Procrastination and making it work for me.

I often find my self with various things to do and can not settle, after good sort out there is normally something I need to do but I am procrastinating. The sheer number of small tasks I get done while avoiding the Bogey man task is fab and makes me look a very productive person. But the task still awaits me, so I have found a solution, which works for me anyway. I identify the task I am avoiding and break it into small bits, I then let my self do other jobs in avoidance with the small broken down tasks slid in every time I feel I have left it too long. My desk gets sorted, my paper work clears itself, the to do list gets shorter and even some long term aims get some attention, until I can look at the big task and see how small it now is and how easy it is to finish! Sometimes I get caught out with time and find myself struggling to get it done, and occasionally I just do the big task!

This does mean that some days I am literally moving paper from pile to pile and it seems form the outside nothing gets done. While others I have folk saying how good I am at working! My working pattern, environment, aims are all about to change. I am moving to the new library some time in the next six to eight weeks. My desk is one of four in an office we share, with the possibility of hot desking so my area must be clear or cleared up for the day end. My focus on high school will come to an end as I am now over seeing a community library with cradle to grave focus. This is the reason I started to change my out look back in 2008ish when I knew that things had to change and I must change with them. Living in the comfort zone is no challenge, is so static, is safe! I can not allow myself to be safe. Safe is not changing, fun, current and above all safe will not keep me employed in the current climate.

So much has changed in the last seventeen years since I first started this job, technology has broken down a lot of barriers and my many cries into the empty echoing space around me finally is heard and replied to. The very formal and structured job I started has long gone, the Internet has replaced all but the most well read non-fiction. The information is current and relevant, they can all find something to work on. The flip side is the changes in education, gone are the book reports and detailed essays, changed are the way they do things meaning that my major usage is for computers and typing up and no longer reading for pleasure, there is no time in the course work, not time for extra stuff, no time to just kick back and enjoy a book. The focus on a wider well rounded pupil has left us with narrow focused and limited adults with no real understanding of challenge and failure.

My plans for new ideas and events, the programme for the library is under way, part developed but after three dates to move that passed with no move I am sitting on the rest until we have a proper move! The whole idea scares me half to death but I have learnt that I get much more from failure than success and I expect some things to fail! I am stretching my wings, pushing my own work to the very edge and hanging over it with my feet. Comfort zone is long gone, I have sleepless nights, and fears of failure but it will be amazing if half works it will be stunning. My plans have always been to have a cutting edge library on the edge of the country, be a destination, a venue, a focus. We are nearly there and the wait is very hard, it wars with the fear of change, and clashes with that bit that still wants to be back in the comfort zone.

Oh why yes I do have something I should be doing now, but oh look this blog post needed doing. But even while typing I am poking and doing what needs done, the mess is of my own making I went at a task with little to no planning and made mistakes, and now I must pull it apart and try and salvage it, which is interesting and I am learning more but I so do not want to do it. And now it is done.

Just a morning picture over my village with the forest I live in in the middle. We have now past midwinter and sliding swiftly into spring, with the promise of summer (and a booked holiday for myself and loved ones already planned).

Roller Coaster Times

What a ride the last few weeks have been, changes at work and changes to my future. Add in daughter finishing and coming home form Milan, to wash repack and leave for Greece. Start of study leave for the seniors and all that brings to the school. And to make it more fun I have had to cover another library which is 35 miles the opposite way to my normal work place, train my area for the new software that is being rolled out, oh and go down with a nasty deep tissue infection that ended up being a trip to A&E and nearly a week off with nasty medicines. Woo non-stop something for weeks.

Daughter has started new job that will run for the summer for Neilson the sailing people working in the kids club looking after primary age kids and probably having the time of her life. She is already asking for extras to make her life easier and she only got there 2 days ago. Youngest is coming up to his first uni exams and came home for a recharge for the weekend and we discussed how he is in charge of his own education and not the lecturers and it was as much as he put in and not as much as he gets given. He has started looking less stressed (well for him).

Study leave is yearned for and dreaded every year, for some it is the start of freedom while others realise how little time they have left to the exams and how much is still to be done. The staff also view with a mix of love and hate, to have all the senior spaces lifted off them and a reduced work load, vs how little some classes have done and much extra time will be needed to get them up to speed. Also for most of the year you will hear staff planning for what they will get done in the study leave but when we get here there is so much to do and other things that need doing most do not get finished in the study leave and end up running to summer muttering about too much work and too little time.

Work is in flux as per normal, but I have heard that my mentee passed her Chartership and I am so thrilled for her, she deserved it for the time and hard work she put in to it. This also means she is now moved up a level and can take some of the work load off me and makes my life a bit easier. Win win all round. After doing three out five days off on the north coast I am now back at my desk and happy. I do like going out that way and love the community, the journey is long and winding and while the views are stunning (they really are very stunning) I am happy at my desk with no view and my own paperwork.

Sadly my poor arm was very bad, I have no idea how I got the infection, I am not aware of any cuts or bites but I do have 4 lovely cats who I think the world of but who think of me a chew toy or a scratching post, and occasionally a warm lap. I didn't realise how bad it was getting until I knew I had to be seen asap and then they discussed admitting me from A&E but decided to wait with heavy dose antibiotics, I slept for the next couple of days, I did try to come in start of last week but ended up going home again after an hour. I would say I have learnt to get things checked much faster in future, but can't promise that being ill I wouldn't miss the cues next time.

And now to May, so much to learn and so much to plan, I have my tickets for the cilip conference in Brighton, I also know I am flying to Amsterdam and flying back from Venice before it starts, but the rest of the itinerary is up in the air. Watch this space.

A Piece of String

That is how long I have been, as long as a piece of string. One of my Grans favourite saying, usually to a cry of how long to tea? or how long till we get there? you get the idea.

Another phrase that has been running through my brain is 'they're all mad but for Thee and me and I'm no so sure about Thee.'

My world have been mad, I have been suffering a cold up and down since October and live in hope or shaking it off, but it saps my strength for anything out side the basic day. The New library has been wonderful in Thurso but again time needed and now I have all the Wick Library side to start going. Staffing changes and work pattern changes are afoot, and I am very aware that I need to either dump or move everything I have here by October! With a big focus on being the dump side of things! every so often I find something that needs sorting, just this morning my assistant needed a book stand and I referred her to a cupboard of boxes which ended up with her pulling out ten boxes of stuff that most of which was rubbish. After two trips  to a skip and two more to the recycling bins as well as filling every bins in the library I have a box of to be withdrawn, a box or to be checked and put out, and three boxes of donations that will not be put in at this time and can be passed on or back. Oh and one empty Cupboard.

The new library here will mean a change in my job, from a solo worker with limited back fill, where the majority of my job is paperwork and desk manning I will get the chance to spend 100% of my time to increase community engagement and try out ideas and events, and finally be a total librarian, not a manager, not a supervisor and do all the things I have only dreamed off with lack of time and support! My mind is running round in circles waving its hands and going weeeeeee. Suddenly I will have to up my game and be a librarian, not in my comfort zone, not even in the same building as my comfort zone.

My biggest plans had been my trip to the wonderful Brighton Conference for the CILIP, we had some fun with husband finding a nice room for the Tuesday night (12th July) and booking it thrilled with the saving and the cheap costs for that hotel. Only to have the next day husband turn up to tell me he had cancelled it, turned out he had misread the dates and had booked it for the 12th of April (and that was the day he realized it was booked wrong) and he had managed to cancel with 30 minutes to spare begin charged for it. We have a nice room, further from the seafront but closer to the venue, booked and flights home on the Wednesday evening.

I have the basic program but I know it will change and I am already torn and trying to work out how to get to two at once or even three! some have yet to be announced so I may have more choice yet! So glad I know that the change is coming because I can plan to get the most out of visit and gather as much helpful information as I can.

With all the changes and busy world I have not been blogging and this must change. I even got to Milan for a few days and still didn't blog! I will finish with a picture from Milan of the Galleria, which I took selfie style to mock the many street vendors trying to sell selfie sticks to every one! Sadly photo bombed, but much fun was had in Italy.

Big Step Forwards

Greetings and welcome back, I know I stopped worrying about if I missed the odd week, but this now more the odd 3 months! I did start three posts in that time but none got finished to my own satisfaction, and so I have been missing. I haven't really, work has been busy as normal, life has continued as normal and nothing but everything has changed, as normal. Daughter came home for 6 whole days then I took her to University, and I am still washing the piles of clothes she rooted out and left and finding lost towels I had forgotten even existed.

Work has been frantic as it always is the first months back, the first years, the leavers, the classes moved and changed the whole new staff, and new groups. No matter how I plan ahead there is always something that changes it all, like a campaign of war that never survives the first sortie! I have been following the outside world and the wider library world, but I am needing to put more time in to my own desk to get sorted and organised!

Work gets closer and ground is cut for the new build in the town that will house a community library, which will be my new home come July 2016. The other end of the county has a currently vacant library which is starting work soon to be reopened next spring, again a large project I am helping on. I spent a while acting up this last winter and spring, which ended in the June, despite saying never again I am currently planning to trying again soon.

The Head of the School moved on this summer and we currently have an acting Head who is very good. The changes this is bringing to the school though are still happening and you never know what is coming next. Quite exiting to a certain extent, but exhausting as well. My other half got head hunted so has work for the whole year, which has meant less hassle worrying but he is about as far as you can get while still in the council area! But its not as far as Epsom which was last years base.

My craft world has been thrown for a loop as I am trying to get the quilt promised to daughter finished! it is pinned and ready to sew but getting time and space has been hellish! mind you I did see this rope basket how to and get some rope to play with, made a start with wool but had to take it out after an hour or so as the wool was too flexible :-) next try will be with dish cloth cotton! I shall take a picture of the finished quilt (one day).

I was lucky enough to be part of this campaign and got to read to a group of 7 to 11 years old's one Saturday morning. I meant to read for a short while chat to them then read a bit more, I looked up to faces paying rapt attention and kept going, as my voice gave out I found I had read for just over half an hour non stop (having never read the book first, bad me) and we had hit a natural stop point! I enjoyed it so much I may read to kids more often. :-)

The title of the blog today and the impetus to get back on here is that I finally jumped and I am starting my Fellowship, the re-validation was just the pat on the back that I needed and that I am heading in the right direction and all was well, I am happy and fulfilled at work and am finally getting more done outside work as extra support. I feel I am fulfilling all the criteria for the fellowship and now the time is right to jump. I wont say I haven't had a few odd sleepless nights, but I had more when I decided not yet in the past, so that's okay :-), watch this space for further posts about how this is going and how I am approaching this.
Bring on the challenge!

Happy new term (late) and happy autumn (even if the sun today is shining very brightly) and only 86 days to Christmas! :-) but for me only 2 weeks to going to Glasgow to stay with my daughter!

Public Information broadcast or something similar

I was lucky to get to a day of information and last blogged about the third sector and how it has an effect and how it can affect Libraries and society. This week at work I have been helping host a student who is here to see about active teaching and active learning. I know that is not really my area but she is an ex pupil and I was her return point to come back and make a difference. Why I mention it is because we got into a big discussion on society and who has control and how we change and what we can do or can't to affect change, I covered some aspects of sociology in my degree course (which the type I did seems to have gone west now :-( all BSc based rather than BA) and my one change I would make in life on a redo would be to do a BA in sociology and then an MA in libraries (or MSc) as I loved the whole idea of sociology and how we see and are influenced by the world and society.

This introspection has led me to actively participate in a cause that I do feel strongly about but I may have not bothered last week more due to apathy or too busy syndrome. The Cilip are leading a drive to get the rules changed for e-books, to get them more widely available and to get them free for libraries to loan. I have signed up and will be shouting about it on and off, because in that old adage, if your not part of the solution your part of the problem!

So feel free to skim over it but if you get time do click the link and join in the drive to get things changed, it is part of the whole who runs our world and how sets the rules. We can make a change. (climbs down off the soap box).

The same day of information I was shown a Website that is fab! the skills development Scotland team have set up a web site to help them get 48 hours in every day :-) as we need them more there seem to be less of them so they have a site that allows you to get much more out of their information and support your own life. They have set it up for schools initially and more recently have expanded it out to all those who may want support int he jobs market or even to just keep check of what you have in the jobs market. The web site is called My World of Work and includes a 'DNA' test that looks at what your suited to and what you like as well as a My Strengths section that helps you tailor you choices and interests! Even with a job I found it interesting and it allows me to fill in the CV section and update as I go. The website has recently been revamped to help the post school user get more from it and I was amazing just how much is online, from how to apply for a job to how to dress for an interview and how to practice your answers etc ahead. The point of showing us was the fact that it is a tool that can be used to keep track of job searching as part of the universal credit and current job seekers requirements. Well worth a look and a try, and if your a librarian or other partner worker they have an extra section that allows you access to more tools and info to support other better, amazing tool.

I remember when I was a child getting programs on the TV pre-political broadcasts which were noted as Public Information Broadcasts I wasn't awfully aware as a small child about these but they seemed old, boring and stuffy, I know wished I had listened more :-) but this is my version of it. So in time honored fashion I now end with a note that; This is the end of the Public Information Broadcast. Thank you and Good night.

Blue Monday, Sunrise Friday

I am not sure how they class this as Blue Monday, I know its the day when most bills come and the wages are not in and being paid early at Christmas means its that bit longer to the money in, but we know this ahead of time, we should be prepared for it, we have it every year! Why then does this become a particularly Blue Monday? Maybe its another media generated thing, like black Friday which was traditional the Friday that people got paid and went to get their Christmas things, but that has changed and now its just a sale driven hyped up nothing of a day! So much of our lives seems driven by consumerism, the bad Christmas we got stuck up in Scotland and as we expected to be in the west country we had no food and no things for Christmas! so had to shop on Christmas eve and as we only got just enough for the next day or so we had to go in again on boxing day, to my shock the seasonal isle was being set up with Easter eggs! Boxing day!

I am the world worst with my amazon habit, and I am guilty of just ordering things I could get but can't be bother to get. Having said that I am aware that if I do not use my local shops they will not survive. But I have hit SABLE which is stash beyond life expectancy! So I am now trying to use the wonderful wool I have tucked into bags and boxes dotted round my house, I opened some boxes before Christmas and didn't even recognize the wool stashed inside! I am finishing things at the moment, as this seems a good time of year to do this! though I did start a Christmas treat to myself, I needed a new hand bag so I started a bag knitting which will take longer so I get it right, hate rushed items once I use them so more time taken works well.

The sun has decided to shine which is very pretty but a bit late! the sun only seems to shine when I am sitting with it in my face or when I am ready to drive!

What happened to my week! I am here sat peaceful for a Friday thinking where did the week go! we have had sunset and sunrises, lots of rain and non stop work.

I did finally finish my revaildation (spurred on by someone I know getting hers) The whole process was so painless! my only minor criticism would be the information which is presented as a podcast is hard to take notes from and impossible to go back and check things part way though so I ended up watching the podcast twice and making copious notes! this did work but I may send them my notes for others to download if they want via the Cilip site. The whole process was painless, and ran very well, if this is the future I have no fear doing this every year or so, and I have started my next CPD already.

I also saw a story this morning from the Cornwall county libraries. They plan to reduce hours across the board and worse still are talking of removing all mobiles! I know that we have to make cuts but libraries are the one resource that helps people keep up to date in their own skills and needs and to keep relevant. Libraries add to our lives, if you suggested cutting hospitals they would be in arms but libraries have a much bigger long term on the ground effect but are being cut! Study are study has shown better read people and those with better access to information are healthier and more likely to do well! This is such a retrograde step I just wish I could shout and shake people!

At least the sun is up for longer, the day is no longer started in the dark and finished in the dark! The sun rise and sets have been full of colour, I now have a chance to enjoy them and see some light, makes a big difference to my day, I doubt I could live any further north than this. Mind you any further north than this and I would be getting wet :-) I have been posting the best pictures to my Blipfoto if you want a look see. Ignore the cats :-) and any with really short descriptions tend to be mobile posts, which are new and fun!

In that area I may add I am designing an app, but I am stalled so will need the help of an expert, I will catch me a 2nd year next week to help me. The school has won awards for the apps that the children have designed so I am using their skills to make mine better :-). I have a sketch and a page plan but then my skills drop off the scale! I have been recommended appinventor2 which seems okay but now I want to make it snazzy and need help (here little 2nd year come help the librarian) so will be app helper hunting soon. My app I plan is a library skills app where they get a chance to try some skills in a gamification style. More to come.

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.

Equinox and changes

The local area has been a bit blowy and down to zero! The equinox brings us storms and darker nights, the temperature drops and winter appears on the horizons. Of course the coldest windiest night is the one my midnight kitten decided to not come home for tea (again) making me wander round in the cold with a torch calling for her! Most of my neighbours no longer react when I wander past their house at night calling for midnight, or if they are out they smile and nod as both of us know she will turn up in her own time.

There is an advert of a man desperately looking for his cat in the rain, which is for selling cars I think, but the punchline is the man getting home soaked and miserable and the cat is sat in one of his cupboards with what looks like a smirk. I live in fear of wandering one night for hours only to find her watching me from the house!

I finally worked out the 'How to proxy Vote' for the Cilip AGM and made a great new connection through Twitter of a new friend who is going and has my vote there. If you are not going and need to Proxy vote do it as soon as possible! the closing date to get to them is the 19th September!
I used to feel very isolated in the Far north of Scotland but as social media and internet becomes more all encompassing the links to others becomes easier and the chance to be part of live discussion and participate in relevant and cutting edge debate and changes as they happen are amazing. Last week I had ordered the Man Booker short list through the catalogue before they announced it on BBC,  also managed to get some work by an author visiting the school new week which should be up on Tuesday!

I have an eclectic mix of places I get information from and people I chat with so sometimes find odd things that make me think or make me rant! I adore the blog by A Girl Called Jack and love new things from cherry heart, this though was a new blog based in america which caught my interest, the post made me laugh out loud, and the comments were most strange! Wait but Why is thinking about why we have unhappy people who have over inflated expectations, My friend mentioned it to claim his GYPSY status. Oddly even though he was at school with me I didn't find it meant me, as my grandparents were Victorians, my parents both just missed the war as they both hit 18 after it ended, but had that mind set and brought me up to accept what I had and not to expect what was unrealistic. I was always out of step in Thatchers Britain as a teenager, and fitted better with the 'adults' at uni than the drink every night/all night youngsters, so I find this very funny not me but sadly true.

The latest Knitting retreat has happened again and, like before, has happened without me :-( I wish I could wave a magic wand and get time off and funds to pay for it, I plan one day getting to this wonderful event, I hope it stays running for me :-) And if you wander to the shop you can see the one site that draws in me in and makes wish I could just click Buy on so much! I am setting myself a finishing challenge, I have things I want to start but not until I finish some others, I did manage to finish a scarf this evening and have hopes for more soon. Well I must go and fuss over my Midnight kitten.

What do you mean its not Monday!

Who took my week? First week back to school and I am already days behind, I am sure this was supposed to be Monday!

Oh wait it is, and now I am a week behind, I shall worry about the gap another time.
I have 5 classes of first year library skills to start, they are timetabled for this week and once done I can look beyond them, I still have to copy the main sheet they take away and get out the boards and things I use to help them. I need at least a week to get myself sorted but have less than 24 hours to my first class. Years ago I used to have two double lessons in the old timetable, that is 40 minutes times by 4 so 160 minutes in total, I spent 30 on intro, and 50 on fiction and how they are shelved and how to find them. I then had 20 minutes on why we stored non fiction differently and then 50 minutes to go over the Dewey and then 10 to let them wander and get paper work done for them. Due to time pressures and timetable changes my current crop will get 55 minutes on all that! but what will happen is I will gloss over the fiction and deal with that ongoing, I shall focus on practical Dewey and get them thinking subjects and like headings and then I shall do it all again after the bell goes! I have been into classes and given the intro's, I have already rolled out paper work! and have the hope to finish after they leave. Hurry hurry, no one wants to lose time from their own teaching, and English have an vested interest in them getting running in the library asap!

I have been chasing things this week, figures for a budget for the new build! data for the profiles, dates for the new accommodation in Thurso, dates for the MOT for the vans. My world is emails and phone calls, my sleep is dreams of excel sheets and proforma's, My to do list has so many things dependent on returns and information back I am in hurry up and wait mode! Another joy is the send of month information, the forms to make sure all get paid right, the expenses and stats, the hours open vs hours due to open! All due by the month end which is Saturday!

I am reading a draft of a book at the moment and I will be sharing it when it is finally published, I feel very privileged to read it in a raw form and I have made notes ongoing what catches my eye and what doesn't fit!
In a similar vein I saw this post in the history girls about words, I love how language changes and how the past words mean different things, I like how a word in my parents childhood is no longer so biting and critical and I love the idea that naughty means a tap on the wrist now but meant a whole different thing of wickedness in Shakespeare's time. I often wonder what future will think of our own words and usage. Will the really bad misspellings of the now become the accepted of the future? I saw these posters and wanted them, sadly the strong language means It isn't fully acceptable here.

I am awaiting the info to send my proxy vote for the latest round of cilip guess the new name game! No no I am not becoming cynical but the latest video was a little disconcerting, we are professionals and one of the issues the name change was to address was to find a way to acknowledge it, but then I realise this that is not Cilip done and quiet frankly talks down to me. Few who follow all the to and fro need to be told the details so dryly, and by a professional from another profession! Those who may be new to this deserve to hear from our own people in Cilip what is happening, I felt a bit sorry for the guy who was pushed over a parapet to be a figure head or scapegoat, which wasn't needed, and not appreciated. I am not saying we shouldn't change nor that the proposed name is wrong, just that for an information group we are a bit pants at sharing.

I finish with a quick picture of my curious cat, asking what I am doing? With her little Ginger mask and cute white paws! She will be waiting for food when I get home. And I hope I now have some idea what days it is! um Tuesday?

Smudged days

I am late and turned round, the lack of bells and the peaks and troughs of the last 2 weeks have left me not sure what day it is, I had a few high points of which one was today. I had the joy of meeting a gentleman by the name of Bob Pegg who came and did a music and story workshop for me, only a few there but everyone of us enjoyed it. We got to ask questions and to handle the different musical instruments, he played everyone of them for us and gave us a history and wove stories around them, truly mesmerizing!

The day was so nice, the beach below us so inviting, but the time with Bob flew by and I can recommend seeing him if you get a chance, my youngest said as we drove home that he was a 'real story teller!' which was a great recommendation from a geeky mine crafter like him. I may also be tempted by an Ocarina for myself! Also I have a new website to drool over and not buy the very pretty expensive things on but to dream :-) with early musical instruments.

The world of Cilip seems to be calm at the moment but I am following a thread in the mentors list about how much training costs when we give our time for free and often pay costs ourselves, but then get asked to pay more. I realise that they have costs and I know that Cilip can't just give for nothing, but with all the changes this is the time to raise the issue. I hope the restructure takes some of the thoughts on board and we have had another survey monkey asking about our thoughts.

In a different vein I am also getting ready for my Holidays, which are still in the air in places, like the last few weeks there are some unmovables, a flight to meet, a dinner booked, and some venues we must get too, as well and plans to make sandwiches and take lunches (even if we need help lifting enough food for four teenagers!) and walks on the moors, the beaches and the lanes of the west country. Other than that we shall see and go with the flow.

The cool lanes and walks near where I grew up and will be staying are calling!

I am also thrilled to see a piece of my writing is up online, I put in a piece about my favourite treasure. It is being run by the Scottish Book Trust, and it is up under my name. The piece is called Alexandra and the details are in the work, I took a couple of weeks to write it as I kept getting too emotional and far to close to it! but it is done, and up, I am so proud! Feel free to go and read, and if you want the date for submission of your own treasure is not until the end of the month! up to 1000 words, and has to be a thing not a place or person or time.

I plan to blog as and when while I am away, so forgive if the next few are less work orientated, and more 'oh look where I have been!'

Post cheer slump

Normality has struck, my laundry still needs doing, the shopping and cleaning, the keeping track of three teenagers, on top of full time hours and getting up to go to work at an early hour. Now I should add the last is a lie, I have never thought it was too early to get up and work here. I have done supermarket shifts that involved being in and being ready for a 7 am opening on a Saturday, I have also worked on an internet desk which had me starting one shift at 6.30 am but only once a week (which was a killer). I know folks out there who may have a 9 am start like me, but who have a commute from hell! mine is a 20 minute drive and if I am late I have to park at the far end of the car park! in theory I could leave home at 8.30 am and be here on time, but I like a bit of time so I leave at 8 from home and get in by 8.30 parked and at my desk! In the holidays I can get in for 9 am, no kids to get ready for, no morning meeting to go to, and no customers banging on the door at 9. But I would like more of a lie in, I am greedy!

I so enjoyed the Umbrella Conference, I have been over the handbook since and have seen two or three things I so wished I had got to, I didn't realise until I got home that one of my lecturers from when I was in uni was speaking, he was always amazing and I am kicking myself I didn't go! I am still processing half of what came at me, I must go back over my notes and try and get some in order, they cover every event I went to and I have a picture of nearly every speaker I saw. One talk was so interesting I didn't take any pictures, sadly wish I had later! A lot of the ideas and focuses was way above my level, the awards were amazing, but aimed at the services not the individuals in places, but they gave me an flavour of what is wanted, how more is to be delivered, and what my bosses are aiming at. So a greater understanding was good.

I also followed the online tweets from the General Meeting at Cilip yesterday, I was interested that most there had felt the motion should be carried, meanwhile the vote went against it due to proxy votes, as a proxy voter I am glad, the idea of it all the changes stopping was wrong, I agree that we must have more clarity esp. for those not based in London, and for a profession who runs on communication we can be bad at sharing info officially, but I think this meeting should make a difference, which for me is enough. I will note that while those who went were pro the motion those who didn't go may have done so to avoid argument and to vote against the motion without any face to face issues, had I been in London I may have gone but then I am not that shy and retiring (stop sniggering those who have met me). Having said that I did feel that Ian Clark had to say in his blog was very relevant as he is one of the people who are out there and not members but who could be and could do good!

The sun had been shining and my mornings now have a new pattern, I get up and hang out last nights laundry, then I get my watering can and water all my plants, and then I get ready for work and leave. I am very proud of my peas and beans, and my carrots may even become food! The cats are bemused by this routine and I end up being followed to my washing line, they lie around or stalk about while I hang clothes, then they sit and watch it to make sure it isn't dangerous! They also wander round my pots and one loves to see what is happening and has had her head watered twice this week already! The heat in the far north of Scotland is roasting, well for us, but sadly that means flies and midges about, most is stopped by the breeze but in nice sheltered areas (like my garden) the flies don't get blown away, this has seriously limited the sitting doing nothing plans!

I am following a new blog which looks very good called once upon a book case which is a YA review blog, which I so didn't need to find as I buy enough already, but looks very very good! Also am enjoying today's note from the American editor about the disappearing client, something we all need to think about, the view is very business focused but as times change I feel that we need to pick skills up where ever we see them and aspects can always be applied to our own jobs. To note also he states that 'Marketing is not an as-needed project; marketing is an always-needed project.' We need to address this in our own world.

I want to be a Dandelion!

The conference seems so long ago, even when I was there only yesterday, the drive home was long and we didn't get in until after 2 am. I am looking back over the two fun filled days and still have the words winding round my head.

I have been taunting a friend who didn't get to it, (or any recently due to her circumstances and her perception that it was boring) the guests were amazing! Not one speaker made me wander, even the post lunch slump stopped me form taking notes and enjoying it. We heard from the new director of the British Library, who has an amazing pedigree! He had a hand in 'Who do you think you are' when he was at the BBC and just his vision left me breathless, I thought he would not be matched, but by the end we had also heard from Janice Lachance part of Bill Clinton's staff, and Geoff White who is the producer of technology at Channel 4 News. I have never thought about how the changes that we are facing would effect other job sectors, The news world has gone from the sole source of news to competing with the internet and social media. One of the things he said that made me think was that the internet can say what it wants but if he says something wrong he could be fined personally. I know my own viewing of the news has changed, as a child we all stopped at 6 for the news, and again at 9 for any detailed news. if it wasn't in the papers or on the main news we didn't know. My own kids think that's nuts, they get stuff through FB and Twitter, they check websites and the news channel of choice last year in our house was Al Jazeera, I love checking the local news in North Devon for stories my Mum may know and that way we have more to talk about when I ring.

Loved hearing about all the gamification of libraries, and the Lemon tree, as well as the new movie by Ben Lewis called Google and the world brain which I will be hunting out to watch (when I have time) I hadn't thought that my supermarket card could be gamified, but I like the idea of hooking the users in with this.
I got to several Information literacy talks and have some great ideas of how to move my own sessions with the kids forward. watch this space, what works I will talk about, I will even talk about what didn't work!

My Fave picture of the Umbrella I took is one from the opening speeches, when the floor got thrown out to questions, and Biddy sat waving her arms for questions, but the picture looks like she is conducting an invisible band or directing us in a sing along! Roly Keating watching on as Biddy sets the tone for the whole event so well.

The final thought is one that led to my title today, Ben showers spoke about tooling up, I thought I would hear about what tools I need for the future instead I got a wonderful talk about how the future is change and we must embrace as much as we can, that we are valuable and valued we just need to keep up, he drew the talk to a close saying we should be less like mammals and more like dandelions, a mammal has few children and spends long time nurturing them and puts a lot of care and thought in tot hem, and they as many to survive to keep life going as possible, while Dandelions throw many many seeds out, no care , no energy, no worries and they spread and get taken by all. We need to focus on less big things and more on smaller and freer items that float and go further, and need much much less from us.

I think for me the message I got from the Umbrella was one of hope, one of change but adapting, the idea we can do, we may not be traditional or even labeled librarians but we are still us and doing well, There is so much we can do and go, so much difference we can make and so very much to learn still. I will be going over the notes and info from the two days for ages and will take months to get all I need out of it, but it was wonderful. I must make quick mention of the Unbrella people who ran events and ice breakers, who made the whole experience so much easier for everyone. I hope to do a note on them alone another time, when I have my notes sorted!

Floating on Air

I am  a few days late blogging as I am in the Umbrella conference! It is like coming back down a mountain and getting oxygen rich air again, I am so enjoying it. The speakers have been so interesting, and the information covered has been written down in my scrawly notes with extras on the sides, with ideas to try, people to see and things I  must chase up, I will be still getting round to all of this when the school is back in, in August!

The organisations has been fab with all the venues in easy wander of even me! the building is lovely and I even caught myself daydreaming I could be a student in them! which makes me chortle as I loved being a student but prefer the self driven training much better than formal sit downs.

The over all day yesterday was one of hope, of using what we have to do as much and that wonderful idea I like of adding value, esp in that bracket was Victoria Threadway form the Wirral hospital who does ward rounds with the critical care staff! Thankfully schools are not that time sensitive, but I am thinking how I analyse who uses me and how they use me... we shall see.

I am now about to start day two and am interested to see what more will I see and hear.

I am buzzing with the idea of a library champion and other things and have made so many new contacts or which many I hope will go on to be friends! I shall hope to do more once I get home.

Information Wrangler

The longest day, shortest night has come and gone, I took great pleasure in walking round on the 22nd of June saying that the nights were drawing in! I also took part in an event called Nite Kirk, the librarian side of me so wanted to correct the spellings, which is an all night open night for a local Church (Kirk up here) where you can drop in or spend the night, chat or just sit in silence, with music being played or readings or poetry. I went and read poetry for nearly an hour and a half, which was scary and fun, and very very rewarding. I put details up in my Blipfoto of the day which also include links to the Kirk's newsletter.

I was chatting to a friend and we were talking about how our part of the world is seen by others, how people coming here think we have no culture and no aspirations. The back woods feel of the place isn't a good measure of how intelligent we are or how much we are capable of. This linked into another issue I have encountered this week of not valuing ourselves, that horrid Scottish attitude of downplaying our own skills, I know how easy it is to do, I did it myself in Dundee! I have some friends applying for what can only be described as their dream job! They want to live in a particularly beautiful part of the world, close to family and friends, which sadly isn't here. I don't want them to leave if they get it, I will miss them if they do go, they love being here and love the place and people, but, and its a big but, they want to be there eventually, and if they don't try this now they may never get a chance again! This is linked to two things, one my often noted idea that its better to try and jump and do then to sit and worry about it. Found a quote on FB the other day that said it is' scarier to not do, than anything you do'. The journey is never as frightening as the thought of the journey, applying is so scary, and the world feels like it is in turmoil at the moment, but I do hope they get the job and the changes happen, even if I am left behind (as it were). The other things that came to light was how hard they are finding selling themselves! We know how good we are and what good we do, but when someone asks what do you do, well the shutters come down and the self deprecation pops up. Maybe we should have a friend write our CV's :-) or get a group of mates to fill in our application forms. An advert ion the TV had pairs of women being stopped and asked about their own looks and their companion, without fail they couldn't say which bit was good on themselves but always spoke well of their friend. I will try to do one good thing in my blog for a bit, and sing my own skills, and now I want to hide under my bed.

My good idea and skill for this is my writing, I have had the odd thing published and am putting together two pieces for publication possibly now. First I have written a piece for the Scottish Book Trust's Treasures, It is finished and needs a pic and to be sent! I also have a story in development for the Bloody Scotland Competition, I have written before but never entered! this year I will enter. And finally in the same vein I have signed up for Teachers Write 2013 which is a summer long programme of writing ideas, workshops and events. I will be in and out though out the summer so shouldn't miss too much when I am on holiday at an internet dead spot. I will be typing up my blog ongoing as well and hoping to keep up with everything else in my travels. Yes I know I have made my summer busy again, but I do myself no favours stopping altogether, yes break from work, yes break from various tasks and jobs but I need to keep my mind working, and this may fit the bill.

 My grass is growing and thriving as the sky has been very generous with the rain for the last few days, and the flat roof over part of my bedroom has decided to drip, and the end of my path has a small lake round it, I make the choice between wet feet or climbing next doors fence to get in! Only good point is the very lack of watering I am having to do for my veg plants, but I think some of my peas drowned!

Only a few days to the Umbrella 2013, I hope to blog from Manchester next week, and I will organise my Dundee notes before then so they don't end up mixed up.

Sitting in the eddies.

What a busy week, I have not stopped to turn round, I am late here and the speed with which we are heading to the holidays now feels palatable. I like counting mornings I have to get up so we have 8 more mornings to get up for school! as we finish half way through the last day and today is more than half done, full days left is 6! I know I have time to do some things after Umbrella, I know that these are productive days and I will get lots done in that time, but suddenly the time is short! Feel like those cartoons where the very street furniture told the characters they were late! Had a blast back to my past with a brief Ivor the Engine memory the other day and the noise of the engine is running round in my head whispering to much too do...

On the mention of Ivor, I love how the first job after getting the engine heated was to make the tea, very much part of life in the early 70's and very much outdated now sadly. By the time I get my first coffee of the day I have done half an hour of work online, emails sorted and programs started, the lights are on and the library ready for me to just open the door. Even this occasionally leaves me late for the morning meeting we hold in school. Been on a nostalgia kick recently, sadly I am too honest to really wallow in the past. Yes I know its not what it used to be! I think back on long hot summers, but also on long wet ones, I love the memory of the sweets but wouldn't thank you for most of them now! yuck e numbers galore. I loved being small, playing and not having the weight of the world on my shoulders, but I also remember the worry, about money, life in general, things that as a child I saw but only later realised meant so much. The past is what makes us but it isn't a place we should try to get back to.

The whole thing has been brought back by to me by the discussion about the name change for Cilip, why, how and who? I remember the change from Library Association and I didn't like it, I loved being part of the Library Association and some of my disaffection over time has been due to not feeling as if I was a Cilip person. This is the same bit of me that doesn't like change any way and doesn't want a hard life! (yeh don't we all, sadly your life begins at your comfort zones end as I was reminded the other day) But for all my love of library association I don't think it is relevant now! Our world is Information, transfer, supply, creation, filtering. But we are just one source of many now, we need to work out what we are in the modern society. Our name is a banner to wave, a tag or even a hashtag to our lives. We need to believe in it, to support it and to use it. I have no quick and easy answers, I know what ever is chosen will need me to find myself in it! I am now an active partner in my life, I will make that adaption. I remember being a pre-teen and life happened elsewhere, my sleepy little village had nothing to my young eyes and most of my older school fellows moved out/away and nothing happened, it was boring. Life did happen but you need to be part of it not a watcher. I am paddling in the eddies of the life that is rushing past me and I am ready to push into the flow and get washed where ever it takes me.

"River Under A Bridge" 

Image courtesy of xedos4 /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I know it could be a calm ride or a bumpy one but until I go I will always fear it. The biggest fear is of the unknown, Changing our name is challenging and the whys and hows are still in discussion. Latest info from Cilip about the meeting is here. But we need to reassess who and what we are, we need to be relevant and current, or like our old stock we will be weeded!

I planned to also mention the new build as it is happening up here and the plans look so good but I shall talk more about them later, for now the link to them is here.

Cruel and unusual punishment

The sun is shining, and the sky is blue. I am in work at a desk set well back from the windows, with distant patches of blue to torment my day. The school buzzes round me as timetables get polished and classes fine their levels. One poor teacher had to borrow a chair as she had one more child than her room had chairs! The last of the changes are being settled with only tomorrow to get it perfect before the first years come for a visit on Wednesday and Thursday. While this is a very very busy time for teachers, as librarian I am doing my housekeeping for the school year end. The new classes won't be in yet as the teaching plan need to be started, the old one is gone so I have no timetabled classes until I get a new one made which I am waiting until august as we are due a staffing change and any thing I plan now will be wrong.

Quick question thrown at me about a room number, where is room 60! I have been here nearly 14 years, but I also have a map form nearly 10 years ago that just has classroom numbers on it, and voila room found, teacher happy, internet unneeded! :-).

At the moment there are a whole load of discussions going on about the re-branding being done in CILIP, This has brought out the likes of Tom Roper who has called a general meeting, and Ned Potter in favour for and against the current situation, I think we need what is happening, but the transparency for some aspects has been missing. The cost is scary, and the result if we fail even scarier. But the most interesting article I read was by a non member of CILIP, By Ian Clark which is looking from a step away, so to speak. I am interested in the out comes, and hope that all this debate will make us stronger. It is also bringing things to the surface that need addressing, and hopefully can be addressed. The CILIP side is here, so you can go and see what all the fuss is about, if you haven't already.

Some shots of the Dundee trip;

Post dinner talk watched with half empty glasses.

Venue looking fab in the morning sunshine.  

All in all a wonderful trip, I have plans of what I want to do with all the info and I will be typing up as I go and posting here from the different speakers.

From the high octane conference to the monthly paper work! as the title says a cruel and most unusual punishment but one I take on willingly and with a smile. My faith in Libraries and my own choice and place renewed for a while, and with plans for the Umbrella 2013 in July, they wont be stopping any time soon.

Moving Vicariously

I am helping various friends move over the next few months with the first being very soon. There are statistics that say getting married and moving are the two most stressful times in your life. My wedding was fine, I had what I wanted and it all ran with out a hitch! when I came up here, if you count being a student as one move, then this was my third move ever, once as a baby to Devon, once as a student then up here to Scotland. I know by watching that it can be frustrating, hard work and stress filled  but I have never really ever had to up and move, even now my mum moans about the boxes still in her house from when I packed for Uni. I found a box of primary books I had kept the other day! and oddly all my maths A level stuff? I watch the hoarder programmes saying 'I'm not that bad' and muttering 'yet' or 'just' under my breath :-) so being part of someone else s move is very strange, and not just because it isn't only one move.

I am at am impasse on my revalidation, I could get done for the summer end and in the old/current system, it can be done with out stress (much) and I would be happy, but part of my doing it is so I have a better understanding of it, and can help better with my mentees, so quandary is do I wait and learn the new one so I get it right to help for future? I am not really doing it for the bit of paper! I like being part of my own CPD and being proactive and keen about my profession, so I can do it for the current system? I think I may aim for that and then at the Umbrella find out more and decide then if I can transfer it easily or need another load of time! how long will they accept older versions and other info will make a difference.

The weather this week has been very messy, sleet and snow since Wednesday and now we have bright sunshine and blue sky showing! I hope that holds for tomorrow as I am going on the Robert Dick Walk as part of the Caithness and Sutherland Walking Festival, I know it has been done before but I usually miss this and I am going to enjoy it tomorrow, also have an invite to a coffee morning so will have a nice tea after my walk. I will take my Camera and hope to get some great shots of Thurso and the river as we walk.

I did get some pretty shots of my kittens in the sun this week.

  Midnight seems to be asking 'What you are doing?' while Smokey is just asking to be loved, which is her normal state of affairs.
Roll on summer or maybe that should be roll on the warm rain!

I am following a new blog this week, I found it through another blog I follow called called Home in the Highlands by a Chicagoite in the far north. It is by a Lawyer based in Chicago, with a wonderful turn of phrase and a nicely jaded look at the world. Not a CPD ideas guy but a nice droll view of his reality. We need smiles as well as inspiration in each and every day! And in support of that I can highly recommend the Unshelved comic strip which isn't big or flashy but manages to make me smile every visit.

Summer Daze

I have spent the last few days in a bit of a daze, I was asked on Friday if I would like to go to the Cilips (Cilip Scotland) Annual Conference in Dundee as the sponsored person for our area, Which would be a sponsored place for the whole two days and cover for my own desk. I was so surprised I didn't think to say yes straight away but did as soon as I realised what I had been asked. I then spent a little while looking into where and how far and still have to decide how I am getting there and back, but until I get confirmation and details I am being calm (who am I kidding, I am still wondering round in shock).

Some of the details look so much fun, can't wait to hear from Annie Mauger, and the Scottish Book Trust and the former director general from Denmark and ... well you get the idea. Not sure if I need a dress for the evening dinner? and my work on my desk has got very boring suddenly! :-) My to do list has meant that most things get done in a timely fashion, my biggest problem now is getting my non work stuff sorted out. I have several knitted squares to do and a crochet shawl in progress that needs done this month, and projects either started or ready to start! My mind is everywhere today!

My blog this week may be one I have shared before but he has a competition up that looks good :-) so forgive me if you have seen this but I love Michael Logan's blog One Monkey With A Typewriter and I love his book Apocalypse Cow! which is funny but says things about how we live our lives too. In the same vein I am following this group at the moment which is making my world very zombiefied! The Midsummer Night's Scream! which is organising a weekend of zombie and horror themed events in the far north, the sun doesn't really go that night so as long as the clouds are not too think it wont get dark. The trailer is up on Youtube too :-)

I also found out about Target Who last week, the idea is a group of fans who are giving books to schools to help with literature and reading, I feel a bit slow as it has been going for a while and as a school librarian you just have to ask and they send you books for free! but their website is full of info the latest being a happy birthday to Terence Dicks who is one of the most prolific children's writers out there but also the most over looked and under appreciated.

This week also marks the first week for nearly 2 years that we have had our boat in the water! One night last week me and the children went down and scrubbed the thing clean of the stoor from being sat on the side so long! took the five of us over an hour to just do the decks! But it takes us closer to a nice summer sailing time! roll on time to go! And I must find my Camera to takes pictures.

Last year my daughter asked for professional photos for her birthday, this is one of them and the one we keep saying they need to start a band to use as the album cover! 

She choose this and the various venues and between her and the photographer they had a wonderful time. My father took all our pictures as a kid, and every one else s as he was the local photographer for our village to many. So this was the first time I had 'proper' pictures done, and I can recommend it, Julie Fraser was very professional and very relaxed.

I have been asked to participate in the Staff focus spot in the local paper! so just choosing my favorite films, holidays and how I would describe my pupils! in three words! which gave me a chance to smile, I chose fun, challenging, and loud! which is so true. I will put the whole thing up here when the paper has published it, that or the link to the papers article :-).

Strange Days

Went to a meeting many miles south of me, timed my arrival to have some wiggle room so arrived early, had a good meeting mostly on track :-) though I did work out if I had a pound every time the chair called us back on track I would have eaten well last night, with friends, at a decent restaurant! As normal the interesting bits were the other things that got slotted in the gaps, the email me and I will send you things bits, the did you hear about a new mentor! and so on. The main chat after was between myself and one of my mentees and then between myself and a fellowship candidate!

I have come to realise as I get my revalidation paperwork together that there are 2 levels to my work, one aspect is what I do at my desk, issuing books helping kids choose books, keeping track of new books, old books and all the space in between  Then there is what I do in my head, on my work computer, at home and well quite frankly anywhere! But to bring back the reason why I am mentioning this was what has become clear to me is a way of thinking about what goes in the portfolio and what doesn't. How I now look at it is what could be done by an assistant in my seat, and what needs my professional touch. Would you need another librarian to fill that post, if not then the items is possibly part of a bigger picture but is not 'professional' you can use it as an evaluation or a reflection but not a single focus. Some of my stuff is more linked to my own skill set, these I will have to evaluate to make sure they are relevant, some could be covered by someone else but not necessarily a librarian again part of the wider picture but not really a focus. The change is job or profession in my mind, my job can be issuing books but my profession is linked to my CPD and my skill sets. I realise that is simplistic, and you would need to find your own line to draw, but the portfolio is about your own skill set, your own competency, not your job or even all your work.

My second chat that made an impression was the chat about fellowship, I looked at this when my friend started hers and ran screaming to hide form the scary words! :-) after chatting to her and getting her focused again (and I have a nasty suspicion I will have to do it with her to get her finished) I realised I wasn't sure now what the criteria and aims were for this. I went and checked and found like the chartership that I am already part way there!

I then had to move some books once back at work, so borrowed a trolley and went book moving, when taking back the trolley I went in the lift here, I hate small spaces and lifts most of all, and yes it broke, stranding me in the lift after hours. I didn't spend long as someone saw me use it knowing it sticking! so I was rescued after 10 minutes. But as weeks go that was strange.

This morning I arrived to hear that the 6th year had 'decorated' and we had 'mudbloods beware' and the 'chamber of secrets is open, mudbloods beware' etc written on windows, then post it notes saying 'where's Bridgit?' and finally toilet paper over whole rooms and halls, though I later found Vasaline on door handles and banisters! which has been messy to clean up.

I also had Elvis at my desk and Gandalf at my door barring entry, TP over the shelves and glitter on my desk. One of the English staff has full size standees in his room. My Favorite bit was small sparkly stars all over my desk. Now before you think I nuts, yes yes I know not hard, I should explain why I like this. I have had to cultivate quite a tough exterior to be able to keep discipline and to make sure that while I am not a teacher the kids still have some respect for me. This has meant the silly and jokey side of me has to hide at work. Individuals over the years who have got to know me, know I have a funny side and love a good joke, but most think I am scary so to have them break in an 'decorate' my room is a win. 

Roller Coaster Ride of a week

I am late blogging, I have some very good excuses! honest I do...
Last week I was asked to be the face of the libraries at a visit to our county by the board of Management  I said yes,and then had a wonderful day, more about it later, but I enjoyed the challenge and being on the spot.

The long weekend just lulled me into a false sense of security, and allowed me to make more things for the craft fair which is looming now! I will take pics of the day and post next week. Then I went to Inverness on Tuesday to make sure I had a good night sleep for the Cilip portfolio building event I had helped organise on the Wednesday. I met the early train with our main speaker on, Mr Michael Martin who is Qualification Advisor, CPD based at Ridgemount Street in London, which holds fond memories of the basement hunting obscure references to hide the last minute rush of my course work :-) I am sure if I had put as much work into the content as I did on the obscurity I would have passed with a much higher mark :-). The train was on time and I found myself meeting a gentleman wrapped in a big thick coat and lovely Cossack style hat, in my shirt sleeves! The morning for me had been warm, nicely above freezing and the sun was shining  never waste some sunshine on a coat! Humor was found in the mixed views of the weather.

After leaving Mr Martin and CDG developmental officer Ruth Holmes setting up I went back to the station to collect Mr Ian Stringer. This day was a bit like a fantasy football line up, Michael was quietly inspirational, several participants came up and said how much they had enjoyed and got out of the day and that was just the first break! Ruth Spoke well and drew interest from everyone, even though she confessed to it being her first lead day, the rest wouldn't have known, she was great. Anna Herron, who captured my mind last time made the points I have tried making to my mentees so much better! The idea that the marker is a person, not to swamp them and make sure you fulfill the criteria. Amazing speaker and drew out chat from the whole group. Sadly Val Walker wasn't able to come, and while we did discuss mentors, I did miss her input.

The local 'just past' candidate was Robert Reid who is based in LSU, he is a computer wizz, and inside the organisation there are emails every so often that say 'I don't know, just send it to Robert, he'll fix it'. He chartered this January so could give a very immediate feedback to getting finished, a problem I am seeing more of :-), I loved his idea of stapling a CPD audit sheet to each record which allowed him to chose what he kept and what he could just dump! Robert hasn't had a lot of chance to talk in front of others but spoke well and showed a whole new level to his work and attitude, I was very pleased for him to do so well.

The whole event was rounded off by Ian, He spoke so easily and came from a whole new angle, I just hope the group of people there enjoyed his speech as much as I did. Amazing and challenging, the message that Cilip is us the members, not the committees, not the board or London but us, we make it and unless we make the effort to change it, we have not right to complain or moan. Makes me think of the Water babies by Charles Kingsley, and his wonderful characters namely Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby.

An exercise we did do on the day was using the CPD audit sheet here, which has 4 columns; Date, Activity, what you learnt, and what you have applied. I chose to look at the previous weeks Board visit (I said more later :-) ) The date isn't important, Helping at the Board visit, was my activity, the 'What I learnt' was how to be more positive, I had to 'sell' our services  and show how well we have done, and we had done very well. Being reflective and critical helps keep us aware and on our toes but it does mean we focus on the negative at times. The questions asked were good ones, the visitors all cared about the service and wanted to see more, ask more. I was more challenged and kept on my toes than by a double class of new first years! I had looked over figures and projections so I could answer these, but just looking at my own service from their eyes made me very proud. The next section 'What you have applied' was clear to me, I write the monthly report after this and put in my pride and having reviewed my month I also was able to find more positive things and a report a page and a half long was more like 3 pages. Which has encouraged me to sit back now and then to assess what we have done and done well. I know we must also ask what next and what could be better but that isn't an excuse to rush past the well done bit!

The roller coaster week happened due to my own forgetful nature, I meant to ring my mum on the weekend an forgot, she is a late to bed person but I try not to ring after 10 as she may be asleep, so at 9 pm ish on Wednesday flushed with happy success form the Cilip day, I rang her. Sadly I woke her and she was very tired and not sounding good, so I said goodnight and rang off. My brother then rings when I am at work yesterday (Thursday) to pass a message on she isn't well and to not ring her but he will ring me later. When he rang back I was expecting the news to be her poorly, but she is not well at all. She has finally agreed to care help, she has visits 3 times a day and the doctor visits to bring medicines. She has always been a very stubborn lady who would never ask for help (a fault I try not to copy too much), to have this much help means she is not well at all, my brothers biggest worry was I would come down to see her, but her biggest fear has always been, being seen as poorly, old or weak. If I went down it would upset her so much more than I am upset waiting here. So I work and do and try not to dwell.

We have also just been through April the first! I knew what day it was and thought no one would get me! then bam! saw this and believed it! dur, also have just been looking at my blog posts and one mentioned last years 'find' of a Unicorn Cook Book at the British Library! Sadly the other stories that have been cropping up are due to fire and not fun. the one that happened the day of the Cilip event was this, and now we lose a beautiful old building, but not as worrying as these, a friend is a fire fighter and was complaining last night that their clothes stink of smoke, and that they have averaged 4 hours a night sleep in the last 10 days! But with 80 fires in 72 hours at one point it has been worrying. While England and Southern Scotland has been covered in snow, we have just had dull and over cast but crucially no rain or snow! Dry Muir Burn has been a local thing for many years, but this year! not so good, but no burning off means no new growth for animals and food is already a problem for farmers, and just means the burn has to be next year and is more and thicker!

This is a shot of last years bad burn at Helmsdale, which took out acres and burned for days! The hill is still a bit of moonscape in places were the scars have not yet healed, and the fire has taken even the deep roots out, instead of the quick top burn that it should have been. We didn't go closer to take pictures as that would be just silly and dangerous.

Also I see one of the most amazing plays I have seen in years is Angus Weaver of grass and they plan another run! I would highly recommend it to anyone! And they are my blog recommendation :-). and Now I must catch up on days of emails, paperwork, and jobs put aside for the holidays for 'when I had time'.