Gearing up for classes to start!

Classes start next week and I am getting ready for them ahead of time. I'm so proud of myself! I've already started reading for one class and planning for the others.

I'm taking four classes this semester:

• Children's Literature


• Fantasy Literature and Media for Youth


• Youth Services Librarianship


• Cataloging and Classification

I'm excited for each one, even though I know Cataloging will be challenging and difficult. I think I'm up to being OCD and detail-oriented when cataloging. I think I'll learn the most in Youth Services; that class is going to teach me how to be a children's librarian! I'm really looking forward to Children's Lit and Fantasy Lit. For Fantasy Lit I even changed the number of credit hours I'm taking it for just so I can do the final project. That might have been a crazy decision, but when else will I get to analyze fantasy for a grade?

I should get back to my reading now. At least the weather is cool and breezy so we have the windows open. But it's also pretty dark with the cloud cover so I feel like I should be napping. Have to snap out of that mode! Time for more reading (for class only!) and then lunch.

Finally a new post...

Wow, I am finally updating this long-dormant blog! Where to start?

I have a dog of my own, his name is Toby and that is his picture on the left-hand side of the screen. He is the most adorable little dog ever. Sometimes I look at him and can't believe just how cute he is. I like my sister's nicknames for him: Toby Two-Tone has stuck, but I also enjoy Pint-sized Pooch.

I am currently a graduate student at University of Illinois in Library and Information Science. I started in January 2009 and am really loving it. Who wouldn't, for some of my classes I get to read young adult and children's literature and get a grade for doing what I already love to do! My goal is to become a children's librarian in a public library so I can keep reading the books I love and basically get paid to do it.

Those are the two biggest changes in my life since I last posted. I worked at Barnes and Noble by my house for a year and a half, most of that time as the Children's Department Lead. I loved working there but was ready for a change. I finally figured out for myself what my mom had been saying for ages, that I should be a librarian. So I made that happen and here I am.

Next up on my reading list is The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. I have a signed copy (yay) and I've been meaning to read it since March. After that, I think I'll read The Mysterious Benedict Society because that's one I've been meaning to read too. And I'll have to read it for class this fall anyway and I need to get a head-start on those long lists of books.

I promise to be better about updating now that I've broken the avoidance pattern. :)