Important Stuff

While packing up my little studio I have a plain brown filing box that is labeled: "Important Stuff: *Incase of fire, grab this first!"

Let's see what's in it before it gets moved under my bed at my parents place:

-Countless photos. *but also includes the "I voted" sticker & voter receipt from my vote for Obama in 2008

- poultry: a Summer Read Duck & a Birthday Turkey

-a small red box with many small, personally valuable objects
(basically the file box, on a smaller scale)

-four cards, with nothing written on the inside

-a rock from the Spanish River in Northern Ontario
- a star with HOPE on it
- a carabiner from a father to a daughter to me
- my Bay Trip Feather
- a mother's feather
- a lover's feather
- all the library cards I've ever had
- "Speak No Evil" monkey
- Buddha from Cambodia
- Turtle from Northern Michigan
- barrette from Paris

- wooden canoes
- more photos


- small stones in a plastic bag
- a feather fasicnator
- my undergraduate diploma
- my maternal grandparents wedding rings,
and the envelope my Oma sent them to me in

- an angel, that has hung in just about every (bed)room
I've ever had since I was born

I'm still not done packing, so there might be more stuff that goes in the box. But most other important things (specifically pieces of jewelry comes to mind) are in every day use, and won't need to find a good resting spot while I'm in transition from grad school to....whatever comes after graduate school. So, while in this transition from one major section of life to the next, they will be here, waiting.

So, what's in your box?

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair of for the world grows in me
And I wake in the night at the least sound
In fear of what my life and my children's live may be;
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water,
and the great heron feeds
I come into the place of wild things
who do not tax their lives for thought of grief
I come into the presence of the still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their lights, for a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

- Wendell Berry

Don't Stop Believin' !

Instead of doing homework like I had intended, I got home from the YMCA this morning and watched tv on the internet. I caught up on Glee, and I am quickly falling in love. Each episode has a rendition of a song that I just end up smiling about - like the kid doing Beyonce’s Single Ladies in his basement. This last episode had a fantastic finale number of “Somebody to Love” that I was so enthusiastic about I went to iTunes to buy the song. [which is of course what Fox wants me to do. I read somewhere while Fox of course wants people to watch the show, that it does not need to pull colossal numbers because it can make money through all the spin off marketing, i.e., people like me who bought a song off itunes for $1.29.]
While on itunes I also saw the cast’s version of “Don’t Stop Believin’” - from the very first episode - which I was also close to buying, but stopped by reminding myself that eventually there will be a soundtrack to the show, the library will get it, and I will check it out. Still, I cannot for the life of me get it out of my head. And I fear that I will burst into song here at the library any moment. Ok, not really. Still, it will not leave my mind.

I also caught up Project Runway- and if you are not caught up, do not read ahead. Since some of the girls and I don't have the regular Wednesday night Project Runway + Rockband nights, there is no one to discuss the hot messes that come out on the runway. So I am going to discuss them here. I have to say, ever since the team project when they made Epperson out to be a bit of a bossy-know-it all, I was not a fan. And while the judges loved the brown dress he
did, I thought she looked like a prostitute. However, that being said, the Western piece he did in the last episode was truly inspired. Loved the way it moved, loved the way it looked, loved it. On the other hand, I really like the snarky Nicolas, but can’t believe the judges picked his ice queen as winner. Was it good? Yes. Was it winner good? Ehhh. Not really. I thought Christopher’s was much more unique, interesting, and beautiful. Or even Epperson’s, like I said, they both were so great. Nicolas, while I do like him, it was so so. And I can’t believe Ramon is gone. Talent taken
out by Kermit gone bad. Oh well.

What I really need to do is be reading more of Niall Ferguson’s Ascent of Money - I’m struggling a little bit with understanding the section on bonds, but overall I do like the book. I just rather watch tv musicals or a hot mess on the runway. Or, Top Chef, which I also can not wait to catch up on.

For Lack of a Title

Wasn't really planning on blogging tonight - so get ready for some extra rambling - but wanted to thank katieromo for the shout-out, and I got a voicemail from our mutual DC friend that mentioned she needed some reading material so I wanted to give that shout out as well.

And what I really should be doing is going to bed. I haven't been sleeping poorly, but I haven't been sleeping well. I had a homework dream the other night, and those are just no fun. at all.

This happens frequently though. As I walk through the alley to my apt. I envision myself walking into my apt., putting my jammies on, brushing my teeth, and going to bed. But this is what actually happens: I walk into my apt, I put my jammies on, I think - tea? Or teeth brushing? Tonight, it was "No, just brush your teeth and go to bed." And I did brush my teeth, flossed even, and used my mouth wash. But while using my mouth wash, I also got on the internet - "just one last time" - and here we are now, blogging.

What is happening more frequently is that when I walk into my apt. , many times the last time I was here for longer than five minutes was more than twelve hours ago. So I haven't been home, to just sit and do nothing, for awhile. I don't want to go to bed. I want to watch tv, or read my book. Or, apparently, blog.

Not that I am complaining about my wonderfully full life. On reflection, I actually had a really decent day. I stayed busy at work, even if I felt tired. I went to school and got free pizza for dinner at a library student shin dig. I stayed way longer than intended at the library shin-dig talking to people and feeling like an old sage talking to all the newbie library students. I did forgo the trip to the YMCA, which I should not have done, but in the hour longer that I stayed at the library I got 90% of my homework done. Which is simply awesome. There was another library shin-dig, at a local bar, and I went and met more cool librarians (even a very cool, very cute, straight, male librarian - a real rare thing - but also so cool, cute, straight, and male, that he has a girlfriend. I mean a male that is cool, cute, straight AND single? in library school? it's like myth, a legend, a ghost. the holy grail - simply unobtainable.) All in all, it was a good day.

And not all together a very interesting blog. But there you have it.
Oh, but I do have to mention - that I'm loving all the wonderful television on again. Top Chef, Project Runway, The Office. I can't wait to catch up on House and Lie to Me from last night. And I am not ashamed to admit it - I am in love with the Biggest Loser. Seriously, I cried (although, this isn't really all that abnormal for me. I wouldn't be surprised if a especially poignant commercial moved me to tears.) I know, it's reality television. And it's reality television about overweight people - and I would expect the worst from that kind of television, but instead, I find it inspiring and tactful.

Also, speaking of shout outs - Thanks to Carpenter for the comment, awful nice of you, thanks!

Perfect, 12:00 on the dot. Maybe I can still rescue myself from zombie-dom tomorrow.

Why Yes, it has been awhile.

Oh, Hi.

So.

Yea.

It's been awhile.

Me? Oh, I'm good, good. Oh, you know. Just in the area. My friend is blogging again, and got me thinking about my blog. Yea, I know it's been awhile. It's just, well, I'm always so wishy washy about this blogging business. I feel like I whine a lot on here, and you never know whose reading. Plus, right now I'm listening to this book on cd; one of the characters (spoiler alert!) who is foreshadowed to be some kind of psycho-path serial killer is an IT guy who hacks into systems and looks at what people search on their computers and finds out all sorts of creepy information about his victims by what they post on the internet. Listening to it makes me fear facebook more than I already do. Let alone having a blog.

Still, I am loving katieromo's new look. Plus, it's always nice that the internets is waiting patiently out there to listen to me blather away about the books I'm reading or the movies I go see. Sure, what I'll probably end up doing that dog-chasing-its-own-tail thing that I do so well with my own insecurities in cryptic blog-speak.
But for tonight, before I sign off, I'll just say this:

I am reading two books that happen to be by Scottish writers, and the books couldn't be more different:

1.Dying Light - by Stuart MacBride. Just wanted to pick up a new detective series, cuz I'm a sucker for them. It's mediocre, but like I said, I'm a sucker.

2. The Ascent of Money - Niall Ferguson. Niall Ferguson is amazing - I've heard him on radio and tv programs, but I've never read any of his books. So the opportunity presented itself in class to read his books, and I talked the Prof. into letting me do his latest. Makes me remember how fascinating I find the whole financial world to be, and also reminds me how much I miss listening to the Planet Money Podcasts. I'm less that a 100 pages in, and I wish I didn't feel so rushed to get it done for school, but I'm super glad I picked it. Nial Ferguson, I heart you.

What Kind of Week It Has Been

Here is a story that epitomizes the kind of week I have had. I’m trying to deal with all my bills and money stuff for the rest of the month this morning, and decide that it is time to take all the change I’ve been collecting for the past several months into the bank to convert it to cash. I keep the small plastic boxes that my face-wash clothes come in, put one by the door and keep put my spare change or a dollar in it every day. In the parking lot of the bank I gather up these three boxes of change I have and start walking to the bank. I get just to the end of the parking lot and two of the boxes slip from my arms and crash into the pavement, coins flying everywhere. Sure, on it’s own this is simply annoying. But in Chicago it happens to be in below zero outside, with a wind-chill of -28 degrees. So there I am in the freezing cold with all my saved up quarters, nickels, dimes and dollars splayed across the parking lot. Whatta ya gonna do? I’m not about to leave what I know to be a lot of money just laying there on the pavement, especially with the kind of money-needing week I’ve been having. I guess just start picking them up, but I can’t with my gloves on because the coins are too small and I need my fingers, so I have to watch my bare hands get cracked and red as I pick up all the change. This old woman stops and tries to help me but eventually says “I can’t, it’s too cold” and I thank her for her help, but not to worry and just get inside. I end up having to alternately keep one hand in my pocket as the other picks up change now grimmy change off the ground (surprising that’s not a line in an Alanis Morissette song). I eventually gather it all up, get inside the bank. I’m at the coin-converter machine, up to $64.08 thank you very much with a box yet to go, and the machine just stops and says “Malfunction, See Attendant.” Eventually someone comes and helps me, but as he uses his key to get inside the machine he sighs this unencouraging “ohhhh....” Yeah, machine is broken. Really, I tell hiim, I should have expected this, this is the kind of week I am having.
Yes, I have an account there, yes the money is in the machine and mine, and yes we can go over to his desk and he is very polite and chatty and nice and almost cute, and I appreciate everything he’s saying. But No, I will not get my money today, and they are closed on Monday, so no, it will most likely be until till Tuesday that I hear anything about it. I said, that’s ok, next week will be better anyway.

Rought Draft

I meant to post this yesterday, but time keeps getting away from me. I have this Prof. who has, via email with more information than you could ever want to know, given an assignment before class has even started. Now, I understand having something that needs to be done when you come into class the first day, hit the ground running and all that. But this was due today, a full 9 days before class even starts. A little much if you ask me. A simple assignment, but still, let a girl enjoy her break in peace please.

So, here's the assignment. I wrote an off-the-cuff response yesterday morning just to get myself going, and I thought I'd post in here. Maybe if I have time tomorrow I'll post the polished version I sent him. But here's the roughest of roughest drafts I've ever thought up -

Could each of you send me a one page statement of why you want to be a librarian in general and why you taking this course in particular (obviously, the two are related). This is also required for the course. Please send them to me, via email, by January 6 at 5pm. Thank you.

Here's my deal - worked in libraries in my formative young adulthood. Went and explored other areas such as alternative and outdoor education. Came back to libraries. I like working with the public. I'm good at it. I like the pace. I like that there is certainty and routine, while also being full of surprises. I like being surrounded by knowledge, it feeds my appetite for information and new things.
This course, is required, that's why I'm taking it. But I look forward to getting a lot out of it. I've worked in Circulation quite a bit, but also worked in Youth Services, I've held programs at libraries, but I have yet to do much with Adult Services, and I hope this course will expand my ideas of what this area has to offer. To me, it's just sitting behind a desk and answering questions, and obviously, it's a lot more than that. (just as Circulation is a lot more than checking books in and out) I'm hoping this course opens my eyes to all that reference can offer, to the doors it can open in other fields. I'm not sure really where I want to go in the library field, and I'm hoping this course helps broaden my horizons while also helping me to narrow my focus and learn more about what reference has to offer me, and what I have to offer reference.