On Librarianship

The last couple months have been super busy! I worked a lot--that's not really a new thing, but I had other stuff going on so it seemed like more than usual. I did some traveling--visited Agatha in South Carolina in November, visited Colin in Lake Forest over New Year's (both very fun and relaxing vacations). And Kristine and I started the "Unofficial Library Movie Club," so I've been going to the theater more frequently.

I've also been thinking a lot about the future. The more I work at the library, the more I feel at home there, and I've been toying with the idea of going to grad school to get a master's in library science. Most libraries (including the local system) require a master's to be a full-fledged librarian, and I think that is something I would enjoy being. Even if I went to library school and decided I didn't want to work at a public library, there are lots of other options--school/specialty/private libraries, cataloguing, administration, public relations, etc. Also, I think I would enjoy studying it. My coworker Kristine is currently majoring in English at UCO and plans on doing library school--probably at OU. She once told me about a class she'd heard of called "Recommending Books." You give lots of oral "book reports" and learn how to cater to your audience's interests. That sounds like a blast!

One thing about librarianship that really appeals to me is that I would be able to help people learn without having to be their teacher. Librarians primarily teach people how to find what they're looking for, steer people in the right direction, help them help themselves. On aptitude tests I've taken in the past, "teacher" has always been among my results of "what you'd be good at," but while I greatly admire good teachers, I've never had the desire to be one. They have to deal with snotty kids, obnoxious parents, annoying bureaucracy, and trying to teach 30 very different kids the same thing at the same time in a way that they can all understand and keep them all interested is a HUGE challenge (100 kids for some college professors). Not exactly my cup of tea.

Also, I'm all about freedom of information. It's important to me, and being a librarian would allow me to advocate that ideal.

I still have a ton of research to do on library schools--how much it costs, what the curriculums are like, where the campuses are. I know that OU has a program, so that would probably be a good, easy, close resource to check out to get a feel for how it works.

...So that's where I'm starting my year--to study or not to study. Right after graduating from TU, the thought of more schooling was appalling to me, but now I'm ready to start working toward something again. I feel like I've been treading water for a year and a half and it's time to pick a direction and swim. One problem, though, is that I'm very attached to Colin, and he still has to figure out his future, as well. I don't really want to swim north if he's going west. I'd much rather us go the same direction! The ideal is that our favorite options happen to be in the same place, but that's probably unlikely. My main goal for this year is just to figure out which direction I want to go. I'll be ok if I don't start moving yet, but I need to at least pick a destination. I haven't had a concrete plan in a long time and it's been very uncomfortable.

2011: The Year in Review

1. Where did you begin 2011? 

At Zack Stickrod's in Stillwater

2. Did you have a New Year’s Resolution? 

1. give up all non-chocolate candy; 2. do some kind of physical activity at least 3 days a week

3. What was your status on Valentine's Day? 

single

4. What did you do for St. Patty's Day in 2011? 

Six Flags Over Texas with Heather

5. Did you play an April Fool's joke on anyone this year? 

no

6. Do anything special on Easter?

I worked at the ZooFriends office till about 3pm, then went over to Aunt Sheila's to see family.

7. What did you do on the 4th of July?

I was in Chicago with Colin. We went to The Museum of Science and Industry, then walked around the city for a bit looking at sculptures. Then we watched the fireworks from a spot near Millenium Park.

8. What was your favorite summer memory of '11?

spending time in Chicago with Colin

9. What were you for Halloween? 

Lady MacBeth

10. What happened on Thanksgiving?

Spent time with the fam at Aunt Sheila's

11. What about Christmas?

Festivus with Dad/Tina/Mel/Richard at the Jazz Lab to see Souled Out; Christmas Eve at Aunt Sheila's, Christmas Day at Grandmother's; and the day after Christmas, I had some friends over for a small dirty Santa

12. Did you get kissed under mistletoe?

nope

13. Best Christmas present?

PlayStation 3

14. Describe your birthday.

I went up to Tulsa for a couple days. Ate Sushi at Asahi with Colin, Ryan, Chris, Sam, Samantha, Daniel, and Garrett. Then Colin, Ryan, Chris, and I went to see "Source Code." The next day Colin and I met up with Graham and we went to see "Your Highness."

15. Best birthday present?

"Beauty and the Beast" on DVD (from Colin)

16. What was your best month?

February--got a job, met a guy, reconnected with old friends

17. Did you know anybody who got married?

Melissa/Richard, Cyrus/Shannon

18. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Melinda

19. Did anyone close to you die?

no

20. Where did you live?

Edmond, OK

21. What countries did you visit?

none, but I did visit Illinois and South Carolina

22. What was your favorite vacation? 

Chicago for a week over the 4th of July

23. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

A more concrete plan of the future, namely what I want to be when I grow up.

24. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory?

The weekend Colin and I first started dating

25. What was your biggest achievement of the year? 

finding Colin, and finding two jobs that I enjoy

26. What was your biggest failure?

not exercising enough

27. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I got pretty sick in late summer, but it was just a bad cold

28. What was the best thing you bought?

Dragon Age II, plane tickets to Chicago, season pass to Six Flags, plane tickets to North Carolina, the first 4 books of "A Song of Ice and Fire"

29. How did you earn your money? 

ZooFriends, Edmond Public Library

30. Where did most of your money go?

gas, movie theaters, plane tickets

31. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Josh Groban

32. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

eh, I dunno

33. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Josh Groban concert, visiting Colin in Chicago, Blue Man Group concert, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 midnight premier, spending time with Colin and friends in Chicago for New Year's Eve

34. What song(s) will always remind you of 2011?

"Rolling in the Deep" by ADELE, "Bells of New York City" by Josh Groban, "Space for Rent" by Whomadewho

35. Compared to this time last year, are you:

I. happier or sadder? 

happier

II. thinner or fatter? 

thinner

III. richer or poorer? 

richer

36. What do you wish you’d done more of?

exercise

37. What do you wish you’d done less of?

get sunburned

38. Did you fall in love in 2011? 

yes

39. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn’t dislike this time last year?

no

40. Did you have any encounters with the police? 

I got one speeding ticket

41. What were your favorite TV programs?

Bones, Castle, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, House, Black Books

42. What was the best book you read?

"A Game of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin

43. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Whomadewho, Band of Heathens

44. What concerts/shows did you go to?

Band of Heathens, Josh Groban, Blue Man Group, The Stage Door Theater's production of "Till Death Do Us Part", Souled Out

45. What were your favorite films of the year?

The Adjustment Bureau, Midnight in Paris, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, 50/50, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Anonymous, Our Idiot Brother, The Guard, The Descendants, Beginners

46. What did you want and get?

Dragon Age II, PlayStation 3

47. What's one thing that would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If Colin hadn't been in Chicago all summer

48. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

wore my glasses a lot, plaid button-down shirts, I was kinda rockin' the Indie look sometimes--I even bought some skinny jeans (to be worn with boots) :P

49. What kept you sane? 

Colin

50. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? 

Josh Groban, Cillian Murphy, Rhys Ifans

51. Who did you miss most? 

Colin Logan

52. What's one thing you thought you'd never do but did in 2011?

enjoy having a customer service job

53. What's something you learned about yourself?

I tend to have issues when something I planned and looked forward to doesn't turn out the way I envisioned it.

54. Was it a good year? 

yes

55. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:

Most people are stupid and rude, but you you shouldn't let it get you down, because there are also really smart and considerate people out there who make up for it.

Number of movies watched on video/Netflix: 75

Number of movies seen at at theater: 39

Number of full television seasons watched: 20

Number of books read: 20

I am thankful for...

Having Colin as my best friend and boyfriend.

My job at ZooFriends and my awesome coworkers there, all of whom I consider friends.

My job at the library, and my coworkers/friends there.

The library, with all the free books, DVDs, CDs, and information it offers.

My dad, who lets me live at his house and is a great roommate.

My mom, who takes me on cool vacations, like Disney World.

My sister, who will be a friend I never have to worry about losing contact with.

My friends who live close by and come hang out with me.

My friends who live far away and keep in touch with me.

Having a bachelor's degree.

Not having to be in school, but having the opportunity to go back if I want.

My cousins, more friends I can count on to always be in my life, no matter what.

Facebook, which allows me to easily keep in touch with so many people that I rarely get to see.

Barnes & Noble, for sending me coupons and making it affordable for me to buy gifts for everyone, including myself.

Neil Gaiman, for making the fantasy genre cool and the macabre accessible.

Hulu, which allows me to keep up with my shows when I miss their original air dates.

Hollywood, for providing me with endless hours of entertainment and escape.

Independent filmmakers, for providing me with endless hours of though-provoking and emotionally resonant stories.

All the band directors and music instructors I've ever had, for teaching me how to play, listen, and appreciate music.

Macaroni and cheese, for being the most delicious food ever.

And the Academy Award for Best Costume Design goes to...

I just got back from seeing Anonymous at AMC. It's extrapolates on the theory that William Shakespeare didn't actually write his plays, that he was a frontman cover-up for the Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere. It's an interesting idea. I recently borrowed from the library a documentary about the whole thing called The Shakespeare Conspiracy, which I thought was quite fascinating, and I find I'm more prone to believe the cover-up story than to assume that Will Shakespeare from Stratford-upon-Avon was the true writer.

Regardless of which side you're on (and it is actually a legit debate among scholars) the movie is very enjoyable. It opens and closes with actor Derek Jacobi narrating to an audience from a stage, which presents the story as a suggestion rather than a "here's what really happened." (Jacobi also narrated The Shakespeare Conspiracy, by the way.) The rest of the movie plays out in the Elizabethan era, with all the splendor of period sets and costumes (Oscars?).

As a whole, I thought the plot was very enjoyable and well-written, although the "character" of William Shakespeare feels somewhat more like a "caricature," being portrayed as a bumbling, illiterate drunk (though it is quite funny). Aside from that, I thought the cast was amazing. Vanessa Redgrave's Elizabeth I felt very real. In most other films featuring Elizabeth I, she's a hard, empowered woman who gets what she wants and knows how to rule, but rarely do we ever see her as anything less than a super-strong heroine. This film shows her in the context of court intrigue and personal entertainment. We never see her as the unyielding ruling Queen of England, so she actually comes off somewhat weaker than we might be used to. I liked it. She seemed more tangible, like what royalty would actually be like day to day--somewhat spoiled, somewhat disinterested. That's not to say that the film necessarily shows her to be a snobby brat, but since her role as a ruler isn't relevant to this story, we don't see that side of her, and it's quite refreshing, to be honest.

I thought Rhys Ifans as Edward de Vere was astounding. I already liked him, but in the past I've only seen him in roles as slightly crazy people (Xenophilius Lovegood in Harry Potter) or loser fools (Spike in Notting Hill). In Anonymous, he's all at once suave, aloof, cunning, discerning, and yet somewhat unsure of himself and eager to please as all artists are. His performance mesmerized me. Edward Hogg as Robert Cecil was superb, as well. He totally pulled off the conniving, yet pitiable antagonist.

All in all, I found Anonymous to be a very fun, entertaining, and intriguing film. I definitely recommend it, even for Shakespeare purists--don't deny a good story simply because it's not what you would consider "historically accurate." Just enjoy it for what it is, the tragic story of a man who had to hide his art and let someone else take the credit for it.