Jackpot!

During the breaktime of my class this afternoon, I decided to walk down to the vending machines to get a diet coke. For some reason, this semester, the machines in this building have been much quirkier than usual. In particular, the snack vending machine is always demanding exact change. On more than one occassion I have either borrowed from or lent quarters, nickels or dimes to one of my classmates as we persevere to meet the machine's unreasonably strict demands. I just want some cheeze-its!

Luckily, today, I did not feel the need to challenge the snack vending machine to a duel. I just wanted a nice cold, refreshing beverage--and normally the coke machines are much more receptive to the honest offering of a crisp $1 bill.

I put my dollar bill into the slot and it fed smoothly into the machine. Now, in a moment of identity confusion, the coke machine suddenly thought it was a dollar bill changer, and coins began dropping down to the coin return slot. "I didn't press the coin return button!" I quickly defended my innocence. Then I had a vague recollection that the same thing happened to me a week or two ago when I used this same machine. (Note to self.)

I waited patiently for my four quarters to drop: ching. ching. ching. ching. ching. ching.

Wait a minute... ching. ching. That's more than four... ching. ching. ching. What's happening...? ching. ching. ching.

Then it finally dawned on me--these aren't quarters. I'm getting back one dollar's worth of change in nickels! ching. ching.

"Hey, this is like winning the slots!" I laughed cheerily. "I hit the jackpot!" ching. ching. ching. ching.

I scooped the pile of coins into my hand--it nearly took both hands!--and moved on to the second coke machine sitting right next to the first. My suspicion was right: this machine was much more poised and ready for business and the transaction ran smoothly.

With diet coke in hand and I was now ready to return for the second half of class. I began the walk back with a grin on my face.

Little joys in life often come when we least expect it. Today was my lucky day.

Soundtrack of My Life

I was talking to a friend this afternoon and she shared a brilliant idea for a self-reflective project: creating a soundtrack of your life. She, herself, has started a soundtrack, and although it is a work in progress as hopefully she has many years left, she is up to the 4th CD in her multi-volume set. Complete with liner notes! I am fascinated, impressed, and inspired by this idea of a particular artistic expression of oneself.

What would your Soundtrack sound like? What songs would you include in your collection if you reflected back on the earliest days of your life and spent time thinking about the people, the places, the events, and the imaginations through the years, that have helped give shape to who you are today? Perhaps there are songs that are already tied to a special moment in your life. Or, perhaps in your reflections you will become inspired by a song that would perfectly illustrate what you were going through at a particular time. Or, perhaps there are songs that have no meaning whatsoever other than the fact that you like them and they inspire you to dance.

One of the first songs I will include in my Soundtrack will have to be something by the Osmonds. When I was little we listened frequently to The Osmonds Greatest Hits--one of the earliest cassette tapes we ever owned. In particular I remember a time when we listened to it over and over again until my parents finally cut us off--after a 15 hour car trip from Eugene to Southern California, EVERYONE reaches their limits! Good thing we were almost to Grandma's house...

Butter Rum Lifesavers...

...remind me of my mom.

Last week one of my volunteers at work brought in a stash of lifesavers of all different flavors--the giant quarter-sized lifesavers, each wrapped individually. I sampled a couple of the flavors--naturally gravitating towards the purplish ones (various forms of berry flavors). Then Joy brought to my attention a golden brown one and I immediately reached for it. "Butter Rum!" I exclaimed. "This reminds me of my mom!" When I opened the wrapper and placed the lifesaver in my mouth, immediately the flavor on my tongue summoned happy memories from my childhood. I remember Mom often carrying a roll of butter rum lifesavers in her purse. Funny how a little round piece of candy in a cylindrical wrapper can be such an amazing and tantalizing treat--I'm sure a roll didn't last very long, having to share it with 3 little kids!

It's fascinating how many memories can be tied to any one of our senses: smell, taste, touch, sound, and sight.

Be Real

This past weekend I managed to reconnect with some old friends from high school via various social networking websites. (If you are interested, you can try some of these sites out for yourself at MySpace, Facebook, and Classmates.com.) It has been fun hearing from them and seeing what they are up to now, 15 years after high school.

I had a difficult summer dealing with a rift in what I considered to be one of my closest friendships. Relationships of any kind can be difficult, especially when miscommunication occurs. The effects can be devastating. What I have learned, however, is that the only thing you can do is be real. Be real with yourself, first and foremost. If you can't be real with yourself, then you can't ever hope to engage honestly with anyone else around you. Secondly, I've learned that when the going gets rough, you need to just relax and let go. Not let go as in a flippant "see ya, have a nice life." Instead I mean loosening the grip and not "trying" so hard. As a very sensitive person I have a very difficult time when I feel that I've been misunderstood--so I typically go into overdrive spinning my wheels and trying to backtrack in order to rectify the situation. However, what usually ends up happening is that I end up going nowhere, only digging my wheels deeper into the ground.

This summer I tried a different approach. As difficult as it was, I knew I had no choice but to let go or I would only be spinning my wheels again. Instead, I decided I would let my character and my spirit be my testimony. Just be real. I try to live my life as a kind, compassionate, friendly and honest person of integrity. I must let that truth speak for itself and not distract from it by clammering in with all my inarticulate explanations. It hasn't been easy, but it has been a growing experience for me.

So, the reconnecting with old friends has also brought with it an element of healing power for me. Relationships are powerful forces in our lives...and there is quite enough love to go around, in my view. I still hope that my fractured friendship can be renewed again in the future, and I will wait patiently until that possibility comes. But for now I will celebrate newfound friends and cherish the many people who have touched my life through the years. I have been blessed!

Library Workshop - Let's Play

I was reading an article the other day ("The Academic Library as a Full-Service Information Center," by Sue Samson and Erling Oelz, The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Volume 31, Number 4, pages 347-351), and was struck by this imagery:

"the model of a library is no longer one of a warehouse but one of a workshop open for exploration and discovery."

Ooooooo, how exciting! This is what excites me about becoming an academic librarian--working in an academic setting that supports as well as inspires learning, creativity, growth, and discovery. Today, the library is not simply a warehouse of stored information. Rather, it is the point of origin from which a multitude of exploratory missions embark. Especially given the expansive amount of informational tools and resources that are now available electronically, the dynamic territories waiting to be discovered and further explored stretch to the horizon.

I also love the "workshop" imagery. Workshops are places for creativity and building. They are "hands-on" type environments. In the workshop model of a library you are not just a passive recipient of information. Intead, you are actively engaged in the informational transaction. In many cases you can become a contributor to the body of information, sharing your own knowledge and insights via blogs, wikis, and various social networking tools available via the internet.

One of my hobbies, when I have the time, is to engage in artsy/craftsy kinds of projects. I like to refer to it as "playing art." I had so much fun playing as a kid. As adults we often forget how to truly have fun--to enjoy the creativeness of play. I like the idea of transferring my "let's play art!" imagery into "let's play library!" Who would like to join me?!

Some thoughts to reflect on:

• What new journeys would you like to embark on?
• If you were a kid again, what would you most like to play?
• Do you find other ways to play in your own life?
• What would "playing library" look like to you?

It's Meez

At my sister's prompting, I have finally created my "Meez." I decided to go with the Library School Student theme... (Although you usually won't find me sitting on the floor!)

But it's a Dry Heat...

So, you may have heard about the soaring triple digit temperatures in California this week. I managed to pick the hottest weekend of the year (high temps ranging from 106-110 degrees), to visit my sister and brother-in-law in their new home in L.A.. Needless to say, most of the activities we had potentially planned were scrapped, as our options became limited to indoors/with high functioning a/c. Even though it ended up being a fairly low-key trip--lots of lounging around the house, watching DVDs, etc.--I still had a wonderful time spending time with Cindy and Don and their two animated weiner dogs, Cordy and Seumas.

Cindy and I did escape to the Santa Monica beach on Saturday--an inviting respite from the heat, as the temperatures were much cooler than in the valley. It was wonderful to walk along the coast, waves splashing our legs. The breeze along the water's edge was actually cool--not the oven-baked air that hovered around us everywhere else we went. Very refreshing. Of course, it was a holiday weekend, so the beach was packed--I'd never seen so many people concentrated in one spot on a beach. Definitely a different sight than I am used to seeing along the Oregon Coast. At this point I still find the Oregon Coast to be much more picturesque, but we only saw a limited snapshot of the California Coast, so the jury is still out. You can read more about our weekend on Cindy's Blog, and even see some photos of our adventures, if you are interested.

I'm in the Burbank airport now, preparing to return to life in Columbus. My new boss starts tomorrow, and my second week of classes is underway. Should be an interesting and busy week!

Fat Pants Skinny Pants

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has "fat pants." Those you have on hand for when you discover you've gained a few pounds and your "normal" pants are suddenly fitting a little too snug-ly. Fat pants are usually very comfy--loose fitting, non-constricting. Of course, as welcoming as they are comfort-wise, symbolically, they are often thought of with disdain. "Ugh, I have to wear my fat pants today--how depressing!"

Yesterday I had one of those glass half-empty-now-half-full moments. My former fat pants became my new "skinny pants." In the not too distant past I had gained enough weight that even my fat pants no longer fit. But recently my change in eating lifestyle has resulted in a tipping of the scales in the other direction--what a nice change! Last night I fit, once again, into those comfy, well-worn, jeans that used to be my "fat pants." Ta-da! Now they are a symbol of progress, and a concrete form of inspiration to encourage me in my continued endeavors. My new "Skinny Pants!"

Sure, one could choose to look at them with similar disdain as before....did you forget those used to be your fat pants? How can they be skinny pants??? That makes no sense at all....

Sense or nonsense, we often have a choice in how we see reality and attribute meaning to things--and today I am choosing to celebrate my new skinny pants, and look towards more to appear in my not-too-distant future!

Mantra

"Be strong, speak true, and spread the peace."

Melissa Etheridge fans will recognize these familiar words. I have been touched by them this week. When faced with adversity, there is always a way through it if we remember to be true to ourselves, to be honest with one another, and to value integrity as an absolute necessity.

I believe in the subversive power of love, gentleness and the still, small voice of truth. I have always been a lover of oxymorons. I view reality as a complex entity made up of many layers--and oxymorons help illustrate seemingly contradictory elements as, in fact, mutually inclusive of one another. How can something gentle and quiet be powerful? Those who work for justice via an ethic of nonviolence know and understand the effective power of letting Truth speak for itself. Peace can't be brought about by anger, war, or any other form of conflict. Instead, we must find a way to deflate such things through more subersive means.

I learned during a library workshop on "dealing with difficult people" that an effective way of communicating with a loud and frustrated customer is to consciously lower your voice. Arguments usually escalate when each person's voice gets louder and louder, leaving both parties talking over one another instead of listening to one another. Instead, if you lower your voice, the customer's voice will usually lower in response, without the individual even thinking about it. It also encourages active listening as the customer must make more of an effort to hear the quieter voice. Then, you can hope to have a productive conversation. Speaking truth does no good if there is no one around to hear it.

Thank you, Melissa, for your powerfully simple words. You Rock!

Kristy Simpson

Have you been simponized yet? Here's what I look like after uploading my photo. Look out Springfield...here I come! The original photo used for my simpsonization can be found on Terri's blog (see the "Before and After" post--documenting my recent Mary Kay makeover, compliments of Terri).

The Still, Small Voice (of Truth...)

Tonight we watched The Interpretor for the first time. Quite a thriller--I definitely recommend it if you have not yet seen it.

Towards the end of the movie, a quote is read from a book by one of the characters. I found it rather profound and worth sharing (the context of the quote is an African country being torn apart by genocide and violence):

"The gunfire around us makes it hard to hear. But the human voice is different from other sounds. It can be heard over noises that bury everything else. Even when it's not shouting. Even if it's just a whisper. Even the lowest whisper can be heard over armies, when it's telling the truth."

Words have power. The human voice has power. Truth has power--perhaps the ultimate power.

Our lives today are filled with a cacophony of noises and distractions that make it hard to hear--and to listen--to what is true. What does truth sound like? Do you recognize it when you hear it? What truths does the human voice utter? Personally? Locally? Nationally? Globally?

Most importantly...are we listening?

Monday

July is winding down. That's so hard to believe, and also to accept. I'm already beginning to experience the anticipatory grief of saying goodbye to summer's more relaxed pace. Yet, if I pause for a moment and take a step back in time, I remember the excitement I felt towards my classes this past year, and trust that my energy and zeal will spark once again as Fall semester gets underway. Yes, there are many stressful moments trying to balance the workload; but, ultimately, the challenge is well worth the struggle.

I worked a little more this weekend on my ongoing personal goal to "organize" my living space. Tried to tame the pile of papers that accumulated on my desk over the last month or so--and happily was able to find my desktop once again. My greatest accomplishment this weekend (in terms of personal satisfaction) was getting the shelves installed in my bathroom, so at last I was able to tame the chaos in that room.

Since I seem to be someone who functions most effectively on the basis of "deadlines," I am hoping that my awareness of the fact that there is only a month left of summer will inspire me to kick things into high gear and begin tackling more of my "to do list" before my free time runs out. I still have more organizing to do in my bedroom and office, and the entire house is in need of a super good cleaning before my semester begins.

I also recently began a food diary of sorts, as an approach to trying to follow a healthy, well-balanced diet. I am using FitDay, a free online diet and weight loss journal. It offers a number of components, but right now I am focusing on the food journal--it allows me to enter all the foods and beverages I eat in a given day, and I am then able to see how many carbs, proteins, fats, etc. I am getting as well as what percentage of the recommended daily allowance for various vitamins and minerals I have acquired for that day. So, as the day goes on I can notice I still need more calcium before the day is through; therefore, I might have a glass of milk before I go to bed. I have found the experience very insightful as I have had to look more carefully at the vitamins and minerals that are found in all the varieties of food I eat, and it encourages me to look for the ones that provide more nutrients (instead of paying attention to a more simplistic approach that looks only at fat, carbs, calories, etc.).

Since I feel that I am doing a good job maintaining a healthier diet, I still want (and need!) to incorporate more physical activity into my everyday life. That's something else that I hope to jump start before the summer is over, since work and school will demand a lot of my time in the fall, and both call for lots of sitting! If I don't get into the habit of exercising before the time contstraints kick in, then I fear a bleak outlook on sticking with the exercise plan.

Catching Up

If you have read my previous post and are still wondering what the verdict is, you can find more details in the "comments" related to that posting. The short version of the story is that I decided the job I was applying for didn't meet my current needs and I am staying on full-time at St. Mark's.

The next "transition" phase is starting to gear up. The interim rector has three weeks remaining. The associate rector will be on vacation much of August. And the new rector will begin moving into his office the Tuesday after Labor Day. He'll be just in time for my jet-lagged orientation to the St. Mark's Office after my return from a crazy long-weekend trip to L.A. to visit my sister, Cindy. There will be some quiet days in the office this month, but certainly the pace will begin to pick up as the Fall schedule approaches and programs start up again.

Also, my fall semester classes begin the last week of August. I'm hoping it's not too much of an uncomfortable jolt back to the studious life. I'll be taking a core class on The Organization of Information which I think will help me learn more about some of the technical aspects of librarianship. I'm looking forward to it as hopefully providing additional insight into what areas of library work most appeal to me. My other class is Information Sources and Reference Services. I am also looking forward to that class as some direct training on providing reference services--a core skill required for librarianship! Plus, I find great joy in learning new sources of information! Each question is like a puzzle, and I find great satisfaction in helping someone find the answer to their question.

I have more to write, but alas, I am off to do some volunteer work at the Hamma Library at Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Cheers!

Building a Career, One Day at a Time

Now that the second interview is out of the way, I have some time to reflect on the process and try to discern whether I should take the position if it is offered to me.

I am torn.

I love my current job, and I am excited about the next few months ahead--I sense that the new rector is bringing with him a unique and vivid energy that will be delightful to see at work at St. Mark's. His first day in the office will be Sept. 4. Already he has cheered me on in one of my recent endeavors--adding a new blog to the parish website. I anticipate that he will be a fun person to collaborate with on similar projects.

At the same time, I feel un underlying anxiety, a gnawing inside, telling me that I need to get some direct library experience to add to my resume if I hope to land a good professional position once I finish my degree. The problem is, there are minimal jobs available with both the hours I want and a pay level that would be satisfactory. Mostly the options seem to be part-time jobs with student-level pay, which is not helpful to a 30-something adult trying to make a living.

So, do I take the opportunity, if it presents itself, to get my foot in the door, trusting eventually it will lead to bigger and better things, or do I stick with my current job until something more fitting comes along? Today I am leaning towards the latter, but I don't know if things would be different if money wasn't an issue. Lots to think about.

I am Beautiful Today!

I spent a chunk of my holiday yesterday doing some shopping for some more professional looking clothes. I forgot how much I actually enjoy dressing up and looking good! Today I feel beautiful inside and out with my flowing black skirt, and eye-catching red top. I took extra time to do my hair this morning, and the smile on my face is bright and natural.

It's a good day to look and feel beautiful as I have an interview for a position with the Columbus Metropolitan Library this afternoon. Hopefully they will see past my external beauty to recognize that I am even more stellar on the inside! ;o)

I am wishing that all could feel as beautiful as I do today!

We Are All Artists

It's a little odd to have a holiday in the middle of the week. I keep thinking it's the weekend, instead of Wednesday. I hope I remember to go back to work tommorow! We don't have any huge festive plans to celebrate Independence Day. Kirstie and I both want to take advantage of the day off to work on projects around the house. She is in the process of putting up another shelf in the garage. Among other things, I think I will try to tackle my office today--see if I can begin to create some order out of the chaos.

I recently finished reading a book called Living Artfully: Create the Life You Imagine. The following quote struck me:

"A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write if he is ultimately to be at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be."

-Abraham Maslow

I like this quote because it speaks of listening to our calling. We must listen to our hearts to find out what we are called to, no matter what unique gifts we have. I have thought about this before in terms of vocation--first in seminary when discerning whether or not I was called to become a pastor, and now in my discernment towards becoming a librarian. The peace, the energy, the joy that encircle my journey towards librarianship confirm that I am following the right vocational path path. Maslow's words, however, suggest to me a new way of thinking about vocation--perhaps we each have a number of vocations to which we are called. Instead of thinking about my joy of crafting as a hobby, it is quite different to think about it as an artistry that I am called to do. It's a reminder that we must find time to do the things that we truly love and enjoy--because that, too, is who we were created to be.

I remember in college when one of my campus pastors, Martin Wells, called for students to "Praise God with your mind." As college students we were being called to learn, to challenge ourselves, to ask questions, and to prepare ourselves for future endeavors out in the world. Our highest form of praising God at the time was to embrace our studenthood and make the most out of our collegiate careers.

Prior to reflecting on Maslow's words, I thought of hobbies more as a matter of self-indulgence: things we do because we find enjoyment in them. Now, thinking of such activities in vocational terms, a calling to use our unique gifts in a particular way, it's hard to not see such activities as bigger than ourselves. Instead, they are things we are called to in order to inact and animate our giftedness, and perhaps even further: to share our gifts with others.

I'm reminded of a song from my childhood:

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine

Let it shine

Let it shine

Let it shine

Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let it shine

Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let it shine

Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let it shine

Let it shine

Let it shine

Let it shine

"What one can be, one must be." Who is it that you are called to be? What things bring you joy and peace and enjoyment? Do you find enough time to be who you were created to be? Are you hiding your giftedness under a bushel, or letting your light shine?

July is Almost Here

My, time continues to fly by. It's hard to believe yet another month has almost passed. A month ago I was celebrating Memorial Day in Durham, NC--grilling out on the deck with Vicki, Kevin, Siobhan, and Clarence. (Well, Clarence isn't actually allowed outside, so he was not on the deck with us...) I hope by now Siobhan--a.k.a. "Velcro Dog"--has gotten over my absence!

Now the Fourth of July is just a half-a-week away. A bit odd to have a holiday in the middle of the week, but a day off is a day off! We don't have anything special planned for the holiday as of yet, but I'm guessing we may end up taking advantage of the time off to work on some home projects and then grill something yummy in the afternoon or evening.

My fitness goals have slid to the back burner once again as I have been focusing my free time on getting my honda ready to sell and working on household projects that had been put on hold during the school year. It's hard to live a multi-dimensional life--so many goals and so little time! But, I continue to see small signs of progress and I continue moving forward day-by-day. For the most part I am eating a fairly well-balanced diet. It's the physical activity that I need to kick up a notch!

I've had some thoughts recently about things I'd like to take the time to do this summer: in addition to working out at the gym, I'd also really like to find some time to "play art," as I like to call it. I'm particularly feeling the urge to do some work with polymer clay. I'm not sure what exactly...maybe try bead-making or doing something with image transfers. That's a project that would need to be left for a weekend, as I've found that working with clay can actually be pretty time-consuming. I also want to finish getting my bedroom and office in order--getting everything organized and assigned its proper place. I made a lot of progress last weekend after buying some shelving for my bedroom. It's gratifying to see things coming together! I also want to work on getting our basement more in order again. It will be a great space when it's finally cleaned up and re-organized. But, in the meantime it's a massive project to tackle.

Two months left before classes start up again. That still gives me time to accomplish some more goals!

Meaning of/in Life

This weekend one of my friends mentioned how sometimes life seems so empty, and with that comes the nagging question, "What is the meaning of life? There's got to be more than this." And another friend echoed, "I have those same thoughts every day!" Now, hopefully the "every day" was at least a bit of an exaggeration, but still...these comments gave my introverted self something to reflect on.

What is the meaning of life? I think, perhaps, a better question might address where we find meaning IN life. The first question suggests there is one definitive plan or agenda that explains why we are here or what life is meant to be about. I don't think there is one--single--meaning to life, but rather some underlying truths that help us to attribute meaning to our lives and experiences.

In spite of life's hardships, I am happy to be alive--to experience life in all its rich dimensions. I know that I am loved--by family, by friends, by God. We may dream, from time to time, of an easy life where we have enough free time, enough money and enough happiness to be fully satisfied, but I think as appealing as the image may be it is only a mirage. A life without challenges can have no celebrations. A person who never experiences sadness or heartache can never experience true joy or unconditional love.

Sometimes there are situations in our lives that wear us down. We become weary. But even in these times we must find little things to celebrate and to be thankful for. For those who think, "there's got to be more," I wonder what you are missing in the here and the now. What is it that you are searching for? Where do you find meaning in life? Where do you find joy? What causes you sorrow? What brings you contentment and peace? (Note that the peace component is particularly important, as I believe there are many times when we THINK we are content, but in actuality we are not.)

I would love to hear some of your responses!

Conflict leads to growth

Another insightful concept one of the speakers shared at my Library 2.0 seminar was that of "optimal fragmentation." Brian Mathews was referring to group dynamics when he articulated the idea that optimal fragmentation results in conflict that leads to growth. I thought this was a very insightful perception. Differences in ideas, opinions, and insights, have the potential to spark and inspire new thoughts and ideas--particularly if we can learn to listen to one another and VALUE such differences. In this sense, conflict can be constructive. It leads to dialogue.

I think "truth" is a concept that in many cases is continually forming or unfolding--it's essence may remain the same but we continually see it reincarnated and rearticulated in new ways. Actually, maybe instead of truth, I mean "meaning." I think many people--me included!--would be more comfortable saying that the meaning we ascribe to things can be ever-changing, even though the essence of truth remains constant. When we willingly place ourselves in settings in which we are faced with differing viewpoints, ideologies, beliefs, or opinions...we increase our capacity to learn, to be challenged, to challenge others, and ultimately to grow.

Click here for the original source of this image
(permission to use granted by Creative Commons license).

Picture a kaleidoscope with hundreds of tiny fragments of colors--gently turn the wheel and the same pieces dance into a new formation. How many different colorful patterned arrangements are possible? The possibilities seem limitless! If we close ourselves off to the social dynamics of "optimal fragmentation" we miss the beatiful arrays of colors awaiting on the horizon of our consciousness. Instead we are left with a stagnant view of the world, however picturesque such an image may be. My friend, Cheryl, makes kaleidoscopes with stained glass and beads and she gave me a beautiful purple one last year for Christmas. I will think of things in a new light the next time I look through it, gently turn the wheel, and watch the colors dance before my eyes.

15 Minutes of Fame

Woohooo! I beat Cindy at the 15 Minute Game!

Since our contest only lasted two days, we decided this would be

"Round 1" of our competition. Cindy decided the winner gets

BRAGGING RIGHTS...

so I'm taking advantage of the opportunity!!

(Please note: normally my head is NOT this big...)

This is for Terri...

BABY BEANS!

Library 2.0 Seminar

I had the opportunity to attend a two-day seminar hosted by the Ohio State University Libraries last week on the theme of "Library 2.0." The Library 2.o concept addresses how libraries--and librarians!--can incorporate Web 2.0 technologies into the services they provide to their users.

Web 2.0 technologies include such things as blogs (like Marginal Notes!), wikis (like Wikipedia), social networking sites (like MySpace and Facebook), photosharing sites (like flickr), video sharing sites (like YouTube), and many others.....all which utilize user-generated content in some fashion. A cool video portraying the concept of Web 2.o can be found on YouTube: Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us.

I find this topic to be an exciting part of what is currently going on in the library field right now. The opening keynote speaker, Steven Bell, used a phrase in his presentation that really struck me: "compassionate pioneers." He used it in the context of designating within your library staff who the compassionate pioneers might be before introducing new, unfamiliar technologies into the library. Immediately I felt an affinity for the title of compassionate pioneer--and thought this was a concept I could directly incorporate into my ever-shaping identity as a future librarian. Surely I was born to be a compassionate pioneer: someone who can be a leader in learning new technologies and applying them to the library context as well as a compassionate, gentle teacher who shepherds other staff members and library users into this brand new territory.

It's an exciting image...one that fits with my earlier post regarding reinventing myself!

It's the Simpsons...

Okay, so it may not be as cool as the FOX Lot, but here I am watching TV with the Simpsons at the Lennox Theaters:

Sorry about the poor picture quality--it's taken with a camera phone!

The 15 Minute Game

Today I started a new contest with my sister, Cindy. As a way to mutually encourage one another in our fitness goals I suggested we have a contest: to engage in 15 minutes of exercise per day--and the first person who misses a day is the LOSER. We have not yet decided what the award/penalty for winning/losing is...but I'm sure we will come up with something creative.

Tonight I walked Emmi around our subdivision...after one full loop she was trailing me, so I traded her in for Murphy and gave him the opportunity for a lap as well. Emmi can have her high energy moments, but put her outside in the heat of summer and she goes into slow motion! Murphy, on the other hand, is like a spring loaded bouncy ball.

Emmi in her slow motion pose:

Murphy, in a rare calm moment:

Joy and Peace

I recently ran across a wonderful quote, and was reminded of it this weekend in conversation with a friend:

"Peace is joy at rest, and joy is peace on its feet." -Anne Lamott

It is as if joy and peace have a yin-yang sort of relationship. I had never thought of it this way before, but the idea rang true as soon as I heard it. The word simplicity also comes to mind. Seek peace and there you will find joy. Seek joy and there you will find a manifestation of peace. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? I think it can be simple...if we allow it to be that way.

Reinventing Myself

"I am not afraid, I was born to do this!" -Joan of Arc

I was reflecting last night about some residual thoughts from a lunch conversation earlier in the day with Anna, a fellow librarian. I find myself in an interesting and exciting place in terms of thinking about my future and all the possibilities for success. As I reflect on where I have come from and where I am going, I determined last night that I am currently in the mode of reinventing myself. What an empowering thought! Most empowering about that thought is that I actually believe it!

I have always been a shy person. Some of that shyness was my natural quietness. But another portion of it was dictated to me by others. I didn't know I was shy until others defined me that way. Growing up, I internalized that label and accepted it as an accurate definition. It was also clear to me that my shyness was a weakness--no one ever boasts shyness as one of their personality traits! It was something to be ashamed of--a curse of sorts.

I am not always in "shy mode." When I am comfortable, I am less shy. One-on-one settings, gatherings with close friends and family, situations in which my role is clear and well-defined...these are all times in which the "real me" can come alive.

In school this past year there have been a couple of occassions in which I successfully portrayed myself as un-shy. Internally I still have the same anxieties to respond to, but externally I am learning how to actively project confidence. "I fooled them once again!" became my cheerful mantra. In the past when well-respected teachers and friends have insisted I would be an excellent teacher I balked at the idea. Yeah, right: me, standing up in front of a room engaging in "public speaking" to the entire classroom for a living. This was not my vision of a successful future! Now I am beginning to see glimpses of my giftedness and potential for doing such things as well as appreciating that I might actually enjoy it!

I am, in fact, reinventing myself. Tearing off the shy labels and beginning to replace each one with confidence. If I project myself as confident, act as if I am confident....how is this any different than truly being confident? I'm not so sure there is much difference, except perhaps what I might feel on the inside. But, I think it is like any newly learned skill: the more you practice the more natural it will become.

One thing is for certain. I am loving library school and am excited about the many possibilities open to me in my future. "I am not afraid, I was born to do this!"

TGIF

It's Friday! It has been a fairly productive week. In trying to address my long list of "things to do" it has been my goal to tackle at least one item on the list each evening. In doing so, this also allows me--in most cases--to have a little bit of time left over for something that is more fun. In other words, I essentially have two lists running concurrently: the "chores" and the "interests." So far this approach seems to be working.

Things I have accomplished this week:

• Learning to change my own car battery.
• Taking my car in to be detalied in preparation for selling.
• Taking my bike in to be serviced in preparation for FINALLY putting some miles on it!
• Cleaning off my desk..and actually filing the "to be filed" pile.

Now the fun things:

• Visited The Park of Roses at Whetstone--a part of the park I had not yet seen.
• Learned to change my own car battery. (Okay, this is also on my "chore" list, but I was both excited by and proud of the accomplishment!)
• Visited Innis Woods Metro Park--this park is also known for its cultivated gardens and it was definitely beautiful! I can't wait to go back and check it out more fully!

This weekend is the Columbus Arts Festival, and the weather should be beautiful. I'm planning to go down Saturday evening with friends. I look forward to such events as ways of finding inspiration for my own creativity. Hopefully by mid-summer I can get sufficiently caught up on my major chore list to find more time for engaging in some art projects.

Happy Friday!

Spring Cleaning in June?

Okay, so my calendar is a little off right now, but I'm glad to finally be on the road to catching up with myself! It has been an intense year of working full-time and going to graduate school in my "free time." I am taking the summer off from classes to try to catch up on other things that had been pushed to the back burner during the school year. Essentially, I am now in the midst of attempting a spring cleaning of many areas of my life: housework, personal health and fitness, diet, spiritual life, creativity, relationships, etc. I want to take the time to intentionally devote energy and attention to each of these areas.

It's been many months since my last blog entry, but I hope to get back into the routine. This is the initial entry to say, "I'm back: keep watch for more to come!"