Friday, September 07, 2007
Color Wheel
I usually stick with the same template on this blog. I like the vivid colors. But the blue just didn't represent September to me, so I changed the blog template color to orange, which happens to be one of my favorite colors (green being the ultimate favorite). Plus, orange fits the months of September through November, as green fits the months of March through May and blue fits June through August. This is all in my head of course. Pink will be a stretch to represent December through February, but the only time I really like the color of pink is at Christmas for some reason. Plus, Valentines (barf) Day is in February, so there is a connection.
Now that you all know my blog color schedule, (because I always have to do things in a regimented manner) you can look for a change of color in my blog as the seasons begin to change.
Well, unless some better, prettier template comes along.
Now that you all know my blog color schedule, (because I always have to do things in a regimented manner) you can look for a change of color in my blog as the seasons begin to change.
Well, unless some better, prettier template comes along.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
The Woman in White Snowy Range
September has come alas! It may be 90 degrees outside, (and they're turning off the air conditioner at work... yipee) but I get the slightest hint of fall's arrival in the early morning and dusk. It could not come any more quickly.
I got back yesterday from a brief trip to Colorado. I had such a good time with Jon. Other than a beautiful trip to the snowy range, (destination: Lake Marie) we basically hung out, watched the progression of his house being built, took walks after a home made dinner, etc. It was nice.
Even the plane rides to and fro were very entertaining. I've finally settled into my The Woman in White to begin the R.I.P Challenge. Oh how I love this story so far! Sir Percival is currently being introduced, so I have a feeling that I'm about to witness some good ol' fashioned evil. I have to thank my friend Amanda for reintroducing me to the classics. They are honestly better when I can read them at my own pace and not be forced to identify every incidence of ambiguity, foreshadowing, and allusion. My Amazon wishlist is currently heavy with classics, and I intend to read every one of them at some point. More on The Woman in White when I finish!
I'm lucky that I have things to currently make me happy. I have friends going through some yucky personal and professional stuff, ill family members, etc. that I have been praying for/thinking about for weeks now. It's always something, and all I can do is hope that everybody gets through things in one piece.
I got back yesterday from a brief trip to Colorado. I had such a good time with Jon. Other than a beautiful trip to the snowy range, (destination: Lake Marie) we basically hung out, watched the progression of his house being built, took walks after a home made dinner, etc. It was nice.
Even the plane rides to and fro were very entertaining. I've finally settled into my The Woman in White to begin the R.I.P Challenge. Oh how I love this story so far! Sir Percival is currently being introduced, so I have a feeling that I'm about to witness some good ol' fashioned evil. I have to thank my friend Amanda for reintroducing me to the classics. They are honestly better when I can read them at my own pace and not be forced to identify every incidence of ambiguity, foreshadowing, and allusion. My Amazon wishlist is currently heavy with classics, and I intend to read every one of them at some point. More on The Woman in White when I finish!
I'm lucky that I have things to currently make me happy. I have friends going through some yucky personal and professional stuff, ill family members, etc. that I have been praying for/thinking about for weeks now. It's always something, and all I can do is hope that everybody gets through things in one piece.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Oh so Ready for a Change...
It's really difficult for me to pinpoint my favorite season. When people ask, I usually say "fall" because it's pretty and the weather is mild. As I get older though, I've come to appreciate seasonal change. Lately, in this awful heat, I've been longing for winter, which rarely happens because I'm not a fan of the extreme cold and I like snow, but it scares the crap out of me to drive in it (and yes, I have done so when I lived for two years in a place that does get a moderate amount of snow). When I can find the good in something that I usually don't like so much, (excellent reading weather and warm socks) I know that I must just like change.
While fall hits Georgia much later than many places, I find myself daydreaming about the oh so wonderful things that happen in the cooler weather:
-Foliage: I think the colors of autumn are the best of any season.
-Good reading weather: Fall is the perfect time for Gothic novels, mysteries, scary reading challenges, which are rapidly becoming my favorites (or is it the approaching season change).
-Football: Okay, I am not a sports fan, (and luckily, I don't go to a huge football school anymore) but it's kind of fun to watch other people get really worked up (and drunk) over a stupid game (and occasionally keep up with the scores and rankings for the sake of my family). I just can't bring myself to get emotional about it all like everybody else does, but when I look at it's bare bones, it's kind of fun.
-Spices: pumpkin cookies, bread, pie, cup cakes, ginger snaps, spice drop cookies, gum drops, etc. I love (not as much as Jon though) all things pumpkin (excepting my allergy to the seeds) and fall is the perfect time for all things baking oriented.
-Bubble baths and candles: It's kind of hard to take a hot bath in the summer because, well, it's so hot outside. But during fall, I can kick back with my "Autumn Leaves" scented candle, turn off the lights, and relax in the bathtub after a stressful 12 hour work day.
-Fall clothes: I love wearing textured tights, nice closed-toe heels, layers, long-sleeves, bold colors, anything J. Crew in the fall.
I have spent a good portion of my recent days pondering these awesome aspects of the approaching season. Then reality hits and I realize that it's still 100+ degrees outside, my car is a furnace even when driving home from work at 7pm, kids aren't allowed to play outside at the elementary schools, my friend can't rehearse her color guard outside without getting a million parent complaints, and I can't walk outside without my hair becoming a poofy mess.
I heart Georgia! I'll probably be longing for this hotness come January and February, but what can I say? I like change.
Just a side note... thanks to all of the R.I.P. Challenge folks for the encouragement. I'm looking forward to reading all of the fantastic reviews about your reads. I will begin The Woman in White come Saturday, September 1st on my 2.5 hour flight to Denver.
While fall hits Georgia much later than many places, I find myself daydreaming about the oh so wonderful things that happen in the cooler weather:
-Foliage: I think the colors of autumn are the best of any season.
-Good reading weather: Fall is the perfect time for Gothic novels, mysteries, scary reading challenges, which are rapidly becoming my favorites (or is it the approaching season change).
-Football: Okay, I am not a sports fan, (and luckily, I don't go to a huge football school anymore) but it's kind of fun to watch other people get really worked up (and drunk) over a stupid game (and occasionally keep up with the scores and rankings for the sake of my family). I just can't bring myself to get emotional about it all like everybody else does, but when I look at it's bare bones, it's kind of fun.
-Spices: pumpkin cookies, bread, pie, cup cakes, ginger snaps, spice drop cookies, gum drops, etc. I love (not as much as Jon though) all things pumpkin (excepting my allergy to the seeds) and fall is the perfect time for all things baking oriented.
-Bubble baths and candles: It's kind of hard to take a hot bath in the summer because, well, it's so hot outside. But during fall, I can kick back with my "Autumn Leaves" scented candle, turn off the lights, and relax in the bathtub after a stressful 12 hour work day.
-Fall clothes: I love wearing textured tights, nice closed-toe heels, layers, long-sleeves, bold colors, anything J. Crew in the fall.
I have spent a good portion of my recent days pondering these awesome aspects of the approaching season. Then reality hits and I realize that it's still 100+ degrees outside, my car is a furnace even when driving home from work at 7pm, kids aren't allowed to play outside at the elementary schools, my friend can't rehearse her color guard outside without getting a million parent complaints, and I can't walk outside without my hair becoming a poofy mess.
I heart Georgia! I'll probably be longing for this hotness come January and February, but what can I say? I like change.
Just a side note... thanks to all of the R.I.P. Challenge folks for the encouragement. I'm looking forward to reading all of the fantastic reviews about your reads. I will begin The Woman in White come Saturday, September 1st on my 2.5 hour flight to Denver.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
BEHOLD!
As our rare books cataloger was cataloging a book tonight, he called me into his office to decipher some weird handwriting and a picture on the back of the cover. Turns out, this 1930s copy of The Shape of Things to Come was not only signed by H. G. Wells himself on the title page, but the book was also owned by a lady named Hazel Lavery who was an Anglo-Irish artist and second wife of Irish painter Sir John Lavrey. I emailed Amanda right away about this and her response was as follows:
"bookgasm*bookgasm*bookgasm*bookgasm*"
My thoughts exactly.
I'm not a nerd... or AM I???
"bookgasm*bookgasm*bookgasm*bookgasm*"
My thoughts exactly.
I'm not a nerd... or AM I???
Monday, August 20, 2007
My First Challenge
I've decided to participate in my first reading challenge. I'm somewhat scared to do this because while I read habitually, I'm not exactly up to the standards of my friends with their English degrees. After all, this is NOT a book blog, nor do I plan on starting one because I would just appear to be an idiot! The theme of this challenge though, is particularly alluring, so if I was ever going to get the nerves too participate, now is the time.
This is the second year for Readers Imbibing Peril, R.I.P. for short, which will take place from September 1st through October 31st. There are many different options for this challenge, but I'm going to opt for the "vanilla" peril and read 4 books of any length. Each book should be creepy, scary, eerie, Gothic, you name it... basically, perfect Fall reading.
The following are the 4 that I plan to read (in no particular order):
-Dracula, by Bram Stoker
-The Fall of the House of Usher and other Writings, by Edgar Allan Poe (I'm actually going to read something other than a novel for once)
-The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins
-Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klaus
I'm really happy that he included the YA genre in the challenge, because it comprises the majority of my reading piles. Excepting some Poe short stories, I picked books that I have never read before (Yes, I've never read Dracula nor The Woman in White).
If I have time, I might add in a couple more like:
-Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
-The Thirteenth Tale (a reread, but I like it still) by Diane Setterfield
Sadly, my current books are paling in comparison to my September and October TBR pile.
Join if you like to read!
This is the second year for Readers Imbibing Peril, R.I.P. for short, which will take place from September 1st through October 31st. There are many different options for this challenge, but I'm going to opt for the "vanilla" peril and read 4 books of any length. Each book should be creepy, scary, eerie, Gothic, you name it... basically, perfect Fall reading.
The following are the 4 that I plan to read (in no particular order):
-Dracula, by Bram Stoker
-The Fall of the House of Usher and other Writings, by Edgar Allan Poe (I'm actually going to read something other than a novel for once)
-The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins
-Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klaus
I'm really happy that he included the YA genre in the challenge, because it comprises the majority of my reading piles. Excepting some Poe short stories, I picked books that I have never read before (Yes, I've never read Dracula nor The Woman in White).
If I have time, I might add in a couple more like:
-Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
-The Thirteenth Tale (a reread, but I like it still) by Diane Setterfield
Sadly, my current books are paling in comparison to my September and October TBR pile.
Join if you like to read!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
I'm a Sucker for the Blood Sucker
What can I say? I LOVE Vampires. Okay, if I encountered a particularly thirsty one, I don't think I'd venture to say that I'd love them so much, but they make great creepy/hot characters in books.
My very first vivid nightmare as a kid involved a vampire (à la Bela Lugosi style). The dream was in black and white and this freaky undead one (who lived in a coffin standing on end like a fantasized mummy would) was after my dad. The vampire was trying to lure my dad with an apple, like the serpent in the Book of Genesis or something. I remember waking up frightened out of my mind at the scene and wondering if my father was okay.
Luckily, my dad survived the ordeal and here I am today, completing what feels like my 17th vampire novel since August 2006 (Eclipse, part of the Twilight series). I think I've gotten to the point where I'm no longer creeped out by the nightmare itself and can "research" vampires with interest. I started reading the first two books in the aforementioned YA series, then read some of Scott Westerfeld's vampire novels (not as good as his Uglies trilogy, but alright), then read the book that sealed the deal, The Historian (yes, a best seller I actually loved for once). I've never been so thoroughly scared in my life as I was reading this book. The connection for me felt real as well, since a good chunk of my heritage is based in that part of the world. Plus, Vlad Ţepeş was a real person, and his history alone is enough to make any sort of vampire lore seem a bit pale in comparison. While I was reading the book, it got to the point that I was thinking about vampires so much that I freaked myself out and couldn't read at night, nor alone in the house.
I always wonder why I like reading about something that scares me so much, when I'm the biggest scaredy cat when it comes to watching horror movies, and I'm not interested in reading about zombies or other creepy beasts/undeads of legend. It's probably the nightmare from my childhood and wanting to kick my dream vampire's ass for going after my father, or the fact that they seem to be so suave and hot in literature and movies (thanks to Gary Oldman and Stephenie Meyer) but can suck the life out of you.
Ah well, I suppose confronting my own fears is a good thing. :)
My very first vivid nightmare as a kid involved a vampire (à la Bela Lugosi style). The dream was in black and white and this freaky undead one (who lived in a coffin standing on end like a fantasized mummy would) was after my dad. The vampire was trying to lure my dad with an apple, like the serpent in the Book of Genesis or something. I remember waking up frightened out of my mind at the scene and wondering if my father was okay.
Luckily, my dad survived the ordeal and here I am today, completing what feels like my 17th vampire novel since August 2006 (Eclipse, part of the Twilight series). I think I've gotten to the point where I'm no longer creeped out by the nightmare itself and can "research" vampires with interest. I started reading the first two books in the aforementioned YA series, then read some of Scott Westerfeld's vampire novels (not as good as his Uglies trilogy, but alright), then read the book that sealed the deal, The Historian (yes, a best seller I actually loved for once). I've never been so thoroughly scared in my life as I was reading this book. The connection for me felt real as well, since a good chunk of my heritage is based in that part of the world. Plus, Vlad Ţepeş was a real person, and his history alone is enough to make any sort of vampire lore seem a bit pale in comparison. While I was reading the book, it got to the point that I was thinking about vampires so much that I freaked myself out and couldn't read at night, nor alone in the house.
I always wonder why I like reading about something that scares me so much, when I'm the biggest scaredy cat when it comes to watching horror movies, and I'm not interested in reading about zombies or other creepy beasts/undeads of legend. It's probably the nightmare from my childhood and wanting to kick my dream vampire's ass for going after my father, or the fact that they seem to be so suave and hot in literature and movies (thanks to Gary Oldman and Stephenie Meyer) but can suck the life out of you.
Ah well, I suppose confronting my own fears is a good thing. :)
Monday, August 13, 2007
Reality leaves a lot to the imagination
-John Lennon
Why is it that vacations always go by so fast? My 10 day vacation went by like a blur and now I'm back to work work work. School starts up next week (I think) and suddenly I realize that I've been at Brenau for a year this coming Wednesday. Wow. I'm just thankful that the faculty retreat won't be half as overwhelming as it was last year. Although a day at Lake Lanier trying to be professional is going to be pretty difficult, considering the 100+ degree heat currently taking over Georgia. WHY?? I hate winter, but I'm psyched about fall clothes, as they are my favorite. It can't come soon enough. Plus, the cold is such good reading weather (I can finally read Dracula).
My vacation was fun. I spent part of it in Keystone, Colorado for Jon's family reunion. I spent a good portion of it being shy around his family, but it was easier to communicate with them once card games were involved. I'm a card and board game fanatic. I also went white water rafting for the first time. We went on an intermediate course, but in level 4 rapids (or whatever you call it) because the season is about to end. Our guide tipped us over once going down a waterfall. Once I was able to breathe from the shock of hitting 40 degree water and having said water fill up my nose and mouth, I had a lot of fun and was a bit less nervous about never having rafted before. I also got on a bike for the first time in something like 15 years (I was awful for about half of the ride) and rode down the continental divide area in Vail, in the freezing rain.
The second half was spent in the Black Hills in South Dakota. This was my second time to the area (Badlands, Custer State Park area) but my first time in both Wind Cave and Jewel Cave. Jon and I had a lot of fun everywhere we went, and even got to ride a gigantic jakalope at Wall Drug. There is something very calming about the prairie and I think summer is the best time to visit the area... especially to see the prairie dogs!
Now I'm attempting to get back to normal. Indeed, it leaves a lot to the imagination...
Why is it that vacations always go by so fast? My 10 day vacation went by like a blur and now I'm back to work work work. School starts up next week (I think) and suddenly I realize that I've been at Brenau for a year this coming Wednesday. Wow. I'm just thankful that the faculty retreat won't be half as overwhelming as it was last year. Although a day at Lake Lanier trying to be professional is going to be pretty difficult, considering the 100+ degree heat currently taking over Georgia. WHY?? I hate winter, but I'm psyched about fall clothes, as they are my favorite. It can't come soon enough. Plus, the cold is such good reading weather (I can finally read Dracula).
My vacation was fun. I spent part of it in Keystone, Colorado for Jon's family reunion. I spent a good portion of it being shy around his family, but it was easier to communicate with them once card games were involved. I'm a card and board game fanatic. I also went white water rafting for the first time. We went on an intermediate course, but in level 4 rapids (or whatever you call it) because the season is about to end. Our guide tipped us over once going down a waterfall. Once I was able to breathe from the shock of hitting 40 degree water and having said water fill up my nose and mouth, I had a lot of fun and was a bit less nervous about never having rafted before. I also got on a bike for the first time in something like 15 years (I was awful for about half of the ride) and rode down the continental divide area in Vail, in the freezing rain.
The second half was spent in the Black Hills in South Dakota. This was my second time to the area (Badlands, Custer State Park area) but my first time in both Wind Cave and Jewel Cave. Jon and I had a lot of fun everywhere we went, and even got to ride a gigantic jakalope at Wall Drug. There is something very calming about the prairie and I think summer is the best time to visit the area... especially to see the prairie dogs!
Now I'm attempting to get back to normal. Indeed, it leaves a lot to the imagination...
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Quick, Short, and to the Point
I'm/I've...
-Leaving for my final summer vacation on Thursday (10 days, a few in Dillon, Colorado for Jon's family reunion, a few days in South Dakota visiting America, and a couple just chilling with my guy)
-Back to where I left off reading Dickens (with the exception of the August 7th release of Eclipse) and hoping to get through it fast so I can alleviate some of this book anxiety
-Been finding myself often as of late in a state of reverie, dreaming of traveling to far away places, the future, Gloria Swanson and how freaky she was in Sunset Boulevard, how much I liked Harry Potter and His Dark Materials, and why my dog insists on making love pals out of any stuffed animal that I try to sleep with (not that I still sleep with stuffed animals... come on, I'm 25 *coughs*)
-Wondering why my face looks simultaneously like I'm an 18 year old and an Italian entrée
-Been loving SCRUBS with my friend Adrian, as we are the female versions of J.D. and Turk
-Wondering if this will be the first summer since 2002 that I haven't had a killer tan (maybe I will thank myself when I'm 40)
-Remaining amazed at my paternal grandfather, who has recently been diagnosed with two types of terminal cancer, and is only getting palliative treatment, got off his hiney after having a serious surgery on his colon, and went into his part time job (that he doesn't need to have in the first place)
Be back in August!
-Leaving for my final summer vacation on Thursday (10 days, a few in Dillon, Colorado for Jon's family reunion, a few days in South Dakota visiting America, and a couple just chilling with my guy)
-Back to where I left off reading Dickens (with the exception of the August 7th release of Eclipse) and hoping to get through it fast so I can alleviate some of this book anxiety
-Been finding myself often as of late in a state of reverie, dreaming of traveling to far away places, the future, Gloria Swanson and how freaky she was in Sunset Boulevard, how much I liked Harry Potter and His Dark Materials, and why my dog insists on making love pals out of any stuffed animal that I try to sleep with (not that I still sleep with stuffed animals... come on, I'm 25 *coughs*)
-Wondering why my face looks simultaneously like I'm an 18 year old and an Italian entrée
-Been loving SCRUBS with my friend Adrian, as we are the female versions of J.D. and Turk
-Wondering if this will be the first summer since 2002 that I haven't had a killer tan (maybe I will thank myself when I'm 40)
-Remaining amazed at my paternal grandfather, who has recently been diagnosed with two types of terminal cancer, and is only getting palliative treatment, got off his hiney after having a serious surgery on his colon, and went into his part time job (that he doesn't need to have in the first place)
Be back in August!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Woman Problems, Weddings, Getting Dusty, and Finding the Meaning of Dust
I apologize for my absence, but vacation and just general chaos have gotten in the way of blogging. I'm finally relaxed after having to leave work early this afternoon, as I found myself in quite a bit of pain. Normally I don't leave work early for a little pain, but my reproductive system was on meltdown mode, as it decides to do every once in a while, and I found myself going to my boss, who told me to, by all means, go home.
After a very hot (yes in the middle of July) bath, and taking a fish oil pill (I took too much naproxen sodium already today), and having dinner brought to me in bed, I finally feel better. Thanks mom for the great dinner (and the not so great genes)!
Anyways, vacation was a blast. Both weddings went very well. I especially enjoyed both the food and the low-key ceremony of the Vegas wedding and the UGA flagline reunion of the Georgia wedding. If I wasn't at a wedding, I was hiking with Jon (and sometimes Jon's friends) in Utah and Colorado national parks and monuments. I kept up very well (and complained little once I realized that people do rarely see mountain lions) on strenuous hikes and I survived camping (with an air mattress). The state parks were well-kept and I longed for their shower facilities later in the week when I was all dusty with desert sand. I enjoy not being too girly, but also not being too hard core, but rather somewhere in the middle (obviously this is my own opinion on myself, and might not be other's). You won't catch me at the mall every weekend, but you also won't catch me peeing in a pit toilet infested by large crickets (I will squat in front of a large audience before that ever happens again... and I'm dead serious).
Anyways, now that people know about my feminine problems, and fear of large bugs, and falling into pits of sewage, let's move on...
I don't know what kind of hole I was living in to not know about the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. I'm kind of glad that I'm reading it now though, instead of as a teenager because they're so literary (Paradise Lost anybody?) and complicated. It's difficult to tell who's good and who's bad in the books at times. I love the main character Lyra, because she reminds me of a mix between Hermione Granger, Vicky Austen, and Meg Murray. Plus the concept of dæmons is amazing. He's such a fantastic story teller. I totally recommend the series, especially if you're a bit more, um, open minded about religion (and realize that he's not attacking religion, but an oppressive earthly component of religion). If these books are approved and hailed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, then I'm going to read them. If Laura Mallory only knew about this one, she'd think Harry Potter was something to be taught in Bible class (although again, I think they're too long for her to actually read).
After a very hot (yes in the middle of July) bath, and taking a fish oil pill (I took too much naproxen sodium already today), and having dinner brought to me in bed, I finally feel better. Thanks mom for the great dinner (and the not so great genes)!
Anyways, vacation was a blast. Both weddings went very well. I especially enjoyed both the food and the low-key ceremony of the Vegas wedding and the UGA flagline reunion of the Georgia wedding. If I wasn't at a wedding, I was hiking with Jon (and sometimes Jon's friends) in Utah and Colorado national parks and monuments. I kept up very well (and complained little once I realized that people do rarely see mountain lions) on strenuous hikes and I survived camping (with an air mattress). The state parks were well-kept and I longed for their shower facilities later in the week when I was all dusty with desert sand. I enjoy not being too girly, but also not being too hard core, but rather somewhere in the middle (obviously this is my own opinion on myself, and might not be other's). You won't catch me at the mall every weekend, but you also won't catch me peeing in a pit toilet infested by large crickets (I will squat in front of a large audience before that ever happens again... and I'm dead serious).
Anyways, now that people know about my feminine problems, and fear of large bugs, and falling into pits of sewage, let's move on...
I don't know what kind of hole I was living in to not know about the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. I'm kind of glad that I'm reading it now though, instead of as a teenager because they're so literary (Paradise Lost anybody?) and complicated. It's difficult to tell who's good and who's bad in the books at times. I love the main character Lyra, because she reminds me of a mix between Hermione Granger, Vicky Austen, and Meg Murray. Plus the concept of dæmons is amazing. He's such a fantastic story teller. I totally recommend the series, especially if you're a bit more, um, open minded about religion (and realize that he's not attacking religion, but an oppressive earthly component of religion). If these books are approved and hailed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, then I'm going to read them. If Laura Mallory only knew about this one, she'd think Harry Potter was something to be taught in Bible class (although again, I think they're too long for her to actually read).
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Fantasy Fun...
I probably won't write again for a couple of weeks. I have a wedding to attend this weekend, followed by a week of vacation (to attend another wedding) out west with my guy. Try not to cry while I'm away. :)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Random Thoughts, by Traci Peter (or Peber, depending on what you think my last name is)
1. Negative thoughts currently running through my head
-I don't like passive-aggressive people... not at all
-You don't have to be a psycho female dog to be a bridezilla
-The main lobby in the 'brary smells like yuckiness since the carpet was cleaned earlier in the day
2. Positive thoughts currently running through my head
-Talking obsessively about Harry Potter with others helps me cope with the book anxiety
-His Dark Materials series shall be arriving on my doorstep in a few days
-Only 6 more work days until I'm on vacation, and spend time with my beau
3. Questions in which I am currently pondering
-What do I want for dinner tonight?
-Where do I begin to write a collection development policy?
-Does my mom want to go with me to Target on Friday?
4. Things I wish I could do right now
-Amanda's dirty dolphin impression
-Travel to New Zealand, my new obsession
-Know the secret to creating a half giant
5. Present irritants
-Politics (and not just federal)
-YA Chick Lit.
-Dolores Umbridge
6. Present delights
-Rufus the pink elephant
-Being productive (I'm just taking a small break to write in here)
-Writing with a brand new pen
7. Things I hoped to have accomplished with this post
-Create somewhat of rant, without getting into details
-Show that my mind is a bit cluttered
-Stay in touch with the beloved internet
-I don't like passive-aggressive people... not at all
-You don't have to be a psycho female dog to be a bridezilla
-The main lobby in the 'brary smells like yuckiness since the carpet was cleaned earlier in the day
2. Positive thoughts currently running through my head
-Talking obsessively about Harry Potter with others helps me cope with the book anxiety
-His Dark Materials series shall be arriving on my doorstep in a few days
-Only 6 more work days until I'm on vacation, and spend time with my beau
3. Questions in which I am currently pondering
-What do I want for dinner tonight?
-Where do I begin to write a collection development policy?
-Does my mom want to go with me to Target on Friday?
4. Things I wish I could do right now
-Amanda's dirty dolphin impression
-Travel to New Zealand, my new obsession
-Know the secret to creating a half giant
5. Present irritants
-Politics (and not just federal)
-YA Chick Lit.
-Dolores Umbridge
6. Present delights
-Rufus the pink elephant
-Being productive (I'm just taking a small break to write in here)
-Writing with a brand new pen
7. Things I hoped to have accomplished with this post
-Create somewhat of rant, without getting into details
-Show that my mind is a bit cluttered
-Stay in touch with the beloved internet
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Summer Time's Almost Here...
nataliedee.com
This is a post in place of a rant that I would really really like to do, but alas, I will keep my mouth shut. :)
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
It's that time...
I'm back from vacation. I'd say that I'm well rested and relaxed, but let's face it... it wasn't that kind of vacation. I did, however, see a ton of the southwest and am forever grateful for the beauty of places like the Grand Canyon and such. I also got some good family time in and proved about 95% successful as a travel agent.
Mesa Verde National Park, Spruce Tree House
Jon and I at Four Corners
Grand Canyon, North Rim (highly recommended)
KICK ASS Dinosaurs on historical Route 66
Petrified Forest National Park
I'm putting Dickens on hold for the moment in order to pursue what I anticipate to be the highlight of my summer... yes, the final installment in the Harry Potter series. I'm going to reread all 6 books (something I do twice a year anyways) with the hopes of finishing the 6th book just in time for the 7th. I think it will be the ultimate moment of both happiness for finally knowing the ending and sadness of having it all end. The younger folks at work are so excited that even the UPS guy is preparing himself for the book arrival. The fifth movie (the 5th book is my current favorite) is also coming out July 11th, so my mom and I will be making our traditional trip to the theaters. I hope all of you book nuts will enjoy it just as much as I.
I'm putting Dickens on hold for the moment in order to pursue what I anticipate to be the highlight of my summer... yes, the final installment in the Harry Potter series. I'm going to reread all 6 books (something I do twice a year anyways) with the hopes of finishing the 6th book just in time for the 7th. I think it will be the ultimate moment of both happiness for finally knowing the ending and sadness of having it all end. The younger folks at work are so excited that even the UPS guy is preparing himself for the book arrival. The fifth movie (the 5th book is my current favorite) is also coming out July 11th, so my mom and I will be making our traditional trip to the theaters. I hope all of you book nuts will enjoy it just as much as I.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Holiday
I'm about an hour away from 6 glorious days of vacation. My parents and I are packing up to fly to Albuquerque tomorrow (where Jon shall meet us), rent a car, and explore the many vistas of the Southwest.
I can't wait to breathe a happy sigh of relief as the mad months of April and May (well most of May) will be behind me, and SUMMER can finally begin.
I can't wait to breathe a happy sigh of relief as the mad months of April and May (well most of May) will be behind me, and SUMMER can finally begin.
Friday, May 25, 2007
mmmmmm NERD!
Your Score: Pure Nerd
56 % Nerd, 26% Geek, 21% Dork
For The Record:
A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.
The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.
Congratulations!
Also, you might want to check out some of my other tests if you're interested in any of the following:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Professional Wrestling
Love & Sexuality
America/Politics
Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST
| Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test |
Friday, May 18, 2007
Tag, I'm It!
I have answered Amanda's challenge to complete the "8 Things" meme.
The rules -1: Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2: People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules.
3: At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names.
4: Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.
1. I have broken my right arm on two occasions. The first was as a toddler when I got pissed at my mom for putting me down for a nap, so I threw myself out of the crib. The second was in the third grade when at my neighbor's outdoor play set, I decided to cross the monkey bars with gloves on. Neither were very good ideas and I definitely paid for it!
2. I have a major fear of social dancing. I feel like there should be steps for me to learn. It's not fun, I feel like the world is looking at me attempting to dance, and I hate it when men I don't know try to come up and dance behind me. This is why I don't go out dancing, or to crowded bars, mainly because I'm not comfortable with people I don't know.
3. I knew that I wanted to be a librarian after the first semester of my second year of college. Journalism wasn't doing it for me and I needed a career where I could help find information for people without skewing people's views.
4. I question a lot about Catholicism. There are so many things that I don't agree with, the main item being the use of birth control. I just don't think that a group of old men should determine a woman's right to well, anything. I can't leave though. I go to church every Sunday and remain in awe of the mysteries and feel like I can see beyond the preachy part of Christianity straight to it's roots. I can't leave simply for that reason.
5. I have never been more insecure with my life than I was with color guard. I thrived on thinking that I was terrible for nine years. I wanted more than anything the approval of my instructors (especially in drum corps and winterguard) and to know that I was doing well, despite not having much talent. As a teacher, I miserably failed multiple times. I stayed in it about two years too long. Once I discovered my self-destructive tendencies and insecurities only seemed to lie in color guard, I quit. I don't regret quitting, but I do regret the fact that only a handful of people ever got to know the real me. I will never take something like that so seriously again.
6. I always have to do everything on the right first... from applying eye shadow to the right eye, to putting on the right shoe first, to sleeping on the right side of the bed. Somehow things will go wrong if I start on the left.
7. One of my biggest fears of getting old (like elderly old) is losing my mind or losing a functional body. I would hate to not be able to walk or remember the names of my own family.
8. My heritage is as follows: German, Czech (the main players), Irish, English, Cherokee Indian
Okay, so I tag the following (it will not be 8):
-Brett
-skwinkle
-Andrew
-Samantha
-anybody else who wants to!
The rules -1: Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2: People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules.
3: At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names.
4: Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.
1. I have broken my right arm on two occasions. The first was as a toddler when I got pissed at my mom for putting me down for a nap, so I threw myself out of the crib. The second was in the third grade when at my neighbor's outdoor play set, I decided to cross the monkey bars with gloves on. Neither were very good ideas and I definitely paid for it!
2. I have a major fear of social dancing. I feel like there should be steps for me to learn. It's not fun, I feel like the world is looking at me attempting to dance, and I hate it when men I don't know try to come up and dance behind me. This is why I don't go out dancing, or to crowded bars, mainly because I'm not comfortable with people I don't know.
3. I knew that I wanted to be a librarian after the first semester of my second year of college. Journalism wasn't doing it for me and I needed a career where I could help find information for people without skewing people's views.
4. I question a lot about Catholicism. There are so many things that I don't agree with, the main item being the use of birth control. I just don't think that a group of old men should determine a woman's right to well, anything. I can't leave though. I go to church every Sunday and remain in awe of the mysteries and feel like I can see beyond the preachy part of Christianity straight to it's roots. I can't leave simply for that reason.
5. I have never been more insecure with my life than I was with color guard. I thrived on thinking that I was terrible for nine years. I wanted more than anything the approval of my instructors (especially in drum corps and winterguard) and to know that I was doing well, despite not having much talent. As a teacher, I miserably failed multiple times. I stayed in it about two years too long. Once I discovered my self-destructive tendencies and insecurities only seemed to lie in color guard, I quit. I don't regret quitting, but I do regret the fact that only a handful of people ever got to know the real me. I will never take something like that so seriously again.
6. I always have to do everything on the right first... from applying eye shadow to the right eye, to putting on the right shoe first, to sleeping on the right side of the bed. Somehow things will go wrong if I start on the left.
7. One of my biggest fears of getting old (like elderly old) is losing my mind or losing a functional body. I would hate to not be able to walk or remember the names of my own family.
8. My heritage is as follows: German, Czech (the main players), Irish, English, Cherokee Indian
Okay, so I tag the following (it will not be 8):
-Brett
-skwinkle
-Andrew
-Samantha
-anybody else who wants to!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
May Flowers, New Hobbies, and Family Gatherings
I can't believe that it's already the middle of May. A year ago, I was preparing to move back to Georgia and desperately seeking a job.
I've taken a sudden interest in gardening. I like the smell of dirt and flowers and enjoy daydreaming about my future garden (whenever I move away). For now, I'm slowly edging myself into the gardening water, so to speak, by helping my parents out with menial tasks in their new yard. While I'm weeding, avoiding bees, and dead heading plants, I can watch them do the actual landscaping. It's good to watch before I actually attempt to do something myself (maybe in a few weeks), considering that it amazes me how I've kept an indoor plant alive for 3 years. I feel like I'm going to have even more trouble keeping outdoor plants and flowers alive.
I feel like I am truly becoming an adult with these new hobbies of mine. Long gone are the color guard days of yore. I'm really really wanting to learn archery for some reason (and maybe even some hand gun action). Not that I'll be hunting, seeking out any urgals, joining a role playing game, or joining the NRA any time soon, but I think it would be fun to learn how to shoot, especially an arrow (yes, I've been made fun of for this already, so no need to drag it on). Maybe I've been reading too many fantasy novels lately.
After sitting through two weekend graduations (punishment for not going to my own last year), we're now on summer schedule at work. I'm looking forward to shorter weeks (when I'm not working in weekends to build time) and more time to write policy and such.
Jon visited this past weekend for the first time since Christmas. It was only for maybe 36 hours at the most, but we somehow managed to squeeze in a LOT of family time. The mothers had good Mother's Days and my brother and his brother seemed to get along really well. Now both families are acquainted and I feel like I will be a little more comfortable come his family reunion in August. I can't wait for our trip to the Southwest, which is officially two weeks away from now!
Nothing else to update...
I've taken a sudden interest in gardening. I like the smell of dirt and flowers and enjoy daydreaming about my future garden (whenever I move away). For now, I'm slowly edging myself into the gardening water, so to speak, by helping my parents out with menial tasks in their new yard. While I'm weeding, avoiding bees, and dead heading plants, I can watch them do the actual landscaping. It's good to watch before I actually attempt to do something myself (maybe in a few weeks), considering that it amazes me how I've kept an indoor plant alive for 3 years. I feel like I'm going to have even more trouble keeping outdoor plants and flowers alive.
I feel like I am truly becoming an adult with these new hobbies of mine. Long gone are the color guard days of yore. I'm really really wanting to learn archery for some reason (and maybe even some hand gun action). Not that I'll be hunting, seeking out any urgals, joining a role playing game, or joining the NRA any time soon, but I think it would be fun to learn how to shoot, especially an arrow (yes, I've been made fun of for this already, so no need to drag it on). Maybe I've been reading too many fantasy novels lately.
After sitting through two weekend graduations (punishment for not going to my own last year), we're now on summer schedule at work. I'm looking forward to shorter weeks (when I'm not working in weekends to build time) and more time to write policy and such.
Jon visited this past weekend for the first time since Christmas. It was only for maybe 36 hours at the most, but we somehow managed to squeeze in a LOT of family time. The mothers had good Mother's Days and my brother and his brother seemed to get along really well. Now both families are acquainted and I feel like I will be a little more comfortable come his family reunion in August. I can't wait for our trip to the Southwest, which is officially two weeks away from now!
Nothing else to update...
Monday, May 07, 2007
Book Blog
I don't really feel like updating my life (there aren't any real updates), so I'm going to talk about some of my recent, and upcoming reads. So some of you can skip this post entirely if you don't like books, and some can move on.
I've either been reading British classics or YA literature as of late. After Tithe, which I discussed a few posts ago (eh, alright, but not willing to read the sequels), I ventured on to the latest Printz Winner, American Born Chinese. I read it in about half an hour and loved it. It's a graphic novel that weaves three seemingly different stories (The Monkey King, Jin Wang, and Danny with his cousin "Chin-Kee") into one. The drawings were beautiful and the stories focused both on cultural identity and more importantly, self-acceptance, which is key in almost all teen literature. I HIGHLY recommend the book.
After the Printz Winner, it was time for me to try another classic. I would like to eventually read all of Jane Austen's novels, so I started with Sense and Sensibility. I loved this novel (and the movie too). My favorite characters were Elinor and Colonel Brandon (especially after seeing Alan Rickman in this role). I found this novel easier to follow than my initial reading of Pride and Prejudice, but that's possibly because I'm 7 years older and have a much wider knowledge of history and literature at this point in my life (and that whole reading for pleasure thing).
Post S&S, it was time to read more YA lit. I decided on the second and third books in the "Internet Girls" series called TTFN and l8r, g8r, by Lauren Myracle. I read TTYL last summer. I'm slightly embarrassed for reading these and actually liking them a little bit (hey, I'm, um, conducting research). The books are written entirely in IM (the pages look like an instant message screen) and detail the lives of three girls in Metro Atlanta from their sophomore through senior years of high school. The jargon is actually readable (I'm just barely too old for that "lol" stuff) and the girls experience all of the normal drama associated with high school. Overall, not too bad.
On to another classic, my most recent read was Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. My boyfriend (the one who is all about some nonfiction) lent this book to me, and it is excellently creepy! Vanity, vanity, vanity... I forgot all of the drama that comes with being vain (granted, we all are vain in some way, but I used to hang around a few VERY vain people, males and females). I'm truly coming to love the Gothic horror novels because they contain elements of romance (basically, I can handle the horror). I paid close attention to Dorian's physical descriptions, but I can't get it out of my head that I think he should have a completely different physique (maybe I'm basing it on the picture below). Regardless, I almost always imagine characters different from the way the author thinks they should be. Next up, the movie!
I'm now moving on to another book, but I'm thoroughly happy with what I have read lately.
I've either been reading British classics or YA literature as of late. After Tithe, which I discussed a few posts ago (eh, alright, but not willing to read the sequels), I ventured on to the latest Printz Winner, American Born Chinese. I read it in about half an hour and loved it. It's a graphic novel that weaves three seemingly different stories (The Monkey King, Jin Wang, and Danny with his cousin "Chin-Kee") into one. The drawings were beautiful and the stories focused both on cultural identity and more importantly, self-acceptance, which is key in almost all teen literature. I HIGHLY recommend the book.
After the Printz Winner, it was time for me to try another classic. I would like to eventually read all of Jane Austen's novels, so I started with Sense and Sensibility. I loved this novel (and the movie too). My favorite characters were Elinor and Colonel Brandon (especially after seeing Alan Rickman in this role). I found this novel easier to follow than my initial reading of Pride and Prejudice, but that's possibly because I'm 7 years older and have a much wider knowledge of history and literature at this point in my life (and that whole reading for pleasure thing).
Post S&S, it was time to read more YA lit. I decided on the second and third books in the "Internet Girls" series called TTFN and l8r, g8r, by Lauren Myracle. I read TTYL last summer. I'm slightly embarrassed for reading these and actually liking them a little bit (hey, I'm, um, conducting research). The books are written entirely in IM (the pages look like an instant message screen) and detail the lives of three girls in Metro Atlanta from their sophomore through senior years of high school. The jargon is actually readable (I'm just barely too old for that "lol" stuff) and the girls experience all of the normal drama associated with high school. Overall, not too bad.
On to another classic, my most recent read was Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. My boyfriend (the one who is all about some nonfiction) lent this book to me, and it is excellently creepy! Vanity, vanity, vanity... I forgot all of the drama that comes with being vain (granted, we all are vain in some way, but I used to hang around a few VERY vain people, males and females). I'm truly coming to love the Gothic horror novels because they contain elements of romance (basically, I can handle the horror). I paid close attention to Dorian's physical descriptions, but I can't get it out of my head that I think he should have a completely different physique (maybe I'm basing it on the picture below). Regardless, I almost always imagine characters different from the way the author thinks they should be. Next up, the movie!
I'm now moving on to another book, but I'm thoroughly happy with what I have read lately.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
I'm back
That's right folks... I'm ready to blog again. The party can now start.
Ha, anyways.
I have quite a summer ahead of me. As of right now, it seems that I will be visiting 7 national parks (I've only visited one of them before)! I will also be traveling to three new-for-me states (Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada), which will means that I will have only 4 more states (Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, Idaho) to visit before I've seen them all. I will also be visiting the cultural landmark known as Vegas (and don't forget the Hoover Dam), when I attend Jon's best friend's wedding in July. Basically, I can't wait to get started with all of this traveling!
I've read some fun stuff lately. I finished all that has been published thus far by Paolini. Although I could kind of predict the end of the second book, I was really happy with the ending of Eldest and thought that his writing definitely matured (well obviously, since he was in his 20s when he wrote Eldest). I then read Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar (yes for the first time). While I can't exactly relate to the book, I did enjoy reading it. My mother is convinced that everything I read is really depressing and she definitely places that stereotype on Plath. While it does discuss a suicide attempt with autobiographical elements, she does a good job of rationalizing her feelings and actions to the reader. She also adds a little humor in the book every once in a while. Anyways, I enjoyed it. I'm now reading another teeny novel called Tithe by Holly Black. I love fairy stuff, so it's a good read, although, not the best thing written ever that's for sure. I can see how teens would be drawn to it though. Next up is American Born Chinese, the most recent Printz Award winner.
In other news, my boyfriend bought a house! How crazy is that? I know a lot of people younger than me are doing these kind of things these days, but I honestly still feel like a 12 year old and sometimes forget that I'm at that age where people buy houses. I was with him in Colorado the other week when he signed the contract. He didn't even flinch. I am so proud of him! He's a bit stressed out about the planing and finding the best lender and such, but I think he'll come through just fine.
Not much else to update. I've been working weird days/times and will continue to do so until after graduation Mother's Day weekend, when my schedule will change for the summer.
Ha, anyways.
I have quite a summer ahead of me. As of right now, it seems that I will be visiting 7 national parks (I've only visited one of them before)! I will also be traveling to three new-for-me states (Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada), which will means that I will have only 4 more states (Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, Idaho) to visit before I've seen them all. I will also be visiting the cultural landmark known as Vegas (and don't forget the Hoover Dam), when I attend Jon's best friend's wedding in July. Basically, I can't wait to get started with all of this traveling!
I've read some fun stuff lately. I finished all that has been published thus far by Paolini. Although I could kind of predict the end of the second book, I was really happy with the ending of Eldest and thought that his writing definitely matured (well obviously, since he was in his 20s when he wrote Eldest). I then read Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar (yes for the first time). While I can't exactly relate to the book, I did enjoy reading it. My mother is convinced that everything I read is really depressing and she definitely places that stereotype on Plath. While it does discuss a suicide attempt with autobiographical elements, she does a good job of rationalizing her feelings and actions to the reader. She also adds a little humor in the book every once in a while. Anyways, I enjoyed it. I'm now reading another teeny novel called Tithe by Holly Black. I love fairy stuff, so it's a good read, although, not the best thing written ever that's for sure. I can see how teens would be drawn to it though. Next up is American Born Chinese, the most recent Printz Award winner.
In other news, my boyfriend bought a house! How crazy is that? I know a lot of people younger than me are doing these kind of things these days, but I honestly still feel like a 12 year old and sometimes forget that I'm at that age where people buy houses. I was with him in Colorado the other week when he signed the contract. He didn't even flinch. I am so proud of him! He's a bit stressed out about the planing and finding the best lender and such, but I think he'll come through just fine.
Not much else to update. I've been working weird days/times and will continue to do so until after graduation Mother's Day weekend, when my schedule will change for the summer.
Preface...
Sometimes, there just aren't words that you can say to make any situation better. Monday's events were handled enough by the media, and the grief of anybody associated with that campus was well recorded. At the risk of seeming repetitive, let me express my profound sorrow for the family and friends of the victims, and especially for the professors who sacrificed themselves for the sake of their students.
I have purposely chosen (after following the story closely for the past few days) to no longer dwell on the CNN.com stories. After viewing the video sent to NBC, I realized that the media is giving this shooter exactly what he wanted. After taking over 30 lives on a college campus (a general place that is dear to my heart for obvious reasons), he doesn't deserve to get what he wants.
I have more opinions, worries, and concerns, but will not express them here. I'll write something a bit more positive tonight.
I have purposely chosen (after following the story closely for the past few days) to no longer dwell on the CNN.com stories. After viewing the video sent to NBC, I realized that the media is giving this shooter exactly what he wanted. After taking over 30 lives on a college campus (a general place that is dear to my heart for obvious reasons), he doesn't deserve to get what he wants.
I have more opinions, worries, and concerns, but will not express them here. I'll write something a bit more positive tonight.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Yeah...
I'm alive, but completely uninspired to write a life update, or even a reading update (even though I'm reading some cool stuff). Maybe I'll be back in a week or so with renewed vigor to write you readers some not-so-interesting stuff. For now though, nothing has changed (which is a very good thing, knock on wood) and I'll be working throughout the weekend both to make up for some time that I took off earlier in the week, and to gain some time in the future that I need off. Basically, I have a case of the blog blues and just need a little break.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Mr. Sandman
Yes?
I've been off in La La Dream land for the past week or so. I can't seem to stay grounded. All I want to do is daydream or sleep to dream (I had a dream that I went to Italy last night--who could beat that), and it's kind of getting on my nerves. I have motivation, I like what I do (in and outside of work), but I can't seem to focus! Maybe it's the 80 degree weather (that is finally going down). Maybe it's the ridiculously high pollen count (the most in years) that we're having here in Georgia. Spring fever is a bitch.
Lately I've been reading and hanging out with friends. I just finished Eragon. I thought I wasn't into dragon fantasy, but I guess I am because I really liked it (am now reading Eldest). The movie that I saw in December definitely pales in comparison, although John Malkovich as Galbatorix has been the brunt of many jokes this week. I still don't understand why they got "ssssssuper" John Malkovich to play this amazingly evil character that has yet to have a speaking role in the books. He is perhaps one of the most confusing actors I have seen in my life.
Two of my aunts and my cousin are flying in today. They should be here until early Sunday morning. I won't get to spend much time with them as I work late tonight and all day tomorrow, but it will be nice seeing them again.
Sunday, my friends Adrian and Paige are throwing me a "surprise" birthday party (well, like 4 people, two of them being my parents, will be there, which is fine with me). I'm excited because I haven't had a birthday party since the beginning of college. I turn the good ol' quarter of a century on Monday, which is somewhat frightening, and somewhat exciting. The further away in age that I get from my college years (and grad. school), the better.
Alright, back to work I suppose...
I've been off in La La Dream land for the past week or so. I can't seem to stay grounded. All I want to do is daydream or sleep to dream (I had a dream that I went to Italy last night--who could beat that), and it's kind of getting on my nerves. I have motivation, I like what I do (in and outside of work), but I can't seem to focus! Maybe it's the 80 degree weather (that is finally going down). Maybe it's the ridiculously high pollen count (the most in years) that we're having here in Georgia. Spring fever is a bitch.
Lately I've been reading and hanging out with friends. I just finished Eragon. I thought I wasn't into dragon fantasy, but I guess I am because I really liked it (am now reading Eldest). The movie that I saw in December definitely pales in comparison, although John Malkovich as Galbatorix has been the brunt of many jokes this week. I still don't understand why they got "ssssssuper" John Malkovich to play this amazingly evil character that has yet to have a speaking role in the books. He is perhaps one of the most confusing actors I have seen in my life.
Two of my aunts and my cousin are flying in today. They should be here until early Sunday morning. I won't get to spend much time with them as I work late tonight and all day tomorrow, but it will be nice seeing them again.
Sunday, my friends Adrian and Paige are throwing me a "surprise" birthday party (well, like 4 people, two of them being my parents, will be there, which is fine with me). I'm excited because I haven't had a birthday party since the beginning of college. I turn the good ol' quarter of a century on Monday, which is somewhat frightening, and somewhat exciting. The further away in age that I get from my college years (and grad. school), the better.
Alright, back to work I suppose...
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Lisssssten up PEEPle!
I figure that at least my library school/work friends will appreciate this fantastic introduction to research page. My personal favorite picture is where they get caught making out at the library. I've found that people either hate or love these fantastic confections (I obviously love them). There's something about colored sugar and marshmallow formed into a lovely bird or bunny shape that is just so good!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
That's right folks, I'm in LOVE...
... with a metal dinosaur
... no wait, with Colorado!
... no wait, with Colorado!
My mom always says that when she travels to that area of the country, she feels like she's going home. She's from Nebraska, but traveled/lived in Colorado and surrounding states during summers, as my grandfather was a biology teacher/eventual professor. The west is an ideal place for summer science camps. I traveled in this area as a young child, but I have never lived out west. Whenever I visit though, I feel like I'm going home, much like my mom.
Jon lives in Ft. Collins, which is north of Denver. It is super accessible to many cool places. This visit, along with Jon's awesome best friend Ashley, we visited Rocky Mountain National Park (again), and drove thorough a minor snow storm to get to Vedauwoo Recreation area in Medicine Bow National Forrest, Wyoming. The park was even better this time than in February, mainly because everything is thawing out. We hiked around a frozen lake, saw more elk, climbed into the alluvial fan, and saw many scenic outlooks. Jon and I plan on hiking (an easy trail for my sake) next month in the park. I am luckily now well equipped now that I have a brand new pair of hiking shoes. I've never been to Vedauwoo in the winter before. Driving into the park was impossible, but we managed to walk over the snow drifts that were taller than us to enter. After a lot of memory jogging, I was finally able to find the picnic table where my mother celebrated her 9th birthday (the one under the huge rock up there). If you ever get the chance to travel through southern Wyoming, go to Vedauwoo. It will change your mind about Wyoming forever.
Sadly, Ashley had to leave us on Sunday (after a very nice visit with some puppies). On Monday, Jon and I ventured to a junk-turned-art farm called Swetsville Zoo in Ft. Collins. If you have facebook, see all of my pictures. The art is amazing, and I especially enjoyed getting fresh with a metal dinosaur/hungarian horntail. I also had fun meeting another of Jon's friends, Michael. I'm excited about getting to know him better as well as meeting his fiancé eventually.
I love being in a place where there is so much to see, so close. I'm not much of a bar/club person, so this outdoors stuff is quickly becoming an obsession of mine (don't worry, I'm too big of a wimp to take it too far). It's fair to say that I've officially fallen in love with Colorado though. It's no longer that place where I hiked a mountain at the age of 8. It's now another place to call home.
A year ago, heck six months ago, I would have never suspected that my life would be so different. On the surface it's the same, but my mentality is completely different. I feel truly blessed to be living my life.
On a bookish note, don't ever read cheesy teeny-bopper books about a girl who practices magic to solve murder and obsession in a prep school setting. I'm a huge YA fan and this was just rough.
Jon lives in Ft. Collins, which is north of Denver. It is super accessible to many cool places. This visit, along with Jon's awesome best friend Ashley, we visited Rocky Mountain National Park (again), and drove thorough a minor snow storm to get to Vedauwoo Recreation area in Medicine Bow National Forrest, Wyoming. The park was even better this time than in February, mainly because everything is thawing out. We hiked around a frozen lake, saw more elk, climbed into the alluvial fan, and saw many scenic outlooks. Jon and I plan on hiking (an easy trail for my sake) next month in the park. I am luckily now well equipped now that I have a brand new pair of hiking shoes. I've never been to Vedauwoo in the winter before. Driving into the park was impossible, but we managed to walk over the snow drifts that were taller than us to enter. After a lot of memory jogging, I was finally able to find the picnic table where my mother celebrated her 9th birthday (the one under the huge rock up there). If you ever get the chance to travel through southern Wyoming, go to Vedauwoo. It will change your mind about Wyoming forever.
Sadly, Ashley had to leave us on Sunday (after a very nice visit with some puppies). On Monday, Jon and I ventured to a junk-turned-art farm called Swetsville Zoo in Ft. Collins. If you have facebook, see all of my pictures. The art is amazing, and I especially enjoyed getting fresh with a metal dinosaur/hungarian horntail. I also had fun meeting another of Jon's friends, Michael. I'm excited about getting to know him better as well as meeting his fiancé eventually.
I love being in a place where there is so much to see, so close. I'm not much of a bar/club person, so this outdoors stuff is quickly becoming an obsession of mine (don't worry, I'm too big of a wimp to take it too far). It's fair to say that I've officially fallen in love with Colorado though. It's no longer that place where I hiked a mountain at the age of 8. It's now another place to call home.
A year ago, heck six months ago, I would have never suspected that my life would be so different. On the surface it's the same, but my mentality is completely different. I feel truly blessed to be living my life.
On a bookish note, don't ever read cheesy teeny-bopper books about a girl who practices magic to solve murder and obsession in a prep school setting. I'm a huge YA fan and this was just rough.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Pink Elephants, Henry VIII, Jane Eyre, and Nerds
Sad, but true... my fuzzy pink elephant key chain (picture to come later) is more popular than me at work. My friend Paige gave a few of us different animal key chains for Valentines Day and I decided to separate my work keys from my car/home keys. I figured that a pink elephant would never allow me to lose/forget my work keys. Now he has a name (Rufus), a questionable sexuality, and romps around with various Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Nancy Pearl, and Scooby Doo toys around the technical services area (a lot of the employees here, myself included, have toys in their offices) and has been the brunt of many, um, jokes. At least we keep ourselves entertained here with more than work, policy, and meetings.
I've also been joking (with Amanda) a lot about Henry VIII lately. If you know me, you know that I like Tudor history. After reading Marie Antoinette: the journey in the fall, I fell in love with Antonia Fraser's style of writing. I decided on checking out The Six Wives of Henry VIII for my lunch reading here at work. I've been reading it since the beginning of the semester and I'm still not even half way through it. Apparently there's also a new TV show on Showtime called The Tudors. The guy who plays Henry VIII is really, I mean REALLY hot. For the standards of the time, young Henry VIII WAS "attractive" but he was much stockier (I have seen the armor from his youth) than the guy who plays him on TV. He was such a piece of work. It amazes me how passionate he was (quick to love and quick to hate).
Talk of strumpets and trumpets naturally led to tea talk (and consequential creation of Victorian era tea shop mystery novel names like "Sconed to Death"). Speaking of scones and Victorian tea shop mysteries, I have finally finished Jane Eyre. I already miss reading it and can't wait until I can begin a re-read. I fell in love (not like that) with the character of Jane, mainly because she sticks up for herself and is strong-willed. The male characters leave much to be desired in this book, but most men aren't ideal anyways (nor women). Having perfect men in the novel would have only made it boring and perhaps obsolete by now. There's Mr. Rochester who is WAY too passionate (kind of like Henry VIII) and St. John, who can't take no for an answer and is just a cold and jerky. The lunatic wife from the West Indies was a nice addition, as I like to be spooked in fiction novels, and you don't really understand what's going on with her until the latter half of the novel. Overall, Jane is the one who kept me reading and loving the book. It was a very good re-introduction to the classics.
Can somebody tell me the difference between "dork" and "nerd" or am I just both?
I'm off to Colorado tonight to see my equally, if not more nerdy boyfriend. I shall update when I get back!
I've also been joking (with Amanda) a lot about Henry VIII lately. If you know me, you know that I like Tudor history. After reading Marie Antoinette: the journey in the fall, I fell in love with Antonia Fraser's style of writing. I decided on checking out The Six Wives of Henry VIII for my lunch reading here at work. I've been reading it since the beginning of the semester and I'm still not even half way through it. Apparently there's also a new TV show on Showtime called The Tudors. The guy who plays Henry VIII is really, I mean REALLY hot. For the standards of the time, young Henry VIII WAS "attractive" but he was much stockier (I have seen the armor from his youth) than the guy who plays him on TV. He was such a piece of work. It amazes me how passionate he was (quick to love and quick to hate).
Talk of strumpets and trumpets naturally led to tea talk (and consequential creation of Victorian era tea shop mystery novel names like "Sconed to Death"). Speaking of scones and Victorian tea shop mysteries, I have finally finished Jane Eyre. I already miss reading it and can't wait until I can begin a re-read. I fell in love (not like that) with the character of Jane, mainly because she sticks up for herself and is strong-willed. The male characters leave much to be desired in this book, but most men aren't ideal anyways (nor women). Having perfect men in the novel would have only made it boring and perhaps obsolete by now. There's Mr. Rochester who is WAY too passionate (kind of like Henry VIII) and St. John, who can't take no for an answer and is just a cold and jerky. The lunatic wife from the West Indies was a nice addition, as I like to be spooked in fiction novels, and you don't really understand what's going on with her until the latter half of the novel. Overall, Jane is the one who kept me reading and loving the book. It was a very good re-introduction to the classics.
Can somebody tell me the difference between "dork" and "nerd" or am I just both?
I'm off to Colorado tonight to see my equally, if not more nerdy boyfriend. I shall update when I get back!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Something Smells Fishy!
So I've been trying to write an entry for about 5 days now. I'd start and realize that I was revealing too much by going off on a tangent or talking about stupid boring things (some of you might say, "so what's new Traci"). Gosh darnit I'm going to write a post and you're going to like it, even if it's boring.
-So what's been going on in the life of Traci?
I've been adjusting to Lent life. I'm catholic, so I'm doing my best to not eat meat on Fridays (this is the tie-in to my title). I have been successful thus far (one week) and have managed to consume both a tuna fish sandwich and a McDonald's Filet o'Fish (God Bless). Yay Jesus!
I think my family (well, my parents and I) will be switching churches as well. We've been with good ol' Saint John Neuman since I was born, but never attend anymore, as my parents grew weary of the church when I was younger. I think they've found a place (St. Oliver's) they like now and are giving it a trial run, in hopes of making the switch. Jon's parents happen to go there as well, and I might have to start making appearances at the 8am mass to chaperon the parents.
-So what's going to happen in the life of Traci?
This weekend I will be making an appearance at the WGI Atlanta regional. My best friend and co-UGA-captain from college, Krista, will come with. I'm excited to see the few friends I have left in the activity perform and/or teach and am hoping to avoid drama, which shouldn't be difficult, but I wouldn't put it past color guard (I will be armed with a book--the ultimate escape). I'm mainly excited to hang out with Krista though, because that doesn't happen too often anymore because of schedules.
Next week is Brenau's spring break! Luckily, the president is giving faculty 2 days off, so I'll be getting on a plane once again to Colorado. Ashley K. from high school will also be visiting, and I'll get to meet his new roommate (his best friend who also went to high school with all of us) Mike. I'm happy to meet/reacquaint with his friends and I look forward to some more time in Rocky Mountain National Park. We're also planning on venturing into WYOMING (my favorite state) and will try to visit Vedauwoo, one of my favorite places in America. My mom had her 9th birthday party there at a picnic table under this gigantic rock. Every time we've visited the park since, we had take a picture there. I hope hope hope it isn't too snowy to get to that point in the park to take yet another picture.
-Moving on.
I've watched three movies over the course of the day. Beauty Academy of Kabul is an amazing documentary about women in Afghanistan. I highly recommend it, as I knew nothing of the situation. I watched it because Brenau is hosting an event with a panel to discuss the documentary next month. I also watched An Inconvenient Truth (the Al Gore documentary that just won an Oscar). While I'm not sure how much I buy global warming, I was very impressed by his research and dedication to what he calls the "climate crisis." It would have been much better without flashbacks of the 2000 election though. I hope that we get candidates for 2008 who have more genuine concern for the environment (like Gore), as it has been overwhelmingly neglected over the past 7 years. Moving on from the political ambiguity (PLEASE don't comment with a lecture on global warming), I watched Persuasion, an adaptation of the Jane Austen novel. Once I understood a. what they were saying and b. what was going on in the story (I have never read the novel), I really enjoyed it. I like the fact that the protagonist wasn't a ravishing beauty and it was a cute love story, although not as worthy as Pride and Prejudice.
Well that about wraps up current events, and for that matter February. I won't place any conclusions on the month as it is not officially over, but I have enjoyed it thus far for the first time in years. Hope all is well!
-So what's been going on in the life of Traci?
I've been adjusting to Lent life. I'm catholic, so I'm doing my best to not eat meat on Fridays (this is the tie-in to my title). I have been successful thus far (one week) and have managed to consume both a tuna fish sandwich and a McDonald's Filet o'Fish (God Bless). Yay Jesus!
I think my family (well, my parents and I) will be switching churches as well. We've been with good ol' Saint John Neuman since I was born, but never attend anymore, as my parents grew weary of the church when I was younger. I think they've found a place (St. Oliver's) they like now and are giving it a trial run, in hopes of making the switch. Jon's parents happen to go there as well, and I might have to start making appearances at the 8am mass to chaperon the parents.
-So what's going to happen in the life of Traci?
This weekend I will be making an appearance at the WGI Atlanta regional. My best friend and co-UGA-captain from college, Krista, will come with. I'm excited to see the few friends I have left in the activity perform and/or teach and am hoping to avoid drama, which shouldn't be difficult, but I wouldn't put it past color guard (I will be armed with a book--the ultimate escape). I'm mainly excited to hang out with Krista though, because that doesn't happen too often anymore because of schedules.
Next week is Brenau's spring break! Luckily, the president is giving faculty 2 days off, so I'll be getting on a plane once again to Colorado. Ashley K. from high school will also be visiting, and I'll get to meet his new roommate (his best friend who also went to high school with all of us) Mike. I'm happy to meet/reacquaint with his friends and I look forward to some more time in Rocky Mountain National Park. We're also planning on venturing into WYOMING (my favorite state) and will try to visit Vedauwoo, one of my favorite places in America. My mom had her 9th birthday party there at a picnic table under this gigantic rock. Every time we've visited the park since, we had take a picture there. I hope hope hope it isn't too snowy to get to that point in the park to take yet another picture.
-Moving on.
I've watched three movies over the course of the day. Beauty Academy of Kabul is an amazing documentary about women in Afghanistan. I highly recommend it, as I knew nothing of the situation. I watched it because Brenau is hosting an event with a panel to discuss the documentary next month. I also watched An Inconvenient Truth (the Al Gore documentary that just won an Oscar). While I'm not sure how much I buy global warming, I was very impressed by his research and dedication to what he calls the "climate crisis." It would have been much better without flashbacks of the 2000 election though. I hope that we get candidates for 2008 who have more genuine concern for the environment (like Gore), as it has been overwhelmingly neglected over the past 7 years. Moving on from the political ambiguity (PLEASE don't comment with a lecture on global warming), I watched Persuasion, an adaptation of the Jane Austen novel. Once I understood a. what they were saying and b. what was going on in the story (I have never read the novel), I really enjoyed it. I like the fact that the protagonist wasn't a ravishing beauty and it was a cute love story, although not as worthy as Pride and Prejudice.
Well that about wraps up current events, and for that matter February. I won't place any conclusions on the month as it is not officially over, but I have enjoyed it thus far for the first time in years. Hope all is well!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Easy on the Eyes
Colorado was beautiful (hence "easy on the eyes" title). I've been there twice before, but only in the summer. The sunny winter days are equally nice as the summer days though, and any place that can motivate me to want to snowshoe in the future is definitely right up my alley. I'm excited about exploring this place more over the next few months. More pictures to come.
Speaking of easy on the eyes...
So, I've finally started Jane Eyre. I LOVE it so far (only 5 chapters in). I have no initial weariness towards the content or characters, like I did with Pride and Prejudice (please note that P & P is NOW one of my favorite books... it just took a while for me to appreciate it). Perhaps it is the Victorian time period. Perhaps, I'm just older and able to understand what's going on better. There's something kick ass about a ten year old girl telling off her cruel aunt and sticking up for herself. A lot of full grown women can't do that TODAY. I'm looking forward to my first weekend home since January. Even while my grandparents are visiting, I can sit back, relax, and read (and eat ribs to celebrate my brother's 29th birthday). It's a beautiful thing.
Speaking of easy on the eyes...
So, I've finally started Jane Eyre. I LOVE it so far (only 5 chapters in). I have no initial weariness towards the content or characters, like I did with Pride and Prejudice (please note that P & P is NOW one of my favorite books... it just took a while for me to appreciate it). Perhaps it is the Victorian time period. Perhaps, I'm just older and able to understand what's going on better. There's something kick ass about a ten year old girl telling off her cruel aunt and sticking up for herself. A lot of full grown women can't do that TODAY. I'm looking forward to my first weekend home since January. Even while my grandparents are visiting, I can sit back, relax, and read (and eat ribs to celebrate my brother's 29th birthday). It's a beautiful thing.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
"The nights were long and cold and scary, can we live through February?"
-Dar Williams
I have some updates. Granted, they're nothing major, but it's something to occupy my time.
First of all February.... I have actually enjoyed the first 8 days. February 3rd and 8th (today) are usually the most difficult, as they are the birth and death days respectively of my Grandmother. She died very young (60) of a brain aneurysm (my youngest grandparent in fact) in 1993, and it still pains me that she is gone, especially considering that she lived a rough life. I'm sure she's chilling up in Heaven though, so I'm cool just being able to remember her.
This past weekend was the annual girls time in Chicago. My mom enjoyed her first time (not to Chicago, but on this particular trip). I spent $40 on chocolate for us, but overall, stayed well within my budget. The only downside to this trip was the COLD WEATHER. I completely forgot what it was like to be really cold. Taxis were taken all weekend, as even my weather savvy aunts could not handle it.
Work is starting to die down from the busyness that it was over the past week. Last Monday, one of the Academy (the boarding high school for girls) teachers called asking for some bibliographic instruction sessions (teaching library stuff) for four of her English classes. I spent two days preparing lesson plans for two U.S. Lit. classes, and two general literature classes. I did half of the classes last Wednesday. Thursday, there was ice on the roads. They canceled school (typical Georgia), but we had to come in for a few hours. I finally completed the other half of classes today. The scavenger hunts (for books) went over well... well, mainly because I gave them candy. I have a definite respect for Instruction Librarians though... with all of the potential technology failures and classroom reception... it's so stressful. I like my collection development bubble, but am glad to be getting the experience, and working with high schoolers again now that I don't teach color guard anymore (thank God).
This weekend, I'm boarding yet another plane... this time to Colorado. I'm excited to see Jon and Ft. Collins, which I haven't visited since I was 8. Far too many future plans are taking place between us... it's kind of scary, but in a good way.
Susan, my buddy from graduate school, is coming to town in April for the ARLIS/NA conference. I get to spend a day with her, so I am excited (plus a possible camping trip to Utah in August woo hoo).
Did you guys hear about Anna Nicole Smith? Very odd...
Oh and book updates (how could I forget). I am currently reading The Book Thief, which is VERY good. It's narrated by death and set during World War II, which is a perfectly dreary February book. Next up is The Illustrated Jane Eyre. I am a Jane Eyre virgin (I know, how did that happen), so I am very excited about beginning my classics promise to myself with this book. After Jane Eyre, I will FINALLY get to Eragon and Eldest (I even bought this limited edition)... I have to read some form of fantasy at least once a month.
Alright, that's all you're getting out of me for a while. Happy and hopefully healthy and safe Februarys.
I have some updates. Granted, they're nothing major, but it's something to occupy my time.
First of all February.... I have actually enjoyed the first 8 days. February 3rd and 8th (today) are usually the most difficult, as they are the birth and death days respectively of my Grandmother. She died very young (60) of a brain aneurysm (my youngest grandparent in fact) in 1993, and it still pains me that she is gone, especially considering that she lived a rough life. I'm sure she's chilling up in Heaven though, so I'm cool just being able to remember her.
This past weekend was the annual girls time in Chicago. My mom enjoyed her first time (not to Chicago, but on this particular trip). I spent $40 on chocolate for us, but overall, stayed well within my budget. The only downside to this trip was the COLD WEATHER. I completely forgot what it was like to be really cold. Taxis were taken all weekend, as even my weather savvy aunts could not handle it.
Work is starting to die down from the busyness that it was over the past week. Last Monday, one of the Academy (the boarding high school for girls) teachers called asking for some bibliographic instruction sessions (teaching library stuff) for four of her English classes. I spent two days preparing lesson plans for two U.S. Lit. classes, and two general literature classes. I did half of the classes last Wednesday. Thursday, there was ice on the roads. They canceled school (typical Georgia), but we had to come in for a few hours. I finally completed the other half of classes today. The scavenger hunts (for books) went over well... well, mainly because I gave them candy. I have a definite respect for Instruction Librarians though... with all of the potential technology failures and classroom reception... it's so stressful. I like my collection development bubble, but am glad to be getting the experience, and working with high schoolers again now that I don't teach color guard anymore (thank God).
This weekend, I'm boarding yet another plane... this time to Colorado. I'm excited to see Jon and Ft. Collins, which I haven't visited since I was 8. Far too many future plans are taking place between us... it's kind of scary, but in a good way.
Susan, my buddy from graduate school, is coming to town in April for the ARLIS/NA conference. I get to spend a day with her, so I am excited (plus a possible camping trip to Utah in August woo hoo).
Did you guys hear about Anna Nicole Smith? Very odd...
Oh and book updates (how could I forget). I am currently reading The Book Thief, which is VERY good. It's narrated by death and set during World War II, which is a perfectly dreary February book. Next up is The Illustrated Jane Eyre. I am a Jane Eyre virgin (I know, how did that happen), so I am very excited about beginning my classics promise to myself with this book. After Jane Eyre, I will FINALLY get to Eragon and Eldest (I even bought this limited edition)... I have to read some form of fantasy at least once a month.
Alright, that's all you're getting out of me for a while. Happy and hopefully healthy and safe Februarys.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
I'm working, really.
I always steal stuff from Amanda (she actually has an interesting blog).
Here is what I look like everyday in the library. I even have a dachshund following me around all the time...
Here is what I look like everyday in the library. I even have a dachshund following me around all the time...
Sunday, January 28, 2007
On the Road Again...
Hello readers (I really hate the word blogosphere, or well, blog in general).
I hope everybody is surviving winter, from my friends in snowy Colorado and New Hampshire, to my friends in sunny Florida and Southern California.
Georgia has been quite agreeable. If we do ever get anything bad, it's usually an ice storm. Luckily the ice has avoided the area thus far, making me very happy. Humidity mixed in with cold temperatures, however, are not pleasant. People think that Indiana is humid, when I'd take 20 degree weather in Indiana over 40 degree weather in Georgia any day. Alright, enough about the weather.
I'm invading the mid west (it's been almost 7 months) this weekend. I know I talk/write about it wayyy too much, but I love the annual Chicago trip and hanging out with my aunts and cousin. My mom is joining us this year, so that should be a nice addition. I have to keep telling myself that I have way too many things to save for, and to NOT buy shoes and clothes. Only chocolate.
The weekend of the 10th, I'm going to Colorado to visit Jon. I haven't been to Colorado in 2 and 1/2 years, and never during the winter, so I am super excited (in addition to seeing Jon of course). I should be out there monthly from now on, and I'm looking forward to exploring the amazing nature (no mountain lions please) out there. I was so skeptical about the whole long distance thing because I've had really horrible experiences with guys in the past. Luckily, Jon lives somewhere really cool (not to mention that Jon is just a great guy in general), so I am enjoying the long distance much more than originally thought. Please don't snow!
My grandparents are coming to visit the weekend after that, mainly to see their great grandson, but to also see us. I love my grandparents, but it's difficult to watch them age. My grandmother just experienced some crazy eye surgery. She's lucky that she can still see. My grandfather got a case of gout a few years ago, and it's affecting his movement. Despite all of this, they are still very healthy (my grandmother is 81 and my grandfather turns 80 this year). I'm more worried about their minds (my grandmother has her master's in Education and my grandfather has his doctorate in biology) and dementia and such (particularly with my grandmother). That is far more heartbreaking than watching them physically degrade.
All of this is occurring in my least favorite month, February. I thought that I was going to beat February's ass last year, but it definitely took me down with vengeance mid-month. This year, I'm going to try to go with the flow and try not to remember that my only deceased grandparent died during this month, that any sort of break up, spat, whatever with a guy happened during this month, that multiple friends had different personal break-downs during this month, that it's so freaking cold and dreary during this month, etc. I hope to gain some sort of positive feeling towards February this year, not only for myself, but for others as well.
I've been reading a string of teen-y novels (besides the fact that I really like YA lit., we just moved our teen books out of the children's collection into a collection of it's own, so I've been doing "research") lately, only to start my classics promise when I finish the last traveling pants novel on which I am currently reading. More on that later.
It might be a while before I update again (maybe not), so everybody have a safe, and hopefully joyous start to February!
I hope everybody is surviving winter, from my friends in snowy Colorado and New Hampshire, to my friends in sunny Florida and Southern California.
Georgia has been quite agreeable. If we do ever get anything bad, it's usually an ice storm. Luckily the ice has avoided the area thus far, making me very happy. Humidity mixed in with cold temperatures, however, are not pleasant. People think that Indiana is humid, when I'd take 20 degree weather in Indiana over 40 degree weather in Georgia any day. Alright, enough about the weather.
I'm invading the mid west (it's been almost 7 months) this weekend. I know I talk/write about it wayyy too much, but I love the annual Chicago trip and hanging out with my aunts and cousin. My mom is joining us this year, so that should be a nice addition. I have to keep telling myself that I have way too many things to save for, and to NOT buy shoes and clothes. Only chocolate.
The weekend of the 10th, I'm going to Colorado to visit Jon. I haven't been to Colorado in 2 and 1/2 years, and never during the winter, so I am super excited (in addition to seeing Jon of course). I should be out there monthly from now on, and I'm looking forward to exploring the amazing nature (no mountain lions please) out there. I was so skeptical about the whole long distance thing because I've had really horrible experiences with guys in the past. Luckily, Jon lives somewhere really cool (not to mention that Jon is just a great guy in general), so I am enjoying the long distance much more than originally thought. Please don't snow!
My grandparents are coming to visit the weekend after that, mainly to see their great grandson, but to also see us. I love my grandparents, but it's difficult to watch them age. My grandmother just experienced some crazy eye surgery. She's lucky that she can still see. My grandfather got a case of gout a few years ago, and it's affecting his movement. Despite all of this, they are still very healthy (my grandmother is 81 and my grandfather turns 80 this year). I'm more worried about their minds (my grandmother has her master's in Education and my grandfather has his doctorate in biology) and dementia and such (particularly with my grandmother). That is far more heartbreaking than watching them physically degrade.
All of this is occurring in my least favorite month, February. I thought that I was going to beat February's ass last year, but it definitely took me down with vengeance mid-month. This year, I'm going to try to go with the flow and try not to remember that my only deceased grandparent died during this month, that any sort of break up, spat, whatever with a guy happened during this month, that multiple friends had different personal break-downs during this month, that it's so freaking cold and dreary during this month, etc. I hope to gain some sort of positive feeling towards February this year, not only for myself, but for others as well.
I've been reading a string of teen-y novels (besides the fact that I really like YA lit., we just moved our teen books out of the children's collection into a collection of it's own, so I've been doing "research") lately, only to start my classics promise when I finish the last traveling pants novel on which I am currently reading. More on that later.
It might be a while before I update again (maybe not), so everybody have a safe, and hopefully joyous start to February!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Choose Your Own Adventure
Does anybody remember those books as a kid? I used to read my brother's collection obsessively. My favorite book was one about Stonehenge. I think it was instrumental in launching my obsession with that place actually, so seeing it and actually being able to put my arms around the stone a couple of years ago was fantastic.
Anyways, I feel like my life is becoming one of those books... not that I'm going to die around the next corner (although I suppose that's always possible), but I get that same excited feeling about it as when I read the books as a kid. For once though, I feel like I am making good choices and not warping myself into something that I'm not to fit onto some other path. We are ultimately, the choices that we make, so why not make good ones (after you've learned from the bad of course).
With the exception of a brief trip in December, I really haven't left Georgia. This has felt incredibly confining as I am used to travel. Even as a college student, I would get away a lot for various color guard events. My last semester I drove/flew out of state every single weekend for four months. Even in graduate school, I would go visit my relatives in Illinois or travel again with color guard, or go home to Georgia. I love being home (I am a major homebody) but sometimes I need a change of scenery to appreciate home more. Luckily, I am out once a month, every month until August this year, starting in a couple of weeks. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to it all.
So what have I been reading lately? Right now I'm into a book called The astonishing life of Octavian Nothing: traitor to the nation (young adult). It's a two volume series about this African American boy in the Revolutionary War period dealing with slavery and experimentation (experimentation at first meaning education on both his and his mother's parts, then cruelty). It's an interesting read because you can tell that the author is trying to incorporate key revolutionary events into the story. They also have an interesting thing called a Pox party, where guests come for weeks and they infect themselves with small pox and all get sick together. yum. It kind of reminds me of some Edgar Allan Poe story with colored rooms (okay it's been about ten years) and people being sick... anybody? Oh and as I was posting the link, I found out that this book won the National Book Award (EDIT: also named a Printz honor book today).
I'm so excited to hear about the Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz winners... coming soon!
Well, I am going to go enjoy sitting in bed (as my dog sleeps at its foot) for a few more minutes before getting ready to go out to lunch with friends. Have a great week!
Anyways, I feel like my life is becoming one of those books... not that I'm going to die around the next corner (although I suppose that's always possible), but I get that same excited feeling about it as when I read the books as a kid. For once though, I feel like I am making good choices and not warping myself into something that I'm not to fit onto some other path. We are ultimately, the choices that we make, so why not make good ones (after you've learned from the bad of course).
With the exception of a brief trip in December, I really haven't left Georgia. This has felt incredibly confining as I am used to travel. Even as a college student, I would get away a lot for various color guard events. My last semester I drove/flew out of state every single weekend for four months. Even in graduate school, I would go visit my relatives in Illinois or travel again with color guard, or go home to Georgia. I love being home (I am a major homebody) but sometimes I need a change of scenery to appreciate home more. Luckily, I am out once a month, every month until August this year, starting in a couple of weeks. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to it all.
So what have I been reading lately? Right now I'm into a book called The astonishing life of Octavian Nothing: traitor to the nation (young adult). It's a two volume series about this African American boy in the Revolutionary War period dealing with slavery and experimentation (experimentation at first meaning education on both his and his mother's parts, then cruelty). It's an interesting read because you can tell that the author is trying to incorporate key revolutionary events into the story. They also have an interesting thing called a Pox party, where guests come for weeks and they infect themselves with small pox and all get sick together. yum. It kind of reminds me of some Edgar Allan Poe story with colored rooms (okay it's been about ten years) and people being sick... anybody? Oh and as I was posting the link, I found out that this book won the National Book Award (EDIT: also named a Printz honor book today).
I'm so excited to hear about the Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz winners... coming soon!
Well, I am going to go enjoy sitting in bed (as my dog sleeps at its foot) for a few more minutes before getting ready to go out to lunch with friends. Have a great week!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
My Secret Life, Well, According to Jon...
I've been having trouble thinking of things to blog about as of late. There's really nothing to talk about except books (which is always a good subject for me, but I realize that 3 out of the 4 people who read this blog get bored with book talk) and where I'm going to travel. I refuse to get too involved in politics or issues that kind of matter because who knows who can actually read this thing and use it against me someday.
So I'm telling my boyfriend about this dilemma of mine. He's super creative and decided to write an entry for me, as if it was written by me. I must note that he loves to mock me for being a super dork (mainly because he's one too and can do that without it being demeaning). I must also note, and you should get this unless you're really stupid, that this story is COMPLETE fiction, and that some of the things that I say or do, I don't necessarily agree with in real life (ex. I don't catalog books and I don't database my kitchen utensils, and I would never call my dog a "rat dog", and I don't plan on leaving my job anytime soon for Colorado). Also note that the agency listed that I supposedly work for is very similar to a popular Harry Potter fan site. But here it is. I hope it is at least a bit more interesting than my previous entries.
So I'm telling my boyfriend about this dilemma of mine. He's super creative and decided to write an entry for me, as if it was written by me. I must note that he loves to mock me for being a super dork (mainly because he's one too and can do that without it being demeaning). I must also note, and you should get this unless you're really stupid, that this story is COMPLETE fiction, and that some of the things that I say or do, I don't necessarily agree with in real life (ex. I don't catalog books and I don't database my kitchen utensils, and I would never call my dog a "rat dog", and I don't plan on leaving my job anytime soon for Colorado). Also note that the agency listed that I supposedly work for is very similar to a popular Harry Potter fan site. But here it is. I hope it is at least a bit more interesting than my previous entries.
I realize my life is not very interesting….in fact I know it is not. Why I write in this blog is beyond me. I guess it is habit, or maybe I want to believe that somebody out there actually cares about what I do with my life. Scratch that, I know there is somebody out there that cares. Unfortunately, I don’t have the luxury, the mean or the will to actually find out, say for those who comment on this blog. Is my life really worth dialogging on a monthly, no, weekly basis? I can hear my inner monologue as I write this. A witty voice inside my head reading what I write. I think I will make her British. Yeah, a cheeky Brit girl is my inner voice. I find that people respond more to elegant accents, especially one that uses fun words such as, arse and shag.
Dear god, I have just turned this entry into Bridget Jones’s diary. I am not some middle aged, lonely, British woman looking for a lover, I promise…... Where was I? Oh yes, my life. As you can imagine the life of a bibliophile, as exciting as it sounds, is not in the least exciting as I want to imagine it. As a librarian, I am limited to daily tasks such as cataloging and checking out books and the even more mundane, ordering books. If my love of books wasn’t so great, I would think that I’d hate my job. But being that my love for books is tremendous, I absolutely love what I do! I just wish I could have a change of venue, somewhere less like
I find that it is a rare thing that one actually enjoys what he does. When I am not ordering books for the small university library, I so HAPPILY work in; I spend my time reading young adult novels, and databasing my cooking utensils. Yes, I know what you are thinking how can anyone live like this? Well, unless they live with their parents, no one can live like this! As exciting as it sounds, that is my life… well until recently. What I am not telling my readers is my real life. Yes, you read correctly. Believe it or not, all this academic book-loving-bull-shite I so lovingly pretend to enjoy is nothing but a farce… A debauchery if you will. You see, I belong to a group so secret, so underground, that the secret government agencies don’t even know that we exist. Before I go, on I must warn you that what you are about to read, you will not remember once you are finished. In fact, it is impossible to remember this entry no matter how many times you read it. That is because this entry contains a higher power… This entry is enchanted. Those who look at it will remember the words when they are reading it, but as soon as they look away, they instantly forget its contents. It won’t even be a distant memory. It would be as if it never existed. I am sorry to disappoint you, but this enchantment is a must. My organization can not afford to be compromised. So enjoy this while you read it because you will never hear it again…
You are probably asking yourself why, and more importantly, how I became a part of an organization so secret that reading about it erase your memory, and why would I risk writing about it on the internet. I write about it for my protection. So, if I shall have my memory erased as well, my story will never be lost… So I can be assured that somewhere, someone, even if it is for a brief instant, will know who I am and what I was. Hell, I may even stumble across this and read about myself, a self that does not exist anymore. There may be some off chance that if this is the case this entry may jump start my mind allowing me to remember my alternative life.
Interestingly enough it was my love of books that brought me to this organization, collectively known as the Muggle Net. The Muggle Net is an organization dedicated to the survival and secrecy of witches and wizards. We are a liaison, between the world of magic and the world of humanity. We are the keepers of secrets that pre-date time. We have operatives in every branch of government and on every police force. The MugNet, works behind the scenes to protect a secret so immense that penetrates every part of life. That déjà-vous feeling you get…..that is a side-effect of coming in contact with a magical entity. The MugNet keeps tabs on the non magical folk that have in some way knowingly or unknowingly come in contact with it. You can imagine what hysteria there would be if everybody knew that magic was real. My job is dangerous. I, myself, have been on the receiving end of spells and charms dealt by those who worship the dark arts. If it was not for my protection charms, who knows what state I would be in.
As I have said before, it was my love of books that led me to join Muggle Net. One series of books in particular, the Harry Potter series is what lead me to the organization. You may think that Harry Potter is fiction. You’d be wrong. Harry is real and so are his adventures. I fact the whole cast is real. J.K. Rowling is a Muggle Net informant. Her mission is to write of wizards and witches and present them as fiction in order to help strengthen the Muggle Net cause. Her writings have helped Muggle Net bring only best brightest non magical folk to our organization. It is because of her that I believe and that I am part of MugNet. Let me explain my story.
The day that changed my life started as usual, my damn dog decided to annoy the crap out of me that morning until I woke up and put him on the bed. Then, after two minutes he decided to jump down, only to want to get back up two minutes later…….and so it went….That stupid little rat dog… all I wanted to do was sleep!!!!! I was dead tired from the day before. I had a hard day of ordering books at the library followed by a night of extensive databasing. I am proud to report that my spatulas have properly numbered and filed away. Needless to say the antics my dog was pulling that morning was undesirable. Unbeknownst to me there was a reason for his eccentric behavior. Dogs have been known to sense things that a person can not feel. Of course at the time I did not know this, I just thought He was being a pest. I finally managed to drag myself out of bed since my dog would not let me sleep. I wrapped my self in my lovely soft on sale for $7 robe, and made my way downstairs to see what the entire ruckus was about. I was startled to find that my parents had been what seemed to be frozen in time. As a matter of fact, the world around me seemed paused. My mother seemed to be in the middle of pouring herself a cup of coffee. The stream of liquid resembled a frozen brown waterfall with a billow of soft mist dead in midair. My father dressed for work was halfway out the door in mid-stride. My heart beat rapidly and I wiped my eyes hoping that when I removed my hands from my face I would wake up to find the normal routines of life moving again. But to no avail, my attempt to wake up was futile. I stood there mystified in my PJ’s. My dog came running up to me and bit the cuff of my pant leg, his attempt to pull me into the living room. Why had he not been frozen? I would soon find out.
One thing I did notice was the sweet smell of pipe tobacco. It permeated the entire house. My parents did not smoke a pipe. Where was it coming from? As soon as I noticed, a voice billowed out across the room and directly toward me.
“Are ya jist goin’ to stand there all day, or ya goin’ to come enjoy a wee bit of pumpkin juice with me?”
How did he know I was there? I had not made a noise. I cautiously made my way into the foyer adjacent to the living room. I poked my head around the door frame. On the sofa was a rather plump man with frizzy white hair and beard wearing very small round spectacles and reading a rather large dusty and worn out book. His clothes were as tattered and disheveled as his hair. He seemed fully engrossed with what ever he was reading. On the coffee table in front of him sat a rather large silver tray with a complete tea service. Interestingly enough, none of the pieces in the service matched. They weren’t even all silver. I stared inquisitively at the whole scene. Without breaking his concentration from his tome he said:
“Well, come on in lass. You got nottin’ to be afraid of.”
“Who are you? And what happened to my parents?” I asked
“Oh, I wooldn’t worry yer self aboot them. They’ll be ookay. Me name is
For some strange reason I was not afraid. I actually felt like I could trust him. By this time my dog had made his way to the sofa and jumped right up on
“Ya got ya self a mean little tike there.”
“Yeah, I am very surprised by his behavior. He never takes kindly to strangers.”
“Oh, I jist ave a way with animals, that’s all. Any way I bet your wonderin’ why I’m here. Am a right lass?”
“Are you a wizard?”
“Aye, you are a bright one. I am a wizard. In fact I lead a of a group a muggles that are very special. Like ya self lassy.”
“Muggles? For real?”
“Aye. Believe it or not thems story you read, they’re real.”
“Real!!! You mean………”
“Aye, every bit o them. And cause ya believe in them is why I’m here this morn. I want you ya to join me group. Will ya be a part of the Muggle Net?”
“Muggle Net, what is that?”
“What ya say lass? Ya in?”
I thought about it for a moment. I don’t why I said yes. Maybe it was because I wanted to believe in something, I wanted to be special. All my life I dreamed of something better, something more. I knew there was more to this world and it had just come full force into my living room. I wanted to be part of something. Change my life? Yes it did. Do I regret my decision? Hell no. Sure dodging curses and always looking behind my back gets old, but so does databasing my cooking utensils. I am a part of Muggle Net. You know what that says? Elite! Life is more than just living…
Sunday, January 07, 2007
WHY am I here???
Well, I'm in the blogosphere for a reason...
Anyways, I'm working on a Sunday. It kind of worked out well. It's one of the girl's, who typically works weekends, birthday today and the third person who used to work weekends no longer works here, and I need to make up for a day that I need off in early February (yay Chicago)... so it worked out. Very few people are here and I am advancing nicely on my prep work for the serials evaluation study that I will complete in March. I'm going to break some hearts with all of that information!
I'm actually okay with having such a flip-flop schedule at this time in my life. I have a "set" work schedule but it rarely works out that way with school holidays, times that I need to fill in for other workers, vice versa, etc. My commitments are minimal... travel dates are about it. I don't have a pet (well I do, but it's technically my parent's), my friends are usually working or available when I am, Jon lives about 1,800 miles away from me, etc. If there was ever a time to have a weird schedule, (besides college and graduate school) this is it and I'm glad to help people out when I can.
ANYWAYS, I don't really have much to update. I'm currently trying to finish up Inkspell (there really will be a third one of these... uggh) on work meal breaks, and reading Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride. I had problems understanding her writing at first, but I am enjoying it now (I'm about 150 pages into it). The characters are all have really different personalities, but some of the same emotions. She also only gives out crucial information bits at a time, which is good because it makes me want to read more to figure it all out. I also acquired a lot of classics over the break and have decided to read them in between library-loaned current books of my liking. I think I will like the classics more this time around because a. I'm not reading them for school b. I'm not reading them in French and c. I'm older, and therefore, should be able to understand them a bit better (well, maybe). I'm pretty excited for my 2007 "read" list to start accumulating.
Well, that's about it. Besides some way-too-far-away-to-discuss-here travel plans for summer 2008, I've been pretty boring. Maybe I'll update later today with a fun quiz or something. For now, I'm back to the wonderful world of print serials.
Anyways, I'm working on a Sunday. It kind of worked out well. It's one of the girl's, who typically works weekends, birthday today and the third person who used to work weekends no longer works here, and I need to make up for a day that I need off in early February (yay Chicago)... so it worked out. Very few people are here and I am advancing nicely on my prep work for the serials evaluation study that I will complete in March. I'm going to break some hearts with all of that information!
I'm actually okay with having such a flip-flop schedule at this time in my life. I have a "set" work schedule but it rarely works out that way with school holidays, times that I need to fill in for other workers, vice versa, etc. My commitments are minimal... travel dates are about it. I don't have a pet (well I do, but it's technically my parent's), my friends are usually working or available when I am, Jon lives about 1,800 miles away from me, etc. If there was ever a time to have a weird schedule, (besides college and graduate school) this is it and I'm glad to help people out when I can.
ANYWAYS, I don't really have much to update. I'm currently trying to finish up Inkspell (there really will be a third one of these... uggh) on work meal breaks, and reading Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride. I had problems understanding her writing at first, but I am enjoying it now (I'm about 150 pages into it). The characters are all have really different personalities, but some of the same emotions. She also only gives out crucial information bits at a time, which is good because it makes me want to read more to figure it all out. I also acquired a lot of classics over the break and have decided to read them in between library-loaned current books of my liking. I think I will like the classics more this time around because a. I'm not reading them for school b. I'm not reading them in French and c. I'm older, and therefore, should be able to understand them a bit better (well, maybe). I'm pretty excited for my 2007 "read" list to start accumulating.
Well, that's about it. Besides some way-too-far-away-to-discuss-here travel plans for summer 2008, I've been pretty boring. Maybe I'll update later today with a fun quiz or something. For now, I'm back to the wonderful world of print serials.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Happy 2007!
I hope everybody's 2007 is off to a great start.
My break from work is coming to an end. Tomorrow I start back into the normal routine. Luckily it's only a three day week, so it won't be too depressing.
These past two weeks have been great. Christmas was wonderful, especially Christmas Eve dinner. The lobster was fantastic and the company, even more fantastic. For the first time this year, I also experienced Christmas dinner, which was equally as wonderful.
My parents fell ill with a stomach virus that is still affecting my father to this day. I have been able to avoid it somehow thus far (I'll get it on a work day and have to take time off, with my luck), but I think I have passed it on to others, so stay away from me if you can!
On the 28th, Jon and I went to North Carolina to visit Smoky Mountain National Park and Highlands. Despite a 5 hour detour on scary dark roads when they cut off the North Carolina route in the park, we had a lot of fun and saw a lot of waterfalls. It was SO nice to get away from Georgia for a couple of days.
New Years was fun too. I spent it at Paige's and hanging out with Jon, Adrian, etc. Did anybody else see Dick Clark? Perhaps last year should have been his last bash. It was depressing to watch.
Overall, I'm starting the year off on a good note. I'm looking forward to all of the travel and such!
My break from work is coming to an end. Tomorrow I start back into the normal routine. Luckily it's only a three day week, so it won't be too depressing.
These past two weeks have been great. Christmas was wonderful, especially Christmas Eve dinner. The lobster was fantastic and the company, even more fantastic. For the first time this year, I also experienced Christmas dinner, which was equally as wonderful.
My parents fell ill with a stomach virus that is still affecting my father to this day. I have been able to avoid it somehow thus far (I'll get it on a work day and have to take time off, with my luck), but I think I have passed it on to others, so stay away from me if you can!
On the 28th, Jon and I went to North Carolina to visit Smoky Mountain National Park and Highlands. Despite a 5 hour detour on scary dark roads when they cut off the North Carolina route in the park, we had a lot of fun and saw a lot of waterfalls. It was SO nice to get away from Georgia for a couple of days.
New Years was fun too. I spent it at Paige's and hanging out with Jon, Adrian, etc. Did anybody else see Dick Clark? Perhaps last year should have been his last bash. It was depressing to watch.
Overall, I'm starting the year off on a good note. I'm looking forward to all of the travel and such!
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