Doubly Thankful

Seems like this fall things have been just too hectic to ever get the mental energy necessary to drop a line on The Book Cover, which saddens me because I like to write and this gives me the opportunity to do a little. But the day is quiet with almost all the staff gone on an early Thanksgiving break, and almost no students around either for the same reason. I chuckle each time one of these quiet days comes around because I really like the quiet atmosphere so I find myself thinking that I wish it were like this all the time. Then I pause and remember that if things were like this all the time, I would not have a job!

Speaking of which reminds me of the challenges facing many people this Thanksgiving... either no job or the impending jobless state they are facing. I hate to see friends from the Association of Christian Librarians lose their positions because the school is closing. And I realize they are not alone in our nation as more and more people's positions are on the line or already terminated.

Our most recent cut-back is painful, but here again we are not alone. Numerous universities in South Carolina are doing the same thing we are doing, asking each employee to take a certain number of unpaid vacation days over the next few months. Even though I don't like having to do this, on the other hand, for me it's almost like practicing for retirement! I have heard of companies that do this to help those who are going to retire soon get used to the idea of not getting up and going to work every day.

These are difficult economic times and I must admit that on this Thanksgiving I am going to be doubly thankful for my job and for the fact that I have to get up every monrning and go to work.