Excuses, excuses

I know, I know... it's been a whole month. I'm sorry. I've been very busy, I promise. And with what's happening in Japan and Libya lately, it seemed almost superficial to just post another book review or recipe, but I couldn't really think of what to say that hasn't already been said by someone with a greater depth of understanding than me.

-And then another week passed while I went on vacation-

Four weeks ago I began a thrilling, terrifying adventure - grad school. Yes, I have re-entered higher education, and am on my way to becoming a librarian! Not the bun-wearing, shushing kind either - but aside from that I don't know what kind of librarian I would like to be. As technology creates more formats to hold information, librarians' jobs change and their roles expand. I don't think libraries will die out anytime soon, they'll just be different from how they're portrayed in movies like The Music Man.



"What do you want to take out?"
"The librarian."

God, I love that line. Robert Preston is gold. And Shirley Jones...I can never pick whether I love her as Marian, Laurey, or Julie best.

Expect to see more library, book and DRM (digital rights management) related posts in the future. It will take me approximately 18 months of full-time study to earn my MLIS (Masters in Library and Information Science), and that's as a follow-up to my English B.A. There's far more to library studies than shelving, cataloguing and microfiche!

Librarian 2.0 - Twitter account, red glasses, nose stud, Kindle and all.

Habitual Page-Turner

I have this habit. It's called reading.

My habit has suffered lately, due to:

-Not being a student
-Not taking public transit every day
-Not working at a secondhand bookstore any more
-Moving halfway around the world
-Marriage

That last one may surprise you. Jody likes to read too, and understands how much a good book and a cup of tea can do to lift my spirits. But when I was single, I used to read before bed nearly every night. Now there's someone to talk to, someone who wonders why it takes me so long to get sleepy.
Often I would fall asleep reading - just ask my dad, my sister, or Michelle (who at one time was my roommate). The light would be on, the book open, my glasses perched on my face - but I would be fast asleep.

I rarely read more than one book at a time, unless the others are for class. Sometimes, if I'm working my way through a particularly long or serious novel, I will pick up a romance or something for when I can't concentrate but need to escape. But I'm not a multi-book reader - two at most. Perhaps because I read so fast? I don't really have time to get bored with a story before I finish it.

If my purse is big enough, you can bet there's a book inside.
I have lots of bookmarks, many of which I've kept for years.
I never dog-ear pages, and I try not to crack the spine. If the book I've just read was new-to-me, you can barely tell it's been read. I have to admit, I am cautious about lending books to people I know will "mistreat" it, unless I don't mind if I get it back at all. Why?

It makes me cringe when I see someone *bend* the spine of a new book.
It's even worse if they've curved the paperback so they can hold it in one hand.
There is, in my mind, no reason to fold pages down. That's why they invented bookmarks. Bookmarks always fall out, you say? That's why there are magnetic bookmarks! I have two.

I don't like writing in books. I had to get over that in university, because it would have meant failing poetry classes - but I used pencil, and made all kinds of funny marks that corresponded to, "theme," "internal rhyme," "simile," "repetition," et cetera. I bought used copies of textbooks when possible, because not only were they cheaper, they'd already been written in and I didn't mind adding my own notes as much.

I rarely see the movie before reading the book. If I do, I often read the book soon afterwards, to get a different picture in my head. Forrest Gump is an exception. Some classics, too, and plays are often easier to understand if you know the story already. I don't mind knowing the ending to a movie, but I hate if someone gives away the ending of a book.

I like to read a series in order, and if it's been awhile since I read the earlier ones, I might reread them before diving into the latest. Unlike Courtney, I don't always have to read an author's oeuvre in order of publication, but it is preferable.
When I had a bathtub, I would often spend an hour having a soak and a read. Note: this would always be with a cheap book that I wouldn't mind steaming.
If I go to the beach, I bring a book.
If I'm traveling somewhere or going to an appointment where there's a waiting room, I'll bring a book.
I've been known to miss a stop when I read on the bus.
My dad used to admonish me for reading at the breakfast table, so he'd take my book away and I'd read the cereal boxes.
I nearly walked into a post once because I was reading something in a shop window.

I try to curb my habit of finishing a book before bed by reading a magazine instead, but this usually fails. Even if I purposely start 3/4 the way through the mag, I'll just start at the beginning again and read it like a book.
One year, I bought Cosmo every single month - then realized I'd spent over $60 on magazines, when I could have bought six nice books instead.

One of my university friends was just as much of a reader as I am, and her brother once commented that, even though she spent a fair bit on books, it was cheaper than going out - because she'd read them more than once.

I often reread books, even romance books if they're by a favoured author. And I love children's classics, like Little Women and Anne of Green Gables.

I'm not too fussed about whether the book is Canadian, American, British, whatever. But I've read my fair share of those, thanks to my university classes. And I'm thankful for that, because I discovered several books I never would have picked up of my own choosing - and now I love them.

Before I moved to Australia, my shelves were stuffed. full. to. overflowing. But I organized them, often by genre and size; rarely alphabetically. I could always put my finger on the book I wanted. Terry Brooks and Terry Goodkind were always together, as were Amanda Quick and Nora Roberts. Rearranging bookshelves was one of my favourite ways to procrastinate.

Then it happened. I was moving. And not just across town, which had already prompted The Great Book Purge of 2007, and its one-bedroom cousin, The Purge of 2008. This was the real deal. Even though I have very generous family members willing to store some of my collection, the loss of just (just!) 250 was not enough.
If I had emotional attachment to a book, I kept it. Childhood books I kept for long-term storage. Terry Brooks and Terry Goodkind are gone, as are all but my favourite romances and mysteries. Twilight and Philippa Gregory found good homes. Literature was tough; some were really nice editions from school and I kept those - but if it was a Penguin or a secondhand copy, to the bookstore it went. I think I cut my already-pared collection in half again.

I brought seven books with me to Oz. Including my Bible and devotional. Two school books made the cut - Ami McKay's The Birth House, and The Canadian Press Style Guide. Then, Peter Behrens' The Law of Dreams (grad gift from my sister) and my absolute fave, Catherine Marshall's Julie. I brought Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald for the plane trip, and left it with one of the airline crew.

The little built-in shelf in our apartment is getting very full...it might be time to visit the lending library to drop off the 5 books I bought for $25, or perhaps it's time for a trip to IKEA.

The hunt

The job hunt, that is.
Naturally, my first attempts will be at bookstores and the library. Perhaps the university as well. I plan to go up there tomorrow and see what's up at Career Services. I am pleased with my much-edited and looked-over resume (thanks to M and S) and am getting the hang of cover letters. My search has been made slightly more difficult due to my lack of experience in libraries and the lack of booksellers needed, despite the high bookstore ratio present in this city.

Seriously. There are a lot of bookstores. Which is why, last year, I did my final Web class project as an online guide to Vic's used bookshops - and only included my favourites. I called it The Well-Read Path. It's mostly still intact, but the links to request books only go to my uni inbox, so don't bother if you happen to visit. :)

I stumbled across a uni job but pretty much don't have any of the qualifications for it. Not only am I only an undergrad ( they ask for a grad or PhD student ) but I also am unfamiliar with APA, having spent my years on MLA. Apparently this other style of citation is quite difficult to do properly.

Something will come up. But it would be really great if it came up before Jody returned from his business trip.

Primiti Too Taa -- huh?!

Browsing the big bad Internet last night while researching for my poetry essay due tomorrow, I found something odd that called itself video poetry. It's housed on CBC, and this particular video poem is called Primiti Too Taa. It's described as "A delightful animated poem made with only a typewriter and simple vocal messages."
*Make sure you have your speakers on for this one*
Click "Watch" to see how that translates, then c'mon back here and let me know what you thought! I'm interested to read your responses this time.

September? Already?

This morning finds me waiting for the delivery of my new desk. I decided I needed to carve out some space for myself in the living room, rather than sharing Jody's art table. I am going to need some serious study space this year, with 4 classes per term and who knows how many essays to write. Two of my courses have online discussion, which is unusual for English.

I am also waiting to talk to my folks via Skype, which should be in about 20 minutes. They seem to be enjoying Italy, minus the smoking and the heat, and I hope to be able to actually speak to them this morning. On Tuesday I could hear and see them via webcam, but my microphone wasn't properly configured so I typed my replies.

Tonight Sarah, Michelle and I are hanging out because we haven't picked a new study book yet. If anyone has a recommendation for a somewhat liberal, un-cheesy girls' Bible study book please let me know!

It is amazing how much I enjoyed summer classes. Yes, I know I haven't blogged in a month, but it was worth it. I got an A- in my second Shakespeare class of the summer. That'll give my poor GPA a boost! The two B's from July won't hurt either.

I can't believe this is it. It's September of 2007, and I can finally see the end of my degree. It actually felt good to go to school yesterday. I was sick of being in third year, again. I know I'll have to work hard, but I hope to enjoy it, since none of the classes I have left are obligatory--I got those out of the way in the summer. Now, if only I can get into Romantic Poetry, I can drop Elizabethan Drama... oh please oh please oh please. I don't want to read Marlowe, Kyd and yet more Shakespeare.

In my time off I read a lot (surprised? don't be). Tracy Chevalier's The Virgin Blue and Girl with a Pearl Earring were both excellent. I had some fun with Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner, and Eragon by Christopher Paolini. I'm stalled mid-sequel, though; Eldest is not nearly as engaging, and Eragon was not amazing to begin with. Oh, I also read Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong, one of my fav authors. My other fav, Robin McKinley, is coming out with a new one later this month, Dragonhaven. I read some Silhouette Bombshells for romance about girls who kick serious butt and manage to get a guy that's into them because--not despite--their strength and unusual career. What else? Oh, Stardust by Neil Gaiman, after I saw the movie. If you liked the movie you'll like the book. They're different, but both good in their own way.

Well, I'm off to chat with Mom & Dad.

Where'd the sunshine go?

And now for something completely different from my rant (below). I wrote this this morning waiting for class to get interesting.

What's a girl gotta do to get some sunshine?
The first half of July, it seemed we were finally blessed with summer weather. It was so hot I complained, even though I swore I wouldn't--but it was only because of the ridiculousness of sitting in a non-air-conditioned classroom for 2 classes X 2 hours in the 30+ heat.

So now, it's foggy and raining and humid, meaning you need to cover up against the raindrops but your fall jacket is too warm. It is disgusting. This is the West Coast! It's supposed to be beautiful, warm weather, not fall-like and dreary.

I was really looking forward to summer, not to mention all my cute summer clothes! I didn't get to wear them last year. There is no way I should be wearing jeans, long sleeves and a jacket on the 23rd of July. After spending 3 months of last summer in South Africa's winter season, with an average temperature of 20 in the daytime and 0 at night, I was due some sunshine!

I had visions of reading books for my summer classes in the backyard in the sunshine, with an ice-cold drink, or heading down to the beach for ice cream. Instead I've been making tea and hot chocolate, craving the comfort of grilled cheese and soup at lunch, and reading on the couch. Backyard reading has been out of the question for the past 10 days; it's just too depressing compared to earlier this month when I sat outside in my sundress in a camping chair with a drink in the armrest and Shakespeare in my hand.

Seriously... there is no reason for it to be this un-summery. That may not be a word, but I think it should be. It's the only thing that describes the weather lately.

Almost Done!

I have been studying for my last final of the term... my exceedingly depressing American lit class. It has been interesting, but decidedly sad and thought-provoking. It reminds me why I am glad to be Canadian, and why it's a good thing I wasn't a teenager in the forties or fifties, despite the wonderful music of those decades.
It will be *so good* to finish at noon tomorrow. Woo-hoo!
I have the house to myself until tomorrow afternoon, with my folks away, so I am looking forward to indulging in a movie and a glass or two of wine. Then I will sleep. Ah, sleep...
Tuesday I will go to the gym again, having missed my weekend gym time. Instead Michelle and I did (most of) the 10K route on Saturday in just under an hour and a half. And I know I can go faster, so I hope we can make it in an hour and a quarter on the 29th.
The gym's been going fairly well... my stamina is up on the cross-country stationary bike setting, and my strength has improved also. I am really happy I have a membership, since I can go anytime, and also use the pool. Hot tubs are good.
Come to think of it, that might be another thing I will do on Tuesday--soak in the hot tub. Let me tell you, I am still sore from the big walk on Saturday. But I did it! So I know I can make it next weekend.