Break Break Break

Oh geez, less than 4 hours until I'm FREE for 2 weeks... I can hardly contain my excitement.

The break should be fun. We have an awesome Christmas Eve dinner planned (it's the usual, but anytime I get lobster tail is fantastic). My parents and I have 3 different shopping days planned. I'm also going on a quickie vacation to Highlands, NC a few days after Christmas (yay mountains). New Year's is still up in the air, but I would like something quiet after attending parties and bars for the past 4-5 years... yeah college, I'm finished with you. :)

I decided to treat myself to Starbucks this morning for the first time in months, since it is my last day and all. I have been super hyper ever since, mainly because I rarely drink caffeine (besides tea). I also received a Barnes and Noble gift certificate today, which is more than appropriate for me. Tonight, Adrian is coming over so we can make our annual puppy chow for her office (you know that chex mix with the chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar???). I also get to see Ashley and Krista for the first time in months, which is cool. My social life is looking up again without work "in the way"... haha.

I will update everybody in January... until then, everybody have a safe and happy holidays!!

2006 Favorites...

Here is my list of favorite things from 2006:

Favorite Movies: Note that I am no movie snob. I like what I like. Also note that none of these movies were released in 2006, I just saw them for the first time in 2006.
-The new Pride and Prejudice. I realize that this version was nowhere near as good as the A&E one made in the mid-1990s. However, and call me shallow if you want, the characters in the most recent (and much shortened) version were, well, prettier. I liked it for pure aesthetic and cinematographic reasons. It made me long once again, to go to England, especially to see the national parks.
-Amadeus. Yes, I realize that this movie was released in the 1980s and I haven't seen it yet. I LOVED it, even the extremely annoying Mozart laugh. I could watch this movie again and again.

Favorite Books:
- A Heartbreaking work of staggering genius, by Dave Eggers. This was a fantastic memoir, hands down.
-Running with scissors, by Augusten Burroughs. Another (bit more graphic) memoir, but a good read.
-The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova. I think this is my favorite of the year.
-The thirteenth tale, by Diane Setterfield. My second favorite... such a unique story.
-Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. "Unputdownable" (even if I don't like the main character much).

I can't remember what I read early in the year (I don't think I did though because I was in grad school and all), so these I've all read since July or so.

Favorite TV:
-Gilmore girls. It's the only show that I will go out of my way to watch, although, it's not the same without the Palladinos writing. I'm actually hoping that this is the last season.
-Scrubs. I used to despise this show. Now that I've warmed up to Zach Braff, I find it very funny. J.D. and Turk remind me of male versions of Adrian and I.
-Sex and the city. I know, I am a girl, and now I own that damn pink monolith of a boxed set.

Favorite People:
-My parents. The most selfless people I know...
-My co-workers. They are super nice, and they have a sense of humor too (thank God). Plus, they read and stuff, like me.
-Christian Bale.
-My high school friends. It's funny how the people that I am closest to now are the ones I went to high school with (maybe it's because I live at home again???). I hated that place for years after I graduated, but I did meet some really good people in the 'ville.

Favorite Vacations
Oh wait, I didn't really go on vacation this year...

I'll update this more tomorrow... I'm trying to load this thing with updates before break when I will likely forget about this thing!

Never again will I...

shelve in the curriculum lab. I came out of there with 5 young adult novels to check out. In addition to the 9 I have already out on loan, and the 1 I have out from the public library, I am going to be reading forever. Why do I do this to myself?

I wonder why I like young adult fiction so much. I've come up with a few theories:

-I didn't really read in high school, so I'm making up for it now
-The literature has adult content, but is rarely so graphic that I can't handle it
-The fantasy literature isn't too "dungeons and dragons"-y (although I think there are a few out there)
-I feel that I am at the age where I can still relate to teenagers, but can look at them in an introspective way (basically I can laugh at how STUPID some of the characters are... hello Bella from Twilight, a book that I loved by the way)

Right now I am reading Fairest by Gail Carson Levine. It is set in Ella Enchanted's world, so I'm pretty psyched about reading it. My cousin, who is a bigger bookworm than I am, is obsessed with Ella Enchanted, to the point where she can recite the first chapter by heart. I'm going to be reading The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood next (my first).

I always apologize for my venture into nerddom when talking about books, but after all, as a librarian dealing with collection development, it is my job to read what's out there... I'm even considering some science books from Discover Magazine's Top 25 science books.

You don't think I'm smart enough to work in your fucking library?

-Mary from Party Girl, and the following post has nothing to do with my heading

This week is S-L-O-W. At work, the college kids are gone, almost everybody who is employed here is gone, and an 8 hour work day seems to drag on and on and on... I was even willing to shelve today, as I'm not able to do any acquisitions work until January 10th. 30 hours and counting (until next Tuesday) until Christmas Break. I look forward to it.

I've been looking back on the year:

January: wonderful, in a new/old relationship, happy with my friends in Indiana, got a second job at IU libraries because of my kick ass boss, and only taking two classes at IU for my last semester

February: nice beginning, great trip to Chicago, mid-month 180 degree turn-around watching friends meltdown, having yet another guy "cheat"

March: php fiasco (I will never be a programmer--I spent so long on that assignment!), rough spring break at home for the second year in a row, blow out with one of my best friends (luckily we worked through that), shutting everybody out and concentrating only on school, working out a misunderstanding with yet another friend

April: another crappy birthday, continuing shut-out, working constantly on and finishing my Wyoming web site, getting good grades, a confession made to me

May: a blur, lots of working at IU, packing to leave, hanging out with Jeff and Allison, got an A in both classes that I took

June: move from Indiana to Georgia, move from 716 to 1690, my first drum corps show in 2 years (it was BORING), job interviews, feeling like a complete mess still

July: visit to Grandparents', second interview for job that I would eventually get, things finally looking up, hanging out with friends again, Read Heartbreaking work of staggering genius

August- present: band camp (my last), started job, construction projects on new house, met with my not so wonderful past one evening, watching my brother get fired, get hired, get fired again, and finally get hired (luckily he's not in the car industry at this point), seeing my cool nephew, made a new close male friend, laughed way too much for my own good, got many cases of book anxiety (still have them thanks to my coworker Amanda), becoming close again with my parents, hanging out with Adrian a lot, Midieval times, going away parties, etc.

I was quick to think that this was a good year, but looking back, it had some rough times. Graduate school was definitely not the best experience of my life (and it never really had anything to do with school, which is funny), but I am more than happy that I got through it.

I'm pretty happy with life right now... I'm starting to get somewhat smarter about the decisions that I am making. I've realized that looks aren't always going to be what attracts me to a man (looks will fade, but personality, wit, good conversation, and intelligence last quite a bit longer...), that I CAN say no to my friends, especially if involves color guard jobs, and not have to feel bad about it, and that my parents are right half of the time (as opposed to my former stance of never). I also like making money and being able to spend it on people that I care about this Christmas. I'm totally anticipating the new year, which is currently looking fantastic.

A Quiz Revisited

One year ago I took the following quiz...

Here is how I would answer it today:

1) My uncle once: Lived in Russia (he's getting ready to move there again too...)
2) Never in my life: would I be a chicken sexer ewwwww
3) When I was five: I wanted super long hair (I used to wear a purple skirt around my head and everything... my mom made me look like a boy)
4) High school was: a time when I had HORRIBLE taste in music
5) Fire is: a big element in The Thirteenth Tale
6) I once saw: Snow in June
7) There’s this woman I know who: is from Canada (eh?)
8) Once, at a bar: I saw a band play
9) By noon I’m usually: pretty damn hungry (I eat at 2pm)
10) Last night: I was super tired
11) If I only had: money (that I will keep the same...)
12) Next time I go to church: I will say the Apostles Creed
13) What worries me most: Right now? I guess doing well at my job.
14) When I turn my head left: I see a UGA print
15) When I turn my head right: I see an Olympics Poster advertising Mexico
16) You know I'm lying when: I blush...
17) What I miss most about the eighties: Neon colors... NOT!
18) If I were a character written by Shakespeare, I’d be: Lady Macbeth (that only applies to 5 days out of the month!)
19) By this time next year: I should have a new computer (I accomplished my last year's "by this time next year..."
20) I have a hard time understanding: Boys who are younger than me... glad I gave up on that one!
21) You know I like you if: I don't know?
22) If I won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: Yeah, both of my parents simultaneously
23) Darwin, Mozart, Slim Pickens & Geraldine Ferraro: yeah, still don't see the connection
24) Take my advice, never: read a Harlequin Romance Novel!
25) My ideal breakfast is: Oh there are too many good answers to this?
26) If you visit my hometown, I suggest you go to: wow, um, wow, um... Starbucks?
27) Why doesn't everyone: read more?
28) If you spend the night at my house: my dog might sleep with you!
29) I’d stop my wedding: if i found out: he cheated on me (keeping this one the same too...)
30) The world could do without: traffic!
31) My favorite blonde is: Paul Neuman (well, he's gray now, but you know what I mean...)
32) If I do anything well, it’s: baking?
33) And by the way: 24 days until XMAS!