August in Pictures

 smokey skies

Minidoka National Historic Site, ID

Minidoka sign

Minidoka bunkhouse

 feather

 swimming hole

fence

 Boise nature center, and story walk path

Boise nature center

 Boise nature center sculpture

sculpture close up

 sculpture

 Craters of the Moon

 smoke, lava, mountains

 smoke. lava, mountains

tree

type of buckwheat, growing in lava bed

lava, smoke, mountains

lava bed

 lava bed

 packing (alien cat?)

 boxes

empty

 empty

 Headframe

Where?

So, since I feel like I've got a pretty good idea of what I want to focus on career-wise, I decided I would try to figure out WHERE I want to be. I'll be moving this summer, but to where?

Instead of resolutions, I decided to create a list of requirements for the place I'll be living. I broke them down into geography and work environment.

Geography

• Mid-sized city (60,000 - 500,000-ish), or a large city that has distinct neighborhood areas
• Moving water (river, creek, whatever - if it's wet and moving, that's good)
• Cultural opportunities - access to museums (natural history, historical, art, etc), zoos, arboretums
• Nature access - green space, hiking/walking trails, nearby nature areas (state or national parks, national forest land, etc)
• Public transportation - bus system, light rail?, car sharing?, bike trails?
• Airport - if not in town, then nearby
• University - large enough for research opportunities

Bonus: in a valley with hills or mountains around; within 12-16 hours of Omaha; variety of housing (affordable); space for a garden

Work Environment

• Less hierarchical structure - more flattened, team-based, collaborative
• Work expectations established (things not run on favoritism, nepotism, or any other ism; things not changing constantly)
• Stable (or relatively stable) budget, with money dedicated for professional development
• Transparency (especially with the budget)
• Co-workers who meet standards for competence
• Co-workers with skills/experience/knowledge they are willing to share (mentors)
• Professionalism, organization, flexibility, respect

Bonus: co-workers I like and respect; stable, upbeat environment; people who are curious and continue to learn; learning and professional development are valued (especially in terms of time and money)

December Update (yeesh)

So with all the crazy moving stuff (having to clean two places, and everything taking longer at the new place), novel writing went by the wayside, as did blog updates, having a life, etc, etc. Callie and I are pretty settled in, and once the old stove leaves this week, everything will be fully functional.

The library had one of the fire suppression main pipes burst last Monday. It's been chaos and disaster. Still, the damage could have been much, much worse. The collection in kids took a bit of a hit, but most of the damage is carpet, walls, etc, etc. The Butte and Montana collections were moved right away, so it looks like no damage. It'll be awhile to come back from this one, though.

One of the "sure thing" grants that my job is based on was not renewed. As the rest of the potential funding is a HIGHLY competitive federal grant that we really have no business applying for (but that I have been assigned to do....), I'm planning on not having a job after June or July. I'm developing a variety of plans, and then will see what happens with those, and where I end up. My plan now is to train for the Missoula Marathon (July 10th), and to bring my mom out to Montana in July to go to Glacier. If anyone else wants to come, start saving your pennies. It'll be fun! The library job market in Montana (along with some of my other plans) leads me to believe that I will be moving somewhere else, so I want to do some Montana sightseeing before I go, wherever.

On a happier note, I went tree hunting today with the Peck family (I work with both Vickie and Laci). The weather was perfect - snow and sun. I'm going to post pictures and videos separately (because I'm too lazy to rearrange everything - since blogger always inerts pictures at the start of the post). As always, except for work, things are pretty good.

Catching Up

Oh poor neglected blog. Oddly enough, my problem has been that I have had too much to say, so I haven't been saying anything. Much of what I could have said would have been tentative. Things have felt very tentative in my life for awhile. I have been seriously considering my life and my plans for the future.

I have also been following the "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything" philosophy. I have been trying not to be negative about my work situation. While I love my job duties themselves, the work atmosphere is still full of all kinds of crazy. I have been trying to step away and not get pulled into the downward spiral.

My birthday present from Nancy - a shoebox full of freshly dug potatoes and carrots!

So, life goes on. I spent my birthday weekend in Missoula. It was a wonderful weekend. Not only did I get to see friends, but I felt like I could actually be me, and talk, and be listened to. I've missed that so much. During my birthday weekend, I did a phone interview for a job in the midwest. While the people seemed nice enough, I turned down the chance to interview for the job. Once I realized that I was falling into the - this could be my only chance to escape - mode, and started to listen to my instincts, I realized that the job seemed like an okay thing, but not something that made me excited, not something I really WANTED. I don't want a job that's okay. I want a job that's great. And this job made me question some of the people dynamics - it showed signs of having it's own kinds of crazy. Turning down the interview made me feel both sad and strong. But ultimately, I deserve a great job, and since I am employed now, I am going to hold out for one.

This means that my previous post about leaving was premature. In soul searching, I realized that I really like the library field. I really like my current job duties. If I could pick up my job and plunk it down elsewhere, I would be dancing in the streets - everyday - on my way to work. Which means that I am still looking for other jobs, but that I am holding out for a library job. A great library job.

Meanwhile, I am moving from my apartment to a little house (see photo above). It's the top part of a little house, actually. Someone I work with owns it, and it is finally getting hooked up to water/sewer lines so she can rent it out. Since I will move in with the funky carpeted kitchen and old appliances and little gas heater, she will make it cheap. Eventually, much work will be done, but for now, cheap and small works for me, and that makes funky okay. And it's much better insulated and has storm windows, which going into winter here is a very good thing. I'll be out of this apartment by November 10th, so much cleaning and packing will be ensuing.

I am going to be doing a few fun things. I'm going to the Bannack ghost tour this Friday night after work. Saturday I'm helping make teacup cupcakes for a Sunday birthday party. As part of this, I've been experimenting with putting food color into sugar cookies. If you use the paste stuff, it works. I'm invited to the birthday party, too. Next Saturday after work I'm doing the Butte ghost tour. I guess if I get too scared and can't sleep, I can always pack or clean. (Callie says, "moving? again?")

November 1st starts National Novel Writing Month. I'm going to be working on the novel I started last year. I haven't done much with it since that point, and I ended up cutting at least half of what I wrote. I just won't count what I've already done (and kept). Let the insanity begin!

Out with the old...

and waiting to find out about the new. Callie and I wrapped up our Bloomington adventures. We spent a few peaceful nights at the Motel 6, reading and watching many back-to-back episodes of Mythbusters.
It's odd to know that I won't be spending all my time divided between the Wells Library (home of SLIS and pictured above), Ballantine Hall, and the Education Library.

It's time to move on, though. This photo is of my empty key chains (and my temporary motel keys). I'm looking at this as another opportunity to learn to let go of the things we use to fill our lives. I'm keyless for now, but eventually other opportunities (and the keys that go with them) will present themselves. I'll just have to be patient, and enjoy the journey that takes me to those places, keys, etc.

These are the temporary dwellings of Trish and Callie. We're staying at my brother's house, in the attic-y extra bedroom. We've made ourselves comfy for now. I'll be able to spend some time with my family, do some sightseeing around the area, and get myself organized for whatever the future holds in store for Callie and me.

As you can see, Callie has made herself comfy. She's still a little perturbed by the moving experience, but she's getting settled in a bit. It will be nice to look forward to finding a job and a permanent place in the future, though. We're both tired of moving, and want to find a place to stay for a nice, long time.

I'll keep you posted on what happens with Alaska. I haven't heard anything yet, but am hoping to hear one way or the other very soon. Naturally, I hope to hear that they want me; it's a very nice library, and the people were extremely nice. The job itself combines all the different things that interest me, and I think I would be able to both contribute, and continue to learn and grow. It's out of my hands, though. I appreciate all of your good thoughts sent my way. Hopefully they'll help. Either way, I'll keep you all updated.

Winding Down the Year

Oddly and unexpectedly enough, I've been feeling rather nostalgic today as I've been getting ready to leave Bloomington. The movers came today and took away stuff to go into storage. It's surprising both how much, and how little one has, really, considering the amount of time I've had to accumulate things. It feels like a lot, but it could be much, much more.

I went in to work for awhile this afternoon, to wrap things up there. I left my keys. I've already turned in my keys for the Education Library. I'm down to the keys for the apartment. When I turn those in tomorrow, I will be keyless. That's the oddest, hardest thing to deal with at the moment. It means I will really have no place of my own for awhile. I like having my own place, no matter how small, or dumpy, or bat-infested. Not having a place of one's own... that's something that makes me feel less somehow - less responsible, less adult, less real.

I know that my worth is not tied up in a place, but it matters to me. Maybe this is a lesson I'm supposed to work on this next year - that my worth is not tied to anything outside my existence. I've been working on letting go of many things. Maybe this is one more.

Tomorrow I'll be leaving my apartment, and spending a couple nights at the local Motel 6 (one of the few pet friendly places in town). I won't have an Internet connection there, so there will be a time of transition before I post again in a new place, and a new year. I'll leave you with a collection of photos from the past couple days, and the wish that the new year is peaceful and full of manageable challenges.
Callie always manages to find the patch of sun, no matter what chaos surrounds her.
My life, condensed into boxes. I added a microwave in a box and two kitchen boxes after this was taken. It took two guys 30 minutes to load it in a truck and take it away.

This is the rest of the furniture that you couldn't quite see from the picture above.

One of the SLIS (School of Library and Information Science) doors. I don't even want to think about how many times I've gone in and out of them (and no, it does not say, Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here).

Wells Library - home to SLIS and a giant bunch of books - taken from the arboretum side.

Ballantine Hall - home of the Faculty Council Office (fondly called "the cube" for its lack of windows and the plethora of florescent lighting and cinder block walls)

The Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) - I still think it looks castle-y. This is taken from the bus stop.

In December - a small fountain and pond outside a restaurant that's not frozen and is filled with fish. Go figure. Of course, it was in the 50's today. I liked the way the light reflected from the ripples.

SOUTHERN Indiana

It's almost 11am, and it's 63 degrees. 63! A very cloudy and rainy 63, but what the heck is up with this? It's supposed to get up to 67 today.... Calendar says - end of December. Weather says - March? April?

The apartment is filling with boxes. Most of the furniture leaves today. The boxes, etc will be gone by this time on Tuesday, leaving Callie and I with some suitcases, and 1-2 milk crates with books/papers. It's hard to know what to keep out of storage - it could be for 3 weeks, 3 months, or even more like 6 months. I have the usual stuff - clothes, bathroom stuff, Swiss army knife, laptop, printer. I have all my job searching info, some of my notes/textbooks, my tax stuff, important documents (birth certificate, ss card, passport, etc), my student loan stuff....

What would you take if you had to bring everything you might need for 3 weeks, 3 months, or 6 months?

Merry Christmas!

Before I packed away the holiday stuff (along with everything else I own) for an undetermined amount of time, I decided to decorate the apartment for Christmas. This is the table Brenda helped me make, with a variety of lights, garland, and old fashioned St Nick on top of it. (The knitting needles, etc to the left are always there)

Some of you have been asking about what comes next, now that I'm officially graduated. I'm still waiting to hear on the Alaska job. I've been applying for more jobs. I've sublet my apartment here in Bloomington, and will be out on the 31st. Guys from a used furniture place will be coming to pick up stuff on Saturday. The moving guys come on Tuesday to move the rest of my stuff into storage until I know where I'll be.

As for me, I'll be going to stay with my family in the Omaha area temporarily. My favorite brother-in-law is spending his New Year's Day driving over to get me and Callie. We'll leave Bloomington on the 2nd. I'm not sure what happens after that.

For someone who likes order and familiarity, I've moved and/or started over several times. I do it, but I don't really like it. It would be so much easier to know where I'm going to be and what I'm going to do. Life doesn't always work that way; this is one of those times where life is an adventure. I'm going to have to see what happens, and trust that what happens, will happen for good. "This world's no blot for us,/Nor blank; it means intensely, and means good..." (Browning, Fra Lippo Lippi). I choose to believe that; the alternative would give me very little point for existing.

So, posting may be somewhat sporadic as I pack myself up, and get myself out of Bloomington. Thanks for all the good wishes and thoughts, for both the holidays and graduation. You are all in my thoughts. A very happy Christmas to all of you. I hope that the new year brings peace and hope, and that the challenges (personal and national) prove not to be insurmountable.

Aack!

Anyone have any time to spare? So, by the 31st, I will need to have all my stuff packed and out of my apartment, and some sort of plan in place as to where I will go at that point. Do I have a plan? Not really. Oddly enough, I haven't even started to panic yet. Okay, well not completely panic - maybe there's a little panic, or something more like unease.

This is where a moving planner would be nice. I could concentrate on the packing and sorting process, and the planner could take over all the logistical arrangements. The planner could find a place to put my stuff, make arrangements to get my stuff to the place, make arrangements to get Callie and I and any leftover stuff to another place. Arranging these things are what I find stressful.

At this point, it's looking like it may be easier to rent a moving truck and use it to take all my stuff, Callie, and I somewhere. My problem is that I don't want to drive a moving truck. I spent the whole time I drove one of them from Montana clutching the wheel and trying to stay calm. Anyone want to drive a moving truck from Bloomington to ... oh, maybe Omaha? If so, let me know. I considered a one-way car rental, but for the love of dogs... that's just a tad expensive, not to mention rule-laden.

Apparently experimenting with reducing your carbon footprint by not owning a vehicle only really works if you never want to drive, rent, or otherwise interact with a vehicle again. Otherwise, you are a suspicious entity for not having a vehicle in the first place. I'm thinking I should never mention that I don't have a TV, either.

And the countdown continues

for those keeping score. Tomorrow is my last SLIS class. (woo hoo!) My final paper is done and printed (check). My two hour class discussion facilitation is as done as it's getting, with an outline and source list typed up to turn in (check).

I have my plane ticket, reservation from Bloomington to Indianapolis with the shuttle people, my interview suit, and the designated 2 oz containers so I don't have to check my bag. I have thank you cards for the search committee (and some extras). I have tons of questions - to both ask and that might be asked. (check, check, check, etc, you get the idea)

So what is missing? That would be the completely finished presentation, along with handout. I'm working on it, and will undoubtedly be working on it tomorrow. And because I'll probably still be working on it until Sunday night, I will have to take heavy laptop with me. *sigh*

On the bright side, in roughly 4 days time, it will be Monday morning and I will be in Alaska finishing up the presentation, for better or worse. As I've said (447 times before), it will be good practice and a good experience if nothing else. I think really meaning this (as opposed to saying it and hoping to believe it) shifts some of my stress. I know I can tend to get caught up in the feeling that one experience (a job interview) carries all these HUGE consequences for the rest of my life. Yes, I think I might like this job, but it is ONE job in the grand scheme of life; if it doesn't happen, well, that opens doors to other opportunities. I'm repeating this to myself so I can shift the, oh, 10-20 percent of my brain that doesn't believe it yet.

When I get back to Bloomington on Tuesday, I will have one Education Library shift to finish, a few weeks of work in the cube, and then Bloomington and I will be finished with each other. I'm a little sad about that; having an apartment that I like has really changed how I feel about the town.

I will keep everyone posted about the job search happenings, and will post pictures and thoughts about the trip once I get back. Now, back to my presentation... after a break to look at an adorable photo of Callie sleeping on a yarn ball... (try that for added degree of difficulty while knitting!

Maybe it is fall, and more random bits

The weather feels like it. The 80s are gone. I know some of you don't get my facination with cooler weather, but hot is not my friend. The only thing I suppose I should do before it gets cold (or as cold as it gets here), is find a new winter coat. I'm sort of putting it off, since I'm not at all sure where I will be wintering. That makes a big difference in the type of coat I'd want.

I did finally post my apartment on the graduate student housing board. (and made a quick webpage using only Notepad - it's pretty basic, but it does have more pics of the apartment: http://ella.slis.indiana.edu/~plpierso/apartmentinfo.html). I've been putting that off, too. I'm ready to be finished with school and Bloomington in some ways. In other ways, I really like the apartment, and Callie and I are really nicely settled in and cozy here, and I've been getting together with some people for knitting evenings. The thought of having to move me, Callie, and my stuff off to some mysterious place, and to have to get to know where things are all over sometimes seems like more work than I feel I can manage.

I'm ready to go to a place and stick around there for awhile, settle in and feel connected and comfortable. I do like the fun of exploring new places, but I'm ready to stay in a place. That makes me want to be all the more sure about picking a place I like. I had the thought that I could just get experience for a couple years and then move on. Now, I think I would like to stay somewhere at least 5 years, if not longer. Is it too much to hope that the perfect job is my first job in the profession? It would be wonderful if that was the case, that I could find a job where my skills could be used, and used well.

It's all wait and see for now. I am getting myself ready for my phone interview. I'm going over questions that might be asked, and preparing myself for the answers I might give. It's mainly a matter of reminding myself what I think about my skills, experiences, ways of working. I take all of that for granted, or sometimes don't value myself enough. I'm excited and nervous, but if nothing else, it will be good practice. I appreciate the opportunity to do some self-reflection, and to look back over what I've learned over the past two years. Even though I feel like I know only a miniscule amount of what I'd like to know, I have learned quite a bit, a suprising amount.

As promised...

pictures of the moving extravaganza, for your viewing pleasure. I met the carpet cleaning guys this morning at 7:30am (requiring catching the 6:40am bus...eek!). I do the walk through with the property management people today at 1pm, and then I will be officially done with the old apartment.

To recap some of the previous adventures in the old apartment - guys next door fighting and punching holes in the wall at 3am, waterfall wall from the leaking roof, drunk college kids passing by from midnight to 3am most Thursdays-Saturdays, squirrel in ceiling, bat in apartment hanging from ceiling. Ah yes, college life at its finest....

the old apartment in a state of packing chaos

how did someone without much stuff end up with so much stuff? (still old apartment)
Callie enjoys the screen door at the old apartment as she supervises the cleaning process.

If you're a cat, you don't need furniture to find a place to hide. (old apartment)

The new kitchen, in the unpacking process.

The future office, filled with practically everything I own.

Chaos in the new bedroom.

Ah, that new living room look of emptiness....

The very last load of stuff from the old apartment (Thanks, Virginia)

Of course, it's much easier to hide if you've got a closet, and a bunch of unpacked stuff...

The new bathroom (with its light above the sink and a light switch on the wall, not the ceiling)

Moving is really hard work

The new office (so far)

What's left to unpack in the new office

The living room, a little less empty