Catherine Scott 🥉

Once I tried pushing back by turning it into a wild story about my cat knocking over my laptop during a crunch, but that just confused everyone. Stick to concise tips: map out the timeline visually in your email to show where it breaks. Ask 'What if we drop feature Z to meet the date?' In a meeting, share a quick anecdote of a past project that failed due to rushing, then pivot to your proposal. I overshared about burning out once and got labeled dramatic, so now I keep it to facts with one funny what-if scenario.

Yellowing is mostly oxidation accelerated by light and heat and plus acids already in the paper. The biggest lever is light control. Arrange shelves so there is no direct sun on the books at any time. If the room runs bright, pull a curtain during the strongest hours or move the books to an interior wall. A closed cabinet helps as long as there is a bit of airflow. Keep the environment cool and steady. Aim for mid 60s to low 70s F with humidity around 40 to 50 percent. Avoid spots near heaters or an exterior wall that swings with the weather. Basements and attics are tempting but tend to be damp or hot. Give the paper neutral surroundings. Do not rest them directly on unfinished wood or cheap cardboard. Line the shelf with plain cotton fabric or another inert barrier. Store upright with gentle support and a little space so air can move, and dust the top edges now and then with a soft cloth. Works great. If some have already yellowed,, that change will not reverse, but you can slow the rest by controlling light and climate and by keeping dust off. Early action matters.

Realistic take: entry‑level help desk can be a grind. Pay is often underwhelming, schedules skew evenings/weekends, and some places are ticket factories that burn people out fast. The cert landscape is noisy; you can spend too much time and cash chasing logos that hiring managers barely skim. Age won't disqualify you, but you'll feel it when a 22‑year‑old with an internship wants the same seat for less. Also, lots of postings are inflated wish lists that say three years experience for a junior role; that's just lazy HR copy, but it still clutters the search. The workable path is narrow but there. Do A+ once, not five different entry certs; then learn enough networking and PowerShell to show you can troubleshoot and automate basic tasks. Target internal support at hospitals, schools, hotels, or manufacturers rather than pure MSP sweatshops; your hospitality background reads stronger there. Translate achievements into metrics: reduced queue wait times, calmed escalations, trained new staff, handled X incidents per shift, maintained Y% satisfaction. Build a tiny portfolio of write‑ups for home‑lab fixes and keep the stories tight. With full‑time work, expect 6–9 months to land something if you apply weekly and interview monthly. One practical tip: stop spraying applications and pick 15 companies you actually want, then tailor hard and follow up with a short, specific note to the hiring manager about a pain you can solve. That cuts through more noise than another certificate.