Blogging, Oh Boy

I thought the hardest thing about creating blog would be what to write about, at least that what I heard. But through my Information Technology class, I found that adding links and sometimes gadgets can be downright frustrating. I was challenged to make it work and through the stress, exhaustion and a few tears, I was able to make it work by sheer determination. I was not defeated because I refused to accept that there was no way to get it to work. That's a life lesson, I keep experiencing or telling my brothers and friends, NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT even if it's just good old Technology knocking you around.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

This is another movie I've been waiting to see about another series I had read and listened to. I was a little disappointed last year when the release date got pushed back for whatever reason. But now my wait is almost over. The movie are so well put together and follow the books well. I feel in love with these characters three times, in the books, the audios and the movies, and have enjoyed watching the actors grow through each one. On July 15th I will be among the fray of Harry Potter Fans in line at the movie theatre.

How to Locate A Book Review

Ready for New Moon

I am a Twilight fan and I loved most of the books, the last one left me wanting.Honestly, I found parts of it disturbingly gross. I liked the Twilight movie by itself but if I had to choose I would pick the book. The guy that plays Edward, is okay but he is not my ideal that I had in my mind. My Edward dressed better, and didn't look like he had an eternal frown. I guess the teenage Twihards love Robert Pattinson. The girl Kristen Stewart that plays Bella is perfect because she gets on my nerves, so I found that consistent with book. My favorite characters in the movie was the guy that played her dad, he was hilarious and Alice who was a favorite from the book as well . Emmett and James those are some gorgeous men. So, they will be one the good points of new moon, however brief the glimpse may be since their part in the New Moon was short. I have seen the previews and it looks like it is going to be even better than first one, and I can't wait to continue the Twilight Saga. Hopefully the makeup will be better.

What type of librarian should I be?

A couple weeks ago I took a quiz on Facebook called " What type of librarian are you" and my results were a youth librarian. I thought this was interesting because since I worked in a public library I got turned on to Twilight and Harry Potter. Since then I have become to love this type of literature. Yet, I'm not sure I want to work with the public again, it a joy and a pain. Some people are very polite and friendly some are just down right mean. I also love arts and crafts, basically anything creative. So, I took the quiz again to see what it would say again, and the result was a law librarian. That is a definite, NO. A music library or a museum library would be cool. At this point in my degree program, there is still time to grow and figure it out, one can only hope. I hope my future is filled doing something that makes me happy and that I'm good at, but right that is unknown to me.

Audio books are cool

I have found that listening to the radio bores me. The radio deejays play the same stuff over and over again, and it just burns me out on music I really like. So, what do I do, I listen to audio books. My family when they get in the car with me and hear my book of the moment they either take it out or turn it off. They think I'm weird, and talk about me. I only have one person that's cool with it and that person is my youngest brother, sad but true.
I became intrigued by audio books when I started reading the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, and one of my co-workers suggested it to me. As with the books I have read, most of the audios came in series such as Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, the Inheritance series(Eragon) by Christopher Paolini, the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, which are about a new witch in the making and are hilarious. A few others that I liked that are not series are Jinx by Meg Cabot(hope for more), Fairest by Gail Carson Levine and Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry and the list goes on. I also listened to Identical by Ellen Hopkins, which was interestingly disturbing but the subject matter was relevant to life for some teens now. The story matter concerns two girls, one being molested by her father and the other seemingly wishing she had his attention. There is more to the story but that's just a tiny bit. I am currently on book five of the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. I've become addicted to listening to books in the car, and am now running out selections to entertain me. Audio books are great ways to get families to read and story tell together . Another bonus to audio books is that they can get a child that won't read or struggles reading, interested.

Website Usability Test

In my Information Technology class, we are doing a usability test of a library website of our choice to determine how easy or difficult it is to navigate throughout the site. At first, I didn't think I would get much information from watching someone click on a computer following the tasks that I had given them. So far I have only tested with two participants, each of them stumbling at different points through the process. However, I found it interesting that they both agreed that the site was easy to use, even though they struggled somewhat with completing the tasks. One user stated that it was easy once he got the hang of it, but was not compelled to linger on the site, and at times becoming distracted and bored. Also, these two participants agreed that the design of this particular website was lacking in aspects of the design and layout. I am intrigued to hear what the remaining testers opinions will be.

I'm going to library school ....What do you think about that? pt.2

The most interesting responses come from librarians when I discuss with them my decision to come to library school. When I told one librarian who at the time was a co-worker of mine my intentions to go to library school, they were like " Why? You don't want to do that, look at me" or as another just flat out stated "You don't look like a librarian" Now in my head as sit and think about this now, what exactly does a librarian look like? I mean, I'm no read the sign says BE QUIET bun wearing librarian stereotype of old. However, I am capable of a stern look every now and then. This person did reason that I am more of the creative type because they knew my interests are photography and writing, but what is a librarian if he/she is not a bit creative. Times have changed and so has the look of the new generation of librarians.

I'm going to library school....What do you think about that?

I find peoples' responses to me going to library school hilariously entertaining, and bit offensive. When they ask what I’m going to school to be, and I say librarian. Not only are the facial expressions funny but some comments are "Oh you must really like to read books!" or "You must like to check out stuff?" Others look puzzled and ask well "What can you do with a Masters in Library Science?" or "You can get a degree to become a Librarian?" There are those that make the assumption that public libraries are the only types of libraries. Well there are many things one can do with a library degree besides work within a public library such as cataloging, publishing, working for book vendors,school media centers, library technical specialists, museums and government libraries, and so many places you wouldn't think needed or had a library. So when someone says they are library school don’t assume they just like checking out books and reading.

Loss of time and Social Networking

I find that when on my computer or the internet my sense of time is different. One second it is 9 o"clock at night then the next the sun is shining. I feel like I'm so absorbed in what I'm doing that time just seems to stand still for me, but keeps moving for the rest of the world. What am I doing, social networking. I like social networks but I find that they waste time, especially when I realize I've spent 6 hours doing absolutely nothing. Looking at what other people are doing or playing games and taking silly little quizzes. At other times talking to high school friends, I don't even remember or avoiding some random stranger. Oh,the joy of social networks, such a wonderful tool for those of us who are already antisocial. In my opinion they are good to reconnect or locate lost friends, of course if the websites are free. I'm not that desperate to pay to find someone.

What I'm Reading

Currently, well since I read Twilight, I have been in this young adult phase. I have read, as can be seen from my bookshelf, a number of young adult fantasy books ranging from vampires, immortals to fairies, and wizards. It seems like every book I picked to read became or was a part of a series, and I found that part of me wanted it to end. However, every time I would get to the last few pages, I would start reading slower not wanting to part with the characters. This gets harder when I read series, because I become so engrossed and a part of the books, making it difficult at times to come back to the real world. The latest book that was suggested for me to read was Evermore by Alyson Noel, which I just finished a few days ago. This book was a different twist on the forever love story and I thought it was going to be another vampire story. It wasn't, but I don't want tell too much of the story, someone may want to read it. I really liked the book but it is another series that I must remember to read, when the next addition is published. Here are few other series that I am awaiting to finish: The House of Night novels by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr, the Fairie Path by Frewin Jones,Septimus Heap by Angie Sage, Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston and Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber. At the moment I'm beginning to read the Immortal Realm book four of the Fairie Path series.

Michael Jackson

I like all types of things, so therefore I will blog about some of everything. I saw the memorial for M.J. on television today. It was very sad, even more when I thought about all the things he's been through these past years. He just wanted to be happy and for others around him to be happy and LIVE. His daughter when she spoke brought me to tears and that was the most moving moment to me. Those kids I hope whoever they end up with takes care of them the way their father would. My brother lost his father last year, at the time he was in Kuwait and the loss of a parent, how hard it must be for them, the children. In the case of my brother, you wonder of regrets or never getting to say goodbye.I hope all the best for his family not because he was famous but because he was a person just like us.