So I'm spending Sunday doing all the things I'm supposed to do before the next week starts. Which is really a lot of things! Working around the house, getting my stuff organised for work next week, etc. I've got to write up my weekly journal entry about what I did last week and how it relates to developing my skill sets.
On Thursday I was instructed on blog-writing for the museum (I'll be setting up my profile monday and hopefully figuring out a good first entry. I have an idea, and I'll tell y'all about it, but I'm not sure it's actually allowed. There are a few rules, some for PR and some for legal or safety reasons. I'll have to follow them here too, which is part of the reason I can't post all the pictures I take. Without permission, I can't depict other people, or museum objects not on display, or the location or value of specific objects or set up of the stores. But, I picked a few of my pictures that don't break any rules (just to be really careful) but can still show y'all a bit of what my work area looks like.

So you go through a whole series of doors, and it's like a maze down there! I still have to wander to find the bathrooms or the exit. In fact, I gave myself a little scare when I accidentally went out different doors than I went in and I became totally convinced I was lost. In my defense, it was dim and all the doors are the same colors.
But here's a sort of generic hallway view. The machines and tubes you see are environmental controls for the rooms (humidity, temperature, etc). 

This is the inside of the Ethnography room.

Behind the shelves is a little desk and a laptop which is hooked up to the database system so that I can look for objects or look up ones that I find. 

 Yet more paper catalogues, boxes, etc.

These are a couple of the aisles in the stores. I'll try to take some other pictures later, but these are pretty illustrative. Stuff. Stuff everywhere! In boxes, laying on shelves, in storage bags, wrapped in bubble wrap or acid-free paper... stuff!

That signs says "Caution Potential Poisons" and the arrows have padding and covers on their points. 

And you want to know the best part?.... I GET TO TOUCH STUFF! 

(Ok, so not ALL the things. Obviously there are the potentially poisoned arrows, and more delicate things which I wouldn't unnecessarily handle.)

There is one other big exception, which is also what I'm thinking about writing my first museum blog entry on. But it might be considered controversial. There are Australian Aboriginal bull roarers in the collection (I know from the database, not from seeing them), but they are only meant to be seen by males in Aboriginal culture. The box has a warning label, but there are no official rules about whether or not female researchers can see them, the label only encourages you to be aware of the issues surrounding this.
I've read about this issue, which is really all about respect for the culture from the artefacts originate. And I agree with that completely. But now I know from the database that there are instruments in that box, and I can't document them as part of my job at the museum, or conduct research on them for a potential project or paper if I can't observe them. So, the question is, what do I do? Am I as thorough as possible, and do the same work on those instruments as I would on any others, or do I respect that culture and refrain from observing those objects?
I'm thinking of writing a museum blog post about it summarizing the issues. The public can comment on the posts, so we're not allowed to post controversial subjects. I'm not sure if this would really be allowed for me to post, but I'm just thinking it out for now. I want my first post to be a good one.

I think that's just about all for now. I'd better get back to work. I still have to write my weekly journal, and finish with the chores to prep for Monday.
When I finish up my journal, I'll post it here as well, but it's almost dinner time, so that might not be done in time to post tonight.

I love you all! <3 XOXO