A very merry birthday to you, S!

We had a lovely time last night celebrating S's 26th birthday with a group of our friends/my coworkers. Dear Manda had us over to her place and we got meet her new dog, Nigel.

Say hello to Nigel! (He followed Manda around the kitchen hoping for her to drop something.)


Manda made delicious brie and cranberry thing in her oven, which caused the smoke detector to go off, so she made her sister Lisa wave at it with an oven mitt for a while. Nice!


We had yummy dessert wine with chocolate on the rims of the little cups. Cute and tasty!


S and Lisa have classes together in the education department (it's all my fault she's becoming a teacher... but that's another story altogether) so they talked shop for a while.


Jessie and Joe hung out, being awesome as usual.


Manda's apartment with her boyfriend was so cute, I'm thinking I want my own. I just may get my wish for Christmas. After hanging out at the apartment for a while, we headed downtown to see some live music at the Tavern on Germain. Good times were had; one of our former coworkers also showed up, John Larson, and he also happened to go to school with S, so it was serendipity that we went out. I hope you had a very happy birthday, S! I love you!

P.S. Don't I work with such beautiful ladies? I know you think so, too. Now the world knows why our public library is the place to be. Hehe.

How introverts socialize

Last night, S and I "entertained."

The plan was to have over a couple of my coworkers and their significant others, but one couple couldn't make it, so we went ahead and had the lovely Manda and Jonathan over anyway. We introduced them to the game Settles of Catan and had snacks and a yummy bottle of Gewürztraminer wine which they brought. It was lovely to hang out with Manda not at work, and good to get to hang out with and talk to Jonathan.

The rest of the weekend was spent either at work (Saturday) or resting (Sunday) because I have not been feeling that well lately. Here's hoping all is well within a week or so.

My parents left this morning to attend the funeral of my uncle John Bahnak in St. Louis, Missouri. He had many long battles with cancer throughout his 60 years of life, so his passing is a huge blessing for my aunt Donna who took care of him for many years. We all know John is with Our Maker.

Like regular chickens

Well, I think I'm done with the rough draft of my paper, which I am tentatively titling, "The Reference Interview: Perspectives, or, How do we know the patron really wants?" I, of course, think this is brilliant. I drew out a thought-map today at work to gather my ideas into one cohesive piece of...something. It worked. Or anyway, I think it worked. Only my actual grade on it will tell.

When I got home this evening, I just sat down (after eating some Lays Sour Cream and Onion potato chips) and gathered my quotes and wrote the thing up. I messed with it a little, reordering some paragraphs, adding some more perspectives of reference librarians I asked at work about the issue, and generally retooling the whole thing, putting in a new introduction and writing a kind of blah conclusion that works for the time being. I then ate a burrito from Chipotlé since Andrea called on her way home from work and asked if I wanted one. What a silly question. So, I'm feeling strong, like I can do this, you know? I was having some paper esteem issues and didn't know what I was doing or why I ever thought I was good at it, and now I remember. Booyah!

This means that I get to go out tonight and have some fun with my former coworkers from American Corporate Bookstore Not-So-Anonymous, a.k.a. my BN Buddies. My sis and guy are coming along, and I think the evening may involve a little vodka, a little kahlua, and a little cream, in equal parts over ice. I'm waiting for S to show up as I type this, and Andrea is getting all snazzed up in her room, accessorizing to beat the band. My hands are cold, so I am now done typing.

They love to tell you, stay inside the lines

The weekend was kind of a mish-mash of work on Saturday, rushing to mass after work, Sunday studying and hanging out with S. Yesterday, we watched "The Two Towers" with his cousin and I very nearly dozed off multiple times. I willingly watch the Lord of the Rings with them, but I always know I'm in for a long, long sit-session, keeping track of characters and plot points which all lead back to one thing: it's a series of movies about a piece of jewelry.

I've gotten some very helpful information for my reference project from the reference librarians where I work. They've given me some wonderful first-hand experiences and I'm even more excited to compile my paper and present to the class. I'm really hoping it goes well.

Or, you can just hold on really tight

Last Thursday, S and I headed to the cities to meet up with a few of his Alaska trail crew cohorts and some old college friends. It was a good time spent at the Happy Gnome and Mickey's Diner and the Seward Cafe and Tony Roma's at the Mall of America. Let's just say it was a lot of sitting around in restaurants hearing the stories of how S was nearly killed twice (once by moose, once by dead trees) and how he's now looking for a job he might actually like. I'm glad I got to meet and re-meet some of S's friends and spend time with them, eat lots of yummy food, and the game of Trivial Pursuit we played was an excellent match-up.

Today I head back to St. Paul for the start of my next graduate class. This time, it's reference, and I'm expecting a lot of homework and time dedicated to reading and studying. S and I have been working on getting to bed at more decent hours, or at least having me in bed at a somewhat more reasonable time each night, so that has helped my sense of sanity/reality. I hope that I can dedicate at least one of my days off to homework and not procrastinate. I know I can do it, and I know S will help me and support me however he can.

Surprise!!

It's Cata, our Colombian exchange student, all the way from Iowa for a little visit! It's so good to see my little hermanita and know she's doing well in school and working hard. I'm going to take it easy tonight after working today and maybe watch a movie (by myself! how exciting! actually, kind of...).

Getting lost and found again

Last night after work, I headed for the cities to pick up S at a rendezvous point (Dubliner's Bar in St. Paul) and then to my friend Mike's (near the U of M campus) where S could clean up after working with fiberglass all day, and then to the Loft (downtown Minneapolis) for my former professor's reading from his new book ("The Road to Cosmos" by Bill Meissner, link to be added later).

On the way to Dubliner's, I got lost due to taking Google Map directions rather literally (silly me), and called S in a bit of a frazzled state. I knew where I was (Larpenteur Avenue) but also knew I had gone way too far past where I needed to be (Corner of Vandalia and University). S calmed me down as I looked at my handy Professor Pathfinder map of the area, and within fifteen minutes I had my trusty boyfriend in the car with me. I got slightly confused in getting to the Loft as well, and S helpfully asked a parking garage attendant for directions. Good guy, that S. I am so thankful for him.

He's been helping his uncles move stuff from St. Paul up to central Minnesota, and working these 12-hour days lifting and using those muscles he built in Alaska. He's been busy, but I think it's great that he can help and do something other than hang out with me all the time.

The reading was quite good, interesting little bits of short stories about different characters, and some audience participation as well, and it was fun to see my college friends Kelly and Sara and Sara's boyfriend Tori. I think we're going to try for a game night at Kelly's place sometime in December, which would be super cool.

And of course it's another beautiful day

Yesterday, S went with me to the cities, and hung out while I was in class (hours and hours and hours spent on Library of Congress Subject Headings—ai yi yi) and then we went out for pizza at Carbone's and then to IKEA. Anytime we saw something that was red, S said, "This is Beth's" fill-in-the-blank. This is a picture of S in "my" kitchen.

We headed back to St. Cloud and hung out with his best friend James for a while, which was great. I knew James in high school, and while I never really knew him that well, I thought he was interesting in the same way I thought S was interesting. Last night, James was explaining a bunch of different things, like how he wants to create a 'zine which he wants to call "The Winking Loon," and it would be "a collection of essays and poetry and political pieces by Minnesota, um, poeple." He always paused for the easiest word in the sentence, as though he was going to choose a more refined word, but "thing" would do just as well.

Right now, I'm working on my subject heading homework, and I can't figure out what to put for "France during the reign of Louis XIV"—would it be "Louis XIV, King of France, 1693-1715--France" or "France—-Reign of Louis XIV, King of France, 1693-1715" or something entirely different? I'm at a loss, so I'm dorking around in the Library of Congress subject headings and will probably go to another source at some point here, or possibly take the professor's advice, if exhausting all other options doesn't work, "Cry, then call a friend."

Sawat Dee means hello

Yesterday, my cousin Angie called while S and I were hanging out, talking to my sister Andrea. Angie is essentially living S's old life—she's studying Japanese, wants to go to Japan, and two weeks ago got a job where he used to work. I really wanted them to re-meet and talk. We decided to all hang out and go out for dinner. Andrea's and my typical Sunday craving involves Sawat Dee (Thai food) and S and Angie agreed.

Andrea and I ordered our cheese puffs, which I know how to make, but it's so labor intensive, I'd almost rather just order six like this and inhale them. Angie and S talked about Japan, the language and S gifted Angie with a couple of his souvenirs that he was trying to pare down. He figured his old bank book might be interesting or useful practice for Angie's Japanese class.


I think we all had a good time. After figuring out our weird check, we came back to the house and, while Andrea got ready to go hang out at St. John's, Angie, S and I played Fluxx. S loves playing games, and my extended family is all into games, so this is an added bonus of us dating. I hope we can hang out with Angie again soon, since I really did miss seeing her and I want people to get to know S and how great he is.

Beth, an artist?

I was looking for something else online (a comment I made on another site) and came up with my debut as reader with the band my friend Val Snobeck and her husband Andrew Neher have, The Wood Knots.

I remember recording that in their Uptown apartment late one night a couple years ago. I had a cold, and Val made me tea, which was so hot I could barely sip it. Andrew let me do multiple takes with their Macintosh laptop, and all I had to do was read Val's story, banged out on a typewriter with handwritten notes. Good times.

So far away

Went out for dinner tonight after work for a coworker's going-away celebration. Waited nearly an hour to seat 12 at the Olive Garden (it's central Minnesota, okay?), planned on splitting a bottle of wine with one of my favorite coworkers. Chatted, learned my boss loves watching "Jackass" and "Ali G." Said we should all go see the Borat movie when it comes out as a group of coworkers. Totally awesome.

Ordered pasta, of course. Started feeling the wine and enjoyed the conversaton immensely. My half of the table was watching a nearby couple on their date. We guessed possibly a first. It looked so awkward, the girl with her hair in a tight updo, both of them dressed nicer than business casual. Saturday night. We all swooned when he reached for her hand, held it in both of his for about 10 seconds, then sighed when he let go. We couldn't tell if it was a dying relationship or a brand new one gaining momentum, but my sister said it would have gone better if she'd worn her hair down, for heaven's sake.

Now I'm here, in bed reading Stephanie Klein's book and listening to Carole King and wishing I could talk to S so much, but his crew is on the road to Seward from Homer, so it will be tomorrow before I can tell him about my day.

I can't wait to sleep in and knit and watch "Northern Exposure" tomorrow while it continues to rain. I'll make coffee and add whipped cream on top and eat bread all day, probably start another book if I finish the current one. And then it's another work week. Only three left until S is back. I can't help it. I think about him all the time, am so attached to him even with him away, and I'm almost sick of myself talking about him, but he's my boyfriend and I can't help it. I liked him for so long and being able to call him my boyfriend is more precious than anything else to me right now.

It's another ducky day

Yesterday, Angie and I went to the noon mass at the Cathedral and then to Mississippi Bean for some coffee talk. It was great, got me out of the house on my day off, and I didn't watch any television or movies yesterday. Mostly, I just read (started Stephanie Klein's "Straight Up and Dirty").

I did, however, go shopping at Old Navy. Normally, I am Very Conservative when it comes to money and clothing. But this summer as I packed away my winter clothing, I realized how much of it is from when I was in high school or college, or how it doesn't fit me at all anymore (or never really fit me). I've spent a chunk on new jeans and some winter shirts and sweaters in the past two weeks, plus a dress to wear to my cousin's wedding at the end of the month, but I'm going to rationalize it by saying I got most of it at a discount or on sale, and I had to replace the things I got rid of or were falling apart.

Anyway, talked to S last night, and he seems okay. It was kind of weird not talking to him for two weeks, but it was also nice not being woken up at midnight by my phone ringing. I am so ready to have him back, it's not even funny, especially with the weather getting colder.

Definitely not gonna buy that book by Wilkie Collins he tried to read

I'm loving The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby right now. I only have about 20 pages left, and I am so sad to see them go. It's combining my love for all things British, books about books, and—this summer—football (U.S. vernacular: soccer). Weirdly, I haven't read many of the books Hornby mentions in his Believer columns, but I have read J.D. Salinger and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and my share of Dickens, so it's sort of a connection regardless. It isn't literary, it's just so frickin' good.

And I haven't ever read another Nick Hornby book in my life, though I have seen the British version of "Fever Pitch" and "About a Boy" and even "High Fidelity."

In a bit, I am headed out into the rain to meet up for my friend Jenna's Barnes & Noble going-away party, but I am so tired that I will probably stay for about an hour and then come home and crash into bed. Because that usually goes so well for me. Scoff.

La familia

Last night I had just finished eating some nachos when the doorbell rang. Normally, our "open door" policy is in place all the time, except that I had been taking a nap and my parents had left on a walk and had apparently locked up before leaving. I answered the door and lo and behold! It was my cousins Angie and Erik, come to hang out.

We had a glorious evening of wine and song and beer and playing Nerts (which is like double solitaire, on crack, played with as many people as possible, in fast forward) and dancing around to techno and talking about how we all love our extended family beyond reason. It was an excellent, wonderful time. I started to crash around 2am, and crawled off to bed.

S "sober dialed" me sometime during the evening, and this morning when he called, said I sounded really cute last night. I was like, when I am drunk, I am even cuter than usual? Not bad to know... and he said that I was like a happy child you want to scoop up and pack away to sweet dreams. Nice. At least I wasn't naughty.

I have a few days off here, and I'm going to finish reading "A Year in the Merde" and start with my LIS 703 homework, reading the introduction to AACR2 and the chapters of the textbook for the first course meeting on September 9. Not that far away; time to bite the bullet.

I should really get out of the house today

Yesterday, Andrea and I, along with two of our friends from work, went to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts to see everything, but especially the Alexander Calder exhibit. It was super fun hanging out with the girls, having Chinese food, watching "Calder's Circus" and then heading to Uptown for a little shopping at Everyday People and Urban Outfitters.

I think our next "field trip" may be a day at IKEA, since neither of them have been there before. We went to the Science Museum a few weeks ago, which was excellent, and these fun day trips to the cities are made more interesting in getting to know our coworkers who are so cool.

Unfortunately, it's 3:15 and my sister and Alex, my pseudo-little brother, are still sleeping. It's annoying because I've had to hang out upstairs and be quiet in my own house so as not to wake them. Gah. Plus it's Andrea's birthday, but that doesn't seem to matter to her. Been upstairs watching "A Year at Windsor Castle" and reading. A lazy Friday.

Missing her

I went with my aunt Laura and cousin Christy to the airport today to pick up my cousin Angie who has been in Ecuador for the last 11 months. I really missed Angie and read her blog whenever she updated it. She taught English and from how it sounds, had a fabulous time for the most part and really wants to continue with that path.

Sometimes I look at my life and think, how predictable. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just that I know there are other options, I just don't choose them. I go with the things that seem intuitive. I guess I would like to challenge myself sometimes, but I am afraid of striking out and forging new ground when I know I have it so good.

In other South American news, Cata leaves tomorrow for Iowa to attend school there, this awesome girl from Colombia who has lived with my family for more than a year. I hope she does well, that she can accomplish her goals of working (the university here was not helpful with the work study stuff.. grr) and getting some credits out of the way in order to transfer back here next year.

I guess in a way, Angie's courage and Cata's courage give me a certain amount of belief in my own strength to do something similar. I don't know exactly what that might be, but I can't let my notion of what my life should look like interfere with what my life could look like.

Tengo la camisa negra

I worked this morning at the branch library where I was an aide for five years. It was a subbing opportunity I couldn't pass up, and the hours just flew by. The branch assistant and library aide and volunteer were great, and we got a lot done in a little amount of time. Branches are so much different than working at the larger headquarters for the system, so I got to do some tasks I don't really ever get to do (looking for holds, training in the volunteer, etc.) and bag some extra hours for the old paycheck.

I got a "thanks but no thanks" letter today from a law library where I had an interview at the end of June. I'm really okay with it, since the job was the night shift, and I'm not sure that would be the best option for me being in grad school and having evening classes. I just prayed that they would find someone really awesome who would love the night work, and I'm sure that they did. Relief.

This evening is a going-away dinner for a co-worker who is also starting her graduate program. I'm really happy for her, since I know she really wanted to expand her horizons, so to speak, and the dinner tonight should be a great time. I didn't get to go to the Holiday dinner this past winter because it coincided with a family gathering for my dad and godmother's birthdays, so I'm excited about hanging out with co-workers in a non-work setting. Last weekend, a few of us went to the Science Museum of Minnesota to see the BodyWorlds exhibit, and it's always fun getting to talk to people and get to know them better in a different environment.

There are no squirrels in Hawaii

Seeing my college friends Kelly and Sara-Bridgett last night was super. It's been months since I'd last seen them (at Kelly's lovely, snowy winter wedding in December), so meeting up at Granite City Brewery in Maple Grove was much needed. We talked about weddings, writing, the SIMS, marriage, nieces and nephews (Kelly's and Sara's, not mine) and so on. We have loose plans to read a book Sara suggested and then meet up in a few weeks to discuss it.

The three of us are also hoping to go to the Naomi Nye reading at the Loft this fall. One of our creative writing professors is friends with Naomi and when Sara was in San Antonio a while ago, they met up at the insistence of our former prof. Sara says she now gets really random and nice e-mails from Naomi. Kelly, the high school teacher among us, said, "Naomi is in the textbook I use for classes!" How cool will it be to meet her?

I'm being kind of anti-social tonight. Alex invited me out to his cabin with Andrea and Chris, but I just wanted to stay in my air conditioned basement and watch more of "A Fine Romance." I'm slupring down a frappucino, listening to Mozart, pondering the meaning of all the papers piled half a foot high on my desk.

Upon leaving my aunt and uncle's house...

...there was a plastic action figure type toy on the front stoop. It appeared to be a biblical character—an older man with a beard and a staff.

"It's Moses!" I said to Eve and Simon.

"Ooh, yeah, with the ark," Eve replied.

"Umm..." I said. "That's Noah."

"Oh! Yeah," Eve said, realizing her error. "Hey, I read the Bible."

Water cool and cleansing

Went down to Minneapolis to hang out with Eve yesterday. We had lunch with her friend Sarah at Uptown Diner, then went to the wedding florist appointment with the Flower Guys. Roses will be in abundance, red and white, should be lovely. Eve was kind of nervous about the whole floral decision process, but Will Fee was really enjoyable and helpful. I would suggest him to anyone in the twin cities who's looking for a florist, and I'm not even planning a wedding. He had good advice and is extremely reasonable for price since they get the flowers wholesale from South America and... I really don't care about wedding flowers, so this paragraph is now completed.

After we got back to Eve's apartment, we took a walk around Lake of the Isles, and it was a wonderfully beautiful and warm day. I hightailed it over to St. Paul around 5 for my class, discussed the history of libraries, non-U.S. Tomorrow's class will be history of U.S. libraries, including Andrew Carnegie's contributions. I need to get some reading done on that subject.

S is now in Anchorage for a little while, so that has been nice. Have a couple rolls of film to pick up for him, hoping for some photos of him in the bunch.