Indexer
May is an optimistic month.
It may not sound it, though, because the word “may” is distinctly tentative – things may get better, or they may not. And then there is the old saying that warns against being over-optimistic about the weather –“Ne’er cast a clout till May be out”, which actually refers to the appearance of may blossom rather than advocating the wearing of winter clothing until June comes along.
And what about “Mayday” – the international codeword for distress that no radio operator wants to hear? As it happens, that’s another undeserved downer for May, given that the word is actually “m’aidez” which is French for “help me”.
Maybe one should concentrate instead on May as the “merry month” of “darling buds” and “new-fangled mirth”. It’s a time for dancing round maypoles – not that I’ve ever been tempted, mind you – and watching Mother Nature go beserk as the house martins, swallows and more return and raise new families.
I like May. It’s a month that contains two bank holidays and no family birthdays or anniversaries to worry about forgetting. It is usually pleasantly warm but not oppressively so, which makes taking country walks a real pleasure.
It is also the month in which the University term ends and I can look forward to not being wanted again until October!
Ever since 2002 I have worked one evening a week as an Assistant Librarian (latterly Senior Assistant and Duty Officer) at De Montfort University in Leicester. My current duties involve manning the “Just Ask” desk from 5 to 9 on Monday evenings, taking all incoming phone calls and making sure that the evening staff are in place and doing what they should be doing. If a real problem arises – such as a fire alarm – it’s my job to sort things out.
It’s a great job – don’t get me wrong – and the students are a pleasure to be with, in the main. The month of May is tough for them, though, with exams to be taken and revised for. The library staff have been given training in spotting signs of distress and reacting accordingly, and this term we have instituted a trolley service offering free fruit and hot drinks for students who put in long hours after the regular library staff have gone home. The library never closes, by the way.
But for me, when term ends so do my contracted hours for the academic year. If I work on the first bank holiday of the month I get time-and-a-half, which is a pleasant bonus, but the second one is after the end of term. I get paid in monthly installments throughout the year, so during the vacation I effectively get paid for doing nothing, which suits me fine.
So after 21st May I will be able to plan my weeks without taking the needs of DMU’s students into account and have another day that is mine to do with as I wish. I may do this – I may do that – I may do all sorts of things.
So here’s to May – what’s not to like?
In Venezuela, May has a lot of meaning, it is considered the month of flowers. It rains and new shoots come out and the trees bloom. The Araguaney, the national tree, will be dressed in its beautiful yellow flowers. The mango season begins, a very popular fruit here. A daughter of mine celebrates her birthday on May 3, the day of the traditional festivities of La Cruz de Mayo. The wonderful thing is that last night it rained a lot and today the sun shines with all its intensity.
Great post. May is quite a jolly month and the days get sunnier and warmer. I remember way back in grade school when I lived in NYC not every May 1 was really warm yet but we all had to be out in the schoolyard dancing about Maypoles.
Every month. in fact every single day, should be a time for optimism! Good post!
But pessimism can also be useful! Groucho Marx once advised that you should always borrow money from a pessimist because he won’t expect you to pay it back!
May is the month of open windows and fresh breezes. I used to live in Indianapolis Indiana so may was also the month of horrible traffic (the Indianapolis 500 brings nearly 250,000 new people to a small area for most of a month). But May is also the time of hope, of rebirth. Thank you for the help you provide and the guidance you give students. The value of that is beyond words.
Yes, I like May too. No birthdays for me either! It must be interesting working in the University Library. A job in a library is something I’ve always considered doing. Today is a pleasant, sunny day in Norfolk, so hope this continues. The forecast for the coming Bank Holiday weekend is promising though.
I also work as a volunteer at a local public library – I help to run it in fact. Leicestershire has forced most of its village libraries to become “community libraries”, staffed by unpaid volunteers, so it would not surprise me if Norfolk has not gone down the same route or will do so before long. If that happens your ambition to do a bit of library work may become a reality!