Priorities

I love visiting in Utah with my mom and aunt (Auntie lives there, Moth visits at the same time I do).

The reasons I love this trip are plentiful, but include my aunt's arctic basement, being able to legitimately listen to all the "adult" talk and being able to ask questions (can't do that when you're an eavesdropping child), perusing the cookbook collection, and doing the crossword puzzle every day (everyone gets her own photocopy).

One of the other reasons the trip is so enjoyable is that these two women have their priorities straight. The agenda above proves my point.

I must mention that the written list is missing several things we did while I was there (root canal, burnt sugar marshmallows, sugared peanuts, See's Candies, Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House, Sundance, Hires Big H, Rubio's) as well as a few things the other two have done since I left (Julie and Julia, bookclub, Fleming's). But the list gives you the general idea. Can't wait for next year!

On the Town

One of the stops near the end of my most recent trip was Taffy Town. I think the name says it all.

Accepting Applications

I need a guest blogger. Or I need to start running reruns. Not sure anyone is interested in reruns of my blog posts, however. Anyone interested in guest blogging?

Actually, I made small steps toward a new post last night by downloading and cropping some photos I plan to show you. Alas, they're on the laptop, I'm working on the desktop, and a) transferring photos from laptop to desktop, or b) turning on laptop to connect to wi-fi, will have to wait, since work and sleep take precedence.

In the meantime, here's what's happening in my non-work life, which seems to encompass only about 10 hours of the day right now, including drive and sleep time.

Took delivery of Lyle Lovett and the Eagles. Too busy and stressed to pay proper attention to Lyle, but I'm enjoying the Eagles.

About to start listening to Jasper Fforde's First Among Sequels (when I can pay proper attention, that is).

News of my own auntie and mother knitting together in Utah spurred me on to pull out Baby Jack's stocking. I didn't get very far before I was ready to turn the heel, and I had to put it aside, again for lack of concentration power. So I've been knitting swatches instead, a few rows a night, just to knit something. Poor Baby Jack--I started his stocking before he was born, Christmas came and went, and he's about to turn a year old, still with no Christmas stocking. We won't talk about the fact that aforementioned auntie started and finished a stocking for Jack's soon-to-be-delivered cousin in the space of a few days.

Today, my parents marked their fortieth wedding anniversary. Thanks for being my parents!



ps - A1, are you still reading? There was a plant in a post for you a while ago, but you didn't bite.

pps - Isn't that rude of me to include a secret message in a public post? If you're dying to know who A1 is and what the plant was, e-mail me.

Time to Pay the Piper

My trip was fabulous. The journey home, on Frontier, went fine, but it was a bit long, and when I finally got home at 1:15 am, I was glad to be there.

More, much more, later in the week when I'm a bit more caught up with things at work and home.

In the meantime, my long-waisted female readers may be interested to see the camisoles I bought at the BYU Bookstore (for $9.99 a piece, a great deal if you've ever priced other brands). Granted, I myself am not long-waisted, but I have other figure flaws that require the wearing of such an item. Enough said.

Day Two - Utah Library Association

On day two, I learned about Federated Searching, Open Access, and Citation Generators. I ate my lunch at Subway, and we were finished at 5 pm, after which I went to Carrabba's with the Millwards and my two cousins.

I followed that up with a stroll through University Mall, where I managed to make purchases at both Eddie Bauer and See's. A gold star to the reader who can name at least three of the four kinds of chocolate I bought at See's (readers in Utah are not eligible).

For those who are interested, Mr. Mac is alive and well, and Food-4-Less is now Ream's.

I Forgot...

that when you're in Utah, land of low humidity, it's possible to have great hair!

Of course, there's plenty of bad hair in Utah too, despite the low humidity.

A Boring Reminiscence

I wanted to take some pictures inside the Harold B. Lee Library, but I was too scared of the Secret Service lookalike security guard to risk it, so I only took this one, just to show you that even though they did a beautiful addition a while back, they preserved the old building, right down to the worn terrazzo steps in the stairwells.

Day One - Utah Library Association

Non Library-Related Highlight of the Day: Finding an-out-of-the-way Ladies Restroom that isn't mobbed after every session

Conference Related Letdown: Lest I forget, I was rudely reminded that I am no longer in Texas. This conference had 447 pre-registrants, a great number for them. The keynote addresss was delivered in a rather small hotel ballroom (no lights, music, etc). There are approximately 30 exhibiting vendors. By comparison, Texas Library Association conference has thousands of attendees and hundreds of vendors. OTH, they have "free" cookies in the exhibit hall here.

Personal Health Status: I forgot, until Mom reminded me, that the altitude adjustment can be a bear. I've had a hideous headache since I got here 24 hours ago.

Reminder About Why I Love being a Librarian: The keynote speaker, Rivkah Sass--Library Journal's Librarian of the Year for 2006. Smart, articulate, funny, and passionate about libraries and librarians' obligation to making libraries usable, useful places.

Blogging on the Run

I'm blogging from the Information Commons at BYU's Harold B. Lee Library. Pretty awesome!

Yes, I'm here for a few days to attend the Utah Library Association Meeting. I got two hours of sleep last night before leaving my house at 4:30 to catch the plane, so I'm about to head off to find myself some caffeine (oops, did I say that out loud?). More later, but rest assured that the BYU Bookstore is nearly as awesome as ever, and the library, remodeled since I was a student XX years ago, is truly awe-inspiring.

On the Horizon

Sat April 28

I foolishly signed up to take cupcakes at the beginning of a church talent show and to clean up at the end. So, unless I can find something to do in between, I'll be at the talent show Saturday night. Why do I have to be such an over-achiever?

Fri May 4

Fly to Dallas in the evening in order to get my hair cut (thank goodness) and prepare for the move (oh dear).

Sat May 5 - Thurs May 10

Pack, load, move, and unload.

Sat May 12

Drive to Ooltewah to hang out with Mary's fam. Yay!

Wed May 16

Fly to SLC (via Denver, the plane leaves Nashville at 6:05 am) to stay with my wonderful aunt and to attend the Utah Library Association Conference in Provo. Yes, I know it's weird, but why the heck not? The agenda includes attending the conference Thurs and Fri, hanging out with auntie and two cousins, hitting the BYU Bookstore, stopping in at the LDS Museum of Church History and Art, and paying a professional visit to the Harold B. Lee Library at BYU, assuming I get the nerve to make contact with someone who will give me the $0.50 tour.

Sun May 20

Arrive back in Nashville at 11:35 pm, retrieve my car, and drive home.

Whew!!!