I should really try to get into the habit of updating here more often. Since the last update, I have officially been accepted onto the MA Information Studies course at Brighton University and have started volunteering at the National Portrait Gallery's Heinz Archive and Library.
I started working at the NPG in March as a periodical cataloguer, and my job is to go through old magazines (some of them are really old, going back to the 18th century), checking their condition, sticking a little barcode in the front and entering the relevant details into the library's catalogue. Not exactly rocket science and it can get a little repetitive, but working there feels good. It feels right. The people are my kind of people.
Yesterday, I started a second role at the NPG - indexing - working with a database system called Mimsy (aren't librarians great at naming software?). After one day, I am already swearing at Mimsy like a pro (it really doesn't behave well when several people are working on it at once). For this job, I select a publication from the "to be indexed" shelf, go through it until I find a portrait, then I have to search the internet for information about the sitter and the artist and enter all the relevant info into Mimsy. This is the publication I was working on yesterday.
Doing this work along with others has given me a huge boost of confidence in my own abilities. I'm good at this work - I overheard the librarian say that I was the most accurate cataloguing volunteer he's ever had, which was nice for my ego.
I have been amazingly lucky in my life. I've never been a hugely motivated person, but I have still managed to achieve so many of my life goals and ambitions. My bucket list has a lot of ✓s on it: I've been in a rock 'n' roll band; I have written and directed a film; I'm in a long-term loving relationship with my favourite person in the world; and I've lived the High Fidelity dream as a music retail manager.
In the pursuit of my latest aspiration, I feel like I'm off to a good start.
This is a lovely post! You're a lovely person!
Thank you, my favourite person in the world!
Your appreciation of all that you have is so charming. I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't wish you all the best in this chapter of your life. Xxx
Awww, thanks sweetie! Hope your stuff is going ok. xx
This post makes me happy. I'm so pleased for you that it makes missing you ok xxx
Thank you, lovely! Miss you too! xx