Good news: I currently have a new, better-paying job that’s closer to family. As a bonus, I’ll no longer be completely surrounded by Confederate, Don’t Tread On Me, and Trump flags. (Not to mention that one barn mural that has motorcycle-riding BFFs Trump and Jesus toting AK-47s.)
Bad news: Moving is the worst. Also, I’d forgotten how much the process of learning my new manager’s and coworkers’ moods and expectations wears me out. And when we enter winter, I’ll be lucky if I ever see the sun thanks to my work hours. Yay?
Also, I really hope the person in my old position is able to continue the connections I made with queer kids in the community. They desperately need the support and they’re understandably wary of most adults.
Like a lot of people, I’ve been dealing with Covid-brain (though not actual Covid, fortunately!), which is the main reason I haven’t been on here recently. But overall, I’m doing tolerably well—especially now that we have the extra sunlight that comes with summer.
I gave my first professional virtual workshop/presentation with a group of other librarians a few months ago, and it went well. The nice thing about presenting over Zoom is you can go have a minor panic attack in private beforehand in a way that would be much harder at an actual conference! ;-)
Meanwhile, Summer Reading has been weird this year, if only because we’re still holding very limited in-person programming, even as life continues to go back to “normal” more and more everywhere else.
How are all of you doing? Anything new and/or exciting in your world?
Hi, all! I’m still alive. Like lots of folks, my anxiety and depression levels have gone up over the past handful of months, and that often means I retreat from social media to conserve mental/emotional energy.
I hope you’re all hanging in there! Some days, that’s all any of us can do.
Well, I got hit by the latest update. @allofthefeelings, I see what you mean about the new font being unnerving... I think the problem (for me, at least) is that this font is just different enough from the old version to feel eerily off/wrong without being so different that I can mentally categorize it as its own separate thing.
I can’t tell if I’m having a harder time reading my dash now because it’s genuinely a less legible font, or if it’s just because I don’t like change and need to adjust to it lol.
Meh. The dubious joys of That Time of the Month aren’t exactly such that I’m singing and dancing in the (proverbial) streets, but at least I don’t have to be at work while it’s going on? I’m deeply grateful that I live close enough to my parents that I was able to spend this time with them instead of alone in my apartment, because I would be going nuts in there, especially since my neighbors all smoke. And while I completely understand why they’re probably doing even more smoking than usual right now, that doesn’t mean my lungs want to be anywhere near it lol.
Other things I’m grateful for include the fact that my younger brother got back from overseas before the borders closed (and is staying with us!), and my family’s current health. *spits over shoulder x 3*
I’ve desperately needed a bit of down time, so I’m perversely grateful for this time off, even as I feel bad because it’s come at such a terrible cost to so many; I have to remind myself that this would have happened regardless of how I felt or what I wanted, so I might as well get what benefits out of it I can, even as I keep in mind the need to help others. I’m also grateful that the library board pushed through an emergency measure to pay the library’s employees our regular salary through 6 April. (Though not knowing what comes after that makes us all a little anxious.) That said, I hope that most businesses and organizations---the library included---aren’t given leave to reopen starting then, because I think that’s much too soon for where we are in the “wave” of the virus. I remain grateful that our state governor is infinitely more competent than our president (not that that’s terribly difficult lmao), and infuriated/exhausted by the world at large, even it’s heartening to see individuals in the community step up to help out.
I’m finally trying the Curly Girl Method, and... well, my hair is definitely in the early transitional stages lol. Anyone have any personal tips and/or recommended products for fine, low-porosity, low density hair with a curl pattern that normally contains everything from 2A to 3A?
I’ve sorted my laundry and I’m currently sipping a cup of hot Yorkshire tea. Later today, I’ll hopefully do my laundry, go for a walk, and sew some facial masks. I should also queue more posts for the library social media. And maybe I’ll even do a little creative writing...
2. What is the last thing that made you smile?
My dad, knowing that I haven’t been feeling all that great, offered to watch a movie/TV episode with me this afternoon or evening, which is one of his ways of showing affection.
Other things that have made me smile recently: getting this ask meme; the family dog (we got a new one 2 years ago, but I’m not sure if I ever said so on tumblr) begging for attention; light books and fanfiction.
Oh! And I rediscovered the Pride & Prejudice canon divergence AU I started back in 2014-ish in my computer files, and it... isn’t bad? I got about ¾ of the way through writing it before I got stuck/became occupied with other projects, and now I kind of want to figure out how to get it to my planned ending. I’m also entertained---and mildly hipster-ishly offended---that a couple of the historical references I was so proud of myself for pulling and researching are now common parlance thanks to pop culture (ex: 1812′s Great Comet; yes, yes, the musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 has been around since 2012, but it didn’t really enter the wider consciousness until 2016 when it made its first appearance on Broadway, and thus the comet itself wasn’t common knowledge to the average person who wasn’t into this period of history either).
3. What's keeping you entertained these days?
A handful of library books I checked out before the library closed, assorted podcasts (Footnoting History, Code Switch, Jewish History Matters, When Diplomacy Fails, You’re Dead To Me, etc.), classic British murder mystery shows (Midsomer Murders, Rosemary & Thyme, Inspector Lewis, Inspector Lynley, etc.), random books I own, and fanfiction.
4. If you are in some kind of quarantine/self isolation: is there anything you would like to achieve in this time?
Lots! I’d like to do more writing and get back into better vocal shape; I’d like to get back into contact with several friends I’ve gradually lost touch with; and I desperately need to go through some old boxes of belongings. I also need to do some planning for my future.
Will I accomplish all of this? Unlikely, especially since I’m also using this time to mentally/emotionally recuperate from a busy year. But I’m hoping to accomplish at least some of it.
5. Post a selfie (if you feel comfortable with that)
;-)
6. Last but not least, send this to some mutuals to keep the game going 🥰: @singelisilverslippers, @sixth-light, @angel-deux-writes, @beanarie, @queerlaurabarton, @ricketybookshelf, @missmarthanightingale, @worldenoughtime, @melifair, @teandumplings, @tora42, @exlibrisastra, and anyone else who wants to! I’d tag you all, but that would take forever. And as always, this is 100% optional.
