Category: Work

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7/52 QSLW 2026

So this week was Queensland School Library Week. And because I run a school library in Queensland… this week was my week to do stuff!!!

 

On Monday lunchtime, I ran a “QR Club”. QR meaning ‘quiet reading’ of course! And I was quite happy that students joined me; mainly Year 7s but Year 8s and even Year 11s as well. Tuesday was “Writers’ Group” which was less well attended because our Middle School students were all at their swimming carnival. Wednesday I ran “Illustrators Unite!” because why should words have all the fun? And Thursday was chess. We started with social games, but then took names for the tournament to start next week. And Friday was our Problem Solving group. Have you ever heard of “OzCLO”? It’s the Australasian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad… and the problems are HARD! But we won’t do this each week. Next week we’ll launch our Student Book Club during Friday lunch, so that should be interesting!

 

School Libraries might be viewed as places where ‘you go there if you’re a nerd’. Not on my watch, I hope. Not while I’m in charge of this particular school library. Because this week’s lunchtime activities were the launch week only. We’ll be continuing them each week … and this will join the general hubbub of board games, card games, chess games, enjoying books, and of course, study. We are a high school, after all!

 

So that was my week. A lot of organising, a lot of planning, and hopefully the beginning of a lot of fun! How was your week, dear Reader?

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Random thoughts Work

4/52 dancing…

Well it was a huge week – as expected – but it finished and was successful and now it’s a long weekend which I’m most happy about.

And last night was dancing. To wit:

It was beautiful. Breath-taking. Inspirational.

My Mum and I took Miss18. And prior to the show, we had decided we were most curious about the Cheshire Cat’s wont to appear and disappear… and how they would transfer this to the stage. That and the fact that they were setting it in the 1920’s!

But with both? Very impressive. The transfer from text to stage was masterful, and from one culture / generation to a different one was also most cleverly done.

So this morning Miss18 and I were continuing to analyse it – and also the process behind it. Comparing and contrasting one aspect of last night’s ballet – the choreography – with her animation, and my writing. It’s all art, after all, with both a process and a product to be considered 🙂

What a brilliant weekend. And it continues through until tomorrow evening! How wonderful 🙂

Have a great week ahead, dear Reader!

KRidwyn

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teaching Work

3/52 School starts tomorrow!

Aarrghhh!!!

I don’t feel ready…

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Random thoughts Work Writing

1/52 Legacies and New Year’s Resolutions

So I’ll be turning 52 later this year, God willing.

Sounds old-ish. Like I’m someone who’s got some experience under their belt, maybe even some knowledge – or even wisdom! – between the ears. I wonder if I do though.

So it’s the first Sunday in 2026. And in amongst the ‘what will I actually achieve this year?’ might possibly be the formation or continuation of habits that I’m actually proud of.

Ones that may turn into, one day when they’re all grown up, my legacy to this thing called ‘life’. Once I’m gone, I mean.

I just saw this on Facebook.:

I mean, WOW. Someone designed this, and convinced other someones to build it.

And it’s still around, and working, 1000 years later?!

Now *that* is legacy… for all those someones.

What will I do this year, this month, this week, this day – even this minute – that will be a step toward mine?

How will I choose to use my time this year?

Hmmm.

Thanks for being here, dear Reader. May you have a beautiful day and week.

KRidwyn

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Life Work

34/52 all over bar the pizza party…

As in: yes, I’m having a pizza party 🙂

The winners of our various Book Week competitions won themselves tickets… so this coming Tuesday at Morning Tea will be the final ever Book Week 2025 event.

Meaning that life can get back to its pre-Book Week normalcy; including watching Top Gun: Maverick, Live in Concert yesterday. And it was REALLY COOL!

Here’s wishing you a really cool week too, dear Reader!

  • KRidwyn
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places to visit teaching Work

26/52 and what a halfway it is!

I started the week with meetings and deadlines. And ended in Sydney with chameleon socks, capybaras and Cats.

First, the deadlines:

Then the work began in earnest:

And then the fun:

What a week! I hope your halfway-through-2025-mark was just as wonderful, dear Reader!

KRidwyn

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momentous events places to visit teaching Work

24/52 Phew!

So Monday was assemblies and Tuesday was Chocolate Chess (7.30am start) through to Instrumental Showcase (finishing at 8pm).

Wednesday 5am was:

Flew to Sydney

Then:

Sal Kahn: inspiration
Insanely yummy desserts

It’s amazing the people you run into!

And it was a blessing that Livid was on 🙂

Then:

Double-decker train!!! To the sister school for a one day conference and Library visit:

Before flying home, and then today playing violin and bass guitar at church and being Bible Reader… and then clearing my inbox! (First time this term!)

PHEW!!! I need a holiday now, I think…!

I hope your week is just as full of memorable events, dear Reader 🙂

KRidwyn

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Work

20/52 Shakespeare +

I was surprised a few weeks’ back by some titles in my new-to-me Library (I started at the beginning of 2025 but the Library’s been there for decades).

The series is Shakespeare plus modern settings (Star Wars, etc). An interesting find.

This coming Tuesday I’ll be heading to a local school’s production of Twelfth Night… but in a 1980s musical mashup style.

Should be… interesting! I’ll tell you all about it next week. Until then, have a lovely week too dear Reader!

KRidwyn

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Review Work

19/53 surprised by books :)

I’ve read lots this year, averaging just over two per week, and a couple recently have really quite surprised me with how good they are.

So: two recommendations today, if you’re after titles which tweens / teens might like – even boys!

Enjoy! And have a week full of lovely surprises yourself too, dear Reader!

KRidwyn

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Reading Review Work

13/52 happiness is… the end of a series

One of the best things about being a school librarian? Buying books you love so you can share them with your students!

And at my new school, they hadn’t yet discovered the pleasures of SA.Patrick’s ‘Songs of Magic’ series. So I was very happy to introduce them to Patch, Wren and Barver, and the adventures they have… only to discover during the purchasing process that there’s a third book and now I get to enjoy reading them again, with the third book to add to the enjoyment!

Yay my life!!!

Have a wonderful-discovery-type-week yourself, dear Reader!

KRidwyn