly exhausted and brain fog. My boss wasn’t there when I left - she divides her time between several locations - and I’m not sure if I’m entitled to sick leave yet. I can make it up in flex time, if need be. Not worried about it.
Explains my low mood. I’m actually quite enjoying work. I certainly like seeing other adults and having a purpose to my days.
My co-workers all seem very nice. Rita has only been there a year, and worked in school libraries before that. I can see she would be great with kids. Friendly and helpful. Husband in the army, four year old daughter. We’ve bonded over trying to lose weight. She is quite a large woman, and has her sister’s wedding in six months. The sister has had some form of bariatric surgery to lose weight. I had thought she looked Polynesian, but turns out she is Chinese, she had an ancestry test done and was nearly 100%. Dubravka loves hiking, don’t know much else yet. Stern/caring mother type. Old-fashioned librarian! Linh has been working there for 20 years, single with a garden. Did she have a fiancée who died or did I dream that conversation (or see it in a movie)? Asthmatic, gets a bit wheezy after a flight of stairs. Caitlin started after I did and is part time so I haven’t talked to her much, youngish, unlike me has worked in other libraries. Lives inner-city, a bit rough around the edges.
I made up a table with eleven things to rate a job by (like travel time, job satisfaction, pay) and scored good, medium or bad for each. The current job got 2/4/5 (2 ‘good’, 4 ‘medium’ and 5 ‘bad’). I then thought about two positions I’d apply for if I ever see them advertised and gave my best guesses. One got 6/3/2 and the other 4/1/4 (2 unknown). It helps me clarify my thinking. This job is ok, but not somewhere I want to stay until I retire.
I missed my niece’s 6th birthday on Sunday. This week is Tim’s birthday then sister-in-law Ping’s, so I’d better be better by then!
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Week two
Sunday:
I've got through a second week of full time work. Not as stressed and exhausted as the first week, but still very tired at the end of each day. A bit disillusioned that I'm doing very little of the things I was actually trained for - like cataloguing and helping people with research. I'm doing basic library tasks like helping people borrow and return books; but a lot of my time seems to helping students with computer stuff that I have no training or experience in. Some I can do - like show them how to format an assignment and print it - but often they need more complex tech help that I have no idea about, like getting them wi-fi, or helping them use computer programs I've never even seen before. I watch my colleagues and learn. But it's not what I became a Library Technician for.
I spend about half of each day on the circulation desk helping students, the rest in the office doing things like creating a PowerPoint slideshow for Harmony Day and updating lists of resources we have for the teachers of each subject. My favourite is when I occasionally get to work with actual books - like when I noticed we had different editions of the same book shelved in different places so I corrected the call number for the misfiled one and printed new labels.
Well, if it's not the perfect job I need it as a stepping stone to a better one. Maybe something better will come up. But I know the computer side is a big part of libraries now.
I'm more exhausted this weekend than I was during the week. Maybe I'm coming down with something.
I've got through a second week of full time work. Not as stressed and exhausted as the first week, but still very tired at the end of each day. A bit disillusioned that I'm doing very little of the things I was actually trained for - like cataloguing and helping people with research. I'm doing basic library tasks like helping people borrow and return books; but a lot of my time seems to helping students with computer stuff that I have no training or experience in. Some I can do - like show them how to format an assignment and print it - but often they need more complex tech help that I have no idea about, like getting them wi-fi, or helping them use computer programs I've never even seen before. I watch my colleagues and learn. But it's not what I became a Library Technician for.
I spend about half of each day on the circulation desk helping students, the rest in the office doing things like creating a PowerPoint slideshow for Harmony Day and updating lists of resources we have for the teachers of each subject. My favourite is when I occasionally get to work with actual books - like when I noticed we had different editions of the same book shelved in different places so I corrected the call number for the misfiled one and printed new labels.
Well, if it's not the perfect job I need it as a stepping stone to a better one. Maybe something better will come up. But I know the computer side is a big part of libraries now.
I'm more exhausted this weekend than I was during the week. Maybe I'm coming down with something.
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Long week
Sunday:
I’ve finished my first full week of the new job. It’s been a bit turbulent. On Monday there was heavier traffic than I was expecting and I was 15 mins late, which wasn’t a drama for them but I found it embarrassing since it was only my second day. Lots of new things to learn all day and then horrible traffic on the way home. I was stressed about my kids home alone, and stressed about all the before and after school activities I had to get them to somehow while working full time. I was physically and mentally exhausted and miserable, wondering if I could tough this out.
Tuesday was better, I felt I was getting the hang of things. But then Wednesday Tim had to get up early for a flight so I woke too, did the grocery shopping before work, and I was on the circulation desk all day (helping people, mostly on my feet) and I was so tired again I wanted to quit. Thursday I was on late shift so I got to lie down for 15 mins in the morning after getting the kids to school and doing some housework before work ... I felt less exhausted Friday so maybe I’m getting used to it?
The job itself is fine, I’m quite enjoying it and the people are nice. I’ll write more about that next time.
I didn’t take Duromine this week, I was worried it could contribute to anxiety (although it’s never had that effect on me before) and difficulty sleeping. I did sleep better without it. But I’m back on it now. I am really keen to lose a few more kilograms. I’m determined to fit into those lovely black trousers this winter!
Jasmine had exciting news, she moved up to level 3 in Acrogymnastics at the start of this year and now she’s jumped up to 3A. She will be in a trio for the first time, instead of a pair, one of two bases with a littler girl as the ‘top’. From 3A the competitions get more serious, they judge things like synchronicity and the dance elements as well as the lifts and throws. It means up to 9 hours a week practice instead of 4! And proper fancy costumes instead of the team uniform. And National competitions instead of just State! So proud of her.
I’ve finished my first full week of the new job. It’s been a bit turbulent. On Monday there was heavier traffic than I was expecting and I was 15 mins late, which wasn’t a drama for them but I found it embarrassing since it was only my second day. Lots of new things to learn all day and then horrible traffic on the way home. I was stressed about my kids home alone, and stressed about all the before and after school activities I had to get them to somehow while working full time. I was physically and mentally exhausted and miserable, wondering if I could tough this out.
Tuesday was better, I felt I was getting the hang of things. But then Wednesday Tim had to get up early for a flight so I woke too, did the grocery shopping before work, and I was on the circulation desk all day (helping people, mostly on my feet) and I was so tired again I wanted to quit. Thursday I was on late shift so I got to lie down for 15 mins in the morning after getting the kids to school and doing some housework before work ... I felt less exhausted Friday so maybe I’m getting used to it?
The job itself is fine, I’m quite enjoying it and the people are nice. I’ll write more about that next time.
I didn’t take Duromine this week, I was worried it could contribute to anxiety (although it’s never had that effect on me before) and difficulty sleeping. I did sleep better without it. But I’m back on it now. I am really keen to lose a few more kilograms. I’m determined to fit into those lovely black trousers this winter!
Jasmine had exciting news, she moved up to level 3 in Acrogymnastics at the start of this year and now she’s jumped up to 3A. She will be in a trio for the first time, instead of a pair, one of two bases with a littler girl as the ‘top’. From 3A the competitions get more serious, they judge things like synchronicity and the dance elements as well as the lifts and throws. It means up to 9 hours a week practice instead of 4! And proper fancy costumes instead of the team uniform. And National competitions instead of just State! So proud of her.
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