My advisor here at school also happens to be my favorite teacher. Possibly ever. I also have an enormous girl-crush on her. I remember she spoke at my orientation day and somehow, magically, linked library and information science to a quest for a late night donut shop. I was so elated when I checked my schedule for that day and saw that the stars had aligned and she had been assigned as my advisor for my tenure at grad school. For once, luck was on my side. In my meeting with her, all I could do was stare at her with a goofy, lopsided grin. I was so in awe, I didn't want to talk for fear that I might somehow disappoint.
Advisor: Does that sound ok? Caitlin...Caitlin?
Me: *stare creepily*
Advisor: ooook....I was saying there is one spot open in the class I am teaching this semester. Does that sound like it might be a fit for you?
I think I may have wet myself at that point, I don't really remember.
I called my mother immediately: "GUESS WHAT?!MYADVISORHEREISSOSOGREAT!SHE'SAWESOME! SHE'S SO FUNNY! SHE LOVES THE SAME THINGS I DO. WE LIKE THE SAME BOOKS! AND SHE WAS A CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN! JUST LIKE I WANT TO BE! EXCEPT SHE'S A HIP LIBRARIAN. JUST LIKE I WANT TO BE! SHE HAS SUPER CUTE CLOTHES. AND I'M GOING TO GET MY HAIR CUT LIKE HER. AND WE'RE GOING TO BE BEST FRIENDS!!!...
It went on like that for a while. I didn't even take a breath.
She teaches many of the children's librarian classes that I take, so I've had her as a teacher twice now. She is so passionate about what she teaches. She is the first teacher in a while, that I want to do well in her class, not just so I have a good letter grade, but because I genuinely want to master the material. She seems to know an abundent amound about children's books and programs.
And I want to be just like her when I grow up.
Except be me. I have to say how refreshing it is to finally have someone to look up to in my career path. In teaching, save for maybe one or two exceptions, I met more people who made me say "I will not be like that when I grow up." To have someone now that I want to emulate in many ways is further proof that I am where I am supposed to be right now. I am so happy to be excited about my future. It looked so bleak for a while. Now, if we can just get the economy in shape so that I can flex my muscles when I graduate.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Weather
It's raining this morning in Boston. It's predicted to rain all day.
I actually love the rain, but only when I have nothing to do and I can just curl up with a book, watch the rain, and listen to NPR or ColdPlay (my two choice rain soundtracks). When I have things on my plate, however, the rain makes me anxious and restless, like there is a big deadline hanging over my head or that feeling you get while preparing for an interview. On these strange rain days, there never seems to be enough hours in the day.
However, even after all this, I will still take rain any day over snow. Which is why I about threw my computer through the wall when I saw the forecast for Boston. You can see for yourself:
Double ARGH!!!! Where is spring?! Where is it? WHERE?!!!
I actually love the rain, but only when I have nothing to do and I can just curl up with a book, watch the rain, and listen to NPR or ColdPlay (my two choice rain soundtracks). When I have things on my plate, however, the rain makes me anxious and restless, like there is a big deadline hanging over my head or that feeling you get while preparing for an interview. On these strange rain days, there never seems to be enough hours in the day.
However, even after all this, I will still take rain any day over snow. Which is why I about threw my computer through the wall when I saw the forecast for Boston. You can see for yourself:
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sorry for the absence lately. Haven't had much to report. I've been working on homework and its frickin' freezing outside, Mr Bigglesworth! Granted, there have not been many adventures lately save for a few Trader Joe's trips to get the essentials (Two Buck Chuck, candy bars, Trader Joe brand Cheerios). I did feel the need to post some sort of blog. Sorry it's not much.
5 Momentary Favorite Things:
1. Earl Grey tea
2. Hazelnut coffee from the dining hall. Terrible stuff, but its free and therefore the best coffee I've ever had.
3. Reignited love with a favorite childhood book: Ella Enchanted. Cinderella retold with a twist and a kick-ass heroine. Love, love, love it!
4. my Christopher Elbow chocolates that arrived from the parents for Valentine's Day. Almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
5. Hipster nonsense- I love those tight-jeans-wearing, old-school-sneaker-kicking, irony-loving neo-beatniks. I am torn between wanting to make fun of them and wanting to be one equally badly, but I feel that my dichotomous emotions towards hipsters are worthy of their own blog post.
Until then, Lovies!
5 Momentary Favorite Things:
1. Earl Grey tea
2. Hazelnut coffee from the dining hall. Terrible stuff, but its free and therefore the best coffee I've ever had.
3. Reignited love with a favorite childhood book: Ella Enchanted. Cinderella retold with a twist and a kick-ass heroine. Love, love, love it!
4. my Christopher Elbow chocolates that arrived from the parents for Valentine's Day. Almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
5. Hipster nonsense- I love those tight-jeans-wearing, old-school-sneaker-kicking, irony-loving neo-beatniks. I am torn between wanting to make fun of them and wanting to be one equally badly, but I feel that my dichotomous emotions towards hipsters are worthy of their own blog post.
Until then, Lovies!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Timeline of a Meltdown
6:30 pm: After many attempts on paper in the past week, head to library in last-ditch desperation act.
6:45 pm: Arrive at library.
6:50: check emails, facebook, Twitter, blogs, sales at Gap.com
7:30: open blank Word document.
7:31: stare at blank Word document.
8:30: bang out 2 whole paragraphs containing utter crap. Realization begins to sink in: have nothing else to say! don't know what teacher wants! not even sure what the assignment is asking! ...nope, definitely don't understand the assignment! entire paper (all two paragraphs) is complete rubbish.
8:42: Delete two paragraphs. Check emails, facebook, and twitter again.
Stare at blank Word document.
9:30: Cry silently. Heart pounds. Breathing starts to get shallow. Nervous looks from nearby study groups.
9:51: Go home. Sob to whoever picks up their phone.
10:30: Reread class syllabus 5 times in hopes that intro, body, and conclusion are magically written there.
11:00 Google it?? Go back to staring at blank Word document.
Pray. Hard.
Cry some more.
3:00 a.m.: Paper completed. Eyes red. Mad scientist hair. Crawl into bed without even brushing teeth.
6:45 pm: Arrive at library.
6:50: check emails, facebook, Twitter, blogs, sales at Gap.com
7:30: open blank Word document.
7:31: stare at blank Word document.
8:30: bang out 2 whole paragraphs containing utter crap. Realization begins to sink in: have nothing else to say! don't know what teacher wants! not even sure what the assignment is asking! ...nope, definitely don't understand the assignment! entire paper (all two paragraphs) is complete rubbish.
8:42: Delete two paragraphs. Check emails, facebook, and twitter again.
Stare at blank Word document.
9:30: Cry silently. Heart pounds. Breathing starts to get shallow. Nervous looks from nearby study groups.
9:51: Go home. Sob to whoever picks up their phone.
10:30: Reread class syllabus 5 times in hopes that intro, body, and conclusion are magically written there.
11:00 Google it?? Go back to staring at blank Word document.
Pray. Hard.
Cry some more.
3:00 a.m.: Paper completed. Eyes red. Mad scientist hair. Crawl into bed without even brushing teeth.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
This and That
Believe it or not, I do really value this blog. I understand it requires a lot of attention and love to grow (similar to me).
Aye, therein lies the rub.
I have every intention of frequently writing in here, but, honestly, I am at a loss as to what part of my day-to-day activities would be the least boring to include.
Whilst I think on that. Here are some pictures that are loooong overdue.
Ice Skating at the Frog Pond!!
K-STATE GAME!!!
Aye, therein lies the rub.
I have every intention of frequently writing in here, but, honestly, I am at a loss as to what part of my day-to-day activities would be the least boring to include.
Whilst I think on that. Here are some pictures that are loooong overdue.
Ice Skating at the Frog Pond!!
 |
| Le Frog Pond in ze Boston Common |
 |
| Some skater people |
 |
| Sk8r Boi. Pink Pants with skull and crossbones print. On a middle-aged gentleman. Classic. |
 |
| Tara Lipinski and Krisi Yamaguchi...and Hannah |
 |
| We were the commentators on the Frog Pond Olympics...and boy was there a lot to comment on. Twirly Boy and Pink Pants were the forerunners. |
 |
| A well deserved snack after watching other people skate hard. |
K-STATE GAME!!!
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| K-Staters (and Hannah and Bart). It was like being home! |
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| Lose a glove? It's probably one with the Porter Square escalator. |
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Top 5 Longest Days Ever
Today did not start off on a good foot.
It all began last night. I must have stayed up too late watching my current guilty pleasure: "Say Yes to the Dress." In my taffeta and crenoline induced delirium, I accidentally set my alarm for the time I should be leaving instead of waking up. I bolted upright at 8:45 (5 mins before my alarm was scheduled to go off) and began tearing around my room like my pants were on fire. I didn't really wake up until 11, and that was only because my teacher brought chocolate chip cookies for snack (bless her soul).
I wanted to take a nap all day, but circumstances required me running some errands in the afternoon. So for the third time in three days, I put on my "walking around the frozen tundra of Boston" clothes which consist of two shirt layers, a sweatshirt, tights, jeans, two layers of socks, my blessed snow boots, my puffy coat, bulky scarf, mittens, and itchy hat. My arms stick out so much I block the sidewalk, and I waddle everywhere, but it seems to do the trick.
I am going to invent snow boots/rain galoshes that double as ice skates, and I will make millions because right now the sidewalks of Boston are solid sheets of ice which end in legitimate lakes at each intersection. I only got my socks wet twice. I don't blame my boots; they couldn't have foreseen conditions like these.
I wish I could tell you, dear friends, that this story ends with me sipping hot tea watching some mom and daughter duo from North Carolina hash it out over the sluttiness of a sweetheart neckline on Say Yes to the Dress. But it doesn't. It only ends with me and a mug of milk, crunching on stale pita chips, highlighting an article about outreach services. But really, it could be worse, it could. As much as I was grumbling to myself like a cranky old man today during all my endeavors, it wasn't such a bad day. I still love the city of Boston and any opportunity I am given to get to know it better is always a blessing.
Plus, crisp sheets and a cool pillow are that much sweeter at the end of a long, somewhat crummy day.
It all began last night. I must have stayed up too late watching my current guilty pleasure: "Say Yes to the Dress." In my taffeta and crenoline induced delirium, I accidentally set my alarm for the time I should be leaving instead of waking up. I bolted upright at 8:45 (5 mins before my alarm was scheduled to go off) and began tearing around my room like my pants were on fire. I didn't really wake up until 11, and that was only because my teacher brought chocolate chip cookies for snack (bless her soul).
I wanted to take a nap all day, but circumstances required me running some errands in the afternoon. So for the third time in three days, I put on my "walking around the frozen tundra of Boston" clothes which consist of two shirt layers, a sweatshirt, tights, jeans, two layers of socks, my blessed snow boots, my puffy coat, bulky scarf, mittens, and itchy hat. My arms stick out so much I block the sidewalk, and I waddle everywhere, but it seems to do the trick.
I am going to invent snow boots/rain galoshes that double as ice skates, and I will make millions because right now the sidewalks of Boston are solid sheets of ice which end in legitimate lakes at each intersection. I only got my socks wet twice. I don't blame my boots; they couldn't have foreseen conditions like these.
I wish I could tell you, dear friends, that this story ends with me sipping hot tea watching some mom and daughter duo from North Carolina hash it out over the sluttiness of a sweetheart neckline on Say Yes to the Dress. But it doesn't. It only ends with me and a mug of milk, crunching on stale pita chips, highlighting an article about outreach services. But really, it could be worse, it could. As much as I was grumbling to myself like a cranky old man today during all my endeavors, it wasn't such a bad day. I still love the city of Boston and any opportunity I am given to get to know it better is always a blessing.
Plus, crisp sheets and a cool pillow are that much sweeter at the end of a long, somewhat crummy day.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Subway Classroom
Getting on the red line at Park Street and heading outbound (north) is, by far, one of my favorite things to do in Boston. This is not for the leisurely, Saturday afternoon people-watchers. Alewife-directed redliners are a mosaic of humanity. Characters range anywhere from popped-collar-Polo Harvard students with the whole world at their feet to people who carry their world in multiple plastic bags (heartbreakingly, sometimes plastic bags are their world).
At each stop, increasingly more interesting people get on. I've over-heard conversations where I swear I was dumber by the time I got off the train. On that same ride, I also picked up what the next "it" book would be. This occurred when one woman got off reading said book and another woman took her spot reading the same book. The many contrasts I see between people just on that line alone fascinate me. People get on in Southie and get off in Cambridge. Just in one train ride, passengers travel the equivalent of Wyandotte to Blue Valley.
"Where are they going?" I silently ask myself as a majority of them file out at the Harvard Square stop. I think this is what I have found most rewarding about my time in a big city; the bustle of a million different people going a million different directions, and I try to figure out their story. I wish I had the eloquence to write how much I have learned just from riding the subway in Boston.
...Hope the lesson is worth paying off loans the rest of my life.
At each stop, increasingly more interesting people get on. I've over-heard conversations where I swear I was dumber by the time I got off the train. On that same ride, I also picked up what the next "it" book would be. This occurred when one woman got off reading said book and another woman took her spot reading the same book. The many contrasts I see between people just on that line alone fascinate me. People get on in Southie and get off in Cambridge. Just in one train ride, passengers travel the equivalent of Wyandotte to Blue Valley.
"Where are they going?" I silently ask myself as a majority of them file out at the Harvard Square stop. I think this is what I have found most rewarding about my time in a big city; the bustle of a million different people going a million different directions, and I try to figure out their story. I wish I had the eloquence to write how much I have learned just from riding the subway in Boston.
...Hope the lesson is worth paying off loans the rest of my life.
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