Target is selling organic cotton clothing. This is cool. I bought two organic cotton t-shirts yesterday and nearly got pjs as well. Yes, I know organic cotton is not all the answers, but it is one step in the right direction.
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The prime minister was on TV last night. I discovered this accidentally when I went to put a dvd on and I found Mr Rudd on the ABC's new show Q&A. Rather unusually I kept on watching it until the end of the show and I continue to be impressed by our new prime minister. While it did at times seems a little on the lines of a "bag the last lot session" with frequent references to the Howard government's lack of policy on all the things people were asking him about, Kevin Rudd is slowly eroding with my previous political apathy. Wow!
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I got paid today properly for the first time. Yay! Now I can actually afford to go visit Thia in Kalgoorlie over the long weekend.
Friday 23 May 2008
Wednesday 21 May 2008
Books, books, books...
One of the great things about working in a library is that you come across so many books that otherwise you probably wouldn't have discovered even existed. I've borrowed 13 books in the past 2.5 weeks I've been working there, and that's being quite restrained really.
One of my jobs at work is making little booklets of all the new books we've had come in over the past month. This month we had over 400! Although strictly speaking they're not all new releases - a reasonable proportion of them are donations from readers, and some will be are second copies of ones we've already got. But still, that's a lot of books.
I also box up unwanted donations to take down to Save the Children Fund who then recycle them through their massive book sales. Most of the books that fall into this category... well... let's just say it's clear why they are unwanted. But every now and then I turn up something cool in the piles of books and next thing I know I'm taking home half dozen or so books for which I paid $1 each. Technically I didn't have to pay anything for them, as they're being given away, but I felt I should, taking so many.
Another job I do is process local stock, which basically means getting the local stock books (books that don't come from the state library - ie reader donations or ones bought with the local councils' money) ready so that they can go on the shelves. Spine labels, date labels etc... I'm getting lots of practice at book covering. Of course if it's an interesting looking book, it's necessary to look the book over a bit while you're doing so - read the blurb and so on. *grin*
I was going to list and review some of the books I've borrowed recently, but I'm out of time so it'll have to be later.
One of my jobs at work is making little booklets of all the new books we've had come in over the past month. This month we had over 400! Although strictly speaking they're not all new releases - a reasonable proportion of them are donations from readers, and some will be are second copies of ones we've already got. But still, that's a lot of books.
I also box up unwanted donations to take down to Save the Children Fund who then recycle them through their massive book sales. Most of the books that fall into this category... well... let's just say it's clear why they are unwanted. But every now and then I turn up something cool in the piles of books and next thing I know I'm taking home half dozen or so books for which I paid $1 each. Technically I didn't have to pay anything for them, as they're being given away, but I felt I should, taking so many.
Another job I do is process local stock, which basically means getting the local stock books (books that don't come from the state library - ie reader donations or ones bought with the local councils' money) ready so that they can go on the shelves. Spine labels, date labels etc... I'm getting lots of practice at book covering. Of course if it's an interesting looking book, it's necessary to look the book over a bit while you're doing so - read the blurb and so on. *grin*
I was going to list and review some of the books I've borrowed recently, but I'm out of time so it'll have to be later.
Saturday 17 May 2008
A trip to the tip
I am so tired. It's been a long day, and it certainly doesn't help that I've been burning the candle at both ends recently. I need to develop a good habit of going to bed early rather than staying up until I can't keep my eyes open any longer. But I always say that and never do...
Today, as part of the Earth Carers Training course, I went on a trip to the tip. Or to put it more eloquently, we did a tour of the Tamala Park landfill site and the Balcatta recycling station. Then we had lunch at the Stirling Civic Gardens, which is a rehabilitated landfill site. Not that I would have known, if they hadn't told us.
This was a rather more enjoyable experience than I expected. The stuff we learned at each site was both useful and interesting if a bit sobering at times. I will certainly be thinking twice not only before throwing anything in the bin, but also before buying things. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
I think part of what makes this Earth Carers experience great, is hanging out with a group of like-minded people. Everyone else is also concerned about the current state of the planet, but not just that, they are proactive in doing something about it. It's great to be able to discuss and brainstorm ideas about everything from council recycling systems to community gardens, to biodegrable plastic bags, and green power.
______________
This month, May, is Mobile Muster month with the slogan "old phones, more trees". From the 2nd May to the 5th June for every mobile recycled through the mobile muster campaign, Landcare Australia will plant a native tree. So if you've got an old mobile laying around don't sent to landfill, drop it off at an official drop off point and congratulate yourself on planting a tree for the environment without having to do any of the hard work. Click here and enter your post code to find your nearest drop off point or go down to Australia Post and pick up a free recycling satchel.
_____________
At the first training session we had (on tuesday night) they showed us a video called "The Story of Stuff'". This is a brilliant little animated movie that takes a look at the dark underside of our production and consumption patterns. It was really good - informative while still being entertaining - and I encourage everyone to watch it. In fact, no, I don't just encourage you to watch it, instead I'd like to ask you on behalf of everyone who wants to create a more sustainable future, please take 20mins to watch this short film and recommend it to your friends.
You can download it for free at:
www.storyofstuff.com
It's a simple little thing, and you may think that they're over-simplifying the issues or that you already know this stuff, but watch it anyway. If nothing else, I'm sure you'll find parts of it entertaining. I've drawn the following comments off the website because I agree with them:
The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.
____________
After we got back from the tour of the tip, I discovered that our meeting point for the bus trip was right next to West Leederville community garden. Naturally a number of my fellow "tourists" were involved with the community garden so I went in to have a bit of a look around. It seemed pretty cool so I'm thinking about getting involved.
Today, as part of the Earth Carers Training course, I went on a trip to the tip. Or to put it more eloquently, we did a tour of the Tamala Park landfill site and the Balcatta recycling station. Then we had lunch at the Stirling Civic Gardens, which is a rehabilitated landfill site. Not that I would have known, if they hadn't told us.
This was a rather more enjoyable experience than I expected. The stuff we learned at each site was both useful and interesting if a bit sobering at times. I will certainly be thinking twice not only before throwing anything in the bin, but also before buying things. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
I think part of what makes this Earth Carers experience great, is hanging out with a group of like-minded people. Everyone else is also concerned about the current state of the planet, but not just that, they are proactive in doing something about it. It's great to be able to discuss and brainstorm ideas about everything from council recycling systems to community gardens, to biodegrable plastic bags, and green power.
______________
This month, May, is Mobile Muster month with the slogan "old phones, more trees". From the 2nd May to the 5th June for every mobile recycled through the mobile muster campaign, Landcare Australia will plant a native tree. So if you've got an old mobile laying around don't sent to landfill, drop it off at an official drop off point and congratulate yourself on planting a tree for the environment without having to do any of the hard work. Click here and enter your post code to find your nearest drop off point or go down to Australia Post and pick up a free recycling satchel.
_____________
At the first training session we had (on tuesday night) they showed us a video called "The Story of Stuff'". This is a brilliant little animated movie that takes a look at the dark underside of our production and consumption patterns. It was really good - informative while still being entertaining - and I encourage everyone to watch it. In fact, no, I don't just encourage you to watch it, instead I'd like to ask you on behalf of everyone who wants to create a more sustainable future, please take 20mins to watch this short film and recommend it to your friends.
You can download it for free at:
www.storyofstuff.com
It's a simple little thing, and you may think that they're over-simplifying the issues or that you already know this stuff, but watch it anyway. If nothing else, I'm sure you'll find parts of it entertaining. I've drawn the following comments off the website because I agree with them:
The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.
____________
After we got back from the tour of the tip, I discovered that our meeting point for the bus trip was right next to West Leederville community garden. Naturally a number of my fellow "tourists" were involved with the community garden so I went in to have a bit of a look around. It seemed pretty cool so I'm thinking about getting involved.
Monday 12 May 2008
Life update
I was going to write a post tonight but...
oh well. Better luck next time.
Work = bonafide cushy government job.
Possibly I am just not used to the concept of a job where you get paid holidays... but it's also the fact that as well as a 45min lunchbreak (generous by my past experience) we also get a 15min tea break for both morning and afternoon tea each day. This means it's impossible to work more than 3hrs at a stretch (and frequently time between breaks is less) Not that I am complaining about this.
I'm enjoying it (not really because it's easy-going) but because the people are nice, the customers are almost always nice and... well...
books! lots of books! yippee! :-D
One downside is finding so many books to read that I'll still be getting through them years later, and ending up with hideous overdue item fines. To avoid this fate, I'm trying to limit myself to taking home no more than one item per day. Ok so it's not really a downside. It's actually pretty cool because I run across books I probably never would have found otherwise.
If there is a downside I guess it would be that my feet usually get sore by the end of the day - I think I need some better shoes.
In other news...
I have no other news. Not much else has happened to me lately. Went to the movies with Mum and my brother yesterday to see "Miss Pettigrew lives for a day". It was cute. I liked it (but brother didn't). The story was a little light on substance but I didn't really care. Frances what-ever-her-name-is who played Miss Pettigrew was very good in the lead role.
Happy Mother's Day to Mum for yesterday. You are awesome and I love you.
oh well. Better luck next time.
Work = bonafide cushy government job.
Possibly I am just not used to the concept of a job where you get paid holidays... but it's also the fact that as well as a 45min lunchbreak (generous by my past experience) we also get a 15min tea break for both morning and afternoon tea each day. This means it's impossible to work more than 3hrs at a stretch (and frequently time between breaks is less) Not that I am complaining about this.
I'm enjoying it (not really because it's easy-going) but because the people are nice, the customers are almost always nice and... well...
books! lots of books! yippee! :-D
One downside is finding so many books to read that I'll still be getting through them years later, and ending up with hideous overdue item fines. To avoid this fate, I'm trying to limit myself to taking home no more than one item per day. Ok so it's not really a downside. It's actually pretty cool because I run across books I probably never would have found otherwise.
If there is a downside I guess it would be that my feet usually get sore by the end of the day - I think I need some better shoes.
In other news...
I have no other news. Not much else has happened to me lately. Went to the movies with Mum and my brother yesterday to see "Miss Pettigrew lives for a day". It was cute. I liked it (but brother didn't). The story was a little light on substance but I didn't really care. Frances what-ever-her-name-is who played Miss Pettigrew was very good in the lead role.
Happy Mother's Day to Mum for yesterday. You are awesome and I love you.
Wednesday 7 May 2008
Job update
I'm having a bit of trouble with expressing what I want to say at the moment. I came in to use the internet specifically for the purpose of writing a particular post - the one I wanted to write on Sunday - but I keep putting off getting started. I've been here for over an hour now and I told myself I'd go home at 7pm. I have done a few other things that I needed to get done - like send off my registration form for the Earth Carers Training course - but mostly I've been browsing randomly through the New Scientist blogs.
They have about half a dozen all up, devoted to specific things (technology, space, invention,... etc). You will probably not be surprised to hear that my favourite is the environment one.
-------
The new job is going well. I've done 2 days so far and today I have the day off. After monday I was feeling a bit uncertain about it, but I enjoyed yesterday a lot more. There's a lot to learn. I had no idea how much behind the scenes stuff goes on in a library. From a borrowers perspective you'd think it's just checking out/in books and helping people find information but actually you mostly only do that when you're rosted on the circulation desk - which is usually only 2hrs per day (or sometimes 4hrs). Also they've got probably the most complex computer systems (plural emphasis) I've ever used. And to think I thought Booknet was complicated when I was in my previous job.
I think I'm getting the hang of the circulation desk stuff fairly quickly - but I reckon it'll probably take weeks/months to learn all the other stuff. That's ok though, because I like learning. Also the backroom tasks are divided up between the library officers on a roster system, which means that you do the same set of tasks for 6 months and the everyone rotate to another set. This is good because it means I only have to learn 1/6 of the things immediately (there's a new rotation starting next week) and the rest can wait until later. My background working in the bookshop, being a regular library user, and as books on wheels volunteer helps quite a lot. I would be really lost without it instead of looking forward to all the new things to learm. (but I probably wouldn't have got the job without it, anyway.)
I'm still feeling a little like I don't quite fit in. I think this is mostly because of being so new there but there are a few other factors:
1) I am, I estimate, at least 2 decades younger than the combined average age of the other people working there. I haven't met all the casuals yet but so far I've only met one other person who's within a decade of my own age. Well... possibly within a decade, given that I don't actually know how old he is. Everyone seems really nice and friendly, just... I don't know what I'm trying to say. They are all really nice.
2) I don't follow the footy and it appears that the footy is one of the major bonding factor between most of them. I am lost in conversations about football - apparently something really tragic happened last weekend...?
I expect the sense of not quite fitting in will disappear once I've got used to things. And I'm enjoying it regardless. I think I will enjoy working in a library. I guess it's just a little odd being younger (by a long way) than almost everyone else I work with. But it's not really a bad "odd".
I need to get some more work clothes too. Apparently denim is not acceptable. Nor sleeveless tops. Other than that we can wear what we want, but I only have 2 pairs of pants that seem suitable. And most of my jumpers are old and a bit too scruffy looking to wear to work I think. Good Sammy's, here I come... :-P
------
It's late. I don't know if this "sunday's post" is ever going to get written. I need to get home and make dinner (quite very probably ratatouille) before Spicks & Specks and going to dancing.
Hey cool, Gilkison's have got themselves a new website.
They have about half a dozen all up, devoted to specific things (technology, space, invention,... etc). You will probably not be surprised to hear that my favourite is the environment one.
-------
The new job is going well. I've done 2 days so far and today I have the day off. After monday I was feeling a bit uncertain about it, but I enjoyed yesterday a lot more. There's a lot to learn. I had no idea how much behind the scenes stuff goes on in a library. From a borrowers perspective you'd think it's just checking out/in books and helping people find information but actually you mostly only do that when you're rosted on the circulation desk - which is usually only 2hrs per day (or sometimes 4hrs). Also they've got probably the most complex computer systems (plural emphasis) I've ever used. And to think I thought Booknet was complicated when I was in my previous job.
I think I'm getting the hang of the circulation desk stuff fairly quickly - but I reckon it'll probably take weeks/months to learn all the other stuff. That's ok though, because I like learning. Also the backroom tasks are divided up between the library officers on a roster system, which means that you do the same set of tasks for 6 months and the everyone rotate to another set. This is good because it means I only have to learn 1/6 of the things immediately (there's a new rotation starting next week) and the rest can wait until later. My background working in the bookshop, being a regular library user, and as books on wheels volunteer helps quite a lot. I would be really lost without it instead of looking forward to all the new things to learm. (but I probably wouldn't have got the job without it, anyway.)
I'm still feeling a little like I don't quite fit in. I think this is mostly because of being so new there but there are a few other factors:
1) I am, I estimate, at least 2 decades younger than the combined average age of the other people working there. I haven't met all the casuals yet but so far I've only met one other person who's within a decade of my own age. Well... possibly within a decade, given that I don't actually know how old he is. Everyone seems really nice and friendly, just... I don't know what I'm trying to say. They are all really nice.
2) I don't follow the footy and it appears that the footy is one of the major bonding factor between most of them. I am lost in conversations about football - apparently something really tragic happened last weekend...?
I expect the sense of not quite fitting in will disappear once I've got used to things. And I'm enjoying it regardless. I think I will enjoy working in a library. I guess it's just a little odd being younger (by a long way) than almost everyone else I work with. But it's not really a bad "odd".
I need to get some more work clothes too. Apparently denim is not acceptable. Nor sleeveless tops. Other than that we can wear what we want, but I only have 2 pairs of pants that seem suitable. And most of my jumpers are old and a bit too scruffy looking to wear to work I think. Good Sammy's, here I come... :-P
------
It's late. I don't know if this "sunday's post" is ever going to get written. I need to get home and make dinner (quite very probably ratatouille) before Spicks & Specks and going to dancing.
Hey cool, Gilkison's have got themselves a new website.
Sunday 4 May 2008
-blank-
Arrgh! I need more time. I came in here with about a dozen things to blog about, but am clearly not going to get them all done before the library shuts in 25min. And then I got distracted by Avaaz's petition about the world food crisis and wrote a post about that instead. Which is a good thing because I think it's important, but also was not what I had planned to write about.
I started out blogging about one of the topics, but wasn't really getting anywhere with trying to express what I wanted to say, so I ditched it. Guess they'll all have to wait until later - if they get done at all.
Also there are people talking nearby which always gets to me a bit, because I find it distracting and hard to focus on what I'm doing. More frequently nowadays, when this happens, I'll go over and politely asks them to go talk somewhere else, but with the library closing in 10mins, there doesn't seem much point. It also annoys me that the library staff rarely do anything about it even if the people making noise are near them. One of the reasons I like using the library is because it is quiet (mostly).
I started out blogging about one of the topics, but wasn't really getting anywhere with trying to express what I wanted to say, so I ditched it. Guess they'll all have to wait until later - if they get done at all.
Also there are people talking nearby which always gets to me a bit, because I find it distracting and hard to focus on what I'm doing. More frequently nowadays, when this happens, I'll go over and politely asks them to go talk somewhere else, but with the library closing in 10mins, there doesn't seem much point. It also annoys me that the library staff rarely do anything about it even if the people making noise are near them. One of the reasons I like using the library is because it is quiet (mostly).
World Food Crisis
I just signed an Avaaz petition to G8, UN and EU leaders regarding the world food crisis.
If you'd like to sign the petition too, here is the link:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/world_food_crisis/9.php
Before I followed that link and watched several of the videos on the Avaaz site, I had no idea that the crisis situation was so severe. I watched two videos, the one that comes up immediately when you follow the link, which has Sierra Leone's foreign minister, Zainab Bangura, who explains that 90% of the people in her country cannot afford the price of a bag of rice. A bag of rice!
Then I watched the second video which was a 10min interview with Raj Patel, the author of Stuffed and Starved - the hidden battle for the world food system. This interview was interesting yet scary (because of the issues we're facing) at the same time. I've decided to chase up his book after listening to him.
I encourage you to inform yourself on this issue, and sign Avaaz's petition if you support their position.
About Avaaz: (taken from their website)
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.
I support them because I think what they do is important and I believe they get results. Across the world, international decisions are often shaped by political agendas or unaccountable corporations rather than human rights, or sustainability considerations. Avaaz aims to close the gap between the world we have, and the world most people everywhere want, by being the "voice" of the people in the ear of global leaders. So when I agree with what Avaaz is campaigning for, I add my voice to theirs by signing their petition and telling others about it.
You can read more about Avaaz here
-------
And just for the record in case anyone's wondering, they don't spam you with emails, if you join their mailing list. I get roughly one or two per week from them about their campaigns.
If you'd like to sign the petition too, here is the link:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/world_food_crisis/9.php
Before I followed that link and watched several of the videos on the Avaaz site, I had no idea that the crisis situation was so severe. I watched two videos, the one that comes up immediately when you follow the link, which has Sierra Leone's foreign minister, Zainab Bangura, who explains that 90% of the people in her country cannot afford the price of a bag of rice. A bag of rice!
Then I watched the second video which was a 10min interview with Raj Patel, the author of Stuffed and Starved - the hidden battle for the world food system. This interview was interesting yet scary (because of the issues we're facing) at the same time. I've decided to chase up his book after listening to him.
I encourage you to inform yourself on this issue, and sign Avaaz's petition if you support their position.
About Avaaz: (taken from their website)
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.
I support them because I think what they do is important and I believe they get results. Across the world, international decisions are often shaped by political agendas or unaccountable corporations rather than human rights, or sustainability considerations. Avaaz aims to close the gap between the world we have, and the world most people everywhere want, by being the "voice" of the people in the ear of global leaders. So when I agree with what Avaaz is campaigning for, I add my voice to theirs by signing their petition and telling others about it.
You can read more about Avaaz here
-------
And just for the record in case anyone's wondering, they don't spam you with emails, if you join their mailing list. I get roughly one or two per week from them about their campaigns.
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