The local weather team rated the weather for yesterday and today as 10 out of 10. It truly is glorious. Lovely, 70-degree temperatures, sunny skies, cool breeze, and low humidity. We've got the windows open and I am loving it. Here's what else made my week:
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I read a lot of books with my kiddo. Kid Reads is a biweekly look at what we've enjoyed recently.
*Books shared here are affiliate links for Bookshop.org
I didn't get a chance to post last Wednesday because I was in, what my coworker delightfully called, "weather-related travel purgatory." Let's just say I was shocked I made it home because my day was 15+ hours of rebookings (I stopped counting after 5) and a flight diversion to Austin. Always call the rebooking phone number! So much faster than waiting in line for a customer service rep. Here's what I'm working on:
Over a decade ago, the husband and I went to his cousin's wedding. Since we were out of town guests, our hotel room came with the standard welcome bag of goodies. The goodies I can't remember at all, but the bag is something I use all the time. At first, I didn't think much of this bag. It's a kind of loud, blue patchwork style. Each of the squares is a different striped tartan pattern. The bottom and straps are a denim blue. Honestly, the look is not my style in the least. It is, however, well-made in a sturdy, almost canvas-like fabric. It is also the perfect size. It's about two inches larger than letter-sized all around. There is also a tiny interior pocket ideal for holding Chapstick, business cards, and a hotel room key. Ever since that wedding, this bag has become my go-to conference tote. In fact, I find this bag so perfect that I always turn down the free totes they hand you at registration. Those bags are always far too large with too long a handle drop. My blue bag tucks perfectly under my arm and doesn't hit me when I walk. The main pocket can hold my work laptop (and power cord), conference program, water bottle, and the pashmina I carry when rooms are far too cold. I can even slip in a snack or two. There's just enough room leftover to stash freebies and handouts. I also use this bag for my D&D session days, as an airplane carry on (when I don't need my laptop bag), and for parenting days when I want something bigger than a purse but smaller than a diaper bag. This blue bag is perfect. At this point, it lives on my travel packing list because it works for so many things. And it's washable! I've sent this through the washer and air dried it several times with no issue. So, thank you husband's cousin, you've given me one of my hardest working accessories.
On Wednesday, I journeyed back from my conference over on the west coast and ended up in, what my colleague delightfully called, weather-related travel purgatory. I've never been on a flight diverted for weather before! As awful as a 15+ hour travel day is, I'm grateful that A) I was travelling solo and B) no one lost it on our plane. Shockingly, everyone just sort of went with the flow as we cooled our heels on the tarmac waiting to take off again. Somehow, despite all the cancelled flights and needing to rebook myself several times, I even managed to make it home before midnight. Things could have been so much worse. Here's what else made me happy:
A History of the World in 6 Glasses Tom Standage I am still making my way through this text. It's a good piece of writing, but I am horribly slow when it comes to reading non-fiction. Also, I was travelling and jet lag had me falling asleep after two pages. That said, I managed to read a chunk on a flight and I am fascinated by 1600-1700 coffeehouse culture. I want to learn more about that. *Books shared here are affiliate links for Bookshop.org I’m at a library conference right now, and I’m seeing a lot of cardigans. Librarians are mostly women and conference centers are often too cold, so this is unsurprising. Cardigans are also considered stereotypical parts of the librarian’s wardrobe – along with sensible shoes, glasses, and pencils through our hair buns. Most of those stereotypes aren’t true (minus the sensible shoes) but the cardigans really do hold up. Seeing all these cardigans on my colleagues got me thinking, why do librarians wear so many cardigans? First, they are comfy. One can never knock the comfort of an item of clothing. Next, they are warm but not too warm. Libraries are often public spaces and have to follow OSHA standards - that means things can be chillier than you’d like. Or your reference desk shift is slow and, since you’re moving less, things get cold. A cardigan can keep you warm. But library spaces and library work are also highly variable. Sometimes spaces are just hot. Sometimes you’re shelving or pushing a book cart and the exertion makes you warm. Cardigans can be unbuttoned or you can roll up the sleeves with ease. If things are really hot, they come off easy and the rest of your outfit is still work appropriate. Plus, cardigans offer more freedom of movement than, say, a blazer. In a single workday, I’ve had to do squats to clear a copier paper jam, I’ve stood on my tippy-toes and reached to get books on top shelves, I’ve contorted myself to set up exhibits in weird spaces, and I’ve crawled under desks to deal with power plug issues. Blazers are more restricting. I need the ability to bend and stretch at will. But I also still need to look presentable at meetings. Also, cardigans are not so precious that you’re worried about something happening to them. Mine have been covered in red rot, toner, dust, and coffee spills. They’re easy to toss in the laundry to clean. I don’t need to worry about adding a trip to the dry cleaner to my to-do list. Finally, I think wearing a cardigan helps reduce the vocational awe that happens with librarians. It can help us come across more like Mr. Rogers and less like a business tycoon. It can be hard to walk up to a librarian and ask a question. If that librarian is wearing a business suit, that hurdle is even higher. Something about a cardigan makes us less intimidating. On Friday, I flew out to Portland for a conference. It took two long flights for me to get across the country. While the first flight became nap time (I was up at 4:30 AM), the second flight presented a decision I encounter every time I travel for work. On the plane, do I get work done or do I relax? I never quite know what the right choice is. On the one hand, I am travelling on the company dime with my company laptop. In theory, there are plenty of things I could be reading, reviewing, or editing. If I pay for Wi-Fi, I would even have full access to all our systems. On the other hand… I don’t wanna. I’m stuck in a small space for several hours, tired, and generally not able to concentrate on actual work things. Before the days of laptops and on-board Wi-Fi, this wouldn’t even have been a possibility. I could watch a movie or read a book without any feeling of guilt. It's only as technology and access have grown that we've encountered this dilemma. What are our work boundaries when in transit? Ultimately, I split the difference. On the second leg of my journey, I enjoyed lunch while watching The Imitation Game and, then, I brain dumped some work stuff into a Word doc while half watching Top Gun: Maverick. How do you choose to spend your time while travelling for work?
This post is going up later than usual because I had to fly out to the west coast. I might have been up at 4:30AM to catch my flight, but at least they day was easy. No issue with my first flight, plenty of time to catch my connection in Dallas, and only a small delay with the second leg of my journey. These days, that's the best you can hope for. Here's what else was good this week:
I read a lot of books with my kiddo. Kid Reads is a biweekly look at what we've enjoyed recently.
*Books shared here may be affiliate links for Bookshop.org
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