Librophilia

House

2015-04-21T16:55:24Z

It's been a while since I posted...yes, I'm still alive!

We are now moved in to our new house. Packing drove me crazy, but the day of the move itself went fairly well. We moved little stuff in the morning, and then hired Mambo Movers to do the larger stuff in the afternoon. Best decision ever! Not only did they lug furniture down three flights of stairs in under an hour, they were cheap, and charmingly hipster.

The first week in the house was challenging. It felt a bit like we were camping out in someone else's place. It took a little while to unpack the kitchen (and a lot of other stuff is still unpacked) and things kept breaking...the washing machine, the medicine cabinet, the deck is wobbily. Which led to an "oh my god, what did we do" moment. But now that we've been in there for about a month, it's much more familiar. I can cook in my kitchen, which has loads more cabinet space. I'm liking the back yard and the neighborhood. Especially the neighborhood! It's alive! There are people outside all the time, and everyone so far is very friendly. I also love that the house is full of possibilities to make it more our own, unlike the rentals.

In the process of making it our own, we hired someone to come in and rip out all the carpets and refinish the original hardwoods next week, during which we will stay at my parent's house (potentially awkward). The following week we hired a painter to come take down all the wallpaper and paint. Yes, hired! It may be a waste of money, but is a HUGE gain of time, especially for two people who work 40 plus hours a week. After that, I will be able to truly unpack, start hanging paintings and rearranging furniture and buying things, which I'm especially looking forward to. After that, it will really feel like our own!

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Changes

2015-01-20T21:19:51Z

Lots of changes coming up in my life, if all goes well!

Last weekend we went house shopping and this weekend offered a bid on a home. Sadly, the buyer had it priced unrealistically high and was unwilling to play ball, so we might have to move on from that one. But we're going to keep on looking. Only downside is it's three months rent to break our lease, but I'd rather break it now when there's a ton of homes on the market and the mortgage rates are low, rather than risk looking in the fall and not finding anything or finding it for a higher price. I'm so grateful that this time around we have an agent who really knows what she's doing and is willing to talk us through each step of the process. She was the one who talked us out of buying that first home for too much money (really, what agent does that? a good one, I guess).

Our area administrator also stopped by my work on Saturday to talk to me about my application to become a branch manager. I was too chicken last time to put my name on the list, but this time it came up and I decided to give it a shot. After all, I don't want to waste away at my current branch for the rest of my life. And I feel like at times I know as much as a branch manager does. Anyway, she stopped to talk to me about the position and encourage me to go for it, which was really nice of her and great news. So I may be moving into a new job and a new home soon, fingers crossed.

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"Holiday" Movie Binge

2014-12-23T17:18:28Z

So yesterday, while I did my baking, (3 different sets of cookies for my family, his family, and work, so time consuming!), I decided to have my own holiday movie marathon- of Star Wars, that is! Star Wars was my religion when I was growing up. I mean the originals, not that prequel crap that came out more recently. My uncle bought me a VHS copy of A New Hope when I was like 10 and I haven't looked back since. I not only watched and re-watched the movies but I read all the extended universe books I could find at the library.

Since I became a "grown up," though, my obsessions have kind of fallen by the wayside. It was so comforting to go back and re-watch the movies. Not only that, but I noticed things I hadn't before. Just like a good book, you get different things out of the movies depending on the time of life you consume them. When I was a pre-teen I had no sympathy for Darth Vader. I didn't much care what happened to him in the end. Now though, I realize how easy it is to give in to anger and fear, and I was so glad to see him redeemed. I also understood the romance between Han and Leia more, having my own smart-mouthed scruffy-looking nerf herder at home. And I almost cried at the end when everyone was reunited. How good it must be to live for something worth fighting for instead of day-to-day tedium at work. I used to think life was like that!

Anyway, I can't wait for the next installment to come out next December. I may well be in the midnight showing.

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Married Life

2014-11-13T21:57:52Z

I keep forgetting my last name has changed. It's kind of funny. I'll email one of my regular presenters at the library, and they will write back "Oh wait, ARE YOU MARRIED??!" and my immediate reaction is "Wait what, how do you know that?" followed by "Oh right, my email now says Mrs. G."

And I'll still sign my old last name on credit card transactions sometimes. My one friend caught me doing it, and I said "Well, THIS credit card hasn't changed yet!" when really I just forgot.

It's a strange experience. I think it will take me a while to get used to. It kind of makes marriage seem more real. 'Cause otherwise, it's just me and my man living together like we have been for the last two years. Except not, like little things like this.

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On Sweating for the Dress

2014-09-11T18:29:18Z

I have been dealing with a digestive system disorder off and on over the past year-- sometimes I'm well enough to drink alcohol even, and sometimes all I can take is gingerale and pretzels, if that. My doctors and I haven't quite figured it out yet. The GI believes it's IBS, but I am more inclined to think it might have something to do with the angioedema that keeps cropping up. Most of the time, though, my medications keep it under control.

This weekend I went away for my bachelorette party to the Pocono mountains. It was a fantastic time-- once I got my stomach under control. It is frustrating to have a condition you can't control, because it shows itself at inconvenient times. Will I be well enough for my wedding? My honeymoon?

I was fitted for my dress on Tuesday. My grandmother joked, "Now you can't gain any weight!". Today I sat down to lunch and found myself happily enjoying the cinnamon sugar pita chips I was snacking on, when I was hit with a pang of guilt. I'd better stop eating these, I thought, or I might not fit my dress.

And then I realized how stupid that was. I should be happy I can even eat, let alone eat too much. I lost 15 pounds this year through no will of my own...I've always been fine with who I am. I wouldn't say I'm fat, or skinny-- maybe comfortably plump. Yet while I am a size 12 in normal people clothes, I am a size 18 in wedding clothes. Why?

The Wedding Industrial Complex does a lot to make girls feel bad. If you aren't the skinny blonde model on the front of the wedding magazine, well, you better work hard to get that way. If you don't have the perfect cake made out of cupcakes or flowers arranged artfully in mason jars then heaven forbid what people might think of you.

In my opinion the idea of "sweating for the dress" is perhaps the worst of the lot, though. Who cares what you look like? As long as you are healthy enough to enjoy your day, why punish yourself? It is one day out of your life that is supposed to be a celebration. For me, if I can have an attack-free day I will consider it a success.

Anyway, just something I've been thinking about. Offbeat bride does have an awesome article on weddings for people with chronic conditions here.

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Gift from the Sea

2014-05-08T00:41:24Z

I am doing much better these days...I am finally getting back into the world, thanks to the miracles of modern medicine and some hard work on my own part.

I read recently Anne Morrow Lindbergh's short book, "A Gift from the Sea." I read it originally because I thought it would be somewhat autobiographical. Instead, it was something much better...a reflection on how to achieve happiness and personal fulfillment in the world as a woman. It's just as applicable today as it was fifty years ago. She recommends learning to be alone with oneself and communing with nature; simplifying your life to the best of your ability; and to learning to ride with what you can't control. I think about it now every time I walk in Pennypack. I try and observe the simple beauty of nature and the animals and birds in the forest, and it does help me feel better, as silly as that sounds.

So I saw this poem posted today in the Poetry community, and I had to save it:

The Peace of the Wild Things - Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

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Strength

2014-03-22T16:27:11Z

The way my month has gone (health/mental health issues/totaled car but thank god we are alright), I need a reminder that I am in fact strong. This poem that popped up in my feed was perfect:

Love Letters from Helen of Troy
by Elisabeth Hewer

you always feared god-born achilles
the most of all your fellows.
his divinity wove him taller,
better, quicker, stronger.

well here's a secret for you:
my father was a swan,
and the monthly blood on my thighs
is two-parts ichor.

you think achilles was of impressive descent?
touch me one more time.
maybe it's time we found out
what the daughter of the mightiest god
can do.

look to your kingdoms.
i am coming for them all.

( And another... )

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rip

2013-11-30T14:44:39Z

One of my best friends from high school, David, passed away on Thanksgiving from brain cancer. The two of us had a complicated history but I choose to remember him as just that--my best friend from high school. We were both outsiders and we got each other right away. We listened to the same music, we loved the same movies. We went to everything together. We saw a Live concert just because I loved them, we went to a Neil Gaiman reading just because I loved him (and Dave was on crutches; Neil was extra special nice to us because of that). We were partners in English and in Physics, so much so that everyone always expected us to work together on class projects. He was a maverick. He flew outside of the lines in everything. He climbed on desks and leaned back in chairs, he talked all through class, but whenever our teacher would question him he would know right where they were in the lesson plan. I think my favorite memory of him will always be in the high school cafeteria: we were discussing our favorite band, Third Eye Blind (haha the 90s), and he stood on the back of the chair with his arms outstretched, reenacting how Stephan Jenkins came out in the crowd and stood right in front of him. Whenever I felt alone in high school, he was there. I met my very best friend and maid of honor through him and I will be forever grateful that he gave me a place in this world.

Rest in peace, Dave. I understand that phrase now. I am not very religious but I have to believe that you are in a better place. I am sorry I couldn't be a better friend to you in the end, but I will always honor your memory.

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Crossposted from Goodreads, because why not?

2011-08-29T13:18:36Z

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Finished this during Hurricane Irene over the weekend. I very much enjoyed the book, much more so (unsurprisingly) than the TV series. With the book you really got into the character's heads and got much more detail about the plot. Probably the strongest aspect of "A Game of Thrones" were the characters. Complex and real, they manage to be sympathetic even when they are on a side you shouldn't be cheering for. The other thing I liked about "Game of Thrones": there are no "good guys" and "bad guys." Everyone does terrible things. Everyone does good things. People screw things up even when they're trying to do good. Unlike other fantasy novels, this one felt very real because of that: the humanity in the novel is grounded. No epic heroes to be found here.

Of course there are still dragons and horselords and moats and castles and battles, so it's still very much a fantasy. It follows a series of plotlines: in one, Lord Eddard Stark must leave his home in the North of the country to serve his friend and King as his right hand, with dire consequences; in another, bastard Jon Stark goes to the Wall, a fortress located in the very North of the country that blocks it from the demons who live beyond it; in another, deposed Princess Daenerys marries a foreign warlord to raise her own army to take back the throne. With so much going on it's easy to see how this series sprawls across five thousand-page books, but it's also very compelling. Definitely moving on to the next one.

View all my reviews

Hope everyone survived the weekend!!

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Better Book Titles

2011-08-16T17:20:04Z

If you haven't seen the "Better Book Titles" tumblr floating around the internet yet, you should totally check it out. A few of the titles made me laugh out loud. Here's the link, and one of the funnier titles:

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Google really does own everything...

2011-06-07T17:33:06Z

I got my invitation today to Music Beta by Google!! I'm very excited. It basically allows you to store all of your music online, so you can access from anywhere with internet and on your Android phone. Potentially, I wouldn't even need to carry around an iPod anymore. You can store up to 20,000 songs on your account, it automatically syncs with your computer, and the songs you listened to most recently are downloaded to your device so you can still listen to them even without available internet. Sounds like a sweet deal.

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Yayyy Kindle!

2011-04-28T21:47:30Z

Kindle will soon allow users to borrow free ebooks from libraries! I'm super excited. Basically the only reason I've been wibbling so long over my ereader purchase is because I liked Kindle the best, but the library's free lending service didn't work on it.

Given this news, I'm going home and buying a Kindle tonight, yo.

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Neat Philadelphia History Things

2011-04-27T16:44:07Z

Lately at work I've been taking the time to just explore through some of our online databases and learn the collection. I want to get a feel for what we have before I start taking on more ambitious projects (eventually--weeding the periodicals, creating a facebook page, programming).

I've discovered some pretty neat Philadelphia history websites!

The first is Historical Images of Philadelphia maintained by the Free Library, specifically those organized by neighborhood. I looked up the area in South Philly where I currently live, and was surprised to find images of factories and trees there roundabout 1850.

The second is Philadelphia GeoHistory Network. They have all sorts of interesting historical information on Philadelphia, including old city directories where one can possibly do genealogical research. What I liked the best, though, was the interactive map viewer, where you can switch views between old Philadelphia maps dating back to 1843. I found my little alley definitely for sure on the 1910 map, which means my house is at least 100 years old.

I'm such a nerd :|b.

Otherwise, sorry for not being around so much lately-- between the new job and a now active personal life, I am extremely happy, but failing at maintaining an online presence. Rest assured I've been reading things though if not commenting. ALSO rest assured that I definitely did watch the season premire of Doctor Who and enjoyed it immensely.

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Quick librarian post

2011-04-21T15:15:27Z

I was reading through the ALA email newsletter after checking in periodicals today (I love my job. Love love love it, it's just exactly what I wanted to be doing...but perhaps I'll do a seperate post on that later), and I came across an interesting article.

The point of this entry is...BoingBoing found a sign in a library which was the "Top 10 Reasons Why the Internet is no Substitute for a Library," and granted, it's a little shameful. It was written a while ago, but it qualifies all of the, er, older librarian arguments..."ebooks? who needs those? they are destroying the industry!!111!!". However, ALA put up a response article that asks librarians for current arguments why libraries are relevant, and those responses are amazing.

The one I like best is: "Getting information off the Internet is like getting a drink of water from a fire hydrant.” -Mitchell Kapor. I've only been working four days, and I've already seen a teen come in with a research project who didn't know how to use a computer. She didn't know how to use the internet...she didn't know what a search engine was. This is an extreme case, but the thing is, not everyone is digitally savvy. Shocking, I know. Some people still need free internet access. Some people need guidance on how to use that access to get relevant information. What is frustrating is that most people who argue libraries aren't relevant are the upper and middle class who grew up with technology, and not everyone has, and it's important to remember that. /end rant

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The Decemberists

2011-03-08T23:01:06Z

I just spent a ridiculous amount of money for tickets to see The Decemberists play on June 15th. I don't even care! It was one of those things where I had to go, especially since I've been listening to their latest CD on repeat for the past two weeks.

Speaking of which, I did mean to post a few tracks from The King is Dead. I like this new effort a lot. It's much simpler than their past few albums and more grounded in a traditional country sound, but I think that's what gives it strength. And while I enjoy almost all of the songs, the paired "January Hymn" and "June Hymn" tracks are my favorites. They're just so...calming, I guess, and pretty and evocative. Here is "January Hymn" for your listening pleasure:

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Feed Review

2011-02-09T19:11:49Z

Since I'm too lazy to rewrite this, I'm going to crosspost the review from my goodreads account. It's been a while since I shared a book review, though, so I thought I should at least put up something here other than bitching.

Feed by Mira Grant

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really loved this book and I would recommend it freely. It was an extremely smart zombie novel. Rather than focus on the fact that zombies, they exist, this book went into detail about how the zombies were created, what happened to society when they appeared, and how their existence changed politics and news distribution. At its heart it was a really interesting political thriller. Not only that, I loved all of the main characters--Georgia, Shaun, and Buffy--bloggers who follow a political campaign, and who are satisfyingly snarky. The only reason I hesitated to give this book five stars is that it suffered from some pacing issues. It probably could have been shorter than it was, but when it got good it definitely sucked you in.

View all my reviews

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oh CLAMP!

2011-02-05T01:38:46Z

Hey guys...so what do you think? Is it Subaru, is it Kamui, or is it Lelouch?

CLAMP...really needs some new character designs, I think. This is from their new mangette Gate 7. Scans available on clampnews.

I'm not gonna lie, I find this endlessly amusing. I don't really even know what the story is about, even after reading the translations...

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Hmmm.

2011-02-02T16:26:04Z

I'm thinking about buying myself a Kindle. It might help me to be less angry at the world, if I can do something nice for myself for working hard. I don't know, though. It's pretty expensive and not really something I can afford, but a splurge just ONCE in two years is okay, right? Do you think it's smart to purchase one now, or should I wait until price goes down, or buy another device all together? Considerations!

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These are cool

2011-01-31T20:20:54Z

WWI style posters to help save libraries-- they've been making the rounds on twitter.

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More random poetry

2011-01-11T16:59:36Z

Stolen from my FL. I love it.

Memory Is a Disease of Animals
Marc McKee

This is the shirt you wore
when someone you'd hurt wore sunglasses
in an airport at night
and told the woman at the counter
that everything was fine. Fine.
We are populated by each other
and this is a disease of animals.
Whose means include syllables. Jean Cocteau
would have loved this evening,
it's 1930 in Paris somewhere—this is a disease
we airplanes have, chasing bells
hooked into the ribs of the wind-licked causeway.
This is the shirt you wore, right?
which burned in water
like a map soaped in gasoline
calling to matches. These are the sunglasses
upon which such scars of streetlights.
We are each alone. You play a fiddle or a violin,
you make the garrote wire bend resonant
and pretty over a box of shadow.
You get the hot fries from the vending machine
like it's nothing. There is a mouth
on either side of you
but only one leopards your neck.
Take / your make-up / off.
We are in this together. Kind of.
This is a city where you lived.
A girl sits cross-legged with her guitar
beside the last window you will have to yourself,
all is well, all is well then the calm snaps.
A boulder sighs down the stairs.
None of the lights are right
but someone mercurial turns a grin out of the ruckus
and it is enough. Before before
you let your foot push hard against the floor,
the silver-slivered night shivering above you
so you nearly thought it would be beautiful enough
to be enough. This is not hell, the night
laced with neon, neon another version of blood,
this is not the same shirt.
If I started saying Sorry or I love you now
I would never stop.

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Nooooo Bordersssss

2011-01-05T15:23:27Z

This is like, the worst publishing industry news ever. Apparently there are also rumors that Borders employees have been advised to seek employment elsewhere, if they have the chance.

I like Borders so much better than Barnes and Noble. If they collapse, I don't know what I'll do :(. Order all of my books from Amazon, I guess.

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Solstice Celebration

2010-12-20T23:02:11Z

Tonight if you happen to wake up (or be awake) at 2:41 AM EST, you can witness a total lunar eclipse! NASA advises, however, to wake up and look at 3:17 AM EST, because that's when the moon will be prettiest. I may be a nerd and set my alarm.

It's an awesome way to kick off the winter solstice tomorrow. Happy days-will-finally-get-longer day in advance, all. If only it promised warmer days, too.

While we're on nerdy things, link to Code Geass on crunchyroll for those who were at fandom night and are interested!

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Florence and the Machine

2010-12-14T18:36:30Z

I keep hearing this song on the radio, and each time I'm struck by it. I just love the lyrics..."Happiness hit her/ Like a train on a track." That's such a great image. Being happy despite trying your best not to; being surprised by happiness.

Embedding just the song, because I don't know how I feel about the video.

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Book Nerdery

2010-12-02T21:57:27Z

So the library is encouraging staff to submit book reviews by hosting a contest. I'm super excited!! I remember the moment I decided to become a librarian was when I was attending a class in the Rare Book Room at Penn, and the librarian was there. He said, "This is the best job in the world, because I can decide what's good, and what's not. I can tell people what to read." And I thought, that really is an awesome job. And now I can do it.

You can submit individual reviews and make up lists. I decided my recommendation list would be "Dystopian Fiction." Because really, that seems to be the sub-genre I know most about. Definitely including 1984, Brave New World, The Handmaid's Tale, Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, and some more recent, The Hunger Games, Matched, Uglies. I might also sneak the V for Vendetta graphic novel in there. Anyone else know anything good? I think I'm already over the qualifying number by a few...

Otherwise, I really want to go see The Black Swan. But some of the physical stuff I read about made me twist in my chair ("oh. oh. toes crunching. agh."), so I'm not sure what'll happen when I actually see it, but still. It sounds interesting.

ETA: Seen this floating around the internet, so I did it while waiting for the event tonight: My personalDNA Report. Apparently I am a "considerate creator."

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Now that Thanksgiving is over...

2010-11-26T19:33:56Z

I have holiday cards!

I figure that's attention-getting :). I'm a little late to the party, but I have super-cute non-denominational holiday cards AND stamps, so I'm pretty much set to send some out.

If you would like one, please leave your name and address. All comments are screened. Even if I see or talk to you on a regular basis, you should still leave your address!! Help me organize my life! And if you would like my address in return, link me to your holiday card post?

Alternatively, I have super-creepy holiday cards free from the library, if you'd prefer that ♥

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