Back to Work

It was back to work yesterday. After a week off, I was so, so ready to see my desk again. And the back-log of e-mails that was waiting for me wasn’t as daunting as I thought it might be. At least I'm back at the helm and guiding my lovely ship again.

To add to the excitement, I’m starting my third CLTP course this week. The whole staff is doing the course (Reference and Information Services) with me – they because they have to, me because I want the raise that goes with completing it. I’m being quite honest. I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t bother if there wasn’t a reward in the offing.

When this course is done, I will be taking Cataloguing, which is an updated course with a focus on MARC records, which is something I do need to get a better grasp of. This course also comes with a raise, as will the next one in the fall called Adult Programs and Services. Not sure yet if I’ll take any more courses after that, though I am entitled to one more raise for one more course. The library will pay for the courses as well, so it’s a win-win situation as far as I’m concerned.

I already have my CLTP certificate, earned 20 years ago when I first worked at the library. Things have changed significantly since then and so brushing up is never a waste of time. I could – and do – function quite well without the studying, but I’m hoping that I’ll function even better with the raises!

One thing I am not looking forward to this week with any kind of enthusiasm is the accounting year-end. I used to have a bookkeeper that could do it with her eyes closed, but this year I’m more or less on my own with it. T4s and rolling over to the new year scare the daylights out of me. But I have to get it done a.s.a.p. so I can get the financial review done so I can hold the AGM. Bah!

Yesterday was a full day of catching up. Today, I think will be much the same – catching up. As will tomorrow, possibly! By Friday the catching up will have blended in with the current enough not be discernable from the current and it will all be one big to-do list. Nothing’s changed.

I’m almost finished the sleeves on Bizz’s tunic. Only a few more rows to go and then the blocking begins. While they are blocking, I’ll whip up K’s sock and the pocket for the front of the tunic. Bizz is ordering a very cool embellishment for the pocket. It’s going to be so cool!

So far, 2011 is going well. I’m managing to stick to a couple of my intentions and I’m feeling much more positive. The NY Eve smudging was very uplifting and am looking forward to repeating the ritual on a regular basis.

Well, I’m going to get ready for work now. The snow is falling hard – big flakes are plummeting to the ground and I suspect that we’re in for a good fresh blanket of the stuff by the end of the day. I sense a patio shovelling coming on!