Free!

I finally finished my graduate assistant work on the neverending bibliography of doom. I only say that because I had to use Chicago/Turabian style, which is not something I am familiar with, nor did I ever realize how complicated such a thing could be. I'm an MLA girl myself, and have used APA in grad school, but ugh to Kate Turabian.

So, I'm free! For like two more weeks, until it's back to classes and craziness. At least I have a smattering of days off around the holidays, and will be able to do some of my favorite things: sleep in, eat, watch movies, read, see family, and hang out with S.

Merry Jesus' birthday and other various holidays!

It's the happiest season

I have had the cold from hell the past few days. I came down with it on Sunday, managed to complete most of my Christmas shopping/wrapping of presents despite sneezing a lot, and then later on Sunday felt just terrible. Today is the second sick day I've taken, though I feel significantly better than yesterday, I am still quite drippy and tired.

I am getting things done around the house, like cleaning up my room, reading a bit for pleasure now that class is done for the semester, and working for my professor. I have 2/3 of the chapters checked for citations, so now it's just the last few chapters, putting them in the correct order, and making it look like a real bibliography. If I'm very nose-to-the-grindstone about it, I could probably be done by next weekend. I have Thursday/Friday off, but I want to use one of those days to make up some of my missed hours for being sick.

We have finally gotten snow, and S asked me on a ski date for Friday night. Yay for the first skiing of the year!

Shot to bits

Anniversary plans got completely obscured by homework needs yesterday. S had a group meeting last night for a presentation today, and then tonight he has to work for his political science professor, calling for the next SCSU survey and I have a boatload of work to do for my professor and reading to do for class on Saturday, plus polishing my paper. So, I guess we're going to try to go out tomorrow night instead, when S tags along with me to St. Paul. I'm thinking we could go to fancy sushi at Saji-Ya, or try the Loring Pasta Bar, or possibly Staccato.

S did send lovely roses to work, though:





Here's to another two excellent years together.

My graduate assistantship depends on this Library of Congress table being typed and spaced correctly

SB PLANT CULTURE SB


Pests and diseases
Plant pathology
Diseases and pests of trees and shrubs -- Continued
765 Tree and forest declines
For local, see SB762+
For particular trees, see SB608.A+
767 Galls and gall insects
For special insects, see QL1+
Individual trees, see SB608.A+
781 Damage from frosts, freezing and hail
Cf. QK756, Plant physiology
785 Effect of floods
Cf. QK870+, Plant physiology
791 Effect of drought

Clotting

S had his impacted wisdom teeth surgically removed this morning. He seems to be doing okay, though eating is a bit of a touchy situation. I visited him after I got off work and brought him a stack of movies a foot high, so he can veg out a bit tomorrow once all the anesthesia/novocaine completely wears off. We watched "Meet the Fockers" tonight, which I thought was a lot funnier than "Meet the Parents," by far.

Now, I'm here at home reading about how to classify biographies with Library of Congress cutter numbers as part of my graduate assistantship. Good times. I've read this chapter once before, so it's not too much new information, though the professor has added more examples, which are great. I've come up with a semi-good way of doing the work, too, which involves having both the printed version and the computer file in front of me simultaneously, so I can show the professor my corrections, and actually make them, too. I hope this goes over well when I meet with her tomorrow.

More patience required

Weirdly, I am on my lunch break right now, at 4:45 pm. I was supposed to take my lunch at 2 pm, also kind of a weird time, but I got stuck at the circulation desk answering some patron's questions about an item he thought he had inter-library loaned, but which our library then purchased, and so on and so forth, so my 'lunch' ended up being a 20 minute break. So, lunch time is now, but I've already eaten. Hence, the blogging.

I started reading "Best American Nonrequired Reading 2007," the newest in the series, and so far, it's pretty all right. The first story was originally published in Spin Magazine, and it's basically a white 40-something guy writing about his experience at Gothicfest. Pretty neat, actually. I'd recommend any of the Nonrequired series to pretty much anyone, because they're rather mind-expanding. One of the books (can't remember which year) had a profile on Saddam Hussein, which was enlightening.

After work, I need to hunker down with Chapter 20 of the book I'm helping to edit, which I have already read twice, but need to read again in order to get paid. Speaking of getting paid, I have not, as of this moment, seen one red cent for my graduate assistantship, but I hope that all this will change in the next week, as I plan on filling out my timesheet this Friday and seeing a check soon thereafter. Fingers crossed and all of that, since I've been working since September on this, and it's nearly November! Yikes stripes.

I am also hoping to find out sooner rather than later whether or not my work schedule can be modified so I only have to come in three (3) days a week starting in January. I register for classes in mid-November, so I'm not sure of my school schedule yet, but I am not too concerned that I won't get in to the courses I want. I'm going to need more time to study and do homework, and having an extra day off per week would help immensely. I guess I have to wait and see.

Problems down the line

So, in helping the professor edit her textbook for official publication, I have remembered exactly why it is that I am glad I am not in publishing professionally anymore. I always wanted to be an editor (since high school, anyway) and after I did the job for about eight months, I discovered, no, that was not for me. Librarianship, on the other hand, well, just seems like a better fit. Here's why:

- People/human interaction. In editing, you change a comma, nobody cares. You help somebody find a book, you get smiled at.

- Editing is all suggestions. At least the way I've done it, if somebody else doesn't like the change, they don't change it. End of story. So you've spent time and brain power coming up with a different way of doing something, and then it doesn't get changed. No gratification in that.

- Workplace environment. You can theoretically edit wherever you like, but it could be that you have to work in a dark little office like I did. Libraries can also be holes, for instance my work area is technically a storage room, but many libraries are quite beautiful places to be. Patrons like to be there, and so do I.

- Time spent at a desk. Yes, librarians sit at desks, but they also help patrons find book on shelves, among other things that require movement and walking around. Editing can really only be done at a desk. For eight hours a day.

This may be the first time my mother learns about this

On Friday I start a new job.

Yes, I've gone and gotten myself a second gig: a graduate assistantship (forthwith known as my GA) with a professor at St. Kate's. I'll be helping her with her textbook, as she is in the process of getting it published. I'm going back to my English major roots, editing and helping with layout just like my first 'real job' right after graduating from college.

It's limited hours, but it will help with my nest egg, and I anticipate it being an excellent experience. It will also keep me busier than usual, as I'm still working extra hours at the library, and am taking one class. I'll have most evenings free so I'll still get my beauty sleep, even if I am working more than 40 hours in a week. I am undaunted.

Needless to say, I am very excited.

Just an idea, really

I got an e-mail from my school, saying that they are going to be offering four graduate assistantships in the Masters of Library and Information Science department, helping four professors with different projects. One is helping a professor proofread her self-published textbook.

As soon as I read it, I decided to apply. Who knows how many applicants there will be, but I took that professor's class and told her I would volunteer to help edit the thing if she wanted help. Now it's being listed as a 10 hour a week job for $10/hour. Not bad at all. I know there are a lot of writers/editors in the program already, but the ones I've met already work full time. Not the case for me. I know I could be really helpful, and would probably learn a lot in the process.

Fingers crossed and all of that!