On Retiring and Moving and Working
Jean Sexton muses:
Many of you have read about my retirement from the library at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. I had worked there all of my professional life, save a few months as an intern at Chowan College (now Chowan University). When I started, card catalogs and printed indexes were the normal ways for finding books or journals that would answer a question. When I left, the card catalog had been replaced with an online version and indexes were searchable across years by using multiple keywords. One of my biggest challenges was convincing students that just because they found something via Google didn't make their information accurate.
Am I sad about retiring? I miss the people very much and I miss the easy access to information. However, after 30 years, it was time to try something new.
Many of you have read about Operation Fetch, which moved me from Red Springs, North Carolina to Amarillo, Texas. The situation in North Carolina wasn't pleasant with the place I lived being broken into frequently and a landlord situation that made working for ADB difficult. I prefer to think more of what I moved to: a new job, a new place to live, new friends, and a new start.
Moving was a challenge for me as I'm a homebody in many ways. I tend to land somewhere and to stay there. I moved in such a hurry that many of my boxes didn't get marked, so each box is a surprise! Some that I had packed at leisure are marked and I'm tackling those first. I keep making progress by reminding myself that the elephant got eaten one bite at a time and if I unpack a box or so a day, then I will eventually run out of boxes. (I hope that unwatched boxes don't breed like bunnies!)
One thing that is slowing down the unpacking is that I am working as a full-time employee at ADB, Inc. I can finally do my work for ADB in a calm and neat environment with people who understand that getting out Captain's Log may take long hours of uninterrupted concentration. They may think I'm a tad odd for wanting to check every change, but they humor me to a point -- perfection is something rarely found and if I've made Captain's Log #47 perfect, but it comes out in September, then I did it wrong.
So what are my plans? To finish proofreading Captain's Log and then get ready to go to Origins. There I will burn the candle at both ends and collapse when I get back to my apartment. After that? I need to get cracking on Traveller: Prime Directive and taking over the Rangers. I need to learn everything there is to know about Kickstarter so I can work with the Steves to bring you games you'll love, but don't know you'll love. I want to keep fixing healthy meals for the folks at ADB so that we "live long and prosper" while bringing you games that you enjoy. I want to bring laughter to the office. I think if I can accomplish all of that, then we'll be better able to give you the games you want and enjoy.
Retirement? I'm way too young to retire! Come along with me for the ride in my new career.
Many of you have read about my retirement from the library at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. I had worked there all of my professional life, save a few months as an intern at Chowan College (now Chowan University). When I started, card catalogs and printed indexes were the normal ways for finding books or journals that would answer a question. When I left, the card catalog had been replaced with an online version and indexes were searchable across years by using multiple keywords. One of my biggest challenges was convincing students that just because they found something via Google didn't make their information accurate.
Am I sad about retiring? I miss the people very much and I miss the easy access to information. However, after 30 years, it was time to try something new.
Many of you have read about Operation Fetch, which moved me from Red Springs, North Carolina to Amarillo, Texas. The situation in North Carolina wasn't pleasant with the place I lived being broken into frequently and a landlord situation that made working for ADB difficult. I prefer to think more of what I moved to: a new job, a new place to live, new friends, and a new start.
Moving was a challenge for me as I'm a homebody in many ways. I tend to land somewhere and to stay there. I moved in such a hurry that many of my boxes didn't get marked, so each box is a surprise! Some that I had packed at leisure are marked and I'm tackling those first. I keep making progress by reminding myself that the elephant got eaten one bite at a time and if I unpack a box or so a day, then I will eventually run out of boxes. (I hope that unwatched boxes don't breed like bunnies!)
One thing that is slowing down the unpacking is that I am working as a full-time employee at ADB, Inc. I can finally do my work for ADB in a calm and neat environment with people who understand that getting out Captain's Log may take long hours of uninterrupted concentration. They may think I'm a tad odd for wanting to check every change, but they humor me to a point -- perfection is something rarely found and if I've made Captain's Log #47 perfect, but it comes out in September, then I did it wrong.
So what are my plans? To finish proofreading Captain's Log and then get ready to go to Origins. There I will burn the candle at both ends and collapse when I get back to my apartment. After that? I need to get cracking on Traveller: Prime Directive and taking over the Rangers. I need to learn everything there is to know about Kickstarter so I can work with the Steves to bring you games you'll love, but don't know you'll love. I want to keep fixing healthy meals for the folks at ADB so that we "live long and prosper" while bringing you games that you enjoy. I want to bring laughter to the office. I think if I can accomplish all of that, then we'll be better able to give you the games you want and enjoy.
Retirement? I'm way too young to retire! Come along with me for the ride in my new career.
posted by Federation Commander at 2:21 PM
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