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.
Showing posts with label umbrella2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label umbrella2013. Show all posts
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
Thursday, 4 July 2013
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.
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!
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
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.
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.
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
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!
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.
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Better Balanced
Two posts in one week, this has been an odd one :-) and not even the end of the week yet...
I am knitting a Flat Footed Floogie for a gift for a new baby and having so much fun, I am dragging out the finishing as I don't have any excuse not to part with it when finished! but it is lovely and I will take a pic when I finish as a memory. I have made the Lamb but have wool for the rabbit too! may make that one for me but SHHH don't tell any one, I am far to old for a Lovey.
Blog post that I must mention is Letters to a young Librarian, which I find raises interesting issues that don't get covered in library school and often until you face it you never even hear about it! so more power to this blog. This weeks is about office supplies and if you should just lend/give out your stuff to be used and abused by the students on hand, The comments add to the whole debate.
After the weekends rattle and getting things sorted to replace the lost work possibly I am now much better balanced than Monday, the world is not falling over any more and the light heading my way, may not be an oncoming train! There are people dealing with so much more traumatic events that mine was just more of a ho hum moment. Last night there was a program about trains that had a lady talking about her job, she had come to work after her husband had died and was keeping a hold of her self well when a woman came up and lost it over the train being 3 minutes early/late The lady said she stood there thinking if only all I had to worry about was the trains being 3 minutes out! Makes you stop and think, and its true, a big problem for one person is not for another, so with some perspective this post should be much better balanced :-D.
I am looking forward to the Umbrella Conference in July, I had the good fortune to go to the last one and enjoyed myself so much! I can highly recommend it, my biggest problem was choosing what to go to each time and I am still referring back to things I did and got then. I also made so many contacts and found so many new ideas, my room is booked, my early bird ticket is ordered. I can't wait.
I am knitting a Flat Footed Floogie for a gift for a new baby and having so much fun, I am dragging out the finishing as I don't have any excuse not to part with it when finished! but it is lovely and I will take a pic when I finish as a memory. I have made the Lamb but have wool for the rabbit too! may make that one for me but SHHH don't tell any one, I am far to old for a Lovey.
Blog post that I must mention is Letters to a young Librarian, which I find raises interesting issues that don't get covered in library school and often until you face it you never even hear about it! so more power to this blog. This weeks is about office supplies and if you should just lend/give out your stuff to be used and abused by the students on hand, The comments add to the whole debate.
After the weekends rattle and getting things sorted to replace the lost work possibly I am now much better balanced than Monday, the world is not falling over any more and the light heading my way, may not be an oncoming train! There are people dealing with so much more traumatic events that mine was just more of a ho hum moment. Last night there was a program about trains that had a lady talking about her job, she had come to work after her husband had died and was keeping a hold of her self well when a woman came up and lost it over the train being 3 minutes early/late The lady said she stood there thinking if only all I had to worry about was the trains being 3 minutes out! Makes you stop and think, and its true, a big problem for one person is not for another, so with some perspective this post should be much better balanced :-D.
I am looking forward to the Umbrella Conference in July, I had the good fortune to go to the last one and enjoyed myself so much! I can highly recommend it, my biggest problem was choosing what to go to each time and I am still referring back to things I did and got then. I also made so many contacts and found so many new ideas, my room is booked, my early bird ticket is ordered. I can't wait.
Friday, 11 January 2013
Happy New Year
Happy new year to you all.
This holiday has been very strange bouncing from high and then lows and ongoing issues as well as normal Christmas (nothing to see here keep on walking), I started the holidays in a strap for my wrist and by Christmas had lost all use of my left arm and while the pain had let up the ache is still present! On a good note I have some of it back (yeah I can type) and with some help (physiotherapy!) I will get the rest back, and hopefully learn not to hurt it again.
Had a lovely Christmas with all my family then lost half back to the north, just as well, the roof needed work and daughter missed her BF, but it left me with limited driving skills in Devon with a big car! had a quiet New Year and got packed and home. Thankfully hand got me home (16 hours from door to door) so New Year started well.
I have been looking at other blogs with new years challenges and resolutions in, I haven't done this for years and think may be I shall set a few up here to make sure I hold to it:-
This holiday has been very strange bouncing from high and then lows and ongoing issues as well as normal Christmas (nothing to see here keep on walking), I started the holidays in a strap for my wrist and by Christmas had lost all use of my left arm and while the pain had let up the ache is still present! On a good note I have some of it back (yeah I can type) and with some help (physiotherapy!) I will get the rest back, and hopefully learn not to hurt it again.
Had a lovely Christmas with all my family then lost half back to the north, just as well, the roof needed work and daughter missed her BF, but it left me with limited driving skills in Devon with a big car! had a quiet New Year and got packed and home. Thankfully hand got me home (16 hours from door to door) so New Year started well.
I have been looking at other blogs with new years challenges and resolutions in, I haven't done this for years and think may be I shall set a few up here to make sure I hold to it:-
- First has to be tidy more often, I know where my stuff is but it isn't very neat and organised!
- Next I want to move my CPD on wards last year I completed the CPD23 which was amazing, I gained a few more mentees and attended a wonderful Cilip Course on portfolio that has fired up my interest again. I want to get some of them finished on their portfolios and chartered!
- I also want to set up a course here in highlands, as well as going to the wonderful umbrella conference this year (I have my accommodation booked already)
- My local staff also need me to be around more for them, I have found this bit harder than I thought it would be.
We are due a PLQIM peer review assessment and the paper work has my head spinning! thankfully my bit is done and we 'know' what is needed. I hope this will go well.
I have spent a week writing this despite is shortness as there has been so much to take in and change! I hope to get back to most weeks blogging by the end of the month :-).
Just a quick smile for geeks :-) I got myself a cup, like Q's in skyfall! how sadly nerdy is that, but 'OMG its Q's cup!'
Monday, 22 October 2012
R&R
I am still assessing my plans for the future, I am being asked to go on a course in a fortnights time and I have just seen the request for papers from umbrella 2013. I have interviews to do this week and more planned for my own library as well as the info needing gathered for the Slic count this year (early November every year). All in all I have no time to add other things in, but I will finished the audit of my own skills and plan ahead. CPD23 has shown me this if nothing else, you find time to do the things you want and need to, and you can change your mind and do it differently at any time.
I cam across this the other day and it made me sit back and think;
When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
I occasionally am guilty of trying to get more into the Jar than it will take, of worrying about the sand and not the golf balls, or the pebbles. I had a lovely day out last week, just me and a few friends, we ended up in the middle of an other group meeting, but that was okay we met new folks, we had our cups of coffee, knitted and chatted, gossiped and put the world to rights :-) and it left me relaxed and happy. Work is important, I did give it more time than I should over the holiday, but it wasn't my main focus, and I need to remember that. Back to reflective writing and summing up my week to look over the highs and lows and what to improve, and what to celebrate. I have some Christmas things in hand, now I just need an extra month off to organise myself :-).
I cam across this the other day and it made me sit back and think;
The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee
When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
I occasionally am guilty of trying to get more into the Jar than it will take, of worrying about the sand and not the golf balls, or the pebbles. I had a lovely day out last week, just me and a few friends, we ended up in the middle of an other group meeting, but that was okay we met new folks, we had our cups of coffee, knitted and chatted, gossiped and put the world to rights :-) and it left me relaxed and happy. Work is important, I did give it more time than I should over the holiday, but it wasn't my main focus, and I need to remember that. Back to reflective writing and summing up my week to look over the highs and lows and what to improve, and what to celebrate. I have some Christmas things in hand, now I just need an extra month off to organise myself :-).
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