Zenkitty - I'm also a librarian and work in an academic library so I can chat with her about that side of things. The public/customer service side is also very important as is the getting to know your community, but the community is more focused that that of a public library. We do have a fair number of back-office positions, some that are very technical and require extensive experience, so there's a wide range of opportunities.

I also second the getting of volunteer experience - I volunteered with my high school library and then worked part-time in college. It really helped in figuring out which aspects of librarianship I was NOT interested in. Never doing Acquisitions again.

Thanks, bennett! Hey, we have more librarians than I realized.

BTW, Zen, were you still interested in those Buffy DVDs? I've got S2 and 3.

Thanks, -t. They've been doing some restructuring, and I have the feeling they may try to get me to take a supervisory position. I have worked out my response, if that happens: "Ok, but I want at least a $3/hr. pay increase. $1 to bring my pay up closer to what it should be and $2 for the additional work it's going to be. Oh, and time spent on direct care does NOT overlap with admin. time. I want that part in writing."

Good. Stick to your guns.

Excellent response, WS. Good thinking to plan it in advance so they don't catch you flatfooted.

I think I have less ability to stop eating trail mix when I am inside sitting in front of a computer than when I am outside actually hiking and whatnot. Bringing a quart bag to nosh on as my lunch may have been a mistake.

Dang, I just went up and down the stairs twice and I feel like I have lost all my conditioning. HR is up, I'm breathing heavy. That didn't take long.

Getting my home office set-up upstairs means I'm running up and down the stairs multiple times a day. It is getting easier and easier each time.

I have high hopes for what my second-floor apartment will do for my cardiovascular system. I'm not so sanguine about my knees.