I know I say this all the time lately, but this week has been brutal. I have pulled ten carts of books for various classes, so many that my knees and hips are sore from all the kneeling and crouching. (Of course every single book I need is on the bottom shelf! It's a librarian rule.) Plus I've been re-shelving all the returns and working in the Lower School library too.
When I first started feeling my joints this week, I thought it was from walking to and from work. But I do that all the time, so why would they suddenly start bothering me now? It took me a while to realize my aches and pains were actually from moving all those books around. Plus we changed out all our book displays this week, which required additional pulling and re-shelving.
I am so exhausted that I somehow convinced myself yesterday that it was Friday, and had to keep reminding myself that I have one more workday left this week. February Break cannot come soon enough! (One more week...)
On top of that I could not sleep last night. I finally dozed off around 2:30 a.m. and slept fitfully until Olga got me up at 5:30 a.m.
Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't replied to all your comments the last few days* but I really HAVE read them all. I just cannot seem to keep up in blogland. (Maybe I should have gotten online when I was lying awake last night? I did not use my time wisely!)
When I first started feeling my joints this week, I thought it was from walking to and from work. But I do that all the time, so why would they suddenly start bothering me now? It took me a while to realize my aches and pains were actually from moving all those books around. Plus we changed out all our book displays this week, which required additional pulling and re-shelving.
I am so exhausted that I somehow convinced myself yesterday that it was Friday, and had to keep reminding myself that I have one more workday left this week. February Break cannot come soon enough! (One more week...)
On top of that I could not sleep last night. I finally dozed off around 2:30 a.m. and slept fitfully until Olga got me up at 5:30 a.m.
Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't replied to all your comments the last few days* but I really HAVE read them all. I just cannot seem to keep up in blogland. (Maybe I should have gotten online when I was lying awake last night? I did not use my time wisely!)
I've also been planning our trip to Florida and trying to organize the garden work here. Plus Dave's been sick, which I'm sure means I will catch his cold just as we're about to get on an airplane.
There's just a lot going on!
*Addendum, 11:54 a.m. -- just caught up on comments!
(Photos: Taken on my walk home yesterday.)
There's just a lot going on!
*Addendum, 11:54 a.m. -- just caught up on comments!
(Photos: Taken on my walk home yesterday.)
As you slave away in the library, I can picture your boss with her feet up on her office desk, watching cartoons on her i-phone, drinking coffee from her flask while also cackling as she adds new items to your "to do" list.
ReplyDeleteTo her credit, she's working hard too, though I think she often makes tasks more difficult and time-consuming than they need to be.
DeleteI am sorry to hear that you are not feeling up to scratch right now. Thank goodness there are so many school holidays to look forward to!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I doubt my job, I remember my working calendar and how much better it is than when I was a reporter!
DeleteYour job can be so physically taxing. How are things going in boss land? I had an interesting conversation with my New York Jewish cousin (age 24) about Gaza, the Palestinians, and Israel. I hope I gave her more to think about.
ReplyDeleteI'm steering clear of boss-related issues on my blog. :) Talking to anyone about Israel and Palestine is just asking for an argument, but yes, there is a lot to think about.
DeleteI avoid the subject, but was pleased that my young cousin asked me because I already knew about her very narrow view and she’s usually very enlightened. We’ve actually been continuing the conversation in texts and it’s been wonderful. What a relief.
DeleteAll that up and down, especially when lifting books on the way up, would get anyone down. I hope you can have a mellow weekend with nothing more on your plate than travel planning! Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm having a much better Saturday morning. :)
DeleteFingers crossed that you stay healthy for your trip.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Ever since Covid I get nervous about my health when I'm about travel.
DeleteRoll on half-term! Unaccustomed activity seeks out joints and punishes them. Heat pads or analgesic gel can help.
ReplyDeleteEven accustomed activity, but more of it!
DeleteI hear my knees creaking just reading about your job. Oy!
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly it. I definitely felt creaky.
DeleteInteresting, I don't often remember how physical a library job can be. Books are heavy. I do know librarians with back issues after a few years of heaving books around.
ReplyDeletePeople think we just sit at a desk and pass individual books back and forth, but in reality, I sometimes handle hundreds of them a day.
DeleteAs someone who is taller than many, I often find myself crouching over to look at the bottom shelf from libraries to grocery stores. I have found myself envious of people like my wife who is shorter than many... up until I am asked to reach for something on the top shelf all the time.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom shelf is definitely the hardest space. I wonder what it does to a book's readership to be stuck on a bottom shelf? I'm sure I could do a study.
DeleteThat does sound like heavy work. I never thought about working in a library as being heavy work before, but it makes sense. Books are heavy and you move a lot of them.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you'll be getting a break soon and I hope you don't catch Dave's cold. Take care.
So far, so good -- that cold is staying away!
DeleteOh, I remember how physical library work can be. I would always wear out the knees on my pants from kneeling down to return books to that bottom shelf! Think of what a good workout you are getting! You don't even have to pay for a gym membership! ;)
ReplyDeleteYes! The same thing happens to the knees on my pants. I inevitably have to replace them every school year.
DeleteI had a hard time sleeping last night which is NOT like me. I have a feeling that insomnia is going to be even more prevalent than it was before...
ReplyDeleteOoh boy. The joints. They do indeed tell us when we've overdone it. I hope you can get some rest. And today IS Friday.
I'm sure the state of the world is part of what's keeping us up!
DeleteI think we are all struggling a bit right now. That last picture breaks my heart a little.
ReplyDeleteYeah, if there's any consolation it's in the fact that I know I am not alone.
DeleteI'm amazed t how much better I sleep now that I quit having a stiff drink every night during the week. I will still wake up several times during the night but am able to go back to sleep. I can still be awake for several hours during the night but it doesn't happen nearly as often as it used to.
ReplyDeleteI lift a lot of heavy stuff on my SHARE days and some is on the bottom shelves but it's only one day a week for half a day. I need to start doing walking lunges though to overcome my summer of couch sitting.
I do think alcohol is part of what disrupts my sleep patterns. If I have a drink in the evening I notice that I don't sleep as well.
DeleteAll the heavy lifting is challenging your joints. TGIF! Hopefully, the weekend will give you some rest to recover. Can you pace yourself at work? Doing a little less over more time. Your joints would thank you.
ReplyDeleteI can sort of pace myself, but so much of what we do is dependent on the teachers and their class schedules. Sometimes they all happen to need several things at once.
DeleteTake care, rest when you can. Speedy recovery to Dave
ReplyDeleteThank you and thank you!
DeleteI had a very busy work week too. Not so much busy and challenging. It does make one feel exhausted. I wouldn't be able to do all the bending and loading at all.
ReplyDeleteI hope today is a bit calmer for you.
I think I may really be aging out of this position. I think I need something easier!
DeleteIt's funny how we sometimes don't immediately connect our aches and pains with the activity that caused them. Our brains are younger than our joints! You have a LOT going on but a break to look forward to. I'm catching a cold too, ugh. I didn't sleep much last night either.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good was to put it! Our brains ARE younger than our bodies.
DeleteAnd I Thought. Was busy?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you were too. We're ALL busy!
DeleteEntering "mother mode" here, but try to take good care of yourself, Steve. Eat properly and try to get more sleep. And wash your hands and keep them away from your face! I hope Dave feels better soon and you don't catch what he has!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the handy advice! I am very careful about hand-washing, if I do say so myself. And I'm a pretty good eater. Sleep is variable!
DeleteI remember in my old job when I had to move files around every year - brutal! I'm glad that my current job is mostly paperless (well, we have lots of paper, but it gets scanned into a file instead of stuffed into a folder). Hope you can recuperate over the weekend!
ReplyDeleteDigital records have really revolutionized things, haven't they? As long as the power stays on!
DeleteRainy weather also can cause aches and pains in joints. Take it easy, my friend. (Though I know that's a hopeless hope. 😉
ReplyDeleteAnd here that means I'd be achy constantly! LOL
DeleteI do love a colourful umbrella. Soothe those aches with a hot soak in a deep tub. When I can't sleep I get my glasses and current book and read until I fall asleep again. This is how I've managed to read almost three dozen kindle books since Christmas, though I admit some are quite short. Probably all of them are short compared to your 600 pages tomes.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is, I have to come out to the living room to read in order to not wake Dave, and then the dog will want to come with me, and it becomes a big production.
Delete