Lists!

I'm stealing this from Leah and Marty because I am not feeling creative...

FAVORITES
Favorite Color: Blue (but not navy or baby blue... somewhere in between with a hint of teal thrown in for good measure)
Favorite Month: November
Favorite Movie: Singin' in the Rain
Favorite Sport: Football
Favorite Season: Autumn
Favorite Day of the week: Thursday
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Caramel Swirl
Favorite Time of Day: late night

CURRENTS
Current Mood: Tired, frustrated, freaked out
Current Clothes: Jeans, blue cotton zip up hoodie, salmon colored gap t-shirt and white and navy pumas
Current Desktop: something my supervisor put up
Current Toenail Color: ditto to Leah (heheheee)
Current Time: 4:00pm
Current Surroundings: work
Current Thoughts: I should really be working

LASTS
Last Cigarette: n/a (I've never smoked)
Last Drink: Brandy Old Fashioned sour at Genna's with the librarianing folk
Last Car Ride: Driving to the post office this morning
Last Kiss: blar. no clue. (not counting parents, loved ones, etc.)
Last Movie Seen: Take the Lead (Antonio is so saucy)
Last Phone Call: Wrong number at work
Last CD Played: Appalachian Journey by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor (thanks again Julia!)

THINGS
Thing You're Wearing: long underwears
Things You've Done Today: Finished application (gah), went to post office, bought stamps from stamp vending machine, sent applications, freaked out, bought a smoothie and a muffin at ZuZu Cafe, went to work, talked to my supervisor, freaked about problem with application, emailed library director, put books on reserve, drank some tomato soup in a cup, updated library website, slacked, updated blog
Thing You Can Hear Right Now: hum of computers, me typing, streaming Minnesota Public Radio classical music
Thing You Can't Stand: a lot... especially today (v. cranky.)
Thing You Do When You're Bored: watch pointless tv

4 PLACES YOU'VE BEEN TODAY
1. My car
2. Post Office
3. Work
4. ZuZu Cafe

3 PEOPLE YOU CAN TELL ANYTHING TO
only two: Julia and Amy

2 CHOICES
1. Black or White: Black
2. Hot or Cold: Cold

1 THING YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
Achieve inner poise

Don't Be Such a Square

About one year ago, I found myself sitting in Leah's apartment, fighting off cat allergies, drinking wine and learning how to knit (again). Granted, I didn't actually start and finish something I would actually use until this past summer (which makes complete sense... overheating in my non-airconditioned apartment and knitting... duh). But, I do believe I've found a hobby for myself, hopefully one that I will stick with and grow with. I also know I need to branch out and learn new techniques, but I have to do it on my own terms. I know there are lots of knitters out there who knit a sweater as their first project or who learned how to cable or knit lace or use dpn needles during their first year of knitting. And that is great for them (I'm jealous) but it's just not me. Personally, I just want to knit something beyond a square. For example, I was thinking back to what I've made since I started knitting and it's a long long list of square-like objects:

4 scarves
3 dishrags
1 iPod sleeping bag

While discussing my future projects with my mom, she basically told me that I need to stop knitting scarves, making the point that if I knit more of my favorite accessories, I'd have to start wearing two or three at a time just to get use out of them. The woman makes a good point. Then, of course, we decided that this point would be best made with a picture:


Now, I am a very big proponent of using cotton dishrags for headwear (and shoulder pads too!) but let's do some simple math. I own about 10 scarves, many of which never see the light of day (I have my favorites), and I own 1 hat. I do believe it's time for a hat. Leah, my helpful knitting guru, has helpfully provided me with a pattern (holy shit a pattern!) which I have studied, over analyzed and freaked out about for the last week. I think I will be able to handle this. There are no dpns or knitting in the round... just straight stockinette with a few decreases and seamin' to finish it all up. On Thursday, I took a trip to Lakeside Fibers and picked up this:

And to continue on with my knitting development, I picked up this as well:


And despite my trepidation, in between mourning the Saints' loss and yelling things at the tv during the Colts game (such as: Peyton, I love you!), this appeared:


It's a start. Well, to be specific, it's approximately 3.5" of K3P3 ribbing. Still, definitely a start.

We'll Be Sending Out Save the Date Cards Soon...

What Do These Two Men Have in Common?




I received the answer this morning in an email from my mom :

subject: Stuff (*note* every subject line is stuff... no matter what)

Hi Honey,

Well, I don't know if you heard the news or not but Chris Capuano got a big fat raise. He went from $340,000 to $3.4 million. Now, dad said if you were going to make a move now is the time. Just think... all of those student loans could be history!!!!! Also,we just heard that Brett Belima -spelling?- is single and you know how we love football. I really don't think you hang out in the same circles but maybe you could check that one out too!!!!! All of the possibilities here!!!!

Love and Bear Hugs
Mom


Two possible husbands in just one day! How lucky am I!? (I think I'd have to take Chris....)

Five for Friday

Top 5 Things I Learned at My Many Librarianing Gigs Today (all two of 'em):

1) The librarian stereotype exists for a reason. Cute shoes do not work for librarianing. Sensible is where it's at. I'm sure sensible but cute shoes are out there somewhere but I'm too busy looking for pants.

2) Cleaning out file cabinets is fun! Prizes found today at the astronomy library: one pamphlet from 1989 filed under "harassment, sexual" titled "Are You Afraid of Homosexuals?" with the first line "Many people are--it's called homophobia" and one letter from 1996 filed under "letters (reference questions)" which starts with "I have been incarcerated for two years now and I have had a huge interest in Astronomy." Priceless artifacts, people. Priceless.

3) Limits on how many books can be checked out are put there for a reason. One student came in to check out a book and said "I'm kind of worried that I have too many books checked out." I said, "Most students never reach 250. I'm sure it's fine." How many books did he have checked out? 249.

4) I look like a girl who can reorganize a journal display case. (It's true. I can.)

5) Die cutting music notes and musical instruments is fun for maybe an hour. After that, it's ridiculous.

Pants! *Shakes Fist* *Weeps*

So remember when I said I wanted a new blog so I could post pictures easily? Well, in case you haven't noticed, that hasn't happened. I have the camera, I have the pictures; however, I'm new at this whole technology thing and I (of course) forgot the chord thingie and the software for my computer at home. My mom (who rocks) is sending me a digital camera care package and I will be posting pictures in the very near future. And then I can finally write posts about my new shoes and my new years knitting resolutions. Woot.

In the meantime, I'd like to take a few moments to rant about how much I hate buying pants. And I'm warning you: it's a rant. I'm 5'10" and that creates issues because I don't really have long legs; I have a long torso. Thus, the regulars are too short (but barely) and the long sizes create a puddle effect. And so I have to go to a tailor because I don't want to look sloppy (as my mother would say.) And stores generally don't have longs in my size so I have to attempt to buy pants online and then pay shipping and handling and hope they fit and then if they do fit, I have to take them to a tailor and pay more frickin money. And if they don't, they have to get sent back--damn you shipping and handling! And it seems like I am always buying pants! It's no secret that I've gained weight since I've gone to graduate school... but this newly acquired poundage doesn't reek havoc on my sweaters or shirts. It's the pants that get screwed up. It's like a cruel cruel joke. All of the dress pants I toiled to find and bought for my job at Edgewood no longer fit. They're perfectly good pants and they're sitting in my frickin closet staring at me. And what do I have to do? I have to go back online or out to the mall and try on pair after pair after pair and then go home and feel depressed. And then I go online again and feel panicked because I have no clue if the pants that the size two model is wearing are going to look good on me! GAAAH.

It's enough to make a girl crazy. And as you can tell, it is. Thus far, in the great hunt for work pants (damn you practicum!), I have purchased two pairs of grey pants (one striped, one not.)from New York and Company (thank god for them... even if there's not a natural fiber in the store) and I just ordered this pair of pants from the Gap:





















I'm terrified. The entire situation is ripe with potential for failure. These pants could look HORRIBLE on me.

God I hate pants.

Another Saturday Night...

...and I'm spending it watching playoffs and looking for jobs. Partaaaay! However, it is kind of a party because I love football and I'm actually finding jobs... for children's librarians... in the midwest... that pay more than $10 a year!!!! They are out there people! However, a lot of them are in the suburbs of Chicago. Now, I know that Illinois is a perfectly nice state with many positives. But the Wisconsinite in me (a very prominent part of me) is feeling a bit ill... However, they are well paying jobs and, really, who wouldn't love living in Gurnee!? (Is Gurnee considered a suburb?) I could start pronouncing it the way the locals do! And I could take everyone who visited me to the outlet mall and Great America! Fun!

I've also found quite a few kiddie positions in Indiana; however, most of those jobs are ridiculously poor paying. And what I've noticed and find rather interesting is that the jobs that pay about $20,000-$24,000 a year are the ones that list "sense of humor" as a job requirement. I'm having visions of myself wearing a snowman sweater (cause it's all I can afford!), dealing with bratty farm kids (oh the stereotypes I'm busting out right now!) and laughing at my misfortune because it's all I can do.

Okay, back to the job hunt and the playoffs (Dallas or Seattle?! Who will advance?!) I will leave you with this lovely job posting, courtesy of the Mishawaka Penn Harris Public Library:

Requirements: An MLS degree from an ALA-accredited library school or a college degree and at least six hours of graduate level library science courses.

Why didn't anyone tell me I only needed to take two classes in library school to get a job!?! :)

Karma is a Bitch.

Argh, I've already screwed this up. I blame it on myself. I left my nice if not archaic livejournal blog, thinking that blogger would be a breeze! Well, I proved myself completely wrong and had to delete the blog (probably over-reacted... I have a tendency to do that) and now you're all probably somewhat confused. Well, I'm still here, at rosiekate.blogspot.com... but you might need to update your blogline feeds. Hell, I don't know. Let me know if it's all copasetic.

Okay, what was I talking about? Oh yes, I'm a horrible blogger. Before I start deleting my entire blog, I move you guys to this new unfamiliar blog and then I disappear. But, now I'm back (and so is the blog) and I have resolutions for you. I know you're all probably hopping up and down right now... it's very exciting. Anyway, now that it's 2007, exciting (and let's face it, terrifying) events are afoot and what better way to welcome it than with a list!?

1) Eat When I'm Hungry and Stop When I'm Not. This one is the big one. Part of me thinks I should just say "eat healthier foods and work out more" but I think I need to be a bit more harsh with myself and stop eating so frickin' much. I eat when I'm bored, I eat when I'm stressed, I eat when I'm with friends, I eat when I'm alone. And it's rare that I stop eating WHEN I'm full.

2) Find a Job. Holy shit. Terrifying. Part of me would like to dig a hole in my parents backyard and hide there forever. However, I'm not going to do that. Thus, I am going to whip my resume into shape, start believing that I'm going to be a great librarian and any library would be lucky to have me and start scouring for a job that pays more than $22,000 a year. I am librarian, hear me roar! :)

3) Accept Adulthood. I'm 24 years old and come May, I will have a masters in library studies and I'll be a real librarian. Hopefully at some point this year, I'll have a real job and my very own apartment. I don't want to make the same mistakes my parents made when they were my age. I want to be good about "paying myself" (i.e. taking money from my paycheck and saving/investing it) and I need to learn how to budget.

4) Stop Falling Down Stairs. Last week I fell down two flights of stairs. Granted, I was drunk the second time but it's getting ridiculous. My ass hurts.

5) Pack my lunch and stop eating make-shift meals from the vending machines at work. Nuf said.

6) Find a New Boy to Have a Crush On!!! Yes, I said crush. I'm okay not having a relationship at this point. That's very low on the priority list. However, I would just like to meet someone cute and nice and think "Huh, he is cute and nice and I like him." I'd be very happy if I just found that.

7) Be a Better Blogger. Blog more and oh yeah, stop fucking up my blog.

Well, that's about it.... that is unless I decide to delete this post and my entire blog again. Sigh.

Come Here Often?

Hi there! And welcome to the new home of Katie's Adventures in Library Land. Personally, I expected a few more entries in livejournal land... perhaps one about the holiday season and a few funny tidbits that I've collected after hanging out at my parents' house for the last week or so (my mom is currently watching Dr. Phil. Gaaahhh.) However, one teeensy little thing has kept that from happening. And that is.... the "Bsafe" filter on my mother's internet.

Yes, my mother, a 61 year old woman, has a filter on her internet. This lovely filter helpfully blocks sites with "Inappropriate Content" and "R-Rated Humor" and "Web Email Personals" (it pops up these screens to help you understand why you can't read the latest on pink is the new blog). Since my mom only uses her high speed internet to check her email (i.e. email me obsessively), this whole filtering thing isn't a problem for her. However, when her smutty ass daughter (Hi that's me) comes home to use the internet, the filter becomes a slight issue (just a slight one.)

Case One: I am addicted to facebook. We're talking check it 10 times an hour addicted. However, according to my mother's family friendly internet provider, the website is not family friendly matter due to it's "personal" content.

Case Two (a very perplexing example): A few months ago, the website Overheard in New York (a very good way to waste time) was considered off limits due to its "offensive content and dialogue." Go Fug Yourself was still okay though. Now, just months later, Overheard in New York is considered a-okay and Go Fug Yourself is "R-rated humor." Out of both, I neeeeeed go fug yourself... I can't handle their indecision.

Case Three (why we find ourselves here rather than in livejournal land): It seems everyone these days is fed up with livejournal. First I turn on the poor thing and now the internet filter has joined in too. Now, I can read my livejournal but if I try to post to it, Bsafe says "Inappropriate News, Misc., Email." What? What the hell does that mean? However, Bsafe has deemed blogger a fine, worthy website. I can read all blogger blogs (even one that have curse words!), I can comment on all blogger blogs and I found out just minutes ago that I can even post to my blogger blog.

Thus, I have starting blogging in my new home a few days earlier than intended. I'm still working on layout stuff and I have no idea how to title this post but over the next few days I will try to figure it out. Hope you enjoy the new place :)

And as a side note: all of my archives will stay over at livejournal. The link is on my links page (the top of the list because I think sooo much of myself!) or click here to read them in all of their unhinged glory.