Putting a Pin in a Decade

I've noticed individuals doing some looking-back-at-the-decade over the past week. So it got me thinking. What the deuce did happen over the past ten years?

• Bought 2 homes and sold 3 (the third was my in-laws).
• Started practicing yoga and TM
• Moved from WI to MN
• Supported farmers through CSA shares in veggies, fruit and Alaskan fish(!)
• Canoed, hiked, biked, walked and explored like crazy
• Retired from storytelling and put my Ear Ticklin' Tales to bed
• Mourned my mom; lost my sister and my father- and mother-in-law
• Survived a hell of a rare and nasty disease and feel better than ever after a gastrectomy
• Mentored and was mentored
• Re-connected to many grade school and high school classmates 
• Blogged like a maniac at Tiny Tips for Library Fun and Youth Services Shout-out blog
• Stayed in good touch with friends and family (I think)
• Started teaching online and face-to-face grad and CE classes for UW-Madison iSchool  
• Began my final children's librarian job at La Crosse Public Library & retired from it
• Was awarded Wisconsin Librarian of the Year and WI Lucy Beck Storytelling Award
• Served on the boards for the Wisconsin Library Association, ALA's Assoc. for Library Service to Children, La Crosse Storytelling Festival, 
• Stayed active as a consultant and presenter around the country

So, you know, stuff. Still blissfully and hopelessly-in-love with my wonderful and dear husband and partner Lloyd. Traveled a little. Tried to adventure every day - whether that was a hike, meeting a friend, trying something new, exploring. Worked to de-stress. Read a ton. Learned something new everyday.  Really, really, really liked retiring for the final time this year.

So like you, I spent ten years doing the stuff of life.Looking back it seems like alot but, day by day, it seemed like just enough.

Life is a river and I'm glad I swam, canoed and waded it with you all over the past decade!

Saying Goodbye to Bucky

Well, not completely....

When I re-retired this fall, I finished my teaching career. It was hard when October 20, 2019 rolled around and my UW Net ID (with access to email and my online content) finally ended after an 8 year run.

I taught at UW-Madison iSchool both as a grad school lecturer and as a CE instructor. Youth Services from a theoretical as well as practical side was my subject area - although I dabbled in leadership and management teaching too. All but one of the courses were taught online over that time.

I loved and appreciated the opportunity to teach for my alma mater and the department from which I earned my MLS.

What was best part? That's hard to say...but it included:

• faculty who welcomed me as a colleague
• being part of someone's learning journey
• staying tuned in and on top of youth services issues 
• creating course content - yes even the dreaded syllabus
• getting to watch students grow in their understanding of youth services
• reading discussion boards and assignments
• learning a ton from the students and staying on my toes because they pushed me to keep thinking

There were challenges for sure but the support I received from UW-Madison colleagues helped me through and made each course a worthwhile effort. When the time came to retire, I was hoping to teach a final semester of the youth services grad course on campus (face-to-face for only my second time). Health problems prevented me in the end. Still and all, it felt like it was the right step to finish up and let go.

I will always treasure the years I got to be an "official" Badger as an adjunct. And I still get to cheer on our great university, its faculty, staff, researchers, students and everyone involved in UW-Madison. So there's that!