Foiled! (and not in the holiday leftovers kind of way)

This was my first winter break in New York City. We didn't go anywhere this year and I elected to work the last week of December.

I learned one thing this week:

1) Do not make a two-page long "to do" list and expect to get it done in one week.

Why won't it get done? Because:

a) a blizzard will strike and keep you prisoner in your Brooklyn apartment on Monday
b) some of the colleagues you need to work with to solve a problem will get sick and not come to work
c) students will also get sick and not come to work
d) students will also get stuck in other states while waiting to catch flights back to blizzard-blown NYC
f) you will get sick and feel miserable
g) Aleph will crash on Wednesday
h) the Wiki will also not work
i) the Ariel server will also go down

In all seriousness, though, Aleph crashing couldn't have happened at a better time (during a break). We're also old pros at this by now; Circulation staff could do offline circ and come back online with their eyes closed. Patron inconveniences were few (considering the huge crash in November 2009).

As for the things remaining on my "to do" list, they will have to wait for January.

Happy Holidays Bobst Library! Better luck for 2011 (please)!