I have begun using Inter-library Loan more and more over the years. Of course, as fate would have it, starting last fall this service entailed a small fee ($2.75) per book, which is still reasonable, less expensive that buying a book, and then does not saddle me with the decision of what to do with the book once I have read it!
Some time ago, a reference librarian gave me the instructions to make the requests by computer. I tried it once, and it did not go through. But today, when I tried it, it worked! Yeah!
Showing posts with label skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skills. Show all posts
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Learning New Skills
Sake came into my life in the fall of 2001. I do not know when I realized she had amazing talents of climbing, hopping, opening drawers and cabinets. But she did. She jumped some 5 or 6 feet high, she climbed trees, and jumped down some 10 feet. I saw her open drawers and empty the contents, or lay on the contents. And, I saw her open cupboards.
Haiku came into my life in November of 2002. From her previous owner, I learned she knew how to climb and jump high onto furniture. When I lived with Bob, she would jump down from the loft to the closet top in the living room, probably 8 to 10 feet down, 6 to 8 feet beyond her perch. She too could jump up 5 or 6 feet, open cupboards, and drawers. I am not sure if she knew how to open cupboards and drawers before she joined our life, but she certainly demonstrated she knew how within months of living with Sake and myself.
Both knew how to push open a door slightly ajar, or squeeze into a door opening to pull it open, or, as I have seen, pull it open with a paw.
Over the years, Sake and Haiku have moderated their climbing activity. Sake sometimes misses the kitchen counter, which is about 4 feet. The first time I saw her do that, about 3 years ago, she slinked off. I know she was embarrassed. I feel so badly for her. I know it is age, and probably arthritis. But she does not seem to be in pain.
Haiku seemed to have toned it down when Sake did. I think it may have a competition thing, because when Haiku wants to jump high, she still can.
Haiku likes to go into the garage, and, sometimes, she demonstrates her jumping prowess, getting to the top shelves, and jumping from shelf to shelf, which are 3-4 feet apart.
When Taki came to live with us in 2011, at less than 2 weeks old, she was a survivor. I remember one morning, early on, when I woke up and she was sound asleep, so I got in the shower. By the time I finished my shower, she had clawed her way to the shower, bleating because she was hungry (I did not do that again. I woke her up and fed her before I showered.)
As Taki grew, she learned to claw her way up on the bed or sofa, not by hopping, which she does now, but by climbing. Taki has never demonstrated high jumping, but she has demonstrated climbing by clawing. She jumps 3-4 feet at the most, as far as I can tell. She may be able to jump higher, but I have not seen it.
Taki has been slow to learn other skills. I have not seen her open a cupboard or drawer. She may when I am not home. I just do not know.
Last fall, some times in the morning, Taki would be under the reclining sofa in the morning. I first discovered this because I could not find her one morning, and she usually woke me up asking for breakfast, or was on the bed, waiting for morning treats. I became concerned, because I realized she did not know how to get out of doors that might be ajar. I searched and searched and could not find her. Incidentally I saw her paw sticking out from under the sofa, and realized she was under the sofa.
I thought maybe I captured her there, when I closed the reclining sofa for the night. I took to checking to make sure she was not under the sofa before I went to bed, but I was not sure I did it every night, and from time to time, she was under the reclining sofa. One morning, very early, and with the living room not well lit, I check for her under the side of the sofa I had used the night before. I did not see her, and after quite some time, I still could not find her. Because I could not find her anywhere else, I checked again under the sofa: she was not under the side I had opened earlier, but was under the other side, which I had to open to get her out. She did not evacuate when the other side was open!
The last time Taki was "caught" under the sofa, I knew for sure I had made a point to look for her under the sofa before I closed it for the night. I used a flashlight. I did not see her there. But she was there the next morning. I decided that she was using the split flap in the back. So, now, if she gets in, she gets herself out.
Taki has known from the beginning, how to push open a door that was slightly ajar. But if she was on the opposite side of the door, and had to pull it open with a paw, or the size of the opening was smaller than she was, she did not know how to stick her head into it, so that she could pull it open. Until this week! I hope it is not a fluke, but Friday morning, the bathroom door was open a crack, and she opened it wider so that she could get out!
For the ongoing reader, you will have read about garage privileges for the cats. Taki has recently earned more and more garage privileges because she does come when she is called. And, if there is an episode when she does not respond, she does not get garage privileges. I do not know if she equates the two, but it seems to help.
When Sake and Haiku are in the garage, and they want in the house, they are able to get my attention quite easily. They are noisy and persistent in their efforts.
Yesterday, I was gone for much of the afternoon, and early evening, but last night Sake, Haiku and Take wanted in and out of the garage several times. It turned cold, but not unbearable in the garage. So, I accommodated them. The last to want into the garage was Taki, somewhat later in the night. When the cats are in the garage, I try to check on them every 30 minutes or even less. Last night, I got involved, and did not check on Taki as normally I would: it was probably close to an hour before I checked on Taki, in the garage, by herself. She was at the door, and was very eager to return to the house (the temperature in the garage had dropped considerably.) I told her she needed to figure out a way to let me know when she wanted to come in.
Today, all three girls wanted in and out of the garage in the morning. In the afternoon, at one point, Taki wanted in the garage, and she was given the privilege. About 40 minutes later, I heard her mewing. She had figured out how to ask back into the house! Good for her. She was not as loud or obvious as Sake or Haiku, but I heard her.
Taki learns slower than Sake and Haiku. Of course, she had a delayed start in life. But she is not dumb. And, she is able to let her needs be known!
Haiku came into my life in November of 2002. From her previous owner, I learned she knew how to climb and jump high onto furniture. When I lived with Bob, she would jump down from the loft to the closet top in the living room, probably 8 to 10 feet down, 6 to 8 feet beyond her perch. She too could jump up 5 or 6 feet, open cupboards, and drawers. I am not sure if she knew how to open cupboards and drawers before she joined our life, but she certainly demonstrated she knew how within months of living with Sake and myself.
Both knew how to push open a door slightly ajar, or squeeze into a door opening to pull it open, or, as I have seen, pull it open with a paw.
Over the years, Sake and Haiku have moderated their climbing activity. Sake sometimes misses the kitchen counter, which is about 4 feet. The first time I saw her do that, about 3 years ago, she slinked off. I know she was embarrassed. I feel so badly for her. I know it is age, and probably arthritis. But she does not seem to be in pain.
Haiku seemed to have toned it down when Sake did. I think it may have a competition thing, because when Haiku wants to jump high, she still can.
Haiku likes to go into the garage, and, sometimes, she demonstrates her jumping prowess, getting to the top shelves, and jumping from shelf to shelf, which are 3-4 feet apart.
When Taki came to live with us in 2011, at less than 2 weeks old, she was a survivor. I remember one morning, early on, when I woke up and she was sound asleep, so I got in the shower. By the time I finished my shower, she had clawed her way to the shower, bleating because she was hungry (I did not do that again. I woke her up and fed her before I showered.)
As Taki grew, she learned to claw her way up on the bed or sofa, not by hopping, which she does now, but by climbing. Taki has never demonstrated high jumping, but she has demonstrated climbing by clawing. She jumps 3-4 feet at the most, as far as I can tell. She may be able to jump higher, but I have not seen it.
Taki has been slow to learn other skills. I have not seen her open a cupboard or drawer. She may when I am not home. I just do not know.
Last fall, some times in the morning, Taki would be under the reclining sofa in the morning. I first discovered this because I could not find her one morning, and she usually woke me up asking for breakfast, or was on the bed, waiting for morning treats. I became concerned, because I realized she did not know how to get out of doors that might be ajar. I searched and searched and could not find her. Incidentally I saw her paw sticking out from under the sofa, and realized she was under the sofa.
I thought maybe I captured her there, when I closed the reclining sofa for the night. I took to checking to make sure she was not under the sofa before I went to bed, but I was not sure I did it every night, and from time to time, she was under the reclining sofa. One morning, very early, and with the living room not well lit, I check for her under the side of the sofa I had used the night before. I did not see her, and after quite some time, I still could not find her. Because I could not find her anywhere else, I checked again under the sofa: she was not under the side I had opened earlier, but was under the other side, which I had to open to get her out. She did not evacuate when the other side was open!
The last time Taki was "caught" under the sofa, I knew for sure I had made a point to look for her under the sofa before I closed it for the night. I used a flashlight. I did not see her there. But she was there the next morning. I decided that she was using the split flap in the back. So, now, if she gets in, she gets herself out.
Taki has known from the beginning, how to push open a door that was slightly ajar. But if she was on the opposite side of the door, and had to pull it open with a paw, or the size of the opening was smaller than she was, she did not know how to stick her head into it, so that she could pull it open. Until this week! I hope it is not a fluke, but Friday morning, the bathroom door was open a crack, and she opened it wider so that she could get out!
For the ongoing reader, you will have read about garage privileges for the cats. Taki has recently earned more and more garage privileges because she does come when she is called. And, if there is an episode when she does not respond, she does not get garage privileges. I do not know if she equates the two, but it seems to help.
When Sake and Haiku are in the garage, and they want in the house, they are able to get my attention quite easily. They are noisy and persistent in their efforts.
Yesterday, I was gone for much of the afternoon, and early evening, but last night Sake, Haiku and Take wanted in and out of the garage several times. It turned cold, but not unbearable in the garage. So, I accommodated them. The last to want into the garage was Taki, somewhat later in the night. When the cats are in the garage, I try to check on them every 30 minutes or even less. Last night, I got involved, and did not check on Taki as normally I would: it was probably close to an hour before I checked on Taki, in the garage, by herself. She was at the door, and was very eager to return to the house (the temperature in the garage had dropped considerably.) I told her she needed to figure out a way to let me know when she wanted to come in.
Today, all three girls wanted in and out of the garage in the morning. In the afternoon, at one point, Taki wanted in the garage, and she was given the privilege. About 40 minutes later, I heard her mewing. She had figured out how to ask back into the house! Good for her. She was not as loud or obvious as Sake or Haiku, but I heard her.
Taki learns slower than Sake and Haiku. Of course, she had a delayed start in life. But she is not dumb. And, she is able to let her needs be known!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Mass Mailings
When I was in high school, my younger sister and myself, along with some other teenagers in our parish, helped a parish priest do a 500 plus piece mailing to the diocesan priests' senate. We learned from him and by trial and error how to organize a stuffing, sealing and mailing operation.
The information has stayed with me, and more than 16 years ago, I was involved in helping to organize mailings of some 3000 pieces for professional workshops. When we assembled to do the mailing part, I was able to "marshall the troops" and help organize so the effort went smoothly. I did not think anything of it. It was a skill I had learned years ago, and recalled easily.
Now, I do the monthly mailings for the local NASW branch. Much of it is done on computer, and that was another skill I brought to doing mass mailings: learning to use the computer tools to be most efficient. I have revised the system a couple of times, as my computer skills have advanced.
But, we have a lot of snail mail addresses only for social workers and for the monthly meetings and a couple of other times a year, we need to contact them. A colleague and I have been doing this regularly, and pretty much have it down to a system.
Tonight, I had to work on a mailing for an NASW annual event. Most of it could be done by email, but again, some of our members have not furnished their email addresses to us, or do not have email. So, I had to do some printing of addresses on envelopes. It did not take that long.
My colleagues frequently thank me for the work that I do, and that is gratifying. But I like playing on the computer, and I do not think of it as work. Sometimes, it is time consuming. But I enjoy it. I think my colleagues give me more credit than I deserve, because organizing mailings is not that hard.
The information has stayed with me, and more than 16 years ago, I was involved in helping to organize mailings of some 3000 pieces for professional workshops. When we assembled to do the mailing part, I was able to "marshall the troops" and help organize so the effort went smoothly. I did not think anything of it. It was a skill I had learned years ago, and recalled easily.
Now, I do the monthly mailings for the local NASW branch. Much of it is done on computer, and that was another skill I brought to doing mass mailings: learning to use the computer tools to be most efficient. I have revised the system a couple of times, as my computer skills have advanced.
But, we have a lot of snail mail addresses only for social workers and for the monthly meetings and a couple of other times a year, we need to contact them. A colleague and I have been doing this regularly, and pretty much have it down to a system.
Tonight, I had to work on a mailing for an NASW annual event. Most of it could be done by email, but again, some of our members have not furnished their email addresses to us, or do not have email. So, I had to do some printing of addresses on envelopes. It did not take that long.
My colleagues frequently thank me for the work that I do, and that is gratifying. But I like playing on the computer, and I do not think of it as work. Sometimes, it is time consuming. But I enjoy it. I think my colleagues give me more credit than I deserve, because organizing mailings is not that hard.
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