Tuesday 12 October 2010

Z's back to the wall

I'm going a bit scatty trying to sort things out - I have reports from 24 chairmen of different societies, nearly all labelled 'chairman's report' or something very similar.  Likewise, 'lecture report'.  Why on earth don't people automatically put the name of their society on the report?  I have them all in a folder and am having to open each, check which society it is, relabel it - and then some people have sent it twice, a couple not at all and I'm having to check and recheck against the list.  I know I haven't been as efficient as I might have been, but I didn't realise it was going to be so tricky.  I'll know better next time.

But - and sorry, I know I've said this before - I'm on several committees and have been secretary of quite a few, and it's always been obvious to me that a certain amount of information is useful in a label.  The worst I ever had was a list of useful phone numbers and addresses from the Rector's then assistant, labelled Bengen (as in benefice gen).  Months later, doing a search, how on earth was I to find it?  But Committee Minutes is as bad.  How about what committee and the date?  It just seems obvious to me.  Even if you put everything straight into folders, you need a different name for each document and if you want to find something, it's simplest to type the committee and date and do a search rather than physically open each document to check.

Of course, I should have done nearly all of this over the weekend, but other matters took my attention and I didn't have the heart to look at it last night either.  Midnight oil tonight, though.   Tomorrow evening is the absolute deadline and I hate to hit the wire (I received two more reports this evening, I couldn't send them out earlier).

So, obviously, I'm writing on the blog now instead of just getting on with it.

Music today, two double lessons.  There are larger classes than usual this year - another 40 or so pupils applied late and filled the year, after the timetabling had been done for nine forms, and so there are about 28 pupils in each.  And some of the pupils have learning and behavioural issues (though no bad behaviour at all so far, the lessons have been fine), so the teacher is keeping to a careful structure.  All the same, they have to do some independent work in small groups and so the class was divided into three for some of the lesson, so that each group in turn could learn their work on the keyboard, drums and guitar.  I'm finally mastering the guitar, in theory at least, and can show how to play it, although I'm not ready to give a demonstration.  I wonder if Ro has left his guitar here or taken it with him.  If it's here, I should ask if he minds me having a try.

Thanks again for your kind and thoughtful messages and emails.   They have meant a lot.  Thank you.

13 comments:

allotmentqueen said...

"I have reports from 24 chairmen..." (and I won't even go into the possibility of chairwomen/persons) - is this just boasting, or are you really that into committee meetings?

So, rather than knuckle down to all this administration which has turned itself into one of those big black clouds, you are blogging. Shame on you, woman!

But seriously, anything to stop you thinking about recent events is probably a "good thing". How's the coffin coming along? Such a lucky dog, to have her own personal coffin builder, who will put such love and care into it. I trust Dave will conduct the service.

Love to you all.

Z said...

It's for NADFAS - I'm the new secretary of the East Anglia area, which has 25 societies affiliated to it. There are two Area meetings a year, and all the chairmen (many of them women) send me the info to correlate and distribute. There are also two committee meetings a year - the meetings aren't the problem!

The school governorship gives me loads of committees, unfortunately, as I seem to be on nearly all of them. At least eight.

The Sage made a lovely simple oak coffin and Tilly has been buried next to her friend Chester, who died 5 years ago. I did take a picture, as a friend has asked for it, but it seemed a bit odd to put it on the blog.
A service seemed a bit OTT for a dog. Actually, so does an oak coffin, but the Sage wanted to do it. I gave her a last stroke and covered her with a blanket. The children came to see the coffin being buried.

It's been a strange and lonely day, but I'm not going to keep on saying so, this blog is a place where I lift myself, not where I repeatedly unload. Everyone relies on me to be cheerful, mostly.

Dave said...

I file a lot of documents with the date (in reverse order) first - the computer automatically then lists them in date order.

So '2010.6.Housing Soc' (in my letters folder) will be a letter sent to the Housing Society in June 2010. July's letter will appear as the next document.

Simples.

Sir Bruin said...

Sorry to hear about Tilly.

Am looking forward to hearing how you get on demonstrating the drums.

Z said...

It's not how I file my own documents that is the problem - though I happen to put the subject then the date, as so many events arise each month. It's all the ones that are emailed to me that have either similar names or randomly misleading ones. In the same way, when sending a business-related email, I put what it's about as its subject. A lot of people don't, which makes looking for it again just that more annoying. It takes no more trouble at the time, it's just poor practice.

Z said...

Thanks, Sir B.

I'm not so daft as to humiliate myself that way in front of teenagers, and there's always someone in a group who can demonstrate. One of the lesson objectives is for those who can already to it to help the others - in music, of course, there's a wide range of pre-existing knowledge and experience.

Christopher said...

Couldn't you take Dave on as your secretary? He'll want something to occupy him when the wall's finished.

RIP Tilly. Just right.

Unknown said...

Filing and records have never been my long suit. A week or two ago I came across an entry in my diary (which is more of an engagement book really) which said '10a.m. Col. Blood'. "I'm sure he's dead", I thought. The only Colonel Blood I know of eventually got a Royal Pardon for having pinched the crown jewels, temp. Charles II. So, although the entry -Col. Blood- was in my handwriting, I asked my social secretary, a.k.a. my wife, a.k.a. Ann, what it meant. "It means", she said, "that at 10 a.m. today, you've got and appointment at COLchester Hospital for a BLOOD test."
Mea Culpa.
Mike.

Dave said...

I'm not sure I could follow Z's filing system, Chris. Or deadlines.

Z said...

I think that Dave and I in an office together would severely try each others' patience. I value our friendship too much.

Mike, my mum used to do that - 10.30, GK coffee, her diary might read, giving no clue whether GK was coming to her, she going there, meeting in town, or who GK was. It did teach me to do clear diary entries! Col. Blood is more than worthy of her, a splendid example.

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Just heard from Ro about Tilly and was really sad to hear the news. Although it's no big secret that dogs and I do not generally got along well, she was a very sweet dog and I grew surprisingly fond of her when I visited!

I remember her quite ceremonial barking guard dog duties the first time I met her... only to be presented with a hopeful chin on my knees a mere 5min later for a pat. Even I could not withhold indulging her!

Hope you are all otherwise keeping well.

Z said...

Hi Zain and thank you. Yes, it was noticeable that people who were normally not fond of dogs still warmed to Tilly. She was humble without being needy or subservient and didn't fuss but made it clear she liked you. Disarming.