Month: Jun 2021

Speeding Up

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I’m not going to do a series of “this is my last…” for the days of the week – it gets repetitive quickly. It is still dawning on me though that I’m basically now doing the new job and the handover is accelerating.

This is both wonderful and frustrating as there’s still that need to help people in between the rotas and negotiations and they’re all important things to be doing – and I’m now deep in the planning of my movements next week around various libraries to welcome not one but two brand new managers to their roles.

In more mundane news, I have a new xbox controller. It arrived yesterday, just in time for some football match that got Lady M and a number of people on the estate rather excited. I didn’t choose the colours with any more thought than “that’s nice” but it was a nice coincidence to have a win happen.

The Grim Reader

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I’m not saying that there’s a certain degree of whimsicality to this week as we count down to the new regime, but I did manifest a new character while closing the parking bay gates this evening. Gentlefolk, I introduce The Grim Reader…

In my defence, it had been a busy day

Yes, I know, i need to get out more… I probably shouldn’t be drawing all over the disposable masks either.

Still, as another weird transition day it seemed fitting, as I’m now doing more in preparation for next week rather than day to day front of house stuff, and getting my team up to speed. There’s a lot to do still, but for the first time it’s starting to feel like we’ve at least got a handle on the beginning of next week.

Famous last words, I’m sure.

Runaround Monday

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Any plans for a quiet last Monday off were scuppered by life and work having other ideas – though it wasn’t unpleasant. There was a quick tour of one of the libraries I’ll be responsible for as of the end of this week, then lunch with a friend before taking Lady M for her second vaccination and then a bit more work stuff and then sheer frustration at technology not cooperating.

I’m currently sitting up in bed writing this while a video of crashing waves plays as background noise. My brain will no doubt conk out soon.

Last Saturday

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In the morning it will be my last Saturday as a Duty Manager, and most likely my last Saturday working front-line, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

On a very superficial level it’ll be nice to have my weekends back, even if I’m on call from time to time, especially as we head into the summer. On the other hand it has been a feature of my life over the last nine years that has led to a range of memories.

I think it’s starting to feel more real, especially as I’ve been pulled more and more to do work for and in transition to the new role this week. The new job officially starts on the 1st, with the new rota from the 5th – so I’m not entirely sure how next week is going to pan out.

My last Saturday though. Feels odd to contemplate that after so long. No more being the manager of one library in a group, now a much wider set of responsibilities awaits. Fingers crossed, eh?

Game Voices: Tanglefinger

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I’ve enjoyed starting to stretch my range in the Sunday games with the voices I use as the DM – my whole style has become more descriptive over the years anyway; but there’s something about the performative aspect of our game as we stream it that seems to be inspiring me to playfulness.

One of the recurring voices that I now have to keep remembering is that of Tanglefinger the Boggle. I love the reaction I get from people when he appears in a scene. While thinking about how I make his distinctive sound, I realised that there are some physical motions I do to make him come to life.

First, I hunch my shoulders and lower my head a bit. I wrinkle my nose up, and draw my upper lip back to reveal my canines, and just let his snide, shifty, nasal snark roll out but not before taking a swift breath so he sounds slightly breathless.

If there’s a character he’s based on, it would be Kreacher the house elf but with less condescension and more playful sass and misdirection. I vary his pitch between stronger presentation when responding to people, and then semi subvocalised asides as he adds things sort of under his breath to see if he can sneak amendments to instructions.

Tanglefinger’s a chaotic creature of fairy stock born from the loneliness of a child, and embodies mischief. He’s a great excuse to be utterly outrageous.

Win Some, Lose Some

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We’re still shuffling things for the restructure, and I have new twists appearing every day. Today I’ve gained a new manager, and lost one, but then that person will now be a peer at my level, while others have been receiving less happy news.

I am so pleased for the people who have succeeded, even while cursing under my breath at yet another rota reshuffle being needed. I’m also looking for ways to support and build up people who haven’t been successful, especially where their nerves have got the better of them.

Even with all the deadlines and shuffling around, the basic needs of my staff and colleagues are important and I’ll be looking how best to help people along while we keep the wheels turning.

Spiders and Manticores and… the Feywild?

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The game last night went really well, keeping a pace and direction that many, I suspect, would see as traditional adventuring. We completed the fight that we’d had to leave halfway through last week against spider and spider-themed opponents and then as they pressed on, the DDC found their way barred by a manticore and a wyvern.

Under other circumstances this might have felt like a random set of monsters, but a bit of flavour (branded sigils relating to the current BBEG) led to a feeling among the players that these were deliberate attempts to block their path

Just As Planned

The last few weeks has generally been a series of medium difficulty encounters in quick succession to both use up limited resources and spells, and to reinforce that the adventurers are now pretty experienced and competent.

It seemed only right, with the timing of the session, to therefore allow them to rest in a quiet bower in the Feywild before closing in on The Coven of the Blinded Eye. They’ve just been warned that approaching the hags will take them through the territory of a wicked dragon, so there’s that to look forward to.

Moving Day

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The Charleesi and her partner got the keys to their flat yesterday, but only set up their kitchen. This afternoon I helped her move another car-load after her mum had helped her move bedding in the morning. J is visiting his family this weekend, so we’ve enjoyed pitching in.

I’m so proud of her, she’s worked hard to find and secure this flat. There’s a quietly confident glow to her, but it hasn’t been smooth going.

We spent a good few hours unpacking and putting things in various temporary places while she planned their final placements. It’s their first flat so for now it’s all pretty bare, but tomorrow sees her waking for the first time in her own place. I remember doing the same in my first place when I left home, and hope she cherishes the memory.

I Can See The Weekend From Here

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I’ve got tomorrow off, but unfortunately it’s just so I can have a retinopathy exam first thing and not have to worry about how the drops tend to knock me sideways for a good portion of the day.

So, tomorrow will not be a productive day. On the plus side though I’m not due to work this weekend so that’s an unplanned long weekend, even if there’s a chance I may get called on Monday about recruitment things.

And of course this is also the weekend where the Charleesi and her other half are moving into their first flat, so I’m looking forward to helping with that.

Some good memories coming up I think.