I cannot believe that it has been that long. That means that it has been even longer since I actually read other people's blogs! That makes me very sad.
I am going to be honest with you. School sucks. I mean, it sucks like a lot. I want to be reading and writing and blogging but instead I am learning the in depth concepts behind being a librarian. Hate to tell you, but I really think that an MLIS is pointless. Yay for understanding the theory behind the job that I do every day but I get most of that from the job I do every day.
I have decided to use blogging as a reward. I'm just starting to get myself and my life back in order and for every item that I complete I am going to read a blog! I'm so excited that I can't stand it!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I have not disappeared from the planet, though I am beginning to consider it as an alternative. lol.
I started classes three weeks ago and have done little else but homework since. I have, however, managed to work in a little writing nearly every day. You are not rid of me yet.
What I miss most is reading. Reading for fun and reading blogs. Sigh.
I'll be back someday!
I started classes three weeks ago and have done little else but homework since. I have, however, managed to work in a little writing nearly every day. You are not rid of me yet.
What I miss most is reading. Reading for fun and reading blogs. Sigh.
I'll be back someday!
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I have not disappeared from the planet, though I am beginning to consider it as an alternative. lol.
I started classes three weeks ago and have done little else but homework since. I have, however, managed to work in a little writing nearly every day. You are not rid of me yet.
What I miss most is reading. Reading for fun and reading blogs. Sigh.
I'll be back someday!
I started classes three weeks ago and have done little else but homework since. I have, however, managed to work in a little writing nearly every day. You are not rid of me yet.
What I miss most is reading. Reading for fun and reading blogs. Sigh.
I'll be back someday!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Holy Geez!
Well, I've started classes. This is not the first time that I have taken classes online. However, it is the first time I have taken a whole degree online, something I often tsk, tsk at. I guess that part of me is a traditionalist and I kind of think that going to class is part of getting degree. Online degrees don't count. I'll have to change that little part of my brain now. I am officially an online graduate student. I am officially graduate student. Geez.
The second thing that's really different about it is that librarians have to, by definition, keep on top of the technology trends. I don't think I am a major computer geek but I do know things but mostly because I have to use computers every day for work, etc. Anyway, the way that Wayne State has decided to deal with the out of classroom experience is by putting lectures online as videos on a website that allows them to track each student, whether they watched them, when they watched them, and if they watched them all of the way through. Having worked in a library for some eight years now, I have a hard time watching these things. Right now, I am listening to a lecture on how to keep up with technology and be innovative. You mean, there are people who don't read blogs? Someone doesn't have a Myspace? THERE ARE LIBRARIES WITHOUT WEBPAGES???? lol. In honor of my undergrad experience, I am painting my nails and writing.
But I did just get a mental punch in the stomach. I think that part of me has always thought that you got a degree, got a job, and did what you had to do to keep it. That's it. Part of the reason that I decided against teaching was that Michigan requires teachers to take so many credits in college courses every so many years. Apparently, the best way to keep your job in a library is by taking classes, reading blogs and magazines, and keeping on top of all of the latest trends inside and outside of the library. (That last one is something that I really suck at. I can barely keep on top of the kind of shoes I should be wearing and I love shoes. The music I listen to is older. The books I read are old. I am a classic kind of girl. That doesn't mean that I am against innovation, etc, but I do like things vintage.)
What gave me the punch was this: I have been using all of my extra energy outside of school and work to work on my writing. Now, working part time and going to school full time has left me with a decent amount of spare time. Nanowrimo helps, giving my one month when I can just write write write. Still school full time has generally given me hours where I have sat in a class and, well, wrote. After graduating, I started this blog. I edited a novel for the first time. I made a plan for writing, editing, and submitting. I made a plan for developing my web presence. However, when I have to work on work outside of work, how am I going to have time work on writing. NOT just writing but all of that other writing stuff!
How do people do all of this without going crazy??
The second thing that's really different about it is that librarians have to, by definition, keep on top of the technology trends. I don't think I am a major computer geek but I do know things but mostly because I have to use computers every day for work, etc. Anyway, the way that Wayne State has decided to deal with the out of classroom experience is by putting lectures online as videos on a website that allows them to track each student, whether they watched them, when they watched them, and if they watched them all of the way through. Having worked in a library for some eight years now, I have a hard time watching these things. Right now, I am listening to a lecture on how to keep up with technology and be innovative. You mean, there are people who don't read blogs? Someone doesn't have a Myspace? THERE ARE LIBRARIES WITHOUT WEBPAGES???? lol. In honor of my undergrad experience, I am painting my nails and writing.
But I did just get a mental punch in the stomach. I think that part of me has always thought that you got a degree, got a job, and did what you had to do to keep it. That's it. Part of the reason that I decided against teaching was that Michigan requires teachers to take so many credits in college courses every so many years. Apparently, the best way to keep your job in a library is by taking classes, reading blogs and magazines, and keeping on top of all of the latest trends inside and outside of the library. (That last one is something that I really suck at. I can barely keep on top of the kind of shoes I should be wearing and I love shoes. The music I listen to is older. The books I read are old. I am a classic kind of girl. That doesn't mean that I am against innovation, etc, but I do like things vintage.)
What gave me the punch was this: I have been using all of my extra energy outside of school and work to work on my writing. Now, working part time and going to school full time has left me with a decent amount of spare time. Nanowrimo helps, giving my one month when I can just write write write. Still school full time has generally given me hours where I have sat in a class and, well, wrote. After graduating, I started this blog. I edited a novel for the first time. I made a plan for writing, editing, and submitting. I made a plan for developing my web presence. However, when I have to work on work outside of work, how am I going to have time work on writing. NOT just writing but all of that other writing stuff!
How do people do all of this without going crazy??
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
You wouldn't believe my luck...
A couple of weeks ago, my car started acting funny. All of the men (Dad, Jas, and my brother) decided I needed new spark plugs and wires, the sooner the better. Jas cleaned my air filter and all was well. I planned on buying the new plugs and wires with this Friday's check. I also planned on betting an oil change for good measure. Until then, things were running smoothly...
I got in my car to go to work today and it didn't want to start. When I finally got it going, it said, "But I don't want to!" "Too bad..." And I took off down the road. A mile down the road, it stalled at the corner. I made my turn and went about another mile to turn around in the grocery store parking lot. I turned in, turned around, and died in the middle of the aisle. I started it. It died. I did this repeatedly with no luck. Finally, I called my daddy to bring me Mom's car.
Now, I got Mom's car. "Mustang Sally" is playing and mocking me. The car is on empty. My car had almost a full tank because I had used the last of my money to fill it. Okay, there is more money but I like to leave $100 in my checking at all times just in case I forget to write something in. Or a lot of somethings. I'm running late for work at this point. I decide to get gas closer to town. I stop at the last station before work because the low fuel light is on. They are getting new pumps and they don't have any gas...
I finally just gave up and went to work. I can't get into too much trouble at the library, right?
I got in my car to go to work today and it didn't want to start. When I finally got it going, it said, "But I don't want to!" "Too bad..." And I took off down the road. A mile down the road, it stalled at the corner. I made my turn and went about another mile to turn around in the grocery store parking lot. I turned in, turned around, and died in the middle of the aisle. I started it. It died. I did this repeatedly with no luck. Finally, I called my daddy to bring me Mom's car.
Now, I got Mom's car. "Mustang Sally" is playing and mocking me. The car is on empty. My car had almost a full tank because I had used the last of my money to fill it. Okay, there is more money but I like to leave $100 in my checking at all times just in case I forget to write something in. Or a lot of somethings. I'm running late for work at this point. I decide to get gas closer to town. I stop at the last station before work because the low fuel light is on. They are getting new pumps and they don't have any gas...
I finally just gave up and went to work. I can't get into too much trouble at the library, right?
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Teenage Rachael
In the interest of writing YA, I think that it is important to remember what it was like to be a teenager. What did you like? What did you do? What did you LOVE? And, what drove you nuts? So, here is a list about teenage Rachael.
1. Throughout high school, I lost about 60 lbs, taking me from "Fat Sweaty Betty" to "Freak B*tch" or just "Betty." I am serious. My guy friends called me these names.
2. I drove an '89 Firebird, sky blue and rust. I loved that car. LOVED it. I called her Venus and she was a tank. But, oddly enough, she would stall everytime I was at a certain corner. Never failed.
3. One of my favorite things to do was pick up my best friend, Missy, and our boyfriends, get in said Venus, and drive. We would go to the state game area or stop at the store and buy a Stewart's Cream Soda.
4. Another one of my favorite things to do was to go to teen night at the bowling alley. Only people 18 and under were allowed in. There was a DJ and for one price you could bowl all night. It originally went to 1 am but they eventually changed it to 12 because there were so many problems. IT was basically an excuse to act stupid, eat nachoes, hit on guys, and watch everyone smoke illegally. Good times.
5. I belonged to a group of friends that called themselves The Rejects. There was me, your friendly neighborhood goth, Janae, the jock, Sara, the shy but preppy girl, and Missy, the outsider. Missy was my best friend through most of high school and is now. I used to practically live at her house. We would go for five mile walks then eat frozen pizza and nachoes. Yum.
6. I dated about seven guys in high school. Most of them were disgusting and I will never forgive myself.
7. It used to drive me nuts, but my mom wouldn't allow me to spend hours on the phone long distance with my boyfriend. And she would pick up occasinally to make sure I was behaving.
8. I always behaved... on the phone. ;)
9. My favorite highschool bands? Hole, Garbage, Marilyn Manson, KoRn, Limp Bizkit, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Oleander, Weezer, and Blink 182. I am not proud but sometimes I really do miss Fred Durst. And Manson was the hottest in the boob suit.
10. I am not kidding when I say that I spent a bulk of my first two years of high school wearing men's Kikwear jeans with 54" to 69" wide legs and super tight shirts. I was proud of my ever-improving body. When I was 16 I started wearing super tight jeans then I switched to all kinds of pants. Blue and black striped or plaid. I dyed my hair black and, for a little while, had purple or red or blue or green or pink bangs. I used to draw on my face with eye-liner. I would still do all of this if I could.
1. Throughout high school, I lost about 60 lbs, taking me from "Fat Sweaty Betty" to "Freak B*tch" or just "Betty." I am serious. My guy friends called me these names.
2. I drove an '89 Firebird, sky blue and rust. I loved that car. LOVED it. I called her Venus and she was a tank. But, oddly enough, she would stall everytime I was at a certain corner. Never failed.
3. One of my favorite things to do was pick up my best friend, Missy, and our boyfriends, get in said Venus, and drive. We would go to the state game area or stop at the store and buy a Stewart's Cream Soda.
4. Another one of my favorite things to do was to go to teen night at the bowling alley. Only people 18 and under were allowed in. There was a DJ and for one price you could bowl all night. It originally went to 1 am but they eventually changed it to 12 because there were so many problems. IT was basically an excuse to act stupid, eat nachoes, hit on guys, and watch everyone smoke illegally. Good times.
5. I belonged to a group of friends that called themselves The Rejects. There was me, your friendly neighborhood goth, Janae, the jock, Sara, the shy but preppy girl, and Missy, the outsider. Missy was my best friend through most of high school and is now. I used to practically live at her house. We would go for five mile walks then eat frozen pizza and nachoes. Yum.
6. I dated about seven guys in high school. Most of them were disgusting and I will never forgive myself.
7. It used to drive me nuts, but my mom wouldn't allow me to spend hours on the phone long distance with my boyfriend. And she would pick up occasinally to make sure I was behaving.
8. I always behaved... on the phone. ;)
9. My favorite highschool bands? Hole, Garbage, Marilyn Manson, KoRn, Limp Bizkit, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Oleander, Weezer, and Blink 182. I am not proud but sometimes I really do miss Fred Durst. And Manson was the hottest in the boob suit.
10. I am not kidding when I say that I spent a bulk of my first two years of high school wearing men's Kikwear jeans with 54" to 69" wide legs and super tight shirts. I was proud of my ever-improving body. When I was 16 I started wearing super tight jeans then I switched to all kinds of pants. Blue and black striped or plaid. I dyed my hair black and, for a little while, had purple or red or blue or green or pink bangs. I used to draw on my face with eye-liner. I would still do all of this if I could.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The only thing that could make me feel better this week...
My fiance, Jas (I give up on Pirate J), is an engineer. He works for a company that makes machines that measure stuff. I don't really understand it, to tell the truth. His work stories are long and boring and have words like "sphere" and "calibration" in them. I usually smile and nod to get through these things. Anyway, part of Jas's job is flying all over the country to install and fix machines. In the past month he has been to Palm Beach, Boston, and L.A. He's gone Monday through Friday almost every week.
Before Jas took this job last November, we had spent every day of our then over seven years together, well, together. Not everyday. But in those seven years we only spent about 14 days apart and most of those were for my job at the time, the bridal shop. For three days a year I was in Chicago buying stock for the following season. The other times we didn't see each other were because he went to Florida once to pick up his grandfather after his grandma passed away and because of snow. Though, I do remember sending my father out to pick him up once when there was a blizzard. Such is our relationship. I am practically an only child so I love having someone to play with. He makes me laugh. I love just being able to see him.
You'd think that this new career would have me feeling miserable but it really doesn't bother me. My father drove truck over the road when I was growing up, Monday through Friday, every week. My mother raised me, stayed at home with me. I have actually kind of enjoyed Jas being on the road. I don't have to shave my legs unless I plan on wearing a dress. He doesn't see just how lazy I have become. When I tell him, "I worked on my novel every day last week," he doesn't know that I only edited ten pages a day because that's all that I can handle. I did sell myself out last week when he noticed I had read three books and three magazines. Still, for a while, things were wonderful. He was gone all week, when we would have been too busy to really do anything anyways, and he came home on the weekend and spent time with me. We went to the movies and dinner and laid in bed and talked. It was great.
However, the problem became that everyone wanted Jas's time. One weekend he had to fix his mom's car, help his dad with the pigs, fix a friend's truck, and take me to dinner. By the end of the weekend, he had taken no time for himself.
Jason's hobby is restoring classic cars. He picked this up from my dad and they work on cars together. It's quite cute. Jason took this week off to work on his car. I understand, I really do. BUT, I am feeling a little neglected. I suggested that we go to the mall or a tourist town in the area and he yelled at me, "I am doing nothing but working on my car this weekend!" Well fine. I pretended he wasn't home for most of the week. Then I woke up today CRABBY. All I wanted was one day of his time. I make a point to ask as little of him as possible. Take me to dinner Friday nights. Maybe go to a party Saturday night. I try not to cut in on car time. But he shouldn't have to spend time with me. He should want to spend time with me. I exploded into tears.
It's been a rough week. I am lonely because I usually spend a half hour on the phone with him. Saturday we have a wedding that neither of us want to go to and Jason is making a big deal about because we could see 7 Mary 3 and Sponge in concert instead. On top of this, there was a hole in the dress I bought and I thought I was going to have to wear soemthing else. I tried on all of the appropriate dresses in my closet and NONE of them fit. I feel fat and ugly and stupid and friendless. I am beginning to feel a little crazy. Someone I care about broke my heart. Work is crazy busy. My car is in need of repairs. I am weepy and lonely and even a little clingy. I couldn't think of what would make me feel better.
Then it just happened.
A lady I work with, who we will call R, had a dream about me last night. We were in a restraunt or bar and I was with a really cute boy who was not Jason. Jason came in and looked very mopey and I said he just wasn't handling things too well. Another guy came in and all three of them got in a fight over me.
That just makes me feel grand. :)
Before Jas took this job last November, we had spent every day of our then over seven years together, well, together. Not everyday. But in those seven years we only spent about 14 days apart and most of those were for my job at the time, the bridal shop. For three days a year I was in Chicago buying stock for the following season. The other times we didn't see each other were because he went to Florida once to pick up his grandfather after his grandma passed away and because of snow. Though, I do remember sending my father out to pick him up once when there was a blizzard. Such is our relationship. I am practically an only child so I love having someone to play with. He makes me laugh. I love just being able to see him.
You'd think that this new career would have me feeling miserable but it really doesn't bother me. My father drove truck over the road when I was growing up, Monday through Friday, every week. My mother raised me, stayed at home with me. I have actually kind of enjoyed Jas being on the road. I don't have to shave my legs unless I plan on wearing a dress. He doesn't see just how lazy I have become. When I tell him, "I worked on my novel every day last week," he doesn't know that I only edited ten pages a day because that's all that I can handle. I did sell myself out last week when he noticed I had read three books and three magazines. Still, for a while, things were wonderful. He was gone all week, when we would have been too busy to really do anything anyways, and he came home on the weekend and spent time with me. We went to the movies and dinner and laid in bed and talked. It was great.
However, the problem became that everyone wanted Jas's time. One weekend he had to fix his mom's car, help his dad with the pigs, fix a friend's truck, and take me to dinner. By the end of the weekend, he had taken no time for himself.
Jason's hobby is restoring classic cars. He picked this up from my dad and they work on cars together. It's quite cute. Jason took this week off to work on his car. I understand, I really do. BUT, I am feeling a little neglected. I suggested that we go to the mall or a tourist town in the area and he yelled at me, "I am doing nothing but working on my car this weekend!" Well fine. I pretended he wasn't home for most of the week. Then I woke up today CRABBY. All I wanted was one day of his time. I make a point to ask as little of him as possible. Take me to dinner Friday nights. Maybe go to a party Saturday night. I try not to cut in on car time. But he shouldn't have to spend time with me. He should want to spend time with me. I exploded into tears.
It's been a rough week. I am lonely because I usually spend a half hour on the phone with him. Saturday we have a wedding that neither of us want to go to and Jason is making a big deal about because we could see 7 Mary 3 and Sponge in concert instead. On top of this, there was a hole in the dress I bought and I thought I was going to have to wear soemthing else. I tried on all of the appropriate dresses in my closet and NONE of them fit. I feel fat and ugly and stupid and friendless. I am beginning to feel a little crazy. Someone I care about broke my heart. Work is crazy busy. My car is in need of repairs. I am weepy and lonely and even a little clingy. I couldn't think of what would make me feel better.
Then it just happened.
A lady I work with, who we will call R, had a dream about me last night. We were in a restraunt or bar and I was with a really cute boy who was not Jason. Jason came in and looked very mopey and I said he just wasn't handling things too well. Another guy came in and all three of them got in a fight over me.
That just makes me feel grand. :)
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