Time on my hands so why not blog about it...

Well, it has been a long time since my last confession... oh wait that's for another place. I meant that it has been forever since my last blog post.  I was just getting started into the wonderful world of blogging but soon life got in the way.  However, I now find myself with time on my hands so I figured I'd attempt the blogosphere again. 

I was laid off on November 1st from a job that I loved working with historical records for the state of South Carolina.  Budget cuts have really hit the state archives and they are down to under 30 employees and its isn't looking good for those remaining. 

Since being laid off, I am working through the stages of grief and disbelief.  Not to toot my own horn, but I am pretty freakin fantastic at Archival preservation and disaster preparedness and recovery for records and can't believe that I was cut.  While I know that cuts had to happen, I was holding out hope that I would be saved, that somehow my dedication, accolades, certificates, and general fabulousness would shield me from the horror of dealing with the unemployement offfice. I was wrong and it was like being punched in the gut! 

So, what is an out of work archivist to do?  I thought about going door to door and offering up my filing and processing skills but figured most folks would just slam the door or call the cops that some weirdo was pedaling preservation. 

That's where these blog posts come in.  I want to keep up my skills, my contacts, and maybe even stumble upon the right path for me to take.  Right now I am still in my denial and disbelief phase with a smidgen of bitterness thrown in for good measure but I want to get back on track and get back to records and doing what I love so much.  So, here goes my newest adventure.  Hold onto your keyboards people, I'm bound to hit some turbulence along the way.  
More later....

Economy Caught Me

Well, here I am in a place I never thought I'd be. Well versed in archival theory, preservation, and disaster preparedness and recovery, with a master's degree, archival certification, and recent Archivist of the Year title and tiara, and UNEMPLOYED!!!!

Budget cuts have been affecting cultural agencies across the country these days and while I sympathized with my colleagues and counterparts I had hoped that it wouldn't be me. (I suspect we are all secretly a little joyful when it is the records analyst next to us or the archivist in the other department and not us) However, this time it was me and now I am not sure what the next steps should be.

My thoughts keep wondering back to the documents. I am dedicated to my records (sure they technically belong to the state but while I was there, I was their guardian and protector) and now I wonder what will become of them. Sure they won't turn to dust tomorrow but I just hate to think of them lying in squalor and being manhandled to bits. Is this dramatic? Yes. Am I slightly off my rocker? Perhaps.

So now I am onto the next chapter of my life and career. Where will I go? What will I do? Who will help me along the way? First step, figure out how to file for unemployment...