it's uhLEEsuh, punk.

month of letters challenge #LetterMo : sign me up

2012-01-24T22:02:00.000-08:00

Via a GalleyCat tweet, I came across writer Mary Robinette Kowal's Month of Letters Challenge. The challenge is a simple one: Mail one item every USPS business day through the month of February. (With Sundays and holidays, that leaves 24 days.) "Write a postcard, a letter, send a picture, or a cutting from a newspaper, or a fabric swatch," Mary R K writes.

I'm on board. If you're one of my regular pen pals, expect more mail than usual. If you're not and you would like a little something in your mailbox from me, get in touch in any form of communication you like and give me your current address. (Strangers and estranged welcome.)

Let me know if you're joining in on the snail mail fun too. Also, FYI, as of this week, a postage stamp is 45 cents for a regular ol' letter and 32 for a postcard.

pinterest, source of inspiration and indulgence

2012-01-22T17:26:00.000-08:00

My latest distraction is Pinterest, where you can 'pin' whatever images of things that inspire you onto your 'boards'. I love that any images pinned automatically take link information so that everyone can see original sources. Wahoo, citation! Anyway, I waste an obscene amount of time refreshing Pinterest pages. For me, it's great for craft inspiration (paper crafts, sewing, crocheting) but great hindrance to keeping my shoe lust in check. Seriously. You may see me in expensive Jeffrey Campbell Pizan-Fab 6" platform wedges in the near future, and you will know, without asking, that I had a moment of weakness.

pinterest.com/itsuhleesuh

Follow me, and I will follow you. Promise.

book review: every you, every me

2012-01-21T23:17:00.000-08:00

image from davidlevithan.com

Author of Boy Meets Boy and co-author of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist among many other titles, David Levithan collaborates with photographer Jonathan Farmer in his latest YA novel, Every You, Every Me (Knopf Books for Young Readers, Sept 2011).

The narrator, Evan, addresses “you”, his best friend Ariel, whose absence leaves him with feelings of grief and guilt. Evan constantly reviews his memories of her, and it is clear that she was in crisis but it is unclear what happened to her. It almost becomes a mystery, why the narrator feels guilty for her absence. Even more mysterious are the photos he discovers, which hint that the anonymous photographer knows something about Ariel that he doesn’t. His obsession with these pictures and with figuring out who is leaving them for him to find soon affects his relationships with friends, Ariel’s ex-boyfriend, and his own mental state.

The photos are haunting. The writing is poetic at times and emotive always. And the use of strikethrough text, though at times excessive, gives an interesting perspective on personal thoughts and self-censorship. I would recommend Every You, Every Me to teens (and adults) who enjoy contemporary lit and artistic flair.

* * * * *

To be honest, I wrote this review for another site--hence, the less sassy tone--but it won't get posted there. Which is totally okay, no hard feelings, because I'll have more opportunities to write for them. Announcement coming soon.

snow ice slush

2012-01-20T22:10:00.000-08:00

If you hadn't heard, it snowed in Seattle this week. As the week progressed, the scenery went from serene to slush. Through it all, I went to work a total of four hours and to school zero. Joe and I took daily walks around the neighborhood to alleviate the cabin fever.

This is my favorite picture, which is from yesterday's walk during the freezing rain stage.

adulthood / year 25 to do list

2012-01-12T22:57:00.000-08:00

I have been told that I turn 25 years old today. I believe it, but strangers and acquaintances still mistake me for much younger or much older--for now, I find the former offensive and the latter flattering. Whatever age others perceive me to be, I'm looking forward to this new year.

25 just sounds so much better than 24 or 23 or 22. It sounds adult-like, and for a while I had been preoccupied with being a 'real' adult. I don't know what I was expecting. A graduation, a certificate, an announcement recognizing that I am in fact a responsible adult? I am responsible and I am an adult. I have been for a while but never gave myself credit for accomplishments in recent years, instead choosing to focus on things that were/are mysteries to me. I have realized that this is a process, aging and maturing. If I ever feel like I've got the hang of this--whatever my life is now--there will soon be another thing (a new job, marriage, kids?) that will knock me back on my ass. And that seems like the norm for many adults. My current view is that adulthood is less about having it together all the time and more about dealing with whatever comes my way.

Below is the beginnings of a list of things I would like to do in my 25th year, to be a well-rounded person who has fun and gets her ish done.

Year 25 To Do List, so far

-Travel to a new destination (Hawaii, I see you).
-Invest in good rainboots.
-Go to Green Lake (never been).
-Go to a Farmers Market I haven't been to before.
-Crochet a sweater. That fits. Anyone.
-Write more Six-Word Memoirs.
-Find a meaningful volunteer gig at a public library.
-Find a directed fieldwork opportunity at a public library.
-Hand out a business card without feeling like a tool.
-Join LinkedIn.
-Activate my KCLS library card.
-Use the freaking hot tub in my backyard.
-Host regular craft nights. (The term 'regular' can be applied loosely.)
-Host a Scrabble night.
-Visit Hugo House. And get a membership?
-Go to the top of the Smith Tower.
-Do an Art Walk (Pioneer Square or Capitol Hill).
-Adopt a dog.
-Get a horizontal driver's license.
-Organize my filing cabinet.

new quarter

2012-01-07T14:04:00.000-08:00

I'm at it again. The whole school thing. The new quarter started this past week and my classes mauled me. During my three-week break, I forgot what it was like to be exhausted by Friday afternoon.

Because I am often asked what coursework library students take, I like to share my schedule (sans time and location). This quarter I'm taking Organization of Information & Resources (think cataloging and indexing), Information in Social Context (intellectual property, privacy, etc.), and Public Library Services for Youth (hooray). I'm excited about all those topics to different degrees, but I am just as intimidated and overwhelmed by the workload and professors as I was last quarter.

One of my close friends who is PhD-bound told me that grad school never really gets easier as time goes on. That is to say that we are in a constant state of having our asses kicked.

resolution statement

2012-01-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

This year, I will spend more time doing things that energize me rather than drain me. Examples below.

Energizing: recreational reading (and sometimes nerdy, school-related reading); crocheting; crafting in general; writing letters; baking; eating; hugs; conversation with a good friend; Nia or yoga class; meaningful volunteering

Draining: when any of the 'energizing' activities become forced; self-imposed guilt; over-scheduled weekends; creating clutter; letting technology be a distraction; chasing down friends

Essentially, I want to regularly ask myself, "Do I need to feel stressed right now?", and the answer will usually be NO, and then I'll move on thinking or doing something worthwhile.

my best 2011 reads

2012-01-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

Some of my reading stats for 2011

85 books read and rated on my Goodreads account. Of those, 61 were borrowed from the library or friends, and 24 were bought (only one at full-price). Three of them were e-books.

My top reads for 2011 (not necessarily published this year)

Best Fiction: tie between Tea Obreht's The Tiger's Wife and Jamie Ford's Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Best Non-Fiction: Mary Roach's Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
Best Memoir: Joan Didion's The Magical Year of Thinking
Best Essay Collection: Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader
Best Young Adult: Mary O'Connel's The Sharp Time
Best Children's/Middle Reader: Pam Munoz Ryan's Becoming Naomi Leon
Best Graphic Novel: Jeff Jenson's The Green River Killer: A True Detective Story
Best Series: Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games trilogy
Best Guilty Pleasure Read: Sophie Kinsella's Confessions of a Shopaholic
Best Humor: Tina Fey's Bossypants
Best Self-Help: Gina Pera's Is It You, Me, or Adult ADD?
Best Writing Reference: Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones

crafting, lately

2011-12-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

Some non-crochet crafting projects I've completed in recent weeks:

More envelopes, these made from my cheap-o 2010 island getaway calendar. I liked how they turned out.

DIY Dry-Erase Board (realsimple.com), made from a second-hand picture frame and scrap fabric. This board is being used to keep track of books/movies out on loan.

Paper garland (designsponge.com). I don't have circle paper punches, so I used my handy scissors to cut square-ish shapes.

I didn't make my Christmas cards this year, but I embellished the envelopes with the help of Martha's holiday paper tape purchased from my local Blick art supply store.

crocheted wrist warmers

2011-12-19T23:00:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned before, I rekindled my efforts to learn how to crochet--a dream that started last year with the purchase of a set of hooks and books from the library. About halfway through this past quarter I needed to do something with my hands that was soothingly repetitive yet productive. After reviewing the basic stitches, I moved on to granny squares, and then I pursued a more challenging project: fingerless gloves. I wanted a pair for myself so that I could easily manipulate my phone or dig around in my purse.

I did some quick YouTube searching and chose a tutorial (http://youtu.be/-Q3jLGaC9PY) by this user, traceyishh, because I thought her presentation was clear and easy to follow and her pattern was the cutest. And check out that pretty manicure.

That's just Part 1 of 3.

It was a fun pattern to follow (as opposed to repeating the same exact stitch over and over, as I did for my first scarf last year), and I made several pairs.

Boom.

birthday wishes

2011-12-13T13:33:00.000-08:00

So, I've known what I want to do for my 25th birthday for months, and now that it's officially less than a month away, I feel like it's okay to talk about it without seeming too eager.

On the day of, a Thursday, I just plan on going to work and then coming home to reunite with Tina Fey. Maybe I'll put on a cute dress and make the boyfriend take me out for german chocolate cake or something else equally diabetes-inducing.

The next night though, I will have a party, unlike past years, and it will involve wine and cheese and everyone coming to my house so I don't have to leave my couch to be celebrated. And it will start early enough so I can still potentially be in bed by ten.

Will this fantasy come true? It must.

quarter one done

2011-12-12T22:11:00.000-08:00

Well, I turned in my last final project earlier today, meaning that I am DONE with this quarter. I almost--almost--made it through finals week without crying. I was doing so well, pacing myself, and then yesterday I felt super stupid trying to decipher science-y talk and ruined my sob-free streak yesterday walking home from my study session at the tea shop. Oh, crying in public. I'm okay, really. That moment didn't last long and was followed by ordering tropical cocktails and shopping for over-sized sweaters with one of my best friends. I'm not against having fun during finals week.

When I wasn't crying dramatic tears of frustration, I actually had fun with the project I was working on this weekend, especially when I ignored that I was doing it for a grade. I had chosen to help Joe do some research for his sci-fi writing, focusing on his request to find a peer-reviewed article about weather patterns and temperatures on tidally-locked planets within a Goldilocks zone. (Yeah. Nerd.) After some false starts, I'm rather confident that I found he was looking for, and I feel smarter having learned a little about what needs to be happening atmospherically for a planet to be habitable. I'm looking forward to learning every time someone asks me to help them find information. (Who's next?)

But for now, it will be crafting, cooking, baking, drinking, overeating, oversleeping, writing, reading, reading, reading.

robot/unicorn

2011-11-29T20:10:00.001-08:00

Just click play. You'll laugh.

Some PhD students from Cornell worked on these chatbots (meant to simulate human conversation as much as possible) and wondered what would happen if two were hooked up to each other instead of interacting with humans. Based on this, things get tense fast between robots--or self-identified unicorns, whatever makes you happy.

This was passed on to me from a classmate who got it from another classmate who used the clip in a group discussion about virtual technology versus human reference librarians. It seems that Artificial Intelligence doesn't win just yet.

written? kitten!

2011-11-22T20:40:00.000-08:00

As much as I prefer writing lengthy papers over taking timed exams, I still dread the whole process. When I'm not jazzed about my paper topic--that's even worse. And then it becomes an obsession with the making the word count.

Well, my classmates, who are also struggling with our latest assignments, are squealing with delight over this:

Written? Kitten!

Type directly into the box*, and every time you write, say, 100 words, you are rewarded with a picture of a kitten, randomly chosen from Flickr. The creators wanted "to make something a bit like writeordie but cuter and fuzzier".

It should be noted that I'm not a huge fan of cats. It's me. They make my throat close up and I have little ability to decipher their kitty demeanor and it freaks me out that I can't tell if they're about to pounce claws-out on my face or what. However, I concede to the coolness (and effectiveness) of this program and I'm not so cold-hearted that sleepy kittens don't make me go "awwwww".

Try it.

*Please don't read the screenshot too closely. It's just a loosely-formed argument for why Amazon needs librarians**, half of which I deleted and rewrote. See? The beauty of freewriting before revision.

**Everyone needs librarians, even if they don't know it or if they deny it.

super sad

2011-11-20T12:27:00.001-08:00

from bookcoverarchive.com

Thus marks the return of my sporadic book reviews.

Shteyngart's Super Sad True Love Story first came into my world via an excerpt in the New Yorker, back when I had a gift subscription. I saw potential in its quirky characters and future dysfunctional US. Then the book was published, with a memorable cover, colored circles and repeated words down the front, and every time I walked into a bookstore, I would eye it, wondering if the hardcover purchase would be worth it. By the time it reached a library book sale I saw no harm in buying it for $2.

I wanted to like this book, I really did. The first couple of chapters were really hard for me to get through, and I thought that was a sign to put it down. But other readers had loved it, and so I waited to love it. I kept reading, reluctantly, and then became, to some degree, obsessed with how to identify and verbalize why it wasn't working for me.

The book is clever. I'll give it that. It's commentary on today's society. The technology, the politics, the values or lack thereof. Many times I stopped reading because some concept was so weird, but then I'd realize it how ironically close we are to what was being described. Women wearing "Onionskin jeans" (i.e. see-through pants) for everyone to see their labia? Oh--oh, yeah. Some girls are doing that now. Shteyngart, you're so witty.

Aside from that, I just didn't care for any of the characters. I hated them for being too whiny or too pompous. And I was never really convinced of the love between Eunice and Lenny, the main characters of the book. Their love story wasn't as super sad as much as it was super lame. And I was okay that the world was ending by the final chapters. That's not a spoiler. The world may or may not have ended. I couldn't tell you for sure because by then my eyes had glazed over.

Yet, somehow the book managed three stars in my Goodreads ratings. I'm still trying to sort out my feelings. I'm so confused.

butterfly in the sky

2011-11-18T15:12:00.001-08:00

For you book nerds:

"Young adult novels heating up the charts" (The Boston Globe)
I'm joining the bandwagon. Next up on my YA reading list is Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver.

"Unpacking my library" (FT Magazine)
Whenever I visit someone's home for the first time, I look for their book collection. I find writers' home libraries even more fascinating, and FT's article features six of them. Loved seeing Junot Diaz's hoarding habit and Philip Pullman's quote: "Every time I go into town I accidentally buy two or three books." Oops?

FridayReads (fridayreads.com)
From the About section: "FridayReads is a global community of thousands of people who come together each week to share whatever they're reading. Our goal is simple: to raise reading's visibility and encourage more people to join in!" I like the idea of sharing excitement about reading, and FridayReads takes advantage of social media to do just that--via twitter with the hashtag #fridayreads, as well as Facebook and Tumblr. Chances to win prizes (books), if you're into incentives.

Reading Rainbow Performed by Jimmy Fallon as Jim Morrison (from nbc.com)

Don't know about you, but I'm geeking out on all of this stuff right now.

square

2011-11-14T17:33:00.000-08:00

With school and my jobs, I've been feeling burnt out by the end of the week. The midpoint of the quarter has passed, and though I'm still new to this whole routine of mine, I'm learning quickly that I need to do things for fun and guilt-free. Doing so allows me to recover from whatever stress I'm feeling and to get back into the game with new energy.

Reading, for me, is always a good option. Often it is my form of procrastination (better to be reading Mary Russell mysteries than stalking middle school friends on Facebook), but I'm also intentional about this hobby. I was worried that once I started up school again I wouldn't have time to read, but I make time to read. Because my brain needs a break from reading about theories of information behavior and the history of scholarly journals, I have added lots of fiction to my to-read list, especially children's and young adult. (I just finished reading Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan, and it's the best children's book I've read in a while).

Passive and/or meaningless activity is a good way to wind down. I don't mean checking Facebook and Twitter repeatedly and almost reflexively, which I do, but rather things that have an end of sorts or have a better entertainment factor. Like watching whole seasons of sitcoms on Hulu, or playing a round of Plants Vs. Zombies or Freecell.

Other things are more reenergizing and better at preventing minor meltdowns. Usually, this means something creative. I will include baking in this category. And letter-writing and mending holes in socks. Last Thursday, I reviewed the basic crochet stitches, taught myself how to make a granny square, and decided to start making enough for an afghan. I got about 50 granny squares done over the weekend. I haven't figured out how many squares I need yet, but I know I need at least twice as many and that's fine because I have plenty of stress-relieving to do.

i voted (sticker)

2011-11-07T17:39:00.000-08:00

Mailed in my ballot this morning.

I'm told that you get an actual real-life "I voted!" sticker if you go to a physical place with voting booths. I've never gotten the chance. While email voting ever happen, or could too many things go wrong if we tried that?

Anyway, WA residents, don't forget to mail in your ballots tomorrow!

bc2m pledge

2011-11-06T22:42:00.000-08:00

The folks at Bring Change 2 Mind have a lot going on these days with involvement in the latest Extreme Makeover: Home Edition featuring a veteran with PTSD (I usually cry at the end of EMHE, but I teared up in the first minutes of this episode), a redesigned website, and a new pledge campaign.

The pledge is two-pronged: on one side, those living with with mental illness acknowledge themselves as valuable and capable, and on the other side, community members promise to educate themselves and others in the movement to eliminate stigma.

I signed the pledge last week, and it was a nice reminder to be kind to myself as I experience the worst self-esteem I've had since the onset of puberty (yes, grad school reminds me of the sixth grade). These days I'm mindfully trying to prevent downward spirals by seeking out the company of old friends (with whom I can just be, versus having to worry about making a good impression), trying a new way of exercise (Nia, an interesting combo of dance, martial arts, and yoga), and letting others take care of me (i.e. letting the bf cook and feed me balanced meals). Going back to school has been a bigger adjustment than I expected and I hear that keeps getting tougher, but hopefully I can become just as tough.

Please note that whenever I write about my personal struggle with depression, I don't do it for sympathy (though support is appreciated) but to put a face to mental illness--to show that it's very real but also treatable and manageable. And if I can help create community and assure others that they are not alone, then, well, that's what we needed and wanted.

ask and you shall receive

2011-11-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

I asked Larry, my editor at SMITH, for some stickers because I've been meeting tons of new people at school and what I do outside school comes up a lot in conversation--obviously. It's more fun to promote when there are goods to give away.

He sent me a lot more stickers than I was expecting.

These babies aren't available for sale at the SMITH shop, so let me know if you want one. Or you just might find one in your mailbox, in a borrowed book, or in your back pocket. I've got ideas.

registration day aka apocalypse

2011-11-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

Registration that should have taken five minutes took me about half an hour because of technical booboos. I was one of the lucky ones though. For some, the process--hampered by error messages, false data, and slooow loading pages--took an hour or more. Since registration opened minutes before class started this morning, we were all witness to each other's swearing, labored breathing, and threats of self-harm. And on top of that, who ever was assigned to bring snacks to share either forgot to bring snacks to share or skipped class because of their registration issues. Salt-->wound.

I got my classes for winter quarter, anyhow. Two core and one elective: Organization of Information and Resources, Information in Social Context, and Public Library Services for Youth.

attention history/english majors and people who like to know random facts (about handwriting)

2011-11-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Hey, Nerds, you'll like this overview of the history of handwriting. You can skip to around minute 14 to get to the stuff about steel nibs and typewriters.

We get to study the history of book-related things and the evolution of technology in library school. This video wasn't required homework but one of the many things my enthusiastic professor forwarded to us in the last couple of days.

things librarian

2011-11-02T22:35:00.000-07:00

Introducing you to some librarian-related things. Fun things.

Librarian Wardrobe
Going against the bun-and-cardigan stereotype.

From http://librarianwardrobe.tumblr.com/

The Librarians

This Australian TV comedy features an uptight, ignorant managing librarian and a just as ridiculous staff. I've only watch a couple of the episodes (all three seasons are available on Hulu) ~~and I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about the show.~~ UPDATE: I just watched the third episode, and I give it a green light.

The Insulting Librarian, a classic Mitchell and Webb episode
Oh, British humor.

nanowrimo

2011-10-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo, kicks off tomorrow. If you haven't heard about it before, people all over the country pledge to complete a 50,000 draft of a novel within the month of November. I'm not participating, but I do like the idea of a no-excuses campaign to write. Not that most people can write a masterpiece in a month, but trying to meet a daily word count with little self-censorship and with lots of community makes the whole idea seem like fun.

For more information on NaNoWriMo, read the About page on their official website. Plus, for some Seattle-based novel-writing meet-ups, follow @WrimoSea, read the Survival Guide: Seattle Edition, and take a look at events hosted by the University Bookstore and the Richard Hugo House.

Let me know if you do it!

yawacom

2011-10-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

Another shout-out, this one to the founders of YA-WA.com who are giving me a chance to blog for their everything-young-adult-lit-in-WA website. My first, introductory post went up last week.

I'm no YA expert, but I get to write from the perspective as a future librarian (considering ~~all~~ most types of librarianship, including youth services). Let me know if you have a past or present YA book that you think I should have read by now.

P.S. I added a screenshot because I had no idea how to do one until last week and I'm pleased with myself.

yay free nook from spl

2011-10-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to quickly show off my Nook (picture taken back in mid-September when it was sunny and warm enough to read at the park). Really this is a shout out to the Seattle Public Library, because I won this Nook for free from their Adult Summer Reading Program. From June 1 to Aug 30, SPL encouraged summer reading with free programs (for all ages), a challenge to break last year's numbers, and a chance to win one of seven e-readers. To win the e-reader, you had to write short reviews of books read, and for every three you can enter your name once into the raffle. I filled out about ten of those forms before I got lazy, but apparently that was enough to give me an advantage. This is some hard evidence that being a book nerd pays off.

During my recent trip to CA (home?), my brother's kids saw my Nook and their initial intrigue quickly fizzled. My niece asked, "Can you watch movies on it?" When I said no, she got up and walked away. This librarian-in-training keeps replaying that scene in my head and analyzes how I could have drummed up excitement. "Well, little girl, I can't watch movies on this but I can read books. Lots of them. I have access to hundreds of books that I could buy over the wi-fi right now, or I could even borrow books for free from the library."(Borrow e-books from SPL here, and look at this step-by-step guide for help downloading/uploading.) This reimagination still ends with her walking away from me, but she's eight-years-old. She's growing up with iPods and iPads in the house; she's got high expectations for her technology.

A word on e-readers: While I am very attached to paper books, I opened up to and accepted reading e-books within a very short time. I have come to the conclusion that I will consume information in whatever format that it comes in. Whatever is cheapest, most accessible, most convenient, and/or strikes my mood at a given moment. On my desk, I have a stack of paperbacks, a couple textbooks, my laptop, an e-reader, a tablet. Some of those are more cuddly than others, but when it comes down to it, I will read to read. And as a future librarian, I will encourage people to read whatever and however gets them excited about reading.

early thanksgiving

2011-10-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

These days I am thankful for

- being able to purchase plane tickets to regularly visit my family.

- an oven that doesn't burn everything I put in it.

- two bus routes to school, which minimizes my need to run after a bus in the morning.

- the 'Great job!' I needed to hear from my boss to make me feel like I'm not failing her.

- living below a couple with a toddler, which reminds me that I'm not quite ready for one of my own just yet.

- that minute in class on Friday when a classmate and I talked about unicorns and our past and present love for them.

- being paid more than minimum wage!

- discovering KIND Fruit & Nut bars, especially the peanut butter & strawberry one.
- the boyfriend making me pork chops, peas, and extra dinner rolls while I tap away on my laptop, tired and unshowered.

- my first grad school paper being done and submitted online a couple hours before deadline. Boom.

some favorite things

2011-10-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

1. Rediscovering jewelry in my chaotic jewelry-keeping system. The top bracelet was a Christmas present from a good friend.

2. Handmade cards. Above are examples of Snarky Cards, hand-painted and typed by Alissa Starr, a woman who sells her stuff online--and in person in bars with a box of paper goods strapped beneath her boobs. (She offers an opportunity to motor-boat with any $20 purchase.) The top-most card in my picture reads, "I'm sorry I stole your bike. / I was drunk. / And I had to get away from you." http://www.etsy.com/shop/snarkycards

3. Making class projects fun. In one of my classes, we are currently studying "information grounds", i.e. spaces where people (strangers or friends) socialize and exchange information, and a guy in my group suggested that we observe the players and spectators of bike polo. In Seattle, the bike polo games are seemingly casual and improvised (unlike other cities where structure rules) and spectators are usually just passers-by, so we discovered their information exchange mirrors these rather spontaneous gatherings.

adjusting to grad school life

2011-10-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

So braindead. So, so braindead. I've been making so many changes in the past two weeks in order to keep up with the pace of school. I'm trying to build more routine into my day, like wake up at the same time every morning, shower at night, pick out clothes and pack my bag for the next morning. (Struggling, though, with making time for regular meals.) The more that I stick to the routine the smoother my day goes. And then someone will visit from out of town or an old co-worker will want to go out for coffee, and then I'm flustered because I didn't build socializing with friends very well into my new routine. It's a work in progress. Friends, just know that I love you but you may not see me for the next two years.

Another change: surprisingly enough, I've trained myself to be a coffee drinker. I'm in desperate need of caffeine in the morning, and since Joe contributed a coffee-maker to our kitchen I can conveniently fill my to-go mug before literally running to catch a bus to campus. Before it was all hot water and tea bags but no more. Before I couldn't drink black coffee, but now I can. No, that's a lie. I still can't drink it without muddling it with some form of sweet, my current favorite being Silk's French Vanilla.

Most unexpected change: going digital in a major way. After printing something like 100 pages of reading in the first couple days of classes, I decided I needed to figure something else out before I devastated all of North America's forestry with all my printing and exhaust all my loan money in the process. For my three classes, I had to buy only one required textbook, and everything else is online or in PDF format; I'm attempting to get used to reading everything off my laptop screen. Free software that's helping: Adobe Reader X (to digitally highlight and write notes on 'sticky notes') and Evernote (to organize my assignments). Oh, and over the weekend I ordered a Samsung Galaxy Tab so that I can take this a step further essentially hug my class readings to my chest. More on that later.

Also, as an undergrad, you couldn't rip my wire-bound paper planner from my grip if you were mugging me at gunpoint, but without much thought I switched to tracking all my class times, meetings, work hours, deadlines, dates on a very color-coded Google Calendar. Yeah, really. I don't recognize myself when I look in the mirror anymore.

grad school deprives me of 90s R&B bliss

2011-10-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

I'd like to take a moment to whine about how I'm barely a week into grad school and how it's already ruining my social life, however pathetic it is. This past Saturday I missed out on going to a Brian McKnight/Boyz II Men concert because I had to go to a six-hour class. If you know me, this 90s R&B combo is still an integral part to the foundation of my music taste, and while I was trying not to be bummed about it at first, I'm pretty bitter about it now. Nobody should have to take a six-hour class on a Saturday and miss nostalgia-inducing concerts because of it.

I've spent a good amount of time watching Brian McKnight's and Boyz II Men's music videos on YouTube because I realized that I've never actually seen any since I didn't have regular access to MTV and VH1 in the 90s. Anyway, if you love these guys like I do, let's reminisce over a couple of their greatest hits--as well as giggle at Brian McKnight's bellybutton and Boyz II Men's matching plaid shirts.

bbw

2011-10-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

Belated Happy Banned Books Week! Yes, I failed to share this when it was more relevant, during the actual Banned Books Week--I would argue, though, that talking about banned books is relevant year-round.

Some links to check out:
- The official site for BBW links to a cool "Mapping Censorship" feature. (Clarification: The mapping of is cool, not the censorship itself.)
- If you like lists, go to ALA's site for lists top ten challenged books from years 2001-2010 and banned/challenged classics.
- If you like infographics, HuffPo created one for the top ten banned/challenged books of 2010.
- If you like interactive quizzes, atyourlibrary.org has one of those on banned books throughout history.

Let me know if you found any other goodies last week. (I know you all like reading. Nerds.)

P.S. Needless to say, I've been caught up in figuring out this whole grad school thing. More about that later.

10Q

2011-09-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a cool, creative, and quick way to reflect on your life:

10Q

Every day for (only) ten days, you answer one question that lets you reflect on your life this past year. Sad things, happy things, fears, celebrations, goals, etc. Your answers, which you can share or keep private, are stored online in a "vault" and are sent your email inbox one year later.

I received my ten answers from 2010 last week. It was like opening a time capsule. I had written about things that caused me great anxiety, and it was assuring to read about these past worries and know that I'm okay right now.

P.S. I heard about this from SMITH. The boss is always aware of cool storytelling projects and partnering with them. At the conclusion of answering ten questions, you're prompted to write a six-word prediction for the upcoming year.

nerves

2011-09-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

First day of library school tomorrow. More than anything, I'm worried about making a good impression on my professor, whose name I mentioned in my admissions essay because I became enamored by him during a mock class last fall. But I'm not even sure that I'm going to take a shower before tomorrow's real class, so obviously I'm already giving up.

post-orientation, pre-first day

2011-09-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

There were zero icebreakers at my orientation Friday, by the way. We adult students were trusted to make introductions and mingle on our own. While I did not meet every single person in my cohort, I made friends--following the apparent friend-making pattern of my life--with most of the minorities (there are never that many) and the tallest white girls in the room (it just happens).

Half-joking aside, the fact that I'm starting library school started feeling very real with things coming together. I got the textbooks, the student ID with unflattering photo, and a steady flow of list-serv emails. And with a few clicks and typing of my name (in lieu of actual signature), I am officially living off borrowed money that I will have to pay back with interest. Shout out to soul-sucking loans!

Orientation, surprisingly, did not overwhelm me. Learning about school policies and core curriculum and student associations made me excited. I don't think I felt that way since I was accepted into the program way back in March. I'll probably change my mind on the first day of classes, Wednesday, when I feel stupid and inexperienced.

Maybe I should get started on those homework assignments.

the beckoning of lovely 11/11/11 official trailer

2011-09-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

fospl book sale

2011-09-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year: the Friends of the Seattle Public Library Book Sale. Joe and I went in the early afternoon when we figured all the crazies who waited in line and rushed the door had picked over the goods and left. Instead of all books at $1, the prices were raised--understandably and reasonably--to $1 for all paperbacks and $2 for hardbacks. For $20 total, this is what Joe and I brought home:

His stack, left, and mine, right, for the purpose of showing you what we each chose. Soon, the books with join the others in our collection, unpacked from our personal boxes and finally combined last weekend.

tomorrow, orientation

2011-09-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

There's a full day of orientation type things happening tomorrow, scheduled from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. I'm hoping for the least amount of icebreakers.

course load

2011-09-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

Many of you have been asking me what sort of classes I'll be taking in library school. Well, I don't quite know. It sounds like I'll be learning a lot of theory and systems, as well as how to best share information with patrons. My first quarter's classes (3) are set for me: The Life Cycle of Information, Information Behavior, and Information Resources, Services, and Collections.

I've bought the books that I know I need, I allowed myself to purchase a small backpack that won't kill my back, and I'm in the process of printing off a lot of articles that I need to start reading before classes start.

Not that I'm ready to start doing homework. I'm in the middle of reading the second book of the Mary Russell series and intend on starting, if not finishing, the third--

Oh, and probably the thing I'm finding most exciting about starting school is that, by posting a request on our cohort's FBook group wall, I've almost doubled my number of Goodreads friends from 10 to 17. I expect that number to grow.

Tomorrow I'm attending a couple of technology workshops for school to learn what resources are available to me on campus and to know how to email my professor. Or something. Here's to hoping the workshops are worthwhile and to coping with the fact that it's time for school.

mail for mccaskill, stewart

2011-09-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

Last week, on FBook, I mentioned that I loved standing in a line outside of the post office waiting for it to open. This status update received five 'likes' (a lot for me)--plus one Debbie Downer comment about the state of snail mail, a lot in the spirit of Jon Stewart who poked fun at the struggling USPS and Senator Claire McCaskill for suggesting a letter-writing campaign.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

This clip is from Sept 7, but I was in Maine at the time and was unable to keep up with the watching of the Jon Stewart and the timely, relevant updating of the blog.

Viva Snail Mail (which I found via The Missive Maven) called for us to send nice things to Sen. McCaskill's mailbox. Someone, in the comments section, suggested mailing Jon stuff too. I'm more than a week behind on the times, but I going to do both.

Postcards will do, right? I have decided on an Anne Taintor for the senator, and a sea otter postcard for Jon.

I like to think that I'm doing my part to save the postal service. Don't know what I would do without it. Pout, no doubt.

turnaround

2011-09-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

I have calmed my nerves, thanks largely to the following:

1) Clean home. Hosting guests creates an urgency to scrub the bathroom and to throw clutter into the laundry room. I like waking up to a still-clean room. (Ignore the strawberry-daiquiri-crusted glasses and cheesey plates in the kitchen sink.)

2) Good company. The past couple days, I have been meeting up with friends to catch up after my two-week absence and before everyone takes off for their various school/work/traveling adventures. I didn't talk about my school-related freakout, but just by being with people I enjoy I managed to de-stress.

3) Booze. Yeah. I rarely have more than two drinks in one sitting, but I admit that having--more than two--drinks every now and then helps me. And since the party was at my house last night, it was on my terms, meaning it was cheap, included rum & cokes, and I was in bed by 10 o'clock. That's right, 10 o'clock. That's how I do.

Even though workshops and orientation happen next week, I technically have one and a half weeks before the first day of class, so I have that much time to get everything in order. It's not a whole lot of time, but it can be done. That's what I'm telling myself anyway.

guys, i don't know what the ef i'm doing

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Guys, I don't know what the ef I'm doing.

I'm back at my new job, staring at charts of numbers and important documents for hours, hoping that their meaning will magically unveil itself to me. It's also taking a substantially long period of time to get me access to software and websites I need to track budgets, however I'm supposed to do that, and to get me a key to my office; maybe everyone is stretching the slow summer pace? Whatever the delay, I like to think that once I have all those things (passwords and permissions) I'm supposed to have, maybe the magical unveiling will happen.

I do feel guilty (despite my recent plan to not feel guilty for things I shouldn't feel guilty about anyway) that I'm not being super-productive and therefore super-impressive. When I push in my chair and lock the door at the end of the day, I can't quite verbalize what I have accomplished during my time in the office and that bothers me. I hope that changes soon because the effect this is having on my confidence is brutal. I'm not at full-freakout mode, my trademark, but perhaps only half-freakout mode thanks to the calming presence of my boss and the minimal face-to-face confrontation with anyone angry.

When it comes to school, however, I am at full-freakout mode. I still have to buy books, buy supplies, pick up a student ID and bus pass. I have to respond to invites from future classmates who have been planning potlucks and happy hours. I need to figure out where the hell I'm supposed to be for orientation and when. I don't even want to talk about my loans and how confused by the paperwork I am. And I could use some health insurance so signing up for that would be good. On and on. There are so many small pieces and my organization skills cannot keep up.

some seattle things

2011-09-15T22:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my first full day back in Seattle, I had to do a whole bunch of Seattle things I do, like take public transportation, walk to a grocery store, go to the library, go to Elliott Bay Book Co, go to Cupcake Royale, drink coffee.

a study of maine

2011-09-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

Trees for miles and miles; highways lit only by headlights; rocky coastlines; puckerbrush; black flies; wailing loons; nasal As and missing Rs; "jeezum" and "oh my word"; Bob Marley, the comedian; Governor's; 50-cent cups of coffee; lobster rolls; whoopie pies; and red hot dogs.

An earlier version of this list appeared on a postcard to Nancy.

camden, me

2011-09-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

A couple shots of West Penobscot Bay from Camden, ME.

I'm a week into my Maine vacation, and I'm not taking all the pictures and writing down the first impressions as I would like. It's been an overwhelming start I must say, traveling through and to different towns every other day and meeting new faces at each point, but tomorrow afternoon I'm headed to Joe's childhood camp for the remainder of the week. There's no power out there, so I'm prepared with a stack of discounted books from the Bangor Borders (RIP), my journal, and a blank notebook. No more excuses for this reader/writer.

me

2011-09-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Once I arrived in Maine, it became very apparent that I needed this vacation. I forgot how refreshing and inspiring it is to visit a place I had never been before. And getting a much needed break from daily bug bites is a relief too.

View of Casco Bay, Portland, ME.

More to come.

seattle times bedbug primer

2011-08-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of traffic when I mention bedbugs, so if you happen to be visiting my blog to learn about how to deal with bedbugs, the Seattle Times recently created a guide to identifying and dealing with a bedbug problem:

"Bedbugs: An A to Z Primer", Seattle Times 8/28/11

Godspeed.

ajdfoahepoaejofja;idjfa!!!! (FML)

2011-08-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

We have fleas. Because my life just wouldn't be my life if I wasn't being eaten alive by bloodsucking parasitic insects. It just wouldn't.

For the record, the bites look like those of mosquitoes or bedbugs in that they become raised, red bumps usually appearing in multiples. The flea bites are slightly hardened though and kind of hurt. That is how they are appearing on my body anyway, completely ruining my summer miniskirt fun with their awful, ugly presence. (I'm a monster.) Joe, of course, isn't getting bitten. Only me.

The fleas are as small as fruit flies and jump away much faster than my reflexes to smush them. If I could at least smush one, I would feel like I'm winning somewhat in this situation. Joe assures me that fleas will be much easier to get rid of than bedbugs. Rrrrrrrr. I hope so.

Dealing with the itchiness by icing the bites, slathering myself in aloe vera, using anti-itch spray with active ingredients diphenhydramine HCI 2.0% (topical analgesic) and zinc acetate 0.1% (skin protectant). Dealing with the infestation with sprays and hot water/ high heat laundry cycles--with vacuuming and a possible bug bomb to come. Dealing with anxiety by curling up in the fetal position and watching Friends, Season 2.

Good thing our housewarming party isn't happening until a few weeks from now, by when we can hopefully have this shit under control. I do not plan on answering the door with, "Welcome to our cozy home; have some fleas."

buhbye, bed

2011-08-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Not sure if my old mattress posed a threat, but there was great satisfaction found in driving it to the local disposal station and shoving it over the ledge into a large pit.

Man, what a bitch.

new job, vague idea

2011-08-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

Just finished my second day of my new job as an office assistant or whatever my job title is. I haven't quite figured that out. Nor have I figured out what I'm supposed to be doing and how to do it. Vaguely, I'm supposed to track expenses in the budgets my boss is in charge of and to collect necessary paperwork to do so. I would be freaking out in the normal Alyssa way of reacting to anything, but my boss, who chose me for this job, seems to have total confidence in my abilities; if she thinks I can handle this, then I guess I can handle it. I feel unprepared, but I also feel capable. Tomorrow I will attend a training for a computer program--what it's used for, I don't know--and maybe that will help. And at some point, I will ask for an Excel training because I need to beef up my formula skillz. I don't know what I'll be calculating, but I know it will involve Excel formulas.

For now, I will do what I have been doing the past couple days: stare at numbers and codes, hoping that I'll realize what they mean. It works sometimes.

Can't wait to use this sucker, whatever it's used for.

speaking of bedbugs

2011-08-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

I was at a library book sale and I came across an advance copy of a novel due out later this year called Bedbugs. Some mystery/suspense novel about a couple who move into their dream house and they become terrorized by unseen enemies. I thought about buying it since it would have been a dollar and maybe it could act as research for whatever personal essay or book I end up writing about bedbugs. But I decided not to torture myself.

My old mattress is out in the yard, waiting to be taken to the dump for safe keeping.

the move

2011-08-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

Moving. Moved.

I've been busy this past week preparing for and executing The Move. The hardest part is over. I stressed about packing because usually my mom comes up to Seattle to help me do that every year. What I really stressed about was physically moving all my belongings from old place to new place. I didn't have any friends who were willing to help me move, I didn't want to drive a U-Haul around the city, and Joe didn't think hiring movers was necessary. I cried more than I should have about the logistics. Luckily, two of Joe's friends--strong man-angels, as I've named them--volunteered to help me move my things after moving Joe's things from his house and one of them gladly drove the truck. It reminded him of his farm days. Without the cow poop. (His words.) What a relief getting everything moved from both my place and Joe's place into our new place in one day. And the cost to rent the U-Haul and pay for miles came out to about $50.

Joe and I didn't have a lot of furniture to move. Between the two of us, aside from our desks, a card table, and my teeny twin mattress, we had five bookshelves with at least ten boxes of books to go on them. Yeah, very telling of our values. But this meant we moved into a large apartment with very little to fill it. This is how ish went down:

Thurs. One hide-a-bed couch, free, found on the curb less than a block away in very good condition. Transported by the U-Haul we still had rented for the afternoon. Went into our living room.

Fri. Nada. We were just unpacking as much as we could.

Sat. I woke up paranoid that I was being bitten by bedbugs (unconfirmed); within minutes (literally) of my whining, Joe was on the case of finding a new bed and miraculously found one. So: one queen mattress/boxspring and cheap frame, $95, found on Craigslist and delivered by the owner for an extra $25. Then, while garage sale hopping within blocks of our house: Another couch, $50 + $10 tip, sold by nice people who volunteered to haul it in their truck the one block to our house, and is going to act as a divider between our bedroom and office space (Joe's brilliant idea). Non-furniture finds include: Paper lantern, $8, sold by a nice lady who gave out free banana bread and let us into her house to see the paper lantern they preferred to use instead. Set of seven drinking glasses, $1, sold by lady who rounded down from $1.75 because we didn't have the change. Velvet-lined jewelry box, $5, sold by a man who vouched for me when I half-shrieked that I asked for it first when another lady almost picked it up. All of this happened before noon. This was the most satisfying of the whole moving process.

Our space is starting to look more like a home, and it has all happened a lot faster and a lot cheaper than I expected.

The place.

It's a 900 sq. ft. one-bedroom apartment that's in the basement/ground floor of a small house in a residential neighborhood. Had it been in an apartment complex I wouldn't have agreed to pay what we're paying, but there are so many perks to living in this house that make the extra dollars worth it: location (quiet neighborhood, access to several bus routes, walkability; near work and school); a rooftop deck; garden space; and a hot tub in the back. The best part is that I get to live with my best friend. Of course.

threes

2011-08-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

Three bug bites on my foot when I woke up this morning. Ugh. The guilty party better not be bedbugs but one of the gross slithering creatures I found in the bathroom the other day. I really hope it's the latter.

Three white hairs on my head are now growing in black. I am pleased.

Three hours since I woke up and I have yet to continue packing. I hate this.

let's not go back to that

2011-08-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

The past 24 hours have been alternately spent between decluttering and napping.

I'm back at my parents' home for the weekend and have come to realize that my old bedroom has become increasingly more like their junk drawer. A large junk drawer. I don't particularly need my bedroom to look like my bedroom. Since holidays are spent in California with my siblings, I come to this house (of the high school era of my life) maybe a total of five days out of the year. So, I would really just like the place to be free of piles of papers, shoeboxes, and broken electronics. I heard (via Hoarders or some Oprah special) that you shouldn't throw out others' stuff because that will lead to drama and they will replace that thrown out stuff with more stuff. I'm just concentrating on my belongings here. My goal is that during my sporadic visits within the next year, I can make my old bedroom look less like a jarring time capsule from my childhood and more like a guest room with a touch of Alyssa-was-here. It'll be up to my parents to keep it uncluttered.

Yesterday, I packed up:
- three bags of stuffed animals
- two bags of shoes (one just of flipflops)
- one bag of purses/schoolbags
- one bag of shirts
- one bag of jeans
- two bags of books
- one bag of CDs/DVDs

This morning I hauled those bags to Christ the King for the 'Granny's Attic' at their upcoming SausageFest (not joking about that name) and to the Friends of the Richland Library bookroom. Just like that. After distancing myself from my stuff for so long, I find it very easy to get rid of books I forgot I had, shoes that I rarely wore, and jeans that now can't be yanked up past my knees. Some good finds within my junk include a couple of t-shirts from elementary school that still fit, my stash of swimsuits, socks, and an athletic skirt that I think I'll wear while playing tennis.

Also, I finally got around to doing something on my to do list for about six months, which was to deal with my old laptop. I copied files that didn't transfer properly to my new laptop, uninstalled Office 2010 so I could install it on my new laptop, and deleted my user account to get rid of all my documents. I get extreme pleasure from doing those types of things on my own, even if I do have to get some prompting from my brother on the phone. He's the lucky recipient of the dying laptop and all its accessories; he's going to properly wipe out the hard drive and use the thing for its spare parts or something equally nerdy.

Overall, I'm feeling good about the progress. I have almost zero clothes left behind, the old laptop isn't taking up any (mental) space, the bookshelf isn't brimming with so-so books, and the childhood factor has been scaled down quite a bit.

I might fill another bag of donations before I leave.

for a laugh, or several

2011-08-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure when this web series, 7 Minutes in Heaven with Mike O'Brien, started, but I'm so glad I discovered it tonight.

With Kristen Wiig

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/7-minutes-in-heaven-with-mike-obrien-kristen-wiig/1343789

movie ticket box

2011-08-07T10:09:00.000-07:00

I secretly hoarded all the ticket stubs from movies Joe and I saw together in the past four years, and on Friday, our anniversary, I presented him with my latest craft project, which used only a portion of the collected stubs:

This is the first time I used Mod Podge, an all-in-one glue, sealer, and finish, and I have to say that it's awesome.

homemade body scrub / what's that smell?

2011-08-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

Using this guide, I made some body scrub using food items found in my kitchen: white sugar, sesame oil, and vanilla extract. I tried out the combo this morning, and my skin is noticeably smoother and more moisturized. I'm both bothered and pleased that it makes me smell like stir-fry.

Also, I need to be on the look out for a non-glass container for my future body scrub experiments because my imagination creates dramatic scenes including shattered glass, water, and nudity. I'd like to avoid such disasters.

mental preparation + the confrontation + happy ending

2011-08-04T00:37:00.000-07:00

1: Walked. In the sun.

2: Relaxed at the Louisa Boren Lookout, an itty-bitty patch of green with a view of Lake Washington. (pic above)

3: Attended POC Yoga at Volunteer Park. Had an especially good session, with some stretches that helped ease my chronic backache. Got a hug from the teacher, Teresa, who is very good a creating community within classes.

4: Called Mom & Dad once I got home, only to find out they had guests over and they would have to call me back.

5: Had a ~~glass~~ mug of wine while waiting to be called back.

6: They called back. I told them my boyfriend and I are moving in together in two weeks.

7: They did not disown me.

map-themed (thank you) notecards / change is exhausting and it hasn't even started yet

2011-07-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

Made some matching map-themed envelopes and notecards last week.

I've been meaning to but have been putting off using these cards to write thank you's to my supervisors, officemate, and favorite volunteer. I have two days left in the office, but I have kind of been in denial that I'm leaving.

Even though I've been writing and talking about my feelings, I think I'm still doing something wrong in dealing with them. I thought I was mentally prepared via organization for the upcoming changes in my life; I have dates marked off in my calendar, I have to-do lists, my shit is getting done. But, clearly, now that the first of many major changes (finishing AmeriCorps) is about to happen, the immensity of the transitions I have to make in the next two months--new job, new house, new school--is Overwhelming and I am Emotional. Not necessarily in a bad way though. I'm excited for these new things. They're just all big things, and all of them together is just a lot to think about, and my brain's tired just a bit.

momentum

2011-07-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling less crazy. After crashing last Thursday, I have since re-energized and got momentum that led to rather productive week:

School. "The system hates you, in my opinion, and you've gotta show it no regard," says Sanja about grad school. Still frustrated that I hadn't heard about my final financial aid package when tuition is technically due Aug 1, and worried that I was bothering my adviser with too many emails, I took my friend's advice and just kept emailing until I got the information I wanted. No financial aid package yet, but at least now I know that I can sign a piece of paper saying that I'm waiting for money--meaning I don't have to pay tuition Aug 1, buying myself more time to get my loans figured out before I start classes late Sept. Not my favorite situation, but I'm not screwed yet. This has also got me going on other things that needed to get done like signing up for technology workshops and submitting paperwork verifying my measles/mumps/rubella immunization 20 freaking years ago.

Work. Filled out necessary paperwork for my new job, with my first day of work being delayed to Aug 18th. I'm still not sure what my official job title is but it's something like Fiscal Assistant to Perkins Grant Program, which sounds way more important than I am comfortable with. The pressure is on.

Play. I don't go out very often, and I definitely don't go out on a weekday, but I did on Tuesday when a friend was in town. It was totally worth fewer hours of sleep and more beer in my stomach than I'm used to. We ended up doing a triple-date, bringing our boyfriends plus another couple, in Ballard, whose nightlife I hadn't experienced before. We tried Taco Tuesday at Tin Hat but when we saw that there were not enough tables to enjoy Tuesday tacos, we moved on to King's Hardware for sliders and sweet potato fries. Then we headed for a show at Tractor Tavern to see some indie rock. We were there to check out the headlining band, who came from New Orleans, but ended up digging the opening performance, Gardens & Villa, instead. I fell in the love with the tambourine and shaker guy because he was soooo into the music he was making with his tambourine and shaker. Also, the lead singer wore a quiver of flutes and he was amazing.

Health. The Seattle Art Museum sponsors a summer program called "Get Out!: Summer at SAM" that offers free entertainment, art workshops, and exercise classes, most outdoors at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Last Saturday, my mat and I went to the free yoga class, hosted by 8 Limbs Yoga. Since it was blustery outside, the class was held indoors. No matter. Everyone happily set up inside and got their stretch on. I liked that it was a welcoming environment and that I was surrounded by people who were just as inflexible as I am, if not more. I plan on going regularly until the end of summer when the classes stop.

Home. Paid advance rent and signed a lease on a new place. More on that once everything is finalized.

So, I'm feeling satisfied about my progress in this transition from one part of my life to the next. Forward movement feels good. Onward, onward.

strawberry goodness, part 3 + culinary attempts

2011-07-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

From my break yesterday: Cupcake Royale's Strawberry Shortcake, now my new favorite because it's strawberry shortcake topped with strawberry cream cheese icing and graham cracker crumbs.

I've been trying new things in the kitchen recently:

Kale. I don't know why I was intimidated by kale. Perhaps because I associated it with my vegan/vegetarian friends, who are creative cooks, and with people who can afford the freshest, most local, most organic food available. Well, I got my hands on a whole bag of the stuff from my supervisor who got it from someone whose garden features out of control kale growth. I wasn't sure what to do with it, but once I got home I stir-fried it with some soy sauce and garlic like a good Asian. It worked.

In the same night, I tried to fry tofu and was less successful. I cut the block of tofu into thin rectangles just like my mom does, but the final, cooked product was still mushy and not so fried. I think failure came into play with the amount of oil I put in the frying pan. I should've put more. But the pool of oil looked deep enough and scary enough to me at the time; I dressed in my sweater with the hood pulled up over my head, wore my eyeglasses, and stood as far away from the pan as I could so as to protect myself from the spattering hot oil as much as I could. Next time, I'll work on my bravery and add more oil. Gotta build up my tolerance to oil burns so that I can fry wedding-sized batches of lumpia. (I know my birthday is in six months, but note that a splatter screen has been added to my Amazon wish list.)

Something more along the line of my relative (very relative) 'expertise', I tried my sister-in-law's zucchini bread recipe, which involves peeling, cubing, and blender-ing three to four zucchini. The two loaves turned out yummy, but I was irritated that my bread didn't look as nice as my sister-in-law's. Hers had nicely rounded tops whereas mine rose a lot and split--and mine were more crumbly than I would have liked. Is it because I hand mix all batters? (I know my future wedding is unofficially in two or three years, but note that a nice stand mixer will be on my gift registry.) Or because I have metal bread pans, not glass? Or because the oven in my apartment is dying and probably doesn't heat evenly?

Anyway, my trusty partner in culinary adventures is Holly, and I must say that the meal we made this past Sunday kicked ass on all fronts. First, homemade mojitos. Second, watermelon feta salad. Third, "Sensational Spiced Salmon", using lemon zest, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, and salt, from a Cooking Light magazine. It was so delicious, we laughed. There are pictures somewhere.

strawberry goodness, part 2 / worry

2011-07-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

Have I already said that I'm feeling a little crazy this week?

After frantically trying to finish up my Friday post for SMITH, follow-up on a housing lead, finally getting my hands on a copy of my immunization records for school, and coordinating weekend plans with friends, I treated myself to cupcake.

"Strawberry 66" from Cupcake Royale

I forgot to eat dinner for the second time this week. It wasn't until well after 9 p.m. that I realized that all I had eaten in the previous ten hours was a cupcake. My biggest worry about going back to school in the fall is not the course work or making new friends but that I won't take care of myself because I'm busy.

reminder

2011-07-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning when I looked down at my wrist to check the time, I noticed my skin on my left arm was freckled with deep red dots from my knuckles to elbow. I shrugged it off, being used to weird skin reactions. But throughout the day I kept noting that the spots were not disappearing nor fading in color. Am I vitamin deficient? Do I need to drink more water? Should I call the doctor? At dinner, I showed Joe my arm and he immediately told me, "You're not dying." He knows I need to reminded of this sometimes.

weird mixed feelings

2011-07-12T22:29:00.000-07:00

I felt burnt out several weeks ago and somehow I feel like I'm burning out again. Burnout on top of burnout. Extra burnt. Fried. Crispy? I blame the long hours I have been required to log to catch up and be able to meet my total hour requirement by the end of my contract. It would be one thing if I were busy, easily able to fill the long days with meaningful tasks. Instead I find myself just sitting in the office for a couple extra hours, cranky. Not that I'm being completely idle, but I feel close to that.

Today I WD-40ed the hinges of all the squeaky doors within our division. No one asked me to. Nor is it in my contract to do so. I was bored, and the quietness of summer school days makes the screeching of unlubricated door hinges all the more unbearable.

Anyway, since April I have been counting down the weeks (2.5) and constantly calculating how many hours I have left to complete (115.5). I'm just looking forward to a break, a change, something new, something better paid. Today, though, as I was announcing to a group of students that the ESL conversation group only has two more sessions since I have to leave at the end of the month, it hit me that this is really all coming to an end--soon. Weird, is how I described how I'm feeling to my supervisor, who sensed I had something on my mind. Weird mixed feelings of relief and sadness. It's weird having put so much time and energy into a program for two years and then having it end, rather abruptly, before the quarter's even over.

The students, the staff and faculty, the volunteers, and the feeling like what we're all working toward matters. I will miss it all, really. I don't know just how much until I leave.

exercise, at various stages of happening

2011-07-11T22:58:00.000-07:00

Exercise, not happening: In attempts to add more free exercise to my life, I borrowed a workout DVD from the library. Usually, I borrow yoga DVDs and sometimes get around to using them, so I thought that a "Ballet Conditioning" workout might be an interesting way to add variety. I couldn't do it. Within seconds being introduced to the blonde ballerina, I sat down in front of my TV with a scowl on my face to counteract the large grin that couldn't be slapped off hers as she gracefully moved between back bends and plies. I find the manufactured words of encouragement off-putting and lack of sweat and panting on the instructor's part irritating. Some day, I will be able to put real-life classes in my budget so I don't have to subject myself to interacting with a flat-screen full of flat characters.

Exercise, happening: More walking. Yesterday Joe and I wandered around the Seattle Arboretum, which offers much better natural scenery than my neighborhood. So many trees.

Exercise, going to happen: Lately, I have been mentioning to several folks that I am learning how to play tennis, which has resulted in discovering a few new potential partners. One plays recreational tennis regularly, one played doubles tennis in high school, and one prefers to play 'let's see how long we can keep hitting the ball back and forth' more than a real game. Now I just have to take up each of them on their offers.

jet

2011-07-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, above Jefferson Park.

strawberry goodness

2011-07-06T22:17:00.000-07:00

I usually stop by Cupcake Royale every few weeks to check out their cupcake of the month, the limited time recipe. This month though, they're featuring four special cakes, all strawberry-themed, which means, in July, I'm going to consume more cupcakes than normal. Today, I started with the Strawberry Velvet, pictured below.

my face slammed against the wall of responsibility

2011-07-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

My progress, or lack thereof:

Preparing for school. After pushing it out of my mind for several weeks, I tried getting back on track for being ready for school. I reviewed my to do list and added important deadlines to my calendar. I decided to make a trek to the Office of Student Financial Aid on my day off with an intent to get everything squared away. The office operates on drop-in hours, and luckily I didn't have to wait too long to see a counselor, but what I really need is a long appointment with to get a task list, a how-to, and lots of hand-holding. The counselor I did see for about 5 minutes was very nice but he obviously didn't understand how lost I was even though I said straight up, "I don't know what I'm doing." He read me off the loans I qualified for and recited the interest rates, things I already knew by checking my online award notice. Then he told me that the money is disbursed at the end of September, and I said that my program requires that tuition is due when we register for classes, and he said that that was unusual and that I would probably have to fill out more paperwork to fix that, and I, just wanting to get out at this point, asked if he had an estimate of when my readjusted financial aid package would be ready because it seems like it's pointless to do any paperwork until my package reflects the higher tuition? He said he didn't know but the office is working on it. I walked across campus to see if my program advisor was in her office, but of course she was on vacation. Soon, I was stress crying in the bathroom. On the bright side, I called my old doctor's office the same day to request a copy of my immunization records and that was easy.

Moving. Because of several factors, including being unsure if I can afford a deposit on a new place, I don't know what the ef is going on.

Exercising. Last weekend, I became extremely frustrated with this whole getting an exercise routine going. Tennis is still happening, though not as often as I'd like since I need a partner to play. One possible solution might be finding more friends to play with, but, more likely, I need to find another activity to supplement tennis. I momentarily considered paying for some sort of class, but I still can't bring myself to do it.

Eating. I've slipped back into bad eating habits. My goal for this week is to pack my lunch every day. And hopefully I'll be able to re-train myself. I've bought an assortment of fruits and veggies from the farmers market and some healthy choices for homemade meals from the store. Let's do this.

Making dollars. I was recently offered a part-time job by a former co-worker who got a promotion earlier this year. The job is something like an admin assistant (yes, I don't know the exact job title), largely responsible for tracking and double-checking expenses within eight budgets. I hesitated about taking the job because it's not directly related to librarianship and I wasn't sure if I could balance it with being a full-time student. But I figure experience with budgets is marketable and I've worked part-time while going to school before. Plus, I'd get to work some of those hours from home, the schedule would be flexible, I'd have a cool boss, and being able to afford rent and food sounds good. I should be able to start this new gig the week after my ACorps contract is up.

#30daysofcreativity: conclusion

2011-07-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

Some quick thoughts about the 30 Days of Creativity challenge that I took on during the month of June:

I am proud of myself for sticking to it and for posting every day (except for that one time but I made up for it).

I'm surprised that I ended up drawn to paper crafts over sewing or writing as I thought I would.

On the days where I felt less inspired, setting aside 10 to 15 minutes to do anything creative was often enough to get me in the mood to be creative longer.

The daily commitment didn't really take away from or interfere with other things going on in my life, which shows that if I use my time more intentionally (instead of checking Facebook or switching on the TV with no program in mind), I do have time to do the things I make excuses for not doing like blogging, writing, calling my mom.

I'm grateful for 30 Days of Creativity, for a refreshing boost of inspiration, accountability in a fun way, and a new perspective on creativity.

official ok go confetti

2011-07-01T15:15:00.001-07:00

When I pre-ordered OK Go's live album, and they said I would be sent official OK Go confetti, I wasn't quite sure what that would look like. Turns out it's just a tube of an assortment of freshly cut confetti. I was kind of hoping for to open my package and have my face meet an explosion of confetti lead singer Damian Kulash had personally sweated on during a show. A girl can dream.

#30daysofcreativity day 30: upcycled notebooks, part 2

2011-06-30T21:08:00.000-07:00

I finally brought out my sewing machine, just in time for Day 30, to stitch up some notebooks using paper saved from the recycling bin at work.

Like what you see? You can have one for free.

Materials Used:
- scratch paper, aka my failed lesson plans
- heavier paper taken from pages of a book
- paper cutter at office
- sewing machine
- thread

Money Spent:
$0

Day 30 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-30/

#30daysofcreativity day 29: recipe binder addition

2011-06-29T21:57:00.000-07:00

Copied down a new recipe and added to the recipe binder (plain on the outside, gloriousness within).

That's a recipe for zucchini bread, courtesy of my sister-in-law. I also bought a second bread pan, so this is going to happen for serious.

Day 29 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-29/

#30daysofcreativity day 28: one sentence (morning commute)

2011-06-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I consider riding the bus past my stop, to continue reading the book in my hands, traveling toward the end of the line.

#30daysofcreativity day 27: extinct medium

2011-06-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

Today's inspiration theme from 30 Days of Creativity is 'extinct mediums'.

Can't say I've seen a date stamp used in the last five, maybe even ten, years. I found this one in the back of a drawer while cleaning the office.

I set the date for June 1, the first day of this 30-day project. Almost done, huh.

#30daysofcreativity day 26: personalized cross-stitch

2011-06-27T00:07:00.000-07:00

Made from a very wrinkled scrap of aida cloth (14 count) and extra embroidery thread in my sewing box. I had to plan out the top stitches but was able to free-hand the rest.

Also created today: banana muffins with added flaxseed, blisters on the bottoms of my toes from all the walking I did, and a cute outfit involving my high-waisted denim skirt and "There's nothing wrong with love" shirt which I hadn't worn since high school.

Day 26 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-26/

#30daysofcreativity day 25: pink-themed letter

2011-06-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

Prepared a pink-themed letter for my newest pen pal, my other niece. Started with my pink stationery, then found some pink origami paper, then a sticker, then pens to write with. I hope that the post office staff will be okay processing my niece's address, which is written in neon pink marker.

I'm also super excited to start using my USPS Go Green postage stamps, which have a different green tip on each stamp. The one above says "turn off lights not in use".

Day 25 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-25/

#30daysofcreativity day 24: best six of the week

2011-06-24T23:56:00.000-07:00

“Blurred Line Between Cat-lover and Cat-lady.” The Best Six-Word Memoirs of the Week

Perhaps it's cheating to choose to feature something I do every Friday for SMITH Magazine as my Day 24 project. But I have a pretty cool gig, being involved with SMITH, and I'm allowing myself to be proud of it and broadcast it. Thanks to Sanja and Sarah for each of their recent reminders that I'm definitely putting my Creative Writing degree to good use.

Day 24 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-24/

#30daysofcreativity day 23: sassy nametags

2011-06-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

During a break at work:

Day 23 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-23/

#30daysofcreativity day 22: haiku

2011-06-22T23:08:00.000-07:00

Fremont, no bookstores?
Relief upon return to
bookish Seattle.

One of the first things my brother told me after he picked me up from the airport last week was that there were no longer any bookstores in Fremont, our hometown. Both the Barnes & Noble and Borders closed down within months of each other. While there is a Half-Priced Books sticking around, to buy new books one would have to drive out of the city, order online, or be subject to the smaller selections at the bargain superstores like Costco. Sad news. I first thought of my oldest nephew who has a large appetite for books.

As for myself, I didn't think this change would really affect me. But then I finished reading the book I packed for my week-long vacation. Going to the library, even with a sibling's library card, wouldn't have made much sense, given I wanted something I could take on my return flight. There wasn't much time to trek out of the city, just for a book. I gave in to the thought of buying a book at Target, while joining my mom to run errands. I decided to look for The Hunger Games; it's on my to-read list and it's hot right now. When I got there, though, they didn't have it. I was glad to see three aisles full of books and magazines but was so disappointed in what filled them. I seriously considered buying A Visit From the Goon Squad and not-as-seriously considered The Help, but it was hard for me to commit spending dollars on something I wasn't so sure I would like and that would be better borrowed from the library like the majority of my reading. Instead of a book, I went home with a set of new pens (as consolation). Later, at the airport, I treated myself to the latest copy of The New Yorker for the plane ride home, but I had become (excessively) anxious about having a book in my hands.

My first day back in Seattle, what do I do? Go to a bookstore. Having some time to kill in Pioneer Square, a neighborhood I don't hang out in too often during the day, I wandered into Arundel Books on the corner of 1st and Madison. I've walked by tons of times but never had the chance to go in. I didn't expect to be so pleasantly surprised when I walked in. It's a small store, with new, used, and rare books, but it's especially charming with natural light shining through large windows, a spiral staircase to the second floor, and, literally, books to the ceiling. I quickly found a copy of The Hunger Games there, and continued to poke around while overhearing the bookseller strike up genuine conversation with the customers in line to buy. His name is Phil, and I would say he's the friendliest bookseller I've ever met. He gushed over The Hunger Games, gave me a recommendation (Garth Nix, young adult fantasy author from Australia), asked me about what I do--so we talked about ACorps, librarianship, and SMITH--and told me a bit about their new building purchase and project on Vashon Island. Obviously, this conversation lasted past the transaction. I'll be back, Arundel Books.

Within a couple of hours I was at the library, picking up two more books. I feel best when I have a stack of books at my bedside.

Day 22 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-22/

#30daysofcreativity day 21 (make-up): organization of thoughts

2011-06-22T22:13:00.000-07:00

Had one of those days when my mind went a little wacky from thinking about all the tasks waiting to be done. To bring the crazy down, I wrote everything down, separated into three categories: Need To Do, Should Do, Want To Do. This method of organization came from a recommendation from a therapist I saw years ago but that I've adapted to something that works better for me. The general idea is to focus on crossing things off the Need To Do list, and giving the other lists attention but lower priority. This works for me on conceptual and visual levels and keeps me from feeling so overwhelmed.

Day 21 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-21/

If you must have an excuse for why I missed Day 21, I spent a good portion of my day yesterday traveling and by the time I got home I was feeling more cranky than creative.

#30daysofcreativity day 20: peaceful moment

2011-06-20T22:37:00.000-07:00

Imagine me in my summer shorts and tank, barefoot, in the backyard of my childhood home, holding my niece's frog-colored umbrella in one hand to shade myself from the California sun and, in the other hand, a pink plastic wand with a star-shaped end, blowing bubbles as big as I can until soapy juice runs down my fingers.

Day 20 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-20/

#30daysofcreativity day 19: six-word memoirs on dad

2011-06-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day, I wrote Six-Word Memoirs about my dad. Out of the ten written in ten minutes, here are the top three:

"Bless you." : Dad's "I love you."

Dad's cooking no cause for excitement.

Long-winded stories are more Dad's style.

Time to post them to SMITH's new section, Six Words on Dads. :)

Day 19 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-19/

#30daysofcreativity day 18: 10 things

2011-06-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

Day 18 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-18/

#30daysofcreativity day 17: collaborative coloring

2011-06-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

I had a yellow crayon and drew all the yellow things my seven-year-old niece and I could think of, including lemonade, cheese, and hair. Purple and blue scribblings by her two-year-old brother.

Day 17 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-17/

#30daysofcreativity day 16: in my purse

2011-06-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I resorted to tweeting for Day 15, since I didn't have wi-fi access on my laptop for the day to do some blogging. Today, though, I'm connected. For Day 16, a list.

In My Purse

(counter-clockwise) Elliott Bay Book Co reusable bag; sunglasses; eyeglasses; napkins from last to-go meal; 'make-up' bag with compact mirror, chapstick, pillbox, etc; headphones in old Altoids gum tin; phone; keys on easy-to-find lanyard; wallet; gum; pencil case with assorted supplies; book, journal, planner.

Day 16 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-16/

#30daysofcreativity day 14: happy wall update

2011-06-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are not familiar with my Happy Wall, it's a wall space in my room dedicated to things that make me happy. It's a collage of sorts. Moving earlier this year caused me to take it down and start mostly from scratch. The collection has been rather meager.

These are the items I added today:

motivational quote handwritten on Day 6, two magazine cut-outs sent to me from Sanja via snail mail, and a sticker from a recent visit to Left Bank Books with Sarah.

Day 14 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-14/

#30daysofcreativity day 13: simple fix

2011-06-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

First, I tried and horribly failed at sewing cotton mittens for my sister's four-day-old baby. In theory, these were going to be adorable mittens made from scraps of a yellow t-shirt. I blame my downfall on their itty-bitty size (approx 2 x 3 inches) being difficult to handle with a needle and thread. I'm sad it didn't work out, especially since I have yet to be creative via sewing in these 30 Days.

Next, since I had my sewing box out, I moved on to something I had been meaning to do. Here was the problem: I have lost countless button pins, including the Peace symbol pin from Andrew and several HIV/AIDs awareness pins, because they slipped off my bag while I was walking around the city. Here's my solution: Stitch them on. That's what I spent a couple minutes doing with the Future Librarian pin from Sarah and my beloved corduroy messenger bag.

I'll be damned if this button falls off my bag.

Looks normal.

Nope. See the underside, with my stitches sewn.

Materials Used:
- needle
- thread

Money Spent:
$0

Day 13 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-13/

finds from capitol hill garage sale day

2011-06-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

Capitol Hill Garage Sale Day happened yesterday, meaning dozens of house and apartment dwellers in the area sold their unwanted things to wanting people. Joe and I started at the main event on Federal and Republican, walked all the way past Volunteer Park to the end of 16th Ave E, and the bused back to Union to finish up. I was on the hunt for bakeware but didn't score in that department. Here's what I found:

- copy of The Giver, which will be donated to my program's tutor library: 50 cents
- set of six cookie cutters in various shapes: 50 cents
- tracing wheel for whenever I get around to sewing clothes: 50 cents
- set of cloth sachet bags: $1
- three spools of ribbon in grey, white, lavendar: $1
- Mike & Chris leather jacket: $10

#30daysofcreativity day 12: father's day card

2011-06-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

It was time to make Dad a Father's Day card. I was excited to use my new rounded corner punch.

Materials Used:
- scrap cardstock
- scrap from a used security envelope
- alphabet stickers
- gluestick
- scissors
- rounded corner punch!

Money Spent:
$7.50 on the corner punch, which will keep on giving

While I was at it, I made some matching cards for the homemade envelopes--Tiffany's collection--that I made last month. Nothing fancy.

Day 12 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-12/

#30daysofcreativity day 11: picture taking

2011-06-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

Trying to take pictures more often. Here's one with a view from the new-ish Jefferson Park on Beacon Hill, where Joe and I went to read once the sun came out. See the Space Needle? (Not that the Space Needle is the only thing worth seeing or recognizing in Seattle.)

You know. Day 11 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-11/

#30daysofcreativity day 10: summer to do list

2011-06-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

Self-explanatory.

Day 10 around the world: http://pinterest.com/createstuff/day-10/