The 'leaving do' is a funny kind of thing. For years you attend them both glad it's not you facing the embarrassment and wondering what yours will be like when the time comes. And suddenly the time does come.

With my line manager away on sick leave it was left to others to do the formal part of the ritual but the card and presents and cake (a Dalek!) (Soon exterminated) were almost a bit overwhelming. Struggled to say something intelligible, but what do you say really?

Found some real jobs to finish off which was satisfying - as was having the tidiest desk I've ever managed, but with lunchtime drinks, academics who hadn't made the 'do' dropping in, the day flashed past and all too soon it was time to turn in my keys, take my leave of office and building and head out for the restaurant with a dozen, now former, colleagues.

So it goes.

Sitting at a pretty empty desk now, with a virtually empty hard drive and email account (10s of thousands of archived emails have bitten the dust in the last few days - I've taken half a gig home as plain text!). Still things to do so I'm hardly twiddling my thumbs but just one more day tomorrow. Hardly seems possible and all a bit unreal. What have I done?!

Bit taken aback at how surprised I was when a future colleague dropped in just as I was about to step out for lunch. She was visiting some of my current colleagues and came over to meet me. Apparently she's arranging our induction on the 21st and wondered if there was anything I particularly wanted. No, happy to be treated as normal. Though she did spot (sharp eyes - or very curious!) a headed letter on my desk from a church that made her ask if I wanted to meet the chaplain.

Still, past the 'scariness' it seemed another facet of the friendliness of the welcome so far.

I think I underestimated how 'down' I would feel about leaving somewhere I've been over a decade. Clearing a ton of stuff from the office probably doesn't help the process - lots of stuff in boxes for going home or bags for the skip. Some of the former category should probably in the latter. Fears that some of the latter should be in the former. Remarkable how much accumulates in the space of a decade.

Now with shelves looking empty and the realization I now have less than a week to go, it's all beginning to seem a bit real.

But saddest of all are the last drinks with friends, last five-a-side games with other staff, last lunches, and the like. Some colleagues going on leave I've already said farewell to. It's not like I'll be a million miles away and I've no doubt I will get up here to visit on occasions, but it won't be the same.

Still getting the occasional post from the new place. This one asking if I had a preference for one of three 'watching briefs' I will be taking. Disabled students / college students / placement students.

Apparently there are a fair number of the latter in my faculty so I think I'll go with the suggestion of taking that.

On a separate note, I'm already being referred to by my boss-to-be by my initials which seems quite friendly and relaxed. As I was asked in a previous email by someone else whether I preferred my full name or an abbreviation of it, (Gaz or variations thereof really ought to be saved for the fuel tank) I admitted to preferring my proper name or initials.

Packing in job inevitably means packing up an office / desk / computer contents which, being the hoarder I am, is no trivial task.

I received one of those emails today that I've seen before but appears to be doing the rounds again. On the subject of how much better life was in childhood before the electronic age. It was a good antidote to how I was feeling and my reply to the mail seems relevant, so I'll quote it:


Thank you for that.

Trust things are well. I'm supposed to be clearing up - or rather clearing
out - but always find it a depressing kind of job to do.

All the jobs I've not got round to.
All the stuff I've saved for a rainy day but know I'll never use/need.
All the things I find that I once hunted for for ages.
All the reading saved for 'when I had a moment' that never arrived.
All the files that aren't in order despite the fact that a) I have a filing cabinet and plenty of shelving and b) I'm a librarian.
All the books I've abducted from their proper shelves and not read.
All the junk I've accumulated that really could have been thrown away a lot
earlier.

and then knowing, at the back of my mind, that it's just the same with
people:
all the colleagues I've not made time to make friends with
all the stuff I've planned to do with friends that we'll never get to
all the stuff I've not planned to do but that we'll still never get to
all the things I've said that I shouldn't
all the things I've not said that I should

so your email was a cheery reminder that life goes on and we always view
the past with rose tinted spectacles. At least I can take the chance to do
some weeding in my lifegarden and make a fresh start.

Have a good day

Went to see personnel today.

All I have to do is write a letter to my manager who's not here so it goes to RD instead.
They seem to think that if it's alright with her, I'll finish at the end of the month but subsequently a colleague pointed out that then for various reasons I might not be paid for 3 weeks (leave apparently complicates matters). I'll need to clarify. No reason I can't come back the week between my annual leave and starting at the new place, but I can't see that it would be very useful workwise.

Meanwhile Q Uni have emailed asking if I'm a vegetarian and/or like curry. (No and yes). They're planning a welcome meal for the other newbie and myself. Sounds like a nice idea and encouraging to hear that they're "that sort of place" - whatever that might mean!

The same email also asked if I wanted requests for user education forwarded to me. The writer was dealing with them till I get there. No thank you. I've no idea what my schedule will be like - but I don't want to worry about them until I'm being paid to worry about them! (Of course, now he's planted the seed of worry that there's going to be a lot of the stuff!)

Back from the second conference now. Fairly exhausting doing two back to back like that; never mind the traveling (a little under 6 hours one way for both of them).

But it's funny how life changes life.

Sitting in that 'green' room on the second day of presentation/interview, one of the topics that had come up was the fact that three of the candidates had seen AB speaking at one venue or another. I'd recognized the name from professional reading but as all three spoke so highly of his humor and skill as a presenter, I made a mental note that if I ever had the chance I try and catch him.

At the conference we had various workshops to choose from and I spotted AB running one of them. The subject wasn't one I'd naturally choose (marketing/publicity of libraries or library services) and there was another workshop that I'd have normally picked. But on the basis of the effusive reviews he'd had, I decided to see what the fuss was about.

And I'm glad I did. He not only presented very very well, his content was good too. But even more interestingly he was very inspirational. I'm not a member of our publicity team, but I sat there thinking "I'd like to sign up!" (no pun intended). The creativity and enthusiasm he exuded were easily the highlight of both conferences for me.

I wonder if I can persuade either library - or both - to get him to come down for a training event? I could envision a session where he spoke to most library staff and basically presented his story as he did at the conference; followed perhaps by a workshop for those specifically involved in that kind of work. Morning at one place and afternoon at the other??!

Survived one conference; not long now till I leave for the second. At least this time I don't have to worry about saying anything formally.

Actually, it didn't go too badly. We were mentioned in the final conference event; a couple of people commented on how useful it had been; one even said that S and I were a great "double act". We think it was a compliment.

Of course, it may have been the bribery of handing out real live donuts after all the virtual ones but we were pleased with how we'd done and were by no means out of our depth or anything in comparison to other contributors.

Why am I mentioning this here? Couple of reasons.

First I met one of the new faculty I'll be liaising with. She was presenting a paper which I felt I'd better attend. Interesting research into supporting online discussion groups (e.g. helping them to disagree with each other!). I also ran into someone who currently works with the woman who got the first job. Oh dear, if I'm not careful tales will precede me!

Secondly, it was interesting seeing how some of the conference content would be useful/helpful/relevant in the new job even before I've started. Much good material to take home and digest. And, I trust, much I can pass on along with S in my current post.