BOOKS!!!!

I have started buying the books for my research project this week. I am looking online for the cheapest prices I can find. I am going to use the library copy of one book, because it is in the Stacks at "the Rod" so I can check it out for the whole semester. All the other books I am using are in the Youth Collection and only check out for 7 days at a time. I could talk to Yolanda and request longer check out periods, but that's not really fair to the other patrons. Besides, I assume I'll be making some notes right in the books while I am reading! I think it's best that I have my own copies. I believe I own 2, maybe 3 of the books already. Which leaves 12 books to purchase. I am excited about finally getting to read some good science fiction, but I am nervous about the research! I feel like I don't know what I am doing! There are 16 books that made the cut in the research process. I can't wait to start reading!

• Incarceron
• The Road
• Peeps
• Interworld
• The Declaration
• The Carbon Diaries 2015
• Makers
• The Comet's Curse
• The Hunger Games
• The Adoration of Jenna Fox
• The Knife of Never Letting Go
• Taken
• Unwind
• Being
• Fever Crumb
• Candor

What am I reading?!

I feel like I have sorely neglected the fact that this is the blog of a future librarian! I haven't mentioned what I've been reading in ages! And don't for a minute think that just because I was having a marvelous time in Germany that I didn't get any reading done. I didn't get MUCH reading done, but I did finish a few books. Hmmm...let's think about this for a minute!

Right as I was leaving at the end of August I started reading the Sundered Series by Michell Sagara West. I got the first one done in the States and took the second and third with me. I was an idiot and didn't bring the fourth book. Forgetting that there is always time to read on never ending train rides and before work in the mornings! So I am finishing that series right now and am just to the half way point. When I got home I also got to start in on the latest book in another series by Michelle West: House Name. I had been waiting for this book for some time and was very happy with the wait. Of course now I have to wait another year for the next book to come out!

I was able to purchase a few books while living in Germany. Most bookstores had at least a small section of English language books. It was fun to see the British cover art for some of the more popular books. I found a short story collection by Neil Gaiman that was good called Fragile Things. I also picked up a new fantasy book called The Magician's Apprentice. That was a LONG book, and it kind of dragged in the middle. There is another book out in that series, but right now I'm not interested. They had a pretty decent selection of young adult novels as well, so I decided I'd pick out one of those for something faster to read during a particularly boring section of The Magician's Apprentice. I found Hush, Hush. It is about a fallen angel! I thought it was a good trade off from all the vampire and werewolf stories for young adults going around right now. I really enjoyed the story, but it was a bit obvious what they were setting up for the next book, again, I'm not sure if I'll read further in the series. For now I think I'll wait and see.

While stocking the bookstores for a copy of the new Michelle West book I did fine another treasure. There is a new Jane Eyre movie coming out this year, and I thought the trailer looked excellent. I knew some of the back story from another book I read that used the novel Jane Eyre in the plot. But I had never read it. Well, I found the most amazing cover art on a new copy of the book and had to have it. I spent the New Year getting to know Jane, and I must say that I liked the story. It was a bit long getting to the end, but all in all a good read.

I think that catches everyone up on the highlights. Next I start reading the young adult science fiction novels for my research! I've got 16 titles picked out. I think I'll try and make one post about each book, ambitious I know!

Online learning

I am taking a course titled Distance Education this semester. Basically distance education today means online courses, but that's just a technicality. I'm trying to finish my assignment that is due tonight, but I'm having some difficulty. I have three readings to finish and then I need to write a reflective paper. The problem being the stupid chapter keeps putting me to sleep! I'm not even tired! It's just THAT boring! The whole class is online so it's going to be a lot of read and reflect...I am NOT a fan of online learning. At least not when I am the student!

I am a librarian...

That has got to count for something! It's not like I could have AVOIDED the Twilight obsession. I was working with junior high students when the books came out! I read the books...I watched the movies. Do I think it is the most profound series ever written? No. Do I think they are the best movies ever filmed? No. But, they are ALL entertaining in their own ways. And really, that is what it's all about. Being entertained! People forget that. Things get "trendy" and it's all about how long you've been a fan or NOT been a fan. Really, it's only about one thing. Did I enjoy the books? Yes. Have I enjoyed the movies? Yes. In celebration of that fact here is the first photo to be released from Breaking Dawn!

Did I just post that for ANYONE to see?!

Oh Facebook how I love and hate you all at the same time. Only on Facebook can you embarrass yourself so completely. There are just too many people that are connected to keep track of it all! Really, I've done enough for one weekend so that's all I'm going to say on the matter...I just had to vent.

Saturday Afternoon Class

I got to teach the end of the Introduction to School Library Studies class today! All I really did was go over how to use eLearning. I answered the questions that I could. It was pretty informal. I think there were plenty of people who knew what they were doing. There were a couple with more specific questions, but I think I did okay. I need to remember to give Karla some feedback on the quiz. Most people did not like the way it was set-up. It was pretty fun! I wish I had brought my camera!

Thank GOD it's Friday!

Some days when starting a new job you just feel like you don't know anything...and everybody else knows it!

Just because...

I feel like the pictures from the end of my trip got cheated. So I am going to post some here anyway. Lots of stuff happened at the end of the trip! Like my birthday and all the WONDERFUL Christmas Markets. I really went crazy over the Christmas Markets. I think working backward from December is an excellent idea. On my Birthday Janeel, Erin and I went to the Nuremberg Christmas Market. It was my third trip to that particular market...what can I say? I was ADDICTED! I also went to Christmas Markets in Ansbach, Wurzburg, Augsburg, and Munich. I collected a mug from each and they all survived the trip home.


At the end of November Mom and Dad came to visit. I actually got the long weekend, it was nice to have the time to spend with them. Of course while I finished my work week they had fun in Munich. I'm not gonna lie, the best part was getting to the Birkenstock Factory. But I also got to take them to a Christmas Market, and it's obvious how much I like Christmas Markets. We had some fun in Nuremberg before as well...mostly we were lost, but we did find what we were looking for!

November also happened to be Janeel's birthday. Janeel stayed home for the weekend and so did Erin and I. Bruce, Janeel's boyfriend came for the day and we made Thanksgiving dinner! It was great. We bought a turkey, potatoes, and Stove Top. We played Clue and made some fun drinks. It was a fun day. Did I mention we moved a couch? It was a small Thanksgiving get together, but it was the best we could do. Thanksgiving weekend I was with my parents and everyone else was in Berlin!

November we also got a day off in the middle of the week! Thank You Veterans Day!!!! That was totally a military perk. We got off work on Wednesday and hopped on the train to meet up with the Illesheim girls. They had wanted us to come and visit them at some point in the trip, they had enough extra beds. So we did. We had dinner at a Thai restaurant and then went to a bar. It was nice to be able to see the other girls.

I really did enjoy my semester. I am missing the kids, even the preschoolers! That's saying something because those kids were the most difficult for me. But I'll miss Germany this semester while I'm trying to get everything done! CHEERS!

The Final Semester

So I am obviously a horrible blogger, which has already been discussed and examples abound. Since I gave up half way through my semester in Germany...sorry! I will try to keep the self-loathing to a minimum. ;-)

This semester I need to have a blog for my visual literacy class. The worst part about blog assignments tends to be the requirements. "No shorter than 120 words," "cite all visuals," and "date each entry." I'm sorry but blogger dates my entries for me! I'd also like the choice of how much I want to share. I don't think that more is better, especially when blogging! Oh well, maybe this will help me keep up my real blog better!

I am also taking Distance Education, an online class. We'll see how that turns out. The original class scheduled sounded much more interesting, but this is what ended up being offered. I think it will be good enough.

After that it's just finishing my Research paper/project. That doesn't have a class for this part. It's all one on one work with Karla and Yolanda, my first and second readers.

I'll be working as the Grad Assistant for the School Library Studies Dept. and at the MSC desk in the library. As far as I know I am not planning on working at Catherine's this semester, but I won't rule it out just yet. We'll see how it goes and if I get soft. :-)