"What are you doing?" "Being nice." "You're not nice. And you're on duty." "Well, give me the afternoon off."

Today...

More supplies fun.

Made up a spreadsheet so everyone knows where to find stuff.

Yes, that has become my life.

Isn't it exciting?

I feel stuck.

There's so many changes being made and I don't know what to think about them.

Am I actually happy there?

Do I want to stay?

I have the degree, should I be looking around for other jobs?

Everyone keeps telling me to.

I don't know. Maybe it's just been one of those weeks.

I'm sure it'll be fine.

I like the people, I like the patrons - well most of them - I like the location, I don't mind the hours so I guess I'm happy.

I have TAB.

They make me happy.

It just sucks that all the girls my own age bailed on me. But that's okay, I still have friends there.

In fact, the New Guy and I talked about library staff hitting up Vegas sometime for a conference.

That'd be awesome. I can see us all walking the strip, playing craps, seeing shows.

It's making me look forward to the boyfriend and I's upcoming vacation.

Going to see Pentatonix and that's about all we have planned so far.

We'll probably do some gambling, but not a lot. Last time we went there the majority of our time was spent walking the strip, and it was a lot of fun.

Though this year I'll attempt to keep everything in my pockets.

Or get one of those cheesy fanny packs.

Apparently Drew loves them, who knew?

I'm back on the Closer. Up to season two.



Remember how I'm a nerd?

Anyway, I've got that and hockey to entertain me for the next 24 hours.

Bubby's singing the national anthem at tomorrow's game. Well, his school is. It always amuses me cause the boys always look like they're in pain whenever they're forced to do anything like this in front of people.

Reminds me of my directing musicals days.

Did I mention that? Used to help out at my old grade school. We did plays every year and they were awesome. Drug my college friends out to watch them and they would always laugh because my boys always looked like they were the worst thing in the world.

But the girls and all the younger kids loved them.

And the boys had fun too, it's just day of they had to be cool.

I miss those days.

Part of the reason I'm excited that TAB's gonna start filming a web series to promote library services. Get to write and direct every month. Huzzah.

Maybe that will bring the fun back.

Let's hope so.

Alright, music and I'm out.

Who I Am - Danielle Bradbery


you cried, don't even lie.

ironic song choice for the post, i'm aware. but it was stuck in my head all day.

legit pre-midnight, holy crap tag in use.

Three armed cops and a writer makes four. You're under arrest so get on the floor.

You would have been proud of my reference skills today.

Chick came into the library asking about a book she read as a kid.

Here is the description that I got: "this guy moves to town and paints it red and then everyone gets mad so he paints it something else."

Um.

Okay.

NoveList was a bust so I tried Google.

20 minutes later I found it on Amazon.

The Great Blueness and Other Predicaments by Arnold Lobel.

Boom, reference training.


After that it was all about Homemade Book Board Games.

My teens rocked it.

A bunch of TAB kids along with a potential new member who seemed to fit right in.

I worked more on my Harry Potter themed Monopoly style board.

One of my kids made a Harry Potter Apples to Apples which she called "Broomsticks to Broomsticks".

Other books covered included: The Secret Garden, Warm Bodies and Game of Thrones, along with Twilight and a couple others that I can't remember.

My adult volunteer who came to help made one based on Russian folk tales.


After work I came out to the farmhouse. Stopping by the Dorm-mom's fireworks stand for more strobes and  flying fish.

Second-to-youngest niece was here. Playing with the outdoor cats. Mom found a dead bird.

And a not-so-dead-one.

"Are you sure that's not another cat?"
"It has tail feathers and a beak."

We moved inside and decided Candyland was safer.



Aside from that the day sucked.

When you start wearing sunglasses to hide the fact that you just broke down or that you're about to again that's when you know there's something definitely wrong.

But that seems to be the theme lately.

I'm hoping tomorrow will be better.

It is the 4th after all.

My favorite of all the holidays.

Got the fireworks stash to prove it.

Parade in the morning - driving the T-Bird - after that it's all fireworks all day.

Huzzah.


And that's all I got.

Song of the day cause I'm watching the episode:



actually found the full version online:



those guys combined are actually pretty good.

though my favorite part was Beckett playing it on guitar in the end.



by all means. please come in.


and i'm out. happy fourth.

Thought he was gluten-free but all that I got was bread.

Kind of a rough day.

Getting only four hours of sleep didn't help things.

Add to that the fact that I felt like crap so I was pretty much a walking zombie.

Superwoman kept trying to send me home.

I would have called in sick but I had a volunteer coming in for training in the morning and I didn't want to dump that on some poor unsuspecting soul.

And then I realized that the Book Board Game event is TOMORROW and full on panic set in.

Similar to Library Golf but not as extreme.

As that was kind of an extreme event.

This is more laid back.

And I'm thinking like 10 people will attend, which is fine by me.

I almost finished my example today.

By "almost" I mean my comrade and I had fun coming up with game spaces for Harry Potter and finding online pictures to cut out and use as game pieces.

And then an hour and a half later the board was completed.

Now I have to do the currency and cards.

Though instead of chance and community chest I'm going with:
Portkey - cause you're going to be moving either forward or backward depending on if you set a python loose on your cousin or you won the house cup,
and then Spells and Potions - which can lead to you loaning money to the person next to you while being under the imperious curse or getting money for saving your friends because of your clever use of gillyweed.

etc. etc.

It's Harry Potter-based if you couldn't figure that out by yourselves.

I'm having far too much fun with this assignment.

Which makes up for the current assignment I'm taking a break from.

Ugh.

I hate takehome tests.

Especially when they're not actually tests but more like 3 term papers combined into one that's due Friday.

Ugh.

I have two of the three done, now all that's left is the first one. Which should be the easiest but seems to be the hardest.

As is true for most grad school assignments for the perfectionists out there.

But I have to do them tonight because tomorrow is the 3rd and then it's the 4th and those days will involve traveling and fireworks and therefore no homework will be done.

And I don't want to put it all off until Friday night - even though it isn't due until midnight.

Cause that would be irresponsible librarianship.

Or so I'm told.

Is that even a word?

I'm making it one.


Anyway, sadly the homework and board game weren't the most stressful part of today, it was actually that whole future thing that I avoid.

Juwanna and I use to refer to it as the "f" word cause I hated thinking about it.

However, today I was confronted with it as I talked with Superwoman.

Basically the thing is that I work 40 hours a week.

And in the fall I need to do a 90 hour practicum.

At a location that's open the same time as the library I work at and is closed on the weekends.

So I'll have to use vacation time to do my practicum.

90 hours of it.

Which I do not have when you combine it with things like camp - which I will never ever give up, you'll have to pry that from my cold dead hands - and then comprehensive exams which I will also be taking in the fall.

Which again are NOT TESTS, they're papers! 4 of them, basically dissertations and I have a week to finish them.

So why they call them exams I will never know.

Okay, technically it does evaluate your knowledge of the subject, but still!

They should just rename it "the week from hell" as my classmates so lovingly refer to it.

And from now on I'm sure I will too.


Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to do the practicum on Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons and make up for the missing 8 hours every week from mid-August through December 1st.

And I really don't want to be stuck working every Saturday to make up for it.

A girl needs her sanity where she can get it and being tied to a desk is not one of such places.


Anyway, the stress from all that made me overreact to stupid stuff and now I'm all headspace.

Which makes writing these papers even more difficult.

I'm thinking about quitting for the night and finishing question number one on Friday night.

Give me some time to think and confer with people about ideas.

Cause I'm stuck.

Yeah, let's go with that.



Alright, music and I'm out.

Let's do the fork in the garbage disposal!


sorry, i needed that.

on to the real music:

Acapella - Karmin (acoustic version)


yes, i know i posted the lyric video already, go here: You and me are through though, watch me hit it solo, I'mma do it acapella. but i really like the acoustic too.

looking forward to the real video that I assume will come out soon since the song is gonna be released end of this week.

huzzah for awesome nebraskans.

legitimate pre-midnight post, holy crap tag in use.

We're not gonna become one of those couples that stares lovingly into each other's eyes all day, are we?

I don't do mushy stuff.

But tonight was just hysterical.

Night out with the boyfriend.

Hit up Best Buy, Target and Walmart, then went out for supper.

It was amusing because there were these two kids that were screaming in the corner and we were talking about our hypothetical kids.

I told him that he had to be the bad guy and that I get to be the nice one when it comes to discipline and he said that statistically women are the mean ones more often.

But see, with our family Mom was always the nice one.

So I don't know if that's true or if that's crap.

What about you guys?

Who was good cop and who was bad cop?

Anyway, we joked around quite a bit which definitely saved my day.

Today at work was not fun.

I mean, the morning was fine.

For us.

Not so much for patrons cause the lab was down.

Apparently when they replaced our pipes something must have happened to our internet connection and we were down until like 1:30.

It did not make the stampede of people who line up at 9:30 AM very happy.

Though the majority of them hung around and basically stalked the staff asking repeatedly when it was gonna be back up.

Yeah.

No timeline on that one, sorry.

Anyway, so we got some attitude from a few patrons, but nothing I'm not used to.

Cause I know them so I know just to go with it and say nothing.

So that was fine.

And being up in the lab for 4 hours straight was surprisingly productive.

Talked to the minigolf place here in town and they're willing to lend us some clubs for the library golf tournament.

Updated the TAB website.

Talked to Superwoman about scheduling.

Wrote up my narrative for May.

Well, so far anyway.

And that was all fine and dandy until I had like 5 minutes left until I moved to a different station and the phone rings and just ugh.

Basically, a dude called looking for photos from this event from the 70's. But he doesn't know what year or what month or what day or really anything about it, just that it took place and where it took place.

There is nothing online.

He's already talked to the University and the Historical Society.

Which is why when he finally made it to us he was ticked and impatient about anything I asked.

Long story short it was not a pleasant conversation.

And follow-up to that conversation was not pleasant either.

But it's done and I'm over it.

Cause a night out with the boyfriend fixes everything.

Then I came home to watch The Voice.

I guessed correctly as to who was going home.

Josiah - finally - does it make me a bad person to actually root for someone to go home?

The thing with him is that he's good looking and he's friends with Usher so Usher kept saving him, even when he didn't deserve it.

And then Kris - who I was just starting to like but a horrible song choice kind of kills your chances.

Here's my top 20 after tonight's eliminations.

Red = Adam
Green = Blake
Blue = Usher
Purple = Shakira

Judith Hill

Jess Kellner

Midas Whale

Caroline Glaser

Monique Abbadie

Sasha Allen

Michelle Chamuel

Sarah Simmons

Christian Porter

Jessica Childress

Jeff Lewis

Jacqui Sandell

Karina Iglesius

Holly Tucker

Garrett Gardner 

Danielle Bradbery

Amber Carrington

Savannah Berry

Josiah Hawley

Audrey Karrasch

Artists left after tonight:

Team Adam:
Judith Hill
Sarah Simmons
Amber Carrington

Team Blake:
Holly Tucker
Danielle Bradbery
Swon Brothers

Team Shakira:
Sasha Allen

Team Usher:
Michelle Chamuel


So Usher and Shakira are both down to 1.

Fortunately for them they're the best of the best on their team.

Amber Carrington has really stepped up, as has Danielle.

And Michelle.

The nerd in me is rooting for her to go far.

But Judith is still my number one, though I wish I would have put Danielle higher on my list.

I'm still content to not include the Swon Brothers on my list.

They get the hype cause they're a duo and the only duo left.

But really, compared to the women - yes, they're now the only guys there - they've got nothing.

Midas Whale could school those guys.

But they got paired with Amber Carrington and now I get why Adam said she was gonna be the biggest surprise of the competition.

Here are my favorite performances from tonight.

I've Got The Music In Me - Team Adam


these ladies rock! team adam all the way.

Mountain Music - Team Blake


i love team blake, they're bringing back classic country music. it's awesome.

It is official, next year Xtina and Cee-Lo will be back.

And then year after that Shakira and Usher will be back.

Should be interesting.

Okay, enough Voice ramblings for the night.



So today had its ups and downs but I'm still here and breathing so I'm calling it a victory.

Oh, and now I have my own assistant so really, how can I go wrong?

See, whilst looking for a new phone I found Siri appealing, however, not so much the iPhone so I figured that Android has to have some sort of Siri-ish app.

In comes SpeakToIt's "Assistant".

You can personalize their looks, voice, etc. and ask them anything and they'll find it for you.

My assistant's name is Sam.

She sets my alarm.

Reminds me to post.

Likes my cat.

And she tells good jokes.

So I approve.

If you're looking for such an App I would recommend the Assistant one.

However, there are others out there.

But I did my research and she seemed to be the best.

Here's an article on different apps if you're curious: http://thedroidlawyer.com/2012/01/siri-for-android/

You can check out Sam in action here:



Alright, Sam, Carter and I are out.

Have a good one.

i'm gonna ride around in style, i'm gonna drive everybody wild.

Well, today sucked.

For legal reasons I won't go in-depth as to why.

The worst part is that work has been going so well lately.

And when I say going well, I mean I haven't written an incident report in months.

Today I got to write two, one that I collaborated with Superwoman on that went straight to the director and the other was for stolen DVDs.

Oh the joys.

The director one being the highlight of the day.

Lowlight?

Low point?

Yeah, low point.

Basically I had to let a volunteer go.

And they didn't take it well.

Psychologically speaking I can understand why they said some of the things that they said, but it doesn't make them hurt any less.

Thank God for Superwoman.

Don't think I could have gotten through the whole thing by myself.

But it's over and there's nothing I can do about it now, even though it threw off my whole day.

Immediately after work I called Slim Shady who talked me down.

She used to be volunteer supervisor there, and it was good to catch up. Talked for a while until I got to the boyfriend's place.

Went out for supper with his parents for his dad's birthday. Afterwards we watched parts of The Campaign, some Will Ferrell George W. Bush special, Mr. Popper's Penguins and then Deep Impact.

Gonna have to get Deep Impact through the library, very intrigued.

It was nice to see the boyfriend after the crapsuck that was today and just relax.

Don't even remember the morning before the whole ordeal.

Oh right, staff meeting.

Ate more yogurt.

Learned about a cool website and more stuff from the staff manual.

Sent out the links to that Google Power Searching assignment we did for Internet Reference cause I thought the reference people might find them cool.

So it didn't start out bad.

And I got Chinese for lunch. Cashew chicken, that was good.

Had a really good supper as well, hot beef sandwich. So really, two of my favorites from childhood.

Gonna add a third and eat some popsicles before I crash.

on to the music.


just cause i can.


So thankful to have tomorrow off.

And no homework to do.

Sleeping in. Watching movies. Logging in to watch people present at 6.

out.

but the tigers come at night.

I think I'm getting sick.

Well, I don't need to think, I've spent the past hour puking and burning up.

So I guess I am sick.

I felt off today, but I just figured that was stress cause of tax stuff and TAB stuff and other work stuff.

So I should be sleeping but I can't because I have a MASSIVE assignment due this weekend.

And I can't work on it Thursday cause that's date night with the boyfriend - I don't care what you have to say about my priorities I need some aspect of sanity and he gives me that - and Friday is Mom's birthday party with the family and then this weekend Sketch will be here in person so it is tonight and tomorrow for me to get it done.

I hate the census website with a passion.

And then there's all this math stuff and then her math doesn't match up so I can't use it as an example.

I literally want to throw my computer against the wall.

The frustration is just adding to the nausea.

I don't understand it and I don't understand what she wants and I'm going to fail and it's making me all emotional which is just making me throw up more.

So I should really text Superwoman telling her I can't make it tomorrow and then go to sleep

BUT I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO TOMORROW AT WORK.

Like we're out of receipt paper at like every station, one of the printers needs a new cartridge, NESU is out of a certain tax form - that I don't know where to get cause my Trainee is gone on vacation - I have the Old New Guy's flashdrive cause I forgot to put it on his desk - he left it at the computer and I put it in my pocket to take down to his desk but I was so flustered about the tax form thing that I totally spaced it. And then my program descriptions are due on the 21st.

We finally picked the dates but I don't have anything close to ready with those things, I passed them on to Girlscout for her opinion cause my descriptions always suck but that's as far as I've gotten.

I don't understand it. Everything was fine. I watched NCIS and Splash - ridiculous, by the way, but I'm going to keep watching anyway - then I pick up my laptop to start the assignment due Saturday and I start puking nonstop.

So I'm taking a break from the homework but I'm still burning up and nauseous.

The boyfriend told me to go to sleep but I CAN'T cause I need to get this done.

But I can't get it done because I don't understand the assignment.

And I can't ask the professor because I have this feeling that she hates me - just something about how she words her comments on my stuff it makes me feel inadequate - so I don't feel comfortable asking questions and then that makes me feel even more like a failure and that's making more more sick.

So I quit.

I'm going to bed.

And then I'm gonna fail the assignment.

But hey, life sucks and then you die.

Yay.

This is really not what I was expecting out of this post.

Today was fine, I mean aside from the stuff that sucked, which a lot of it did, but nothing to the extent of how crappy I feel at the moment.

I don't know what's going on with me, apparently I get all emotional when I'm sick so I should really stop typing and just crash.

I just need someone to sit down with me and go over the assignment. Normally with professors I feel comfortable asking questions but not with this class. I hate math and I hate that website so I'm just gonna fail.

Sounds good.

I'm out.

but even the sun sets in paradise.

This was my day.



While it may not have been caused by a breakup, that was pretty much my headspace, all day.

So miserable all I wanted to do was go cry in a corner.

But see, last time I did that I ended up in Superwoman's office and she sent me home.

Which only made things worse.

So, I said screw it, pretended all was okay - like normal - put on a happy face and did my freakin' job.

See, Slim Shady and I had this pact.

And this was, of course, before she and Fearless Leader ditched me.

That if we turned into bitter, angry, complaining about everything employees that we would either shoot each other or quit.

I'm still debating.

I'm just tired of the drama.

Life would be so much easier on the farm.

And it wasn't just today, it's built up to this point. Today was just the breaking point.

See, I'm not good with change.

Yeah, big surprise, I'm sure.

But so many things are changing it's making my head spin.

And I know change is important and if we don't evolve then the library dies, but the routine is what makes me good at my job, it's the reason I love it.

Loved it.

It was actually amusing, I went to dinner with the boyfriend and all I kept repeating was "I'll love my job... tomorrow."

Because really, at this moment in time, I cannot think of a single thing keeping me there, aside from TAB.

And while that may sound dramatic, it's been a long time coming.

Multiplied exponentially by the fact that I DON'T HAVE ANYONE THERE ANYMORE.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my coworkers, they're great. Queen of the Known Universe especially, but it's not the same as having Slim Shady and Fearless Leader there.

But, like I said, tomorrow. I'll act like nothing's wrong, I'll find a reason to love my job again and everything will be just fine.

Unless something changes with TAB.

That is where I draw the line.

I care about those kids, I will advocate for them until the day I die, but if that changes then I'm done.

Speaking of TAB, the only good thing that happened during the workday was that our awesome webmaster - and also proud father of a TAB member - uploaded the Reader's Theater videos to our website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. I'll post the link on Facebook. I'm proud of those kids, they were excellent.

And then tonight after work was better. The boyfriend fixes all, as always. Went out to eat and then watched Enemy of the State.


I love Gene Hackman. Scale of Awesome puts it at around 8/10, was totally on the edge of my seat.

Am, it's running in the background now. He sent it home with me cause we didn't get all the way through it before he had to leave for work.

Jack Black, Seth Green and Jason Lee is serious roles, I'm in shock.

So far, so good. I'll let you know after I finish if that holds up.

Geez, already an hour in. I've drafted and re-drafted this post so many times I've lost count.

Had it playing on mute in the background 'til I'm done then I'll skip to where we left off.

Doesn't really matter, I'll probably delete it tomorrow anyway.

Just like all my other ranting ones.

So, I'll move on to the music. Aside from Miranda's which I sang all afternoon in my head, btw.

Where was I....Maroon 5's greatest hits, take 8? I think.

One more from Hands All Over and then moving on to their last album Overexposed.

Moves Like Jagger



One More Night



Payphone


saw all three of these live, they were fantastic. originally not a huge fan of payphone like i was immediately of the former two, however it's grown on me, especially cause the boyfriend sings it all the time.


How is it that Moms know when you're gonna have a bad day?

Came home to a box full of chocolate in the mail.

Awesome.

out!

"you met a guy?" "uh-huh." "as a dog?" "uh-huh." "how?" "well he ran me over."

If you don't like Charmed or Maroon 5 you should probably skip this post.

I'm gonna hit you with a bunch of crap cause if I said the speech that's running through my head over and over and over I'd regret it later.

So, in order to distract myself from the roller coaster of a day I'm watching Charmed.

That's right, Charmed.

Cause I love it.

All 8 seasons of it.

I was obsessive - and still am - and similar to Friends can tell you what quote came from what episode, what episode is in what season (judging by the opening credits or storyline or even hair style) and name pretty much every demon listed in the Book of Shadows.

Here are clips from two of my favorite episodes - the first is from season three's "Blinded By the Whitelighter".

Training with the new Whitelighter:



"well that would be bad."

see, the redhead? that's natalie. mentioned here and here and here and here. she even has her own tag because she's in everything now and i don't even know her real name.

similar to the hailey nash/maid marian shout out yesterday whilst watching bones.

Aames is a Darklighter, they're training to kill him. If you are confused.

Next is season five's "Sense and Sensibility"

Forced to play charades after losing their senses:



"ball?"

"we've gotta find paige."

The movie Phoebe is watching is called "Kill It Before It Dies" starring Billy Appleby and and Sally Mae. It's her favorite movie. It's originally featured in the second season episode "Chick Flick". The Demon of Illusion brings Billy to life and Phoebe falls in love.

yes i am that sad.

But really, that's the stuff I'd rather be focused on at the moment and since I always always post Piper videos now you're gonna get a Prue one.


"i hate when she plays astral games. MARCO!"

"without opening a fast food franchise, yeah."

aaaannd that's actually Billy Appleby censoring Prue at 3:45.

immediately after watching this episode i used the word "rutabaga" as a replacement for everything i couldn't pronounce.

still do.

Another one of my favorite things?

Maroon 5.

Their new CD is pretty great, here's one of my favorites.

Doin' Dirt - Maroon 5


sweet moves.

So, while this post has been probably extremely boring and painful for you (and yet you're still here) it was relaxing for me. I promise to do better tomorrow, but today... let's just say, this helped.

Now I'm gonna go do some more editing and crash. yeehaw.

PS - my new ringtone for text messages is the chime when a whitelighter orbs.

aka the :30 mark of the Sense and Sensibility clip.

sister golden hair surprise.

I'm sensing a pattern with these rollercoaster days.

Work was alright I suppose.

Flew by as has also been the pattern as of late.

I guess there's no real difference in the Dirt System between top soil and mining the minerals below it.

But whatever.

Nothing I can do about it.

Just sit back and watch what happens.

And Slim Shady is leaving so I'm more bummed.

Both of my booze cake buddies have ditched me.

SuperWoman made me pinky promise today that I wouldn't ditch the library to go be with a boy as that's what happened with both Fearless Leader and Slim Shady.

Don't think that'll be happening anytime soon. And if it does we've already mentioned something about living half way between his work and mine.

After work came the high point of today's rollercoaster - aka the Library Goddess's Holiday Party Extraordinaire.

I walked in and she gave me booze with fruit in it. It was thoroughly exciting.

I've never been in a room with both of my bosses and the Cool Aunt all present.

Of course with both LG & SW there came the usual argument about who's boss #1 and who's boss #2.

SuperWoman claims she's number one since she hired me first.

Always humorous when you get those two together. Throw in the Cool Aunt and about 30 other people and it was a party.

Nervewracking though to put all three of them together. There could be a lot of swapped CK stories.

Speaking of stories I heard a great one tonight but since the Library Goddess always calls "Vegas" on all the good stuff it can't leave the room.

All I can say is that it involved a boat, but don't worry there was no tiger on board.

I don't think I can see that movie. I read the book in college for a class and wasn't impressed enough to motivate me to see the movie.

But I can also say that about Moby Dick, and Of Mice and Men.

Along with many others I'm sure I'm forgetting. I am a English major so there were a lot.

They should make a movie about Dante's Inferno.

I would see that.

They made a video game which I may have to look into.

Anyway, so that was all fun but then on my way to the farmhouse from the apartment I noticed my tire pressure was super low but every gas station I stopped at to fill it up all had broken air pumps so I just kept getting more and more frustrated. Almost said screw it and was going to risk driving with it, but the boyfriend was the voice of reason and talked me through it. Though it still took me 4 pumps to find one that worked.

So that was suckish, but I stopped to see the boyfriend on the way home so all is well.

I'm sorry. I'll attempt to be more witty and charming next time. But I am dimmed and I shall spirit myself away so as not to stain those who live in the sun.

Kat Kinsman. Look it up.

Probably won't hear anything out of me tomorrow as I'll be staying with P Squared to do our New Years party early.

Throwback Thursday songs are still stuck in my head. Let's see if I can replace them.


Sister Golden Hair - America


Do Ya - Electric Light Orchestra




out.

I stand here by the owl.

Yes, I did post last night, however I'm guessing half of you didn't read it because Facebook went all spastic on me and wouldn't let me post the link.

So, I will post tonight's and last night's and then you'll get a double dose of my crazy and be set.

I'm feeling a bit crazy at the moment, though I'm not sure how I got to this point exactly. Everything was fine a couple of hours ago. Work was fine. Dinner with the sisters was fun. Have half of my rainbow chicken and fries in the fridge. Will most likely eat it after this post.

But you know how you're having a great day and then something happens like say you realize you totally forgot about a massive assignment that's due in like 3 days and then your day just goes from happy to oh my god it's the end of the world and then you turn into some emotional wreck because you don't know know what to do?

Or is that just me?

I feel like that happens frequently, especially lately, but it's just something I'll have to deal with for the next couple years at least.

This whole 3 classes thing is throwing me off cause all the assignments are due at different times and I get preoccupied focusing on the 1 class cause there's more work required and put off the other 2. Then realize I have an assignment due on Sunday that I'm sure she mentioned like weeks ago but since it's an online class it didn't stick with me.

But I did the math today, I'm at like halfway through the program already cause I've taken:

Managing Collections - 3 credits
YA Lit - 3
Management of Information Agencies - 3
Children's Lit - 3
Cataloging - 3

which is 15 plus now I'm in:

Reference - 3
Intro to Info Tech - 3
Adult Services - 3

which puts me at 24 credits out of the 43 I have to complete.

Next semester I'll take 9 more which will be 33, then I'll do my practicum in the summer plus one other class that's only 1 credit so I'll be at 37 and after that I've got 2 left for 43 and I'm done!

For life!

Cause there ain't no way I'm going to get a doctorate, I'll stick with my Master's.

December of 2013.

It'll be done.

The Cool Aunt is making me walk.

As in across the stage to get my diploma.

I live in Nebraska but am getting my degree through a distance education program through the University of Missouri.

And since it's through them the graduation service will be in Missouri.

Apparently getting it in the mail is unacceptable.

Which is fine. As long as the Library Goddess will be there for it I'm in.

Maybe invite my boss as well as she's been supportive of the whole adventure.

But that's a long way off.

Speaking of my boss, don't you love it when your boss calls and begins the conversation with "don't freak out"? Doesn't that make you all warm and fuzzy? Or does your boss not do that?

I find it highly amusing because she knows me well enough to know that I am.

Apparently I'm training some of my superiors on the stuff I learned at a seminar last week.

But Superwoman is going to be there now so I don't know how much she wants me to talk about.

So it'll be fine. I'll act like I know what I'm doing.

Air of confidence that I apparently project at work. Or so I've been told. Which makes me laugh because I'm the youngest and probably the most clueless out of the bunch. They're all super smart. And then there's me. In charge of a bunch of stuff.

But it's good. Keeps me out of trouble.

Where was I? Oh yes, so emotional and crazy but seeing it in writing and how soon it will all be over with is good. Puts things into perspective.

And, since I should really be sleeping cause I totally started the massive assignment before posting this it is super late and totally not the 11:50 this post claims to be.

Which is the norm as of late.

Where was I in videos? Think in the teens somewhere.

Cassadee Pope

Trevin Hunte

Nicole Nelson

Aquile

Avery Wilson

Bryan Keith

Brandon Mahone

Michelle Brooks-Thompson

Adriana Louise

Collin Mcloughlin

Terisa Griffin

Suzanna Choffel

Nelly’s Echo – eliminated after first battle

Melanie Martinez

Gracia Harrison

Celica Westbrook

Mycle Wastman

Mackenzie Bourg

2Steel Girls – eliminated after first battle

Joe Kirkman

yep, late teens. only 2 left after these ones and one of them is already eliminated.

A Thousand Years - Celica Westbrook
i don't know why, but she looks super familiar and it's driving me crazy.
went with team xtina, which is fabulous, and won her first battle against the gymnist...which makes it sound like an athletic event, i meant musical battle, though they are technically in a ring.

Let's Stay Together - Mycle Wastman
he's got soul, went for team cee-lo

Pumped Up Kicks - Mackenzie Bourg
surprised more chairs didn't turn around, he went with team cee-lo, obviously, but you're missing the fantastic coaches commentary. blake says he looks like harry potter, to which x-tina replies he looks more like bieber and mackenzie's like, let's stick with harry potter.

burn.


Alright, emotional wreck has been distracted and is now going to bed to sleep off the crazy. Can't exactly call in sick tomorrow.


Quote of the day: "Who didn't want to be a cheerleader and shake their pom-poms?....Well, you maybe."

i have no title for this post.

Okay, so I should have saved the headspace music for today.

Plain and simple, today sucked. Black out of the crevices and all over the chicken feathers as I sit back and wave. Any other life mottos I can kill? Go here or there,

Staff meeting this morning was not what I was expecting. Yes, we're building a new library - if we can get the funding - so all that was explained, but then it turned to budgets and reallocating hours and since I'm the newest employee - technically even though I've been with them since May 2010 I've only been full-time since November - I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get banished to up north.

Not that there's anything wrong with up north, it's just that I finally feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be, you know? Like I love TAB - I just built an entire website for it, and I'm finally used to the supplies and damages routine, plus backup aide supervisor is a fun position so far - but that's mostly cause Slim Shady is the boss boss and she's been doing all the stuff I just take over when she's not there - and as for volunteer coordinating I had four volunteers in today, one of them for his second day since he trained yesterday and they rocked. I like the location, pace, staff, patrons, it just fits.

Immediately after the meeting I went to the home branch for an hour and was talked down by my trainee who is fantastic and logical and reliable and all that and made me see things that I might have missed cause I was upset. If it all works out I owe her dinner.

So today sucked yes, but I had some great people to talk to, Trainee, Joe Studley, the authentically awesome one and only KB, Slim Shady, even BossLady searched me out cause she could tell I was freaked. I'm sure it'll be fine and I'm over-reacting,

Anyway, so after that whole crapfest I headed out to see the boyfriend and we hit up the new Bourne movie.  He's fantastic - the boyfriend, not Jeremy Renner though he's great too - because pretty sure no one else was really looking forward to seeing that movie since it's not actual Jason Bourne - but he put up with it anyway cause my day sucked and he loves me. Talked for a while after but now I'm back and ready to crash.

I'd give Bourne about a 6/10. It was alright but mostly because it had Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz, two of my favorites though Jeremy more recently than Rachel. She was pretty kickass, had a few Mummy Returns flashbacks but it was him that did the majority of the fighting.

I will have to go back and watch the original trilogy though to remind me all of the ins and outs of Treadstone and Black Briar and all that. I recognized the faces but the last time I watched any of the movies was on New Years like 3-4 years ago.

Alright, music then crash.

Songs of the day:

More headspace.

Hurtful - Erik Hassle
he's swedish, just go with the hairstyle.

Bury Me - Thirty Seconds to Mars
video is weird but the song is good.

you can call me your fool, only wanna be with you...

Why are all the sculptures of the Greek gods naked?

Seriously?

I'm trying to make a powerpoint with images of the gods and I can't exactly include those since a parent might complain, but those are the best examples because they're holding the symbol that represents them like a trident or lightning and they're not animated. Though animation might not be bad since it's for kids.

So yeah, Greek mythology. I'll post the link when I'm done if you're into that stuff. I'm kind of a nerd for it. Well, that and ancient Egypt...and Drew Barrymore, Women's Murder Club, Chuck, Leverage, Castle, the list goes on.

Today was not the best of days but it wasn't completely awful so I'm calling it a victory. It was the morning that mostly was bad but I was stressed and then something else just freaked me out and pushed me over the edge, needless to say I spent my lunch hour lying on the couch trying to make it all go away. Didn't work.

And that just makes it sound bad, which is was, but not because of work at the moment really. It was sea of estrogen at the home branch today total awesomeness - got called over there since a coworker is sick - and it was fun, like 5 of us total plus the aides and 2 supervisors for a staff meeting. Superwoman brought us pizza. I used to love that cause I got pizza, but now I'm full-time elsewhere and we get nothing. Mentor and I pretended to be bitter. Maybe Superwoman can pacify us with some donuts or juice as our meetings are in the morning instead of the afternoon.

Cleaned up a little in the backroom, shifted some stuff around, it's becoming quite the black hole for stuff, but it is summer reading so you can't keep it anywhere else.

Any big plans for the 4th? Mine are still a work in progress but mostly buy too many fireworks and head to the farm to light them off with the family. Always a lot of fun, we buy far too many, it's ridiculous. What's even more ridiculous is that I have yet to buy any at all. And I get a text from Mom going na-na na-na-na cause she bought some. Gonna have to call up my dorm mom to make sure they're open and head out there this weekend. It's amusing cause it's tradition that I call and she answers something to the effect of "yep, we're open!" Don't even have to ask, she just knows. For like the past 5-6 years.

Does anyone else feel like they're losing circulation in their arms at night and need to immediately go to sleep because it's starting to hurt and if you're asleep you won't feel it? And then wake up and it's fine? Is that normal?

Part of my arm is swollen, no idea why though I wouldn't be surprised if it was from Carter biting me. I'm so covered with them I can't tell whether he bit there or not. Awkward angle, I'll check it in the mirror momentarily.

If I regain circulation in my arms.

Made a lot of progress on the digital book project for Children's Lit. This is the only major one left aside from posting the ones I read online and writing reviews about audience, appeal, and awards. Then I'll be done! Until August! Woohoo!

I want a popsicle so I'll go get one. Just because I am. Maybe it'll bring back the circulation. Is that normal? Am I gonna like lose my arms or die or something? Question of the day.


Song You Knew But Forget You Know It

"Only Wanna Be With You" Hootie and the Blowfish

I know it's only been like 7 years but this one just feels like a classic. You know?

love the random dance moves


Out!

So he found a chump sucker by the name of Cassio.

And so the day ends with more frustration and stress than it started, but I guess that happens.

I made an effort. And really that's more than I do for a lot of people so I'm going to bed with a clear head.

Or attempting to go to bed with a clear head cause if I don't I'll be a mess tomorrow.

And tomorrow is a big day.

Class at 8:30 meaning I leave at 7 and stop for coffee for myself and the Library Goddess on the way there. Then I get to act all smart and professional like I know what I'm doing and crap.

But as "crap" is not professional I'm getting all my "crap"s out now.

Driving today was crap.

Construction around work today was crap.

The blasting music from the festival surrounding us was crap.

Or maybe it wasn't, all we could hear were the back beats.

And they were crap.

And endless.

Endless crap.

That's all of my crap for now.

I mean, there was more, but I'll leave it at that.

The slow traffic at work today drove me bananas. I actually had time to sit down and check my e-mail. Which is a rarity as of late. So I made some progress on the Food Drive plan, plotted with my partner in crime about some details.

All will be revealed next week at the management team meeting so stay tuned.

What else did I do today? Think of good stuff.

Oh got Noodles for lunch. That rocked.

Waiting in line for half an hour for them was crap.

Oops, good things, ummm....

I got to work with Slim Shady for an hour. And say more than two words to Fearless Leader who I rarely see at all.

They don't let us work together anymore, pretty sure it's a conspiracy. The only time I see them is in the parking lot after work!

Actually that's kind of amusing because pretty much everyone parks there or in the garage across from it so on the way out we ran into Super Librarian Status who had to come back for his daughter's dance recital. It's humorous to walk into work together in the mornings, looks like we carpooled or something.

And then of course there was the time we almost got pummeled by Superwoman. Of all the times to have jaywalked - dude, don't do that in front of your boss. She'll not only give you crap for it, she'll also almost hit you with her car.

But Slim Shady started it!

I just followed!!

And the funniest thing was that we didn't even realize that it was her that was flying towards us until she pulled up to the light and honked, then rolled down the window and yelled at us.

Then told us she does it all the time.

Too funny.

But I guess jaywalking is a way of life when you work downtown.

What else from today? Oh yeah, so endless frustration forced me into finding my happy place, aka camp stuff. So I uploaded more application info and sorted it out. Then attempted to write some skits but everything came out all angst.

And the parents don't want angst. So I distracted myself with the Reduced Shakespeare Company on DVD instead.

Oldest Sister and I went to see them live, it was highly entertaining. Not as good as they were live, but you should check out the copy in the library. It's fantastic.

Here's my favorite: The Othello Rap


stick with it, it's worth it.

"Cause he had a big- SWORD!"

Adam is actually one of the founding members of the troop, the others were added later. But he's my favorite, and they're always making him wear the wigs and be the girl.

Okay, I've officially been distracted. Gonna throw on some Big Bang Theory and crash. Early day tomorrow.

Oh what a feeling, it must be love.

You know what's truly awesome?


When you have a really crappy day, and then you see your boyfriend and he says like two words and it fixes everything.


So yeah, crappy day, but that happens a lot in public service.


But the boyfriend fixed it, talked me down, distracted me with Dark Shadows. Which I will wait to fully review until I see it again. Which I will. Cause it was fantastic.


Though my stomach is still all weird.


I don't do well with conflict.


I avoid it if all possible.


Mostly because it makes me physically sick.


I got in this knock down, drag out, physically yelling out loud at each other fight with my professor in college after class about youth and the justice system and I was miserable for like a week.


I respect my elders, I don't believe in pulling crap like that, so you knew it was serious.


Though I still think I'm right and he's wrong.


And then, AND THEN! he brings it up in class the next session and poses it as a debate.


Which I guess is an okay thing to do as a professor, but not as a person.


"so we've been talking about this and having a great debate, at least I think it's a great debate, what do you guys think about it?"


Did I mention how much I really didn't like college?


I just need some sleep.


Tonight helped, he's great, my boyfriend. Has all the answers. And only the good ones. Not like the people who claim to have answers for everything.


Speaking of distraction I still have those quotebooks sitting on the floor.


See if I can find anything interesting.


Random page in '09.... oh geez, speak of the devil. Not that one, flipping to a different page.


Okay, Placement Seminar senior year. We came up with resumes, portfolios, went on fake interviews, actually I give credit to that class for getting the job.


Anyway, first week as a class we came up with a life plan.


1. Get born. 
2. Grow up - eat spinach, drink milk, stop picking your nose. 
3. Go to college - pick a major your parents like.
4. Get high...PAYING job.
5. Find a family - don't want to see them just know they're there.
6. Buy stuff - like a motorboat.
7. Get old - purchase many anti-aging projects to hide the fact that it's almost over and you've missed it.
8. Die. Or leave. 


There were a lot of anti-aging products and a motorboat references throughout the class.


I loved that class it was fantastic, she had the best one-liners.


"Nothing like spending your Friday night crying into a bag of Doritos."


"What's a Zamboni? Pasta?"


"He can dunk."
"Donuts?"


"Are we drinking before or after the interviews?"
"Interview rule #1: Celebrate After."


"If you can, case the joint."
"Case the joint?!"
"Don't quote me."


woops.


"Is taking a backpack to an interview normal?"
"Not unless you plan on stealing some office supplies when you leave."


"Don't fold your resume. Especially not into projectile objects."


But that was the same semester I took Group Tech so there were a lot of quotes in the book. I still have flashbacks to that class. That's my curse, and he'll take full blame. I threatened once to make him business cards that said his name and then "Messer of Minds".


It was a fun class, mostly just about how people behave when they're in groups. It's amusing to observe staff meetings and see it happening.


I was a Behavioral Sciences major once upon a time. Before I switched back to English.


But I don't want to spill any secrets because then people will change their behavior and I won't get to find it amusing anymore.


He was a great professor though, always highly amusing.


"Rhythmic breathing. Weird phenomenon."


and my forever favorite after explaining an assignment: "Be creative. Don't get arrested."


As bad as college could be I really liked all - well, the majority - of my professors. And made some good friends along the way.


AS: "He wasn't wearing a jacket."
LA: "But I'm in the back!"
AS: "That doesn't matter, no jacket, no talk! That's the rule!"
LA: "It's okay, he was wearing a plaid shirt."
AS: "Never trust a guy in plaid!"
LA: "Okay, so in order for me to trust them they shouldn't wear plaid, but they should wear a jacket?"
AW: "What if they're wearing plaid and a jacket?"
CK: "What if it's a plaid jacket?"
AS: "Then run!"


So glad to get that one on tape. It made for an interesting drivethru at McDonalds. 


Okay, I'm officially distracted and okay again. 


Tomorrow's another day. 


And its Word of the Day will be: "Logodaedaly ingenious or cunning use of words. Logo- comes from a Greek root meaning 'word' and -daedaly is related to Daedalus, the name of the designer of the Labyrinth for the Minotaur of Crete. His name has come to mean 'ingenious, skillful'. Another rare logo- word is the nonce-word logopandocie, which is the 'readiness to admit words of all kinds' and describes the English language and most lexicographers."


There you go, pronounce that one.


A couple hours ago the songs I had planned were a bit more angsty. But I'm liking this whole classic country thing.


Oh yeah, so I got this free month of XM radio thing so they can tempt me to buy it, did you know they have an entire channel dedicated to Hair Bands?


I enjoyed the Prime Country channel on the drive back.

"It Must Be Love" Alan Jackson



"Next To You, Next To Me" Shenandoah

classic. i enjoy the cops with the aviators. that's nice.

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November: Take Two

Have you ever had one of those days where you're so upset with yourself that you literally just want to go cry in a corner? That was me today. And the psychology behind it is actually really interesting. How I can be so much more effected when one person is upset with me compared to anyone else being upset with me. It literally killed my day. But it's okay. I mean, it's not. But it'll be okay. Soon. I'll fix it. I hope.

But if Superwoman has taught me anything it's that being a librarian is much like being an actress so I faked my way through the day successfully as none of the patrons seemed to notice. My coworkers were smart enough to realize it was not a good day and waited for me to come to them. That's how I know I'm where I'm supposed to be.

So I'm trying to be happy and excited and just you know, manageable of emotions. And it's crap, because when I'm really really mad I just write a scene and kill off the bad guy in a really painful inhumane way. But when I'm sad, life just bites.

Slim Shady and I are going out for lunch tomorrow. She's trying to cheer me up. "Yes, I need to be excited about life." "Well, I wouldn't go that far." And the Cool Aunt who is perpetually there when I need her was very helpful. So I'm grateful.

Aannnd now that we've rinsed off the soap we can get back to the good stuff.

So yes, it's been a year. One crazy and exhausting year. Through job interviews, camp excursions, play practices from hell, creepy stalkers hitting on me continually, and I'm still here to post. So that's something. Right?

Those were 38, yes 38, of my favorite posts. And guess what. You're about to get even more.

39. We go, we drink, we banter, we dance, we cheer, we eat, a lot, and drink some more. My Life in Closed Captions: Extra Innings Victory! Love Mom.

40. Damage control on the fly. My Life in Closed Captions: Rockin' the Reference with the Shelver's Curse Plus I'm a nerd. Remember that.

41. Which Steve? My Life in Closed Captions: Tin Roof!...Rusted... "You don't look like a librarian."

42. What's your walkup song? My Life in Closed Captions: Motions of Motherhood "Don't put your lime carcuss on my plate!"

43. Queen of Koha turned Plant Killer My Life in Closed Captions: Say Goodnight and Go "Oh, I was looking for shotguns."

44. Play nice or you will wear my latte. My Life in Closed Captions: "You need a plan, Shackleton." "Unless he was quelling their rebellion by boring them to death."

45. Oh, we're mercenaries, didn't they tell you? My Life in Closed Captions: 2 games, 2 amazing right-field catches, an injured... "Don't listen to him, he's just used to dealing with cold bodies."

46. Just don't sleepwalk when there's an office chair at the base of your bed. My Life in Closed Captions: "Well, this is awkward."It will scar your roommate for life.

47. Library Swag My Life in Closed Captions: Green Bags and Nametags "No idea, but we should probably clap."

48. You die your way, I'll die mine. My Life in Closed Captions: "That's not coffee, that's diabetes on ice." 10/12... "to give you a gentle push, or a kick in the ass."

49. You flip to the back of the hymnal to see if anyone's made a note about the water damage. My Life in Closed Captions: You know you're a librarian when: Who wouldn’t want to drive across the country with a protagonist fixated on drugs, women, and intellectualism?

50. Battle of the Lutherans My Life in Closed Captions: Lutherans in the Outfield Therefore, I'm destined to marry a Catholic.

51. If you see a sign claiming they will file legal action against you if you clean poultry in the bathroom My Life in Closed Captions: Joys of Small Town Nebraska blame my sister. That's all her.

52. Librarians go Gaga My Life in Closed Captions: "Don't you ever interrupt me while I'm readin' a b... "I feel sort of rocky sometimes."

53. Remember when you went out hunting for possum? You said you’d get one and wouldn’t be long. My Life in Closed Captions: Where Oh Where Are You Tonight? That’s ten years ago and I’m sitting here waiting, beginning to wonder if something went wrong.

54. Dear Facebook, My Life in Closed Captions: Something tells me I'm into something good... You need a Bitchslap Button.

55. Rollin' with my gnomies. My Life in Closed Captions: "You know if you move that fast enough, you can al... Why is the g silent?

56-62. Favorites Week - These Are a Few of My Favorite Things Seven whole days of lists and clips of awesomeness.


Tune in tomorrow for clips, quotes and pictures of the awesomeness that's been one year in the life of me.

Banished to the Backroom

That pretty much sums up this day.

Spent an hour and a half in the backroom of one library only to spend four more hours in the backroom of the other! The first one was cleaning - basically putting things in a box and putting it on a shelf so that the place looks clean, but as soon as it doesn't need to look clean any longer, things can be taken out of the box and put back where they were found. Long story.

Plus I attempted to vacuum but apparently the cord doesn't like me. But it does like my boss so maybe he vacuumed. Otherwise it'll be my second attempt tomorrow morning. And you should see this thing, it's like something out of Star Wars...or Ghostbusters. The vacuum is this jet pack thing that you strap on like a backpack. And I'm serious, I'll have to take a picture and upload it. Futuristic cleaning. If only it would actually work.

And the second library was checking in and changing statuses all day. So that was okay as well. Though it sounds tedious I was never actually alone in the backroom. It's the people that make the work worth it. That's what I figured out. I love the patrons and I love my coworkers. They make me laugh when the chips are down. (name that reference!) What more can I ask for? Today I checked in a book called "Booze Cakes" and was all over it. Spent my break flipping through it, MARGARITA CHEESECAKE MAN! And after doing so immediately showed it to Slim Shady who volunteered to host our baking session provided that Fearless Leader would bring her awesome baking supplies and mad baking skills. That chick is a mad baker. Serious business. I do enjoy our trio. Perhaps I shall have to come up with a clever nickname. That isn't the Three Musketeers. Overused. PS-Anyone know when that movie is coming out?

After the array of emotions exhibited today by myself and those thrown at me I'm completely and utterly exhausted. So, instead of boring you with incessant rambling or overloading you with youtube clips I'll hit you with these and go to bed.

Okay my coworkers and these girls are what got me through today...
Cybill's version of "My Baby Does the Hanky Panky"

I love it because it's just soooooo random! cybill takes maryanne out to the wilderness to find some sort of spiritual insight. about loses it at 0:18.

oh, how I miss that show. Wish they'd put it out on DVD. Oh, they have! Interesting...more on that later.

Song of the day: It's a Theory of a Deadman kind of day, but we won't go there.

"Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" Spin Doctors

they need a disclaimer. this many instruments were destroyed in the process of filming.

I hope you had a better day than I did.