Hatrack River Forum: Fun things about my new job

This is topic Fun things about my new job in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

5. There's a belly dancing class on the first floor on Thursdays.

4. On your first day, you take an oath of office.

3. I had an amusing insider conversation with a co-worker friend of the uncle of my fiance in which he broke about ten employment laws asking about my wedding plans and shared the wonderfulness of Matt's family. This is fun instead of horrifying because it accomplished exactly what such an insider conversation is supposed to accomplish - I feel known and included.

2. They are still using WordPerfect.

1. In as much as I am defined by the place of employment and not my actual job description, I finally get to be the sexy librarian.

Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :

quote:
2. They are still using WordPerfect.

Where do I sign up? Do they need support personnel?? [Wink]

Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :

WordPerfect? Sweet. [Cool]

Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :

Katie,

I must've missed your job update thread. What are you doing??

Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :

6. You are right across the street or around the corner from the Methodist building, where dkw occaisionally gets to hang out.

Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :

Well best I can tell, Kat is now working as an acquisitions librarian for a top-secret Government agency that hasn't received an IT upgrade since the mid '80s and is charged with keeping tabs on the world of ecumenical exotic dance.

Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :

[ROFL]

My first instinct was the National Archives. But I could be totally off base with that...

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

quote:
Well best I can tell, Kat is now working as an acquisitions librarian for a top-secret Government agency that hasn't received an IT upgrade since the mid '80s and is charged with keeping tabs on the world of ecumenical exotic dance.

Uh huh, uh huh, and they're in league with the Methodists!

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

quote:
2. They are still using WordPerfect.

This is a good thing?

Mmmkay . . .

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

I didn't say these are necessarily good things. These are fun/amusing things. [Smile]

I work as a tech writer in the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress in their communications office.

The use of WordPerfect is why I have a job - they are dragging everyone in the research service into 2006, and I have been hired to make the transition as painless as possible.

dkw, you're really around the corner sometimes? I need to explore here a little bit...I found a bank, a camera shop, ten fancy restaurants none of which I can afford to eat at more than once a month, a notary who is adorable and let me fax something for free yesterday, and a liquor store. If you come to near here sometime, we should meet to eat something yummy at the adorable bakery just around the corner.

Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :

Are you in the big LOC Building on the Mall by the Capitol, or are there offices elsewhere? If you like plants, I love the US Botanic Garden nearby--I'd probably spend lunch hours there w/ a sack lunch (or a hot dog from the vendors).

Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

Now that I have a fan in the general area, I might start holding signings again...

Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :

Not very often, but I was there last year for a continuing ed event, and likely will be back every now and again. I'm assuming it's around the corner from where you are, but I suppose the Library of Congress probably has several buildings. Ours is on the corner of Maryland & 1st St., next door to the Supreme Court.

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

There are three big LOC on the Mall by the Capitol - I'm not in the Jefferson building (where most of the exhibits are - but I'm across the street in the Madison building.

Scott: I'm really looking forward to author signing and things, now that I'm here. [Smile]

I'm sure there is more than one fan.

Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :

Congrats, kat. Welcome to the dark side. Oh wait, you're doing tech writing for the Library of Congress. That's not that dark side at all.

10 points to whoever can tell me where I got 'acquisitions librarian' from.

Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :

kat,

That sounds so fun! Let me know where it would be good to meet for lunch, I can go anywhere.

Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :

Since nobody will take the bait, I'll explain.

Kat says that she finally gets to be the sexy librarian. Everybody knows that acquisitions is the sexiest part of library work.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

I just assumed that Katie had figured out she was sexy.

Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

So...kat's going to be all, like, 'Laura Croft?'

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

I'm pretty sure Lara Croft was a tomb raider, not a librarian. Unless the Library of Congress is going after some really rare books with their acquisitions department. [Smile]

Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :

[Big Grin]

Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :

You're in the Congressional Research Service? I'm working for C-SPAN this summer also doing congressional research.

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

That's really cool, blackwolve - that's a fun job!

I am not actually doing research - I'm still doing technical writing, but for an audience of researchers.

I do love it, because I'm part of an office of communications, which means that instead of working with computer programmers, I am working with other young writers and we collaborate on everything. This is good, because it means there are more eyes than just mine reviewing and proofreading everything. [Smile]

Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

quote:
I'm pretty sure Lara Croft was a tomb raider, not a librarian. Unless the Library of Congress is going after some really rare books with their acquisitions department.

TOTALLY the point.

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

We do have Teddy Roosevelt's childhood pocket diary. Does that count? [Smile]

Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

Did you shoot/double-flip kick/ or choke anyone to get your hands on it?

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

It is not permitted to speak of our methods.

Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

d00d. Totally fine with that.

:backs away slowly: