huh.

I've noticed (and if I'm wrong, please correct me) some of my college friends started blogs around the same time that I did. I was searching (read: creeping) on some of them the other day and noticed that a lot of them stopped blogging in 2010. Or, they blogged extremely intermittently. Now, I'm not so good at this that I blog once a week (some people blog every day. yikes) but I'm wondering why this happens. Real life? Lack of interest? Maybe you're on some other form of social media that I'm not invited to see?

The break that was supposed to be very productive, but instead I did absolutely nothing but watch Dr. Kildare movies.

I guess that about sums it up. At the beginning of my holiday break, I looked at my gigantic pile of unread books (maybe 15... not THAT gigantic) and decided then and there that I would read them all over break. And I didn't read a single word. As much as I kind of regret not reading, I came to the conclusion that I needed that break. No, I didn't need a break, I NEEDED a break. If I hadn't taken time off from thinking and doing, I may have gone off the deep end. I wound myself up too tight and needed that time off from work to unwind myself.

I spent a lot of time with my family and felt like a complete outsider the entire time, but there's nothing new about that. I spent time with friends, which was nice. And I watched all the Lew Ayres Dr. Kildare movies. I don't know if I've ever mentioned my love for Lew Ayres before. Just know. He's awesome. Lionel Barrymore? Awesome. The way they moved Laraine Day out of that series because she was an up-and-coming star? Maybe not as awesome. Definitely unexpected.

My lofty goal for this year is to read 65 books. I've got 5 relatively long books that I'm reading, but none of them are grabbing my attention in the way that I like books to. I'm going to read them as quickly as possible so I can start other books that I might really enjoy. I'm going to finish The Mysteries of Udolpho today. I've got 400+ pages left, but I'm gonna do it. It's supposed to be one of the archetypal Gothic novels. The book is mostly detail and description, and the action is so fleeting that I feel like I'm missing a lot. Sentences are about 4 times too long, and I keep getting stuck reading and re-reading because every sentence sounds the same. Apparently it was redone as The Veiled Picture; or, The Mysteries of Gorgono and most of that flowery useless stuff was removed. Since I'd already started the longer version, guess I'm going to stick with it. Let it not be said that I ever gave up on a book. Except Valley of the Dolls. That book drove me crazy.

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makerspaces.

Alright, I keep talking about how much time passes between each of my blog posts, and I guess that's because I'm actually busy. I don't feel like I have the time to sit down and watch even a two hour movie. And while that's not exactly true, I understand why I feel that way. I just feel like I have a ton of stuff to do all the time. I can never relax.

I have SO many projects at work that I'm constantly being pulled in different directions. I really enjoy what I'm doing, but sometimes it gets the better of me. In the spirit of organization, I started to make a folder for one of the projects I was working on. Easier for me to find all that stuff in one place than in notebooks scattered ALL OVER my desk, right? Well, I sat there at my desk the other day thinking, "which digital collection management system am I forgetting? I know I'm missing one, and I can't remember the name of it." It drove me crazy for about 5 minutes, until I found the program on my work computer. [eyes closed, deep breath, stop freaking out].

I think now is the perfect time for Thanksgiving Day break, although I have to go back to work today anyway, because I forgot something. Story of my life.

But makerspaces! I was going to tell you about makerspaces. That's another one of the projects I'm researching. Makerspaces are basically areas of a library, usually, that offer programs and technology for people to learn new skills/find new interests, make connections, problem-solve, be creative, and generally do stuff. It all depends on what the makers of each makerspace want to teach (or more accurately, what the people who are using the makerspace want to learn). I'd be interested in seeing what kinds of creative activities our college students might be interested in. It's still just an idea we're tossing around. As I've been researching and listening to webinars, I'm learning about the success some libraries are having and practically drooling over some of their programs. 3D printer? Yes please! Programs on screenprinting, soldering, computer building and bike repair? Stop making my mouth water. Now, I understand that not all programs would work for all libraries. But a little part of me is hoping (and praying, wishing, and dreaming) that our students would welcome these kinds of programs. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.


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Vinyl signs.

I'm making signs for work and it's exciting to know that all the extra vinyl my aunt gave me several years ago is coming in handy. I'm almost out! I may need to purchase my own stockpile of vinyl, as I'm nearly out of all the good colors. And yes, I have to cut out each letter by hand. It's a lot of work, but I like it. 

This is the template that I used to create the first sign. I altered the letters a bit as they were too detailed to hand-cut on a small scale. This sign was either 24 or 25 inches square.

 

I made another that says 'Movies' and am going to be starting a third soon that says 'Faculty Publications'. Since I'm running out of colors, I'm kind of glad there will be a lot of lettering to do. I'll have less space for the stripes so I can make the most of the colors I have left. After that one, I think I'll be done unless I can scrounge up some more vinyl.

Dresses.

So, haven't posted in a while. Not that anyone is actually reading these, but it makes me feel better to imagine that somewhere, in some dimension, someone hears me. I realized I have too many interests to focus on one thing. I'm working on designing signs for work, cataloging books, removing rust from old coke bottles, chainmaille, reading sf/f books, and buying dresses. DRESSES. Sweet juju mogombo, I'm buying dresses. To actually wear. I can't tell if maybe I was hit on the head or if I'm maturing. Gak. Going to Washington, D.C. next weekend and I can't wait! Maybe I'll bring a dress to wear. hmmmm.....

TBR

Whoa, December already? 
Let's not talk about the gap in posts, let's get right into the swing of things. As I was reading one of the many blogs I subscribe to (and constantly question where they get the time to constantly blog as well as wondering how they get so many subscribers, seeing as how i have possibly a negative number at this point, ha) I read about the TBD double dare. It lasts from January 1 to April 1, i think? Basically just a New Year's resolution ("I WILL read more books this year") but I'm going to do it. I have about 60 - 70 books at home silently begging to be read. So it's happening. Everything from the medicinal uses of leeches to the rise of American film to Irish folk stories to Nero Wolfe mysteries. And it's all going to be read. Well, most of it will be read. Well, a lot of it. Well....some of it. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love to read. There just aren't enough hours in the day. ::sigh::


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New work!

Today is a cruddy rainy day. I have the day off. I was able to sleep in (and I definitely needed it, because I'm getting over a cold and I've been keeping myself up all night coughing) and generally just bummed around. It feels good.

 

I figure I'd finally post these three new beauties. I've been holding onto them for a bit and have just gotten around to taking their pictures. I have Common Foxglove (for those of you who remember that 'Eve' episode of The X-files, two of the Eve clones poison their father with this. I remember learning that Foxglove is also known as digitalis. It's definitely one of my earlier tv memories.)

I also have Hippeastrum. It's greek for Horseman's star, or knight's star. It's commonly known as the Amaryllis, but that seems to be a misnomer. If you buy an Amaryllis around Christmastime, chances are you've got yourself a Hippeastrum. No matter, it's a beautiful flower. Oh yeah, it's also poisonous. Well, the bulb is. 

And then I have Hellebore. I think I base most of my life off of television, because when I think of Hellebore, I think of an episode of Bones, The Devil in the Details. You know, the Christmas rose? It's also known as black hellebore. This one is also, you guessed it, poisonous!

I like poisonous things. I enjoyed making these. I got to experiment with different colors schemes and I think they all turned out really awesome.

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