Blowing in the Winds of Change

The true November weather arrived last week. It had been absolutely horrendous and the whole country had been battening down the hatches as autumn gales and heavy rain swept along. I was having my usual walk during my lunch break when suddenly the heavens opened and I was drenched. I’d my waterproof coat on but it only covered mid-thigh. The rest was soaked and my boots were squeaking as I walked into the office.

Luckily, there was a super-dryer in the disabled toilet. I took a chair and sat down below it trying to dry. Thank goodness, it worked. But this incident  doesn’t deter me from going out unless it was really pouring cats and dogs.

I’d my jabs done on Monday. One arm had the booster for Hepatitis A for my trip to Malaysia and the other was for my annual flu jab. And yes, my arms were sore and I’d a hard time sleeping. Fingers-crossed, I’ll be able to purchase my flight tickets in 2 weeks time. That’s how long the vaccine will take effect.

I took the bus to work on Wednesday cos Babe was too ill to drive. I noticed the different work ethics of the driver. The one from Pool Meadow to the university refused to pick any passengers even when there was only 10 people standing. But on the way home from Pool Meadow, the driver stopped at every bus-stop even when the bus was full of standing passengers. And moi was one of them. Health safety flew out of the window…

Also on Wednesday, the National Union of Students and the academics’ body, the University and College Union, organised a 52,000-strong march through London to protest against the rise in tuition fees. As usual, the media chose to focus on the occupation at Milbank, the fires and smashed windows rather than the mass action of thousands. The bias meant that it was only the occupation that got them the publicity that the issue deserved.

In my opinion, the real violence in this situation wasn’t the smashed window but to the destructive impact of the cuts and privatisation that will follow if tuition fees are increased and massive reductions in higher education funding are implemented.

“Education costs money, but then so does ignorance."
~Sir Claus Moser~

I didn’t attend the 2-minute silence for Armistice Day held in the library. My body was reacting towards the vaccine and I just don’t want to be in a crowd. But, I, along with millions of others, will always remember with grateful and heavy hearts to those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

Simonides of Ceos (556-468BC) the Greek lyric poet who, after the battle of Thermopylae in 480BC, wrote as a memorial to the valiant defenders:

‘Go tell the Spartans,
Thou that passeth by,
That faithful to their precepts,
Here we lie'

These sentiments were later used by John Maxwell Edmonds (1875-1958) as part of a collection of 12 epitaphs for WW1.

'When You Go Home,
Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow,
We gave Our Today'.

I attended my first webinar on RDA in the training room. More than 250 meta-data librarians from around the world registered for the session. It was very weird. It was 9 am in Chicago, 11 in Canada, 3pm here in the UK, 11 pm in Singapore and I’ve lost the time in Sydney.

My colleagues and I were given the latest updates on what was happening at the moment. We were informed that RDA toolkit was indexed in Cataloguer’s Desktop. Great but there was a catch. You had to subscribe to RDA first. The use of workflow as best practice was highlighted. Lots of queries on keyboard short-cuts but at the moment that was last on their list.

It was mind-blowing to absorb all these information, especially when we have not had the date when it was going to be implemented. Everyone’s playing the waiting game. A lot of issues need to be settled first. But, I’m looking forward to the challenge.

AM bought me a pumpkin which was selling for only 50p at Tesco in Walsgrave. Thanks AM. So far we’d roasted pumpkin and pumpkin soup. I wanted to make muffins but I ran out of flour. I loved soups. It was such a comforting food on cold, autumn days. A bowl of steaming home-made soup always seemed to set the world to right.

Even Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) appreciated the glory of soup:

Beautiful soup, so rich and green, 
Waiting in a hot tureen! 
Who for such dainties would not stoop? 
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!

The Burmese military authorities have released the pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from house arrest.  A very positive step forward. It will take time. Mandela’s release was the key to change in South Africa. Fingers-crossed the winds of change will be blowing towards Burma. I’m sure the whole world will be behind her.

The photographs here were taken last weekend when we were enjoying an autumn stroll at Coombe Abbey.

"When the trees their summer splendour
Change to raiment red and gold,
When the summer moon turns mellow,
And the nights are getting cold;
When the squirrels hide their acorns,
And the woodchucks disappear;
Then we know that it is autumn,
Loveliest season of the year."
~Carol L. Riser, Autumn~