And I'm back in the game!!!

Well, it's time for some exciting news!!! After a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG year of searching and applications and interviews and rejections, I am FINALLY back in a library, baby!!!!!!! WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I'm going back to my roots - I started out doing circulation, and that's what I'm headed back to. I love the customer service side to library work, and circulation is the perfect place to do that.

And to be perfectly honest with y'all, it's just amazing to be back in a library again. My first day - actually after my first minute - I felt at home. It's such a great feeling to be back where I belong.

Here's a story from my first couple days:

A woman is buying a couple books off the book sale cart. I'm trying to remember just how much everything costs.

Real Librarian: Sorry, it's my third day!
Woman Buying Books: Ohhhh... I applied for your job.
RL: *thinking* AWKWARD!!!
WBB: I thought they'd be interested, I come from a teaching background. Do yo mind if I ask about your background?
RL: Um, I have eleven years of library experience.
WBB: Oh.

Hahaha! Come to find out there were over a hundred applicants for my job. I feel so honored to have been selected!!!

Anyway, so far so good. I've got lots of reviews in the works, so stay tuned!!!

Still not a Real Librarian

I didn't get the job.

How heartbreaking...

A side of ice...

So, it's been a while since I've posted a life update, so I thought I might give you a little inside scoop into the world of A Real Librarian...

My hubby and I made it to Minnesota and we've been here for about a month and a half. Go figure - it's the coldest winter they've had in MN in a really long time. Nice. Let me give you a little back story. I HATE winter. My hell is not flames and heat, it's frigid cold and ice. I moved south for several reasons - the most prominent being WINTER SUCKS GIGANTIC FROZEN DONKEY BALLS.

I woke up today to the temperature of -10. With the wind chill that translated to -25 or so. Yeah. NEGATIVE 25!!!!!! How anyone lives here and likes it is beyond me. I once heard my dad say "yeah, it's warmed up to zero." WARMED up to ZERO?!?!?! Hell...I'm in hell.

Anyway, I'll get off the frigid temperatures for a minute. I am no longer an unemployed Minnesotan! WHOOOOT!!!! I am not, however, a real librarian...yet. I am working at a clothing store. Retail. I have a new found respect for anyone who works retail. Standing on your feet all day is hard work! And I gotta tell ya - listening to Christmas music all day pretty much BLOWS (Normally, I like Christmas music a day or two before...I've been listening to it constantly at work since I started!). Luckily, I have had great experiences so far with my customers, and my coworkers seem pretty great, too. And I am LOVING my employee discount. Especially exciting because I have pretty much NO winter clothes, and definitely no winter professional clothes. So, yay for being employed, and yay for employee discounts!!!

I had an interview with a public library last week, but unfortunately I was not selected for a second interview. Which is okay - I didn't have the management experience that they were looking for. I'm pretty pumped that I got an interview, though!! (Does that sound a too much like "It's an honor just to be nominated!"?) I also had a phone interview on Friday for a job that would be pretty much perfect. A children's librarian position!!! I should find out in the next day or two if I am selected for an in person interview - wish me luck!!!

I'll leave you with a patron story... Or, as they are called in retail, "customers."

Lady with a coupon: So, how does this coupon work?
Real Librarian: Well, if you spend $50, then you get $25 off!
LwaC: Oh, so does it work like cash? I can use this to buy stuff?
RL: No, actually, you have to spend $50 first, then we use this coupon to take $25 off.
LwaC: Oh, I see. So does it work like cash?
RL: **mentally slaps head**

Stupid patrons are everywhere!! =)

Update on life, liberty and the pursuit of a new job...

It's been a while since I posted an update on my job search. Probably because there is NOTHING to report. Ha!

Well, that sounds a little discouraging, and truthfully, it is. I have put out several applications in and around the area where we want to live - public libraries, academic libraries, librarian positions, higher paying non-librarian positions, full time, part time, basically anything that I am qualified for and think that I have a possibility of getting.

But alas...

I did have a phone interview a couple of weeks ago, but I was sent an email the other day saying that I wasn't quite the candidate they needed, and they went another way. Boo. At least I got an interview, though. I applied for "the PERFECT job" a month or so ago (Full time, children's librarian, doing exactly what I have been doing for the past 5 years), and I didn't even get a call. Bastards. Do they not know what they are missing out on?!?! I'm FABULOUS!!!!

But, whatever. I am just pissy because my dear husband has already moved without me (we decided that both of us moving without a job/benefits is simply the stupidest thing ever). He transferred with his company, and is currently working and looking for a place for us to live. Which is not easy because 1) everything in our price range is CRAP, and 2) we have NO idea where I am going to be working, which makes choosing a place to live terribly difficult. **sigh**

Anyway, that's basically what's going on here in RealLibrarianLand. Boooooo-ring, right?

So, I'll leave you with a clip of something that totally cracked me up. But only because I love the Muppets.

Touching base

Wow, y'all - not being connected sucks. You know what else sucks? This Tuesday. No story time... No FMRNS... I do get to watch American Idol, but I don't get to watch it with my friend A, which is a huge part of what makes it so fun. It also sucks that my DH had to go back to Nashville without me today. *sniff*

The week has been filled with fun and adventure - lots of friends and family!! Unfortunately, we didn't get to see Bon Jovi (the tickets fell through!), but we did get to go to a water park, sing karaoke at a po-dunky little bar with some great friends, spend Easter with both sides of the family, and go out to dinner with more great friends. It's been a FAB time!!!

In case you were wondering, the phone interview on Thursday morning resulted in an in person interview this afternoon - so I must have done well! I think the in person interview went well, too, so we'll see what happens next. They said I should hear something by the end of next week... Wow - it's all going so fast!!

The interview on Friday morning wasn't actually an interview, but an Oral Examination. It was basically their screening process to see if I am cool enough to be placed on their eligibility list. I think I was impressive - I broke out some "I've been doing some research on your library system" jargon on their asses!!! Go me!

Tomorrow is my first day of PLA. I am SO PUMPED!!! I did want to go to the conference today, but because my interview was in the middle of the day, I had to choose that over PLA. But it's all good - I get to go for the rest of the week!!

Anyway, just wanted to check in and say wassup!!! I miss blogging, and I miss my internet friends. :::waving::: Hope everyone is freakin' awesome, and I'll be back to my regularly scheduled blogging on Monday!!

WHOOOOT!!!

Goodbye for now!!

I'm sad yet excited to say that I'll be away from my blog for... a while. My DH and I leave tomorrow for our trip to Minnesota!!! We've got some fun things planned while we are there!!! Lots of plans with friends (I get to spend some time with DH's friends, we're meeting 2 of my fabulous bridesmaids and their husbands for dinner, even a possibility of going to the Bon Jovi concert on Wednesday night - cross your fingers that this works out!!!), and family (Easter on Saturday with DH's family, Easter on Sunday with my family). Exciting!!!

My DH leaves on Tuesday, the day the PLA Conference starts!! I have to tell you, I am TOTALLY excited for my very first professional conference!! I am such a library geek. I can't wait for the programs, the exhibits, the placement services, and of course Nancy Pearl!!!!! WHOOOOOT!!!!

I'll probably pop on at some point and fill you in on my interview (think of me on Friday morning at 10:45!!), but other than that, I don't know how much time I'll have to blog. It's very sad to think about! But I'll be back to full time blogging on March 30th! See y'all then!

Happy Easter (a bit early)!!!

A fabulous weekend, so far!!

It's been the most fabulous weekend so far, and I just have to share!!

Thursday, my friend A's friend Carrie (did you catch that?), had a jewelry opening, complete with mini deserts, champagne and gorgeous jewelry!!! Check out some of her amazing pieces at her website.

After that, A and I decided to have Bonus Night of FMRNS!! On Tuesday, we watched Heavy Metal, which was pretty wicked!! The feature for Thursday evening was Bill: On His Own, a made for TV movie from 1983 with Mickey Rooney, Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt. Ok, I have to admit, I was TOTALLY unprepared for this movie. Like when we watch Horror films, A always warns me, so I know that I'm going to be scared and can mentally prepare. He is also kind enough to inform me when the movie is probably going to make me cry. He forgot to warn me. This movie started out attacking my emotions - I was crying within the first 10 minutes. And it didn't let up. It was seriously one of the most emotional movies we've seen in a long time, and it truly lived up to it's fabulous reputation. If you ever get a chance to see this movie, please do. It was incredibly touching, and I am so grateful that I have now seen it.

Friday was a day spent shopping. I HATE shopping - like, with a passion. But my DH was kind enough to put up with me as we went to store after store. First looking for a suit to wear to my interview in Minnesota nest week (which we found, and it's AWESOME! We found it at Ashley Stewart), and later looking for shoes to go with it (which we didn't find...booo!). It was a looooooooooong day of shopping, and we made it through. I collapsed on the couch when we got home, and instantly fell asleep!

Saturday was the most fabulous day yet!! My amazing DH gave me the best surprise!!! My baby took the time to set up my appointment with my favorite stylist for 'cut, color, and more!' I now have FAB new hair (I'm now a hot red head!). He also surprised me with a facial, which I have never had done before. It was the most amazing experience - SOOOO relaxing!!! It was a 'congratulations' gift for graduating with my Masters in Library Science from UNT - he'd just been waiting to spring it on me until now because of our upcoming trip to Minnesota, and my interviews and conference coming up!! So, we have consideration, thoughtfulness, AND strategy!! What a guy!!!

Ohh, ohh, and I found shoes to go with my suit!!! WHOOOOOOT!!!!

I'm excited to have one more day off!! It'll be spent cleaning and doing laundry in preparation for our upcoming trip, but it's all good!!

Lists of Ten

Nancy Pearl (author of Book Lust and all around Super Hero Librarian - with her own action figure) gives USA Today a list of her favorite libraries in America in this article! I'm excited to say that I'll be going to the Minneapolis Central Library when I'm in Minnesota for the Public Library Association Conference in a couple weeks!! I'm also excited to say that I'll be attending Nancy Pearl's session at PLA on Wednesday, March 26th! YAY!!!

McSweeney has a fun post up right now - Ten Reasons to be a librarian/Ten reasons NOT to be a librarian. What a fabulous Pro/Con list - I can relate!!

In other news, I just scheduled an "Oral Examination" with a county library in MN who responded to my application! Luckily, they are holding these examinations when I am in MN already for PLA - handy, right? As far as I can tell, if I do well on the OE, then I will be placed on an eligibility list. And even though (as my blog friend The Hedgehog Librarian InfoDiva pointed out) it sounds more like dentistry than an interview, I am still kinda looking forward to it!

I'm also preparing another application and will send it out early next week. WHOOT!!

Weekend adventures

It was such an awesome weekend!!! It all started on Thursday when DH and I went to see the Nashville Predators take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Preds won 4-2!! GO PREDS!!

On Friday, I had the day off, so I spent a lot of time reading, relaxing, and doing laundry. After all that, my friend A and I decided to have FMRNS Bonus Night - Double Feature!!! Friday's selections were Somewhere in Time from 1980 with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, and our second feature was Meet Me in St. Louis from 1944 with Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien. Both were absolutely fabulous movies!! The List never disappoints!!!





Saturday, both DH and I had the day off, and we decided that Saturday would be our Valentine's Day. This is a tradition that started back when we were a long distance couple. We were not able to actually spend out first Valentine's Day together, but DH was visiting me in January, so we decided to celebrate during his visit. Since then, we've always celebrated our Valentine's Day early - which works out perfect for us! We spent most of Saturday lounging around and grocery shopping for Super Bowl Sunday. Then we had a delicious meal at Bonefish Grill.

Sunday, we slept in (which is rare for me!), and began our day at the Nashville Zoo, where they were celebrating Zoo-per Bowl Sunday with half price admission! After that, we came back home, turned on Ryan Seacrest and the Super Bowl Pre-game Show, and started cooking. We made Beer Cheese Soup (it wasn't very good...if anyone has a good tried and true recipe, I'd love it if you shared it with me!), homemade tortilla chips and a Tex-Mex salsa (courtesy of Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats), tons of veggies, and homemade pizza. It was a full day of deliciousness!! We actually watched the whole Super Bowl!! I'm not a fan of either the Giants or the Patriots, but I was rooting for the Giants - WHOOOOOT!!!

I also managed to get some reading done this weekend!! I finished Born Standing Up: a comic's life by Steve Martin and Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich. Both highly entertaining reads!! Here are the reviews for these books.

From Amazon for Born Standing Up:

At age 10, Steve Martin got a job selling guidebooks at the newly opened Disneyland. In the decade that followed, he worked in Disney's magic shop, print shop, and theater, and developed his own magic/comedy act. By age 20, studying poetry and philosophy on the side, he was performing a dozen times a week, most often at the Disney rival, Knott's Berry Farm. Obsession is a substitute for talent, he has said, and Steve Martin's focus and daring--his sheer tenacity--are truly stunning. He writes about making the very tough decision to sacrifice everything not original in his act, and about lucking into a job writing for The Smothers Brothers Show. He writes about mentors, girlfriends, his complex relationship with his parents and sister, and about some of his great peers in comedy--Dan Ackroyd, Lorne Michaels, Carl Reiner, Johnny Carson. He writes about fear, anxiety and loneliness. And he writes about how he figured out what worked on stage.
This book is a memoir, but it is also an illuminating guidebook to stand-up from one of our two or three greatest comedians. Though Martin is reticent about his personal life, he is also stunningly deft, and manages to give readers a feeling of intimacy and candor. Illustrated throughout with black and white photographs collected by Martin, this book is instantly compelling visually and a spectacularly good read.

From Amazon for Plum Lucky:

Looking to get lucky?Stephanie Plum is back between-the-numbers and she's looking to get lucky in an Atlantic City hotel room, in a Winnebago, and with a brown-eyed stud who has stolen her heart.Stephanie Plum has a way of attracting danger, lunatics, oddballs, bad luck . . . and mystery men. And no one is more mysterious than the unmentionable Diesel. He's back and hot on the trail of a little man in green pants who's lost a giant bag of money. Problem is, the money isn't exactly lost. Stephanie's Grandma Mazur has found it, and like any good Jersey senior citizen, she's hightailed it in a Winnebago to Atlantic City and hit the slots. With Lula and Connie in tow, Stephanie attempts to bring Grandma home, but the luck of the Irish is rubbing off on everyone: Lula's found a job modeling plus-size lingerie. Connie's found a guy. Diesel's found Stephanie. And Stephanie has found herself in over her head with a caper involving thrice-stolen money, a racehorse, a car chase, and a bad case of hives. Plum Lucky is an all-you-can-eat buffet of thrills, chills, shrimp cocktail, plus-size underwear, and scorching hot men. It's a between-the-numbers treat no Evanovich fan will want to miss!

So, all in all - it was a FABULOUS weekend!!!

In other news, I sent out my second job application last week, and will be sending out my third sometime later this week. I have yet to hear anything back from the first application - that position closed on January 21st, so it's been two weeks. I am also getting excited to go to the Public Library Association Conference in Minneapolis in March, where they are offering placement services! I fully intend on looking into that!!!

Hope everyone had a spectacular weekend!!

Dress a librarian!!

LibrarianDressup is a fun site where you can dress up a librarian!! Get rid of her boring clothes, and dress her up in fun Super Hero costumes or more trendy outfits!

Thanks to Kimbooktu and The Hedgehog Librarian for posting about this link!!

In other news, I just sent out my first job application for a librarian position in Minnesota. It is due on Monday, but I sent it overnight, and they received it yesterday. The application itself was the Application from Hell!! But it's sent and received - too late to turn back now. Wish me luck - the job sounds pretty perfect!!!