So much going on....

Life continues to be busy. The new job - I'm just shy of my 3 monthiversary - is going well. They are keeping me really busy. That is a good thing, but it also requires an adjustment.

For the last year or so of my last job I did reference work as it came to me and very little else - so I got really adept at facebook and caught up on several shows thanks to Hulu. We had a news feed from CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, CSPAN etc. so I could have the news running. I remember one exciting day there was a high-speed chase in Texas or Florida.

For a while we had the feed from BBC - to get the BBC news. Only that was just in the morning - so I became addicted to several shows - Cash in the Attic, and the Queens of Clean who would go in an clean up disgusting apartments and homes.

So now I'm actually having to work - that is a good thing!

Band has been a delight. We performed one of my favorite pieces - Rhapsody in Blue. And I dedicated one tune to the memory of my wonderful friend Diana Smith.

Oh, my dear little librarian. You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to make today worth remembering. - Prof. Harold Hill from The Music Man.

Dedicated to my dear friend and a librarian who strove to make every day worth remembering.

The piano soloist for Rhapsody in Blue, Annamaria Mottolo did an outstanding job! I learned that she is good friends with someone from my past. Peter Wilson was one of the two boys who played Oliver Twist in my college production of Oliver! that I stage managed during my senior year.

Now, out of the blue, I was asked to play in the pit band for a local production of Oliver!. So that will make for a really busy May - but it will be fun.

And tomorrow I join my friends in Marching Band to go to Rehoboth Beach for Band Camp!

My one-time mentor, Rev. Patrick J. Gillooly, used to say we have all eternity to rest. I'll need it I think!

Observations on the commute home

Greetings friends!

Lot's has been going on and I feel the urge to write some of this down. So, after a couple of months of nothing much to say I think I'll be posting for a bit.

Yesterday I got on the Metro at Farragut North for my daily commute home. At Metro Center a man got on who drew my attention. The man was probably about my age, bearded, wore glasses but had that loopy thing around his neck like your Aunt Martha used to wear.

The reason I noticed him was that he was coughing. My guess it was probably bronchitis and allergis. He just seemed really fussy - coughing, and pulling out paper napkins to wipe his mouth and hands and blow his nose. Then stuff the napkin in his pocket. Then he fidgeted and coughed again, etc. Finally after two stops he seemed to settle down and pulled out a book and a small cardboard fan.

So now he was reading. Only a dad and his young son sat down in the seat next to him and the son said he wanted to read. So the dad pulled out a booklet that the boy had made in school that day and started reading. Aloud.

The coughing man started to look toward the dad and soon and seemed a bit annoyed now. The boy's reading aloud was bothering him.

And somewhere on the train a baby started to cry. Now I was mildly amused that this man who was very fussy and had distracted me (did I mention that?) was himself now distracted.

In resignation he put his book into his over-sized tote bag. I noticed something on the side of the bag. It was a promo for a company that provides services to libraries. So I was thinking this man is a librarian and he was getting annoyed by a child who was reading.

Sigh! But I was pleased to note that as the fussy man settled down to listen to the father and son, he was amused by the innocence of the boy's questions and comments.

There is hope for world yet.

Udates on my professional life

Greetings friends!

It has been several months since I last posted. Needless to say much has happened. To start out with here is an update on my professional life - it is culled from two postings on Facebook so if you are a friend there this will look familiar.

I really want to thank everyone for their support. The past two years at my job have been unpleasant to say the least.

What started as a boss being passive/aggressive and not speaking to me for weeks on end turned into her false accusations and a security investigation. The investigation completely cleared me - but did nothing to compel her to work thing out with me. Her passive/aggressive behavior continued through my departure when she again refused to speak to me.

On February 1 I started a new chapter in my working life. I still feel a little numb. There's a lot to take in at a new job - a lot of decisions about benefits (the benefits are great - btw). It will take a little bit of time for me to feel actually settled in the new job - but the folks there are great. Certainly I will miss the wonderful friends I made on my last job - but now is the time to move on.

My friends who have heard the details of the last couple of years have been wonderfully supportive and I cannot thank you enough. A few of you know first hand of some of this. It is great to have third party confirmation.

The people at my new job are friendly and welcoming. Orientation took two mornings, but a continental breakfast was provided and on day one there was a free lunch!! yippee

The Library staff did much to help me feel welcome. They already set up my network and email accounts and my telephone. I continued to meet people and learn about library procedures etc.

The biggest challenge for me was realizing that this agency isn't like the rest of the federal government. I say goodbye to my govt. retirement plan (I'll still get the money when I retire), and start paying into the agency's own retirement plan and 401K. As I looked over the fine print, I learned that it takes 5 years to be fully vested and then I'll have just one more year until I'm eligible to retire. So this is my last federal job. I wasn't exactly ready to make that move - but here I am.

Then we got some snow and I had a forced holiday for almost a week. But I'm back in the office. I am continuing to get things set up and learning what I'll actually be doing. I'm learning more of the work environment and the corporate culture here (which is actually more like an academic culture.)

Yesterday I learned that my work day isn't quite as long as I had thought and an hour for lunch. And did I mention that my new boss isn't a sociopath, bi-polar, crazed, lying whack-job?

A Fabulous Friday

Hi Folks - it is a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

A lovely day - a frabjous day even! Okay - not sure why I'm so profoundly happy today. Like Scrooge at the end of the book - I'm as giddy as a school boy.

In part - there's the anticipation of seeing family tomorrow for the big party at the Lawyer/Carroll/McBee homestead in Berkeley Springs, WV.

Last year after my mother passed away one of my cousins suggested having a big get-together before we sold the homestead to celebrate again the many years (114 or so?) that our family has lived there.

So tomorrow I'll gather with my sister and brothers and nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins and friends to toast the happy memories. Maybe we'll shed a tear - but mostly we'll enjoy the stories that we've grown up with.

Lots more going on too. It is official that in October my friend Diana's former pastor and his wife will travel to Iona Island in Scotland to scatter some of Diana's ashes. Diana passed away in March.

I used up all my frequent flyer miles to book my flights. I arrive in Glasgow on October 5 and will attempt to drive a car to Iona and stay there two nights. Then on my birthday I will take the train to London. It seemed like a good idea at the time - but I'll get to visit with a friend from band who lives there now. Then back to DC on Friday and a concert on Saturday. Good thing I'm taking the following week off.

That will be a somewhat solemn trip - but one that will help in many ways.

Hope you have a good weekend too!

Nostalgia - Back to school

On Sunday I was looking through the newspaper and the advertisements and saw the first push for the Back to School sales.

Years ago I realized how much I like Autumn - in part because my birthday is in October. I find that things begin in Autumn - my life began, school starts, concert band practices start up. All very good things. I love the colors and the cooler weather.

But I also miss the preparation for Fall and school. Shopping for new clothes. Buying new pencils, pens, notebook paper and a notebook. Everything was crisp and new and clean.

Sometimes in mid-August when I have been driving to visit family in West Virginia, I'd see cars packed to the roof as kids were heading off/back to college. I was envious - I miss it so much. You got to see your friends whom you didn't see over the summer and hear what folks did. There were new friends to meet and get to know. There was a new schedule and maybe new teachers.

These days the closest thing to that is getting back to Concert band after the summer break. I'll take that - First rehearsal is August 3.

Joy is my Strength and Friends are my Comfort

I was feeling a little down, but because I chose to take some positive action I am feeling better. And there has been some positive action. The boss is actually making a schedule for the Reference Desk. It isn't so much that I need to be on the Reference Desk - it is a matter of principle that I am included along with the other librarian on staff. And the book truck that was purchased solely to place in front of the window in my office to block my view of the entrance and to hide me from the view of patrons as they enter has been moved. So even less need to be on the Reference Desk - but again - the principle.

Not sure if we'll actually have a facilitation meeting, but that will only reflect badly on my boss. So far I'm getting something of what I want.

No other job prospects at the moment. I passed on one because the boss there is reportedly as bad as mine. The other job was one that was a bit beyond my interest.

And so much to be grateful for. Over the weekend I went with friends from the band to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to march in a parade and then on to Hershey Park. I had a wonderful time. Saw lots of friends - talked w/ my roomie Blake (who is a reader of this blog) and major time w/ fellow trombonist - Rob Heim.

I did go on one ride at Hershey Park and that was enough to confirm that I was not getting on the super-fast, upside down, 80-foot drop rides. Even though I think there's a really good cardiac unit at the closest hospital.

Sunday was spent napping and reading the paper. Last evening I met up with a new group of friends for a potluck dinner. Really nice group of people - really positive energy -- I needed that!!!

God is good!

No happy dance - back to facilitation

Well - no happy dance at this time. I got official word that I wasn't selected for the job. I was sensing this, so last Friday I sat down and wrote up what was on my mind.

My continuing issues with my boss have deteriorated from a mild improvement. I was ignoring it because I was looking for another job. But now I have to face this mess. Maybe that's the real lesson here - to face this rather than leave.

This morning I sent off my missive to the boss and the facilitator. I'd post it here, but that would probably work against me. We'll see.

I remain an optimist and as the saying goes - Don't let the bastards get you down.