The Walking Club

It's amazing that it's mid-February and I'm still working on this healthy goal. Amazing because there's always a good chance of me just quitting. I ended up joining Weight Watchers after all. I like their program even though I have to get use to this Points Plus thing. So I am once again learning how to eat healthy but, more than that, think about what I am eating and whether an entire chocolate bar is worth the points. Case in point, the other day BT bought mini chocolate donuts for dessert. But I only had a few points left. So I could have one mini donut or I could have some of the Ready to Go Sno-ball I bought the other day for the same amount of points. I went with the thing that gave me more for the same amount of points. I think that is what Weight Watchers teaches (or it should) more than anything. To think about what you are eating and make healthy choices. One day I won't even have to think about brown rice over white and I hope my kids will do the same. I'd like to teach them now about healthy choices so hopefully they won't have this struggle too. Because sure they are small now and a bit underweight (or at least him. She's got a pretty round little belly right now) but that might not always be the case.

And, in the second burst of healthy choices, I joined the university Walking Club. It's part of a study by one of the Allied Health professors but I thought it might be a good motivator. It's a 6 month study so I am obligated to do this walking thing 3 times a week at minimum for 6 months. We have to record our steps and send them in weekly. It hasn't been a full week yet but so far I've done alright. Two of my co-workers signed up and that is going to helpful. It always helps me to have someone telling me that we have to get up and walk around. So now I am a member of a walking club. Look at me, making good choices!

Day 22: A level head

I was thanked, at work, for having a level head. Without too much detail, let me just say that sometimes situations develop in the workplace where emotions run high and interpersonal conflicts happen. I've surprisingly developed a good management style and I have great conflict management skills. So we had a meeting to talk about a few issues that have cropped up in our departmental librarian program and in that meeting a few other (unrelated) issues were brought up. I was later thanked by the assistant dean of public services for my level head. I've never thought of myself as a level headed person. My emotions tend to run pretty high but something happens at work. I believe in maintaining decorum and also in remembering that it is just work. We're not saving lives here. A few mistakes are not that big a deal. And questions are always good. A program can't evolve without questions and mistakes. So today I am grateful for the compliment. I like thinking I have a level head and more than that I like the senior librarians thinking I have a level head.

Day 14: Flexibility

Today I am grateful for flexibility at work. I have a set schedule and, yes, I have to take my time so it's not like flex time. But the dean of my library is a family man and he basically told me in my interview that he knows that my family is first and my work is second and to take care of my kid first and not to worry about here. I think he meant it because I've never been given a hard time for having kids, not even when I got pregnant and was gone for 8 weeks. It's good that my job is tech services in this case. I think it's easy when you are tied to a desk schedule or doing public work.

MOOOOOOOOOO

A co-worker asked if I was still doing that while I cleaned the parts to my breast pump. "Yep," I said enthusiastically. "Going to for as long as I can," I said cheerfully. I don't think that is the reaction she were looking for. Because if she was looking for me to admit I am getting tired of it, she can keep looking. Yes, I get tired of hooking myself to a machine and feeling like a dairy cow, but I do it for baby girl because I want her to have the best. So MOOOOOOO and no I'm not ready to quit.

Library Christmas Party

Today was the "office" Christmas Party and it was very nice.  I always enjoy it though the last two years I've had to sit with people I don't have much to talk about with.  But this year I endeavored to sit with people I like.  I had my new assistant sit by me and made a pact with the account because she was worried about the same thing.  And one of the reference librarians who I guess is my friend sat there too.  So it worked out.  The only thing was my really awkward part-time assistant was like attached to my hip or something because I couldn't shake him off and he sat with us.  But he doesn't say much (which is part of the reason he is awkward) and so it was alright.  The food was good and it was a nice time regardless. 

We play this Secret Santa stealing game and it is fun but I'm too nice to steal from anyone so I always end up with some random thing I don't really like.  Next year I'm doing nothing but stealing.  I'm getting something good next year.  But it doesn't matter, the point is just to play and have fun.  I just need to figure out what I'm going to do with the gift I ended up with.  Regifting?

Why I need to dress like a grown-up

ow I'm a 32 years old, the mother of one child and a professional librarian.  That means that I have a masters degree in something so I'm "highly educated."  And yet I have a problem dressing like the professional I am suppose to be.  My workplace is fairly causal, jeans are allowed.  But as a librarian I feel like I should dress like one.  Not an old shhhhhing librarian, but a young professional at least.  I am more inclined to jeans and a t-shirt especially on days when I feel blah.  And I actually own dress clothes but then I have to iron them.  Ironing means threatening my child with time out if he touches the ironing board at least 5 times for every 2 minutes the iron is out.  Ironing means making the effort to mess with my clothes the night before.  For a while, I was really good.  I'd get my clothes together and iron them and set them out for a week.  I was so awesome and felt very prepared for life.  But, as with everything, I slacked off and faded back to my jeans and polos.

Lately I've gained more responsibility and more employees and will be working at the reference desk daily.  I cannot look like one of the students.  I need to look more like the professionals.  So back to ironing for me.  I've getting my dress pants and my dressier shirts out and my heels on and heading out.  But I'm still wearing jeans on Friday.

What is the hardest thing you've ever had to learn?

In looking for a topic for today's blog, I perused some blog writing prompts and one asked the question: What is the hardest thing you've ever had to learn?  That is a very good question.  Honestly, the answer is when to keep my mouth shut.  See I am very opinionated and I have a quick temper and when I get fired up I just say all kinds of things that would be better left in my brain.  I got into a lot of trouble at my last job.  The director and I generally got along but when we didn't, whoa, was it a problem and the last person you should fight with is your boss.  She is a nice lady and I'm a nice lady but we had our moments and I had/have many opinions on her management style and some of the shenanigans that go on at that library.  In the end, I began to make myself miserable.  I couldn't stand the awfulness of how grown women behave and I began to mistrust every single person in that library, even the assistant director who threw me under the bus on several occasions.  So I walked away, well I quit after finding another job, but same thing.  The stress of being on the reference desk, not to mention the only reference librarian in the whole parish, of dealing with an assistant who hated me, of the backbiting and gossiping.  I didn't like who I had become.  It was too much.  I wanted to be a better person, not a bitter bitch.

Since then I have found that kind of behavior will go on in every workplace and at my current job I have found to keep to myself and to be the bigger person.  Lately though my supervisor has been giving me hell and assistant #1 has been causing trouble and so I have been speaking to some of my co-workers about it.  Sometimes I walk away wishing I hadn't said anything, but there is one person here who is a great listener and gives good feedback.  It's important to find someone like that.  My husband will listen to me complain but he is a straight up business manager type and for him it is all cut and dry.  But he has the luxury of working in the private sector while I get to deal with the great state of Louisiana and its civil service guidelines.  But having someone who knows the people and has been around a lot longer than me has been a good thing. 

The joys of library reorganization

I generally don't blog too much about work for various reasons.  But here is a work post.

Things, they are a-changin.  Currently or previously, I'm not entirely sure which, I was/am what is called the Special Projects Librarian.  I do all the stuff that no one else wants to do, displays, booksale, gifts, etc.  and that is fine.  No problem.  I was hired to do this.  I supervise one full time employee and one part time employee and they are crazy but we do ok together.  Now I'm being "upgraded" a bit to the Collection Development Librarian and gaining two extra people while keeping the same duties just adding book orders and department liaison to my job description.  This is good for me since I would eventually like to move further up the food chain.  I am happy about this.  My supervisor, on the other hand, is not despite this being her idea.  She is slowly losing control of different people in her department as everyone is shuffled around in the reorganization of my library.  So in a fit of brilliance or something I decided I wanted to move all my people into the four cubicle cluster outside of my office.  This is going to solve some morale issues that have been going on for a while and hopefully created a sense of solidarity in my people.  My supervisor is not happy.  She has tried at every turn to stop me from doing this.  I don't know why.  I really don't except for the fact that she doesn't like change and it wasn't her idea.  But now the Dean and the Associate Dean have agreed and it is going to be a fact and she is still trying to stop me.  This will not stand.  I'm going to get what I want come hell or high water. 

This and That

I'm trying to post more here. But today I cannot think of anything to talk about. I have been so tired lately.

BT thought of the name "Magnolia" for the next baby (girl) but I don't know about that. It's pretty but not my taste. I thought of Bennett (boy), but it's too close to BT's name and there would be some confusion, I'm sure. I also like Darcy (girl) but that will probably be a no too. (Can you tell I'm reading Pride & Prejudice?)

The crazy people here are extra crazy, like they swam around in the crazy sauce before they came to work. I won't get into it, but I've never seen anything like it and my last job had some serious wackiness.

Java seems to be feeling better. He had an ear infection, but he is doing better now.

We are still working on Bub's room. We'll be done soon.

That's about it. I'm falling asleep typing this so I'd better go walk around or something.

A Short Thing

I feel guilty. I've spending almost all my time at my book blog and neglecting this one. I got so pumped up for BEDA and then fizzled out once it was over. I need to make a goal of at least one to two blogs a week over here.

In other news, I'm still considering changing the blog name.

In other other news, I painted the hall bathroom "Antique Silver" which is really a blue gray this past weekend even though I was sick. It look good and brings out the shower curtain. We are painting the little man's room "Costa Rica Blue" this weekend and doing a transportation theme. I'm also going to paint one of the short walls with chalkboard paint so that will be fun.

I've been sick and feel guilty since I've been in and out of the office for the last couple of months with different things. And then this week the weirdness of certain people became amazingly apparent and then it got really crazy. But I try to stay out of things.

Cake is SRS BSNS

Okay, I let me explain the cake thing at my work. Supervisor buys for employee, and it apparently very serious business. I didn't even want to be a part of it, but they LOVE their cake so whatever. I got away with doing cake but not having to do lunch on my birthday which was nice. And I'm going to continue to avoid lunch even though my supervisor keeps asking since we didn't go and my PT assistant demanded it on my birthday. But if you understood the extreme awkwardness of both my assistants AND my supervisor and how deadening spending an hour in a social situation with them would be, you'd forgive my meanness. I'm trying to avoid situations where I want to stab myself with a fork. That is why I quit my old job.

So my PT assistant's birthday is at the end of the month. He has apparently already demanded of MY supervisor a cake and a lunch. I was just asked if I was going to do either or neither or one. I said I'd do the cake but not lunch. We don't have the cash to be flinging around on a lunch (which I've been told might cost a lot since last year he got lunch for himself + dessert + dinner for both he and his mom + dessert for the two of them (he has NO social skills and doesn't understand that it's not right to do stuff like that)) and the horror of lunch with them is just ... NO... just NO.

I like a workplace that doesn't force birthdays down everyone's throat. It's nice to do stuff like that with people you like and because you WANT to, not because you HAVE to. My old job had three really good friends and we did cakes, but rarely lunches or anything like that. But it was nice and I know that they did it from the heart and not because they felt forced.

I worry actually about the cake obsession at this place. It is not healthy to stress that much about cake.