A Return to the Blog??

So....It's been a while since I've actually, really blogged on here.  And I'm not sure how many of you readers are still out there. But, on the off chance that some of you lovely people are still floating around (and you know who you are!), I thought I'd try to resurrect the old blog.

I've recently come to the conclusion that I need to read more of the classics.  Modern books just aren't doing it for me the way they used to, and I'm finding that I'm generally frustrated with weak plot twists, poorly written romance, and just general drivel.  Not saying that all contemporary writers are bad, but lately, I've been picking all the bad ones.

Those of you who follow me on Goodreads (I'm linking my account if you want to follow me) might know that I'm in a book group called "Catching up on Classics, where we read...the classics.  (I'm also linking that here).  We have four or five titles a month, and it's really a lot of fun.

When I first started this blog, I would write about the books I was reading for school (and for fun).  I miss doing that, so this is going to be my attempt at starting up again.  Ideally, I'll write about the books I'm reading, including supplementary information, like videos, articles, and other readers' reviews.  It should be a lot of fun!

I miss blogging, and I miss you all.   If you're still out there (and again, my most devoted blogging friends know who they are!) I would love to start up the conversation again!

Update

I think this year, I'm going to try and write more on this blog.  It's been years since I've written consistently.  Don't expect anything along the lines of how it used to be, but it might be fun to start writing again.

A little bit of an update on how I've been:

2018 has started off well for me.  I've just celebrated my 1 year anniversary as a librarian (a dream come true!) and I'm finally starting to get out of the house more.  Graduating from college has been difficult, since I've reverted to my misanthropic tendencies and have have not been going out nearly as much as I used to.  The good news is that I'm starting to get out more, and am trying to meet new people.  So far, I'm not completely on board with being a social butterfly.  At heart, I'm still a bit of a loner.

In case you hadn't figured out, things did not work out well with my library patron.  I mean, we're still friends, and things are going well that way, but we're not doing a lot of hanging out or anything like that.  I think it's my fault.  I told him that I loved hanging out with him, but that we would have to do it outside of the library, since it wasn't professional for me to spend my breaks hanging out at a table in the middle of the library, flirting and laughing at his jokes. I need to maintain an air of "professional librarian" not "goofy, lovesick sot" (although I didn't tell him that last bit).  And it seemed like he understood, but we never did anything outside of the library.  And he stopped coming by to see me.  And then after weeks of radio silence, he sent me a Happy Valentine's Day text (that night, so like, too late to actually go out for a Valentine's Day date) and then nothing.  I still see him at programs, and like I said, we're still friends, but it's not the same.

On the flip-side, I saw a cute guy at the office supply store.  We started talking a little, and I told him where I worked (we were talking about library resources and 3D printing) and he seemed really interested (in the 3D printing) and said he'd stop by when he has a day off.  Now, that was Friday and I didn't work this weekend, so I'm not sure if he'll be in or not.  Still, a girl can dream, right?  It was the first time I had really flirted with anyone in about a year, and that makes me feel really sad.

Anyways, I'll leave off at that for now.  Hope to write again soon.

Graduation, Japanese Food, Rant

Hey....So, I know I haven't been writing real posts in a while.  So, I thought I'd pop back in to update everyone on how things are going.  First, 31 Days of Halloween is a bust.  I tried, but I've just got too much going on to keep up with a creative post every day.  So, um...I apologize in advance to anyone who was looking forward to that.  It's over for the year.

I've not been posting much because life has not been that exciting.  I mean, I'm enjoying it, but it's not really something you post on your blog about, you know what I mean?  But, I do have a few big things to announce.  In August, I got my MLIS, so I am officially a librarian (in educational status only).  In job title, I'm still doing the same thing I was doing before.  BUT...there have been some postings in my area, so I'm applying for jobs and will keep y'all posted if something comes up.  Right now, though, I've not heard anything.

In other news, there is a guy I'm somewhat interested in.  He comes to a lot of my library programming, so I see him at least once a month.  Sometimes more.  And he's super sweet, my  parents have met him and they like him (although I don't know if he knows those are my parents....).  Yeah, so I finally sent him a friend request on Facebook.  And we've talked a bit.  But, mostly, I'm the one initiating everything.  So, I can't really say that he's interested in me.  But, he's cute, sweet, a hard-worker, and he's Catholic.  So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  Let's just hope that he also loves anime and we'll be good to go.

But, in all seriousness, I'm not really sure that he's interested.  Conversations fizzle out pretty fast, and he never starts them.  Doesn't sound too interested to me.  But, that's okay.  I'm not head-over-heels myself, either. 

Since I'm now out of school (and still single) I've been picking up new hobbies.  One of which is Asian cooking (mostly Japanese).  I can make onigiri (rice balls) easily enough, and have started rolling my own sushi using canned tuna.  But, my latest trip to the Asian market brought back a box of sweet rice flour and some Adzuki beans.  That's right--I'm making sweet red bean mochi!

Finally, I just want to have a little rant against one of my Facebook friends.  This is a girl I went to school with, but we don't really talk anymore.  I probably should just unfriend her, but for some reason, I've stayed in touch.  Anyways, long story short, her boyfriend broke up with her.  It happens.  It's hard.  I get it.  But, all of her posts lately have been about how terrible he is (because he broke up with her) and how hard her life is now (because he broke up with her), and how strong she clearly is (because she's taking this breakup so much in stride), and how she is SUCH a good person (because she would do ANYTHING for people, but they won't do anything for her).

Okay, so I'm going to break this down piece by piece here....

1.) Your boyfriend dumped you.  This happens to people all the time.  It's sad.  It's frustrating, and I'm sure you wish you were still with him.  But, how does that make him a bad person?  I know I wouldn't want to be with someone who didn't want to be with me.  Don't make him the bad guy for wanting something different in life.  It's not as though he cheated on you.

2.) You were dumped, but that's not the end of the world.  Your life does not suck.  You don't need to post about how you are so lonely and always drinking wine.  That doesn't sound healthy.  Go out with your friends.  Get a hobby.  Do SOMETHING instead of moping around like this, and looking for crumbs of affection from your Facebook fan-base.

3.) You're not being strong if you have to keep posting about how strong you are.  Strong people don't talk about how strong they are (at least not without prompting).  They just live their lives and show you they can handle themselves.

4.) She is NOT the kind of person who would do anything for people.  We used to be friends, and while she expected the world of me, she let me down time and time again, to the point where we stopped talking.  That's why I'm wondering why I'm still Facebook friends with her.

End rant.

I hope y'all are doing well.  I'll try to post more to keep you in the loop.  Goodnight, and sleep well! 

Stressed? Me?

So, I have been suffering with these terrible headaches for months now.  They come and go, lasting about five to ten minutes each, and I get them five or six times a day.  My research wasn't turning up anything, so I went through all kinds of horrible theories.  I must have a brain tumor.  Or, maybe it's bot fly larva IN MY HEAD!  Finally, I came across an article saying I might have TMJ disorder, so I went to my dentist to figure things out.

After massaging my face for a few minutes, and making me open and close my jaw a couple times, he told me that my problem was not TMJ.  There was nothing wrong with my jaw joints.  I do not grind my teeth.  There are no bugs in my head.  And it's not a tumor.

I'm just stressed.  And that's causing the muscles that close my jaw to clamp down really hard.  So, apparently I'm so stressed I'm giving myself headaches because I keep clenching my teeth.  Stress.  Who knew?

In case you were wondering, I've been using a heating pad to relax my shoulders and face....and guess what?  It's been working!  I've gone from six headaches a day to maybe one or two.  And some days, I don't have any!  This is the best feeling ever ^_^

Cabal is Coming!

So, I might have mentioned in a previous post (or two) that I'm super into the Johannes Cabal series by Jonathan L. Howard.  And I might have also mentioned that I have read all three books, and all six short stories.  And I might have even mentioned that there was a fourth book on the way.  Well, I know for a fact that I did NOT tell y'all that I have pre-ordered this book, and should be expecting it by the end of the month!!

I'm planning on reading it come December, with the brother, who also loves this series.  Since he won't be able to get his hands on a copy until then, I have to wait, too, in order to avoid spreading spoilers.  As anxious as I am to start, I thought it might be fun to revisit the rest of the series (novels AND short stories) before I read Book 4: The Brothers Cabal.  I think that, coupled with schoolwork and other books, should take me until December.  I hope, at least, since the last thing I want is to get into a Johannes Cabal marathon and have to stop short because I read the rest of the series too fast.

I really want to rant on here about how great this series is, but I'm sure you already know how I feel.  (If you don't, read some of my posts about this series!)  In the meantime, I'll be sure to keep you updated on what I'm reading and what I'm doing (I've been a bit bad about that recently).  For those of you who don't follow me on Goodreads, a short recap would say that I've been reading mostly manga, specifically Dragon Ball (NOT Dragon Ball Z) and Library Wars: Love & War...Oh!  And Osama Tezuka's Phoenix series.  Which, by the way, is amazing.  Apart from that, just my usual fare.  A bit of fantasy, some spooky stuff, some non-fiction, whatever floats my boat.

Until next time, my friends!

A Johannes Cabal Update

Well, it's official.  I've read every available Johannes Cabal story.  I've read all three novels and all five short stories.  Yes, I could also explore the wild world of fan-fiction, but I tried that once as a college freshman and barely made it out with my life and my sanity.  Let a bunch of hormonal teenagers write stories about their favorite characters, and you will not believe the Frankenstein monsters they create.  I'll stick to the series canon, thank you very much!

Still, it's a little sad.  I was so excited to finally get my hands on these books and stories, and now I have to wait for an indefinite amount of time until the fourth book comes out in the States.  (I can't find anything about it on Goodreads, but according to a podcast I found online, Jonathan L. Howard DOES have a book on the way: The Brothers Cabal).  Don't listen to the podcast until you've read book 3 (The Fear Institute) first, however, since the excerpt being read contains a huge spoiler otherwise. 

Educational?  Yes.  Spoilers?  Also yes.  Don't do it.

I did get my hands on the audio book version of book 1 from the library, though, and used my Christmas Barnes and Nobel giftcard to buy the book itself.  My nights have been spent listening and reading along in the quiet of the house after everyone else has gone to sleep.  And so far, it's been pretty wonderful.

I find I've been reading a lot more fantasy lately.  Or, perhaps I've always read a lot of fantasy, but I'm just starting to realize it.  Either way, my days have been crammed with stories of monsters and wizards, zombies, ancient evil, and heroes.  It's been pretty great.  Though, at the same time, I've also been trying to read more non-fiction between books to sort of bring me back down to earth.  Too many good fantasy novels, one right after the other, tends to dilute their potency.  But, if you read a good memoir or a book about animals or space or a famous scientist, then the fantastical aspects of your other reading just sort of jump off the page.  Or, at least it does for me.  Which is why, following The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman), I've started reading The World's Strongest Librarian (Josh Hanagarne), which is pretty good so far.  I've been reading for about two days, and I think I'm over halfway done.

Still, I'm a bit disappointed about my Johannes Cabal books.  It just feels like a sort of grim finality that I haven't experienced since high school, when I devoured Jasper Fforde's books (all three series of them) with the same voraciousness.

Oh well.  I guess all I can do is wait, right?  At least there will be more Cabal sometime.

What's That You're Reading?

Hello, readers!  Sorry it's been so long since I've last posted.  I've been reading and working and hanging out with people and reading and reading and reading....Yeah, so I've been reading a lot.  And so, I thought I would just give you a quick run down of things, since I haven't been posting on the blog at all (of course, those of you who follow me on Goodreads are totally up to date on my shit).

So, what have I been reading?  Well, I've been paging through tomes of everything from whaling expeditions, to two-dimensional worlds, to how science uses dead bodies.  Currently, I'm reading about the processes of eating, and all those fun little ads in the back of vintage comic books, such as "Dr. Hypno's x-ray glasses".

The best part of working in a library (and also the worst) is that I check in so many books all the time, and I always find something cool.  Which means I have to ask my co-workers to check them out to me (I'm not allowed to access the subtle nuances of my account from behind the scenes for fear of being accused of "funny business").  And it also means I have a pile of books in my room ranging from Stephen King's The Shining to a cookbook about muffins and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Of course, I'm still open to book suggestions, but I'm really looking forward to trekking through my current reading lists.  The one on Goodreads is over 600 books long!

And the music!  I love being able to have access to all my favorite bands right at work, and check out all kinds of CDs for groups I might not be familiar with.  Currently listening to Alice Cooper, but I also have Men without Hats, Tegan and Sara, and They Might Be Giants.  Jumping back to Alice for just one brief moment, I have to say that I am FREAKISHLY impressed with Welcome 2 My Nightmare.  SUCH a good album!  I'm including one of my favorite songs here...just in case you wanted to hear the awesome.

An Emmy Update

So....it's been about two weeks since I've last posted on here....and honestly, for me, that's not too bad.  I mean, it hasn't been like those terrible dry stretches where I go months without a single update, or all I post are mediocre book reviews (as opposed to the pretty bitchin' book reviews I also write).  Right now, my issue is that I have a lot going on, but not much that would be fun to read about.

 

For example, I am suffering majorly from the dreaded "senioritis".  And while my grades are doing just fine (no problems here at all), I'm having trouble keeping focused and really committing myself to projects and such.  Not saying I want to graduate and leave everything behind, but at the same time, I don't really want to stay here too much longer.  It is an awkward balance between running to graduation and hiding under the bed (and having to be drawn out from under there by my ankles).

 

All that being said, I have been getting some more leads on jobs, and (fingers crossed, knock on wood, spit in your hat, etc.) I'll (hopefully) be employed by the time I graduate (maybe).  If all goes well, I'll work for a few months, then start up an online grad school program for library science (while I'm still working) in the Spring (ie. January).  I'm afraid of waiting too long before going to grad school...I feel like if I let this pass me by NOW, I will never want to go back.  So, having a definite idea of what I want to do with things should help me keep on track.

 

That being said, not much is going on in my life.  I mean, I'm keeping up with classes, there has been some drama and shit, and I'm preparing to graduate in May.  As excited as I am, I still cannot believe that....I mean, seriously.  So, yeah....reading a bit, but not much, working on classes, looking for jobs...that pretty much sums up my life right now.

 

I wish I had more to say...and I wish that I had more to post about in general.  How is everything with you guys?  Do you have any questions for me?  I would love to hear from y'all!  But, anyways, for now: TTFN and I'll be in touch soon.

Two Small Disappointments

I'll keep this brief....

1.) I didn't get the job at the coffee shop; they loved me, they wanted me to work there, but we could not make our schedules match up.  They wanted me to come during times when I would be in class....

2.) My date didn't actually go through.  He sent me a text a few hours before we were supposed to go out for coffee and chess, saying that he sustained an nasty injury during his workout that morning.  Apparently, he strained his trapezius muscle, and was having trouble even sitting up.

I guess the good news is that I'll still hopefully be able to get a rain check for the date, but as for the job...well, I'm not going to be getting that.

Update

Hello, everyone!

Just a quick update.....I'm going to be going on vacation for the next few weeks, so I'll be pretty AWOL (no Internet access).  I hope you are all doing well, and I look forward to blogging with you again upon my return :)

As the Adventure Draws to a Close.....

I am within a day's time from finishing The Hobbit.  And that means it's time to prepare my next book.  After a bit of snooping on my library account online, I found to my immense delight that I have two books in: Johannes Cabal, The Detective (sequel to Johannes Cabal, The Necromancer) and Albert Camus's The Stranger.

I'm really excited to read both of these: The Detective has been on my reading list ever since I finished The Necromancer, and The Stranger is only reading list so many times (from continuous recommendations) that if I don't read it soon, it will continue to taunt me until I do.

So, there you have it.  A review for The Hobbit will be online in the next 48 hours, and soon, reviews for The Detective and The Stranger will follow in its wake.  Looking forward to hearing your opinions on these things :)

Another Update

There's something in the air, I think.  Or maybe, it's just midterms making us all crazy.  Things just don't seem quite normal today.  For one, I'm going through these random cravings, where all I want to do is eat peanut butter.  I'm in love with it lately.

Also, random boys have started talking to me.  (Not that I'm really concerned about what random boys think; I just don't have any real desire to date right now.  Perhaps, when the right guy comes I'll be ready).  But, random boys who never really talk to me have started talking to me; and it's been really nice.  Random girls who talk to me have been a bit distant, but I've been popular with the boys (not in a dating sense; guys just treat me like a little brother or cousin). 

In addition to this, I had a crazy episode this morning, where I sent out an email to my professor, thinking I had missed class, only to realize that it was not a 9:00 class, but a 10:00.  So, when I got to class, I had to apologize to the professor for the weird email, since it was completely wrong.  Note to self....need to get a new alarm clock; my current one doesn't go off anymore.

Happy Birthday, Ramblings! (And a few updates)

Hey, guys!  Ramblings of a Devoted Bookworm officially turns TWO today!  I can't believe it's been two years since I started blogging in my freshman dorm room one grey and chilly day in February.  From that point onward, this blog has taken a lot of twists and changes.  I think I might try and revert back to a bit more of the "literary" side of things, which I've been neglecting recently, but for right now, I'm not going to change too much....I just don't have the time, haha.

But, I hope all of you are doing well, and that you are having a wonderful, wacky, and Wilde Wednesday :)  For those of you who celebrated Marti Gras last night, I hope you had a great time!  And for those of you who are celebrating Ash Wednesday today like I am, I hope you have a happy start to Lent.

Also, I wanted to update you all on the reading assignments for my classes (for those of you who are reading along with me).  By this point, I was expected to have finished Moll Flanders, French Lieutenant's Woman, Age of Innocence, Farewell to Arms, and be almost finished with Tender is the Night, while reading Tom Jones and Midnight's Children right now.  Just to put all your minds at ease, I've only finished Age of Innocence.  But, if you're reading any of the others, you're pretty much on the right track (and I'd be happy to discuss Age of Innocence with anyone who wants to.

Okay, so I think that's enough for one blog post.....Hope you all have a wonderful day, and I'll be back and blogging with you again real soon.  Ciao!

No Update???

Sorry I haven't posted any updates lately; I've been very busy-- which is a good thing :)

I've been working (and I LOVE my new job-- campus writing tutors all the way!), and have been spending a TON of time with friends.  Things are complex right now in my social life, but nothing I can't handle.  If there's anything I've learned about myself, it's that I can handle far more than I would ever give myself credit for.  A lot of it involves quite simply not thinking, but most of it involves prayer.

This past week and the coming week are probably two of the most hectic weeks of the semester: I started working, I started kickboxing, and I'm going to be starting community service by working at a local grade school aftercare program.  Very fun :)

More updates to come in the next few days.  Just really busy, and honestly, right now, I'm super tired.  Falling asleep listening to Bon Jovi-- usually he's more than enough to keep me awake, haha.  Oh well.  G'night y'all, and I'll catch up very soon! :)

Friday Update

Done with another week.  It was a whole day shorter, but at least twice as exhausting.  I feel like I tried to stretch myself too thin.  Too many thoughts are on my mind right now.  Why can't I just stop thinking for a little while?  Don't worry about me, though.  This is nothing that I can't handle....I'm just very tired.  Watched a movie earlier with Italia; we saw The Notebook, and now I'm all mopey.  That was a really sad movie!  This being my first time watching it, I had NO idea what it was going to be like!  Later tonight, it looks like I'll be watching another movie with some of the guys.  That'll be nice.  As much as I need my girl time, I also need my guy time.  Sometimes, I feel like life is less complicated when you're the lone girl surrounded by a group of your guy friends.  It's just nice.  Growing up with a brother and no sisters, I find that sometimes, I just need some guy time.

Going to spend the weekend in the library, I think.  Curl up in one of my favorite sections, kick off my shoes, and just spend some time with the books and the solitude.  Sometimes, there's nothing better than curling up with a good book and just allowing your mind to wander wherever it wants to go.  Right now, I'm reading The Return of Don Quixote by G.K. Chesterton, which so far has absolutely nothing to do with the infamous "Man of La Mancha".  Not to say I'm not enjoying it.....but I am curious as to the title, since that kinda was the reason I picked this book out of nine shelves of Chesterton's writings.

I think I'd like to live in a library.  Just wander around the shelves quiet and content.  There would never be an end to the books I could read.  And I could sleep on the floor, starring up at the ceiling and dreaming of my favorite literary heroes as I drift off to sleep.  Either a library or a lighthouse.  I guess I'm just feeling a little antisocial tonight.  I'm constantly thinking of solitude.

The dining hall food has been a disappointment.  As a result, I'm not really eating much.  Looks like I'll be losing some weight, haha.  More updates to come as the week goes on.  I think I'll try and make a point to at least publish something on Fridays, though.

Have a nice weekend, y'all!

Sick???

I think I might be coming down with something.  It's only just the beginning of September....How can I possibly be sick???  And yet, here I am....sore throat, draining sinuses, and the miserable foreboding that there is still more to come.  I HATE getting sick! :(

On a more positive note, I saw Neo on Friday.  I was super surprised to see him, but catching up was absolutely wonderful!  I've really missed him a lot, and it wasn't exactly easy knowing that I probably was never going to see him again (he had transferred).  I'm happy to be back in touch with him once more.

Classes start up again tomorrow, and it's going to be a super busy week.  But, I'll try to keep posting updates (because I know y'all are just fascinated by what I have to say, haha). 

Oh, and I think I left my computer mouse at home....that really sucks.  I mean, I can use the touch-pad on my laptop, but I love my wireless mouse! :S

Don't Worry: I'm Still Alive!

I've just been rather AWOL from the blog lately.  Lots of reading, movies, music, and writing, though.  And, I've been giving my time to the local assisted living, spending time with the seniors.  One of my grandparents' friends, Peter, is there for rehab, and even though he's suffering from the early stages of dementia, we've quickly become buddies.  He's such a sweetheart, and very funny.  He keeps making me laugh :)  He's always been quite the comedian, and it's encouraging that he hasn't lost his sense of humor!

My time working with Peter has done wonders for me.  Not only does volunteering make me feel good inside, but Peter always has a kind word or compliment for me...and, well, it might be shallow, but it always feels really good to hear something like that.  I don't usually think of myself as a really "smiley" person, but I can't keep a smile off my face when I'm with the residents of the assisted living.  Peter loves to comment on it: "Where did you get that pretty smile?" and "I'm going to need some sunglasses; your smile's so bright!"  His kind words only make me smile even more.

In my free time, I've been trying to teach myself to crochet, as well as learn some new knitting techniques.  By the end of the summer, I'm hoping to start working on a new knitting project.  I found a book of darling stuffed animals to knit, so I'm just trying to decide which to make.  It's a toss up right now between the tiger, koala, elephant, and hippo.

My reading has been going well.  Right now, I'm enjoying the elusive If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino, and another of his books (which I don't like quite as much) The Baron in the Trees (Sarah, I found it!!)  My movie selections have been Universal horror films, and some random films that my parents and brother have picked out.  Loved The Pirates of the Caribbean (I-III) and Fletch (starring Chevy Chase). Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure was interesting, but too corny for me....but, I did love the "historical" bits, like how Billy the Kid and Socrates become best friends, and Napoleon Bonaparte is being "babysat" by Ted's little brother.

More updates soon.  I promise!  Just been very busy lately.  Hope you all are doing well! 

On a side note, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Brittany, Professor Thomas, and both my grandpas, who all celebrate this month!

First Day, Spring 2011 Semester

Its only the first day back, but I'm all out of sorts. Classes were good, but tedious, and I'm going to have sooooo much work to do for my Witches of Salem class that its not even funny. I'm tired and have a headache, but all my complaining aside, I'm still excited about this coming semester's worth of classes. I've gotten a bit of homework, but nothing I can't handle: a 25 page reading assignment from a most tedious writing guide (I'm going to be working in the campus writing center come Fall 2011, and this class is my training), a writing prompt about the importance of tutoring and the benefits for all involved, and a 3-5 page paper about the accusations brought forth during the Salem Witch Trials.

Shrimp-flavored ramen, tropical punch Fuze juice, and Alice Cooper: Super Hits have been keeping me sane.

I think I'm mostly just tired.......the fire alarm went off at 1:30 last night. What the hell is that about??? I stood outside in the freezing cold wearing just my pajamas and a winter coat; I was wearing shorts and my legs were nearly frozen!

Reading Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle for book club. Its very good, but sad.