Merry Christmas!

The Christmas cook

Let Your Light Shine

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone; and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love

Today's Question

How can I put my hands on the same piece of paper multiple times over several weeks in the course of other tasks, yet still never find it when I specifically look for it?

Merry Christmas to Me

What's Christmas without a little self love? 

I swore I'd never buy another bag with a black interior, but this is just what I've been wanting--a slouchy hobo (the bag is actually a pefect rectangle) with a short single strap. Think of how many things could get lost in a bag of this size!

Like many cases of true love, it came when I wasn't looking. I walked into TJ Maxx just to "check things out" before heading to my real destination next door (Target). And voila! 

Even better is the fact that it was priced 60% off retail, because there is no way I could have paid full price for it. As it is, this should serve as a gift for several Christmases to come.

Sacrifice, as in Brownie

Today is the annual Christmas luncheon at work. I abandoned my usual Fish Eye Salad (which no one ever eats except me) in favor of BYU Mint Brownies*. This is the first time I've made them, and I'm sorry to report that the brownie itself is less than special. 

I think that with all the frosting, however, few will notice the inferior brownie.**

*The recipe I have includes the specifics for the chocolate frosting, which is essentially the same as the mint frosting, with the addition of 1/3 cup of cocoa and the deletion of the mint extract and 1/3 cup of sugar.

**While cutting the above sacrifice piece in my office, I learned that you can't cut these with a plastic knife. Fortunately, I have sturdier implements I'll use to cut the rest.

What?

Look what I discovered when I tried to practice the organ for church tomorrow. I have no recollection of when or how this occurred.

Math I Understand

Unlucky Arithmetic

Thirteen Ways to Raise a Nonreader

by Dean Schneider and Robin Smith

1 Never read where your children can see you.

2 Put a TV or computer in every room. Don’t neglect the bedrooms and kitchen.

3 Correct your child every time she mispronounces a word.

4 Schedule activities every day after school so your child will never be bored.

5 Once your child can read independently, throw out the picture books. They’re for babies.

6 Don’t play board games together. Too dull.

7 Give little rewards for reading. Stickers and plastic toys are nice. Money is even better.

8 Don’t expect your children to enjoy reading. Kids’ books are for teaching vocabulary, proper study habits, and good morals.

9 Buy only 40-watt bulbs for your lamps.

10 Under no circumstances read your child the same book over and over. She heard it once, she should remember it.

11 Never allow your child to listen to books on tape; that’s cheating.

12 Make sure your kids only read books that are “challenging.” Easy books are a complete waste of time. That goes double for comic books and Mad magazine.

13 Absolutely, positively no reading in bed.

http://archive.hbook.com/pdf/articles/13ways.pdf
Text © 2001 by Dean Schneider and Robin Smith. Reprinted from the March/April 2001
issue of The Horn Book Magazine. For ordering information about The Horn Book Magazine and The Horn Book Guide, visit www.hbook.com or call 1-800-325-1170.

Not an Unqualified Success

The semester is over (for me), and though I'm waiting for grades, I suspect (hoped) I earned a B+ in the class I took. (I actually took two classes, but one was a pass/fail and I earned a 90%).

I earned plenty of Bs and worse in college, but none in library school. This B is a combination of mediocre effort and absence of a natural affinity for the subject. My library school grades didn't always involve my best effort, but library school is pretty easy, and there was perhaps some natural talent involved.

One remedy for my lingering unease is to say, "I'll try harder next time," but I've decided to sit out next semester and rethink the entire Master's of Public Health plan. So if I don't go back, I'm left with a sour taste in my mouth. I realize a B is a perfectly acceptable grade--I think it's the mediocre effort that has me feeling dissatisfied. I'm happy to be done, but wish I could also be happy I'd done a good job.

Too much self-recrimination?

Selective Memory

Why do I only remember I need new wiper blades when it's raining?

Another New Frontier

Full-length X-ray image of Dayton C. Miller.

Today saw two firsts in the usual non-adventure that is my life: First fainting episode and first CT scan. I'd prefer for today to be the last incidence of either. Actually, the CT scan was painless (assuming I don't have to pay for it). The fainting left me with a sore head and elbow and a bit of embarrassment.

I wish I'd fainted in a more glamorous and decorous situation than in the middle of a mammogram and on a tile floor, but there you are. No, I did not eat beforehand, yes, I was perhaps a bit nervous because it was a follow-up screening* and I had some other worries on my mind, and yes, I knew that I was prone to such behavior, though I've never actually fainted before.

Everyone was as nice as could be, and the silver lining was the fact that it happened where it did, so they made the CT scan and x-rayed my elbow on the spot without sending me to the emergency room. They also pushed me from room to room in a wheelchair, which was perhaps excessive, but I'm sure they were all holding their breath until I left the premises without further incident.


 *I'm going back in another six months for another screening. It's unlikely anything of concern. I may ask to sit down for the next one, as a preventative measure!


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image: Miller, E. E. (1896). Full-length X-ray image of Dayton C. Miller. Dayton C. Miller Photograph Collection. Available from American Memory at http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/dcm:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28dcm001748%29%29 

On the Frontier

For the past six months at church I was a counselor in the stake Primary presidency, which meant visiting different wards 2-3 times a month to train and observe their Primary organization. I missed the children in my ward, but I loved the women I worked with and I enjoyed meeting the children and leaders in other wards. In November, the church created a stake in my town, and I assumed (based on things that were said to me) I would have the same calling in the new stake (all four of us from the former presidency are in the new stake).

Well, that isn't the case. The other three women were reinstated, and I'm now the adult Sunday School teacher in my ward (Gospel Doctrine). 

Yes, after years of teaching teenagers and children, not a person under 25 is in sight anywhere. I'm happy for the opportunity to study the scriptures, but very nervous about teaching adults. With the exception of about four months of teaching Gospel Doctrine a few years ago, I've taught children and teenagers for the past eight or nine years. 

The past Sunday was my debut, and it was rocky. I prepared extensively for the lesson, but started late because I was nervous and spent far too much time on the introduction to the lesson. The former teacher was excellent (and in the room), which just increased my anxiety. I'm hoping for a better experience this week. 

My Three Pirates

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate and wine in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Thanks, Mom and Dad

There's really nothing interesting about the photo of a Christmas tree, and the photo never does justice to the subject. However, the fact that this decorated tree is in my living room, in November, no less, is momentous.

Mom and Dad did 99% of the setup and decorating. If I manage to take it down in January, maybe they'll consent to return next November for a repeat performance.

Facebook Free, Day One

After much ambivalence about Facebook, I've deactivated my account. I can reactivate it any time by logging in again, but in the meantime, my account is basically in deep freeze.

I thought about logging in several times today, and I already feel a bit out of the loop, but I'm hoping the break will be a good thing. I usually don't spend long stretches of time on FB, but I am there multiple times a day. It was one distraction I felt I could give up while I concentrate on my emotional and spiritual health, and I knew the only way to curb my use was to cut my access for now.

Recipe of the Week

I branched out from the tried and true white flour recipe and made King Arthur Flour's recipe for Whole Wheat Banana Bread. This one is a keeper!

Batter
2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed; about 4 or 5 medium bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup King Arthur Premium Whole Wheat Flour or King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Topping
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.

2) In a large bowl, mash the bananas, then add the oil, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla, stirring to combine.

3) Mix in the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and chopped walnuts. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to thoroughly combine the ingredients.

4) Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter.

5) Bake the bread for about 60 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6) Remove the bread from the oven. Cool it in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.

Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices.

Even Aunties Get the Blues

I'm feeling utterly defeated by Epidemiology 5400 and by life circumstances beyond my control. Do my two readers have any helpful suggestions?

Socks for a blue day

Soup's On

Tonight I made this recipe that came in a Kroger grocery store mailer last month:

Spiced Apple & Butternut Squash Soup
serves 6-8

1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 large onions, diced
2 large Granny Smith apples
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 each butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into one-inch cubes
3 quarts chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste.

Halve and peel butternut squash, remove seeds and dice into one-inch cubes. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and apples, cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spices, cook for 1 minute and then add the squash and chicken stock. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the squash is tender, about 20-30 minutes. Puree and serve. Add additional stock to desired thickness. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

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I omitted the nutmeg because I didn't have any. I ate the soup with grated sharp cheddar, and it was quite tasty. The leftover soup, added to penne pasta, will make a nice lunch tomorrow. I'll also note that the squash is naturally sweet, and makes me think that soup recipes calling for added sugar would be overly sweet. I can't comment on the addition of brandy some recipes include.

Futility

Hiding in bed all day to avoid the demons doesn't work. They're always ready and waiting, no matter how long it takes you to emerge.

Student Life

Taking the day off of work to cram for tomorrow's midterm, recover from a mostly sleepless night, and get some vitamin D.

Under Construction

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

C S Lewis, Mere Christianity

Backsliding

I've done relatively well at curbing my nocturnal tendencies over the last couple of months. It always seems to take only one night, however (usually a Friday), to undo weeks of good behavior. Hence, it's 3:15 a.m. and I'm wide awake.

I have a feeling Monday is going to be particularly difficult this week.

Contradiction

I'm wearing new slacks to work today; none of my chinos fit any more because I've lost weight (20+ pounds from the high of the past five years).

So I celebrated with a Sonic hot dog for lunch!

Tomorrow is a New Day

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow." - Mary Anne Radmacher

image: deNeergaard, M. M. (2001). [Pray without ceasing]. September 11, 2001, Documentary Project Collection. Available from American Memory at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/afc2001015.ph012

Advice Concerning Another Immutable Law

If you feel prompted to taste your drink before leaving the drive through window, you should also check your sandwich order. That new guy at Sonic may be very polite, but he probably didn't catch on when you said "junior burrito, egg ONLY."

Immutable Law

In a night of tossing, turning, and frequent awakenings, the insomniac will fall into restful sleep within 45 minutes of the morning alarm sounding.

A Day in the Life

Librarians are nothing if not civic minded. Here's what I did at work on Constitution Day:

Aren't You Fortunate?

“One of the things I learned in library school is that when people have an information need, they’ll always ask people they know before they ask a librarian. The trick is making sure that librarians are some of the people they know.”

- Jessamyn West

In Mourning; or, Good, Better, Best

I'm grieving over the loss of my seemingly last bit of free time. I gave up most TV watching, even my beloved British period dramas and police shows from Netflix, a few months ago. That means I also gave up knitting, though I still have hopes of finishing Baby J's stocking before Christmas (it's doable, maybe with a Closer/Major Crimes/Downton Abbey marathon after finals?). So now it's down to the last comfort. Yes, recreational reading. It's basically gone.

I marvel at the many busy women (and men) who manage to read despite all the other things they accomplish, but I apparently need more sleep than they do. I'm sadly about to return the latest Laurie R. King to the library unread, and I've borrowed the latest Mma Ramotswe book three times without finishing it.

On the other hand, I've been more consistent in my scripture reading lately, and for several weeks I've been walking two to three miles a few times a week. I'd also like to say my house is a bit cleaner these days, but that may be my imagination. And, if I stick with the school thing, I'll have another degree one of these days and perhaps be in a position to better my employment.

So, I'm trying to be positive and think about the blessings that come when we choose better things over good things. Still, please be kind if you see me shed a tear or two.

Easy and Hard, the Public Health Edition

Hard: Understanding biostatistical principles. It sort of makes sense when I read about it, but I can't repeat or reproduce anything I read. I may have to hire a tutor to make it through an actual biostatistics class.

Easy: Homework about locating public health statistics on the Internet (I got 100%) and identifying electronic journals that focus on some aspect of public health (I'd better get 100%). It's nice when two areas of your life converge.

Better Late than Never

I really thought that for once in my life, I would submit an evaluation-related document by the deadline. I apparently don't know myself very well.

Mantra

Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue.



I'll let you know when it's sunk in.

Sinking to a New Low

Enough said?

The Good and the Bad, the Back to School Edition

Bad: Waking up at 5 am wondering if any assignments are due today.
Good: Checking D2L from my phone without leaving the comfort of my bed.
Better: Finding out nothing is due for the next week.
Best: Following it up with some reading on the Book of Mormon app.

In Case the Smile Was Too Much

While I Wasn't Looking

Disappointed today to find out that while I wasn't paying attention, my six-week old hold request for Broken Harbor expired. So now I've started back at the bottom of the list. Maybe I'll get a copy by December.

First Day of School; or, Another Shoe Story

No more sandals every day of the week for this librarian.

The Good and the Bad

I've skimmed both syllabi and the news is, no papers to write this semester! Reading reactions, quizzes, exams, and a journal article critique. I think the most difficult part will be the long Mondays (full work day and three hours of class online) and finding someplace to have my two exams proctored.

The sad thing is that I don't have a new first day of school dress and no one is making me pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.

For Two of You

Are any of my dear readers willing to weigh in on which two or three Met Opera Live in HD performances I should try to see this season? I've enjoyed the two encores I've seen. 

I know C and L will have opinions. Are there any other opera lovers lurking here?

Currency

I finally updated my four year old profile image on Facebook.

A Shoe Story

During the tour for new international students.
















After the tour for new international students.

Spelling Lesson

The wrapper on the piece of chocolate I just ate says, "Let your seriousness shine through." When I read that I thought, "Well, don't I do that already? And isn't that an odd thing to put on a piece of chocolate?"

Yeah--it actually said "let your sensuousness shine through." So much for prophetic packaging!

Free is Good; or, Fairies Read Too

A co-worker and I are talking about writing a grant proposal to set up some Little Free Libraries in our area.  I'm personally hoping for a library with a fairy door. After all, fairies read too, don't they?

More on Books

M asked about books my group just chose to read. They are:

• Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (my choice)
• Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Burns
• Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (I wanted Portrait of Dorian Gray)
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
• Heaven is Here by Stephanie Nielson

I Liked Things the Way They Were

Our (my?) book group has been hijacked by a new member who told funny stories all through the last meeting and has now exploded our FB page with inside jokes and asides about everything except the books.

I never thought I'd be a diehard book group member, but I'm kind of irritated. I'm all for having fun and talking about non-book stuff, but I'm also tired of hearing about tube socks, neighborhood prostitutes, and Halloween photographs. What happened to my sweet little group?

Food Safety

Even my mother, scorner of many expiration dates, would discard the egg burrito that's been sitting in my office, unrefrigerated, since Saturday, wouldn't she? Either way, the accompanying mint is safe for consumption, thank goodness.

Spelling Lessons

Current developments at work are making it quite clear that I'm going to learn to spell the word "liaison" whether I want to or not. Refusing to do so will only make my life miserable.

Blessings

A small raise is in next week's pay check, and I was just able to see my pay stub online. Heavenly Father has (always) been very good to me. Now if I can just exercise a bit more financial restraint....


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Image: Chicago Daily News, Inc. (1922). [John Gibbons, Michael Grady, and Ernest Daliege standing and counting money at a table in a police station]. Available from American Memory.

Who Knew?

I just read the first few items I posted over six years ago. Some make me cringe, but I think it would be fun to read back over everything--I've never done that. One of my first posts was, interestingly, a bit of foreshadowing: What's an Agar Plate?

I was reading Emerging Infectious Diseases then (I'm sure I Googled something or used a library database to find that one article) and now I'm reading an epidemiology textbook to prepare for the first semester of public health classes!

Stay Off the Road!

Today's Question

Is the sourdough starter still alive?

I've been thinking about making whole wheat sourdough bread, and finally got up the energy to try it tomorrow. I realized, however, that the starter is surely hanging on by only a spore, and needs to be fattened up before I make bread. Sorry little starter, for being so neglectful. Food is on the way!

Close Call

I realized today that I've been driving for the last week without my driver's license with me--I left it in my tote bag after I traveled by air last Saturday. Thank goodness the police had better things to do this week than pull me over!

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Image: Cousha, H.M. (1933). Detail from "Shell road map: Pennsylvania." Available from American Memory.

It's All About the Plan

I'm working on some personal issues, one being my propensity to procrastinate and put off tasks I find distasteful. Unfortunately, that list of tasks includes nearly every housekeeping job and most of the projects I need to do at work (the "why" behind this attitude is an entirely different issue that I'm not going to tackle right now).

I'm beginning with some things at work, particularly on a relatively easy task I've put off for over a month. I've started working on Saturdays when no one else is in the office and I don't have any public responsibilities. So, here is the plan for tomorrow:

It may be too complicated to execute, but here are the timers that go along with the plan:

Notice the positive self talk on the plan? That's my Adult Ego State trying to get buy-in from my Child Ego State to go ahead and get the long-procrastinated task finished.

The plan requires only 3.5 hours of work for a 7.5 hour day, but the idea is that once I get into something I'll build momentum and want to keep going. There are a few production goals and one "bonus" task at the bottom of the page to help focus my efforts. And once I've completed the required 3.5 hours, I earn a trip to Sonic.

I'd like to say the Sonic trip is a special event, but it's in fact a regular occurrence (also another issue for another day). I don't ALWAYS get a sundae, however, so this trip will be sort of special.

So here's to the Plan. I think it's a good one, though purple ink would have made it even better!

This Week in Auntie K Land

• Tuesday: Was accepted to East TN State University as a non-degree seeking student (no exams required). Will probably take Philosophy of Public Health and Epidemiology I in the fall, but I have over a month before I can register.
• Thursday: Volunteered at Cub Scout Day Camp. Got to spend all day at the first aid tent. Woo-hoo! Yes, as a volunteer, not as a patient. I cleaned several wounds and attended to two nosebleeds. Now I'm ready for a shower.
• Friday: Spending the day with the two youngest nephews while the rest of the family visits an amusement park. I think I got the best part of that deal.

My Debut

A coworker and I are giving an hour long webinar today. I didn't think it would be a big deal until we started practicing. Turns out, this is much more difficult than speaking in front of a live audience. With no visual connection to your audience and a mic right next to your mouth (they can see my slides and hear me but not see me), there is no margin for error. Kind of like moving from the piano to the organ--you know the basics, but there are so many new subtle differences waiting to trip you up, and the new medium is much less forgiving than the familiar one.

For those in the know, this is the same presentation (about new and remodeled library classrooms) we gave in Columbus at the beginning of the month, repeated online for a new audience.

Needless to say, I'll be glad when this is over. Too bad I have all kinds of other overdue task waiting to be completed when this is done.

Really?

I am apparently so pathetic that I just watched this entire Slinky on a treadmill video. Twice.

The Plan

Twenty years (and one month!) ago, I finished a bachelor's degree in art history. After a relatively lucrative but soul killing career as a contract administrator, I earned a master's degree in library science and moved to Tennessee to live the dream as an academic librarian.

I like my job most of the time. Among (lots of) other things, I answer research questions at the reference desk and teach about 60 library instruction sessions a year to classes in all disciplines. Many of the classes are freshman English classes, and over the past 5 years, my enthusiasm for working with first-year students has waned. I'm not interested in most of their research topics, and many of the students are not interested in what I can teach them. However, I do enjoy working with nursing, biology and nutrition classes. The students are often more invested in the research process and their research topics are usually pretty interesting.

So, my new dream is to reinvent myself as a health sciences librarian, preferably at a university or medical school (Vanderbilt would be convenient!), and to do many of the same things I do in my current job, but to do them more exclusively with students in medical and health disciplines.

To be hired as a health sciences librarian, however, I'll need work or educational experience in a health-related field. I'm probably not cut out for nursing school, which was one option I considered. Thankfully, however, my brother mentioned public health, and that's when the light bulb came on.

Public health is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses not only health and medicine, but also communication, education, and other social sciences. To me, that's the best of all worlds rolled into one. I like reading about and studying medicine and health, but I'm not interested in being a medical practitioner. Research and education, however--I can do that!

As fortune has it, East Tennessee State University has a Master's of Public Health program that is taught completely online. Thus, I could complete an MPH program while continuing to work at MTSU. I missed the March deadline to apply to the program this year, so this month I am applying to ETSU as a non-degree seeking student. If accepted to ETSU, I would take public health classes this fall and next spring. If then accepted into the public health program next summer, I could transfer up to nine credit hours earned as a non-degree student and apply the hours toward the MPH degree.

Even if I never end up working as a health sciences librarian, a second master's degree is a good thing for an academic librarian to have. Many schools require a second degree for employment or for promotion, though my current employer doesn't care.

The one huge hurdle in the plan, besides paying for everything and doing well in my classes, is that I need to take and earn good scores on the GRE before I apply to the public health program. I've taken the exam twice in the past, but scores are only good for 5 years. Also, my previous scores in the quantitative (MATH) section never put me above the 50th percentile rank, something I'll need to improve in order to be accepted into the program.

So, that's the plan. Thanks for reading.

It Looks So Easy on TV

I was awake at 5:30 this morning, quite an unusual event, particularly on a Monday. Now, at nearly 7, I'm at the computer checking out the world. If I could wiggle my nose and suddenly be transported to work, bathed, dressed, and coiffed, I'd be OK with starting my work day. But the thought of doing all three of those tasks makes me want to crawl right back into bed.

Really?

How could anyone rate a Lyle Lovett album at one star, or even two for that matter? Sometimes I read an unfavorable review and wonder if I'm not discriminating enough. Not this time.

Just Sayin'

For once in my life, I'd like to go to bed at a reasonable hour the night before a trip out of town. This, apparently, will not be that one time. But by golly, I'm determined to rip those two audiobooks, wash all the dishes and paint my toenails before I leave. A girl's got to have her priorities in order.

New Adventure

I received a new calling Sunday as second counselor in the Stake Primary presidency. So instead of teaching the five year olds every week, I'll spend one Sunday a month visiting other congregations in the area to advise and counsel with their Primary leaders. The three women I'll work with in the presidency are awesome, and I'm looking forward to knowing them better.

During the meeting this morning, I thought about the fact that even though I don't have children in my home, I've been able to know and love many children as I've worked in Primary. Later, in the setting apart blessing, I was blessed to come to know many children in the stake by name and to have an influence on many of them.

I listened to all three setting apart blessings, and each prayer was unique and nearly nothing was repeated for two people. That, along with the personal blessing I mentioned, reinforced my conviction that this is the place the Lord wants me to serve right now. I'm not sure how I'll come to know many children by name in only one visit a year, but I trust that it will be so, if I do my part.

I've been extremely fortunate to serve in the past as a counselor and secretary to two of the best Primary presidents the Church could have produced (one is my mother), and I know I've been well prepared for this calling.

You Get What You Pay For

I took the three oldest ARW children to the dollar store on Saturday. I didn't think we would ever get three year old L out of there. He kept wandering each aisle picking up and discarding things, and no matter what we suggested to him, he rejected it.

Seven year old A couldn't decide between a toy pony and an art kit to make a crown, but she ended up with a kite kit instead. I tried to point out she might like something that would last a bit longer, but my advice wasn't heeded.

So how long do you think a kite (actually two kites) from the dollar store lasts? That kite was the source of many tears and arguments (some violent) the rest of the day, as it broke right away and the second kite couldn't even be put together. Five year old J bought a bow and arrow he was quite pleased with, but not inclined to share. It was ugly! Eight month old J, however, was happy to chew on the cutlass that accompanied the bow and arrow set, so he benefited from the trip without even spending any money.

Back to L, he had a jump rope in his hands until he saw trading cards on the way to the check stand. I managed to get those out of his hands, and then IN the check stand aisle he saw batteries, and that was it. L insisted he needed batteries for his frog, and I knew we'd have an argument if I pushed it, so he bought four AA batteries and I bought the jump rope as a backup.

When we arrived home it turned out that L does indeed have a frog, Tad, who talks and sings and counts. Unfortunately, Tad requires AAA batteries, but Dad produced some without L knowing the difference. I gave L the jump rope since I have no need of a dollar jump rope, and he was happy (he broke the handles, with his teeth, a couple of hours later). Tad is still talking and singing and counting, as far as I know. His batteries are too well hidden for L to reach them, unless he learns how to remove a screw with his teeth.

A was not interested in learning the meaning of the title phrase, You Get What You Pay For, something that especially applies to kites.


ps - A later hung up each kite as a wall hanging, and she was fairly pleased with that, though I'm not sure it completely erased the earlier sting.

Another Shoe Story, or, Pride Goeth Before a Fall

I scored the cutest-ever pair of tortoise brown patent wedges a few weeks ago from Jildor, at an incredible 70% discount. I wore them to Church the next Sunday and to work on Monday, and they received rave reviews. It was fun to be so tall and walk around in such a sassy pair of shoes. That is, it was fun until I tripped in the periodicals department and skinned my knee, right in front of a cute student (who asked me if I was OK). Well, my pride was a bit wounded. And I have a bruise on my palm from breaking the fall. And a very sore knee.

That wouldn't have happened if I hadn't aspired to such lofty heights and had instead worn my other new pair of shoes, the Birkenstocks I've wanted ever since they were de rigueur for cool students at my college. Since I'm twenty + years older now, I opted for a slightly more fashionable pair than they wore back then, with the middle-aged concession of a soft footbed. They're definitely on deck for tomorrow.

Questions for Today

Where on this green earth is my Kindle? I saw it last week, and now the house elves have spirited it away.

How on earth can my Yahoo! inbox fill up with junk in just mere hours?

If I was able to do entire laundry load of purples today, does that say something about me?

May I Just Say

that I think Bill Maher is an idiot?

The Truth Will Set You Free

If you read this blog at Blogger rather than through a feed, you may have noticed my Goodreads "currently reading" shelf in the sidebar. See how leanly stocked it is these days? I'm listing only three books as being currently read, quite a reduction of the nine or ten titles that languished on that list for months, or even years in some cases.

No, I didn't suddenly finish all the books I started reading two years ago (that's how long Little Dorrit has been on that shelf). After agonizing for months about the sheer messiness of it all, the light bulb came on and I realized the solution was another shelf--"read most of it"--which allowed me to move titles like Stiff and The Book Thief, books I didn't read 100% of but I don't intend to go back to. I then quickly purged the "currently reading shelf," sending things to the new "read most of it" shelf or to the existing "may finish someday" shelf if I had read only a third of the book or less.

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my life and am glad my "currently reading shelf" now honestly reflects my book-reading activity (magazines, blogs, catalogs, knitting books, cookbooks and cereal boxes are another matter altogether).

As for Little Dorrit, I renewed my attentions to it about two weeks ago, and I'm nearly finished. Maybe this is a sign that I'm mature enough to tackle Bleak House and David Copperfield for real this time around.

Blah

as in, things are...

State of Things

The conference I helped plan took place last week in Knoxville and seemed to be a success. It was a difficult week and I'm glad it's over. The two worst parts were the lack of sleep and the fact that I ran out of clean undergarments on Thursday night. I smelled pretty rank by Saturday afternoon! I still have a fair bit of cleanup work to do on the conference.

They're a trifle large, but I bought some nude pumps to wear last week. Mission accomplished.

After agonizing about it for months, I cleaned out my Goodreads "currently reading" shelf. I moved eight items to "may finish someday" or to a new shelf called "read most of it." I feel much better now that the three books I'm actively reading are the only items on the currently reading shelf.

The weeds and fall pruning I should have done are OUT OF CONTROL at my house. I fear I'll never get ahead of them, particularly since it's already too hot for yardwork, in my opinion.

I haven't baked in ages, but last night I made banana bread and almond-anise biscotti. I overbaked the biscotti a tad, and it's a bit crunchier than I hoped, but all in all it was a success and is a decent substitute for Nonni's original biscotti. Next time I will bake it for less time, chop the almonds finer, and perhaps crush some of the anise seeds, all of which may make it more acceptable for sharing.

The Impossible Dream--A Shoe Story

Like my eternal quest for the perfect foundation makeup, I am also on a quest for a pair of neutral colored comfortable heels I can wear with bare legs. I would say the color I'm looking for is camel, though the names are all over the spectrum. The idea is a close-to-skin-color shade that will elongate the leg.

This is quite a feat, considering I have very wide feet and bunions, and that I also find most heels unbearably uncomfortable. I recently renewed my search efforts in light of my upcoming work commitments.

Here is what I have learned:

1. I should have kept a list of the shoes I've already tried and returned. If I had, I wouldn't have ordered the exact same pair of VANELi pumps two years apart (these are actually a lovely color, though not quite what I want, and I'm kind of sad to have to return them. And they are quite a bit cheaper than they were two years ago).

2. Just because I tried a pair of Stuart Weitzmans in the store doesn't mean the same size in another SW style will remotely compare in fit. Yes, I should have shelled out the $325 two years ago for the exact pair I wanted when they were available, because that size and color and style appears not to be had now at any price.*  Thankfully, I was able to quickly return the $600 order of SW shoes I tried last week (Zappos is the best thing ever invented). Of course, after I made that purchase my credit card company put a security hold on my card!

3. See lesson 1 above. I've ordered so many different combinations of styles and sizes that I'm no longer even being logical about what I try.

For those who care (that is, if you're still reading this), I'm currently holding on to two pairs of Naturalizers, one of which could work (but I'm disappointed in the quality and they maybe aren't comfortable enough), still have the VANELis mentioned above, though they ought to go back, and am waiting on yet another pair of SW to arrive Monday (I'm guessing they won't work either, but I can't stop trying).

Two questions:

• Will I ever succeed?
• Will Zappos cut me off soon for buying and returning SO MANY shoes?

*Yes, even I am a bit shocked at paying so much money for a pair of shoes, but this is an extraordinary case and if I can find exactly what I want, I'm willing to pay that much. My problem is that I usually end up settling, and we all know that often backfires in the end.


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photo: [Three young children sitting and one standing in a grassy area on Shoe Day, with the standing child holding a new, large shoe]. 1908.  DN-0006513, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago History Museum. Available from American Memory at http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/cdn:@field(NUMBER+@band(ichicdn+n006513))

Moderation or Cold Turkey; or, She Got up off the Bed

The reality of talking in front of people and being in photos at a conference five weeks from now has finally struck. I don't know if that's why, but after an uncharacteristically brief after-work nap yesterday, I managed to rouse myself and do some real house work, starting with breaking down all the cardboard that's accumulated since Christmas, followed by cleaning out one drawer in the bathroom (yeah, odd places to start, I know). (Though first I had to visit Wal-Mart to replace the half-gallon of milk I left on the counter top the night before.)

I'm also about to start the Mayo Clinic Diet, the first two weeks of which is based on the premise of starting 5 habits, breaking 5 habits, and adding 5 "optional" habits. The two weeks are supposed to jump start the weight loss and then you can ease up a bit for the remainder of the plan (the rest of your life).

New Habits 

• Eat a healthy breakfast every day, sort of an issue.
• Eat whole grains, no problem.
• Eat a minimum four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit per day, HUGE deal.
• Get thirty minutes of exercise a day, pretty big change also.
• Eat "good" fats. Whatever.

But the real kicker is the list of habits to be broken, which includes NO snacking on anything (except maybe fruits or vegetables?) and NO added sugar. And, no more time spent watching TV than is spent exercising.

So, if I break the NO sugar rule, can the two weeks still be a success? That is, can I start some better habits, lose a few pounds, and not revert later to my normal slobby, gluttonous self?

A Few Complaints

1. I'm suffering from a moderately severe cold* that makes me cough and gives me a headache.
2. There's a painful blister on the side of my tongue.

Any complaints on your end?

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*I must say, however, that the cold is (so far) NOTHING compared to the miserable malady of nearly 11 months ago, which began a solid month of sickness followed by weeks of coughing, struck the week of TN Library Association conference, and during which I lost my favorite purple cardigan (I've bought two others since then, but neither is a satisfactory substitute for the original). And I'm glad this cold struck now instead of six weeks from now, in the middle of another conference, during which I most certainly will NOT be able to spend any time at home in bed.

Turning on the TV, A Technical Manual

Six year old A might have a future as a technical writer. Do you agree? Take a look at her written notes for how to turn on my TV and adjust the volume (while Auntie is still asleep in the morning). I think she describes the process quite clearly.

Transcription:

Both Red Butens.

[Diagram of Red Buttons labeled "FRST" has been crossed out]

Last: +button for loud, -button for soft

[volume controls are on the MAGNAVOX remote]

WATE FOR THE GREEN [BAR] TO COVER THE WIT [WIDTH] [OF THE] TV -------------

My Name in Lights

Well, not in lights, but in print, at least. Today, my coworker and I approved the proofs for an academic article we wrote that will be published in March. It's a bit thrilling to think I'll be able to see my name in print and find my name by searching an article index.

I'm sure you find this just as thrilling as I do and will be lining up to buy your own copy of the article ($36).

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photo: Mrs. William Hale Thompson, writing at a desk [photograph]. ca. 2/15/15. Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0009696. Courtesy of Chicago History Museum. Retrieved from American Memory at http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/cdn:@field(NUMBER+@band(ichicdn+n009696))

Organizational Advice

Not sure how to decide which office papers to keep and which to discard? Here's a simple, sure-fire way to dramatically decrease the deliberation time:

1. If you aren't sure about the item, stack it on your desk.
2. Revisit the stack one to three years later.