"Technical Difficulties"

Thursday September 10th, a short time before noon.

Fifth grade teacher Chris Szpila likes to remind us that "we can do hard things." I agree. My version of this mantra comes from Eleanor Roosevelt: "You must do the thing you think you cannot do." To be honest, I invoke this phrase frequently. Some of it for pretty goofy things like getting the will to plunge into a cold pond to swim even though I know I will not care in a matter of seconds. But the most recent invocation was because of this website. Yes! Me, a librarian, who is not afraid of tech and likes to learn new things, dreads building websites. Everything about it takes longer. Loading images, re-sizing them, fussing with text boxes--UGH. I figure out how to do something, but can't seem to remember how the next time I need to. Most of the fraught feelings come from previous failures. I had to remind myself of that, and acknowledge it. I got some good advice from researcher Brené Brown:

When we have no relevant experience or expertise, the vulnerability, uncertainty, and fear of these firsts can be overwhelming. Yet, showing up and pushing ourselves past the awkward, learner stage is how we get braver.

Because I need this website to work. We all do. This is how we are going to find books and do our library lessons.

I must do the thing I think I cannot do.

As for the question "did I do it well? That remains to be seen. The best way to find out is to start using it!

Let me know. I mean it.

Ms. Parks