So you like robot voices?

I have tried to explain, to lots of people, why law school was such a bad bad idea for use. It is hard to articulate it but I have to say that this cheap video says it all. It may not be true for the lawyer friends you know. To that I say, this is good for them and I give them my best wishes in their future endeavors. For Matt and I though, I give you: "So You Want to Be A Lawyer".

I know it seems like a bleak statement about things but really it is funny now. It is funny because we understand now that what happened to us isn't personal. It just happens. And actually, it feels pretty good to have entered the laughing about it stage of dealing with a trial. I think that now that we are able to have a laugh about it means that we are going to be okay.

Since when is it cool to look angry and sloppy?

If I had to describe the dress code to attend a hipster concert, I would say that everyone must dress:

Grumpy Casual.

In case you are wondering...

why I don't seem to update this blog much or what life might be like if you were to move to Scotland to attend uni, then might I suggest you check out my new blog: Temporarily Tartan.

It's free.

It's easy.

And it's what the Sweeneys are up to these days.

I will most likely be updating BakedGoodsandBads now and then, when the news isn't Scottish. Otherwise, regular posts will resume upon my return to the ol' USA.

Cheers,

Cate

stupid bats...

Remember that bat bridge I once heralded as an awesome local wonder of Austin? Well, I still think it is pretty cool....sometimes. The thing is, it has almost always proved to be a great place to take out of towners to show how Austin "keeps it weird". Turns out though, that the bat bridge can have an off kind of night.

We took some great friends of ours who were new to the area to check it out. We described the novelty of it with such wonder and intrigue. We made of night of it - stopping at Big Top Candy Shop on South Congress before hand and then spouted off all the trivia about the bats we knew as we walked and ate Aussi licorice and gummy alphabet letters. It was a great time.

Then we got to the bridge. We waited. We waited. We waited. It was getting pretty dark. The sun was well down (the cue to the bats to come out). The bat watching tourist boats were lined up all in a row. It got darker.

Matt got mad. "Stupid bats! What the heck? They're not coming out. We should just go...stupid bats..."

I stayed optimistic. "Come on Matt, it always takes longer for them to come out than we think. We just got here kind of early and so we just feel like it has been a long time."

Darker. Bat boat annoucers running out of jokes to make, trivia to say...

Then a dozen bats flew out with the reek of guano. The guy next to me says "Oh ho...Here We Go!" Much anticipation. Everyone leans over the bridge waiting for more.

Darker. Then another dozen bats. This repeated itself until our friends convinced us that it was a-okay. The candy and company was good enough to call the evening a success. Matt and I felt a bit dumb still.

It got so bleak even the bat boats started to head in toward the docks. We headed home.

Luckily our friends are talented folk with a good sense of humor. They documented our experience together by doing what they do best.

It says it all really.

How did Abraham do it without Craigslist?

Life has sped up to what seems like warp speed since coming back to Austin. So much to do to move out of the country! No wonder not many people end up doing it.

I have started to get over the scary, sad "I am going to miss everything I can't bring with me phase" into the "let's purge this apartment and never look back!" Of course I will look back with nostalgia to the experiences I have had but having a good and proper Exodus of sorts is pretty healthy to do every once and a while. In the words of a dear, spiritual friend of mine this is "my Abraham experience". Perhaps I am overdramatic to claim such things but it is really quite liberating. Gets you to thinking about how there is very little we take with us after this life. So few things are important besides experiences, relationships and what we learn. Yep. I am waxing biblical now but this experience is making an impact on me - what can I say?

And oh the wonders that craigslist can bring when you are ready for an "Abraham experience"! We are shedding stuff so quick it gets a little addicting and I have to remind myself that some things really ought to be kept around for when we return. The thing is, I am having a hard time planning more than a year, a month, a week in advance - which is an unusual thing for me indeed. It is a truly an immortal experience to rid yourself of so many things and just start to lean into the curve a bit. Less stuff can somehow make you feel a bit more powerful. Without stuff, all I have to worry about is me and Matt and I have taken care of me for a long time now - even a 1/4 a century; Matt and I have figured out all kinds of unexpected, difficult things in 3 1/2 years. I can do that! Even in a different place.

In other news, housing has had some hiccups. Turns out the most likely scenario for Matt and I to find a place is going to have to be when we get there and can represent ourselves "in person" at the apartment viewings. I started to hyperventilate a bit when trying to come to terms with a scenario of staying in a hostel for a week, navigating bus routes through a city I never been to and trying to keep up with 12 credit hours worth of coursework. Again, I am learning to take a deep breath, lean into the curve and get a "what the Hell - why not?" kind of feeling. Yep. I am pretty much getting invincible right now.

I still could use some extra prayers for our visas though....

Matt giving his bass some goodbye chords. I started to feel a bit sad he was giving it up (his first instrument). I asked him if he felt sad and he just responded by saying, "I just want somebody else to play it." Then I realized this was the first time he had played it in a year and there many worthy financial causes in Scotland to look towards!

When has the livin' been easiest?

First off, did I mention that I had some terrific times with my fam for 2 full weeks of August? Let this collage (compliments of Picassa) show you how easy livin' was in the ol' SLC and Reno.

Maybe I am just imagining things but it really seems like this has been the best summer of my life. Is this too bold of a statement? I remember a wise Redfish coworker once pointed out that "summers are sacred". This thought has the potential to be a very true thing indeed so I don't take my aforementioned statement lightly. Still I think that this has very well been just about the best summer ever.

It surprises me to realize what a good life it has been these last 2-3 months being that I have worked a respectable amount of time through June and July librarianing summer school in Round Rock ISD. I spent the hottest hours of the day in an cool library reading some of my favorite books like Elephants Can Paint Too, Rattletrap Car, I Stink and loads of other read aloud gems to some very enthusiastic 5 and 6 year olds. A good confirmation that you want to be an elementary school librarian is when you sing "One Elephant Went Out to Play" or "Going on a Lion Hunt" until you are hoarse and still wonder why you are getting paid.

When I got off at 3:30 (such a luxurious time to get off of work), it was often off to Town Lake to take Matt to his rowing class and me to my Deep Eddy Pool. How had we not partaken in these local recreational marvels until this summer?! Deep Eddy Pool is the loveliest marriage of spring fed water into a multi-lane lap pool. It has been just about the only relief around for this Austin summer heat but 2 or 3 jumps into that pool a week was enough to keep my thoughts cool while crossing a Costco parking lot on a Saturday. That is one powerful rush!

Yep. Swimming in spring water, watching Matt row from the docks, reading youth fiction for leisure, attending a handful of Paramount Summer Film Series flicks, lots of Sonic happy hours, being wined and dined by friends saying farewell, having a helluva Cake Dome Party with some great Utah folk and knowing that I have to soak up all the Austin flavor while I can has made for a great "carpe diem" kind of June-August. This summer was just about as sacred as it gets.


For your viewing pleasure, here is Matt stearing for his graduation row last month.

Remember Forever Plaid?

If you care to follow some of our adventures then feel free to check out my new "web log". It took a while to decide on a name. On our hike to Cecret Lake up Little Cottonwood Canyon, Matt, my mom and M. Swirly Patterns all deliberated over the right title. Some of our musings included:

-Temporarily Plaid

-The Sweeneys go McSweeney

-Tea and Cakes

-Writings from the Highlands (problem is, I will be about 2-3 hours from the actual highlands)

The rest we came up with escape me now but I settled on a catchy "Temporarily Tartan: a year of living Scottishly". Not sure what will end up being posted there over BakedGoodsandBads but I thought this new era needed a new look and feel. So a new blog is born.

Nothing says farewell like...

Good cake and good company is the bees knees of farewells. In case you missed the Highland Games Cake Dome Party, let me give you more reason to mourn your absence. If you were there, let me give you reason to already begin reminiscing. It was some great festive fun complete with:

a delicious spread with some tasty shortbread and cake,

a Scottish Pub and Bartender in Tartan Trousers,

some good jokes,

and a riveting "Caper" Toss.

It was a bittersweet kind of Cake Dome Party as it got Matt and I excited for our new Scottish adventures but sad at the thought of how we will miss our great American pals this upcoming year. Still, I believe it has made us one step more ready to say "Guid Cheerio the Nou" when Sept 3rd rolls around. Let us pray for our those visas in the meantime!

What have you selectively forgotten about adolescence?

It never ceases to amaze me about the inevitable but endearing awkwardness attached to visiting the home ward. On the one hand, it is the large part of the community that raised me, sent me off to school with the highest hopes and then excitedly planned bridal showers and put on a well catered reception for me when I finally got married (even though I was the tender age of 22 when that happened, I think that they all gave out a big exhale since before Matt I showed less hope than my hip, American Eagle wearing girls camp peers).

Make no mistake, they did lots for me. But on the other hand, it is always alarming to me how much they remember about the most poignant (and therefore worst) moments of my adolescence. Maybe it is the selective memory kicking in, but I have managed to forget many of my terrible one liners I got so comfortable spouting off at activities like I was the child star of some bad 90s sitcom. They recount my gawkiest, graceless, vulnerable moments with such fondness which I am not sure how they could be going for anything but the ironic amusement route.

I will spare you the details of these stories that make up my mutual activities, girls camp outings and pulpit points I made as a youth speaker. The thing is, if you really wanted to hear any of these stories, you would be better off asking Granite Ward's newest Relief Society president or my mom's old visiting teacher - they honestly know these stories better than I would myself. And although they would tell them to you with the honesty and accuracy that would make you flinch like a replay of The Phone Call, I still have the dignity of not having participated in the talent show lip sync to Hansen's MmmmBop at girls camp.

This picture could be worse I guess - at least I opted out of wearing my overalls on the hike.

Don't Be Scared

Don't Be Scared compliments of Andrew Bird.

This last week I have started to get a fresh and more potent wave of "man I am going to miss so many people and things about Austin" feeling. I think having an increasingly bare apartment opened the flood gates to this realization a bit. Whatever it is, I have been trying to find ways to channel it so that I don't burst into tears everytime I get out of my pool on Amherst Drive, watch Matt rowing on Town Lake, or talk with "mes amies" in the "French Corner" during Relief Society.

I haven't posted about my French Congo friends yet but one of them got baptised yesterday and I spoke at the event. It was such an incredible experience that I had to write a few lines about it since I more diligent online than in the ol' journal. This family moved to Austin in the late fall of last year. I'm not sure how exactly but they ended up in the Shoal Creek ward one Sunday when I was conducting in Relief Society. The ward clerk came up to me right before I was supposed to get opening excercises rolling and said "I heard a little rumor that you speak French". I told him honestly that I spoke French about as well as I play the piano - in a pinch I can make a few things happen but I certainly don't think anyone should try and count on me for something consequential.

Well, turned out we were desperate enough to use my "skills" and I ended up tete a tete with this family in Relief Society the following Sunday. There was a whole lot of staring blankly at each other and frantically turning to any scriptures in "Livre de Mormon" that remotely related to the lesson being given. I kept thinking, surely there is someone who could be more useful to these people than me! As horrible as this sounds, I just kept thinking that they probably would lose interest in the church (especially with any help from me during the 3rd hour).

I am happy to say though that I was wrong. Gladys, one of the daughters, decided to be baptised this last January and the whole family continued to come to all 3 hours. I became Gladys's Visiting Teacher with a liberian companion that spoke some crazy patois French. We were a good team though. Decontee, my companion, would work as a liason between me and Gladys when I lost the words for our conversation topic. I would follow along as best I could to make sure that nothing was being said that wasn't quite right (there were a few false doctrine moments we had to sort out since Decontee is a new member herself and doesn't have some of the details on the pre-mortal life quite down). I think everything got worked out though in the end.

Over time, I got super diligent with my French study and in my prayers*; there have been some pretty intense answers I have received along the way. I learned how to talk French with this family. In some ways I feel like I have learned a new French language with them. Suffice it to say, I now have a very real testimony of the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues. If you ever want to hear about it, I will be glad to tell you some cool stories.

Speaking of cool stories, we have had some great times up in our "French Corner" of the RS room. One time this included a writhing bat that was inexplicably dying in a garbage can at the corner of the room. Gladys and Odile kept talking about a "chauve souris" which made no sense to me until they showed me the depths of that plastic can and I suddenly learned a new vocab word for bat. That word has stuck with me too. Vivid memory I guess.

One of the coolest experience yet came yesterday when I had the chance to give a talk in French for Odile, the matriarch of the family, who got baptised. Seriously, this was such a super great experience. I honestly don't know what to say about it except include my talk at the end of this post. C'etait incroyable.

How does this relate to figuring out about the sad time I have had in letting go of this great place and era of my life? Well, if you have even gotten this far in the post, then I will tell you. I have realized that I had this same feeling when I left my fam, friends, mountains, great job and lots else when Matt and I moved to Austin. Had I not come to this hot hot, mountainless, nobody but strangers for miles town 2 years ago then I would not have: found my year round outdoor pool on Amherst, eaten the best gingerbread pancakes there are around, taken deep wiffs of the "forest primeval" smell that pervades the mornings here, or met my dear friends from the Congo. Of course the list goes on. Perhaps it would even go on further if I stayed here another year but it looks like there are some things to be done, people to meet, places to be, things to learn in a brand new place. It's a bit scary but I've got a reference point now that helps remind me what it takes to have some noteworthy adventures.

*I would think quickly, in franglais, dans mon tete. S'il vous plait Dieu, how can I circonlocute une facon de descrire how personal revelation marche? M'aide spit out the right pronunciation of "temoingage". It is a great thing indeed that God can understand all languages - including my version of French.

ENGLISH VERSION

This is a very happy day Odil. Everyone in this room is happy for you. I am happy for you. I know that you are happy. Most importantly, the Lord is happy for you. Everyone is happy that you decided to be baptized.

In some ways this event reminds me a bit of my college graduation day and I will tell you why. At my graduation, someone spoke about what a significant day it was for us graduates. How we had worked hard to be ready for this day and that it wasn’t always easy getting there. The speaker went on to say that we should celebrate our efforts that day but that what we had achieved was also a privilege that not everyone had. As a result, we needed to look forward soon to see what we could now do with the knowledge and blessing of our education. I was impressed with this message. That is a lot like what our Heavenly Father councils us on the day of our baptism. He begins by celebrating with us and then he expects us to do great things with our new gifts.

Do you know what gifts you will be receiving today, Odil? The first gift will come as you are baptized in the water. When you are baptized, you will be receiving forgiveness for your sins. Another gift you will receive today is the gift of the Holy Ghost. This gift will come as the priesthood holders lay their hands on your head and confirm you a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What is also wonderful about what you receive today is that you will always have the opportunity to renew your commitment to your baptismal covenants by taking the sacrament each Sunday. The joy you feel today is something that you can feel every time that you take the sacrament. Because you have chosen to be baptized, you know that these are powerful gifts. These gifts are going to change your life Odil; in fact, they already have.

Now that you know the gifts you will be receiving today, do you know what the Lord expects you to do with them? We can find the answer to this question in the scriptures as we read in Mosiah 18:8-9:

v. 8 "...ye are desirious to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

v. 9 "Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—"

We know from this verse that there are great responsibilities that come with baptism. As you progress in your testimony of the gospel, you will have many opportunities to serve. You may be asked to serve as a Visiting Teacher or it may be helping to translate something into Congolese. Whatever it is the Lord asks you to do, you must commit today and each Sunday as you take the sacrament, that you will honor your baptismal covenants. I know that as you do Odil, you and those around you will be continually blessed. I know I have already been greatly blessed by your spirit. I have a testimony of this and the truth of the restored gospel. It is true Odil. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

FRENCH VERSION

C'est un jour très heureux Odil. Tout le monde dans cette salle est heureux pour toi. Je suis heureux pour toi. Je sais que vous êtes heureuse. Plus important encore, le Seigneur est heureux pour vous. Nous avons beaucoup de que tu as décidé d'être baptisé.

D'une certaine manière cet événement me rappelle un peu de mes journées d'études collégiales et je vais vous dire pourquoi. Quand j’ai reçu mon diplôme, quelqu'un a parlé du fait que c’était une journée importante pour nous qui recevait un diplômes. Comment nous avons travaillé dur pour être prêts pour ce jour et qu'il n'était pas toujours facile d'y parvenir. L'orateur ensuite nous a dit que nous devrions célébrer nos efforts, mais ce de ce jour-là que ce que nous avions atteint était aussi un privilège que pas tout le monde avait. Par conséquent, nous devions nous réjouir de voir bientôt ce que nous pourrions faire pour les autre moins beni que nous avec la connaissance et la bénédiction de notre éducation. Ce message m’a fait une grande impression.. C'est un peu comme sa que notre Père Céleste nous conseils sur le jour de notre baptême. Il commence par fêter avec nous la joie de notre baptême et puis il attend de nous de faire de grandes choses avec ce dons du baptême que nous avons reçu.

Savez-vous quelle bénédiction vous allez recevoir aujourd'hui, Odil? Le premier don viendra quand tu seras baptisé dans l'eau. Lorsque vous êtes baptisés, vous allez recevoir le pardon de vos péchés. La deuxième bénédiction que tu que tu recevras demain sera le don du Saint-Esprit. Ce don viendra de la prêtrise quand les mains seront posées sur ta tête et tu seras confirmer un membre de l'Eglise de Jésus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours. Ce qui est aussi merveilleux et ce que vous recevez aujourd'hui, et c'est que vous aurez toujours la possibilité sera de renouveler ta promesse au moment de ton baptême en prenant le Sainte- cène chaque dimanche. La joie que tu ressens aujourd'hui est quelque chose que tu pourras ressentir chaque fois que vous prenez le Saint-cène parce que tu as choisi d'être baptisé, tu sais que ce sont des dons puissants. Ces dons vont changer ta vie Odil, en fait, ils ont déjà changé ta vie.

Maintenant que tu reconnais les dons que tu va recevoire aujourd'hui et demain, est-ce-que tu comprends ce que le Seigneur attend de toi? Nous pouvons trouver la réponse à cette question dans les Écritures que nous lisons dans Mosiah 18:8-9:

v.8 « ….Et maintenant, puisque vous desirez entrer dans la bergerie de Dieu et etre appeles son peuple, et etes disposes a porter les fardeaux les uns des autres, afin qu’ils soient legers »
v.9 « Oui, et etes dispose a pleurer avec ceux qui pleurent, oui, et a consoler ceux qui ont besoin de consolation, et a etre les temoins de Dieu en tout temps et en toutes choses, et dans tous les lieux ou vois serez, jusqu'à la mort, afin d’etre comptes avec ceux de la premiere resurrection, afin que vois ayez la vie eternelle »

Nous savons, par ce verset qu'il ya de grandes responsabilités qui viennent avec le baptême. Comme tu progrès dans ton témoignage de l'Évangile, tu aura de nombreuses occasions de servir. Tu poura être invité à servir en tant que « Visiting Teacher » ou peut être aider à traduire quelque chose dans congolais. Quoi qu'il en soit le Seigneur te demande de faire, to dois t’engager aujourd'hui et tous les dimanches que tu prends la Sainte-cène, que tu va renouveler tes promesse baptismaux. Je sais Odil, toi et tous ceux qui t’entourent seront continuellement béni. Je sais que j'ai déjà été grandement bénie par ton esprit. J'ai un témoignage de ceci et la vérité de l'Évangile ré-établi. L’Évangile de Jésus Christ contient la vérité Odil. Au nom de Jésus-Christ, amen.

Listing the last minute details...

Things that must be done before 9-3-10:

1. Finish visa application for Matt (by this weekend)

2. Do visa application for me (once Matt is applied)

3. Sell blue car - not too soon though because I still need to work and get groceries.

4. Sell bike, Matt's bass & amp, several other things...

5. Make a "Best of Austin" photo album so we can miss this place good and proper overseas.

6. Cancel phone plan, gym membership and Netflix mail-in plan for beginning of September.

7. Swim in Amherst pool and Barton Springs as many times as possible before leaving.

8. Give away a ton of stuff to Goodwill.

9. Get to the temple while I still have a car

10. Find a furnished studio flat to rent that is closed to campus.

11. Decides what little comes to Scotland like: clothes, COAT!, hand mixer, 9" layer pans, couple of framed pictures, travel guides, New Best Recipe cookbook, Scrabble game & Matt's new English history face cards, traveling Chess set, laptop, speakers, salt crystal from the Salt Flats, camera, iPods, important documents...

Decide what will not come to Scotland: any cake domes, most books, desktop computer:(, so many useful kitchen utensils, portable record player, our comfy bed...

12. Have some quality Brooks time

13. Sign up for Fall classes

14. Highland Games Cake Dome Party 8-10-10!

15. Learn about the best temp agencies for getting a job in Edinburgh

Things that have already been done to be ready to leave:

1. Bought the 1 way plane tickets.

2. Sold the black car (thanks Ellen!)

3. Moved a ton of stuff to the Sweeneys.

4. Swam lots at Barton Creek and the pool on Amherst

5. Had some quality Sweeney time

6. Found good paying summer job to help take the financial sting out of the move

7. Starting saying some farewells to people and places I love here

8. Spent lots of time feeling overheated so that I can remember how frustrating heat can be when I am cold in Scotland.

9. Come to terms with how little that I can bring there

10. Be released from RS presidency

11. Updated my passport

Okay, well, the Things To Do list is much longer than the Things I've Done list but I finally feel organized enough (with my calling over and no summer courses) to even know what I still need to get done. About a month + ago, I would lay awake in bed night after night of after an 11 hour work day, finishing up classes and calling stuff where I would be thinking "I know there is lots to do in order to be ready to move but I am assuming it will somehow get done because it has to - not because I will be able to do it". Well, mostly thanks to Matt and a little to the reprieve in my schedule, we are finally seeing the logistical details come into place.

In the meantime, we are still enjoying life in Austin. Just last night, Matt starting his 6 week rowing course down on Lake Austin. It was hot hot hot and took all kinds of will power to not jump in the river instead of taking a few pictures but Matt seemed to enjoy learning the art of rowing. It something he had been interested in doing for a while. Thanks to dear ol' Dad for knowing what to get him for his birthday this year;) Look at this guy! He's a natural.

And he's happy doing it - you may even be able to spot the smile hidden in his beard. It is hard to catch that on camera sometimes but I promise you it's there.

What are adult things these days?

While driving past a store that sells "all things Adult" on the highway, Matt posed an interesting question.

"Do they sell adult diapers?"

Good question, I thought. It got me thinking and so I asked in response,

"Maybe they sell responsibilities. Those are adult things."

Matt pondered on that. "If they sell those then they must sell mortgages too."

With that, we both decided that the "all things Adult" store didn't sound like any fun at all.

Meet Ignatius....

"I dust a bit," Ignatius told the policeman. "In addition, I am at the moment writing a lengthy indictment against our century. When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make an occasional cheese dip."
~ John Kennedy Toole in "A Confederacy of Dunces" (p. 7)

How is this not required high school reading? I ask you.

It's not easy being Cate (sometimes)

If you have yourself a bad week. A week where you get a bit beat up by the "benign indifference of the world" (merci Camus) - may I suggest listening Mr. Andrew Bird croon this number?



I recommend inserting your name where he says green or "vert". It may just help you get back on your feet.

For full effect do this exercise while running until your lungs get a cathartic burning sensation.

You may be surprised at how much better this makes you feel.

Austin events anyone?

It's been an eventful weekend here in Austin. Yesterday, I hosted the Bluebonnet Elementary bookfair at Barnes and Noble. We did stories, face painting and a Mothers' Day poetry reading but the real attraction was our bulldog mascot named Peaches. She is a great inspiration for books and reading as she herself is a literate dog. Deaf from birth, Peaches learned to read commands from her persistent owner who happens to be our principal at Bluebonnet. The school had bulldog pride way before Peaches or Mrs. McVey, the principal, came four years ago. It was providence it seems that Peaches would inspire this Title 1 school to stretch their reading skills. Many ESL kindergartners have found great inspiration in routines such as these that we saw at B&N yesterday. Click here to read more about Peaches. I tried super hard to upload a video of Peaches doing her tricks but it just wouldn't work. So sad.

In other news, Matt and I hopped on the trendy punk rocker band wagon by attending the Austin Roller Derby last night. Guilty as charged, we only became aware of this underground phenomenon after watching Drew Barrymore's sensationalized "Whip It" flick. It was great fun though; and we became much more absorbed by the game, tactics and rules than expected. It was the Holy Rollers v. the Hellcats. If the sport was based on costumes/jersey's alone then the Hellcats would have had the Holy Rollers beat with their greasy Steve Buscemiesque coach and their skanky short pink smocks with leopard underware and fishnet tights. The Holy Rollers had a less flashy get-up with mini pleated plaid skirts and white shirts. They did have a curvy black pleathered Mother Superior shouting out plays - which was pretty impressive. So maybe this costume and coach competition ended in a tie...



The game had some impressive athletic manuvering and made for a compelling show. It was so rough and tumble that when a ref called a penalty on one of the players, it was unclear which of the thrown elbows and body slams was not "legal". Still, penalties called for a spin of the Penalty Wheel that determined whether or not the penalized player would have to arm wrestle, pillow fight on skates, long jump or simply wrestle (what all the other penalties ended up becoming in the end) the other girl. It may seem like WWF staging but it is for real. These roller derby teams are mainly comprised of underpaid working class gals that make their living off of waiting tables and such. In fact, lots of them are uninsured and when they get an injury from the sport the audience usually passes around a can to help pay for the medical bills. That's how it goes in Austin at least.

At any rate, these girls are the real deal - trying to get the lead out maybe. So they demand respect and they put on a great show. I would recommend partaking in the culture if you ever get the chance.

Get an MLS to learn MBWA

One of the best things about being in a graduate school, that is more like trade school than anything academic, is that you get assigned to such riveting texts as:



Yep. In this book you will find text that is as as uninspiring as an instruction manual on typing (not the Mavis Beacon sort either). You will also find explanations on endless theories of how to motivate employees (turns out that better pay is one of the best incentives along with compliments) and why "synergy" and "vision" from a leader is key for a happy workplace. Well, maybe I could have assumed as much, but I never expected to learn about MWBA or "Managing By Walking Around".

Want to learn more?

Managing By Walking Around
"Another good way for managers to supplement information received from formal channels of communication is for the managers to get out of their offices, walk around the organization, and spend some time with employees. This means of ensuring informal communication is usually referred to as managing by walking around, or MWBA. Just as managers should be aware of what is being circulated on the grapevine, they also should be aware of what is going on in parts of the organization away from their offices" (p. 376-377).

This is revolutionary. Really. Not only that but it explains why my mom has looked over to her classroom door window recently to find the school principal's face pressed up against it, looking in. It is simple what he was doing. Clearly he read Stueart and Moran's text and learned the ol' MBWA technique. Every manager is doing it nowadays....

Future collegues?

For the Texas Library Association meeting held last week in San Antonio, a bunch of the librarians I work with (including my mentor and my supervisor) participated in the TLA Book Cart Drill competition. This is up there in weird librarian humor with the Texas Tattooed Librarian Calendar. Well, without further ado, I give you...not quite sure what to call it honestly...



I think my favorite part about this whole thing isn't even that they threw it together in a week and got last pace (but crowd favorite) against a bunch of even nerdier librarians who had been practicing for a solid year. No. My favorite part about it is that youtube tried to restrict their audio on the video since they claimed it violated copyright laws. Of course, not to be pushed around, the librarians went into hyper-nerd mode and brought all their resources on parody copyright rules to their attention. As you can see, the audio is now back.

Highlights to expect...

when working as an elementary school librarian.

#1 - Getting a kiss blown my way from a kindergarten boy walking in line to the bus after school.

#2 - Being approached by an eight year old asking where she could find books on JFK. When I inquired about her unusual interest for a second grader she replied "I just find him to be a fascinating man." Quite so.

#3 - Feeling a shoulder tap from behind and a young researcher holding up her pencil that looked like this:

then asking me if I could go sharpen it for her because it was worn down. She even let me keep the little treasure.

This short stint as a permanent substitute librarian at Bluebonnet Elementary is making me think it just may be worth certifying and going through the two years of teaching. Sigh...so many hoops to jump through in order to have that dream profession...

A Decree for Tea!

Who knew I would find my match to themed parties in Austin? This week I received a formal invitation from my Amherst pool pals to attend The Queen of Hearts Tea Party. My invite came on the back of a playing card. It was cordial but to the point: "Don't be late for the important date! You are invited to tea with the High Queen. Be there or it's off with your head!"

In honor of the event, I wore my best hat with my favorite scarves and made Off With His Head Tarts! They were well received, even by The Queen herself. Of course, the event was well catered and I had two mugs of tea along with black and white finger sandwiches.





That woman is demanding but she throws a party with such class!

Prospera Pascha Sit

Hope y'all found a way to celebrate this Easter weekend! Matt and I hosted a Ukranian Egg Dying party. It was festively fun.

Since when has Crispin Glover been a "Mystery Man"?

Granted, "Yahoo News" is not the best source for well informed journalism but this article confirmed that these writers don't know enough about their readers (ashamedly - that being me). Since when is Crispin Glover a "mystery man" to films? Why, I've been following him over the years. He's not just the fellow from Back to the Future. Let us remember the classics, Rubin and Ed, The Beavery Trilogy, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, (the new) Alice and Wonderland, Charlie's Angels...the list goes on. Okay, so the last one was not one of his finest moments and the first couple are pretty obscure if you aren't a Brooks, but let us just clarify that Crispin Glover is one to have paid attention to throughout the ages.

Yeah, he's a crazy person but surely one to follow for those that like some quality off-beat flick watching. Here's him as "Rubin", from Rubin and Ed on Letterman.



Needless to say, there is more to Crispin Glover than Hot Tub Time Machine or even George McFly.

Great News!

Matt went and got himself a dream of a job today that will last until this August. Starting on Monday he will be working 20 hours a week as a library assistant in the Harry Ransom Center archive. What is an archive exactly, you ask? It is sort of like a museum that meets a library*. An archive focuses less on objects and more on documents, letters, books, etc. The materials in an archive, like the Harry Ransom Center, are available for both research and curated exhibitions. Most of Matt's work will comprise of moving some of the permanent collection into an annex and creating finding aids for the materials so they can be easily retrieved when needed. This is pretty exciting stuff for a fellow like Matt who collects caligraphy inks and pens, fetishizes typewriters and enjoys solitude in projects.

More on the Ransom Center. If you are not library nerds then you may not be as familiar with it. To give you an idea of how cool this is though, I once heard this place described as a "kick-ass archive". I thought that was a pretty silly thing to say until I went to one of their latest exhibits on the history of film. This exhibition was pretty incredible. It included all kinds of treasures like the actual red dress Scarlett wore in Gone with the Wind and the preliminary storyboards from Martin Scorcesi's Raging Bull. They also have, as part of their permanent collection, an original Gutenburg Bible. I think we can all agree this adds up to a pretty cool archive, maybe even kick-ass job...?

*Funny that I didn't end up in an archive but I think it is mainly because I need a little more "people time" than Matt does.

In other news...

Matt shaved. His skin was getting a bit irritated in spots so he decided to rid the facial hair until he felt it was again time for the beard. Here are a couple of different stages along the way. I was at work when he did most of it and he sent me this pic in an email. It got me laughing so hard in the Teen Center that all the kids were looking at me like I was a crazy person (actually that probably had nothing to do with me laughing on second thought since all look at me that way).

Well, without further ado, I give you stage #1 of shaving process:

The G'Day Gov'nor stage

And stage #2. I am not sure what to say about this one except that this is what I came home to last night and after taking the obligatory picture, I demanded that something happen in a timely manner to take care of this creepy stache. Sorry Matt, even you look like a fascetious chump in a moustache.

SCIENCE!

Do you remember doing stuff like this?

For the Austin Public Library's Teen Center, I worked at the Science Festival this last Saturday. It was a great time and I kept thinking of how spot on my Jack Smaz friend was about having her students spontaneously yell "Science" during biology class to foster enthusiasm. Turns out that learning about science can be quite exciting, as seen in one of my favorite tri folds below...

It reminded me of my 6th grade science project when I use the ol' scientific method to determine whether a dog's or a human's mouth was cleaner. My dad hooked me up with 3 "blood auger petri dishes" (he made me spell the whole thing out in my project rather than just using petri-dish). Then I got an "inoculator" (a wire hanger that had been sterilized on the stove) to swab around in Geezer's, my dog, mouth and then onto the petri dish. Then, after sterilizing the hanger again, I did the same with my mouth for the second dish. The third I swirled the inoculator in the air a couple of times to make the "control dish".

Two or three weeks later I got the shock value I wanted, and the justification that it wasn't in fact gross that my dog licked my face, the dog's petri-dish grew far less gross looking stuff than mine. By 6th grade science fair standards, that meant that my mouth was clearly dirtier than my dogs. Infallible logic really. The funny thing was that the control dish grew a huge blob of something terrible looking. I wasn't quite sure what the deal was with that except that maybe it had something to do with me waving it around in the air above a pot of bubbling Hormel chili (it was on the other burner - the one not being used for sterilizing a hanger). On second thought, maybe what I proved was that Hormel chili is actually much "dirtier" than both a dog and human mouth... Who knows? Science can be so elusive....

It's a mad mad mad mad world of words!

After fiddling around online to try and come up with an activity to do with the Teen Center kiddos at the St. John branch I stumbled across a madlibs website. Since the theme next month is fairy tales, I thought this might match up well. So I tried it out myself and this is what I came up with. Without further ado, I give you the.....

THE TALE OF LITTLE RED FREEZING COLD HOOD

Once upon a rubix cube, there lived a striped girl
called "Little Red freezing cold Hood". Little Red freezing
cold Hood just loved to practice in the forest.

One day, her sister-in-law called to her and said, "Little
Red freezing cold hood, would you please bring this basket
of forks to your polka dotted grandmother in the woods?"

Little Red freezing cold Hood started off down the bathtub,
but on the way she met a big bad yogi. "Where are you
going?" the yogi asked her. "Oh," she replied, "I am going
to bring these forks to my grandmother, so that she will
become less polka dotted!"

The yogi quickly ran down the bathtub to grandma's house, and
when he got there he slapped her in one gulp! He quickly put
on her cardigan and got in the eyelash.

When Little Red freezing cold Hood walked in, she was
horrified to see the yogi in grandma's eyelash. "Why
grandma!" she said. "What big slippers you have!" "The
better to jogging you with, my dear!" he yelled, and jumped
out of the eyelash.

Luckily, at that very moment a handsome scrunchie happened
to be walking along the bathtube and heard Little Red freezing
cold Hood fighting with the yogi. He ate the door down, then
smacked the yogi with his own panty hose. The yogi begged
for mercy and ran away. Then Little red freezing cold hood
and the scrunchie shared some forks, and lived playfully
ever after.

See! Literacy is fun!!! Don't believe me? Check out this fairy tale madlib yourself. It's fun too. http://nick.omp.net/madlib2.html

The only thing uglier than wearing running shorts in public...

It's cooled down to around 40 degrees here in Austin. Yesterday I saw half a dozen girls wearing spandex pants with runner shorts on top. Seriously guys?

Good music?

Swirly Patterns and I once had a conversation that spinning classes must be the same all over the world. Our reasoning was that since while Mr. S.P. was hiking through the bucolic moutainside surrounding Andora, he heard a jarring tempo and foreign shouting from inside one of the fitness centers in town. It didn't take long for him to realize that it was a spinning class at full volume (as all spinning classes are). Taking that and my own personal experiences spinning at various places, we concluded that spinning instructors pick the same music and speak a universal language. If you want to get an idea of what that is like, remember this?

I have found an exception, however. Austin spinning classes are much much better on one account. The music is super good. I guess I should have expected that. Still, it made for a nice surprise this morning when Ted Nugent's Cat Scratch Fever and over played one hit wonders were replaced by M.I.A., Spoon and the like.

PS Sorry this pic is so so terrible. I had to drive the point home somehow...

Day 4

It is the final day of the final "web institute" I have to attend for this here library science degree. Let me just say the good news first, I think I will actually be able to build a database during this semester. The course material is actually pretty neat. If anyone of you gets spontaneously interested in deciding authority control, building a classification scheme or working with any type of metadata, for that matter, then we should talk. It's a more approachable and thought provoking conversation than you may think.

Still, the charm of 8 hours a day, four days straight of power point lectures wears off before it even starts. That is not to say, however, that there has been a demise though along the way.

Day #1 Disoriented trying to find class. Walk in late. Seat selection not made wisely. End up sitting in between a snorting, coughing smoker and a girl taking copious amounts of notes on everything said. Get nervous that I should be taking more notes. Smoker smell ends up being overcome by some bad, bad cologne. Some guy up front keeps asking obscure questions - I only know who is talking because he moves his big head around like a muppet when he talks.

Day #2 Pretty tired. Arrived early enough for back row seat + moved away from cologne scent and smoker man. Lady who asks tons of questions comes in late and sets up camp in the back - using a garbage can as a desk for her computer and water bottle. Takes her nearly and hour to get situated. After the break, garbage can lady finds a spot in front row so that her questions can be answered.

Day #3 So so so bored. Leaving the lecture hall makes me squint from the light like a ninetendo gamer who has been playing for 3 days in a dark room with stale air. Room begins to smell faintly of burgers after lunch. Why don't these people leave the room to eat?! Lots of more questions from garbage can lady, muppet head and a bunch of soft talkers. Coughing, burping smoker sits behind me. Lady next to me comments "some of these people need their own bubble".

Day #4 Room smells like burgers before lunch. Garbage can lady gives up but muppet head just won't stop, without consideration to how he adds to the lecture. The stink of someone's hard boiled breakfast eggs waft through when people walk by or open the doors. About 1/3 of the class is reading novels from their kindles. One blatantly listens to her iPod with both headphones. Approaching dangerously close to wits end.

3 more hours....

First Austin Cake Dome Party!

It was marvelous! We went with a Dr. Seuss theme to assure success. There were just so many possibilities with a theme like that and it was great fun. Kudos to Christina and Julie for baking up such a thematically impressive cake that tasted terrific! In spite of set backs like the cake spilling in the oven and burning the edges, it turned out tasty and impressive, not to mention how it added so much to the Seuss cheer. Well done! I stood amazed. I just stuck with my trusty carrot cake recipe. The two complimented each other quite nicely though I think.

The spread was fun with multicolored "1 fish - 2 fish" Swedish fish, "Star Belly Sneetch" Snacks, "Big Hearted Moose" cookies, green deviled eggs, and the works.

It was a good time throughout but the party really got going when "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" arrived in full garb. Man! they were the life of the party. You wouldn't believe it!

Julie and Christina came up with a ingeniously Seussy game that was great fun. Sort of "a la" Balderdash, each person wrote down a couple of Dr. Seuss passages on a card then made up one of their own. It was surprisingly difficult to figure out which ones weren't Seuss. He was a prolific writer, afterall. Wanna play? See if you can figure out which one I wrote of the 3:

"But that nooth brush on my tooth brush...Him I could do without!"

"If you find yourself with a case of the Blue Freckle Face, then fear not good pal...for cure it we shall!"

"You will learn about Jake the Pillow Snake and all about Foo Foo the Snoo."

I think everyone learned a little something new about Dr. Seuss and I for one gained and almost Jackie Smaz-like admiration for him by the end. If there is one town that can fully appreciate Dr. Seuss and welcome a Cake Dome party as well as the ol' SLC, it turns out to be Austin. I am surprised it took me so long to get this Texas Town hooked on cake!

There goes Mr. Humbug...There goes Mr. Sneer!

So Matt and I recently made it through the 12 episode BBC series of Oliver Twist. It was an authentic experience shot on video - the pure BBC experience. Once I was able to get over the expectation of the characters bursting out with tunes such as "Food Glorious Food", "Consider Yourself", "Who Will Buy" etc., I was able to enjoy it lots. Although, every once and a while I would make Matt stop the episode so that I could go to youtube.com and get my fix for the fitting song before we moved on in the plot.

Since it was the Christmas season at the time when we were watching it, we started thinking about some of the songs from the musical rendition of another Charles Dickins musical adaption, The Muppet Christmas Carol. Naturally, our thoughts turned to what muppets could play what characters from Oliver Twist. This is what we came up with thus far....

Oliver - Kermit

Artful Dodger - Gonzo or Animal (if we dare go that route)

Mr. Bumble- Statler and Waltdorf (suppose we could just duplicate this character)

Nancy- Miss Piggy

Fagin- Fozzie Bear (Wocka Wocka Wocka!)

Mr. Brownlow- Sam the Eagle

Since all muppet movies get at least one human character, Matt and I decided that would need to be saved for Bill Sykes. I am just not sure if the muppets could pull off the dark and the deep of this character. Don't get me wrong, those muppets are good at what they do. They just have a different appeal in what they do well. Also, we could throw in the Swedish Chef as himself during the "Please Sir, I want some more" scene. Beeker could be a beggar on the street somewhere in London. Scooter could be the Dodger's sidekick, etc.... Well you get the idea.

What are your thoughts? Any suggestions? Corrections? This is an open forum here.

Welcome 2010!

2010 is awesome! Even small towns like Ada, Oklahoma know how to celebrate this new era with high tech movie options like 3D. No better way to usher in the new year than with a "Coraline" in 3D in your own living room. Check it out!