Learn to be a Librarian

Well, I survived my "web institute" in Denton to jump start my MLIS program with them Eagles at University of North Texas. If that doesn't sound very impressive, let me just let you know that this institute consisted of four days straight of meeting and listening to 8 hours of power point lectures. The auditorium was full of about 200 other people and we all sat together learning about all the assignments we will have (it turns out to be lots) and hearing the professors go back and forth with the "you are going to absolutely die in the course" to the "oh don't worry - lot's of people have done this and so can you". I'll go ahead and say that it was actually helpful at first. You may even say there was some "synergy" in the room on the first day but that fades after going through the perpetual cycles one starts in those settings: eat, sit and drink, sit and drink, freeze from the AC, break - go to the bathroom, walk around outside, overheat and get a bit sweaty, return, sit and drink, sit and drink, freeze, lunch and so on. It was pretty cruel towards the end but I made it through. I think it may have even prepared me for the semester ahead in such courses as "Introduction to the Information Profession", "Public Library Management", and "Information Access and Retrieval" (why can't they just call that last one "Reference Work"? They seriously make us all sound like nerdy jerks when we call it that around other people.) The classwork will be pretty cool as I have a boatload of interesting sources to make into "annotated bibliographies". I also get to do these weekly "quests" for the reference class where I look up repudiable sources to find answers to questions like what a SAFFIR-SIMPSON DAMAGE-POTENTIAL SCALE is and how a HURDY DURDY instrument is played (if you're interested browse here under "stringed instruments"). Yep, it turns out that info science was a good choice for me. Despite the Medieval Club-soundingness of a quest, it turns out to be loads of fun. I'm not kidding. If you're interested in doing some yourself. Let me know and I will make up one for you.

Heck, I'll do it right now. You can refer to this Super Duper Resource List my professor gave me. You won't be able to access the UNT sites but I'll make up a question that doesn't depend on those sources.

Okay let's see...

Try this one:

#1 Using an encyclopedia only (either print or electronic), find out who is the wife to the Norse god Thor. Who are his parents? Cite your source(s) used (either URL or title and page # of book used).

Did you like it? Here's one more and then I have to start actually doing my homework. (Only Swirly Patterns can tell me if this one is really true).

#2 Using a dictionary only (either print or electronic), find out what term(s) the British use to refer to a Senior Citizen. Cite your source(s) used (either URL or title and page # of book used).

Aren't you jealous you aren't in library school? Hey, you can still come up with your own quests though! Post any that strike your fancy while exploring that Super Duper List of mine. Research is fun!

Summers get you through all the other seasons.

Yep. It's been awhile since I've last posted and with my library science program starting this weekend, two jobs that are now in full force, all the churchy stuff that goes along with being the R.S. enrichment lady, and getting enough "Cate time" (ie swimming and running time) and Matt time - I think I am going to be hard pressed to be a frequent blog poster. So I best not apologize as this is one of many late blog posts to come.

Still, that is not to say I haven't been enjoying myself these last few weeks. There has been a cake dome party, some scenic running, a reunion with my beloved Austin, TX (after a 6 week hiatus of living in OK), plenty of quality Matt time, and all kinds of great activities that leave you with a slight sunburn. The heat has been oppressive but I am getting so accustomed to swimming instead of running these days I have been able to weather it well enough. Still, hitting our 58th triple digit degree day today has made me welcome hurricane season with open arms (sorry Houston but that is just one less thing you have going for you).

When the going gets hot and I find myself spending an increasing amount of time under florescent light at work and soon to be school, I remember 2 things:

My watermelon cake

and my run up Ephraim Canyon on Skyline Drive with some great company and balmy, cloudy weather.

It was a great day to end all summers.

I hope the rest of you had a few days like that this summer to get you through the rough seasons ahead (well unless you live out our way in which case the summer is the cruelest season). Regardless of weather there is something about summer that all the Redfish folk of 2006 said that is sacred. If you haven't had a sacred summer there is still time for a skinny dip in a glacier lake, a Tiger's Blood snow cone in a hot parking lot, a tin foil dinner up the canyon, park picnic or something the like. If you have had a few sacred moments, then keep them safe. You'll never know when you're going to need them.