New four letter word for me, Time.

This last week has been one of retrospection, I have been looking back over a series of interactions to try and identify the point I could have made a change, could have made it different. My current job is so very different from what it was only a few years ago, I know I have talked about change and moving forward and I have been. What I need to do is the part of the reflective practitioner where you then look at what you would change and do that. I have let myself become an only forward looking person, this has been needed but now I must start looking round, I felt I could not in all honesty tell others who depend on me to do things if I wasn't doing them myself. So the current work I am doing is more of an assessment of my world and finding my own balance point, then I shall be off again like some manic toy!

Instead of whats new I am revisiting some of my old favorites, my blog of the week must be the History Girls, like any good site sometimes the post does not speak to me, but like any adult I can accept this and move on with out writing off what is a fun read most days. I often find a topic that I would have passed over contains lots of things of interest, and it helps to know you have value no matter who you are from the past. Another Blog I have been enjoying is by Michael Logan about writing and writers, again a well balanced blog, which covers all sorts of info, latest post is about how and how not to accept an agent and what you must think about when doing it. My final for now I shall mention is Letters to a Young Librarian which has the power to make me stop and reflect on my own world. Their latest post is on writing papers for conferences which is new to me so I got lots from it, even if I am not a new librarian.

After doing some homework and realizing that the one missing piece is now in place to apply for my fellowship of CILIP, I must now consider all the other parts, like my aforementioned Time. Until I sat and looked at what I do and what I don't get done, I hadn't realised how little time I get to do 'other' things in. My creativity and my craft things are now home focused and practical, I do not do an art class any more (no time and local college changed what courses offered) My design of things for the kids at school and my displays of facts and new books have gone almost completely, my plans for making the extra things more exciting has again gone. I hadn't felt their loss until I sat down and started to think about it all. I do wish I had more time to do this, but the challenges that have come about due to the changes are fun to me and the rising to the challenge have given me a whole new way to be fulfilled.

Why I do what I do?, what do I get out of them?, what could be done better? apply to my world. The basic steps for reflective practitioner. I enjoyed doing the CPD23 and I hope to get my own group of this going in the new year, so that others can get something out of it, even if it just these tools are not for me. The new North branch gives me the chance to potentially do more for others and to learn for myself, again I have plans and hope to make more of this and run events for all come the spring. But I must sit and do the 'why am I doing this' bit first! and then more on. A timely reminder that I need to support all I do and not go off tilting windmills as I no longer have the time to make big mistakes and still get my work done.

The Road is ongoing.