etc.

Various side-projects and design/crafty tasks have kept me occupied all week. Most notably: working on a presentation I am giving to staff at my library (due to-morrow) and making things with beads. On the first: I agreed to give a Brown Bag Lunch Talk to other librarians where I work regarding a really good conference session I was at a couple of weeks ago. My session is somewhat obscurely titled “Clutter Reduction: Tips to Make your Web Life Easier” and brings together a bunch of online utilities, browser add-ons and other such useful gems that are freely available online that people don’t make nearly enough use of. Especially people who depend on the Web to accomplish practically every work-related task, like librarians. I’m using a few of the tools Gary introduced at his session and adding a few of my own personal favourites. It feels like I’ve been preparing for this for weeks (and in truth, I have), but I haven’t quite hit that necessary comfort-level that is required before presenting material to a group of professionals. I’m hoping to hit it sometime between now and 11am to-morrow.

And making things with beads has sucked up all of my downtime. I find that mid-week days off are great opportunities to do either errands or hobby-related stuff, and since I couldn’t muster up the energy or enthusiasm for errands yesterday, I went to The Sassy Bead Company instead and made necklaces out of glass and crystal beads and sterling silver findings. Joy! It was fun and addictive and I left the store 3 hours and 3 necklaces later (and a fistful of dollars poorer). On the up side, I now have enough beads to last me though a mid-length seige, even if I hold beading parties every night for 12 of my closest friends. So if your bead needs aren’t being met, I might be able to help.