Rejection!

So, I'm just a few weeks from graduation, and I've started looking for a job. I've had 2 student jobs for awhile, one for 2 years and one for 10 months. I feel pretty qualified to work as a librarian, since I've been doing it for over 2 years now, so I felt pretty confident about my recent interview. After about 2 weeks I touched base with the library and they told me I had not been selected...which, I realize, you don't get every job you apply for...but, I already work at this library, as a librarian.

So I feel pretty confused, hurt, etc. The good news is, I could reapply and interview again; the bad news is that I have to keep working there through the end of the year knowing they don't want me; which makes me sad. Obviously I'm a professional and I don't buy into that whole "screw them" attitude that I've seen in others, and I will do my job proudly regardless. I just hope that this isn't a sign of things to come.

Hopefully one of the other jobs I applied for will pan out, I was hoping to be working in January full time, but I guess I have to wait and see what comes.

I hope everyone is staying warm and cozy as we head into December.
~Sarah

Wench?

Some people would say wench is a derogatory term, but I beg to differ. I happen to like the word wench. I'd take issue with some of it's synonyms, such as matron, shrew, dame, etc.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (http://www.oed.com) wench has been used to refer to "A girl, maid, young woman"; "a female child"; "a girl of the rustic or working class"; "a wanton woman; a mistress"; and "a female servant, maidservant, serving-maid." I feel comfortable embracing all of those terms except perhaps the wanton woman part. I'm pretty sure I'm not 'wanting' for anything these days, except maybe a few more hours of sleep.

I love answering reference questions, and I do take an 'at your service' approach. I'm here for my patrons and whatever obscure question they want me to try and answer (within all the legal limits, etc.)

If you're reading this, tell me, what does wench mean to you? Do you have any wenches in your life?

Books, books, and more books...

I am so enjoying my summer off from classes, basically all I've done is read. I've got a few small projects, and picked up a 3rd job (yeah, I know that's crazy) but most of my free time is being spent reading. I thought I'd list what I've been reading here, I'll add some more information about the individual books later...mostly I need to make a list before I forget what I read.

To simplify the rating process of my likes/dislikes a * means I liked it enough that I'd tell other people to read it. the lack of a * does not mean I don't like the book, it just means I would be cautious telling other people to read it...like it requires a disclaimer or something. Thankfully, I have liked all the books I've read for the most part.

So here's the list (in no particular order):
*The Well of Lost Plots , by Jasper Fforde
*Something Rotten, by Jasper Fforde
*Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston
Gilead, by Marilynn Robinson
The Big Over Easy, by Jasper Fforde
*Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution (Testimonies from our Imprisoned Sisters), by Wally Lamb
*Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi
*My Year of Meats, by Ruth Ozeki
Ummm.....I think I'm forgetting some, I'll have to get back to you.

I'm currently reading Library an Unquiet History, by Matthew Battles

*Note: it would seem I couldn't finish Library an Unquiet History, I plan to come back to it, but for now, it was too dense for my muddied gray matter.

Summer at last...

Learning from past foolishness, I am not taking summer classes this year. And why should I? I've only got 7 credits left and then I'll be a full fledged librarian.

This has been the craziest 2 years of my life, to say the least. The lack of Blog posts should be evidence of that, I think. So this summer I'm working on my portfolio for graduation, spending some time reading books (instead of dry academic writing) and thinking about what comes next.

This summer we're likely doing a lot of hanging around town, we've got a short trip planned to Victoria and maybe some camping, but that's about it. Next summer I hope I'll be making enough money that we can take a real vacation.

Quitting my job 2 years ago was crazy, being really broke sucks, but when this is all over, I think it'll be worth it.

Until I have something more exciting to say...
Sarah

What year is this?

Yeah, I think I may have been under a rock. No, that's not it, that's right I'm in grad school, I don't have time to ramble on I've got papers to write.

Seriously though, I had great intentions here like many of the projects I'm involved with, I just ran out of steam. At least I'm trying, right?

So here I am, heading into the home stretch. I never thought I'd see 2006, I figured last quarter was gonna kill me, but I lived just like ever quarter before that, and now there's just a few more quarters to go and I can go out and get a job like a grown-up.

So here's the last 6 months quickly:

June: End of Spring quarter and the start of the summer of hell
July: Sell condo, start to fall behind in summer classes
August: New apartment, second summer class starts, what was I thinking?
September: Go to Canada, get hitched, take an incomplete in that second summer class
October: Finish summer class just in time to start fall classes, have big 'ole family party
November: Huh? Oh right, November, study lots, eat turkey
December: ACK what happened to November? Study too much, get 3 weeks off, spend one bailing water out of living room (HO HO HO)
January: Hey, that's now! Just started another quarter, doing an internship and taking a light course load, maybe I am learning something....

See you in February, I hope...
Sarah

Spring Quarter already

It seems like this school year just started, but already I'm into Spring quarter and looking at classes for Summer. The time truly did go by faster than I would have expected. Amazingly everything is coming along pretty smoothly.

I'm excited about at least one of my classes this quarter, especially doing virtual reference for the IPL. I think it's going to be a pretty interesting opportunity. My other class has an instructor that I struggle to understand, perhaps it's just a different teaching style, but I get confused easily. I'm also looking forward to the library training I'm taking, learning about doing chat reference. I'm hoping that all of this experience will be helpful as time goes by in finding more work in school, and hopefully help me when I get out as well.

When I started this 3 years seemed like an eternity, but with one nearly behind me, I can't imagine how I could get through it all in less time. Maybe I can, but it seems like a more intense undertaking than I may be up for. The current pace is suiting me just fine.

Until next time,
Sarah

Two down and how many to go?

I survived Winter quarter, surprisingly well at that. I'm keeping really good grades and I really love my classes. For one of my final projects we did a study of non-traditional library services in 4 Northwest libraries. It was really interesting to get to talk to the librarian where I did my portion of the study and really helped re-afirm my decision to be in school.

Now it's Spring break, I'm waiting to see my final grades and then I'm heading off to Newport Oregon for a much needed break. Then it's back to class the end of March. This next quarter looks pretty exciting, between learning about cataloging and doing reference for the IPL. Promises to be another huge learning experience.

Till next time!
Sarah

Oh yeah, that's right I started a blog...

This has been a CRAZY time in my life. It's already February, the second quarter of classes is almost over, WHERE did all the time go.

Things are going much better now that I've grown more accustomed to being in school. I finished my first quarter with a 3.7 GPA, not too bad if I say so myself. The first quarter was difficult because of the adjustment to being in school coupled with a really difficult class load and a professor with poor communication skills, but I lived.

This quarter is much better. I'm working as a reference assistant in the UW Engineering Library and I'm learning all about working in a library. I'm taking a reference services class as well, which has been a great corollary to the job. I'm hoping to get an assistantship next year. That would help with the financial pinch quite a bit.

All that aside, I'm feeling pretty good about my decision to leave my job, I don't miss it, EVER. I miss the great friends I made working there, but never the stress or the work load. I'm enjoying this opportunity to re-acquaint myself with someone really important, ME!

~Until next time
Sarah

Time flies whether your having fun or not...

I really shouldn't be so cynical. I've been really busy with school and I've learned so much already, it's hard to believe. But I'm having a minor setback called gallstones. As if life isn't busy enough I had to go to the ER at 3:30am this past Saturday because I thought I was going to die from the pain. So now I'm a little behind in my studies and still feeling crappy. I've got a couple days yet before I'll be in a bad behind place, and I think I'll be okay, but it just seems like when it rains it pours. I'm still looking for work, I don't know that I'm making a very strong effort, I think I'm procrastinating for the 'official' start of the quarter at school (my program starts early).

I have discovered that I am an expert procrastinator, very good at coming up with a million things to do other than study. But I'm also realizing that I need a more realistic schedule, which means not sleeping in every day, and commiting to a schedule for studying....and as soon as I get this gallbladder thing fixed, I'll get right on it.

Until next time...

Another week gone by

Well I'm happy to report that I finished my first class. I think that's a good sign. Of course, it was a 2 credit summer course, but it was a lot of work nonetheless. Now I'm head first into fall quarter. Working on courses in Information Behavior and Internet technologies. There's certainly no shortage of school work

I haven't had much luck with finding a job yet. I'm hoping once the school year starts I'll have better luck. I did find some volunteer work at the Frye Art Museum working with their archivist. I'm going to help sort through some documents for the museum. In the meantime I'm working hard on school and enjoying the time off from work.

:)

Week 3

Yeah, you missed weeks one and two, cause I didn't start this blog until week three. One of the first things I remembered about being in school when I was an undergrad, is how hard it was to study. Not because the material is necessarily difficult, but remaining focused is, at least for me. My first course of this experience has required 1 to 2 readings every other day, in addition to some writing, listening to lectures, etc. Which on the surface doesn't seem too bad, but miss one day, and you're playing catch up.

I'm not sure what I expected, I guess I expected it to be hard, and I certainly hoped it would be interesting. I think it will just take some time to get into the swing of things. It doesn't help that life continues on despite graduate school. I had to quit my job in order to make time for school. The job I had for 4 years, because they were unwilling to reduce my workload so I could study. Frustrating to say the least. So now, on top of school, social life, family, house chores, I have to look for a job. But I'm trying to keep it all in stride, this is the 'adjustment' period. I just I manage to adjust quickly.

Until next time....