Wednesday, December 10, 2014

The challenges and opportunities of maturity




With aging comes certain physical restrictions. Working at a job that requires great athleticism, as I do, makes this particularly apparent. I work at a library, which is a lot like being a professional soccer player, only with less running and more complaining about the reffing. And like soccer players, who physically peak at about 29 years of age, there comes a point at which, to stay competitive, one must play smarter, not harder. Unlike my young colleagues, like Dave, for instance, barely 30, who is free to operate a book cart willy nilly or shelve without the least fear of pain, I must employ all my years of experience and library worker craft in order to survive at my job. I must dig deep now to stand out at my job. And I can hardly afford a minute going by without my accessing my sprawling catalog of work experience if I am still going to hope to function at the top levels of clerking, to excel, and to still be good enough to compete for clerk of the year honors. I mean, if clerk of the year honors existed, which, of course, they don't, because, seriously, who would care?

Which, finally, brings me to the main, fundamental question of this missive:

How the hell do I get this stuff shelved all the way down on the bottom row?




6 comments:

  1. I care! I'm a big fan and want you to excel. You must push them bones to be clerk of the year.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Soon I am going to test a suggestion of shelving while laying down, so there's still hope!

      Delete
  2. As a schoolteacher for the past 25 years, and as your elder by a few days, I can relate to your situation. Last year my shoulder was so bad that my arm literally dropped while writing on the board. It said, "No more of this." Physical therapy followed. I have resolved this problem by writing less on the board but saying much more, which is like the way seasoned athletes do things. Have you thought, btw, or simply kicking the bottom shelved books into place?

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    Replies
    1. Ow.

      I sort of do the kicking thing for shelving on the second to bottom shelf, but for the bottom I am very excited about the shelving while lying down solution as I will easily be able to intersperse shelving with naps, long a dream of mine.

      Delete
  3. The secret is in your knees. That should work until they need to be replaced. I am not yet old enough to know what happens after that.

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    Replies
    1. Okay. Good! Knees still working. Keep me updated as you age then.

      Delete

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