What is Going On [Feb. and Mar. 2020 Month in Review]

Posted 31 March 2020 in month in review /20 Comments

An Update on My Work/COVID-19 Life

This recap will be a little more personal than usual, as ‘personal life’ has been pretty hectic these past two months.

In February, Cybils judging and an internal work interview preoccupied me. I didn’t want to talk about my work situation until the chips fell into place, so to speak, so here’s an update on that front: I did one interview for three FT children’s librarian positions in mid-February. This was my first time going through my organization’s infamous internal interview. I had been anticipating that interview since the beginning of December. So it was a relief when it was over! However, because of my status in the org, I didn’t expect to secure any of the positions. And I didn’t. I had one gloomy weekend where I accepted I would be out of FT work at the end of March. Then I was asked if I would like to fill in as a teen librarian until at least October :O So, I was looking forward to sharing yesterday (March 30) that I was starting in a new position. My two blog posts in early March also hinted that I was ready to slip back into blogging mode.

But COVID-19 concerns took off on March 12 (for me, in my area, that is). That day, I realized there was a good chance that a concert I was meant to attend the following weekend would be called off. My family was meant to reunite at a show by our favourite band with the Minnesota Orchestra. A few hours after I messaged my dad with “Hey, what do we do if the concert is cancelled?”, it was cancelled. And we’ve all been on a wild ride since then. We cancelled our trip to Minneapolis. I was temporarily laid off on March 24, so now I’m back in that place of having no work come April, lol. Who knows when I will be able to step into the teen librarian role. March, hey. Good riddance!

I have been making the best of my time so far. I’m grateful to find focus in reading, blogging, and blog hopping. I have been trying to stay active with a walk and yoga each day (though between Thursday and Monday, I only went outside on Sunday). I’ve enjoyed video chatting and colouring with my sister. I don’t know how long I can comfortably keep up these habits, but so far I’m doing alright. 😊 I know things are tough right now for a lot of people, especially for my American friends. I hope your loved ones are safe and that you’re able to take the time you need to look after yourself. 🧡

Books Finished

  • The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz
  • Homerooms and Hall Passes by Tom O’Donnell
  • Cog by Greg Van Eekhout
  • Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
  • Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge
  • Anything You Can Imagine: Peter Jackson and the Making of Middle-Earth by Ian Nathan
  • The Republic of Birds by Jessica Miller
  • What We See When We Read by Peter Mendelsund
  • Chasing the Light: The Cloud Cult Story by Mark Allister
  • A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
  • Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
  • One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake
  • Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga
  • The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
  • J.R.R. Tolkien edited by Peter Hunt
  • I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya
  • The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan by Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller

Posts Written

Goals Check-In

  • 7/24 posts written (in February and March)
    • well, I didn’t factor in a pandemic lol… hopefully I can count February as my ‘month off’, though I wasn’t expecting to use up my one month break so early in the year.
  • 6/8 middle grade novels read (in February and March)
  • 4/10 rereads (+1 since last update)
  • 4/10+ books with queer rep (+2 since last update)
  • 3/10 graphic novels (+3 since last update)
  • 1/10 works by Indigenous writers (+1 since last update)
  • 1/7 books about/by Tolkien (+1 since last update)
  • 1/5 books with 500+ pages (+1 since last update)
  • 4/60 books on my TBR that I don’t own (+4 since last update)

Shared on Twitter

Upcoming in April

  • 7 Apr. – Release of Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega (spooky middle grade) and Into the Tall, Tall Grass by Loriel Ryan (magical realism middle grade)
  • 14 Apr. – Release of The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan by Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller (non-fiction)
  • 21 Apr. – Release of The Deck of Omens by Christine Lynn Herman (sequel to creepy YA The Devouring Gray) and Rick by Alex Gino (contemporary middle grade with an ace MC)
  • 25 Apr. – Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-a-Thon. Not sure if I’ll be participating because I anticipate doing lots of reading throughout the month of April even without the motivation of a readathon 😜

How was your March? What new books, or bookish events, are you looking forward to this month?

Jenna's signature
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20 responses to “What is Going On [Feb. and Mar. 2020 Month in Review]”

  1. Annemieke

    March was so sucky for most of us ._. I hope that once covid clears up you will still be able to take the teen librarian position. <3

    Reply
  2. Krysta

    I’m so sorry to hear that your March was so terrible! I think Covid has been terrible for everyone, but it’s definitely less terrible for those who have FT jobs and can still be paid. Here, it seems like most libraries are closed indefinitely (though some still have staff in the building) and no one knows what’s going on, especially due to the lack of a unified response. My friends in different states are all under different types of stay-at-home or closure scenarios and are panicked or not, accordingly.

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Falling Letters

      Thank-you ❤︎ About 75% of library staff were laid off, so even if I was permanent FT I would still be laid off… which is not really much of a consolation but I’ll take it haha. It’s alarming to see what’s happening in the States. I would be a lot more panicked as well!

      Reply
      • Krysta

        That’s quite sad! I get the impression most US library staff are working from home and at least getting paid something.

        Reply
        • Jenna @ Falling Letters

          Yes, that seems to be what I’ve noticed as well. In my area, it’s quite a mix of which libraries still have staff working vs. laid off. (I’m paid until April 18, then government support kicks in, so I will be alright financially).

          Reply
  5. spines in a line

    You read so many books this month! I’m really sorry about your job situation and sending lots of hope that things turn out well for you once the world turns for the better. Job stuff is really weird right now, this is the time I would’ve been job searching and now everything’s postponed or cancelled.

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Falling Letters

      Should I mention that this was my reading for March AND February? 😬 Haha. I had an interview on March 19 which was really weird. I was completely unfocused and annoyed that they /didn’t/ cancel it haha (I didn’t get that job :P). But I definitely understand that’s a tough position you’re in. I hope the search picks up for you when this all over! ❤︎

      Reply
  8. Katie @ Doing Dewey

    I’m sorry to hear that this situation has been so disruptive for you! I hope the position you were supposed to fill is available for you again when things return to normal.

    It looks like you made great progress on all your goals this past month. I hope you’re able to relax and enjoy the time off in the coming month, at least some of the time 🙂

    Reply
  9. Kal @ Reader Voracious

    Oh no, I am so sorry March was so tough for you! I am glad you are making the most of things and are staying active, that will make a big difference for you. I hope that once COVID-19 clears up and restrictions lift a bit that you will still be able to fill in for that teen librarian position.

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Falling Letters

      Thank-you so much ❤︎ I am starting to think this might go on long enough that I will barely have any time to step into that role, but so many things are up in the air, I’m not thinking about it too hard, haha.

      Reply

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