Nearing the End

Hey, guys!  I know it's been a while since I've posted, and this is just going to be a short one...but it looks like I'm almost done with grad school.  That's right.  Five more weeks of classes (including this one), an internship (culminating experience) that should end in June, and I graduate in August.  Then...well, who knows what comes next!  Probably get out of the house more, look for full-time work, finally have time for a boyfriend...Crazy.

Hope you guys are all doing well.

I'll try and post again soon.

~em

New Start

Ah, the start of a new year.  New classes, new excitement at work, and of course, new books to be read.  I'll be honest, I'm rather glad classes have started again.  There's something really fun about new classes, getting all new assignments, learning new things....But, give me about five more weeks and I'll be ready for summer again.

I have a lot of good things planned for this year.  But, the big one for right now (since there's too much snow outside to really have any fun) is going to be reading.  Lots of reading.  I have a whole list of books stacked up to dive into, including several manga series that I've already started (One Piece, Death Note, Phoenix, and Black Jack, just to name a few).  For this first blog post of the new year, though, I'm going to touch upon something very near and dear to my heart: the library.

I have read a couple books so far this year (If you don't believe me, just check my Goodreads account!), two of which have focused on that funny little place called Customer Service.  I Work at a Public Library (Gina Sheridan) and Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops (Jen Campbell) provided me with many a much needed laugh.  As a library staff member myself (I'm not sure if I actually mentioned this here--I keep writing up posts and deleting them before they're published--but I was promoted in July to an Adult Services Associate Librarian, yay!  That means I work even more with the public, and my stories have gotten stranger and stranger.  The stories in these books alternately surprised me, horrified me, or left me shaking my head with a knowing chuckle: these are things I knew all to well.  If you've ever wanted to work in customer service, or if you already do, then you should definitely check out these books!  They will probably scare you away from getting into a customer service position, but if they don't, you'll see just how much fun is to be had while working!

Classes have started today, so I'm getting acquainted with all the fun stuff I'll be learning this semester.  First is Public Libraries, with Library Services for Adults starting in a few weeks.  I'll be sure to keep you posted on anything interesting I read or learn, and I'm hoping to be a more active blogger this semester than I have been in the past.  Until next time, Happy New Year!

The Night Before Grad School

I officially start classes tomorrow, and not gonna lie, I feel a bit disorganized.  I'm nervous, too, since I've basically spent the last seven or so months doing what I want to do when work is over, and now, I'll have to learn to budget my time a bit better in order to fit in classwork, essays, and other assignments.  At the same time, though, I'm looking forward to having that back in my life.  I've missed classes.  A lot.  So, that's going to be pretty cool.  Iunno.  I guess I'm just pretty ambivalent about the whole thing.

I'll let y'all know how things go.

My Last First Day of Class

It's official, dear friends...today marks the first day of my last semester of college.  And I can't figure out just where all the time went!  I'm not freaking out yet.  Right now, I'm still trying to readjust to being back on my own time and my own schedule.  At home, things run rather differently, as I try to adjust to the schedule of the three other people in the house.

I'm officially not going to grad school...at least not yet, so that means I'll be getting a job once I come back home.  Been working on applications and trying to find places that will hire me NOW, and let me start working in a couple of months.

It's been a while since I've had to bother being up for a 10 o'clock class, and while it's late enough that I can't really complain, I'll admit it would be nicer to just sleep in a few hours longer.  Still, I think today promises to be interesting and fun (three English Literature classes today!!!).

Hope all of you are well!  Updates to come in soon (I hope!)

A Post Where Emmy Just Writes and Writes and Writes...

Having one of those moments where I just want to curl up in the corner and read EVERYTHING forever.  And it's kinda great.  I haven't felt like that in a long time.  Sometimes, I feel as though being an English major is squashing my love of books...like being forced to read is making me hate it or something.  Nice to know that the passion is still there, though.

 

So, this is going to be a bit of a bigger update, since I've been pretty AWOL lately.  I hadn't been blogging much for the past few months, but OF's passing has made it even more difficult to get back online and write.  And I desperately want to write.

 

Things have been a bit stressful lately.  Classes are taking up a lot of time, and I'm still trying to keep up a social life on top of all that, which makes for a lot of stress and things not getting done.  I'm getting bogged down in projects and stuff, and people make me feel bad for complaining because they have more to do.  It bothers me sometimes, because I feel that just because I have less work, it doesn't mean it's not overwhelming, and I'm not sleep deprived, too.  Watching cat videos on the Internet is my way of relaxing; I'm not a lazy-ass.

 

Ranting over.  So, the guy I had mentioned before?  Yeah, not working out.  He's kind of a snake who flirts with me like crazy, and only told me that he had a girlfriend when I asked him.  At first, though, I thought I could be overreacting, so I was just going to drop it, but he insisted on talking to me about it, so that he could explain himself.  So, I let him.  And we had a great conversation.  Then, though, he took that as his "okay" to basically cling to me like a very horny shadow.  And I'm not really cool with that.  I mean, we could be friends, but I'm experiencing slight trust issues from this, and I just need a bit of space.  Instead, he comes running back, trying to act like he's my boyfriend.  And while I would  be perfectly happy to have another male friend, I think that these advances he's making at me are a bit too forward.

 

I've talked about him to some of my guy friends.  Movie Boy says that this guy is either in love with me, or he's a psychopath.  Either alternative is not ideal, but I'd prefer the first one.  And another male friend (who is in the same class as the Snake and myself), says that not only is he positive that this guy is really into me, but that he's been getting bad vibes off him, and that there is something wrong with him, and I should stay away.  How comforting, am I right?

 

Work has been blissfully quiet.  I'm having a wonderful time.  I've been getting homework done.  And I'm BLOGGING!  I'm so happy!

 

I've started reading Jasper Fforde's latest book The Last Dragonslayer in my free time.  This guy is brilliant! :)

 

Irish Lit is focusing on James's Joyce's short story "The Dead".  I've read and reread a 14 page essay on new historicism in "The Dead" about three times now.  It is so boring!  I feel my brain turning to soup as I read.  I wouldn't care so much, except I have to be able to discuss it in class.....in a group with two other people...while the whole class watches us. How awkward.  Why can't we just make it a presentation??

 

My writer crush has asked me to read his work and give feedback.  Do you know how amazing that is for me????  I just want him to write things at me.  His literary genius is beautiful.  I'm thrilled :)

 

Okay, so I think that's enough for now.   It was nice to actually blog a bit again.  Hope y'all are well.  I would love to hear from you :)

My First Reading Assignment (Spring 2012)

Hey, guys!  I just received my first syllabus, and finally know what my first reading assignment of the semester is going to be!  Now, I won't need to have anything read until Thursday...but I thought I'd give you guys a heads up in case anyone wants to read along with me.  (I know Steven suggested doing this, but I wasn't sure if anyone else was interested).

Now, I have three classes, so that means I'll be balancing three books at a time.  You guys don't have to read all of them if that's too much, or one doesn't really interest you.  But, just in case, my first book is The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles.  I'm not sure if I'll start reading now, or wait until Tuesday, but I'll see what I can do.

Looking forward to this!