Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Last Day of Work

My last day at Curtin was the 27th March. Here are some photos:













My boss Lib about to present me with pressies from everyone.













Ooh I wonder what they could be. They turned out to be Cluedo, a pizza tray and a wall clock.















Workmates waiting to see my reaction.













Reading the touching sentiments from everyone.













Lib and Kathy













The whole bunch of us (well almost, there were a few missing).

I was telling Duncan last week just how much I miss my old job. It's funny when you're working how you can't wait for Friday each week and how you get so frustrated and think of quitting. But when you actually leave, you feel fondness and sadness. I don't think I ever hated my job, I just loved writing more. I miss the people more than anything and I plan on calling in to say hi one time when I'm in Perth.

I miss working with people with such great senses of humour. I miss the in-jokes. I miss M&Ms in the lollybowl. I miss the great mochas at the cafe next door. I miss working with so many hardcore Eagles' fans. I miss teaching and helping students. I miss the few oddballs who would ask for help at the reference desk. I miss the lunches and the dinners and other work social events. I miss wearing decent clothes every day.

No workplace will ever be perfect. At times I think we all got on each other's nerves and often I felt patronised because I was the youngest. But mostly it was like having lots of aunties and big sisters (male librarians are a rare breed, there were only a few).

Do you ever look back at places you've worked at in the past with a sense of nostalgia? Or have you worked at places where you've just been glad to get out of?

5 comments:

bek said...

Both. I've worked in places I've been thankful to get out alive, and there are places where I will be very sad to leave....my current job for instance.

Not every day is peachy, but the people are fantastic, and the work not too bad. I'll be sad when I head off on maternity leave...but I'm sure I'll quickly get over it when the baby arrives!

Sarah said...

Are you going to return to that job? How long do you get maternity leave for?

bek said...

I can either have 3 months with full pay, 6 months with half pay. I can also take up to 1 yr off. (while taking half pay for 6 of the months)

I am taking 6mths - a year. We will have to see how we go financially as I earn about 2/3rds of our income :)

I will probably only go back 1 - 2 days a week. I like my job and I don't mind doing a couple of days here and there, but only if family are able to take bub. I refuse to put them in daycare. What's the point in having them!!???!!

Sarah said...

Yeah I agree. I've worked with people who put their kids in daycare 7am-6pm 5 days a week. They argue that they're better off financially if they work fulltime and pay for daycare rather than stay home and not work at all. One lady I worked with wanted to put her 2-year-old in daycare on Saturdays as well so she and her husband could go for a walk?!?

I'm not against daycare for say 1 day a week for people who have no family nearby to help but I don't get the point of putting a kid in the daycare or with nannies all the time!

Scott Parker said...

I remember when I left my Courier job before leaving Perth to come to NZ, I was glad to leave but I was sad to say goodbye to all my clients & colleagues. I still keep in touch with them by email & I do plan to visit them when I'm in Perth next.