further proof people need less time on their hands...

The penguins are causing trouble again.

Week Six

11/27

11/26

11/25

11/24

11/23

11/22

11/21

Week 5

Lots of random pictures of Josh and the apartment this week. I guess it's because the fall colors are pretty much over and now it's just cold and brown outside. Blah.

Monday 11/20

Sunday 11/19

Saturday 11/18

Friday 11/17

Thursday 11/16

Wednesday 11/15

Tuesday 11/14

Week 4

Monday 11/13

Sunday 11/12

Saturday 11/11

Friday 11/10

Thursday 11/9

Wednesday 11/8

Tuesday 11/7

Week 3

11/6

Return to DC

11/5

Hanging with the sis

11/4

Mom and Dad at my cousin's wedding

11/3


11/2

Ah...Fall

11/1

New glasses.

10/31

Spotted on Halloween.

Week 2

10/30/06

I was cleaning up before heading to work and the light made the yarn look pretty. Too bad I didn't capture the cool shadows.

10/29/06

Josh played a lot of video games this weekend. He calls this "working."

10/28/06

Pretty cherry trees.

10/27/06

A very dark and dreary drive home.

10/26/06

Old Town pumpkins...très chic.

10/25/06

So I walk outside to go to work and my car window was smashed and my cd player stolen out of the the glove compartment. That was a fun day. It cost me almost $200 to fix and what did they get from it? A crappy 8 year old CD player.

10/24/06

Chopping up the stuff for a yummy curry.

You know what's so emo?

Ok, graphic novel insider that I am, I just had to share this. There's a new graphic novel that is coming out soon. The title? EMO BOY, VOL. 1. NOBODY CARES ABOUT ANYTHING ANYWAY SO WHY DON'T WE ALL JUST DIE? The annotation reads: Poor Emo Boy - he's unpopular, unloved, and has no family. Not only does he need to deal with things like pondering suicide and questioning his sexual identity, but he's also got emo super powers that only seem to bring destruction and disaster, causing everyone to hate him more than they already do. His first love suffers a head explosion, the football team wants him dead, and he got an F in English. No wonder he's so depressed.

I am almost tempted to order the darn thing for Josh. That way he'd always win the what's more emo game!

Project 365, Week One

This is from me and Josh 'cause we have to share a camera. Oh and from the looks of it the dog is my life...sigh.

10/17/06

10/18/06

10/19/06

10/20/06

10/21/06

10/22/06

10/23/06

Back!

I'm back from Miami. The shower was fun, though slightly awkward. I didn't really know what to do with myself and felt weird about being the center of attention. I am glad Sofia and Ginny came because otherwise it would have been just elderly relatives and my mom's friends. Josh's sister did a really great job organizing everything which was very sweet. Oh and I got lots of fun kitchen stuff like my new cast iron skillet and coffee maker. I had to leave a lot of the "loot" in Miami so it wouldn't get broken but the coffee maker came on the plane with me! I also managed to fit in going to Pembroke Pines where my aunt lives. She's shortening my dress for me and is dismayed at many of my choices including: no sparkly trim on the dress, no tiara, and a veil that in neither sparkly nor poofy. Oh dear, how will they know I am the bride? But the weather was beautiful and my parents house is cushy so I'll have no problem going back in November for my cousin's wedding.

because I like lists about me!

1. I had an interview with DCPL for a children's job in Georgetown. I think I am going to turn it down though because I love my library even though I am not a children's librarian. Also, DCPL kinda sucks right now. Also, not sure I can handle wedding planning and I new job. I might have a nervous breakdown. I actually made a whole pros and cons list but that sums it up pretty well I think.

2. Wedding planning is let exciting and more insomnia inducing than I thought. I keep worrying about things as I am trying to fall asleep.

3. I'm heading to Miami this weekend to accomplish a whole lot of wedding stuff and have a shower. I didn't really feel the need to have a shower but now that I am...yay for presents!

4. I went to Crafty Bastards craft fair with Erin this weekend. I bought a cool pendant and some nerdy pins and then Erin and I had french food and mimosas....mmmmm mimosas.

5. New Lost tonight! I am so happy. I actually worked 9-9 on tuesday so I would have tonight off. Now if that's not sad and lame I don' know what is!

Recently Uploaded

I put some pics of the (pretty awful) trip to the Kaplan compound here. The best part of the trip was seeing Josh's adorable niece. The worst was that one of Josh's relatives died the day we arrived. (Yep, seriously.) It rained most of the time and it was cold so most of the pictures were taken in the car or in the trailer. Ah, fun times.

You know you're a librarian if...

You get this joke.

I am such a dork...

but I want one of these really bad!

Three things ...

First, there's this meat cake (If you are vegetarian don't even look). I say it's gross, Josh says it's awesome.

Second, Neil Gaiman will be at Politics and Prose on Sep. 29th. If anyone wants to go with me let me know.

Third, I just bought my ticket to Miami for December. I guess this means I'm going to go through with the wedding!

My life as a graduate...

I am throughly enjoying not being a student. I threw a teeny-tiny birthday party for Josh, this weekend. I made him a chocolate cake with gummy worms. I made sangria and told Erin to come over super early. Erin and I drank several cups of sangria and ate frosting. None of Josh's other friends really drank. Losers! Oh and for his birthday I gave Josh an x-box 360 (Yes, I do realize that I will now never see him). He can never be mad at me for anything ever again!

Ginny's Wedding

Back from Boston, which was lovely and not humid. Ginny's wedding was just wonderful. Ginny looked stunning. If I look half as good as she did in December I will be quite happy. Roberto just looked so happy. It was the first wedding I have ever cried at but they are just so adorable together. I love Ginny's parents. They are the sweetest people ever! They let Michelle and I stay at their house and Ginny's mom actually baked cornbread the morning of Ginny's wedding. Incredible. The reception was actually a blast. Ginny kept insisting it was going to be very subdued but everyone danced and drank and had fun. It was just perfect. Really, really perfect. Oh and I got to see Michelle and Christy and Lauren and Sarah. Yay, for seeing New College friends!

So close....

I graduate in 1 week! Yay!

Also, I've been following this in the news and a federal judge has stopped the Miami-Dade school district's removal of all copies of Alta Schreier's Vamos a Cuba, (the English edition is called Visit to Cuba) and all other books in Heinemann's Visit to . . . series from the district's school libraries. So there are still a few voices of reason out there. You can read the judges'opinion, here as a pdf file. There's a really good discussion about this on the editor of the Horn Book, Roger Sutton's blog.

So the books are apparently pretty poor quality, which makes the story more interesting because the decerning librarian would probably weed the book out anyway.

Wedding vows....

Ok, it's a well known fact I spend a lot of time looking at wedding junk. I admit it. It's mindless and fun. But what is with these women who want to have readings that are clearly about sex during their wedding ceremony? I mean your grandmother is going to be there! So here's a poem someone posted that will be used in their ceremony:

Moments

That we can hurt each other deepest and still
To know it always had to be you and me.
Sometimes then, the upturned coin of bliss.

A sudden barb, an answer a shade too curt,
Love’s dagger has probed a delicate zone,
Double-edged knife that cuts both ways.

Again we whisper our unbidden covenant:
I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.
And how dewed membranes glint and shine!

One breath, one pulse, one skin, one delirium,
Rhythm and dazzle of a body’s oil and shine.
All fancy and fun, all on song and consonant.

So willingly those rare moments out of phase
When an intimate rapier stabs too near the bone,
A dissonant night numb in a womb of hurt.

Some do it with a sword, others with a kiss.
Only in our unbroken promises are we free.
You are mine. Do with me what you will.

dewed membranes glint and shine? intimate rapier? EWWWWWWWW!

I miss Scotland now

Last night Erin, Jeff, Josh and I went to the Belle and Sebastian show at Merriweather Post. The show was awesome. I heart Belle and Seabastian. Stuart Murdoch said he was sad because he was going to miss chruch and seemed surprised to find that most of the kids in the audience were in highschool (yeah that made me feel old). Much fun was had by all (well I'm not sure it was Jeff's cup of tea but everyone else was happy).

Figure this one out:

What the patron said: Can you help me find books on the lion?
What he meant: Can you help me find books on astrology?

So this is why they teach us the reference interview!

Oh to work in an academic library...

At the reference desk:

Patron: Why do you hate homeless people? I have nothing and you are sitting here judging me. I am homeless! My tax dollars pay your salary!

Patrons say the dumbest things

My first stupid question posed to me as a reference librarian:

"I'm looking for a book. It's blue and has a picture of a guy surfing. Do you know what book it is?"

I made the papers!

Library employees hit the books to become ‘real librarians’

I AM SMART ENOUGH TO WORK IN YOUR LIBRARY!

I got the reference librarian position that I interviewed for at my library! I was so sure I was not going to get it and I did! I am a librarian now. YAY!

Sex, Lies, and YA novels

So I just finished reading Magic Lessons by Justine Larbalestier. As far as YA books go, it was ok. It's part of a series so I have found the first two books rather unsatisfying. But that's not really the point. The point is this book had sex in it and I am getting rather tired of YA sex scenes that follow the folowing formula:

1. Boy and Girl begin kissing
2. Girl is overtaken by her desire and everything goes fuzzy
3. Boy says some stupid line like "I'll try not to hurt you"
4. Fade to black

I know YA authors might feel somewhat restricted in how they write about sex but can't a girl get it on and remain level headed! I suppose authors tend to focus on emotion because they don't want to describe exactly what is happening physically but why is it that YA heroines have to be completely overcome with passion before having sex? I guess in a way it's good because at least teenage girls are now allowed to express desire. I guess I just object to the idea that desire turns their brains to mush. I can think of one really realistic description of sex in a YA novel (Rob Thomas' Rats Saw God) but that one is from the guy's point of view. If anyone can think of another one let me know.

I obviously have nothing better to do...

All you bloggers might get a kick out of this. SnapShirts lets you make a word cloud from the most prevalent words in your blog. And if you are really geeky you can make it into a t-shirt! Here's mine:

Hope Is The Thing With Feathers

Hope Is The Thing With Feathers by Emily Dickinson

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chilliest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity
It asked a crumb of me.

This poem appears on a web site with wedding poetry. At first I saw it and thought, "Oh that sounds like it would go well with my bird/nest theme I've got going on." Then I read the poem. Can anyone tell me what this poem has to do with weddings?! As far as I can tell it is about having hope in the most dire of circumstances. Um, who wants that on thier wedding invitations? Am I totally off base here? Have I lost all my lit major skills? Help!

Blogs are so emo....

So for my Leadership in Technology class we have to keep a blog for one of the assignments and yesterday in class the professor asks if anyone already has one. I'm thinking that this is just a general question so I say I do. She then asks me to post the URL for the entire class to view. Now, I know anyone can read this thing and that's kinda the point of having a blog...blah blah blah. But having my entire class read it is asking a little much. So I give some cop out comment about being shy and suggest looking at the horn book blog as an example instead. Next time I am giving them Josh's blog!

Never again, again.

I went to the Save Darfur rally with Erin on Sunday. Erin's already posted a summary of the events. I was glad to give my karma a good scrubbing and except for the sunburn I managed to get (damn that eastern european blood) it was fun. But man, seeing that many Jewish Youth Group kids all in one place reminded me why I quit teaching middle school. Teenagers are icky!

This is why I should have health insurance....

So I managed to get food poisoning from some Ethiopian food on Thursday and spent Thursday night and Friday morning having horrible, ungodly things bursting forth from my body. Yes, I know that's gross but think how I felt. It sucked because Michelle was visiting and it kinda put a damper on partying. However, the experience has turned me into a vegetarian or as I put it, a vegan who eats cheese and eggs.

More Book Banning...

According to the Miamist parents in Miami want in on the Book Banning action. Hmmm, banning a book about Cuba because it doesn't mention civil rights violations. That's not backwards at all.

This long, long week

Josh's sister has been in town the whole week. Saturday we drove out to Luray Caverns with her since the kids had never been. It was very cool, though I was starting to lose it by that point. Too much time with 14 year olds is not good for anyone even if they are generally nice kids. Here's pictures from the trip:

Children's book geek that I am...

I just found out that the Horn book is blogging! I am addicted already.

Grumpy....

I guess I am not going to go to London. I really, really need a job now and I can't really afford to quit my job and look for a new one in 4 months. I mean it took me 3 months to find this crappy job in the first place. I can't risk being unemployed for that long. I am bummed. It's a beautiful day and I wanted to go see the cherry blossoms and Josh has to go to school and do research. I am all alone and not motivated to go anywhere alone. I hate law school. I wish I were going to London. I hate everything.

Internship blues...

I just finished my second interview and I was offered the London internship. BUT...it's 4 months long, not 3 months like I thought. Josh is not happy about this and seems to really not want me to go. I am afraid that I'll be missing several job openings in the library system that I work for. Plus, that's 4 months that I have to pay rent on my apartment in DC without having a job. I want to go to London but I don't know what to do. What if I just visited Michelle? It's only 300 dollars for a flight over there right now. And I wouldn't have to worry about being unemployed. Sigh. I am so freaking confused.

Maybe I'll rename Emerson Slinkster Dog...

I found this quiz while researching my paper on Francesca Lia Block. I couldn't resist taking it. But it turns out I'm no Weetzie Bat. Oh well, I better finish this paper before I get sucked into the world of teen angst never to be seen again.

This is how much I miss Michelle...

I have a phone interview for the library internship in London tomorrow. I think, if I get offered the intenship I will take it. I wasn't sure before. I feel awful for leaving Josh and abandoning wedding planning but.... it's only three months. That's nothing. It's like summer camp. Plus, I really, really want to go to London. I am all prepped for the interview. I hope I get this!

I always thought pregnancy was a little creepy...

There's that whole 'your body is no longer yours' aspect that just weirds me out. I thought I was a little crazy but after reading this I feel better. I envision a new Fox reality show...When Fetuses Attack!

Birthday Weekend

So Erin puppy sat for Emerson and we went to New York on Saturday with Jason (oh no I mentioned him on my blog!) and Valeska. Valeska and I put our names in to get Wicked tickets but the birthday fairy wasn't doing her job because we didn't get picked. Instead we bought Balenciaga knock-offs on Canal Street and went to the New York Public Library. I know going to the library on vacation makes me a huge dork and I can accept that. The library is gorgeous. I want to live in there. It was so freaking cold on Saturday that all I could think of was getting off the street, so we decided to skip after dinner drinking and just head back to Philly. I was so exhausted, all I wanted to do was collapse on the air bed. Sunday we had yummy brunch and then drove home. I got awesome gifts. Josh got me the librarian action figure, Valeska made me some kick-ass wrist warmers, and Erin took me to see Sarah Vowell the other week in addition to the puppysitting. It was a pretty nice birthday.

If you're away, stay away...

Mississippi is poised to pass an abortion ban similar to that of S. Dakota's. Why are we just sitting here as our rights are slowly being stripped away? I keep expecting protests, outrage, riots... anything! But all is quiet. I have told myself that it doesn't affect me. I wonder if 10 years from now the world will look like something out of Maragret Atwood's A Handmaids Tale. I wonder if I'll be wishing I had done something then.

Miami!

Off to Miami tomorrow for some wedding planning and sunshine. I was going to post a very happy little blurb about it all but then I made the mistake of looking at the news and seeing that S. Dakota passed that abortion ban. So now I am rather gulm as I sit here shaking my head about our country.

More horrifying....

Ok. I know this makes the second truly sad post in a row but I can't resist pointing out the similarities between this guy and the husband of a friend who shall remain nameless. The husband, however, can be spotted a mile away by his tendency to attack tuna cans and make waitresses cry.

From the Smoking Gun.....

Sicko "Marriage Contract" One For The Ages

Repulsive "Wifely Expectations" pact emerges in Iowa kidnap case

FEBRUARY 17--This country, as you know, is filled with the deranged. And then there's Travis Frey, a 33-year-old Iowa man who is facing charges that he tried to kidnap his own wife (not to mention a separate child pornography rap). Frey, prosecutors contend, apparently is a rather demanding guy. In fact, he actually drew up a bizarre four-page marriage document--a "Contract of Wifely Expectations"--that sought to establish guidelines for his spouse in terms of hygiene, clothing, and sexual activities. In return for fulfilling certain requirements, Frey (pictured right) offered "Good Behavior Days," or GBDs. Each GBD, Frey wrote, could be redeemed by his wife to "get out of doing the things" he requested daily. A copy of the proposed contract, which Frey's wife never signed and later provided to cops, can be found below. While we normally point out the highlights of most documents, there are so many in this demented, and very graphic, contract, we really can't do it justice. So set aside ten minutes--and prepare to be repulsed.

The entire 4 page contract can be seen here.

Horrifying...

Look what they are doing in S. Dakota.

Cheney shoots man....

He did. He really shot someone. Oh man. He's like that crazy millionaire in The Most Dangerous Game.

Snow Pics

Things I learned today:

Emerson does not like having snowballs thrown at him.
Michelle should be here to make a snowman with me.
Playing in the snow alone is no fun.
Law students are also no fun.