Of course! As soon as I posted about semi-retirement, I received a phone call from Springfield City Library asking if I could work for them part time.
Because the migration to a new Integrated Library System did not go as smoothly as everyone hoped, their cataloger has fallen way behind on original cataloging and they need someone to help. That's me.
So now I'm working just about full time: 10 hours each week at MassCat, 1 or 2 days each week (depending on what else I have scheduled) at SCL, and one full day and evening for preparation and teaching Information Organization. And let's not forget the senior Osteo Exercise class which now meets two mornings each week because it is so popular.
Last year at this time I had no work other than the Info Org class. Now I can barely fit in all the things I have to do. Guess I'll just have to cut back on cleaning house :-)
Friday, September 28, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Settling into Semi-Retirement
I was laid off from a full-time job more than two years ago. I collected unemployment for a while and have worked in a variety of part-time jobs. Finally my life seems to be settling into somewhat of a pattern that I enjoy.
This is what my schedule looks like for the next few months: Two mornings each week (Wednesday and Friday) I attend the senior exercise class in town. I share leading the class with another woman. Sometimes I lead the entire class; sometimes we each lead a part of it. Now that there are two classes each week, she'll be leading more. If I find myself short of time, I may not go to both.
After exercise class, I head out to the Massachusetts Library System-west office where the MassCat office is located. There I spend the rest of the day on database maintenance and original cataloging for member libraries.
Thursday evenings I teach LIS415 for Simmons GSLIS-west. I spend most of Thursday (and some of the other days not otherwise accounted for) preparing for that class.
For the next few months, I'm contracted to teach one Continuing Education class/month for the Connecticut State Library or the Mass Library System. The workshops will be Cataloging Equipment, RDA, and an overview of cataloging for "accidental catalogers".
That leave me plenty of time to read (current book: Dearie), work on crossword puzzles and cook. Now that the weather is getting cooler, I'm baking muffins and quickbreads. I also made a pan of lasagna and included a layer of roasted summer squash. Yum.
This is the life - hope it continues this way for a long time.
This is what my schedule looks like for the next few months: Two mornings each week (Wednesday and Friday) I attend the senior exercise class in town. I share leading the class with another woman. Sometimes I lead the entire class; sometimes we each lead a part of it. Now that there are two classes each week, she'll be leading more. If I find myself short of time, I may not go to both.
After exercise class, I head out to the Massachusetts Library System-west office where the MassCat office is located. There I spend the rest of the day on database maintenance and original cataloging for member libraries.
Thursday evenings I teach LIS415 for Simmons GSLIS-west. I spend most of Thursday (and some of the other days not otherwise accounted for) preparing for that class.
For the next few months, I'm contracted to teach one Continuing Education class/month for the Connecticut State Library or the Mass Library System. The workshops will be Cataloging Equipment, RDA, and an overview of cataloging for "accidental catalogers".
That leave me plenty of time to read (current book: Dearie), work on crossword puzzles and cook. Now that the weather is getting cooler, I'm baking muffins and quickbreads. I also made a pan of lasagna and included a layer of roasted summer squash. Yum.
This is the life - hope it continues this way for a long time.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
First Day of School
It doesn't matter if it's second grade, high school, or college; if you're a student or the teacher, the First Day of School still feels like the First Day of School.
Tonight, I teach the first class of the fall semester of Information Organization. There are 13 students enrolled - a nice size. It's large enough for variety and discussion, but small enough that I should be able to learn everyone's name in a couple of weeks and not be overwhelmed when I grade papers.
This will be my 4th time teaching the course. I had really become comfortable using eLearning (aka Blackboard) and recently figured out a bunch of neat features when Simmons decided to switch to Moodle. I spent a few weeks last month copying and pasting materials from one to the other. Moodle isn't as pretty as eLearning, but maybe I just haven't found how to add interesting colors and designs.
This morning I finished revising the slides and lecture notes for tonight's class and just uploaded the slides to Moodle under Unit 1. I have the hard copies I need, several files on a flash drive to print at the GSLIS-west office before class, the props I'll be using for an organization exercise, my water bottle and a snack. I'm ready to go!
Tonight, I teach the first class of the fall semester of Information Organization. There are 13 students enrolled - a nice size. It's large enough for variety and discussion, but small enough that I should be able to learn everyone's name in a couple of weeks and not be overwhelmed when I grade papers.
This will be my 4th time teaching the course. I had really become comfortable using eLearning (aka Blackboard) and recently figured out a bunch of neat features when Simmons decided to switch to Moodle. I spent a few weeks last month copying and pasting materials from one to the other. Moodle isn't as pretty as eLearning, but maybe I just haven't found how to add interesting colors and designs.
This morning I finished revising the slides and lecture notes for tonight's class and just uploaded the slides to Moodle under Unit 1. I have the hard copies I need, several files on a flash drive to print at the GSLIS-west office before class, the props I'll be using for an organization exercise, my water bottle and a snack. I'm ready to go!
Monday, September 3, 2012
A Lottery Ticket
I have rules about buying lottery tickets. I never spend more than $1/week and anything I win under $100 gets plowed back into lottery tickets. I don't have to worry too much about that second rule. I've never won more than $20 and that was only once. It was pretty exciting, though.
Most weeks I buy a $1 scratch ticket; sometimes I go for several weeks without buying any. Last week when I bought my ticket and scratched it - nothing. I consider that a contribution to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
A couple of days ago, I bought a ticket and won $2! Next week, I'll exchange it for a $2 ticket for which I won't have to pay anything. We'll see what it nets me.
I know that I'm unlikely to win more than a few dollars playing the lottery, but I can always hope. And that's what keeps my playing - that possibility that I might actually win big money. Then, of course, I think of all the things I would do with all that money.
I hope I would be altruistic enough to donate a lot of it to my local public library which is planning a major renovation/addition as soon as grant money is available. There are lots of other worthy causes I'd like to support as well.
If I do win big, I'll be sure to post the information on my blog - but don't hold your breath.
Most weeks I buy a $1 scratch ticket; sometimes I go for several weeks without buying any. Last week when I bought my ticket and scratched it - nothing. I consider that a contribution to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
A couple of days ago, I bought a ticket and won $2! Next week, I'll exchange it for a $2 ticket for which I won't have to pay anything. We'll see what it nets me.
I know that I'm unlikely to win more than a few dollars playing the lottery, but I can always hope. And that's what keeps my playing - that possibility that I might actually win big money. Then, of course, I think of all the things I would do with all that money.
I hope I would be altruistic enough to donate a lot of it to my local public library which is planning a major renovation/addition as soon as grant money is available. There are lots of other worthy causes I'd like to support as well.
If I do win big, I'll be sure to post the information on my blog - but don't hold your breath.
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