Education

I got my Bachelors of Arts in History from Iowa State University in Spring 2006. I received my Masters of Library Science at University of Iowa in December 2007. I currently work as the Young Adult Librarian for the Johnson County Library in Overland Park, KS. I enjoy many aspects of my job, especially working with teens in the Juvenile Detention Center. I am always looking for volunteer opportunities and new ways to challenge myself. If you are interested in my work experience please follow this link to my resume.

Here are some school projects I have worked on at my time at University of Iowa.

Collection Development Project (graphic novels for young adults): click here

Pathfinder Project (information on providing teens with sexual education): click here

Changes in Spring

I have been going crazy lately watching the weather change from cold to hot to warm to windy to rainy to tropical to snow! I decided that I too needed a change and thank god for my hair stylist. I was desperate for change and if she hadn't been available to help me out this week I would have probably would have done something drastic, permanent and regrettable to myself. This is the new do! How do you like? I am mostly a brunette now!

Presents!

Tis the season! Well not really but it seems like I have a lot of people to thank this month and presents are such a wonderful way to do it. I love when you can get someone something that you know they really want...and I hate when you have to wait for a birthday or holiday to give it to them! Presents are a great way to thank people for just about anything.

I was recently treated to a lot of awesome things in Denver, while I was there for a conference. For a coworker who let me stay in her hotel room for free, a Sigg bottle, leak proof and carcinogen free! For my friends who drove to Denver from Manitou Springs just to take me out for dinner, a Willie Nelson CD that we all love but they lost their copy, along with a handmade thank you note. For my parents who hosted my boyfriend and I on our vacation and paid for our snowboard rentals, a picture frame and chew toys for the new puppy!

It just feel so good to give! (hint hint!) But I also like to receive!

American Library Association Midwinter Conference

Watch out Denver here I come! This afternoon I head off to the American Library Association Midwinter Conference. It was a tough decision to make but I am hoping it is worth it. Due to the economic downturn (and mostly due to dropping property values) the county has cut our budget. One of the things that got cut was my funding to go to Midwinter. So I am having to go on my own dime but I think that will motivate me to make the most of it.

I am a little nervous about meeting tons of new people but I am looking forward to the challenge. Actually, the hardest challenge will be getting home Monday night and then leaving Tuesday after work to go vacation with the parents in Pagosa! Less than 24 hours to get home, unpack, repack and fly through Denver again! For all intents and purposes I will be out of the office for a week and half (although I am coming back for one day).

Well, wish me luck in Denver! I hope to meet lots of people, learn lots of cool stuff and enjoy myself!

Welcome 2009

YAA for the new year! Here are my new years resolutions in no particular order:

• Get back to crafting (expensive and frustrating but worth it, I miss it)
• Get back to yoga (ditto the above but way way way worth it)
• Volunteer more (I am thinking of an animal shelter)
• Save up money for a trip (I want to travel overseas in 2010)

Noble goals all! I hope I can reach them. I am already back into crafting, I worked on some cards and am practicing my crochet. Yoga will have to wait till February. I am going to be out of town for the better part of two weeks at the end of January and I want to make full use of the introductory rates at the yoga places around town. I will try to write reviews here so that I can remember what I liked and did not like about each. Saving money...I have started a savings account at my bank and plan to start putting money in it and not touch it! That is the goal any way. This is not an easy time to start saving but I think there are places I can cut back. Volunteering will also wait until February when I have more time to devote to it but I know someone who volunteers at an animal shelter so I am thinking of doing that with her. Welcome 2009 and wish me luck!

The Holidays

Thanksgiving has come and gone. Ryan and his dad joined my family for dinner although Judy, Greg and Emma were not there so we were an unusually small party. I think this may have been the first Thanksgiving without a kids table that I can remember. I almost miss sitting at the kids table.

Work has been keeping me busy and away from posting but I did take off a week for Thanksgiving and visited Rachel in PA! I saw her law school, her apt, her parents house and I was shown DC by a native! We had a great time shopping, watching Princess Diaries and twisting pretzels. I was sad to leave but it turned out that on the last day I was in PA the Transporter 3 was released so we saw it before I jumped on a plane back to KC.

My parents came for Thanksgiving but then promptly jumped on a plane for Peru and the Galapagos. They are at Manchu Piccu right now. I am very jealous! It sounds beautiful. They are with a tour agency that lets you do all sorts of cool activities like wind surfing. That should be enjoyed by twenty-year-olds at the peak of their life, not senior citizens! Totally unfair. Retirement should be for the young and then at 40 you start working again till you die.

I have been playing christmas music and decorating the christmas tree since thanksgiving. All my presents and purchased and wrapped and waiting to be given. I still have to make my xmas cookies. But that will wait until just before christmas, I will have to reserve a whole weekend for all the cookies I have to make this year. It seems I have more people in my life than ever, which is a wonderful feeling.

Thank You!

I just want to take this opportunity to give my heartfelt thanks to my fellow americans for giving me, my generation, and future generations the hope that this country can change. It is through the efforts of people like my parents, who donanated, volunteered and supported the Obama/Biden campaign that our country will become great again. I cannot express the gratitude that I feel for them and other's like them. Tonight I finally feel like a true patriot for the first time in my life, I love my country. I didn't know I would ever be able to say that but I do. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the United States and I can't wait to be a part of it! Congratulations Obama and Biden! Congratulations America!