The Renegade Librarian's thoughts for today

I have no idea how Michelle keeps up such a consistently quality blog because I am struggling to find new and original thoughts/comments/observations on which to post. Sadly, I am not as witty as Michelle, nor as cutting edge, "finger on the pulse" as Jimmy, and thus I don't have a steady stream of killer stuff flowing from my fingers onto the screen. And there are times and places for ranting (which, truthfully, I do excel at) so I cannot just do that all the time, as much as certain people would like me to. However, I do have some more random thoughts to share...

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I have been really enjoying working with the high school youth at my church. It has made me think back to when I was in high school, over a decade ago, and I am really shocked how much has changed since then. High school students are dealing with/getting into things that me and my friends would not have ever dreamed about when we were their age. However, one thing that hasn't changed is that high school students are learning how to find their way and wondering what it is that they are supposed to do with their lives. I felt a pressure by the time I was 16 to know exactly "what I wanted to be when I grew up". I realize that there are some that do know and they make it happen--that's great! But looking back on it now, I think it's absolutely ludicrous to expect every 16-18 year old to know what they want career-wise when they haven't even left home and seen what is out there!! Even worse is to make them feel bad or guilty because they don't know or are unsure about their career path. I changed SO MUCH during my teens and twenties; I really had no clue what I wanted to do until I was about 26 and the fact that I am now a librarian is light years away from what I started out studying during the first couple years of my undergraduate degree (sciences, if you must know--ridiculous!).

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I have been installing computers in public school for the last 3 weeks and it's actually been, for the most part, pretty fun. I get to interact with people, the work is not that hard (other than all the dust under people's desks--thank goodness I don't have a dust allergy!), and it's given me some income while I wait to see whether or not I get hired by Greater Victoria Public Library (more on that later). One of the funniest parts of this whole experience has been that for the last week and a half, I have been bringing each school staff two dozen donuts from Tim Horton's--you would not believe just how accommodating people are when you show up with 24 free donuts for them at 9:00 in the morning! For the most part, the staff have been bending over backward to make my job easier and help the installations be more efficient. How easily people are placated/satisfied by simply appealing to their stomachs and their love of sweets/baked goods.

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I need to play my guitar more. I think I have the potential to be a far more creative guitarist than I am now. Though I may be a naturally musical person, I am running into a wall as a player and I would say that means the need to be stretched and to actually practice when I have time. As always with music, I LOVE to play but I hate to practice....

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I had my interview with Greater Victoria Public Library on Wednesday. All things considered, I think that it went reasonably well. You always feel like a complete knob both during and after and no one likes being put on the spot, but I think I came out looking all right. I felt like I rambled at times, often I struggled for the right words, and I am sure that I completely forgot some really good things to say. However, the two interviewers were very kind and seemed genuinely happy to have met me. We'll wait to see what happens--I should hear back from them sometime next week.

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Look for my (promised) review of the new Counting Crows album later today, and perhaps some others, after I head out to Hartland to drop off some recycling as well as doing some chores around the house. Thanks, as always, for reading!