librariesarecool's Xanga

Feeling In-Betweeny

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 03:01:05 GMT

I'm not EVEN going to try and describe all that's been going down since my last post (July--I'm a slacker, I know.) So, here's a bulleted list not at all in chronological order.

My sister got married and I was a hot maid of honor. (see the proof here! http://korbel.peterpawinski.com) Lots of other stuff happened on account of this--my babcia came from Poland for a month and a half, my uncles came in from SoCal, and I saw relatives I haven't seen in a reeeally long time.
My mom moved down to the south 'burbs and poof! there goes my childhood home.
Ben and I roadtripped to Charlotte and back up through Nashville, So. IL. and finally back home.
Ben and I moved in together and haven't killed each other yet!
I'm not working at Circ Desk anymore--which is a relief, but also sad. There were definitely parts of the job I loved.

The past month or so, there's just been an overwhelming sense of waiting for stuff to happen--for Ben too. I think moving had something to do with it, and knowing that our time in Champaign-Urbana is short. Not that we're leaving tomorrow (like Katie and Jonas). We don't really even know when we're leaving, but it's going to be more than a year and a half, which is longish, but quick at the same time. Anyways...maybe I just need a new hobby to get me goin'.

Time for Daily Show! Leah, I know you're my faithful blog reader, so if you read this before Saturday, I'll see ya at Crane Alley!

Love,
Annette

July!

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:39:56 GMT

Hey y'all!

The theme for this month has been: move around everyone else's crap in anticipation of moving my own on August 1st. My mom is completely moved out of our house, and we closed this afternoon. Apparently it went pretty well, and the closing on her new pad is tomorrow. My sister bought a condo in Chicago around North and LaSalle (it has a killer view of the skyline and lake from the roof) and I'll be helping her move in a week and a half.

Then, Ben and I are taking the plunge and moving in together on August 1st. Wowza. Lots of feelings on this subject here, but overall I'm excited about it. I've already begun to mentally plan a house warming kegger. We're also going to get a doggy once we've settled in. I can't wait for doggies!!!

I finished one summer class and have about 3 weeks left in the other. Then, I have two more classroom classes, a practicum, student teaching, an online portfolio, and my APT test to get done, and then I'll be a certified school media specialist. Wahoo! Then I can find a job and read to little kiddies and teach information literacy!

Our trip to Charlotte, NC is also still in the works, and we're planning on heading down for a long weekend in early August. It should be really wonderful to see Ashley and Lukasz since I haven't seen them since April. On the way back we're going to stop and visit Momoo and Papa, Ben's g-parents in Southern Illinois. They live on a really lovely lake and have a pontoon boat for pontooning and there's lots of deer and catfish and fun things to look at.

Speaking of funny animals and stuff, yesterday morning I was sitting in Ben's car, parked on the street, waiting for him to be ready to go, when I heard a rustling noise. I left the door open for some air flow and thought maybe something fell out. So I looked down, and looked forward and saw a beaver, or some creature of the like, waddling down the curb and into someone's yard. It freaked me out, 'cause it probably waddled right past me, like two feet below my ankles, and if I startled that creature at all, it could have attacked. Ok, it wasn't a beaver, but it definitely was the size and shape and waddleness of one. Ben doesn't believe me, but I swear it happened.

Ok, enough for now. Have a good rest of July, peeps! Do zobacenia!

Annette

Er...June?

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 19:09:13 GMT

Hi!

It's June 23rd, which means it's just about time for my monthly blog post. As usual, lots is going on--lots of real estate transactions, which means lots of heavy lifting. Classes are going strong, and are pretty interesting and fun, which is certainly the best combination. Ben and I are looking forward to cohabitation, which begins August 1st, and a roadtrip to Charlotte, NC to visit Ashley and Lukasz, and Momoo and Papa on the way back.

Library work is funny, and as I do it longer, the more I separate out what I can't stand about it, and what I completely love about it.

I love when you can tell a patron something they never knew about the library, and what it can do for them, and get them really excited about what this place can do for them.

I love handing over delicate books imported from China, Italy, and nowhere'sville, Iowa to an eager patron.

I love helping students find just the right book for their report due tomorrow, and convincing them that the library can do incredible things for them.

I love being able to give someone a tour of the Main Stacks for the first time and watching the wonder in their eyes when there are FIVE TO SIX MILLION BOOKS BACK THERE!

I love that anyone can virtually access any piece of information out there in the world, and how that makes us ALL equal at the library.

I don't love bureaucracy, people who don't take responsibility for their job, and patrons who don't see the beauty in all-you-can-read free books. There are probably more disloves but really overall, I do love being a librarian.

Have a good rest of June!

Annette

May Thus Far

Tue, 23 May 2006 02:14:30 GMT

Yo Yo!

Well, there is a lot to catch up on, isn't there? First, I'd like to direct you all to this dude's Flickr- and this picture in particular. Ben and I went to a wedding this weekend, and this photo captures what I want in a wedding, and in a marriage, for that matter: delicious pizza.

So, last week was my birthday and graduation, and the fam, and some of Ben's fam came down to watch and help me celebrate. It was nice, but the weather was sucktastic, and like every birthday I've had since my 18th, it's rained. Whatev's. So now, I'm 24, and can no longer pull off the "I'm young and dumb" act. Let's face it: I'm an oldie.

I got an award at graduation, which was super awesome. My very favorite faculty member, Dr. Betsy Hearne, presented it to me, and said some really kind things. It feels good to have my Master's degree. My two older sisters both have advanced degree's--one a J.D. and the other a M.Ed., and I think it says a lot about us and our parents, who didn't have the opportunity to get their college degrees. I'm pretty proud of us.

We're moving forward in selling my mom's house and it's been on the market for a week. So far, there's been a number of showings, and I'm really hoping someone will bite soon, so the uncertainty can go away! I'm not really sad about this, even though it is my childhood home. I feel I should be, but I'm hoping a new home for my mom will mean a new start. My dad is also selling his condo and moving into a house, and it looks like my sister will be buying a place in Chicago, too, soon! Real estate is so hot right now! Okay, that "so hot right now" joke was funny nearly a year ago, but nonetheless, I hope someone out there got it, and thought it was funny.

Ok, I'm beginning to bore myself. Laters, taters.

Kocham ciebie,

Anetka

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 23:06:42 GMT

Hi!

Ok, that exclamation mark up there is not really genuine. I'm sorry for not being upfront with you. I'm sorta worn out from the weekend (manual labor at mom's house), and am working an eight hour day today (which is only 6/8ths of the way through...), so, I'm really not feeling like my chipper self. BUT, I rest assured, because I know that I have vacation time coming my way. And by vacation, I mean, I will only have one class, and a couple weeks off from work. Wahooo!

Okay, so in other news: I met Roger Ebert on Friday!!! The only person who reads this blog (Leah) already knew this, but I have to recount the story for historical purposes anyways. SO, I was working at the Circulation Desk like every Friday between 11 and 2, and I look across to my colleagues at the Information Desk (Lucy and Liggles in particular), and I see Mr. Roger Ebert, alumnus of the University of Illinois! Lucy comes over and asks if it'd be alright if Mr. Ebert could show his grandchildren the Main Stacks and I say, "Bring it on, Rog!" Well, not word for word, but you know. So, Roger Dodger comes over, and signs me an autograph, and one for the Circ Desk, and Lucy gives him a Stacks Tour. My brain is like...a really fast thing, and I thought it'd be a good idea to whip out some Illios (the yearbook) from back in Rog's day, so he could show his grandkids how super cool he was as the editor of the DI (newspaper). He was mucho appreciativo and pleased that I thought of the Illio. Then, he left, and I was excited for the rest of the day 'cause I get majorly starstruck.

Last Thursday Ben and I celebrated our fifth anniversary. We had a very nice sushi picnic in the park, and did some other fun errandy stuff, and had a lovely dinner at Silvercreek. I'm not going to get too shmoopy poopy here, but I love my guy a whole bunch, and I'm thrilled about our half-decade-averrsary.

Enough blogging! T minus 98 minutes til I go home!

xoxo,

Annette

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 02:45:56 GMT

I am POOPED!

I am nearly as exhausted as this little snarf at this point in the semester. Thank GOODNESS things are winding down!

So, gradubirthamom's day is coming up (four weeks from Sunday!) and I'm so ready for it. Even though I'm continuing with school (I got my official acceptance to do the Certificate of Advanced Study at GSLIS, and get my K-12 cert), I'm really happy to be graduating with my masters. It makes me feel like I've got something to show for all the work I've done.

Lessee, what else. Considering I haven't blogged since February, there's probably a lot to catch up on, but really, who has time for that. In a nutshell, I've been going home A LOT to help my mom get ready to sell her house, I've been crazy busy with school and work (as usual), my sister is getting married in September and she finally found The Dress a couple of weeks ago, and I've been running lately. I'm no marathon runner, but I'm pretty proud of myself for building up some endurance.

Ok, that's all you're going to get out of me now, peeps. I gotta go boil some eggs and hit the hay.

Dobra noc!

Annette

Gigabeat

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 02:12:01 GMT

GAH, stupid picture.

This is what it looks like.

Wings

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 02:10:36 GMT

Big Ups (what does that mean? ) to Liggles for lending me the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack. The last track "Wings" is innnnnn-freakin'-credible, and breaks my heart each time I listen to it. The whole album is wonderful and reflective and sad and beautiful. Thanks, Ligs!

I know I should be finishing a book and writing a reading response right now, but I am sooo not having school (or work, or anything) this week. Sometimes it feels like I've spread myself so thin that I've become invisible. Plus, the Illini lost tonight, which was a kick in the kidneys after I was already kinda down.

I got Ben an mp3 player for Valenbirthaverrsary. He wanted one that he could use with Napster to Go, which limited the selection down a lot, and eliminated all ipods. So, he decided on a Gigabeat by Toshiba. It sorta looks like Nintendo.

Ok, I'm really going to do my homework, but one of these days, I swear I will get around to making the coolest blog ever, and people will flock to it...yes...flock, my little ones..

Hugs and kisses,

Annette

Racquetball, Bitches!

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 14:11:58 GMT

Hey y'all, (that's right, I said y'all. Deal with it.)

As soon as I can get Ben out of his comatose state, we are playing racquetball this morning! Yahoo! We don't really know how...but the puppy inside me is super psyched to hit a fast ball and chase it around.

Yesterday I attended a tea party at the fabulous Maycock Manor, and got to hang out with some super girls (all with their own super powers, interestingly). Thanks again, Angela, for the good time! I look forward to a next time.

Valetine's Day is just around the corner, so I wish everyone lots of hugs and love. Even if you don't have a husband/wife/partner/baby animal to love, it's a good time to celebrate the love you have with other people. So, lots of love to everyone.

Off to smash some balls,

Annette

Wedding Fever!

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 03:17:34 GMT

Well, not quite, but we're getting there! My sister is getting married at the end of September, and yesterday, my mom and my other sister helped her look for wedding dresses at House of Brides in Glen Ellyn. Boy, it's no wonder people freak out about weddings. They are a serious amount of work and money. Makes ya want to scrap the whole thing and head to Vegas. Being at home with my family was really nice this weekend, though, b/c I hadn't been up since Christmas, and I missed them a lot. I think I'm getting sentimental in my old age. This'll be the first wedding I'm standing up in since 1993, so I'm pretty pumped to help out and be involved.

The Illini lost at home yesterday for the first time in more than two years. It was a seriously heart-breaking ending and I woke my family up by yelling in exultation when Rich McBride made that three pointer in the end...but it was .1 second too late. Flippin' Penn State. I'm sort of scared to see what the team will look like next year when there's no Dee Brown or James Augustine. I'm hoping guys like Brian Randle and McBride will develop their leadership skills (along with the bow-hunting and nunchuk skills necessary to play good basketball) to carry the team.

Ok, back to ogling wedding dresses online.

Hugs,

Annette