Good news: I currently have a new, better-paying job thatās closer to family. As a bonus, Iāll no longer be completely surrounded by Confederate, Donāt Tread On Me, and Trump flags. (Not to mention that one barn mural that has motorcycle-riding BFFs Trump and Jesus toting AK-47s.)
Bad news: Moving is the worst. Also, Iād forgotten how much the process of learning my new managerās and coworkersā moods and expectations wears me out. And when we enter winter, Iāll be lucky if I ever see the sun thanks to my work hours. Yay?
Also, I really hope the person in my old position is able to continue the connections I made with queer kids in the community. They desperatelyĀ need the support and theyāre understandably wary of most adults.Ā
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Anyway, yes, Iām still alive! Iāve just been busy with Summer Reading and wrestling with my usual mental health gremlins. How are all of you doing?
Like a lot of people, Iāve been dealing with Covid-brain (though not actual Covid, fortunately!), which is the main reason I havenāt been on here recently. But overall, Iām doing tolerably wellāespecially now that we have the extra sunlight that comes with summer.Ā
I gave my first professional virtual workshop/presentation with a group of other librarians a few months ago, and it went well. The nice thing about presenting over Zoom is you can go have a minor panic attack in private beforehand in a way that would be muchĀ harder at an actual conference! ;-)
Meanwhile, Summer Reading has been weird this year, if only becauseĀ weāre still holding very limited in-person programming, even as life continues to go back toĀ ānormalā more and more everywhere else.Ā
How are all of you doing? Anything new and/or exciting in your world?
Hi, all! Iām still alive. Like lots of folks, my anxiety and depression levels have gone up over the past handful of months, and that often means I retreat from social media to conserve mental/emotional energy.Ā
I hope youāre all hanging in there! Some days, thatās all any of us can do.
Well, I got hit by the latest update. @allofthefeelings, I see what you mean about the new font being unnerving... I think the problem (for me, at least) is that this font isĀ just different enough from the old version to feelĀ eerily off/wrongĀ without being so different that I can mentally categorize it as its own separate thing.Ā
I canāt tell if Iām having a harder time reading my dash now because itās genuinely a less legible font, or if itās just because I donāt like change and need to adjust to it lol.
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Meh. The dubious joys of That Time of the Month arenāt exactly such that Iām singing and dancing in the (proverbial) streets, but at least I donāt have to be at work while itās going on? Iām deeply grateful that I live close enough to my parents that I was able to spend this time with them instead of alone in my apartment, because I would be going nutsĀ in there, especially since my neighbors all smoke. And while I completely understand whyĀ theyāre probably doing even more smoking than usual right now, that doesnāt mean my lungs want to be anywhere near it lol.
Other things Iām grateful for include the fact that my younger brother got back from overseas before the borders closed (and is staying with us!), and my familyās current health. *spits over shoulder x 3*Ā
Iāve desperately needed a bit of down time, so Iām perversely grateful for this time off, even as I feel bad because itās come at such a terrible cost to so many; I have to remind myself that this would have happened regardless of how I felt or what I wanted, so I might as well get what benefits out of it I can, even as I keep in mind the need to help others. Iām also grateful that the library board pushed through an emergency measure to pay the libraryās employees our regular salary through 6 April. (Though not knowing what comes after that makes us all a little anxious.) That said, I hope that most businesses and organizations---the library included---arenāt given leave to reopen starting then, because I think thatās muchĀ too soon for where we are in theĀ āwaveā of the virus. I remain grateful that our state governor is infinitely more competent than our president (not that thatās terribly difficult lmao), and infuriated/exhausted by the world at large, even itās heartening to see individuals in the community step up to help out.Ā
Iām finally trying the Curly Girl Method, and... well, my hair is definitely in the early transitional stages lol. Anyone have any personal tips and/or recommended products for fine, low-porosity, low density hair with a curl pattern that normally contains everything from 2A to 3A?Ā
Iāve sorted my laundry and Iām currently sipping a cup of hot Yorkshire tea. Later today, Iāll hopefully do my laundry, go for a walk, and sew some facial masks. I should also queue more posts for the library social media. And maybe Iāll even do a little creative writing...
2. What is the last thing that made you smile?
My dad, knowing that I havenāt been feeling all that great, offered to watch a movie/TV episode with me this afternoon or evening, which is one of his ways of showing affection.
Other things that have made me smile recently: getting this ask meme; the family dog (we got a new one 2 years ago, but Iām not sure if I ever said so on tumblr) begging for attention; light books and fanfiction.Ā
Oh! And I rediscovered the Pride & Prejudice canon divergence AU I started back in 2014-ish in my computer files, and it... isnāt bad? I got about Ā¾ of the way through writing it before I got stuck/became occupied with other projects, and now I kind of want to figure out how to get it to my planned ending. Iām also entertained---and mildly hipster-ishly offended---that a couple of the historical references I was so proud of myself for pulling and researching are now common parlance thanks to pop culture (ex: 1812ā²s Great Comet; yes, yes, the musicalĀ Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812Ā has been around since 2012, but it didnāt really enter the wider consciousness until 2016 when it made its first appearance on Broadway, and thus the comet itself wasnāt common knowledge to the average person who wasnāt into this period of history either).Ā
3. What's keeping you entertained these days?
A handful of library books I checked out before the library closed, assorted podcasts (Footnoting History, Code Switch,Ā Jewish History Matters, When Diplomacy Fails, Youāre Dead To Me,Ā etc.), classic British murder mystery shows (Midsomer Murders, Rosemary & Thyme, Inspector Lewis, Inspector Lynley, etc.), random books I own, and fanfiction.Ā
4. If you are in some kind of quarantine/self isolation: is there anything you would like to achieve in this time?
Lots! Iād like to do more writing and get back into better vocal shape; Iād like to get back into contact with several friends Iāve gradually lost touch with; and I desperately need to go through some old boxes of belongings. I also need to do some planning for my future.
Will I accomplish all of this? Unlikely, especially since Iām also using this time to mentally/emotionally recuperate from a busy year. But Iām hoping to accomplish at least someĀ of it.
5. Post a selfie (if you feel comfortable with that)
;-)
6. Last but not least, send this to some mutuals to keep the game going š„°: @singelisilverslippersā, @sixth-lightā, @angel-deux-writesā, @beanarieā, @queerlaurabartonā, @ricketybookshelf, @missmarthanightingale, @worldenoughtime, @melifair, @teandumplings, @tora42ā, @exlibrisastraā, and anyone else who wants to! Iād tag you all, but that would take forever.Ā And as always, this is 100% optional.
