Archive for November, 2008

Book Lights for a Book Nook

Friday, November 21st, 2008

I enjoy reading in bed more than any other place. The thing is that I have a bunk bed and therefore not much light is visible while reclining in bed. My bed is against the window and therefore I thought, “why don’t I get some sort of light to read by while reclining in bed?” Hence I paid out $1.50 at Walmart for these 20 mini Christmas lights and tacked them into the panel between my windows.

Next item on my agenda: a husband pillow.

Balloon Deflated

Friday, November 21st, 2008

My best friend gave me this balloon and it stayed inflated for 5 years, 9 months, and 7 days. I found out today in the bottom of my closet with the tall-tale signs of a cat scratch having deflated it. I cried a couple tears because it meant a lot to me.

How to make yourself work

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

I could have called my manager today to beg them to let me come in and work today. Instead I awoke with thoughts of laying in bed and reading all those shiny new library books I checked out yesterday. Instead I talked to Sarah about seeing Twilight at theaters this weekend, reading UNCG’s Graduate School Bulletion book, read a bit on life coaching, fleshed out more characters with Shiver, researched more articles on librarian science (which is a good thing! More knowledge = more power!), and rotated my closet finally (moved warm weather clothes to the back and winter clothes to the front). I even tortured my cat Chii by clipping the long hair off her backside. She’s got hair three inches long back there, believe me, she needs it. However, thank God for thick sleeves on my robe; otherwise I’d be nursing multiple bites.

So while browsing again I found 50 strategies for making yourself work. The list itself isn’t revolutionary, but it gives some helpful pointers in trying to remain on focus. I particularly like the one about candles since I recently decided I love lit candles in my room.

Overall though, I’m trying to make the best of my freetime till I go to grad school next year. I know that grad school is killer, but I’m banking on the hope that by the time I’m done, I’ll be able to find a non-retail job, the economy will be picking up, and I’ll be finally an adult. Sure, I’ve been paying bills for 4 years now, but I still feel like a kid. Being an adult to me is having my own place, cooking my own meals, and being full responsible for me. Right now I’m still in the bedroom I’ve slept in since I was 9 years old. It’s time to move on.

Creepiest thing ever

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

37signals writes about the idea from Nadine Jarvis about having the ashes from cremented people carbonized inside pencils as the lead. It’s just a suggestion for now, but I could see someone being seriously into this. Go to the 37signal’s website for further information.

Favorite Graffiti Quotes

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008


Taken in a tunnel between Tacoma and Olympia, WA in July 2004.


From the blog, The Librarian’s Commute.

Quote

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

Life can only be understood backwards,
but it must be lived forwards.
– Soren Kierkegaard

Books to look forward to reading

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

Moleskin

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008


After having recently heard of Moleskin journals, I had a brief stirring of memory about having seen them at my workplace at some point in the past. Then with my latest decision to invest more time to improve my writing, I decided to buy myself a pocket-sized line ruled Moleskin after having taken the GRE. I did some research and ultimately bought one on Amazon for about $8.60 total.

I plan on using mine to work on my story writing. In a suitcase I have a bunch of old journals from as early as the 6th grade, but I only filled up a couple of them. I haven’t read them from fear of how embarassing my focuses in life were back then. However, I believe that this time, I will be proud of my creative endeavours. I hope that this journal will fit in my apron pocket with my sketchbook. If all goes well, my next pocket sketchbook will also be a Moleskin.

GRE Tomorrow

Sunday, November 16th, 2008

I spent all day studying for tomorrow’s GRE with my boyfriend. We mostly went over algebra problems though he also corrected my misconceptions in regards to the arithmetic portion. I came home afterwards and read up on the writing sections. I did not do so well on the analogies portion of the practice exam (how do I do that if I’m not sure what the words are?) but I don’t know of a way to study for it.

I have to be up at 6:30am to make it to the testing center on time. So far I’m scheduled off work tomorrow, but after the exam I’ll probably call in and see if they need my help. Saturday was wretched, but 13 hours this week isn’t going to pay the bills.

Keep me in your thoughts as I go forward!

GRE PowerPrep

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

So far in the arithmetic section, I got 30% wrong. On Sunday I will be studying with my boyfriend all day in prepartion for Monday’s test.

I need to make a minimum of 50% on the test in order to be considered for grad school. I’m frustrated that I’m being tested on math I have not seen nor used since 2000. Why is this subject matter being tested on to the point where I have to study extensively for it just in order to pass? It seems to me that by the virtue of having to study and be tutored means that it is something that is not used or of much use. Instead, I think grades, projects, and recommendations should hold much more weight for admission to graduate school instead of these wretched GRE scores.

Argh.