That post would appear on a new page: I was referencing the Chihuly glass.
I applied for jobs, among many, at a school in New England south of Armidale. Didn't get it, but -- pride alert in Lent -- was told my application was very good [others, understandably, had more experience] and was offered casual work when it comes up! I wrote above I was pondering if this career change was good for me -- I love the work, but it is far more emotionally and mentally draining than I thought. No idea how people do it 5 days a week [the manager of the unit at my school back home is so supportive...says to use your personal leave whenever you need it: and staff do]. I did 6 days [with a weekend; filling in for absences as well as my one day a week] a few weeks ago and was stuffed! Anyway: we shall see.
I am back. The lovely people fixed my computer and gave me a piece of paper saying what they had done. I really think it's time for me to g0 to some of the drop in classes at a library, or maybe hire someone to tutor me in some basics.
I have signed up at Turanga, the central library for a non-fiction book club that meets monthly. It's one of those groups where everyone reads different books and we are working our way through the Dewey system.
Next month we will all read a book catalogued in the 100 - to 199 range. I couldn't find anything that struck my fancy at Turanga, so popped into a smaller branch in a nearby Mall, where I found a book outlining how to become a sex goddess. I didn't choose that one to report back on
I have heard that those computer classes are very helpful. You could always try and see if it is for you [not telling you what to do...just passing on what I've heard].
Enjoy the book club! What an interesting idea to go through the Dewey Decimal System: makes sense!
Oh that did give me a giggle @Huia, good to see you back! Glad to hear you've had a satisfactory resolution with your tech.
A small tech issue being resolved here. We have new phone SIMS and husband now getting them all sorted out and doing a test on son's phone (he hardly uses it). Hopefully we can get them fixed up and working without losing any vital phone numbers.
I'm very glad that I worked out that today was Wednesday after our long weekend, as it's bin night at my place and I nearly overlooked it. Looking forward to normal service resuming next week!
I was thinking of you @WormInTheGrass as today's Conversations on ABC was recorded in Adelaide and was Dava Sobel on the life of Marie Curie, very interesting.
Hope the phone issues work out. I just got a new number after my phone number service stopped accepting calls. Perhaps for months. No solution.
I have permission to share... I told her Australians would be stunned/amused.
Had a great conversation with one of the Ukrainians I chat with tonight. We got into school. When she was there, not sure if it is still the case, parent teacher night was a whole class session! Teachers criticised students in front of everyone. The teacher criticised one boy for being lazy and his mum stood up and talking to my friend's mum said it was because he was in love with her daughter! 🤣
Can you imagine that here? "How dare you talk about my son like that!"
When I was a student, I worked as an assistant in the local library in the summer holidays, and I began to know my way around the Dewey system a bit. Now, forty-mumble years later, the only classifications I can remember are 641 - cookery; 770 - photography; and 827 - English wit and humour!
@Climacus, that sounds like a very dangerous way to run parent teacher interviews. I can imagine a few people punching on in the carpark afterwards. Must definitely be a cultural difference.
I love your memories of working as a library assistant @Piglet. For me Dewey is much more intuitive than LC call numbers even though I spent more years working with the latter than I did with the former. Perhaps it's because school and public libraries use Dewey and I think some universities as well. A few Unis in Oz use LC and when doing a work visit many years ago, I was so happy to see good old familiar Dewey!!
Indeed! I grew up surrounded by many different cultures, Australia is good like that, though we are all Westernised to some extent, but I continue to be amazed at things I assumed were universal aren't.
May I ask you to explain LC call numbers? I know I could search, and if I should tell me [told you I was lazy above], but often you get interesting tit bits of people's lives, like above, when you ask here.
I'm probably not the best person to explain LC call numbers because I'm not a cataloguer, LC is the US Library of Congress. Dewey has used the 000-999 to give each book or serial a shelf address so it can be found by the user. LC uses an A-Z assigning. So I remember literature being in the P's, religion in the B's and economics in the H's. Numbers would be added to the letters to provide a narrowing down of a subject and further numbers following a decimal point to narrow it further, perhaps by geography and also incorporating a cutter number for the author's surname. The beauty of LC in my mind was that the call numbers in many cases were shorter than a Dewey call no. as when adding geographic areas they can become quite long. I've just wandered off to find a book that I thought might have both types of numbers.
So in my book on Childhood Cancer survivors the Dewey call no. assigned is 618.92994, I don't have tools at hand to break down how that's been derived except that 618 is probably a number for cancer. In LC they've assigned RC281.C4K44 2012. I think the K44 represents the author's surname (as a cutter number) and the 2012 is the year of publication. I think fans of LC appreciate that more information is included in the call number because it includes the year of publication and in research libraries I can see why that would be important but in a school or public library perhaps less so unless someone wants to look at a specific edition. I'd love it if a proper cataloguer wants to chime in.
As a separate note to myself in the Dewey call number I was surprised to see the number following the decimal point ending in 994 (92994), because I always associate that with the geographic area for Australia, however it may have a specific direction within the tables in Dewey to assign that for a specific reason that is not geographical. Also to note that I've taken the information from cataloguing in publication data which may be created before the book is published so it can be printed on the verso of the title page.
I remember one of the tools we had at work (and that some cataloguers frowned on), had an option to convert Dewey call numbers to LC call numbers. I used it on occasions, but would also run it past a cataloguer to see if they agreed that was an appropriate call number to be used.
I've used a Library of Congress system when studying at University libraries in both Wellington and Christchurch many years ago. I can't remember anything much about it except that it was supposed to allow for a more finely targeted search of a subject.
Libraries are some of my favourite places. I have never formally trained as a librarian but have volunteered in both school and community libraries for much of my life, starting with the taking over my Dad's shift at the tiny community library when I was about 14 so that he could work overtime at his paid employment. At High School I joined the library Club and did lunchtime shifts and learned to cover books and do simple repairs. In my retirement I have volunteered at a school library, before I moved on to the local Community library where I currently volunteer.
As a result of the earthquakes we had here in 2010 and 2011 the Central Library was demolished and a beautiful new library was built. Also the branch closest to my home was relocated in a shopping mall.
I'm very envious @Climacus, I was never a Library monitor though I think I would have enjoyed to be one. One of our family activities when I was a child, was to spend every Saturday morning selecting library books for the week ahead and if possible find books for school assignments. Oh the days of using the old card catalogue!
I became interested in library work after helping my primary school librarian with the stock take when I was in Year 6. That really gave me a taster and when in high school I did work experience at the local public library. I was fortunate to have been able to have worked in public, school and university libraries and even though towards the end I was burnt out, I loved my colleagues and remain on friendly terms with many of them.
That sounds like some wonderful experiences, @Cheery Gardener ! Except the burn-out: I am sorry to read that. I am sure you were a wonderful colleague also.
I love libraries. Would've loved to work in one. After one of many mental hiccoughs, breakdowns, let's be honest, I applied for a job teaching IT classes, among other IT things, in a library a few councils away. Got an interview. Pulled out due to anxiety*. But, even if it was wrong, I am here now. And, despite the many socio-economic and other issues of my hometown [still in Armidale now], despite the struggles I see the kids I work with having [year 7 kids who look confused when you ask what 3 + 4 is when doing 2-digit addition; kids who say the most self-demeaning things about their intelligence...; kids selling photos of themselves [!]...], I absolutely love it. Love it. And get far more from them than I could ever give. Thanks be to God.
* oversharing perhaps: in 2004/5 I studied a Postgrad Cert in TESOL, looking to teach English to adults. I did my practical at a local centre where recent refugees did their 400 hours of free English lessons. I was physically ill with nerves before every lesson. Once I got up I was fine, though I had some struggles. But I couldn't go on. I pulled out of this for the same thoughts...
Climacus, I was also a reluctant and nervous teacher, for a year. When I said I was leaving, many of the older teachers said they wished they had done the same but were now too old to change.
In my third year at Teachers' College we were allocated to a class that we visited once a week as well as spending several blocks of a few weeks there. We observed lessons as well as preparing and delivering them. Then, the following year I was fortunate to spend my first year teaching there. This meant that I already knew most of the class, and the staff, which made the job so much easier.
I taught for 5 years in different parts of the country, which I really enjoyed, then decided that I needed to know more about kids so I left, with the intention of doing a B.A. Unfortunately when I finished it the government of the day decided that anyone who had left teaching for any reason at all would be last to be considered for any vacancy So I signed up as unemployed and was contacted by the best boss I've ever had about running a programme for unemployed 15 and 16 year olds. It was the most challenging job I ever had and we even got some of them into a job.
@Cheery Garden an interesting reaction from the older teachers. I taught with some teachers who I though were trapped in the job. The pay was higher than they probably could have found elsewhere and the job was reasonably secure.
I did meet some who, in my younger and probably more judgemental opinion, I described as "teaching the same year ten times", rather than teaching for ten years.
@Polly Plummer , I know a few people as you describe who have stayed when perhaps maybe they should have moved on and unfortunately sometimes that shows. I've also known teachers who have done other things and gone back into teaching because it's a very family friendly occupation in spite on the ever increasing demands and difficulties. I think you really have to be a resilient person oneself and also really love kids and love learning and teaching to make it a successful career.
I always described myself as a dogsbody because I have no formal qualifications, but I loved my job and I think I did it well and I loved contributing to a team and being an encouraging member. We just had too many people leave due to golden handshakes and such a loss of corporate knowledge that I found it so stressful and those events also coincided with the death of both my parents and I knew if I didn't stop, something would definitely break and I didn't want that thing to be me! My family still needs my input!
Have just sat down with my laptop after returning Aged Aunt to her hotel, we've had a family lunch for 10 and now I'm quite tired!! I think I will be in bed early tonight!!
I started doing a BEd course when I left school; I thought I wanted to teach, and my dad (who had been a teacher and was then the director of education for Orkney) encouraged me, but I didn't make the grade. I think the sudden freedom from parental control and the influence of the friends I made didn't help - I was too much of a party animal, and having got through school exams without much difficulty, didn't realise that a lot more work was needed for college-level study. So I came back home, trained as a secretary, and the rest is hysterics ...
What did shock me though was how many of my acquaintances at college didn't want to be teachers. Why on earth were they doing courses specifically designed for teaching if that wasn't what they wanted to do?
I consider myself fortunate to have taught for two weeks when in the 6th form while the teachers were marking exams.
I realised that I liked teaching only those that wanted to learn. There were sufficient that did not want to that made me realise that teaching was not career for me.
@Foaming Draught that's a really lovely looking plant and one I've never heard of before, so really appreciate seeing that link! Thank goodness @Clarence didn't rip it out!! I very much enjoying seeing the beautiful butterfly as well.
I'm just home after having a girls' outing with Aged Aunt and Sister, I left them both after lunch as they were about to hit some shops for bargain hunting. I figured I could live without that and was very tired after yesterday's family lunch. I did enjoy our outing to see the Bald Archies though and a yummy lunch afterwards.
I'm glad to have seen them, but what's that old expression about fish and guests going off after about 3 days, I think that's it!!??
Quite warm here though and I am looking forward to the cool change that is supposed to be coming. I need to move some pot plants into the garden, but I think it's still too hot to do so! Maybe in a week or so ....
I don't see anywhere near as many butterflies as I recall as a young en. I was bushwalking the other day in a nearby National Park and there were quite a few. These were orange and black, more common to me as I recall than Foaming Draught's one, but it was lovely to see. A former colleague who was very much into spiritualism/past lives once told me they represent new life/new birth: while, as she said to me, this may somewhat conflict with your beliefs, that has stayed with me [on others of different spiritual traditions, I won't say more, but I had a most fascinating discussion yesterday with a catechumen from a cultural background very different to mine, where spirits and such are very prominent, and it was interesting hearing him speak of intersectionalities he's found with Christianity, and in Orthodoxy particularly given where he is; differences of course, but similarities: eye opening. And his being encouraged to keep what fits with Christianity].
Climacus, I was also a reluctant and nervous teacher, for a year. When I said I was leaving, many of the older teachers said they wished they had done the same but were now too old to change.
I would have liked to be a librarian too!
Thank you for sharing this Polly. I do appreciate it; intellectually you can know you can't be the only one but emotionally, and I'm nothing if not emotional!, it can feel like, "It just me." Piglet the party animal! Secretaries are worth their weight in gold: not that I ever had one, but admin assistants and such were some of the best people, and people I most got to know, in my roles. Interesting you say some people studying don't want to be teachers; I have heard from some they didn't know what else to do, or didn't get the grade they wanted so couldn't get into the course they want [not sure how it works there, but if you go direct from high [secondary] school you are given a mark out of 100 and uni courses have cut-off points, say, 80, 75, 93..., or 99.90 or something similar for veterinary science!; teaching is often a bit lower].
Huia: what an odd decision to put such people last! It is strange how sometimes the individual and their circumstances are pushed aside in terms of generic rules. I get we need rules and such, but surely some compassionate and flexibility for individuals can be helpful -- for them particularly. And the companies/departments who may get someone wonderful like you!
Hope you slept well, Cheery Gardener! That does sound like a very stressful situation. Formal qualifications are all well and good, but, and I am exhibit A here, they don't make you intelligent ha ha! I like the "dogsbody" term! It was far warmer by the coast yesterday, and humid, then up in here the hills.
LatchKeyKid: what did you teach? Or multiple subjects?
It seems like summer isn't over - 30C forecast here today. I'm going shopping early so I can be home this afternoon. The good thing about a hot day this late is that the nights are lovely and cool.
@Piglet, I must have missed your comment about people enrolling to do teaching who had no real interest, I suspect in days past that was definitely a thing. In Oz the entry mark needed for teaching was not particularly high, so I think some people did it when they didn't get entry for their preferred degree. If they did well enough they would try to transfer into something else in 2nd year.
@Huia we've had our first cool night last night, but before midnight it was still quite warm, bler. I've just re-read your info about being put last after resigning from teaching and that was astounding to me, people resign for many different reasons and why should their experience be lost? I am sitting here feeling a bit incredulous!! In hindsight you went into a rewarding job, but still, wow!
Our daughter went to uni and did about a year and a half of teaching before dropping out. Poor supervision during her placements was definitely a part of it. She then did a creative writing degree with Mandarin as her electives as a cross university opportunity. She is off to China in a couple of weeks, her second trip there to try to get more of a feel for the history and culture. There are a couple of quite physical activities involved and she has been doing some gym work to make sure she's improved herself to participate.
I have declared a slow day at home today, just catching up on washing and enjoying some podcasts and not having to interact with any people after playing hostess at the weekend, it was lovely to see family but quite tiring. To make it easier if there is a next time, I'm going to note down all the things that needed to be done, so I can plan better, pass off jobs, and generally be less stressed and reduce my mental load!
Hope your daughter has fun in China. What an opportunity!
[I recall being called "gwai lo" [white ghost] by Chinese-heritage friends, gently ribbing, in my youth.]
Hope you enjoyed your slow day. I went on a sunrise walk to the stunning Cathedral Rocks this morning. A very small part where a chain is needed, well, given, I needed it, to climb up two rocks.
Memories of Yr 11/12: English [General], Maths [3U], Chemistry, Physics, Computing Studies and General Studies [forced upon me as I needed an extra unit apparently!] 93/94 for me [I felt old considering it was 30+ years ago but I feel a little younger after your revelation of the 60s! ] If it seems a bit math/science heavy, I had no idea what I wanted to do, was told uni was a good plan, and encouraged to do more of those subjects as they increased your ATAR [university entrance rank, for any overseas readers; TER then...] just by doing them. If Icelandic Poetry was a subject I may've preferred it...
... I have heard from some they didn't know what else to do, or didn't get the grade they wanted so couldn't get into the course they want ...
That would be me. After my O grades (age 16), I took a sudden fancy to do something scientific (biochemistry or pharmacy were the preferred options), so I took up biology and physics and carried on with chemistry (which I'd actually done quite well in). I should have realised that my maths skills really weren't up to scratch to do anything properly scientific, didn't make the grade, and, like so many, sort of fell into BEd.
Your remarks about secretaries/admin assistants (I've been both; I'm currently an Administrator & Legal Typist) are much appreciated. I'm reminded of one of the lecturers in the university where I spent most of my professional life coming into the general office (where I worked) and giving off because he wanted to use the office occupied by the incoming Provost's secretary, and it wasn't available. "I don't see why I couldn't use it - she's only a damned secretary", he said, and from there on in, whenever he came into our office wanting something, he got the bare minimum of what he wanted. How bloody dare he?
I'm allowed to say, "I'm only a secretary", but other people most certainly are not!
I met someone at a church mission last year who after some conversation, asked me what I did, I responded, asked her, and she replied, "I'm just a retail and café worker." I know I just met her but I replied, "Just? JUST? I could not deal with the general public. You do a great and valuable job."
As do cleaners. And, Piglet, admin assistants -- I don't hear secretary a lot here. I have always been baffled at the snobbery some [how dare he indeed!], not all, exhibit re jobs. I was lucky to have great people in my jobs, but one of my favourites was working the graveyard shift at a pie factory during uni. They didn't know what to make of me at first [not judging...], but when they realised I was not a pretentious twat [well, I hope not] "slumming it" with them, some of the best times of my life.
You mentioned your maths skills: I got 33% in my first physics test. I was given a talk and it was suggested that I change electives. I, stubborn as ever, said, let me try harder. I was never a genius, 70s if I recall most times, but, hey.
... I have heard from some they didn't know what else to do, or didn't get the grade they wanted so couldn't get into the course they want ...
That would be me. After my O grades (age 16), I took a sudden fancy to do something scientific (biochemistry or pharmacy were the preferred options), so I took up biology and physics and carried on with chemistry (which I'd actually done quite well in). I should have realised that my maths skills really weren't up to scratch to do anything properly scientific, didn't make the grade, and, like so many, sort of fell into BEd.
Your remarks about secretaries/admin assistants (I've been both; I'm currently an Administrator & Legal Typist) are much appreciated. I'm reminded of one of the lecturers in the university where I spent most of my professional life coming into the general office (where I worked) and giving off because he wanted to use the office occupied by the incoming Provost's secretary, and it wasn't available. "I don't see why I couldn't use it - she's only a damned secretary", he said, and from there on in, whenever he came into our office wanting something, he got the bare minimum of what he wanted. How bloody dare he?
I'm allowed to say, "I'm only a secretary", but other people most certainly are not!
He was wrong on at least three counts: devaluing the humanity of the person concerned; using the word “only” for a skill set he hadn’t and perhaps couldn’t acquire; and failing to recognise the likelihood of needing to rely on the secretary and the secretary’s colleagues for his own work.
IMNSHO secretaries, maintenance people, switchboard operators, and key holders are absolutely, to speak in very transactional terms, the people it matters to know to ease your way in an office setting. They are also, like other people, often interesting and engaging in their own right, and have an ear to the ground about what is going on in a place.
I used to work for someone who was in a state of undeclared way with the office manager. He had to use me as a go-between. Fortunately for him she and I got in very well together.
It was helpful for me too when I needed equipment or urgent extra secretarial help.
While temping I got a job as a librarian in a small Quango. My predecessor apparently had a tendency to a) burst into tears and b) go to the CEO for any problems. I, otoh, cultivated the admin and janitorial staff - the people who had access to actual resources. I never cried (I don't). I ended up with a permanent post, a 3k increase in salary, and a springboard into quite an interesting career.
Amen and Amen. Admin assistants / personal assistant have been the most hilarious colleagues I have had. And, not that this was the reason, it was amazing what they did for me if I needed anything, as they said, "Because you treat us as valuable human beings."
After I posted I pondered my comments above re judging at the factory. I realised they may sound odd. I am not accusing all of this, but my dad, for instance, was very much "No son of mine is going to uni!" and the friends I had outside of school were keen to leave at 15/16 and work, technical college/apprenticeships were a million miles from their mind [so different to my standard govt school, mainly first- and second-generation migrants from Europe, Asia, South America [Iraq in the next school over] whose parents were very focused on uni; not exclusively, and many Anglos like me of various career preferences...] They never outright said, "Do you think you're better than us?", but there were comments. I think the snobbishness goes far more the other way. Just fyi in case you thought I was being demeaning.
I poured pineapple juice into my coffee instead of (almond: it is Lent) milk. I took a taste and had no idea what had happened. Then it clicked. They are wildly different containers [cardboard/plastic]: I clearly needed coffee!
Yesterday Christchurch had a metrologically interesting day. We had both the highest and lowest temperatures of the day in Aotearoa, the most rainfall and the strongest winds. (We don't do things by halves here!). The highest temperature was before dawn and it went downhill after that.
Fortunately I was able to get my grocery shopping done and get home before the rain started. When it did Aroha snuggled and I read. Thank goodness for an adequate supply of library books. and a tablet that doubles as an e-reader.
That is an interesting day @Huia! I'm glad your could complete your shopping and stock up on books before the day turned wet. It's never fun lugging wet shopping.
It's warm today but not to bad overnight. I'd really love some rain but current predictions are around the 50/50 mark which is hopeful, but not too hopeful!!
A lovely quiet day today. I even had a little nap before lunch because I'm still a bit tired from the weekend and was glad of it. I'm able to power through the rest of the day because of it. Most jobs done, might chop some veg in a bit for tonight's dinner.
Sister and Aged Aunt have returned to their respective residences so I guess I consider the family visit has gone as well as it could, personalities taken into consideration.
@Huia . Lots of " interesting" weather this year. After three days of driving through dry country, we wake up to pouring rain in Mildura, Victoria.
We should get to Adelaide in about five hours of driving, and we hear it's raining and hot there from our (hopefully) future DIL.
Arrived in Adelaide after four days of driving. Noticed a tyre going flat. Fortunately we were in a town and found a tyre repair place nearby that found and removed a nail and plugged the hole in I don't know what we would have done if this had occurred on the Hay plains, tens of kilometres from a garage, and no mobile phone reception.
It's a week away yet, but if you would like to watch our erstwhile Shipmate Kuruman's - and @Zappa's significant other - consecration as Bishop of Dunedin next Sat (29 March), here's the link for your diaries.
Thanks for sharing the link @Foaming Draught , do you know the time?
Woke up this morning with a cramp in my thighs, a sign of too much gardening, perhaps? That, or I need to do more so that I'm fitter!
With normal service resuming at our place, I managed some time to read on both days. Nothing uplifting or Lenten, but a couple of fiction books that I quite enjoyed.
This morning was a little cloudy, but the sky is lovely and blue this morning and lovely cockatoos screeching overhead when I was outside early watering the potplants.
Just about to hang up the second load of washing for the day and get the third lot running!
@LatchKeyKid, if you are coming to Adelaide before 30 April, may I recommend the exhibition of Chihuly glass artworks in the Botanic Gardens. The outdoor displays are free during the day as is entry to the Gardens. After this evening, I will be able to tell you if the smallish charge for going in the evening is worth it.
Thanks. We intend to try and see this.
We were lucky enough to see the Chihuly Glass in the Seattle Center in 2013.
We saw the Chihuly glass in the gardens today. We watched his very interesting documentary, but didn't go into the main exhibition this time.
Helping LKKSon1 sort out the neglected garden of the house he has just bought. Killing the weed trees.
That sounds like a lovely exhibition @LatchKeyKid, glass in the garden sounds perfect.
I'm not envying you the job of weed tree killing, that is quite a job. In my last place I had to spend ages trying to control the stock of a passion fruit plant that was just going wild and that seemed to go on forever!! I hope LKK son is enjoying the process of having his own place and getting it established. Our first home was a bit of a dump, but we had a great time working on it.
I have done a lot of weed tree killing in my time. I am in Landcare and have my Chemcert quads.
Son had a reciprocating saw I bought a pruning blade for and cut and painted some, and drilled and filled the large trees.
@LatchKeyKid I could do with your expertise. In the past my section was the orchard for the old house next door. At some time someone planted elderberry trees and I fight a continuing battle with new ones popping up all over the place. There is one big one in the back corner that could take out someone's storage shed and the fences of my 3 adjoining neighbours if badly felled.
I don't like spraying but would use the other methods. As they are shallow rooted I would use a tree popper on the smaller ones after rain has loosened the soil.
Thanks @LatchKeyKid I have bookmarked that website. This one is definitely in the larger height range.
I will talk to my friend who helps out with getting rid of weed trees and has about 6 different sized chainsaws, but I'm thinking it would probably be best to go for a professional tree removal service as it will need more than one person to do it in a way that doesn't endanger the neighbours or the person doing it.
I must admit I don't really feel at ease near chainsaws. Many years ago I worked in what was then the Labour Department, The office next to the one I worked in housed the Safety Inspectors who had a range of grisly photos for the results of not being careful with them.
My youngest brother who was a woodsman told me about some of his fellow workers who "drop started" their chainsaws. I was horrified and said, "K, you can't do that!" His answer - "If you're stupid you can do anything."
I think your brother is very smart @Huia! Chainsaws fill me with dread and that doesn't come from watching too many horror movies, just a strong sense of caution.
The site you linked to looks very interesting @LatchKeyKid, I've added it to my favourites to check out a bit further.
I'm hoping for some rain this weekend and anticipating with much happiness that it will make weeding a lot easier next week and that rainy weather is such a good excuse for a lie-in, mooching around in pyjamas and generally doing not very much. Cheery husband has had a dreadful week with staying back to get work completed and he could certainly use a slow weekend. I've accepted we'll never see him before 7 in the evening, but coming home after that is beyond the pale in my book.
Cheery daughter is off to China next week (all being well), today is her last day at work and I'm imagining it's a busy one for her. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.
Comments
I applied for jobs, among many, at a school in New England south of Armidale. Didn't get it, but -- pride alert in Lent -- was told my application was very good [others, understandably, had more experience] and was offered casual work when it comes up! I wrote above I was pondering if this career change was good for me -- I love the work, but it is far more emotionally and mentally draining than I thought. No idea how people do it 5 days a week [the manager of the unit at my school back home is so supportive...says to use your personal leave whenever you need it: and staff do]. I did 6 days [with a weekend; filling in for absences as well as my one day a week] a few weeks ago and was stuffed! Anyway: we shall see.
I have signed up at Turanga, the central library for a non-fiction book club that meets monthly. It's one of those groups where everyone reads different books and we are working our way through the Dewey system.
Next month we will all read a book catalogued in the 100 - to 199 range. I couldn't find anything that struck my fancy at Turanga, so popped into a smaller branch in a nearby Mall, where I found a book outlining how to become a sex goddess. I didn't choose that one to report back on
I have heard that those computer classes are very helpful. You could always try and see if it is for you [not telling you what to do...just passing on what I've heard].
Enjoy the book club! What an interesting idea to go through the Dewey Decimal System: makes sense!
Club.
A small tech issue being resolved here. We have new phone SIMS and husband now getting them all sorted out and doing a test on son's phone (he hardly uses it). Hopefully we can get them fixed up and working without losing any vital phone numbers.
I'm very glad that I worked out that today was Wednesday after our long weekend, as it's bin night at my place and I nearly overlooked it. Looking forward to normal service resuming next week!
I was thinking of you @WormInTheGrass as today's Conversations on ABC was recorded in Adelaide and was Dava Sobel on the life of Marie Curie, very interesting.
I have permission to share... I told her Australians would be stunned/amused.
Had a great conversation with one of the Ukrainians I chat with tonight. We got into school. When she was there, not sure if it is still the case, parent teacher night was a whole class session! Teachers criticised students in front of everyone. The teacher criticised one boy for being lazy and his mum stood up and talking to my friend's mum said it was because he was in love with her daughter! 🤣
Can you imagine that here? "How dare you talk about my son like that!"
I love your memories of working as a library assistant @Piglet. For me Dewey is much more intuitive than LC call numbers even though I spent more years working with the latter than I did with the former. Perhaps it's because school and public libraries use Dewey and I think some universities as well. A few Unis in Oz use LC and when doing a work visit many years ago, I was so happy to see good old familiar Dewey!!
May I ask you to explain LC call numbers? I know I could search, and if I should tell me [told you I was lazy above], but often you get interesting tit bits of people's lives, like above, when you ask here.
So in my book on Childhood Cancer survivors the Dewey call no. assigned is 618.92994, I don't have tools at hand to break down how that's been derived except that 618 is probably a number for cancer. In LC they've assigned RC281.C4K44 2012. I think the K44 represents the author's surname (as a cutter number) and the 2012 is the year of publication. I think fans of LC appreciate that more information is included in the call number because it includes the year of publication and in research libraries I can see why that would be important but in a school or public library perhaps less so unless someone wants to look at a specific edition. I'd love it if a proper cataloguer wants to chime in.
As a separate note to myself in the Dewey call number I was surprised to see the number following the decimal point ending in 994 (92994), because I always associate that with the geographic area for Australia, however it may have a specific direction within the tables in Dewey to assign that for a specific reason that is not geographical. Also to note that I've taken the information from cataloguing in publication data which may be created before the book is published so it can be printed on the verso of the title page.
I remember one of the tools we had at work (and that some cataloguers frowned on), had an option to convert Dewey call numbers to LC call numbers. I used it on occasions, but would also run it past a cataloguer to see if they agreed that was an appropriate call number to be used.
Libraries are some of my favourite places. I have never formally trained as a librarian but have volunteered in both school and community libraries for much of my life, starting with the taking over my Dad's shift at the tiny community library when I was about 14 so that he could work overtime at his paid employment. At High School I joined the library Club and did lunchtime shifts and learned to cover books and do simple repairs. In my retirement I have volunteered at a school library, before I moved on to the local Community library where I currently volunteer.
As a result of the earthquakes we had here in 2010 and 2011 the Central Library was demolished and a beautiful new library was built. Also the branch closest to my home was relocated in a shopping mall.
I was a Library Monitor in years 5/6. With a metal badge! Very nerdy in the eyes of many, but I didn't care. Beautiful memories, Huia: thank you.
I became interested in library work after helping my primary school librarian with the stock take when I was in Year 6. That really gave me a taster and when in high school I did work experience at the local public library. I was fortunate to have been able to have worked in public, school and university libraries and even though towards the end I was burnt out, I loved my colleagues and remain on friendly terms with many of them.
I love libraries. Would've loved to work in one. After one of many mental hiccoughs, breakdowns, let's be honest, I applied for a job teaching IT classes, among other IT things, in a library a few councils away. Got an interview. Pulled out due to anxiety*. But, even if it was wrong, I am here now. And, despite the many socio-economic and other issues of my hometown [still in Armidale now], despite the struggles I see the kids I work with having [year 7 kids who look confused when you ask what 3 + 4 is when doing 2-digit addition; kids who say the most self-demeaning things about their intelligence...; kids selling photos of themselves [!]...], I absolutely love it. Love it. And get far more from them than I could ever give. Thanks be to God.
* oversharing perhaps: in 2004/5 I studied a Postgrad Cert in TESOL, looking to teach English to adults. I did my practical at a local centre where recent refugees did their 400 hours of free English lessons. I was physically ill with nerves before every lesson. Once I got up I was fine, though I had some struggles. But I couldn't go on. I pulled out of this for the same thoughts...
I would have liked to be a librarian too!
I taught for 5 years in different parts of the country, which I really enjoyed, then decided that I needed to know more about kids so I left, with the intention of doing a B.A. Unfortunately when I finished it the government of the day decided that anyone who had left teaching for any reason at all would be last to be considered for any vacancy
@Cheery Garden an interesting reaction from the older teachers. I taught with some teachers who I though were trapped in the job. The pay was higher than they probably could have found elsewhere and the job was reasonably secure.
I did meet some who, in my younger and probably more judgemental opinion, I described as "teaching the same year ten times", rather than teaching for ten years.
I always described myself as a dogsbody because I have no formal qualifications, but I loved my job and I think I did it well and I loved contributing to a team and being an encouraging member. We just had too many people leave due to golden handshakes and such a loss of corporate knowledge that I found it so stressful and those events also coincided with the death of both my parents and I knew if I didn't stop, something would definitely break and I didn't want that thing to be me! My family still needs my input!
Have just sat down with my laptop after returning Aged Aunt to her hotel, we've had a family lunch for 10 and now I'm quite tired!! I think I will be in bed early tonight!!
What did shock me though was how many of my acquaintances at college didn't want to be teachers. Why on earth were they doing courses specifically designed for teaching if that wasn't what they wanted to do?
I realised that I liked teaching only those that wanted to learn. There were sufficient that did not want to that made me realise that teaching was not career for me.
I'm just home after having a girls' outing with Aged Aunt and Sister, I left them both after lunch as they were about to hit some shops for bargain hunting. I figured I could live without that and was very tired after yesterday's family lunch. I did enjoy our outing to see the Bald Archies though and a yummy lunch afterwards.
I'm glad to have seen them, but what's that old expression about fish and guests going off after about 3 days, I think that's it!!??
Quite warm here though and I am looking forward to the cool change that is supposed to be coming. I need to move some pot plants into the garden, but I think it's still too hot to do so! Maybe in a week or so ....
I hope others are having a pleasant weekend!
I don't see anywhere near as many butterflies as I recall as a young en. I was bushwalking the other day in a nearby National Park and there were quite a few. These were orange and black, more common to me as I recall than Foaming Draught's one, but it was lovely to see. A former colleague who was very much into spiritualism/past lives once told me they represent new life/new birth: while, as she said to me, this may somewhat conflict with your beliefs, that has stayed with me [on others of different spiritual traditions, I won't say more, but I had a most fascinating discussion yesterday with a catechumen from a cultural background very different to mine, where spirits and such are very prominent, and it was interesting hearing him speak of intersectionalities he's found with Christianity, and in Orthodoxy particularly given where he is; differences of course, but similarities: eye opening. And his being encouraged to keep what fits with Christianity].
Thank you for sharing this Polly. I do appreciate it; intellectually you can know you can't be the only one but emotionally, and I'm nothing if not emotional!, it can feel like, "It just me." Piglet the party animal! Secretaries are worth their weight in gold: not that I ever had one, but admin assistants and such were some of the best people, and people I most got to know, in my roles. Interesting you say some people studying don't want to be teachers; I have heard from some they didn't know what else to do, or didn't get the grade they wanted so couldn't get into the course they want [not sure how it works there, but if you go direct from high [secondary] school you are given a mark out of 100 and uni courses have cut-off points, say, 80, 75, 93..., or 99.90 or something similar for veterinary science!; teaching is often a bit lower].
Huia: what an odd decision to put such people last! It is strange how sometimes the individual and their circumstances are pushed aside in terms of generic rules. I get we need rules and such, but surely some compassionate and flexibility for individuals can be helpful -- for them particularly. And the companies/departments who may get someone wonderful like you!
Hope you slept well, Cheery Gardener! That does sound like a very stressful situation. Formal qualifications are all well and good, but, and I am exhibit A here, they don't make you intelligent ha ha! I like the "dogsbody" term! It was far warmer by the coast yesterday, and humid, then up in here the hills.
LatchKeyKid: what did you teach? Or multiple subjects?
Gosh. I have blabbered on. Should get a blog!
@Huia we've had our first cool night last night, but before midnight it was still quite warm, bler. I've just re-read your info about being put last after resigning from teaching and that was astounding to me, people resign for many different reasons and why should their experience be lost? I am sitting here feeling a bit incredulous!! In hindsight you went into a rewarding job, but still, wow!
Our daughter went to uni and did about a year and a half of teaching before dropping out. Poor supervision during her placements was definitely a part of it. She then did a creative writing degree with Mandarin as her electives as a cross university opportunity. She is off to China in a couple of weeks, her second trip there to try to get more of a feel for the history and culture. There are a couple of quite physical activities involved and she has been doing some gym work to make sure she's improved herself to participate.
I have declared a slow day at home today, just catching up on washing and enjoying some podcasts and not having to interact with any people after playing hostess at the weekend, it was lovely to see family but quite tiring. To make it easier if there is a next time, I'm going to note down all the things that needed to be done, so I can plan better, pass off jobs, and generally be less stressed and reduce my mental load!
[I recall being called "gwai lo" [white ghost] by Chinese-heritage friends, gently ribbing, in my youth.]
Hope you enjoyed your slow day. I went on a sunrise walk to the stunning Cathedral Rocks this morning. A very small part where a chain is needed, well, given, I needed it, to climb up two rocks.
30! My goodness, Huia. 26.5 here today.
It did amuse me it started a bit high up on that first rock; it wasn't difficult to get to, but, hey, extend it a bit ha ha!)
I taught Physics and Chemistry. It was in the 60s so I don't remember well. I may have taught maths as well.
Memories of Yr 11/12: English [General], Maths [3U], Chemistry, Physics, Computing Studies and General Studies [forced upon me as I needed an extra unit apparently!] 93/94 for me [I felt old considering it was 30+ years ago but I feel a little younger after your revelation of the 60s!
Your remarks about secretaries/admin assistants (I've been both; I'm currently an Administrator & Legal Typist) are much appreciated. I'm reminded of one of the lecturers in the university where I spent most of my professional life coming into the general office (where I worked) and giving off because he wanted to use the office occupied by the incoming Provost's secretary, and it wasn't available. "I don't see why I couldn't use it - she's only a damned secretary", he said, and from there on in, whenever he came into our office wanting something, he got the bare minimum of what he wanted. How bloody dare he?
I'm allowed to say, "I'm only a secretary", but other people most certainly are not!
As do cleaners. And, Piglet, admin assistants -- I don't hear secretary a lot here. I have always been baffled at the snobbery some [how dare he indeed!], not all, exhibit re jobs. I was lucky to have great people in my jobs, but one of my favourites was working the graveyard shift at a pie factory during uni. They didn't know what to make of me at first [not judging...], but when they realised I was not a pretentious twat [well, I hope not] "slumming it" with them, some of the best times of my life.
You mentioned your maths skills: I got 33% in my first physics test. I was given a talk and it was suggested that I change electives. I, stubborn as ever, said, let me try harder. I was never a genius, 70s if I recall most times, but, hey.
He was wrong on at least three counts: devaluing the humanity of the person concerned; using the word “only” for a skill set he hadn’t and perhaps couldn’t acquire; and failing to recognise the likelihood of needing to rely on the secretary and the secretary’s colleagues for his own work.
IMNSHO secretaries, maintenance people, switchboard operators, and key holders are absolutely, to speak in very transactional terms, the people it matters to know to ease your way in an office setting. They are also, like other people, often interesting and engaging in their own right, and have an ear to the ground about what is going on in a place.
I used to work for someone who was in a state of undeclared way with the office manager. He had to use me as a go-between. Fortunately for him she and I got in very well together.
It was helpful for me too when I needed equipment or urgent extra secretarial help.
After I posted I pondered my comments above re judging at the factory. I realised they may sound odd. I am not accusing all of this, but my dad, for instance, was very much "No son of mine is going to uni!" and the friends I had outside of school were keen to leave at 15/16 and work, technical college/apprenticeships were a million miles from their mind [so different to my standard govt school, mainly first- and second-generation migrants from Europe, Asia, South America [Iraq in the next school over] whose parents were very focused on uni; not exclusively, and many Anglos like me of various career preferences...] They never outright said, "Do you think you're better than us?", but there were comments. I think the snobbishness goes far more the other way. Just fyi in case you thought I was being demeaning.
I poured pineapple juice into my coffee instead of (almond: it is Lent) milk. I took a taste and had no idea what had happened. Then it clicked. They are wildly different containers [cardboard/plastic]: I clearly needed coffee!
Fortunately I was able to get my grocery shopping done and get home before the rain started. When it did Aroha snuggled and I read. Thank goodness for an adequate supply of library books. and a tablet that doubles as an e-reader.
It's warm today but not to bad overnight. I'd really love some rain but current predictions are around the 50/50 mark which is hopeful, but not too hopeful!!
A lovely quiet day today. I even had a little nap before lunch because I'm still a bit tired from the weekend and was glad of it. I'm able to power through the rest of the day because of it. Most jobs done, might chop some veg in a bit for tonight's dinner.
Sister and Aged Aunt have returned to their respective residences so I guess I consider the family visit has gone as well as it could, personalities taken into consideration.
We should get to Adelaide in about five hours of driving, and we hear it's raining and hot there from our (hopefully) future DIL.
I've not been aboard for a while, no real reason, just went onto dry land. Now trying to catch up with where everyone is.
(and what an auspicious date! my birthday ha ha)
Woke up this morning with a cramp in my thighs, a sign of too much gardening, perhaps? That, or I need to do more so that I'm fitter!
With normal service resuming at our place, I managed some time to read on both days. Nothing uplifting or Lenten, but a couple of fiction books that I quite enjoyed.
This morning was a little cloudy, but the sky is lovely and blue this morning and lovely cockatoos screeching overhead when I was outside early watering the potplants.
Just about to hang up the second load of washing for the day and get the third lot running!
1pm NZ,
11am NSW/ACT/VIC/TAS/SA
10am QLD
8am WA
But it will stay on the website, so you can watch it at leisure too. Old hands might spot @Clarence and, of course, @Zappa (coped)
We saw the Chihuly glass in the gardens today. We watched his very interesting documentary, but didn't go into the main exhibition this time.
Helping LKKSon1 sort out the neglected garden of the house he has just bought. Killing the weed trees.
I'm not envying you the job of weed tree killing, that is quite a job. In my last place I had to spend ages trying to control the stock of a passion fruit plant that was just going wild and that seemed to go on forever!! I hope LKK son is enjoying the process of having his own place and getting it established. Our first home was a bit of a dump, but we had a great time working on it.
Son had a reciprocating saw I bought a pruning blade for and cut and painted some, and drilled and filled the large trees.
I've looked up elderberry trees and found this site on getting rid of them.
https://theyardable.com/how-to-kill-elderberry/
I don't like spraying but would use the other methods. As they are shallow rooted I would use a tree popper on the smaller ones after rain has loosened the soil.
I will talk to my friend who helps out with getting rid of weed trees and has about 6 different sized chainsaws, but I'm thinking it would probably be best to go for a professional tree removal service as it will need more than one person to do it in a way that doesn't endanger the neighbours or the person doing it.
I must admit I don't really feel at ease near chainsaws. Many years ago I worked in what was then the Labour Department, The office next to the one I worked in housed the Safety Inspectors who had a range of grisly photos for the results of not being careful with them.
My youngest brother who was a woodsman told me about some of his fellow workers who "drop started" their chainsaws. I was horrified and said, "K, you can't do that!" His answer - "If you're stupid you can do anything."
It became one of those family sayings.
The site you linked to looks very interesting @LatchKeyKid, I've added it to my favourites to check out a bit further.
I'm hoping for some rain this weekend and anticipating with much happiness that it will make weeding a lot easier next week and that rainy weather is such a good excuse for a lie-in, mooching around in pyjamas and generally doing not very much. Cheery husband has had a dreadful week with staying back to get work completed and he could certainly use a slow weekend. I've accepted we'll never see him before 7 in the evening, but coming home after that is beyond the pale in my book.
Cheery daughter is off to China next week (all being well), today is her last day at work and I'm imagining it's a busy one for her. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.