long overdue

So I'm in the process of redesigning my blog, so that it doesn't look like it belongs in 2005 (which I believe was the last time I touched the design). It's amazing all the options that are out there these days! (Haha - I sound like an old fogy.)

Speaking of design, I am particularly proud of my new librarianship site: librarianna. Okay, so I didn't do all the design myself, but I LOVE the background (it came with) and I am pround of my cool banner. Haha, I'm such a dork.

Okay, REALLY, going to go do work now. Like, actual productive work.
xo

mid-December already?!

Found this solid lotion snowflake on etsy & thought it was neat! Check it out here
Phew, where DOES the time go?? And I just found out yesterday that I get no Christmas break whatsoever, UGH. Basically, I just finished up my work on the 15th, and I thought that my winter/intersession course didn't start until January 2...officially, it doesn't. But my professor is starting YESTERDAY. And from what I can see of her still somewhat spotty syllabus (I keep hoping she's going to reschedule things, because it currently still looks like a draft), I have assignments due on December 20th and 27th. Whoo - merry Christmas to ME.

Anyway. I also just read this story on Fringe, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. Not a big short story person, but something struck a chord, and I thought it was really well written. Since I myself have successfully avoided getting back into writing for years now (grr), I figure the least I can do to support the art is to share a good story. :)

I have to get back to other stuff...I am trying to get some Christmas knitting done, and I WAS working on finishing up my textbooks from this past semester, but it looks like those will have to be put on hold so I can get started on my super intensive winter class. Blah.

This weekend, I'm going to go see It's a Wonderful Life with my godmother; it's her all-time favorite movie, and she knows it by heart. When I saw it was playing here on the big screen, I just couldn't resist calling her & inviting her out for a movie!

Also this weekend is my friend Jenn's big winter craft/art/music event, the Snowball, at which I will be volunteering on Sunday. And Saturday night brings my "wifey" Tanya's holiday party, which is conveniently right down the hall from my apartment in Bristol!

Whew, sounds like a busy weekend now that I put it all down on paper. Tonight? A new knitting group at the Enfield Public Library (yay, I get to see another library) and then my friend's band plays at the Hessian Lion.

I did not mean to make this post so long! Oy. Anyway, I hope YOU all have a wonderful weekend! xo

the home stretch

This semester has been so overwhelming. I cannot believe it's coming to a close. I've learned SO much, and while it's been stressful at times, it's been so worth it. I just hope I did all right! But, for now, there's nothing I can do. Assignments have been turned in, and I'm just now catching up on some of the readings I didn't get around to when I was super swamped. Luckily, there isn't actually that much - this may be the first time EVER that I have finished an entire textbook before the conclusion of a semester! But I've still got 2 others that I need to read a few more chapters in. I wanna do that before I lose my momentum, and get all caught up in actually getting to do leisure activities, such as reading a novel (!), watching some Netflix Instant Watch, and playing WoW. :)

This is all about next week, though - I still have one more class to finish up! Luckily, even though the library science school ends it semester extremely early (most people I know were done with their classwork last week), this one class isn't officially over until the 15th, so it was nice that I got to knock off my other classwork and now have a "leisurely" week in which to finish up the materials I'll be submitting for review. This was one of my favorite library science classes: Digital Archiving. We are working on creating museum-style archival exhibits for the amazing project that is VOICES of September 11, which made for a very emotional but really fulfilling course. Additionally, I got to use some of my mad computer skillz (yes, with a "z") in the class; I hadn't realized how much I'd missed tinkering around with database code!

Anyway...I oughta get back to the work, now - just wanted to check in & say hi. Perhaps more soon...when I'm DONE!

xoxo

holiday baking

The sisters, mother, and grandmother all got together yesterday to bake a boatload of Christmas cookies:

From Xmas Cookie Baking 2010

(Click the album link below the photo for a few more images, if you're interested.)

Looks delicious, no? :)

xo

so pretty

Troy bought me a new computer today, as a kind of early Christmas present/thank you for some of the things I've done for him. It's beautiful. I have been using XP for ages now, as both my laptop (an Asus eee) & desktop (the one I built in 2003...yes, it was time for an upgrade, but it IS still running really well!) run it. So running Windows 7 on a machine which can actually handle speed & graphics is sooo amazing. I connected it to his TV (we're keeping it at his place because oh yeah, did I mention we're also playing World of Warcraft on it together? - we're so going to disappear/hibernate this winter...) using a DVI-to-HDMI converter, and after a bit of tweaking, managed to get it to look gorgeous on the "monitor". I'm very pleased. He's totally made my day. Of course, it's making getting my schoolwork done *very* difficult, although we are waiting to play WoW until after my semester is over, because we're not stupid. ;) However, I still just want to play around on my new toy!

At least reading for school (using Blackboard on the computer) is sooo much nicer now! Yay. :)

Okay...gotta force myself to get back to work....

xo

stuffy stuff

I was inspired yet again by Karen's blog, this time to cook. Last night I tried to make an easy Spinach Cheddar Bake, but it was somewhat disappointing - not very substantial, which I guess I should have expected. Troy said it might be good in an omelet, and that's probably true: a spinach & cheddar one! An egg was used in the recipe, so he probably tasted that, too.

Anyway, so that was a failure. No worries - just keep trying new things! It actually inspired Troy to promise he'd cook something for ME out of his One Pot cookbook, so I'm excited for that...when he does cook, he cooks very well. His breakfast sandwiches are to die for.

Otherwise, I'm excited because I just finished up the body on my $5 in Paris (or, Autumn 2010 Sweater). It seems to fit well, which I was uncertain about! I still have to do the sleeves, but they have to wait until I can get back to my apartment and grab my set of #7 double-pointed needles.

I'm currently audiobooking Dracula, and really loving it! It's not as scary as I was worried it would be. It's nice to read in bits & pieces for study breaks and while cooking or doing the dishes. I also LOVE this narrator, Robert Whitfield; I've read some other things by him (Bleak House, Pilgrim's Progress - and now I want to hear him do Casino Royale!) and I was pleased when I realized I'd be listening to him again. His voices and pacing are fantastic.

My schoolwork is slowly getting done...I had to write a collections development policy for a library, which TERRIFIED me, but I actually think it turned out...respectably. For never having written one before. I'm still scared I did it all wrong, but...I did what I could, with what I knew. We'll see.

Now, back to work on project #2: designing a teen space! I am very interested in this one, but I'm just not sure how it should be done, or how much the professor wants from us. Guess I'll just, like the last couple of projects for this class, do what feels right.

I'm looking forward to being done with this overwhelming semester...! xo

welcome back?

Karen inspired me to blog again, and so I'm posting - of course - on the day when I'm absolutely most stressed out about getting papers done, ugh. I have 2 assignments due tomorrow evening, and then one paper/project due the 14th, and another the 15th. Whoo! I sure am looking forward to the 16th...! :)

Not much to report on...I just want to try to get back into the swing of this. Who knows if I'll actually stick with it. I just like the idea of getting some thoughts down - journaling, as it were. Or keeping track of my life. A bit like a diary, but less...girly. Heh.

I have been posting a lot on Facebook, of course, regarding my everyday thoughts. And I post most of my knitting on ravelry, since I long ago lost the sweet potato knits domain to an ex. (I am keeping an eye on it, and hoping to purchase it again when it expires!!!) So I'm not sure exactly what I'll be posting up here. My goal is to keep my posts shorter, since I don't have as much time to read blog posts these days, either, so I understand that people don't want to be swamped with words.

...I'm doing a stellar job of that so far, eh?? :)

Okay, I'll keep the rest of this brief. I am still doing library school (duh) and I'm busy with that. I have a side job thanks to a friend where I am a "security guard" - imagine! me! - which brings in a bit of extra cash, but luckily I have student loans (not looking forward to paying those off!) and should be done with the program in spring 2011. (Cross your fingers for me!)

Otherwise, I mostly split my time very unevenly between Bristol (my place) & Hartford (Troy's place - his gets more time, mostly because of the dog). I am knitting while studying, but dying to get back into reading more novels. Hence why I'm not even going to bother posting what I'm currently reading - it's all boring (to everyone else) school books! (Plus, you can keep an eye on what I'm reading on Goodreads!)

That's all, really, in a nutshell. I don't have much news - oh, besides recently becoming godmother to my new niece, Violet! - and besides, I feel like everyone just keeps up with me via Facebook. I'm going to go for more goal-oriented, introspective posts on this blog, then - a la Karen, I hope!

For now: back to work!!!
xo

PP

i'm chilling at Planned Parenthood waiting for my long overdue appointment (+30 mins, at this point), because i have a UTI (sorry if that's TMI! haha) and no GP right now, even though i have health insurance through the end of August from my old job. oh, well. Troy was so sweet because he wanted to come along, but couldn't because of work. so, blah. i'm totally bored, but trying to read. my librarian book is awesomeness. :)

we made marzipan today at work; it was so much fun!!

okay, gotta go wait some more...xo

Published with Blogger-droid v1.4.9

baking

so today i'm at work at the bakery...and i am learning to make a Gateau de St. Honore (sorry, i don't know how to do accents on my phone). this is the cake which pastry chefs have to make to graduate from the CIA. they have to do it in 3 hours. thank god i don't have to!! but i'm excited to learn it. St. Honore is the patron saint of bakers.

so far, i've just done the chantilly cream, and i'm now on my break. perhaps pictures later if my cakes come out okay. fingers crossed. xo

Published with Blogger-droid v1.4.9

is anyone out there? haha.

so, i've decided i might start blogging a bit again here & there, because i downloaded a Blogger app to my phone, and that will clearly make mobile blogging easier, hah. also, i wanna try to document things again, like school, the job hunt, books, knitting, movies, etc. all the important stuff. :) let's see how this goes!! xo