When it Rains...

It sure does pour!

November has definitely not started on a good note.

Last night I got a call from Adrian about one of our best friend's dad. Basically he died suddenly and it's left us all a bit shocked. I can't even imagine what kind of pain the family is experiencing. I have known the man since I was 12. He took a lot of pride in this country as member of the military and was perhaps one of the smartest people I have ever met, with a wealth of knowledge of political science and history. It is my Christmas project to FINALLY read the only book he ever gave me, Sarum (British History). This is a sad sad event. He will be greatly missed.

My brother got another job, which was great. His old boss who originally moved him into a service writer position hired him. Well, upper management fired the boss, and then told my brother to work more hours with a MUCH lower salary. With a wife who doesn't work and a 2 year old, he had no choice but to quit. Why is this happening to him?

Bad things usually come in threes. I would say that the third bad thing, was possibly my friend Jon moving to Colorado, but it's actually a good thing because he's starting his professional career as a medical illustrator... I'm just selfish, and lacking in testosterone friendships at the moment. I'll just hope that nothing bad happens in the near future.

I hope all of your Novembers are off to a much better start!

Upcoming Events

The following are super exciting things/events in the near and far future:

1. The new Marie Antoinette movie! I am reading Antonia Fraser's account in preparation.

2. Books... I have so much to read now and I think it is ALL going to be good

3. Libba Bray has a name for the final book in the "Great and Terrible Beauty Trilogy"... The Sweet Far Thing. Sweet. AND they are coming out with a movie for the first book.

4. Christmas... I freaking love Christmas... and since I work at a small library, they close the place down for 2 weeks... it's like I'm still in school. I get to decorate this year (since I'm not in two different places for the holidays), and that always makes things seem even more festive.

5. Cold weather. Granted, I hate the cold and winter, but that doesn't officially take place here until January, so things can suck then as far as I'm concerned (we don't need to get into how much I loathe February for multiple reasons). I love heaters and down comforters!

6. Vacations... I have plans for a Chicago trip (the only good part of February), a Colorado trip in March, and two trips in the summer... one to the southwest, and one to the Northeast (have I mentioned this in previous posts???). Even if all but one of these trips falls through, I will still be stoked about getting out of Georgia (uh oh, I'm already getting restless about this place).

7. Not being in school. I'm taking that online class and realizing that it is going to be at least a couple more years before I pursue anything else in my education. I need to relax and concentrate on my job for now.

I have more but this is an illegal post, so I need to go!

Oh so close to being unique...

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 2 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Long time no post...

It's about time that I post on this thing. I have made a few obvious changes since becoming a member of blogger beta (which I think I like so far). It is definitely a work in progress though, so if you can't read many of the earlier posts, I apologize. I also never know how this thing works in Internet Explorer (for you Windows users). So please, go get yourselves the BETTER browser... Firefox.

So what has been going on in my life? I worked 50 hours this week, which was amazingly "interesting", but I had grand periods of productivity which totally made up for how tired I still am. I do have Monday AND Tuesday off this week, which will be fantastic. I have done quite a bit and have been surprisingly popular over the past few days though. I went to Medieval Times yesterday for Adrian's birthday. I've been before (with Brookwood when the band went to New York City in 1999), so I kind of knew what was going on, but I definitely forgot about all of the combat, wenches, hot black and white knights, etc. It's cheesy, but I had fun. Today I went to Piedmont Park and participated in AIDS Walk Atlanta. It was really a lot of fun, and the weather was perfect for such an occasion. I'm glad to have been a part of it.

Tomorrow and Tuesday, I am seeing even more friends, so I've felt quite loved and comforted by friendships (even though some are leaving me so soon for the great West). Sigh.

I begin my very first online course tomorrow... Fundamentals of Acquisitions... yum. Should be interesting. I am looking for a course similar to this dealing with serials (yikes).

Life is good though.

The Great Contender

*This is not meant to be a "holier than thou" post. Take it as you want, but I don't believe in preaching. Promise.*

I'm a true believer in the fact that life is best lived when there are challenges (even if I don't realize it at the time, which I NEVER do...). Okay, challenges kind of suck sometimes, but one thing is for sure; life is way more interesting when challenges are involved.

I wrote a couple entries back about my brother getting his "dream job". He called in Saturday asking what time he should come in Monday morning, and they informed him that senior management didn't approve of the position. After all of the tests and such that he went through and all of the time they made him wait (thinking that he had a job), he receives this news. It was a real blow to the ego I would imagine, but he's remarkably strong and has a good support system. He'll be back soon, and I can only hope that the lack of professionalism that this company has showed him will come back to haunt them in the future. I think later he will look back on this challenge and realize that this is making him a different, and hopefully better person.

I believe that everybody has their great contender... Somebody/something who opposes your happy normal life in an effort to force you to change for your better good. Sort of like an opponent (I realize that I am veering outside of the definition), but they're not competing with you, they're forcing you to compete with yourself by presenting challenges. Whether it is a spouse, friend, God, fate... whatever. And it can be a combination or one person/being sometimes, and another person/being another time. Somebody or something that challenges you/pisses you off to do something that you don't want to to to help you on that road to self-realization or discovery. I don't like to talk about religion much because I do view it to be personal, not to be preached. But I feel like God (and universally, not just "Christian-ly") is often my contender (I haven't really found that earthly male challenger as of yet), and has been for my brother recently as he started attending church again. I was more than happy to go with him, especially as I'm getting away from my childhood parish.

While it's difficult at the time to realize that you're being pushed to become a better person, it's good to know in retrospect that there's someone/something out there who cares enough to kick you in the ass to get you going.

Cheers to challenges and our contenders.

Friendly Reminder...

That's right bitches, it's Banned Book Week.

Good News

My brother lost his job recently (no, that's not the good news). Ever since he was a kid, he's been obsessed with cars. So, it was natural for him to enter the automobile industry (not as a seller, but as a service writer). He wasn't producing enough numbers at his most recent job though, so they had to let him go.

So naturally, it's great that he just got a job as a service writer for a fantastic car company. I'm excited for him, because he was going insane without the job, and I don't have to worry (I drive the kind of car he services) about all of the cranky, mean service writers down here anymore (I hate this company's service people in Georgia... mainly because I was babied in Bloomington by Mike).

That is all... I'm happy for my bro!

National Talk Like A Pirate Day

ARRRRGGGGHHHH!

Walk the plank!

Thanks go to Amanda for reminding me.

Various and Sundry

I have a weird name. Not very many people spell Traci with an I and not many people have the last name of Peter (without the S). I usually don't get mad when people spell my name wrong... add letters where they shouldn't, etc. But when I send out an email with my name in like 17 different places, and I still get back "dear Tracy", etc., I have to wonder...

These past days have been busy. I can finally say though that I completed my first BI session (librarians will know what this means) as a professional. It's good to get these under my belt because it helps me get to know different departments and keep up with technology. Slowly but surely I am becoming comfortable...

Being busy also means being tired. I sleep very well these days, even with my vivid dreams. I've also been getting these crazy headaches (hopefully because of Fall coming) that leave me dizzy and with blurred vision. I have great vision, but I will be stopping by some optical center in the near future to get myself a pair of glare repellant glasses (and it would be a plus if they are super cute). I stare at the computer way too much during the day.

Nothing much to report. Labor Day was fun... got to see my friend Susan (D.C. Susan, not Iowa Susan) and her 22 year old brother and friends. Last weekend I went to Justin Dexter's (Ashley Tutton's fiance--I am in their wedding) place and engaged in pre-game activities. My grandfather and his wife are visiting next weekend, which also happens to be my nephew's birthday. Life is alright and pretty uneventul, which at this time, is a very good thing.

I've been meaning to post about this fun waste of time for a while now...

Go try it! It's funny to me because I don't look like any of these people!

"There's yer trouble..."

So one really cool (and potentially dangerous) thing that sticks out about my job is the fact that I am on amazon around 90% of my work day. It's awesome because I see all of these books, but it's also scary when I realize just how much I haven't read.

I'm a big fan of all things Alice in Wonderland. Next month the guy who created There's Something About Mary is coming out with a book entitled The Looking Glass Wars. I'm pretty excited to see if it turns out well, especially since he's spent 3 years researching Lewis Carroll and such. I still don't know how I feel about Wicked (I also love The Wonderful Wizard of Oz), so I don't know how I'm going to like the new book. Meg Rosoff, an amazing author, has also come out with a new book which I have to read. I am also anticipating Libba Bray's third novel in the Great and Terrible Beauty trilogy (okay, it's not even coming out any time soon, just wishful thinking on my part). Is it obvious that I like young adult fiction?

In addition to having big eyes for books, my favorite clothing store has recently come out with their fall line. I LOVE J. Crew fall lines... it is, in my opinion, their signature season. I had to wipe the drool off of half the pages because the clothes and shoes were so beautiful. My eyes are definitely bigger than my budget.

In less materialistic news...

College football season starts this weekend!

My only non-SLIS friends in Indiana just found out that their new bundle of joy will be a girl... and a future color guard diva.

My nephew was awarded a one year modeling contract last week... interesting.

That's about it... everybody enjoy your Labor Day weekends!

Did you hear?

SAD

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune... Ppppppp... I got nothing.

Dear Diary,

Life is crazy.

Little Miss Sunshine is a pretty sweet movie.

I will become a member of three professional library organizations in the next few weeks (and will take a super acquisitions for dummies online class).

I attempted to acquire a green thumb this weekend by planting seeds in a Harry Potter planting set. I really suck with plants.

That's all for now. I'm looking forward to one month from now!

Oh and I almost forgot...

To congratulate everybody on their jobs (library people of course)!

-Andrew is in SoCal (as is Samantha)

-Susan is working it out in the Coralville (did I spell this right) Public Library System

-Jeff is at St. Anselm in New Hampshire

-Allison just got a job at Baylor in Texas (don't mess with Texas)

-Mary Snyder and Mary Murray are both doing Instruction in PA


wOOt!

Au Revoir Childhood

I suppose that this is my last day of childhood. I start my first real-world job tomorrow and I'm feeling all of the normal pre-entrance jitters. While I'm sad to leave the school world behind (for now), I must say that I am much better off this year than I was in August 2005.

Grad school was definitely a low point in my life. It's not like I was poor at school or that I hated Indiana or anything, but things were messed up in my personal life and I made a lot of stupid decisions, mainly in my first year. I made a few key decisions though that I am very thankful for now.

Renouncing my involvement with color guard in December was probably the smartest decision that I made in Indiana. It had nothing to do with where I was teaching (teching). The activity itself though was holding me back... from I guess moving on from other things, like friendships that weren't really friendships and such, and the stupid drama and rumors that accompany the activity. By quitting then, I am now still able to appreciate it for what it was, while still holding admiration for my real friends who are still teaching and inspiring people. I think I wouldn't be that way had I not taken a break from the drama.

I learned the importance of the apology and keeping in touch with those who are true to you. This happened a couple of times last summer, as well as this past spring semester. I think I will be learning this one for a while.

I learned (0ver and over) that things don't always turn out the way you might want... no matter how much effort you put into something (this was a first for me), how good of a person you are, how much weight you lose, how smart you are, or how just or unjust the situation is. I also learned that not getting what I wanted at the time was the best thing for me, because I wouldn't want to be that stupid, shallow, jaded, or pathetic ever again... and I wouldn't want that something anymore. vague.

I learned (again) the importance of focus and the rewards that come from it.

I finally grew (and shrunk) into my body (I don't look like a 12 year old anymore). I lost 25 pounds from my last day of senior year of college to graduation day 2006. I also got rid of any blonde that I ever had in my hair.

I learned to truly appreciate my family.

I'm not saying that I am super mature now or that I have had a "self-realization" experience. I still have a long way to go, and don't know if I will ever get there. But I will say that I have taken steps in the right direction,.

Not many people read this, but thanks for being there, good or bad for the past two years. It has made me a better person.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

I really have some crazy dreams...I have told a few on my blog, the most vivid being the drum corps tech Andria/Voldemort baseball thing (too lazy to search through the archives to link to it). I also had a dream about marrying my ex (twice around), where after the ceremony, he informed me that we were moving to LA, and I was furious because I didn't want to move there (in the dream). I started talking to him again because of that dream (we had lost touch), which resulted in another brief rendez-vous. I really should have listened to my dream with that situation...perhaps it was a warning?

Last night was no exception to the crazy dreams. The parts that I remember didn't connect very well, but I do recall a few main points. I was teaching color guard for Brookwood and I took some of the kids (who weren't really Brookwood kids, besides Lindsay Connor...they were prep school girls from A Little Princess) to lunch at the Varsity. Well, we saw some Northview color guard girls there, and they all met and such. After a while, everybody slowly began to trickle out very quietly looking petrified. There were two rooms to the restaurant and stuff was happening in the other room. We had to escape the restaurant because something dangerous was going down (it reminded me of a bank robbery). So we did, and the girls were hyper and I had a difficult time getting them in the car...plus, a bunch of other people were stranded in the parking lot because their drivers left in panic. I had to fit them all in my trunk, which I don't really have because I drive a CRV (because the people from the ghetto and the police, which we were scared of, were coming) and take them to my house.

Well we get to my house and when we walk inside, it's this Wall Street-esque collection development department, with books and papers flying everywhere. I then go by myself to the backyard and there's the pool at my parent's old house. My parents are out there and the pool is covered. I open the cover by myself so the kids can swim, and there are tons of violets in the water...so many that the water is tinted violet in places. There was more to the dream, but the NPR radio station woke me up at 8:30am.

I don't take dreams that seriously, but I do consult a dream dictionary when they are vivid (the violets in the water were strange but absolutely the most beautiful image that I have seen in a dream thus far in life). I looked up the terms "pool", "violet" (color and flower), and the idea of "escaping". The pool and flower told me that I would have a happy marriage (ha sure) and the escape signifies prosperity and good health. Now I'm not going to take this as truth, but it sure is a fun way of making sense of the complete mess that is the back of my mind.

Don't you just love your subconscious?

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop. -Ovid

So I found out that I start my job on Tuesday the 15th. I was pretty excited about it because I knew that I would have an entire week off to relax by myself (well, with my dog) and become mentally prepared for what's to come. I'm finally tan now after a week in South Carolina, and will work to progress that as well this week.

My ranking is apparently faculty, assistant professor, so my first day will basically be this huge meeting for all faculty and staff with different breakout sessions and orientations ranging from 8:30am to 5:30pm. I also have a new faculty orientation that Friday, with pictures and the like. I also have to order regalia for convocation and graduation ceremonies, get my transcripts from UGA and IU, and do a ton of other stuff before next Tuesday. It will all work out though.

Don't worry though...you definitely won't be reading about my new job all the time (it must get boring if you have no clue what I am talking about), because somebody could or has already found this blog, and writing about my day to day activities is potentially dangerous. Just know that I am super excited and honored.

I finally got my degree from IU. Yay.

My mother's birthday is this week. I am making her a super nice cheesecake (that is going to take me forever) for the celebration tonight. She'll be 54. The cabinetry was installed for the built-ins yesterday (kitchen, family room, parents' bathroom). It looks great and I can't wait to see the new LCD tv when it is installed. The house is totally coming along though and it will be even more amazing after the week of the 14th when all of the new kitchen appliances, countertops, and backsplashes are installed. It definitely feels like a home now.

More later I suppose.

Working Girl

Hello all.

I have news.

I received a job offer today!

As a result of my own perseverance and a few twists of fate, I will accept the job position of Collection Development Librarian at a university in Gainesville, Georgia tomorrow. My job description sounds crazy, but I think it will be a great experience for me. I love the small academic environment.

More to come later...

B-O-R-E-D

A silly stupid survey to begin...

1. Do you drink milk? Yes

2. Do you prefer apple or orange juice? Orange Juice…I’ve given apple juice multiple chances and it just doesn’t do it for me

3. Do your computer speakers plug into the back of your computer or your monitor? I have a laptop, so neither

4. How many clocks are in your house? Not sure

5. How about the room yer in right now? Two

6. How often do you check your email? At least once a day

7. Do you live by yourself? No

8. What's the most you've ever won on a scratcher? What is a scratcher? Is that one of those toy grabber things that you put a quarter in and you can try to claw the items out? I won a few stuffed animals from those…

9. What's the nearest food to you right now? Animal cracker jar across the room

11. Do you know what a plecostamous is? No, but google says it’s a catfish

12. Have you ever watched a sunrise rise over the ocean? no

13. How many messages are in your inbox/outbox on your phone? Not sure

14. Do you prefer wooden or mechanical pencils? mechanical

15. What's on your feet right now? nothing

16. Do you have one best friend, or a lotta good friends? A few best friends

17. Snapple or SoBe? water

18. Where do you buy birthday/christmas cards? Um, hallmark?

19. What's your take on "puppy love"? I love puppies! haha

20. Do you enjoy breaking hearts? Break hearts?

21. What date/time was the last text you recieved? Not sure

22. When's the last time you sent a text? Not sure

23. Do you believe there is only one "right" religion? Not at all

24. What's your favorite planet, besides this one? Neptune…it’s so pretty

25. Does anything special happen for you on March 15th? Ides of March

26. If you could get back in touch with one person you've lost touch with, who would it be? My best friend from freshman year of college

27. What type of internet connection do you use? DSL…boo

28. Do you vote for city-related issues? no

29. Do you say 'ya'll', 'you guys', 'dudes', or something else when addressing more than one friend at a time? Well dude is awesome, but I say both y’all and you guys

30. Would you want marijuana legalized if it meant alcohol would be illegal? I don’t really drink or smoke, so I wouldn’t care

31. Have you ever been to the Vatican? no

32. Have you ever waved at someone who was waving at you, only to realize they were waving at someone else? Yes, hasn’t everybody

33. What did you do? Get over it

34. How many remote controls are in your house, and what are they for? A lot…TV, ceiling fan, stereo, etc.

35. Do you mainly use use your house phone or your cell phone? cell

36. How many 2005 calenders are in your house? none

37. Do you take baths or showers? both

38. Do you take quizzes in magazines? Not really

40. Do you buy bananas when they're green so they won't go bad as fast? Yes, they are only good that way anyways

41. Do you do anything for a bad sunburn? I rarely get sunburnt

42. Do use mouthwash? If so, what kind? Yes, Listerine whitening

43. What noises reach your ears right now? My TV and the one downstairs as well

44. Have you ever been to Grand Canyon? No, but I really want to go

45. Have you ever been to a national park (i.e. Yellowstone, Yosemite, etc)? Lots…I have a goal to visit all the Nat. parks in the country

46. How old are your parents? 54 (both)

47. Does anyone have the keys to your heart? no

48. Have you ever had to run for your life? no

49. Is there an empty place in your heart? sure

50. Have you ever been to a family reunion? yes

51. Have you ever scraped a pipe? Um no

52. Do you prepare soup in the microwave or on the stove? both

53. Is it sunny out right now? yes

54. Do you have a catnip plant in your house? no

55. Do you use surge protectors? yes

56. Do you pay attention to the stock market? no

57. Do you take precautions against contracting West Nile Virus? no

58. Do you meditate? no

59. If your lover cheated on you and profusely apologized, would you accept them back into your life? Not sure

60. Do you eat carbs? yes

61. If you could be one animal for the rest of your life, what would you pick? dog

62. Are you the kinda person who will search the entire room for the remote because you don't wanna change it on the TV? no

63. Has your insurance gone up because of something on your DMV record? no

64. Have you ever gone too work/school drunk? no

65. Is it all about YOU? um right

66. Are you allergic to any insect bites? no

67. Are you allergic to any kind of food/medicine? Pumpkin seeds!

68. Have you ever swam in Lake Tahoe? no

69. If you could hug one person right now, who would it be? Not sure

70. Are you in debt? From grad school, but that’s it

71. When you say "often" do you pronounce the "T" or leave it silent? Say the “t”

72. If you could have a plane ticket to anywhere right now, where would you go? Greece

74. How many pairs of socks do you own? Like 15 or something

75. How often do you do laundry? Once a week

76. What do you think of Arnold Schwarzenegger? eh

77. Do you own your own car, pink slip and all? Not yet…will soon though

78. Has anyone ever given you jewelry on Christmas? yes

79. Do you count down the days till anything? Not now




And a couple of other things...

-I'm going to Brookwood's Band Camp at the end of the month (I know I said I would stop doing color guard, but Brookwood is well worth coming out of retirement for just this once...plus I get to spend the week with one of my best friends, and I don't have to choreograph or make design decisions because I'm not really on staff, yay!). And don't forget hanging out with Brett!

-My room is painted. It is an awesome green apple color. I totally proved my mother's insecurities about the color wrong, because she loves it. I now officially feel settled.

Doctors Remarks

Some of these are too funny!

1. A man comes into the ER and yells, "My wife's going to have her baby
in the cab!" I grabbed my stuff, rushed out to the cab, lifted the
lady's dress, and began to take off her underwear. Suddenly I noticed
that there were several cabs -and I was in the wrong one. Submitted by
Dr. Mark MacDonald, San Antonio, TX.


2. At the beginning of my shift I placed a stethoscope on an elderly and
slightly deaf female patient's anterior chest wall. "Big breaths," I
instructed. "Yes, they used to be," replied the patient. Submitted by
Dr. Richard Byrnes, Seattle, WA


3. One day I had to be the bearer of bad news when I told a wife that
her husband had died of a massive myocardial infarct. Not more than five
minutes later, I heard her reporting to the rest of the family that he
had died of a "massive internal fart." Submitted by Dr. Susan Steinberg,
Manitoba , Canada


4. During a patient's two week follow-up appointment with his
cardiologist, he informed me, his doctor, that he was having trouble
with one of his medications "Which one?" I asked. "The patch. The nurse
told me to put on a new one every six hours and now I'm running out of
places to put it!" I had him quickly undress and discovered what I hoped
I wouldn't see. Yes, the man had over fifty patches on his body! Now,
the instructions include removal of the old patch before applying a new
one. Submitted by Dr. Rebecca St. Clair, Norfolk, VA


5. While acquainting myself with a new elderly patient, I asked, "How
long have you been bedridden?" After a look of complete confusion she
answered..."Why, not for about twenty years - when my husband was
alive." Submitted by Dr. Steven Swanson, Corvallis, OR


6. I was caring for a woman and asked, "So how's your breakfast this
morning?" "It's very good, except for the Kentucky Jelly. I can't seem
to get used to the taste" the patient replied. I then asked to see the
jelly and the woman produced a foil packet labeled "KY Jelly." Submitted
by Dr. Leonard Kransdorf, Detroit, MI


7. A nurse was on duty in the Emergency Room, when a young woman with
purple hair styled into a punk rocker Mohawk, sporting a variety of
tattoos, and wearing strange clothing, entered. It was quickly
determined that the patient had acute appendicitis, so she was scheduled
for immediate surgery. When she was completely disrobed on the operating
table, the staff noticed that her pubic hair had been dyed green, and
above it there was a tattoo that read, "Keep off the grass." Once the
surgery was completed, the surge on wrote a short note on the patient's
dressing, which said, "Sorry, had to mow the lawn." Submitted by RN no
name


AND FINALLY!!!............. ..

8. As a new, young MD doing his residency in OB, I was quite embarrassed
when performing female pelvic exams. To cover my embarrassment I had
unconsciously formed a habit of whistling softly. The middle-aged lady
upon whom I was performing this exam suddenly burst out laughing and
further embarrassing me.

I looked up from my work and sheepishly said, "I'm sorry. Was I tickling
you?" She replied, "No doctor, but the song you were whistling was, "I
wish I was an Oscar Meyer Wiener." Dr. wouldn't submit his name

Travels

Well after a week of crazy amounts of driving and riding in a plane, I am safely home and ready to enjoy the quiet life again.

Quincy/St. Louis was great. I got to see a good portion of my mother's family. I went to the fairly new Lincoln library and museum in Springfield, Illinois on Monday. It was pretty cool and engaging, especially for people like me, who don't exactly enjoy the Civil War time period. On Sunday evening, we had a traditional fireworks show out at the farm in which both my father and brother (and myself I guess) will eventually inherit portions. My brother used to lead the fireworks shows, but since he hasn't attended in a while, a friend of the family spends around 400 dollars on fireworks, and sets off some amazing things. The fireworks which are now considered "dinky" were once our grande finale. It's pretty cool. On the 4th, my parents and I stayed in a hotel in St. Louis and watched around 10 different professional shows at different points on both the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, which was also cool.

DC was also fun. Adrian and I did a ton...a tour at the White House, two Smithsonian Museums, Jazz in the Park, followed our friend to various bars and restaurants with senate workers, the Holocaust Museum, Library of Congress (see my favorite quote below) Howard University, Georgetown, and a melodramatic, but highly amusing ghost tour in Old Town Alexandria. I also got to briefly see an old college buddy...dating way back to freshman year (yay Hagan!). Parts of the trip were stressful, but things came together in the end and we're back in one piece.

Overall, I'm glad to be back, not eating out so much, and finally beginning to put stuff together at the new house (painting and carpeting the room this week!).

And yay for Lauren finally being in Gwinnett!

Bulleted Post of Upcoming Events/Current Happenings

So...

• I will be in Quincy (Illinois) from the 1st through the 5th visiting various family members and friends...it's pretty typical that I go there for the 4th.
  



• I will be in Washington D.C. from the 6th through the 9th with my friend Adrian, to visit my other friend, Susan...and to complete a whirlwind tour of the city (I've been before, but it has been a while). Super excited!
  



• I got a second interview for a collection development position at a university in which I had interviewed earlier in the month (I had interviewed for another position, and this one came up). Collection development seems exciting, especially since I worked for the department at IU. Pray that I do well (at the end of July), especially since I have to schmooze with the VP of the university. Regardless, I really like the place.
  





• Things are starting to settle down from the move...I even have a super sweet 1950s turquoise bathroom (my choice of course).
  



• One of my best buddies, Lauren Patricia, has joined blogspot. Slowly but surely, people are realizing the greatness of this non-xanga/lj-dom (edit, 6/29).

Okay, expect an update Post-D.C. Oh and check out one of my recent books...amazing.

Where Everybody's Somebody

After years of longing (right), I am now officially living in Snellville city limits (not the outer limits of Lilburn)..."where everybody's somebody" (although I think the motto has changed in recent years).

This past week has been emotionally draining. I apologize for any e-mails left unanswered and phone calls not returned.

The new house is a mess right now, but has a lot of potential (my mom is making many changes). I bet my parents are honestly glad to have me around since there was so much stuff to move.

Parting with the old house wasn't bad. My brother took it the worst of us all...his tolerance for change being much less than the rest of us. My dog also didn't take it well...to the point of where we thought he was dying last night. I've never seen his eyes glazed over like that, nor the complete unresponsiveness to food before. I became a complete mess over the thought of losing him. I worried so much that I made myself sick multiple times during the middle of the night last night. Today was much better though and I think he still has some time with us. Needless to say, I am going to be a wreck when he leaves us.

The room I will be staying in is basically the size of my apartment in Indiana, which is great (if only I had a kitchen).

So what's weird about this place? To be as nice as possible, we are living in a neighborhood of around 60-70% old people. There are two children in the neighborhood, nobody my age, and around 20% my parents age. I go outside to walk the dog and I know I am being watched by 20 pairs of eyes. At least it's quiet!

Life is alright...slowly gaining my social life back. I'm going to a drum corps show on Friday, which I am excited about and have a dinner party to go to on Saturday.

Anyways, more later.

Because the move is happening on Saturday and I won't be able to post for a while...

A quiz. or two. or three.

You Are 65% Left Brained, 35% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

You Will Die at Age 82

Congratulations! You take good care of yourself. You're poised to live a long, healthy life.

What Age Will You Die?

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Your Political Profile:

Overall: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Social Issues: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Ethics: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

Can we say moderate?

Outraged

Begin RANT

As much as I love living in Georgia again, I have to report the following news.

Gwinnett library board fires director

By DUANE D. STANFORD
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/13/06

The Gwinnett County Library Board fired its executive director of 15 years Monday night, enraging a crowd of patrons who wanted her to keep her job.

Sparking cries of "Incompetent!" and "Fire the Board!" from the audience, three of the library board's five members voted to oust director Jo Ann Pinder without cause. The panel's majority also used a parliamentary procedure to block the board's only dissenting member, Brett Taylor, from speaking on the motion.

Phyllis Oxendine, who sponsored the motion, was joined by fellow board members Dale Todd and Margaret Tiller in the vote to fire Pinder. Board Chairman Lloyd Breck abstained but said prior to the vote that he would cast a tie-breaker, if necessary, in favor of the firing.

More than 100 library patrons, many of them wearing red to show support for Pinder, packed into a small conference room at the Five Forks Trickum library branch south of Lawrenceville to witness the vote. The board's decision set off an eruption of angry shouts.

"I hope y'all get fired in public like this!" one man yelled.

Police were brought into the meeting to keep order.

Pinder's attorney then escorted her out of the room as people gathered in the hallway cheered her and patted her on the back. Some wiped away tears.

As Pinder walked to her car, she said she was proud of her work at the library. "I'm just appreciative of all the support of the staff and the people," said Pinder.

She declined comment whether she was considering taking legal action.

"I'm going to go home," Pinder said.

Minutes before Pinder's firing, the board took public comment from about 21 citizens. Most of them spoke in favor of Pinder. Two men in the audience held up manila envelopes scrawled with the words, "Pinder Yes."




This director is in charge of a whopping 15 libraries. She brought the system to its pinnacle in 2000, when they earned the Library of the Year Award (from Library Journal). From what I have been reading in the paper, the most offensive thing she has committed is a skimpy geneaology collection (important in public ibraries).

So this woman had to suffer this act of public humiliation because she yelled at some home-school parents? What is this, the Scarlet Letter? I wonder if she'll have to go around town sporting a big red letter on her chest.

People have way too much time on their hands. Terrible things and people are ignored, and others are condemned. Maybe there is a lot more to this particular situation, but I bet all of that energy could have gone toward choosing some cool books or trying to figure out their confusing computer system (it' s way too difficult to access even the OPAC).

I love the bolded statement in the article. So Georgia, but straight and to the point.



/RANT

Sigh

Moving, my friends, is crazy stuff.

Memorial Day...my apartment ceiling leaks...results in no air conditioning on move-out day. It was hell.

I get to see the new house for the first time later today. I am so pumped. I am ready to move now, if only to quit living out of boxes.

I had an interview today...I really liked the place (fingers crossed). More info to come later.

Has anybody (and by anybody I mean Harry Potter fans) heard about this new Wizard Rock phenomenon? They are all over myspace...I totally recommend the electronic stuff. Too many bands are coming out though...I mean Harry and the Potters, the Remus Lupins, Dumbledork, the Whomping Willows, and the list goes on and on. They should regulate or something.

So this was a pretty pointless entry and I was too lazy to link to anything, but at least you have an update!

Moving and J-O-Bs (well postings at least)

Hi all!

My work days at IU are over...well I work Saturday, but nobody will be there so it doesn't count. I got a small pizza party today...all five workers filled out a card and Charla and Misty gave me a very pretty necklace. I'm sad to leave these people, not only because they have been the most consistent part of my life this year, but also because they're just good people in general. Sigh.

I keep putting off all of this packing because I know that my life will be consumed by it over the next few weeks. First the apartment, and then the house, then everything will be different. I can honestly say, though, that this marks the first time in my life that I am NOT afraid of change.

I've been a job-applying maniac lately. I've had one phone interview and was invited today to an in-person interview at a different school (I have to prepare an instruction session...yikes).

I think that's all I got...I'll probably write next from Georgia!

Stolen from Andrew...

...because I thought it would be fun!

Accent: I'm one of those weird people who can pick up accents very easily (I'm a language person). So right now, I have a little Indiana accent...when I go to Georgia, I'll sound like everybody else in Gwinnett County (I.E. a northerner that says "y'all"...not everybody in the south has a southern accent)
Booze: If I had my choice, I'd say none. I just don't like it. But if I had to, I would say beer over wine (I know, crazy), and a long island for a mixed drink.
Chore I Hate: Scrubbing the tub and yard work
Dog or Cat: I am definitely a DOG person
Essential Electronics: My computer, ipod, and cell phone (even though I rarely answer it)
Favorite Cologne(s): I don't know...the cologne has to react well with the guy. It's funny, I have never liked the cologne on any of the guys I have ever dated, although there was my friend from high school Joey, who always smelled great. If I could ever find the name of the cologne....
Gold or Silver: I think Gold looks best against my skin tone, but I own more silver
Hagiography: Well, I am catholic, and my confirmation saint is Bridget...so we'll go with her
Insomnia: I have trouble falling asleep sometimes, but I can sleep every night
Job Title: Unemployed? oh wait, I still work at wells, so Gaidoz Project Assistant
Kids: Hopefully some day
Living arrangements: For the next week and a half, a small two bedroom apt...by myself
Most admirable trait: work ethic
Number of sexual partners: "What is this, a physical?"...my thoughts exactly Andrew
Overnight hospital stays: None
Phobias: Social Dancing and Bugs...I would say needles, but that's more of a control issue
Quote: I really don't feel like searching for one right now
Religion: Catholic
Siblings: Older brother
Time I wake up: Depends...earliest is 6:30am, latest is 9:30am
Unusual talent or skill: Flag spinning
Vegetable I refuse to eat: Cooked carrots
Worst habit: I open things with my teeth because I am too impatient to tear them apart with my hands or use scissors.
X-rays: I've a had a few
Yummy foods I make: Chilli, Cakes (Chocolate Cake!), Cookies, Chicken Tenders, lots of stuff
Zodiac sign: Aries...rawr

Living the 'Proactiv' life

I'll admit it...I am a 24 year old "woman" still suffering from the socially painful woes of acne. Alright, it's not that bad, and never really has been. I've just inherited my paternal grandmother's extremely large pores, which result in permanent black heads and the occasional inflammatory break-out. They somehow miraculously disappear in photographs though...very thankful indeed.

As an early-bird in the puberty (I still hate that word) portion of my life, I began suffering from this affliction at the ripe age of 9. In high school, my mother decided to do something about it (rather to shut me up) and take me to the dermatologist. I tried the benozoyl peroxide washes...they only resulted in a red neck (haha) and the rude morning wake up call of not being able to open my eyes (puffiness). I also tried other topical medicines, which were terrible when I started doing color guard, as they resulted in sun poisoning at band camps.

So I gave up throughout college...I made sure that I took care of my face. It would all go away during drum corps summers...although if you spend more than 3 weeks of 11 hours per day in the sun, your nose begins peeling off in chunky pieces. I would get home though, and the zits would be back for more (the disease that keeps on giving? oh wait, that's something else).

So here I am, in what is technically my mid-twenties (yikes!) and I'm still suffering. One day on a whim I decided to try Proactiv (because if it works for Jessica Simpson...haha). I get the package and realize that a lot of their products contain the lovely benzoyl peroxide, which isn't so lovely to me. I realized that if I use it once every three days (way under the recommendation) , I'm not affected by the benzoyl peroxide, and it helps clear things up.

Last week though I had a terrible break-out. It was quite possibly because I was finished with school and all of the stress within me combined with a job interview, had finally surfaced in the familiar red mound-like form.

I will continue to live the 'Proactiv' life because I do think it works, especially if your skin isn't sensitive like mine. But I do realize that stress can have far more influence on my looks than a miracle medicine can.

What's up doc?

Reality is setting in...I got my first invoice for student loans...I miss the undergrad days of HOPE scholarship. Georgia is awesome.

I ended up doing very well this semester...completely makes up for all those weekends stuck in my apartment glued to my computer and praying that ella wouldn't go out.

Somehow my key to the office at work slipped off of my key ring...HOW DID THIS HAPPEN, and why now when my days are already numbered?

My friend Adrian recently got an internship at a radio station in Sandy Springs. She gets some on-air time on Fridays at around 6pm. I'm totally excited for her.

Mother's Day is Sunday...don't forget to tell your mom or other women in your life that you love them!!

Faster than a speeding bullet...

I'm pretty sure I mentioned in earlier posts that my parents are selling their house...the only house I have ever known.

This might be a whirlwind record. One week on the market, they sell their house...three days later, they find a new one. We are out as of June 15th.

We will still be living in Brookwood district (like 7 minutes from the old house), not that it matters because us kids are in our mid to late twenties. The lot is way smaller than the old one, but that's what they wanted. I will also miss the pool, which I totally haven't taken advantage of in a long time. But life goes on and the neighborhood was truly becoming get-tro. It's still sad to give up your first bedroom, the place where you learned how to swim, had your second kiss (and third, etc.), made your first cake, etc. It's all happening so fast, but it's better than it dragging out throughout the summer. I'm going to miss that place.

Anyways, I'm working a lot...going in on Saturdays too! Making money is good, but finishing the Gaidoz project will be even better. I would like to do something like it again in the future. Mmmm moldy books. I love it.

As for tonight, I get to hang out with my girls at Lennies! wOOt

CHANGE!!!

Well folks, the torture known as graduate school has FINALLY come to an end for me!

I wanted to show you guys the projects I have been working on for a while now.

I mentioned in an earlier (I'm to lazy to hyperlink) post how I have been working with the Wyoming State Library System on one of the 7 or 8 re-designs of the small public library web sites. The libraries were supposed to fill out surveys, but mine never got around to it. So I had to make up information in many areas. I was going for something very simple and with clear navigation.

Here is the FORMER site (I did not do this).

Here is my revision.

This project was super fun and I hope that they'll actually end up using it.

I also mentioned in the previous post about my social tagging project. It's not completely finished, but you can find it here.

I'm not the best web designer, but I like doing it and it's leaps and bounds beyond where I was when I entered this program. I love technology!

I still think social tagging is a mess, but it makes for an interesting study!

Susan gave me the idea of revamping my previous pathfinders from my reference and information in the humanities classes. I'm so excited to make these look better. Ella is my best friend (only SLIS people will understand this). I also need to request to continue to use some space after graduation, or else my potential employers will not see the work I have done. Also expect a new layout for this blog soon with added bonus features...something I've been wanting to do for a long time.

I'm so happy to be finished with school. I will be up here working until the end of May and concentrating on the job search, which is finally receiving some results, even while searching within a very specific geographic area. I have to FOCUS.

I'm super excited about being able to read for pleasure again, to be free from my past demons (boys/former bad stuff from Georgia), to be able to go out with friends, to be outside (it still needs to get a little bit warmer), and to have a giant weight of school lifted off of my shoulders.

More non-self-centered posts to come!

Blast from the past

Since everybody is talking about vanity googling or self-googlization, I must relate a recent discovery.

For some reason or another I was in Google Images, when I decided to search "Carolina Crown" (the corps in which I marched for a couple of years during the summer).

On the second page I see a picture of a guard member from 2003, so I had to investigate...turns out, it was me!


I didn't recognize myself because I looked quite different back then, in MANY respects (mainly, I don't wear metallic unitards on a daily basis...the show was about bells, so it was appropriate). I remember the show too...the astro turf was all soggy, so the flag was difficult to spin...and why do photographers always catch you in awkward moments...my hands were going towards the catch, and they look terrible. I am on the front 50 though, which is a good thing in the marching arts world.

The biggest reason that I don't do color guard anymore...being a perfectionist.

Seeing the light

I had to turn on the air conditioning this weekend...there were moments where I felt like I was sitting in my apartment on a summer afternoon. We're back to spring weather though, so at least I can save on my electric bill this month.

I officially have four class periods left of graduate school. I have finished my web site for L-571...conducting the usability testing yielded a few changes and I'm sure I'll obsess over it this week still before it's "turned in" on the 24th. I still have to finish the report and make changes to another assignment, so there's plenty to do. I have also been working on a web site for my Library Automation class concerning Social Tagging...an interesting topic, since it is so new to the field. Part of me thinks it's really cool, and another part of me thinks it's going to be a big mess...but most people don't know what I'm talking about anyways.

It's nice to know that the end is near.

Oh, and Happy Easter!

Potpourri

Just a few things:

Oscar Wilde's LAST words were :

"Either that wallpaper goes or I do"

I guess the wallpaper stayed.

Two things I love about America (there are more, but these are just a sample) :
Heinz Ketchup
Barefoot Contessa

Fantasia won WGI this year...see, they are great when they do a pretty show (I've only seen a clip).


That's all for now...16 days until I don't have to worry about school.

There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them. -Sylvia Plath

I've been taking a metaphorical page out of good ol' Sylvia's book lately, and it's true. I am a girl...therefore a big fan of the bath. Although, I don't think I'll be sticking my head in an oven any time soon (do you know your literary greats life stories???).

I decided to take all of my color guard "gear" (clothes, t-shirts, show shirts, the costumes I was able to keep, etc) and pack it in a rubbermaid storage tin/box thing. I figure that maybe one day, just maybe, I'll have children (and a loving husband too) who might be interested in my past life. If I keep wearing the t-shirts, they're bound to get lost or fall apart more than they already are. I never realized how much crap I accumulated from my 3 years of high school, 4 years of college, and 4 seasons of independent involvement...and half of my stuff was lost or resides at my parents house. I also have basically lost my hoodie, t-shirt, and long sleeve t-shirt collection. Humorous discoveries abound...

My exit from AIM has left me with little readers...I didn't realize how many people read this thing from the link on my profile.

I hope everybody is doing well, especially as we embark on the hectic month of April (one month and 7 days until graduation!).

Out Like a Lamb...

I'm pretty sure Bloomington is on the cusp of seeing Spring. We had a grand snow storm Tuesday, which made me less hopeful of ever being in warm weather again. It was quite a shock to return from Georgia to a winter wonderland. The forecasts for the next week are promising, though so I can start smiling again.

I am on hiatus from AIM with hopes of becoming more productive in my studies. So far it has worked fairly well...basically I have less distractions and am left with nothing better to do than school work and cover letters. It works, so I'll stick with it...I was sick of relying on AIM for social interaction anyways.

Last night I saw Andrew and Samantha perform the lovely music of Bach, Mozart, Barber, and Stravinsky with the Bloomington Chamber Singers. Although I have never been musically trained, I highly appreciate productions like these and had a great time.

Nothing else to say really...just looking forward to April and finishing school!

New teeth and other uneventful stuff

So I have always been a bit self-conscious about my teeth. I never needed braces, which is a miracle. My bottom teeth are flawless, minus a bit of crowding between the two front ones from before the wisdom teeth were taken out. My top teeth are straight, but I have always had a gap between my two front ones. It was much bigger when I was little, but it was enough to make me not want to smile for a long time. Most people don't notice the gap...even my brother didn't notice (I'm actually not surprised at this).

I am probably one of the few people who actually like going to the dentist (the doctor is a different story). I'm no beauty otherwise, but they always seem to marvel at my teeth...they are white, have perfect accretion (guessing on this spelling), and are straight. It's nice to have people remark on something that nature/genetics did well for you (although, I have had my fair share of cavities). I have been wanting to fix my gap for ages, and on my last visit, the dentist suggested that I get them bonded. So i finally took the plunge and went through the painless process on Monday. I now have two front teeth without a gap (I might post a picture later). The dentist took before/after pictures, and everybody in the office wanted a look. So while the transition may go unnoticed for the rest of the world, I have no reason to hide my smile any longer. :)

I've been home for a week now. I'm very relaxed and have seen a couple of friends, so it's been nice. I went to Athens yesterday and had a lot of fun with Lauren. I am constantly reminded how much I don't like it there every time I visit though. Not that Gwinnett is wonderful, it's just that very few people remain there who I actually respect/like. Most of the good people have left. I do realize though that things get better with time, and one day I will be able to look at Athens with kind eyes and good memories (because it was fun while I was there) and overlook the crap that is going on now (because it really doesn't matter). Same thing goes for drum corps, winterguard, etc. For now though, it's career concentration time.

A lot of job postings have come through this week...I really need to get started with the application process again, because applying to four places isn't enough. Some of these jobs are a bit far fetched for me, but I am going to apply anyways, because opportunities arise from the least likely places.

My mom and I have done a considerable amount of mother-daughter bonding in the last week. Growing out of that teenage phase has been so nice. We still fight every once in a while, but it's been nice to be able to comfortably talk about things that have been happening in my life, my worries, wishes, etc.

Oh, and I really didn't expect this to be my personality. The muppet DOES live in the back seat of my car though...

You Are Animal

A complete lunatic, you're operating on 100% animal instincts. You thrive on uncontrolled energy, and you're downright scary. But you sure can beat a good drum. "Kill! Kill!"

The Muppet Personality Test

Monumental Event

Tonight I did homework...a week and 2 days before the assignment is due...willingly...on spring break even.

First time since...maybe the first week as an undergrad.

I thought I should record it because I'm usually a 2-3 days before it's due kind of girl at my best.

It's quite possible that I don't have a life also.

I can't think of a title

I am happy to report that I arrived safely in Georgia...it's the start of my spring break, but I have two assignments due Friday, so technically, the "fun" starts then. My drive was fairly uneventful, save the three times I was cut off by semi trucks. Semis make me feel like I need to take an anger management course. Or maybe they just give me an inferiority complex.

I arrived here in the middle of the afternoon. It was sunny and in the mid-60s. I immediately went to my flag to spin (this used to be an automatic reaction). I somehow remembered my 2003 opener from Crown. It was enough to safisfy my color guard needs for a while though, which tells me that moving on from the activity was a smart choice. I am enjoying the taste of spring...it's like instant happiness.

Kirby Puckett died this week. Sad day in baseball history. I don't follow the sport as much as I used to, but the name is stuck in my memory.

I finally saw the new Pride and Prejudice movie. I not too sure what kind of reviews it received, but I loved it. The cinematography was beautiful (as if I didn't love England enough already)...and I think it is one of the greatest love stories ever. I'm no sap, but Jane Austen was on the mark when she wrote this. What an incredible way to fall in love.

I have quite a bit on my agenda for the week...I'm just hoping to see everybody, and that everything goes well (this includes my adventures into PHP...the bane of my existence).

Some of the jobs that I applied for close this week as well. Waiting is no fun.

In like a lion...

I don't think I have ever been more eager for a month to be over than I have this February. My mother says that bad things seem to always happen to her in October. Well, February has gained quite the negative reputation in my mind. I've never been particularly fond of it...the weather sucks, my grandmother died during that month 13 years ago...and as I got older, Valentines Days usually sucked, because they always seem to coincide with the breaking of my romantic relationships, or when a guy decides to not speak to me. The past three years in paticular have been terrible. I wake up and something new would go wrong with each passing day.

This year's February was surprisingly pleasant until around the 10th or so, when things went awry. I'm not really willing to go into the details, but let's just say I've lost respect for a couple of people whom I had a lot of respect for in the past (this has been happening to me a lot lately...and I thought I was cautious to begin with). My computer is on the verge of a breakdown. I finally got a flash drive to back things up, so I can basically reload the computer, but I'm kind of scared that it is a hardware issue...which in that case, I am literally screwed...because I can't get a new computer (I'm saving up for a Mac) until I start a full-time job. I LIVE on my computer, especially since my classes are based around technology...no print resources this semester. Other sucky things have been happening as well, but they're not of any grand importance.

Normally, I let these things get to me, because quite frankly, they're frustrating. But honestly, are my problems really PROBLEMS? I mean, things suck...like school and the job search and crappy luck. But these are the things that in the whole scheme of life, don't really matter. I realize that I am in grad school limbo and that my life ACTUALLY starts in May...school is NOT real life (it's not, my parents still support me). I have to get through the limbo though and push myself, because I have to get to my goal of graduation, and moving on with my life. Bad things keep on happening while I'm here, but I'm not even close to giving up, especially this late in the game. I wish other people would realize how good their lives are too. They just have to sort through the crap on the surface.

More about the good things that occured in February later (all two of them). Welcome March. May you bring a new perspective.

Windy City

It has been a while, but my weekend was super eventful, so I figure an update is in order.

On Friday, I drove through a torrential rain storm in western Indiana, on my way to Springfield, Illinois (yes, the capital of Illinois...which got me wondering, do you remember your state capitals???). Well, actually I drove to a village called Chatham, about 10 minutes from Springfield, to my aunt's house. I arrived at 8:30pm and promptly went to bed...4:30 (yes, am) wake-up time.

The rude awakening was well worth it because my aunt and I were able to take a train and arrive in Chicago by 10:15. We met my other aunt and cousin and promptly decided to take a cab (it was freezing and snowing, and my aunt was sick) to Michigan Ave. I won't bore you with all of the gory details, but the shopping was amazing (very few disappointments). This is the fourth year of the family tradition (my second), originally made to celebrate my cousin's birthday. We stay at the same hotel, eat at the same restaurants (oh and yes), and eat the same chocolate every visit. It is definitely one of my favorite times of the year (and that's saying something, because I LOATHE winter). Next year, my mom is getting in the action, and I can't wait to add another girl to the mix. I'm not a girly-girl (really), but I love this bonding weekend.

I have a bit of homework/projects to do for next week. I have a weekend visitor :) and some stuff planned with other people, so I am going to do my best to stay dilligent througout the week. I know inevitably I will be writing a paper this weekend though...slacker!

I'm still looking for jobs...it is difficult for sure.

Some stuff I just have to show...

I can't believe I am writing again so quickly, but I did have a few things to say...

First off, one of my favorite books of this year, Looking for Alaska has just won the Printz award. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's the award for outstanding young adult literature, presented at the American Library Association's Mid-winter meeting every year. Very cool. Read the book.

I also have acquired a few pictures recently that I would like to share...

The plant in the silver pot has been with me since I have moved up north. I have killed it almost three times. I recently acquired the plant in the green pot. They are my babies, since I don't have pets. Their friends Snouty, Alice, and Mr. McCheese all requested to be in the photo as well. I know what you must be thinking...but I live alone (and love it).


Here are a couple of pictures from New Years...they are self-explanatory. The girl is one of my best friends, Lauren, and the boy is John. Kelly (a boy, Lauren's boyfriend), was also present for the evening.


If you read my blog, you know I love my dog. This picture has been on my desktop and I think he looks sad. My dad tried to cheer me up by sending the picture below...


He kind of looks like he is smiling.

Finally, if you know me at all, and went to UGA with me, you'd know why I love this picture....yesssss.


That is all.

Patience has its limits. Take it too far, and it's cowardice.

-George Jackson

Very true...either give up or be agressive

This past week was excellent. Besides the fact that the week only lasted three days, things were just wonderful overall. I finally found a client for my Web design class. Dr. Rosenbaum sent out an e-mail about this SLIS grad who has 8 libraries in Wyoming in need of new Web sites. Since Wyoming is my favorite state, I had to take up that opportunity. I'm totally excited about it. It's kind of sparked my interest in travel again. I hope I get to travel a bit this summer. I'm making a list of all of these national parks (like this and this) that I have to see...and there are blueberries and lobster to eat in Maine. Anyways...

My grandmother turns 80 this week. My grandparents visited my parents last weekend. My brother, who is quite the wise guy, decided to put a grand total of 80 candles on her cake, as observed in the following picture:


This leads me into my next topic...I have only one free weekend in February. Normally I am not the biggest fan of February. The past two years have been horrible in the frigid month (well last year was just horrible in general), and I've just gained a sort of pessimistic attitude for February. Well this year, I'm going to Chicago for shopping with my aunts and cousin (possibly one of the best traditions ever) on the 4th. John is probably coming up on the 10th (and he has proven that he actually comes to see me when he says he will)...with a possible three hour road trip to Waffle House-the rea one (the things we do for Waffle House). The trip will depend on whether or not Erik visits Susan though. I go to Quincy, the town where I completed my internship this summer on the 24th. My grandmother won some merit award for the town, so a good portion of the family (including my parents!) is travelling for the ceremony. So I have a lot to look forward to and keep me occupied during an otherwise nasty and yucky month.

One sad piece of news did reach me this week. Apparantly, the business is getting rid of Vanilla Coke. I only allow myself one coke (coke meaning soda in general for the mid-western readers out there) per week, but I love that stuff. Oh well, can't win them all.

I am sending off the first resume of the job-hunting season this week, so wish me luck.

Board games

Being from Georgia, it amazes me when schools don't declare MLK day as a holiday. Luckily, IU is not one of them, so I had the day off. It has been nice, except for the ella server breakdown, which means I am unable to work on an html tables assignment...or rather see the results of my coding...very annoying.

This semester will definitely be different from the past three. I am at school more, because I work at the library more. I'm also not driving to Brazil three times a week. It's different, but nice, and much more economical.

I had a great weekend. John drove from Athens, Georgia to visit me, which was very sweet. Saturday evening, Susan and I hosted a cocktail/board game party at my place. Being the insane ocd planner that I am, I had a layout of different game tables organized. Of course the 11 people (everybody we invited!...and all that can fit in my miniscule apartment) opted to play one game at a time in the living room...everything from Apples to Apples to Cranium. Overall, it was a very successful and fun night. In the future, I am looking forward to having a larger place in which to entertain...because I hate messes mingling with parties. Sunday I got to go to my favorite restaurant here (Snow Lion), and today John left and I finally got to my homework, which minus the ella incident, has successfully been completed.

Tomorrow (or this morning rather) it's back to the grind...work work work, school school, job searching, finalizing references...

Nothing much to say...I think I am going to wait until there is actually something interesting to say before I post again.

"mmm that it's all for the best...of course it is"

So my last semester of grad school has officially began. I can't believe I have been up here so long. It seems almost impossible that I have gotten this far, given the fact that I was completely miserable last year (and not just because I was in Indiana). Anyways, today was interesting. I had my Information Architecture for the Web (Web Design) class. The professor really knows his stuff. While some of the information he was giving completely went over my head, I still remained interested...which is a good sign. I'm glad I am only taking two classes this semester, since this one will definitely take up most of my time. Tomorrow I have my library automation class...hmmm.

I started my new job today...well I still work in the same place, I just have an added 10 hours of working on this specific project. Apparantly IU bought this collection from this man named Gaitoz in the 1970s. It's basically boxes and boxes of folklore books, journal articles, photographs, and everything else under the sun, from this one guy's collection. Most of the items are in french, which is good for me. The collection is going to get digitized since it is in such disrepair, and we are trying to index it before it gets sent to the appropriate place. That's where I get to help out. I am coming in kind of late, since a couple of other people were working on it last semester, but it's better pay and good experience. I also have my normal job working for Charla, with the potential for more hours, if Molly goes to the poli sci librarian. Basically I am at work WAY more than class this semester.

Break was wonderful. I had a wonderful time with my family, friends, and dog. I don't think I can remember a time in the recent past that I have been this happy. I'm still happy even up here in Bloomington. I got rid of the crappy things that used to weigh down my life. I thought I would be empty without them, but there have been plenty of things and people to fill the void spaces. I just like being optimistic not only about my future, but also my present.

Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

Those Chuck Norris things honestly crack me up. Sometimes I wish I could roundhouse kick people too...put them in shape...but then I start thinking about the old Nickelodeon show called Roundhouse, and my mind is on yet another tangeant...anyways.

It's been a while, and things have been great. As I look back on 2005, I realize some amazing things happened. I got to walk around Stonehenge (no stanchions holding me back), with my shoes off (only for a second, it was cold) to feel the lines of power. I got to go shopping in Chicago. I finally got to see Crater Lake. I started working in libraries. I finally became comfortable in Indiana. It's too bad a lot of crap happened...this year had a lot of good qualities, and ended wonderfully.

Christmas was great. I am truly blessed for having my family. I did a lot of shopping, which normally doesn't happen. Retail truly is therapy...I just can't get used to it. A few days ago, my boss from collection development called me. She said that the project that I was originally hired for is finally going to start in January. They want to work me 10 hours a week, on a higher pay. In addition, she wants me to work 10 hours of the same job I had the previous semester, on my current wage. So I get 20 hours a week of work, making more money than I did last semester...and I don't have to drive an hour and 15 minutes one way, so it will all go to me (minus taxes, etc) and not my credit card bill for gas. I'm also glad I don't have to pick up a library job that pays like 5 bucks per hour. I am okay paying my dues, but it will be nice to actually be making money while I am here.

New Years was probably the best I have had in my life. I cooked dinner for my parents, nephew, and Krista. I then went to Paige and Jason's for an hour, which sucked because I couldn't stay long. I then make my final trek to Athens, where I spent the rest of the night with John, and Lauren and Kelly. We were in East West Bistro (my favorite bar in Athens) when the clock struck midnight. I got tipsy off of one long island (the strongest and grossest one ever) and was good to go for the rest of the night. The only thing that sucked about the night was the lack of godiva martinis due to the absence of ice cream...my favorite drink ever. It was nice to get to hang out with Lauren again though and talk about cool kids books and play Harry Potter Scene It (which I never won...I don't pay attention to the movies well enough).

This week is pretty busy. I'm going to try to see Danny and Adam, Krista and Ashley, Krista and Lauren (two separate occasions), John, my family, and Adrian and Paige before I leave. Luckily, I will be back in March for spring break (does anybody want to go to Florida with me?), so no 4 month absences this time. This is my first visit back here that I've truly been happy. It's nice.

Home

Wow...I can't believe one week of my four week stay here is almost up. Interesting, but not much has happened. My grades ended up as expected...it was obvious that I completely liked two classes more than the third, but all who know me know that I am an obsessive perfectionist, so I did fine.

It sucks that all of my friends have full-time jobs. Well it just sucked this week because my mom was still teaching and I basically had nothing to do. I think I needed to just sleep and stare at the wall or a good 4 days, just to clear my mind of the past semester. This week is going to prove to be more hectic. Monday I'm going shopping and going to spend the night in Athens. Thursday, I'm going to the Atlanta aquarium, which should be interesting. Another trip to Ikea is in store since I have to get a birthday/christmas present for an obsessive fan :). There's also the whole Christmas thing going on.

Christmas Eve is one of my favorite times, mainly because of the family dinner. We've finally settled on the tradition of surf and turf (lobster tails and steak) along with so much else (my mom is an excellent cook). My best friend Adrian always attends and we are shaking with anticipation by the time dinner is served (we are pathetic, I know).

Today I was forced to go through boxes and boxes of my childhood to decide what I wanted to keep and sell, since my parents are getting ready to sell the house. I found all of my report cards, which contained mostly all A's. I did notice in the earlier grades that I had a difficult time "staying on task when working independently". Once I realized that the teachers were saying stuff about me, I began to play the game, but I still see myself wasting time on things less important. My aptitude was also the same when I was young. Looking at all of the standardized tests, I always scored so high in mathematical skills, and linguistic stuff, and sucked at other things. I'm not even remotely good at math, but sure enough, my math score was higher than my english on the SAT. It's weird how much we think we change.

I have to say the best boxes were the ones from high school. I found so many notes from friends...the things we used to come up with. I also found all of my old auxiliary bears from Christmas parties and Brookwood crap from football games. There were french awards, scholar musician awards (I never played an instrument), rookie of the year for color guard (repeated that at Carolina Crown), band spirit, and so many other things that I completely forgot about. I wouldn't want to relive the drama again, especially after reading my diary, but those years really shaped who I am today.

To continue with the nostalgia, I saw The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe tonight. I have been reading The Chronicles of Narnia (all 7) every Christmas since I was little (I'm not a new comer just because of the movie). I love the stories. I have to say that Disney did an excellent job. Usually I don't plug movies, but after the disappointment of Harry Potter (mainly because of the length of the book did not translate well to the movie), this was absolutely amazing. I like that C.S. Lewis had all the Christian allusions, but the stories themselves stand alone. I would go more into this, but then I would just be preaching, and my religion discussions are definitely reserved for a more private audience. Anyways, my interpretation of the Chronicles does justice to my beliefs.

Well, I am ridiculously tired and wish to go to bed now. I might update before I go back to Bloomington.

Good times, bad times, and all the stuff in between...

So, I am officially done with this semester. I normally work on Friday mornings, but I worked extra on Monday, so I don't have to this Friday (and I got to ride the cherry picker to the top of the staks in ALF!). I also normally have class on Friday afternoon, but it was cancelled, and I turned in my final project today (nerves!), so it means I am REALLY done. What a great feeling, knowing that I am two classes away from a masters degree. I can't even explain how great this feels (I will need to remind myself during the job search next semester). Tomorrow night calls for a beer celebration with the girls at Lennie's (did I spell that right?). Anyways, it will be my first time, so I am très excited.

I would go home Friday, but a wonderful snow storm is due tomorrow, so I will wait until Saturday. It's been 4 months, and I've been getting homesick, so I shall be making the 8 hour drive come Saturday. I'll be home for 28 days or something like that. By that time, I'll be ready to be back here.

Yucky things have been happening lately...a lot of deaths. I'm not close to any of these people, but I wish those who are peace in their lives. What a terrible thing to have to deal with.

I haven't had to deal with any deaths recently, but one major personal battle took over my life for a good week or two. I sat down and thought about my near and far future, and evaluated my present. One major involvement in my present not only majorly conflicts with my near future, but also has nothing to do with my distant future. That combined with a bunch of other things helped me come to the conclusion that I had to let go of something I have loved more than any person (excluding my family of course). It's not a big deal, because I'm not important (which that never mattered to me), but I do feel like I am letting people down in time of greater need. I loved where I was and the people in my immediate surroundings, but the activity itself and some of the people (again, not in the immediate vicinity) have almost soured before me. I needed to leave everything where it was, to know that I had some good feelings toward it. I did just that. I will miss it, but I think it is the best decision I have made since I have been up here.
I'm happy to know that a poem a former role model once gave me still applies in my life. Part of it is as follows:

"...Believe in the incredible power
of the human mind.
Of doing somethng that makes a difference.
Of working hard.
Of laughing and hoping.
Of lazy afternoons.
Of lasting friendships.
Of all the things that will cross your path.
The start of something new
brings the hope of something great.
Anything is possible.
There is only one you.
And you will pass this way only once.
Do it right"

I'm glad I let go.

Anyways, no more retarded sappiness...It's Christmas time bitches!

Oh and before I go, I was "tagged" (but refuse to tag others...I hate that game) to "list ten thing that make you happy in no particular order"

1. MY DOG
2. Getting up early the day after Christmas and going to Perimeter Mall to go crazy at Crate and Barrel and Bloomingdales
3. Dialog! (and I don't mean conversation)
4. Being told I am beautiful by a man (and having them actually mean it, not a concept I am used to)
5. a bath
6. anything retro
7. nature
8. reading for pleasure
9. knowing I have friends who I've known since I was a kid
10. stars

I love random stuff...

1) My uncle once: Was a student at Harvard
2) Never in my life: have I been skiing
3) When I was five: I wanted to be named Tiffany
4) High school was: good…in retrospect
5) Fire is: something I don’t want to be close to…
6) I once saw: David Sedaris talk about animal porn
7) There’s this woman I know who: was in the army in Isreal
8) Once, at a bar: I was told I looked like this guy’s sexy secretary
9) By noon I’m usually: a bit tired
10) Last night: I was in class
11) If I only had: money
12) Next time I go to church: will be on Sunday
13) What worries me most: a big decision I made that I have to deal with on Saturday
14) When I turn my head left: i see the couch side
15) When I turn my head right: i see the chair on the other side of the room
16) You know I'm lying when: usually the tone of my voice sets it off
17) What I miss most about the eighties: crimping hair
18) If I were a character written by Shakespeare, I’d be: Kate from Taming of the Shrew..haha
19) By this time next year: I hopefully will be working in some kind of library as a professional
20) I have a hard time understanding: infidelity
21) You know I like you if: I avoid you and act shy
22) If I won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: my mom
23) Darwin, Mozart, Slim Pickens & Geraldine Ferraro: different subject areas
24) Take my advice, never: give people multiple chances…three strikes and you’re out
25) My ideal breakfast is: tutto bene!
26) If you visit my hometown, I suggest you go to: um, Stone Mountain?
27) Why doesn't everyone: take a nap
28) If you spend the night at my house: don’t kick me out of the bed!
29) I’d stop my wedding: if i found out: he cheated on me
30) The world could do without: romance novels
31) My favorite blonde is: strawberry blonde.
32) If I do anything well, it’s: worry
33) And by the way: School’s almost out!