Since I'm still short on time, I offer you another Wordle. This one's of my blog.
I was surprising how revealing this was. Bet you can't guess what
I'm daydreaming about now...can hardly wait for the seed catalogs to get here!!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
A few of my favorite things...
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Librarian in a Nutshell
I've been kinda busy lately as evidenced by lack of posting. Tomorrow my 2nd year dossier is due in it's near-final draft form. Creating a dossier for the tenure review process is an endeavor that elicits any number of adjectives (and expletives) at any given time. Some are positive - reflective, rewarding, creative. Others are, well, not as much - time-consuming, grueling, the rock on my shoulders...you get the idea.
The process of putting together into one document all of my endeavors and accomplishments that I've done in support of my job has been a great act of mental aerobics and weightlifting - combined with some yoga I think. I've used the process to (I hope) reflect on the projects I've taken on, and those that I hope to, in terms of the way that they both support my job assignment and contribute to the greater good that is Librarianship.
Yesterday some colleagues introduced me to a fun little tool called Wordle. I copied and pasted my entire dossier in to see what the tag cloud would look like, and it went a little something like this:
So there you have it - my professional life in a nutshell.
The process of putting together into one document all of my endeavors and accomplishments that I've done in support of my job has been a great act of mental aerobics and weightlifting - combined with some yoga I think. I've used the process to (I hope) reflect on the projects I've taken on, and those that I hope to, in terms of the way that they both support my job assignment and contribute to the greater good that is Librarianship.
Yesterday some colleagues introduced me to a fun little tool called Wordle. I copied and pasted my entire dossier in to see what the tag cloud would look like, and it went a little something like this:
So there you have it - my professional life in a nutshell.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Proud to be a Penn Stater
I was absolutely amazed when I watched this Green Tube cast about the Penn State recycling program. I knew we did a great job of it, but seeing this took my appreciation and awe to a whole new level. Go PSU!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Full Up
It's always dangerous to launch into a blog post when you're not sure where it's going to end up, but it's been far too long, so here goes...
This past summer in my work life was one of the busiest I've ever had - I keep mentally swearing never to repeat such ridiculousness in the future, so remind me of this about the time April rolls around, ok? On the other hand, the home front was was busy too - but in a different way!
Last April, I talked about emergence from the liminal spaces life throws us into every now and again. I predicted that our garden would provide us with the kind of hope and inspiration needed to pull us out into the light again. Well, I'm not sure if it pulled us out, but it certainly kept us so busy that we forgot to worry so much and were definitely able to move forward into new phases of life.
Now it's October. The garden has been done producing for a good month, and we dug it out last week. But I am happy to say that, literally, the cupboard is not bare.
Not only did we enjoy fresh produce all summer, we canned peppers and tomato sauce, chili sauce, and relish, mushrooms, squash, and apples - sauce and butter.
Needless to say, we will definitely be doing this again next summer! And rumor has it the garden will be ever bigger!
This past summer in my work life was one of the busiest I've ever had - I keep mentally swearing never to repeat such ridiculousness in the future, so remind me of this about the time April rolls around, ok? On the other hand, the home front was was busy too - but in a different way!
Last April, I talked about emergence from the liminal spaces life throws us into every now and again. I predicted that our garden would provide us with the kind of hope and inspiration needed to pull us out into the light again. Well, I'm not sure if it pulled us out, but it certainly kept us so busy that we forgot to worry so much and were definitely able to move forward into new phases of life.
Now it's October. The garden has been done producing for a good month, and we dug it out last week. But I am happy to say that, literally, the cupboard is not bare.
Not only did we enjoy fresh produce all summer, we canned peppers and tomato sauce, chili sauce, and relish, mushrooms, squash, and apples - sauce and butter.
Needless to say, we will definitely be doing this again next summer! And rumor has it the garden will be ever bigger!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Bounty
Living the simple life definitely keeps a person busy! I've hardly been blogging because I've hardly had time to - and for a change, it's been a pleasure to be lacking time rather than a nuisance!
This year the latent farmer in me began to emerge. It all started back in April, when I convinced B that we should clear and till one entire level of our yard - approximately 500 sq. ft.!! The rest is not quite yet history.
Planting happened a bit late this year. We've had an unusually cold summer, with only a few days above 90 (no complaining here!). In early June, we planted beans, radishes, green peppers that turn red, green peppers that turn yellow, gypsy peppers, jalapeno peppers, hungarian wax peppers, three different varieties of cherry tomatoes, 3 different varieties of large tomatoes, roma tomatoes, pineapple heirloom tomatoes, cherokee chocolate heirloom tomatoes, brussels sprouts, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, yukon gold potatoes, 4 varieties of sweet potatoes, and red beats. And it honestly has not, until this moment when I listed it out on the screen, occurred to me that this was a friggin' huge garden!
We planted. We waited. The red beets came up. The red beets were promptly eaten by rabbits. The beans came up. The beans were promptly infested and devoured by bean beatles. But gradually, things started to come in, peek up through the soil. We learned how to control the pests - naturally! - and blossoms formed.
Now, we are in the thick of harvest. We're picking, and eating, and canning. I cannot tell you how much joy this brings me. When our first tomatoes started to turn red, I think I felt something akin to the excitement a woman must feel when giving birth - or at least after giving birth when the pain has subsided. We haven't bought vegetables in a grocery store or at market in over a month. We go to the store so sporadically now, that I often forget to go, opting to use up something that's been in our cabinet for awhile rather than rush to buy a new ingredient.
We've become more inventive cooks, and I'm learning to can. I'll have to do a post one of these days just on that process. This photo mosaic is a great representation of life at our house right now. Every time I look at those photos I can't help but grin. I am so overwhelmed by, and thrilled with, the bounty that my own hands and sweat - and, face it, luck - have produced.
1. Pickled Summer Squash, 2. Raw Summer Squash, 3. The Lady - Up Close, 4. Canned Hot Peppers, 5. Cans in a Row, 6. Fresh Picked, 7. Summer Bounty, 8. Post-weeding pristine, 9. The Canning Stage
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.
This year the latent farmer in me began to emerge. It all started back in April, when I convinced B that we should clear and till one entire level of our yard - approximately 500 sq. ft.!! The rest is not quite yet history.
Planting happened a bit late this year. We've had an unusually cold summer, with only a few days above 90 (no complaining here!). In early June, we planted beans, radishes, green peppers that turn red, green peppers that turn yellow, gypsy peppers, jalapeno peppers, hungarian wax peppers, three different varieties of cherry tomatoes, 3 different varieties of large tomatoes, roma tomatoes, pineapple heirloom tomatoes, cherokee chocolate heirloom tomatoes, brussels sprouts, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, yukon gold potatoes, 4 varieties of sweet potatoes, and red beats. And it honestly has not, until this moment when I listed it out on the screen, occurred to me that this was a friggin' huge garden!
We planted. We waited. The red beets came up. The red beets were promptly eaten by rabbits. The beans came up. The beans were promptly infested and devoured by bean beatles. But gradually, things started to come in, peek up through the soil. We learned how to control the pests - naturally! - and blossoms formed.
Now, we are in the thick of harvest. We're picking, and eating, and canning. I cannot tell you how much joy this brings me. When our first tomatoes started to turn red, I think I felt something akin to the excitement a woman must feel when giving birth - or at least after giving birth when the pain has subsided. We haven't bought vegetables in a grocery store or at market in over a month. We go to the store so sporadically now, that I often forget to go, opting to use up something that's been in our cabinet for awhile rather than rush to buy a new ingredient.
We've become more inventive cooks, and I'm learning to can. I'll have to do a post one of these days just on that process. This photo mosaic is a great representation of life at our house right now. Every time I look at those photos I can't help but grin. I am so overwhelmed by, and thrilled with, the bounty that my own hands and sweat - and, face it, luck - have produced.
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
About that Bread...
Wow! So, back on February 22, I told you about a year-long endeavor to learn how to make my own bread, cheese, and yogurt. I even posted a teaser photo of the dough I'd just created. And then I promised that I'd let you know how it turned out...
Alas, I did not follow through...
So, finally, for the record, I am posting a photo of the finished product. I promise that this is, indeed, that very loaf of bread:
Isn't it lovely? This one was a 1/3 wheat 2/3 white loaf. We have learned that it is best to use that ratio, because the whole grain flour (whether wheat, rye, spelt, etc.) is much denser than white all-purpose or bread flour. The bread would still "work" if one were to use 100% whole grain flour, however it would likely resemble a pancake.
Since this first attempt, I've made the bread many times, each loaf a bit different. This recipe is wonderful because it is so adaptable. I have used a variety of add-ins, my favorites being cinnamon and raisins or rosemary. The wheat bread is particularly delicious when lightly toasted and topped with a thin layer of real, full-fat butter (I've completely sworn off margarine, especially after witnessing a container of it turn into water after sitting out for a few hours and then going back into the fridge...ew! If I wanted to put water on my toast, I'd just do that, but why on earth would I?!) and along with the butter some locally produced clover or wildflower honey. Soooo yummy!
Some of my friends who have also stuck with the bread-making have experimented with using dried fruit as a ingredient, as well as a variety of different herbs. As our garden begins to produce more and more, I anticipate trying out bread that includes roasted vegetables, such as eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes! The possibilities are endless!
The best part, aside from the marvelous taste of the bread, is that I've seen loaves of bread like this one go for anywhere from $4 to $6.50 at grocery stores and farmers' markets alike. (Here comes my moment to gloat...) This loaf cost me less than $1 to make! The three cups of flour, 1 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of yeast are easy to come by, store, and cost very little. I've recently started to buy my flour in bulk which makes it even less expensive.
Alas, I did not follow through...
So, finally, for the record, I am posting a photo of the finished product. I promise that this is, indeed, that very loaf of bread:
Isn't it lovely? This one was a 1/3 wheat 2/3 white loaf. We have learned that it is best to use that ratio, because the whole grain flour (whether wheat, rye, spelt, etc.) is much denser than white all-purpose or bread flour. The bread would still "work" if one were to use 100% whole grain flour, however it would likely resemble a pancake.
Since this first attempt, I've made the bread many times, each loaf a bit different. This recipe is wonderful because it is so adaptable. I have used a variety of add-ins, my favorites being cinnamon and raisins or rosemary. The wheat bread is particularly delicious when lightly toasted and topped with a thin layer of real, full-fat butter (I've completely sworn off margarine, especially after witnessing a container of it turn into water after sitting out for a few hours and then going back into the fridge...ew! If I wanted to put water on my toast, I'd just do that, but why on earth would I?!) and along with the butter some locally produced clover or wildflower honey. Soooo yummy!
Some of my friends who have also stuck with the bread-making have experimented with using dried fruit as a ingredient, as well as a variety of different herbs. As our garden begins to produce more and more, I anticipate trying out bread that includes roasted vegetables, such as eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes! The possibilities are endless!
The best part, aside from the marvelous taste of the bread, is that I've seen loaves of bread like this one go for anywhere from $4 to $6.50 at grocery stores and farmers' markets alike. (Here comes my moment to gloat...) This loaf cost me less than $1 to make! The three cups of flour, 1 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of yeast are easy to come by, store, and cost very little. I've recently started to buy my flour in bulk which makes it even less expensive.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
My Mosaic
Following the Trend:
Thanks Eva! This was fun!
To play, answer the questions below and type your answer into Flickr search. Pick your favorite photo from the first page of results, and enter the URL into Mosaic Maker .(3 columns, 4 rows.) Post a link here in the comments so I can see the results, too!
The questions:
What is your first name? Anne
What is your favorite food? Ice Cream
What high school did you attend? Middletown Area High School
What is your favorite color? Blue
Who is your celebrity crush? Vigo
Favorite drink? Riesling
Dream vacation? Venice
Favorite dessert? Ice Cream (I know, it's on here twice...but it is, indeed, a food and a dessert!)
What do you want to be when you grow up? Me
What do you love most in life? Family and Friends
One word to describe you. Thoughtful
Your Flickr name. annielivre
Photo Credits:
1. Anne Frank with Keffiyeh in NYC Street Art, 2. there's nothing better than summer, 3. Three Mile Island, 4. Max!, 5. ohh a celebrity, 6. The sun inside..., 7. Parking space, 8. More Spoons For You, 9. Perspective Matters (500 unique and cool people count this photo as a favorite), 10. Dancing Rainbow, 11. thoughtful, 12. Queen Anne
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Guess I'll Just Stay Here...
This was my "fortune" last night at dinner. On a related note, if someone hasn't already done it, I think there should be a "blog" somewhere for "fortunes" -- you know, the ones that make statements rather than predicting the future. How annoying!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
10,000 steps (or more like 7,500...)
Sooooo....
For the next 7 weeks I'm enrolled in a program at work that challenges participants to work their way up to taking 10,000 steps a day, 5 or more days per week. Last week I began by tracking steps for three days to get a baseline of where I stood (quite literally), and then set my beginning goal from there. This week my goal is to take 7,500 steps a day.
All of this conscious stepping has already taught me a lot, both about my own habits and about how challenging it can be to meet this goal!
Here's what I know so far:
For the next 7 weeks I'm enrolled in a program at work that challenges participants to work their way up to taking 10,000 steps a day, 5 or more days per week. Last week I began by tracking steps for three days to get a baseline of where I stood (quite literally), and then set my beginning goal from there. This week my goal is to take 7,500 steps a day.
All of this conscious stepping has already taught me a lot, both about my own habits and about how challenging it can be to meet this goal!
Here's what I know so far:
- I do not move much at all on Sundays
- Even when I feel tired at the end of the day (as though I've been active) I have not done much moving (a normal, in the office at the computer day consists of about 4,000 - 6,000 steps for most people)
- It's about 80 steps from my office to the most convenient bathroom.
- One mile equates to about 2,000 steps and at a brisk pace, a mile takes about 15-20 minutes to walk, so walking for just 20 minutes can get you 2,000 or more steps!
- This one is obvious, but few of us probably do it: Park far away from your office door. I have no choice as the commuter lot is 1.25 miles from my office; however, I still have to choose to walk the 20 minutes rather than take the bus.
- Take hourly "nonsmoking breaks." Get up, move around, give your eyes a break and your legs a stretch. If 20 minutes of walking = 2,000 steps, 5 minutes of walking could be about 500!
- If it's an option, take your restroom breaks one of the less convenient bathrooms to your office location.
- Use 20 minutes of your lunch break to go for a walk...get some fresh air and move your legs at the same time for another potential 2,000 steps!
- If you need more steps at the end of the day, go shopping! I admit this strategy has the potential to hurt the wallet a bit, but it never hurt to "just look," right?
- Walk your dog if you have one. I'm definitely guilty of not walking my dogs, which hurts them and me at the same time.
Friday, May 16, 2008
What If?
As I was driving to work this morning listening to the latest reports on gas prices ($3.79!!!!), my mind wandered off on the following path:
I wonder if one day, I will be able to say to my child, "Before you were born, we had to put this stuff called gas into our cars to make them go...."
I can only hope!
I wonder if one day, I will be able to say to my child, "Before you were born, we had to put this stuff called gas into our cars to make them go...."
I can only hope!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Liminality
Liminality - "the condition of being on a threshold or at the beginning of a process" (Webster's New Millennium Dictionary of English); Also, where (how?) I've been for the last 2 months...
Anyone who knows Central Pennsylvania knows that just about the time you're ready for winter to be over, it starts to snow. It's been that kind of Spring, both in the natural world and in the personal one. For the last two months, I'm pretty sure B and I have come to understand a little bit better how that poor caterpillar feels all stuck up in his cocoon. At the same time plants and buds and caterpillars have been wrestling to burst forth and escape the clutches of Winter, we've been struggling to acknowledge, accept, and in some cases embrace, a great deal of change in our lives.
March 1, after a sudden onset of illness (though it had been a long time coming), B's Nana died. We were blessed to be with her as she faced death, blessed that she didn't suffer for a long time, blessed to gather together with family...but the void left by Nan's absence is SO great. Just writing about it now causes nearly every emotion in the pot to bubble up inside me...joy, sadness, comfort, pain, laughter, smiles, tears and memories.
The other big change of the season is that after a lifetime of living in Pennsylvania, and 15 years in their current household, B's parents are relocating....to Georgia! A great opportunity for his dad that couldn't be left on the table. They're excited, we're excited for them, and yet it's going to be SO different not to be able to drive an hour and a half down the road on a moment's notice to visit with them. The last several weeks have been filled with moving furniture from Nana's and his parents, cleaning basements, sorting through memories, and making new ones.
Things are starting to become clearer now...and more realistic, as B's dad is now working in GA and their PA house is on the market...his mom will shortly follow. There is such excitement at the promise of new adventures...but we will miss them and their proximity. Hooray for free nationwide long distance cell phone plans, blogs like this one, email, and frequent flyer miles (as long as the damn airlines don't all disappear!).
A side note is that during all of this time we've been computerless, which I think might have been by some grand design of One who knows us better than we know ourselves--and knows what's good for us! It's been refreshing to go home and be completely engaged in the personal rather than the virtual. Even now that our computer is back and functional, I hope to use it less than before.
I started this post with the word liminality. I've come to realize that it is an extremely important state of being - though not one that I'd wish on anyone forever! When life becomes turbulent and I lose my sense of grasp on things (are we ever REALLY in control??) I find myself feeling like an outsider looking in at the "normal" that is everyone else's lives; I feel like that cocooned caterpillar - all squished up and DYING to be able to burst forth and fly.
Our cocoon started to burst the first weekend of April, when we traveled to San Diego to celebrate the marriage of a life-long friend to his absolutely awesome fiancee. Weddings always elicit emotion, and when it's a marriage that is truly meant to be and brings friends and family together from past, present, near, and far, they are even more special. It as a wonderful weekend...we were so happy for our friends, and were able to reunite with some whom we've lost touch with in the past few years. Another of our childhood friends is expecting his first child this summer! With all of the joy and fun of that weekend...and the refreshing abrupt change in geography, our butterfly wings started to emerge.
Last Saturday, we left the liminality behind. It was truly amazing how I physically felt our departure from it. Suddenly, Spring won out over winter...Friday it rained, and Saturday the buds were bursting forth and the daylillies were reaching out of the ground with their first leaves, and the grass was GREEN! That day, we went into our yard, and broke ground for our first garden. This garden is a huge step for us. It's a mode of self provision, a living symbol of our work, a connection with our past - both our human heritage and our family traditions - and it will be something that we learn from. Perhaps most importantly, it is something that will connect us directly to the miracles and cycles of germination, growth, bounty, harvest, and yes, winter.
WELCOME SPRING!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Anyone who knows Central Pennsylvania knows that just about the time you're ready for winter to be over, it starts to snow. It's been that kind of Spring, both in the natural world and in the personal one. For the last two months, I'm pretty sure B and I have come to understand a little bit better how that poor caterpillar feels all stuck up in his cocoon. At the same time plants and buds and caterpillars have been wrestling to burst forth and escape the clutches of Winter, we've been struggling to acknowledge, accept, and in some cases embrace, a great deal of change in our lives.
March 1, after a sudden onset of illness (though it had been a long time coming), B's Nana died. We were blessed to be with her as she faced death, blessed that she didn't suffer for a long time, blessed to gather together with family...but the void left by Nan's absence is SO great. Just writing about it now causes nearly every emotion in the pot to bubble up inside me...joy, sadness, comfort, pain, laughter, smiles, tears and memories.
The other big change of the season is that after a lifetime of living in Pennsylvania, and 15 years in their current household, B's parents are relocating....to Georgia! A great opportunity for his dad that couldn't be left on the table. They're excited, we're excited for them, and yet it's going to be SO different not to be able to drive an hour and a half down the road on a moment's notice to visit with them. The last several weeks have been filled with moving furniture from Nana's and his parents, cleaning basements, sorting through memories, and making new ones.
Things are starting to become clearer now...and more realistic, as B's dad is now working in GA and their PA house is on the market...his mom will shortly follow. There is such excitement at the promise of new adventures...but we will miss them and their proximity. Hooray for free nationwide long distance cell phone plans, blogs like this one, email, and frequent flyer miles (as long as the damn airlines don't all disappear!).
A side note is that during all of this time we've been computerless, which I think might have been by some grand design of One who knows us better than we know ourselves--and knows what's good for us! It's been refreshing to go home and be completely engaged in the personal rather than the virtual. Even now that our computer is back and functional, I hope to use it less than before.
I started this post with the word liminality. I've come to realize that it is an extremely important state of being - though not one that I'd wish on anyone forever! When life becomes turbulent and I lose my sense of grasp on things (are we ever REALLY in control??) I find myself feeling like an outsider looking in at the "normal" that is everyone else's lives; I feel like that cocooned caterpillar - all squished up and DYING to be able to burst forth and fly.
Our cocoon started to burst the first weekend of April, when we traveled to San Diego to celebrate the marriage of a life-long friend to his absolutely awesome fiancee. Weddings always elicit emotion, and when it's a marriage that is truly meant to be and brings friends and family together from past, present, near, and far, they are even more special. It as a wonderful weekend...we were so happy for our friends, and were able to reunite with some whom we've lost touch with in the past few years. Another of our childhood friends is expecting his first child this summer! With all of the joy and fun of that weekend...and the refreshing abrupt change in geography, our butterfly wings started to emerge.
Last Saturday, we left the liminality behind. It was truly amazing how I physically felt our departure from it. Suddenly, Spring won out over winter...Friday it rained, and Saturday the buds were bursting forth and the daylillies were reaching out of the ground with their first leaves, and the grass was GREEN! That day, we went into our yard, and broke ground for our first garden. This garden is a huge step for us. It's a mode of self provision, a living symbol of our work, a connection with our past - both our human heritage and our family traditions - and it will be something that we learn from. Perhaps most importantly, it is something that will connect us directly to the miracles and cycles of germination, growth, bounty, harvest, and yes, winter.
WELCOME SPRING!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Finally making the bread!
Last year, two of my most dear friends, E and L, decided to do a year of Martha Stewart cakes. They got together once a month and made one of Martha's most decadent, butter-filled creations...and many others of us enjoyed the bounty of their work and culinary learning!
This year, many more of us are blessed to be joining them in a year of bread, cheese, and yogurt making. (betcha didn't think it was possible to make at least 2 of these three things at home!)
January was no-knead bread. February was mozzarella! (only takes 30 mins to make!)
Problem is that I haven't been free (for reasons beyond my control) for both get-togethers. And the bread requires some attention to time. It's easy to mix the dough...but you have to be around 18 hours later to finish up the process. Doing the math has been a huge handicap to me. Finally, tonight, I mixed up my first batch of dough. Doesn't look like much now, but I'm excited to see it in 18 hours! Many thanks to L for providing me with a SUPER detailed time chart which helped me figure out when to start my dough :)
Monday, February 11, 2008
Dear Retail Giant
Dear Retail Giant,
Not sure if you noticed, but the calendar still says February. Here in Central Pennsylvania, and the rest of the U.S. for that matter, there is really very little need for bathing suits right now. Today the sun's out, which has brought the thermometer reading all the way up to 10 degrees. I'd consider purchasing one of your brand new patio sets, the better to enjoy the sun, but the wind chill just might kill me, especially if I really am sporting one of those teeny weeny bikinis you've got on your racks. And then there's the fact that I just got started on my annual weight loss resolution (see previous post), and I'm just not quite ready to bear it all.
With our latest round of snow and ice (remember, it does snow in February!), we found that we could really use a new shovel, and we ran out of ice melt, so that was on our shopping list too. So we saddled up the hybrid SUV and went to the nearest, handiest, has all you could ever need retail giant, only to find that we'd be better off planting shrubs than in removing ice from our driveway. Not one single snow shovel or bucket of ice melt was to be found. This situation might be acceptable in mid-March, but on the 8th of February???
And that brings me back again to my resolution. I'm doing great! So well that I might need to buy a new pair of pants or two. What's that? Pants season is over? You'll have to wait until July (as that's when winter clothes come in) to find another pair of cords or slacks or.....?? A*$!@!
So, giant retailer, as I sit in my house watching the snow blow by the window, pile up in my driveway with the next storm rolling in tomorrow, you will be the very last one I think of should a need arise!
The local hardware store might have to charge more because they can't afford to buy/store the massive quantities of stock that you do, but they know that you still need shovels and snow pants in February.
The down-town apparel shop is surely more expensive, but they can tell you where their clothing was made, and they keep their sweaters through at least March knowing that we do indeed need them.
Mr. Giant Retail Store, bigger is most certainly not always better!
Not sure if you noticed, but the calendar still says February. Here in Central Pennsylvania, and the rest of the U.S. for that matter, there is really very little need for bathing suits right now. Today the sun's out, which has brought the thermometer reading all the way up to 10 degrees. I'd consider purchasing one of your brand new patio sets, the better to enjoy the sun, but the wind chill just might kill me, especially if I really am sporting one of those teeny weeny bikinis you've got on your racks. And then there's the fact that I just got started on my annual weight loss resolution (see previous post), and I'm just not quite ready to bear it all.
With our latest round of snow and ice (remember, it does snow in February!), we found that we could really use a new shovel, and we ran out of ice melt, so that was on our shopping list too. So we saddled up the hybrid SUV and went to the nearest, handiest, has all you could ever need retail giant, only to find that we'd be better off planting shrubs than in removing ice from our driveway. Not one single snow shovel or bucket of ice melt was to be found. This situation might be acceptable in mid-March, but on the 8th of February???
And that brings me back again to my resolution. I'm doing great! So well that I might need to buy a new pair of pants or two. What's that? Pants season is over? You'll have to wait until July (as that's when winter clothes come in) to find another pair of cords or slacks or.....?? A*$!@!
So, giant retailer, as I sit in my house watching the snow blow by the window, pile up in my driveway with the next storm rolling in tomorrow, you will be the very last one I think of should a need arise!
The local hardware store might have to charge more because they can't afford to buy/store the massive quantities of stock that you do, but they know that you still need shovels and snow pants in February.
The down-town apparel shop is surely more expensive, but they can tell you where their clothing was made, and they keep their sweaters through at least March knowing that we do indeed need them.
Mr. Giant Retail Store, bigger is most certainly not always better!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Frosted Glass
Frosted Glass
Originally uploaded by annielivre
We had an ice storm last night. It was awesome in that it bought us a two-hour delay which NEVER happens at PSU!
It was crappy in that it hasn't really stopped and everything is slippery! I took this photo this morning around 9:30, while I was waiting inside the bus shelter for my bus into campus from the commuter lot. I really like the look of it, so decided to share.
Work At Home Days
WorkatHomeDay 001
Originally uploaded by annielivre
This Wednesday, I decided to work from home. When I first started my job as a faculty librarian, I was intrigued by the concept that I could opt to do this once in awhile. But the first couple of times I tried it...well...not much work happened!
Now that time is harder to come by, I've come to relish these rare opportunities to set up my post at the kitchen table and get things done whilst still wearing my jammies, listening to the coffeehouse jam channel on the Dish, and drinking as much coffee as I please.
I got a lot done this week! It feels good to be finally a little bit of the way through piles and piles of documentation I need to create. Next time, maybe I'll get to work on something more fun...like an article about the library's new leisure reading collection :)
Oh yeah, and here's what my editerz were busy doin' allllllll day!
My Editerz
Originally uploaded by annielivre
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
January 23
January 23
Originally uploaded by annielivre
I love the view from my office window. ('scuse the dying leaves on my Peace Lilly.) From my perch I can see right over to the main campus mall. Today it's nice and sunny, though the snow on the grass is the dead giveaway that it's freeeeeeezing out there! People walking are all business today, probablly because they're so darn cold. Accuweather's headline says it all. At the moment it's 25, with a "real feel" of 16. I'm thankful for the sun!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Philadelphia x2
So the last two weekends I've been in Philly. first for the ALA Midwinter Conference, second to help my sis-in-law move into a new apartment. Can't say I fell in love with Philly, but I did have some good times.First there was the awesome room in the Loews Hotel (view from window to the left). Then there was the Reading Terminal Market, and Sotto Varalli. AND there was a HUGE sale at the Old Navy. Also won an amazingly cute hand-sewn pouch made by Miss Courtney, when I attended the NMRT social at Buca di Beppo's.
Photo collage coming shortly!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Wrap Me Up '08
beautiful noro kuryeon just waiting to work wonders!I'm sure I'll be posting updates on progress through the year. I hope to learn lots!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Resolutions Revisited
Wow...
So I just did something that I have sworn to this point NEVER to do. I signed up for Weight Watchers (tip o' the cap to resolution #1). Lots of my friends have had success with it, and I do have, oh, 35 pounds I could easily shake.
I have decided that doing this will ultimately help me reach my goal of simplicity, as it organizes the efforts for me (or at least helps me organize the efforts), lends me the support of friends, and generally defies the unproductive go-it-alone attitude I've had to this point.
So...another resolution added to the list...
Say goodbye to unproductive pride.
Say hello to a new, healthier me??!! We'll see!
So I just did something that I have sworn to this point NEVER to do. I signed up for Weight Watchers (tip o' the cap to resolution #1). Lots of my friends have had success with it, and I do have, oh, 35 pounds I could easily shake.
I have decided that doing this will ultimately help me reach my goal of simplicity, as it organizes the efforts for me (or at least helps me organize the efforts), lends me the support of friends, and generally defies the unproductive go-it-alone attitude I've had to this point.
So...another resolution added to the list...
Say goodbye to unproductive pride.
Say hello to a new, healthier me??!! We'll see!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
I am resolved...
Happy 2008, and welcome to the resolution that is my new blog! In the past few weeks, I've done a complete 180 when it comes to resolutions. I started with too many to count:
Hmmm....touche....
I'd get so stressed out and so wrapped up in getting all of these things accomplished that I'd never take joy in having done any of it!
So...my one and only resolution for 2008 is to SIMPLY LIVE.
Stay tuned for further musings...
- The ever-popular weight loss resolution
- The I need to get back to playing my french horn and the piano resolution
- The I feel guilty for not having been to church regularly for the past 5 years, so I should really do something about it this time resolution
- The eat only locally made/grown foods resolution (this one I'm sticking to...especially after an awful bout w/ food poisoning to bring in the new year!!!)
- The learning something new resolutions.....many of them
- The knit more resolution
- The spend more time w/ my husband resolution (how am I going to do this if I've got to accomplish all of those other things??!!)
- And on, and on, and on.....
Hmmm....touche....
I'd get so stressed out and so wrapped up in getting all of these things accomplished that I'd never take joy in having done any of it!
So...my one and only resolution for 2008 is to SIMPLY LIVE.
Stay tuned for further musings...
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