Freedom Days

 One is pleasantly surprised to see so many celebrations of freedom these past weeks.

It is quite humbling to see what seems like the whole world turning out to celebrate one's two year anniversary of being freed from the dictatorial control of Supervisor Grand Chief K.

Yes, it's hard to describe the sense of relief one can feel when such a yoke is removed and one has to no longer kowtow to the completely unreasonable demands that actual work be done and projects be completed.

It is sad to no longer be "working" with the likes of Sister Serials, Psycho Chicken, Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, The Maple Maverick, Lord of the Small Fries, Longstride L, Bomber Babe, LibraryBFF, Sidekick, Days of our Libraries, The Administrator, Roysgirl, Sonja Roster Queen, and Mr Prada - but they too had their incomprehensible demands that things be fixed, technology be made to work, procedures written up, and could one please stop eating all the cake in the staff kitchen.

So, here's to one's freedom, may it be everlasting!

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A Conference Carol

What a month it has been. Filled with the lead up to One's annual conference and then the event itself.

Now that one has some distance between oneself and the happenings of conference it will be safe to report Objectively on the many happenings of the event.

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Our hero's journey began on a sunny... rainy... sunny... windy Melbourne day as he boarded the train that was taking him to the exotic, far off, destination of Jolimont.

It seemed like mere minutes passed and suddenly he found himself checking in to the most haunted of venues, replete with the moaning of the unsettled dead whistling down the corridors (or if Old Mate and Dual Wielder are to be believed it's just the air conditioning).

Expect the twins to cycle round the corner any moment...

Our hero bravely pushed left his safe and secure room to attend the early arrivals get together. This year, as well as the usual early arriving attendees, there was an organised flash mob of the ghosts of past conferences. Among them Vivacious Em, Skeptic L, Comrade Treasurer, and Dubrovnik Hater; all doing their darnedest to resurface events of past conferences that still haunt our hero to this day.

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Day the second began with the proper conference events and that familiar haunting feeling that every conference organiser has that something had been forgotten.
In any case all was well, except for the haunted projector flickering in and out during the first two hours of presentations.

The large morning events led into the smaller afternoon events and soon enough we were gathering for the evening Galah dinner wherein one found oneself at a table with Supervisor Grand Chief K. The horror continued when she left early and the now spare dessert was sent back to the kitchen as "not needed"... NOT NEEDED!!! Despite that horrifically traumatising event the fun level did seem to pick up as the night went on and there was even some dancing amid the conversation. However a chill did descend upon our hero towards the end of the evening as the ghosts of the present conference obviously took possession of both Sis and Old Mate.

The moment the spirits took control...

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The third day began with Sister Serials and LibraryBFF joining Sidekick and our hero for the day.
After a few morning presentations the fun stuff of the AGM began wherein one's back-room dealings once again failed to return our hero to the presidential standing so richly deserved and he had to continue on as Secretary.
To make matters worse there were then afternoon training sessions in which post-lunch learning was expected!
Luckily it was over in the long-blink of an eye and we were all soon traipsing our way to the evening networking event Sis had booked in the back of a wardrobe, down some stairs, in a basement.
I begrudgingly presented the official crown of presidency to Sis only to have it refused and then stolen away by Jeza who seemingly had it glued to his head for the the next several hours.
Conversation and company was good and our hero was surprised to discovered that several of the other IT employed attendees were huge nerds/geeks about various things.
There was also the ghostly glimmer of potential future conference organising volunteers to warm ones spirit as the witching hour approached.
The return trip of the evening was rather less traipsy and more in the realm of stumbly. But it did involve a visit by Dual Wielder, guided accurately by our hero, to the model Fairy Village (also known correctly as the Model Tudor village) and the Fairy Tree before evening retirement was had at a sensible single digit hour.

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Day four began.
Day four provided many more networking opportunities which, luckily for our hero, Sidekick was able to shoulder the load of.
And before you know it the great adventure was over.
Well, except for the part where our hero had to face one last trial: The Trial of the Unwinding Executive.
Once more spirits were summoned and traipsing the breadth (but not the length) of the city was undertook. Creamy fluffy cocktail temptation was faced and defeated by our hero - time and time again. And finally all were safely back to their haunted hotel rooms to head towards a well-earned sleep in before heading homeward in the morning.

The ghosts and spirits of conference where to linger with our hero and his faithful companions for days, nay the week, to come - for such a manifestation is not so easy to shake without a second weekend of sleep-ins...
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The Big Birthdays

So the weekend previous was a bonanza of birthday bashes!!

Birthday the first was the Saturday evening celebration of Judge Mingus's matriarch's conversion to septuagenarianism.

One had been called out of retirement several months ago to drum for the band for the evening. Much practice, rehearsal, and aching body parts later it all came to fruition in a rocking set of a half dozen classic songs.

On the night in question Salsa Girl and I took ourselves to the event with Salsa Girl acting in the capacity of One's roadie. As one had decided to use the digital drum kit said roadying involved carrying a single medium-sized bag instead of the usual plethora of heavy drum equipment - so it was more of a freeloading activity - of which I heartily approve.

The night went well and none of One's dozen playing mistakes were catastrophic - in fact they were actually playing flair. One managed to catch up a little with FridgePower which was pleasant despite her nigh constant refrain of "needs more cowbell" despite one having swamped one song entirely with that most tasteful of instruments.

Drinks and nibbles were in overabundance, as is the nature of the Mingus clan, and the unexpected performance payment (thankfully with no minimum performance standard requirement) made the night into One's highest paid gig.
The trajectory of One's career is definitely upwards, so one shall have to inform ex-Supervisor Grand Chief K and LibraryBFF of one's impending resignation to concentrate on stardom.



Birthday the second was to celebrate Hulk's becoming the big 6.

She had requested a surprise party this year (and also fish themed to match her new goldfish) so we had to inform her all weekend that Doctor David and Grannie A's visiting, and our clearing floor space, making a cake, and hanging decorations, were all for the sheer fun of it and for no other reason.

I choose to believe she was completely surprised when returning from lunch with Salsa Girl to a house full of party invitees.

After that it was the usual birthday chaos of noisy children and chatting adults, immaculate Salsa Girl fish tank cake, present opening chaos and overexcited Hulk resisting bedtime.

Hulk explained at great length that the parsley does not have to be eaten.

All in all a most fun and exhausting birthday themed weekend.
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The Malicious Malady

Not much to post on lately and one's head is currently eminently fuzzy.

You see, after struggling valiantly through the beginning and middle of a deadly Man Cold, one has seen out the end of this pernicious condition at home today.

Upon informing one's workplace of the dire situation - and requesting the requisite response - one was mocked by Supervisor Grand Chief K and The Administrator, and finally LibraryBFF responded that one had to be dying to have flowers sent to one's home.

Did they not hear me when I said it was a MAN COLD!!
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Catching up with Catch-ups

So, much has happened in the realm of The Tales since last post. Many catch-ups have occurred and One shall attempt to document them to One's usual fastidious level of accuracy.


On the Monday before Cup Day, One continued to catch-up with ones Hawaiian shirts, having too long neglected them until their recent resurrection for conference. The jealousy from co-workers manifest itself as an air of disdain and a pretended scoffing at one's sense of fashion.


There was a catch-up with Big J in the form of her return from extended leave to attend a three hour strategic reporting and specific duties realignment meeting. I guess she has to have hobbies in her leisure time.


In an effort to catch-up on our role-playing game progress deficit Pirate Dave ran Badger, Sneaky Pete and One through our weekly game until the early am. The deficit is now reduced to only several years.


Attending the annual SLUG conference with Sidekick afforded one the opportunity to catch up with Sis, MoneyM, and others in several entirely networky and educational bar and restaurant settings.


In preparation for Bomber Babe's big move to One's old desk at One's old branch, One had to undertake a cleanup of boxes underneath and draws full of spare parts. A nostalgic catchup with vitally kept spare 2005 technology ensued.


Hulk and One had a catch-up and board games with Miasmakat after it was revealed to Hulk that there was a trampoline there and it became mandatory to attend.


The evening then held a grand catch up at the 10th wedding anniversary soiree for Zombie Monkey. Having arrived post speeches it was hard for one to tell it apart from just a big piss up.
In any case, while one missed The Real Greg Dean, one was able to have a grand catch-up with the ZM himself as well as the first for 7 years catch-up with Illuminated G, Amoeba for our first catch-up in... months, and a 12 years in the making catch-up with Shreen.

Of course Illuminated G was up to his old conspiratorial tricks trying to claim that he and Shreen had never attended One's university at the same time - while my memory clearing has them both in the same group of uni friends, I shall not be a fool for your conspiracy!!


The final catch-up of not was for the farewelling of LibraryBFF heading back to whence she came as her stint as resources ends,  and BomberBabe heading to new horizons. It was also for welcoming Mr Prada into the resources - and possibly BFF - role, and Big J attended for the culinary catch-up opportunity.


Phew, now One is caught-up on the catching-up.
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A Conference of Nigh Disasters

So One spent most of last week toiling away at conference in Brisbane - a conference plagued by nigh disasters!


As one of the the organisers of said conference the first nigh disaster occurred when the venue went silent on the communication front for a while. It turned out they had been sold but the new owners had sensibly decided to honour all their bookings so disaster was averted.

The next nigh disaster was when the conference bag printer decided to leave the printing until the day before the conference. Luckily Old Mate was able to go there in person and impress upon them the urgency, so disaster was averted.

Another nigh disaster loomed for the plane flight northwards when One learned that President S, Sis, and Oneself would be seated in the same row. Luckily Sis had planned carefully and President S was seated as a barrier between the pair of us, so disaster was averted.

There was also a nigh disaster when very few of the attendees inferred the Hawaiian theme for the "Libraryland cocktails" event -  "cocktails", by the pool. What is there that is not clear in that invite?!?
In any case one can always depend on Vivacious Em to get the memo and attend in appropriate attire. Several others clothed themselves correctly as well, so disaster was averted.

With One not emceeing this year there was a chance for a nigh disaster but President S stepped up to the duties and so disaster was averted.

A most heinous nigh disaster was presented to us as the venue decided that savoury low sugar "treats" were in order for the morning and afternoon teas in order to facilitate increased concentration in the afternoons. Thankfully there were some chocolate balls for the final morning tea and so disaster was averted.

As the moment for the walk to the conference dinner venue approached so did a most violent electrical rain storm. Nigh disaster was averted by the hiring of maxi cabs to ferry attendees to the Gourmet venue. It was also averted when the storm decided to peter out five minutes before the first cabs arrived, sigh.

Nigh disaster also loomed when, as one was arranging LibraryBFF's birthday bubbles at the farewell drinks bar, LibraryBFF herself appeared beside me seeking her next drink. Surprisingly she was just happy to have said next drink, and was not concerned about lost surprise, and so disaster was averted.

One is hoping that next year's Sydney conference is not so nigh disaster prone.
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Farewelling Supervisor S

So this week we have farewelled Supervisor S who has alighted (alit?) for other pastures with other duties that presumably don't involve having to supervise any of the most immovable of objects - the library IT staff.

It was a tender and teary farewell do, with lovely hot foods and drink and a magnificent multi layered abstract recreation of the Brighton library in cake (and oh no I've eaten too much) form courtesy of Days of our Libraries.

There was speechifying, and hugifying, and the final happy goodbyes where one was able to head home with an enormous aluminium swag of leftovers.

All in all it was good to see the fruit of one's Machiavellian machinations born as now two of one's workplace BFFs - LibraryBFF and Mr Prada - shall be filling the seat for much of the coming year, freeing one from the horrors that Supervisor S used to inflict upon one - such as being expected to do one's job.

But still, her pragmatic approach to the work of libraryland shall be missed.
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