library

library / work — 2 Comments
26
Feb 08

This coffee is kicking

Plus I got a bit more sleep last night, plus all my morning meetings were canceled. So I’m feeling pretty good.

You know how I hate presenting but the short one I gave in Las Vegas went okay? Well, this week people have been giving me with compliments. I heard you were the best presenter. You were so funny. You were so relaxed up there. I appreciate the praise but I also feel like, Well, I only had three slides to remember.

Then again, maybe I succeeded in psyching myself out. Because I kept thinking, Well I only have three slides to remember, I felt confident and that came through. I’m sure I’d have been more nervous and stiff if I had as much to remember as my co-workers. But this could be my breakthrough. Maybe next time I’ll remember this feeling, even if I have a zillion slides to present.

For our Library Professions class, we have two presentations to give, and I am suddenly feeling excited about them, when just a few weeks ago, I felt nervous. It really helps to try to convert that anxiety into excitement.

Speaking of library school, last night we had a guest lecturer, a librarian from the Princeton Public Library, which is apparently kick-ass (please note, Princeton Public Library, not the Princeton University library).

I’d pretty much assumed that I’d be a corporate librarian, but as I keep hearing and reading about public libraries, I’m becoming more intrigued by that venue instead. The pay is crap, but it might be fun to do educational programs and outreach and help the community. Of course I don’t have to decide right now. I might still pay the Princeton Public Library a visit since that’s basically my hometown.

I got an interview set up for another job I applied for at my company. While the other one is basically running the operational side of customer programs, this one is about developing and coordinating corporate communications, which I might like better. That’s on Friday.

MB downloaded a bunch of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia episodes, and so we’ve been watching those. I’d never seen that show before. It’s freaking hilarious.

Guess I should do some work.

So sleepy

Got maybe 6 hours, which usually is okay, but for some reason today I’m very tired.

Friday was basically a wasted day at work. Had one stupid meeting, and then because of the snow the offices closed at 2. MB was still at work so I just hung out, doing schoolwork. We grabbed dinner at Metrazur in Grand Central.

Had a nice weekend. Spent a good chunk of time, but less than I anticipated, working on my Andrew Carnegie paper. Saturday was finishing up research and typing up my notes, while Sunday was actually writing. I got most of it done before MB and I headed out in the afternoon.

We hit another museum, the Met this time. Actually we wanted to go to the Guggenheim and check out the crazy Cai Guo-Qiang exhibit that includes a huge arc of what look like stuffed wolves (they’re actually made of wire and papier mache, and covered in goat skin). But because the exhibit just opened on Friday, it was a madhouse, so we went to the Met instead.

We got there an hour before closing, but because my corporate ID gets us in free, we didn’t mind. We just wandered around, stopping to look at the instruments exhibit as well as arms and armour. Next time we’re going for longer.

I don’t feel like doing anything today. This morning I had a slew of meetings, then my second interview for that job. I guess it was okay, but again it’s hard to tell.

Have class tonight. Gonna try to work out beforehand.

library / TV / work / writing — Comments Off
22
Feb 08

Back home

Thank God. How I loved seeing the dingy buildings of Queens on my taxi ride home. How I missed walking around outside, though it was cold as a mofo last night and snowing like crazy today, so not that enjoyable. But at least I didn’t have to walk through a smoky casino and get totally lost.

My time in Vegas was soso. I didn’t have the chance to go outside at all, and missed seeing dayling and whatnot, but like I said, at least my presentation went well and I had a beautiful room with three – count ’em, THREE – flat screen TVs. One in the sleeping area, one in the living room, and one in the BATHROOM, which I didn’t even notice till my last day.

However, the problem was they were all HD so anything not in HD looked like crap, distorted and grainy. I ended up watching HD Discovery! and random movies like Lawrence of Arabia and The Natural. They did look really amazing.

Wednesday night I ended up going to the wrong dinner. Our group has a new name, which I didn’t recognize, so while all my teammates went there, I went to the one I usually go to. I recognized some people from headquarters, but no one from my own team, and ended up making small talk with a bunch of strangers, which I HATE.

Afterwards as I was walking back through the casino, I heard my name, and there were my co-workers playing slots. I ended up hanging out with them till about 11, or 2 AM eastern time, and then didn’t get to sleep till almost one after packing and chatting with MB. Had to wake up at 4:30 to catch my 7:30 flight, which got me in barely in time for class at 6:30. So needless to say it was challenge to get through that particularly boring class.

Today it’s snow snow snow. In fact our offices have already closed and I’m just hanging out. Had my first interview for that position I want. I guess it went well – it didn’t go badly – but it’s always hard to tell. I have another interview for the same position on Monday.

This weekend it’s all about homework. I’m a little behind with reading for my boring class, and I have a short paper for the Monday one. We have to write about a “library leader” and how they contributed to the library profession. My choice is Andrew Carnegie.

I picked up this book, which may have been a mistake because it’s a zillion pages and goes on and on about his businesses, as well it should but it’s not necessary for my 5-page essay. I’m trying my best to skim through it at least, and concentrate on the sections that talk about his contributions to public libraries.

I’ve been neglecting my own writing lately. After this weekend I want to pick it up again.

library / rant and/or rave / work — 3 Comments
30
Jan 08

Jam-packed catch-up

I’ve been pretty lame about keeping up in here. Between work, school, and hanging with MB, I keep losing track of time, though in a good way.

I’m enjoying school so far. One class is pretty boring, but the other is quite engaging. Still, both are a nice escape from work. It’s a relief to hear stuff that actually makes sense (ie, not my boss) and not have artificial urgency associated with what I need to do.

But of course there are dumbasses who annoy me. One, the old bat who last time said she “doesn’t read much” and seemed to be hearing about the internet for the first time ever, and two, this girl – she can’t be more than 22 – who works in a library now and can’t shut the fuck up about it.

And the stuff she says is totally mundane – “Yeah, we have people fill out a form for that,” “Yeah, we automatically tell people that’s on hold,” “Yeah, we interrupt the teacher every two seconds to talk about stupid junk.”

The professor is very patient, more patient than I could ever hope to be, but after a while even she was like, “Just a second,” so that she could finish a fricking point.

Meanwhile, the old bat derailed a discussion about technology and how it – or the lack of it – affects equal accessibility (eg, the lack of broadband in rural areas) by suddenly talking about cell phones.

Y’all, I’m paying good money for this class, so put a sock in it!

As for work, it’s as bad as ever. I recently learned that the whole team is actively disengaging from our boss. Everyone mostly sits down this one hallway (except for me and another woman, who sit perpendicular to that hallway), and lately I’ve noticed that everyone’s doors are always shut. I kept thinking, Is everyone on a conference call? Is everyone out?

Then one of my coworkers told me how everyone avoids our boss like crazy. I thought it was just me and that I was being immature. For instance, I dread our one-on-one meetings, and do everything in my power to avoid them. But people have been blatantly canceling their one-on-ones left and right.

Besides the fact that talking to our boss is just plain painful, he talks to everybody several times a week. Last night he “dropped by” at 5 and we argued for about 45 minutes. I basically don’t agree with a lot of what he calls strategy, which makes no sense. Bunch of bullshit is more like it.

Aside from work, things are good. Over the weekend MB and I rented Time, this Korean flick. The premise was promising, but it sort of fell apart at the end. Also the woman comes off as so psycho, it was hard to take it seriously.

We’ve been thinking about signing up for Netflix. Usually we go to this Blockbuster, but it totally sucks. Here’s why:

1) While there are a million copies of The Game Plan, there are just a few independent movies.

2) The DVDs are sort of in alphabetical order, but not really. H, I, J – um, H again, now G, now J!

3) Scattered throughout are these horrible-looking, straight to DVD horror/scifi/soft core porn movies with titles like Ice Spiders, She Likes Girls, and my fave, Killer Drag Queens on Dope, starring Alexis Arquette, of the Rosanna/Patricia/David Arquette family fame.

God, I might just have to rent that one out of curiosity.

library / work — 1 Comment
19
Jan 08

Meant to post yesterday

But I ended up spending the whole afternoon doing this compliance training for work. So boring! At least I got it done on time.

On Thursday I had my second MLS class, Knowledge Organization, which is about cataloging and categorizing materials via different systems and standards. And let me tell ya: it was about as boring as it sounds. I guess it could be interesting, but the teacher so far is not that dynamic. First class she just started rattling off acronyms and systems and standards with no context or examples. I actually thought maybe I missed the first 10 minutes of overview, but I hadn’t.

Still, I don’t think it should be hard. Just boring.

The announcement about my promotion went out late yesterday afternoon, which is always embarrassing. I hate all of that attention. It was nice though to get lots of emailed congratulations. Makes me realize how many people I know at the company.

But I’m still on the lookout for other jobs. I applied to one last week that sounds pretty good. It focuses on writing communications and creating communications plans for what I believe is the business side of an IT team, and what with my writing background, the experience I’ve had in marekting – including managing our website – and now getting my degree in library and information sciences (which I’m finding has a rather heavy emphasis on technology), it seems like a good fit.

Of course almost anything on paper seems like a good fit. The job description also emphasized that there would be no managing of budgets or people, which made me laugh. “Are you a people person? Well, this job isn’t for you.” Sweet!

MB has been away since Wednesday. :( He’s at this conference and will be back tomorrow night. I find that I’m more motivated to work when he’s around. Cuz he’ll be doing his nerdy-computer stuff and so that’ll inspire to work on my writing. For instance, right now I could just tool around on my blog, surf the net, and watch TV all morning before heading out to shop till I drop. No! Must write! Even if for a little. Oh yeah, and homework! Just have some reading to do.

Still, some alone time is nice, to balance out all the together time.

Had a dream this morning about my boss. He was in rare form yesterday (in real life), micromanaging the hell out of me. In the dream he became obsessed with whether or not someone was going to wear the right shoes to a meeting. In fact I had set up a meeting about it, though instinctively I knew it was ridiculous, and then he kept asking who was going to be in the meeting about the shoes. I’d rattle off the names, he’d furiously scribble them down, then would ask me all over again. Finally Isaid, “Is this meeting really necessary? I think he can pick out his own shoes.”

*Sigh.* Polishing that resume.

friends / library / rant and/or rave — 4 Comments
15
Jan 08

Too cool for school

Last night was my first day of library school.

The classes I’m taking this semester are Introduction to Information Professions and Knowledge Organization. Last night was the Information Professions class, which will be an overview of the different professions available in library and information sciences, ethics and core values, as well as background on the way different libraries and info centers work. All of that is excellent for me as I have zero knowledge about this.

There’s lots of reading, a few papers, some field observation (which is esentially going to a library or info center and noting what works and what doesn’t work), and two presentations. Not bad, I guess.

One of our assignments is to find a library blog or wiki or listserv, monitor its activity for six weeks, and for each of those six weeks, post an article or whatever on the class blog. Luckily through my blog buds is just how I got the idea of pursuing library science so finding a library blog should be no problem. The only challenge is finding one that’s right for me.

As with every class, there are a few dumbasses. For instance there’s this old bat whom I first saw when waiting in line to get my student ID over the weekend. Someone was saying that a Barnes & Noble is closing in Chelsea. The old bat said, “Is it reopening?”

“No, it’s closing down completely.”
The old bat: “Well, what will we do? Where will we go?”
“Well, there’s another Barnes & Noble in Union Square.”

Yeah, and on every other frigging block.

As an ice breaker for class, we went around the room, said our names, and the last good book we read. The old bat’s response?

“I’m not such a big reader. Not of books anyway.”

Um, you understand this is library school? You know, the library? The place where they keep all the BOOKS?

The only book yours truly could think of was Baise-Moi. If you know French and/or the book/movie, you know exactly what I’m talking about, and why it probably wasn’t a good idea to cite that book the very first time I opened my mouth to the class. Of course afterwards I realized I’ve read like three books since that one.

So far I like the professor. She’s very knowledgeable in both the traditional library sense, as well as technology-wise. She didn’t hand out any syllabi or copies of her presentation. Instead she pointed as to a website she made, where we can download everything.

The old bat had a very hard time grasping this concept. “You mean I can get all of this out of a computer?” Then she thought it was just the computer in the classroom, till the professor very patiently explained that you see, there’s this thing called the Internet?

Yikes.

Knowledge Organization is on Thursday.

As for the weekend, it was good. Saturday was my orientation/registration, which was fine. I was a bit nervous because I had turned in my immunization papers so late, but my account was clear.

Afterwards I met up with MB. He needed something for his guitar while I wanted to check out a different size for a fancy schmancy dress I bought for the fancy schmancy dinner we were having that night, which was sort of part of his annual bonus.

The dinner was very nice. It was fun to get all dressed up, though MB did get mistaken for a waiter, and the food was very good, especially the dessert, a chocolate souffle with three kinds of gelato. But P*ong was actually better overall. More unusual bang for the buck.

Sunday we had lunch with SB and Ellie. Ellie was very well-behaved. No tantrums in the diner. I think this was partly cuz MB was giving her lots of attention, helping her play with this puzzle she had brought along.

Over the weekend, we also rented a couple of movies, Casshern and The Host. Casshern was gorgeous to look at though extremely trippy, even more so since I was half asleep. The Host was very good, both funnier and more serious than I expected.

Our team meeting was canceled today! Woohoo! Now I have just two meetings, which should be relatively painless.

library / work — 2 Comments
11
Jan 08

Friday blathering

So I do feel better about work since learning about my promotion. Maybe I didn’t realize how not getting credit for the work I’ve already been doing has been getting me down. I was the most junior person on the team, and sort of felt like I was in a support role, which I don’t mind and kind of like actually, but there’s something to be said about feeling equal to everyone else.

I think I wrote about how I applied for a position below me. The salary would have been just a littler less, and almost the same with overtime. I didn’t think they’d contact me but they did. Oops. I’ll have to tell them there’s been a change. Now that the salary difference is more – and like I said, I’m finally getting the acknowledgement for my work – I don’t want to step down to a lower position.

Have had some late nights. MB is a total nightowl and I have picked up on his habits. Last night we rented Ratatouille. It was really good! And actually made me hungry, though we were both sorta grossed out by the idea of rats making dinner.

I have school orientation tomorrow. Only then will I know when my classes are. I can’t believe they don’t have the schedules online. And this is the school of library and information sciences? Hmmm.

holidays / library — 3 Comments
02
Jan 08

A lovely New Year’s Eve

Our only plans were to bar hop, witnessing the hilarity and stupdity of hipsters drunk out of their gourds, but instead we ended up at P*ong.

P*ong is the new restaurant from former pastry chef, Pinchet Ong (get it, P. Ong?), so we thought it was going to be all desserts. Turns out the special New Year’s Eve tasting menu was a mixture of savory and sweet, sometimes in the same dish (braised duck pot pie with dark chocolate and cherries, anyone?).

I liked everything except the foie gras. Usually I like goose liver, but I wasn’t in the mood for something so heavy. The first item was actually different than on the website menu. Instead of creme fraiche, the caviar was paired with a miso ice cream. The combination of the salty fish eggs and mild ice cream was really good.

Out of the everything, I loved the warm date and chocolate cakes the best. Again, the last thing was a bit different. Instead of crystalized rose petals, it was crystalized violets.

I wish I had brought my camera. Those dishes totally belonged on film.

Oh, another thing I didn’t like was my drink. I got the blush, which was sake with
navan, blackberry and lychee. Tasted like cough medicine, but maybe I’m just a lightweight.

At first I thought the price a bit steep and was reluctant to stay, but MB convinced me that it was okay to splurge since it’s just a once a year thing. I’m glad he did.

We got there around 10 and were eating till past midnight. I thought we’d miss the New Year, but at 12, one of the staff turned up the lights and shouted, “Happy new year!” and everyone stopped eating for a second to wish each other the same.

Afterwards we did walk around a bit, though we didn’t actually go into any bars. Since when does “dressing up for New Year’s” equate “dressing up like a hooker”? Apparently at least since Monday night. Never have I seen so many too short sparkly dresses paired with too tall rhinestone stilettos.

There were many drunk people but not too many. There was a couple who’d give Amy Winehouse and her husband Blake a run for their money, as well as a girl getting sick on her pizza, another girl telling her friend to “back the fuck away from me!” and some other girls dancing sluttily in the window of a restaurant.

Ah, youth.

As for resolutions, I usually try to stay away from them. I do however need to be more organized with my time, not so much as a resolution but out of necessity what with school starting soon, wanting to finish my memoir by March, and wanting to get back into exercising regularly. I’ve been a total slacker these past few months. I don’t think I’ve gained much weight, but I feel soft and less toned.

Camclark pointed out to me that being a librarian is apparently one of the best careers to have in 2008. Who knew? Most overrated? According to the article, being an ad exec (I coulda told you that), a chiropractor (darn! there goes my second choice), and a real estate agent, among others.

I was really dreading going back to work today, but it wasn’t too bad. It helped that I got some stuff done this morning that I had been putting off. I’m exhuasted. Last night like an idiot I had some coffee after dinner. Duh! I got an hour of sleep, if that. Still managed to get in a short workout this afternoon though.

So glad it’s a short week this week, and that MLK weekend is right around the corner.

library / rant and/or rave / work / writing — 3 Comments
07
Dec 07

Too many meetings

So I’m on this task force, or steering committee, or whatever they hell you want to call it. We have painful 2-hour meetings sometimes twice a week. So far I’ve had no active role. Thus, I’ve started skipping them like crazy.

But that doesn’t stop me from feeling guilty about it. This morning I was totally going to go to the one from 10 to 11:30, but then I got an updated invite that said 4 PM – on a Friday! I reluctantly accepted.

Turns out that was for a DIFFERENT meeting. Same task force, different meeting. Turns out the 10 to 11:30 hadn’t changed, but by the time I realized, it was about 10:45.

So I guess I could have gone for the last 45 minutes. Then I checked my calendar for next week and there are three – count ’em, THREE – on this same topic. One on Tuesday for 2 hours, one on Thursday for 2 hours (can’t go to that one), and one on Friday at 4 (the one I thought was today).

Are you freaking kidding me?

Library school, library school, library school.

My memoir is coming along as well. Lately folks from my last class have been finding me on Facebook, MySpace, and LinkdIn, as well as good old-fashioned email. It’s funny cuz I’m used to being the one in the background, the one people don’t notice, and don’t remember later on. But I guess when you’re in smallish class and spilling your guts out on paper every couple fo weeks, you create an impression.

Maybe if I get back in touch with enough people, we can form a little online writing group or something, which would be conducive to next year while I’m busy with MLS classes.

11:15 and I’m hungry already.

library — 7 Comments
21
Nov 07

Quiet pre-Thanksgiving day

I got done what I needed to get done today. Yay! Of course there’s some other stuff and I’ll have to do it over the weekend, but the task today was one I had been putting off for ages.

Yesterday I finally had a chance to tell my mom about my getting into grad school. The first thing she said?

“Where is it?”

Then, “How far is it?”

Then, “Are classes at night?”

Finally: “Oh.”

*Sigh.*

I got totally annoyed and called her out on not even saying congratulations. Then she said, “Oh yeah, of course that’s good news,” but I could tell her heart wasn’t in it.

Then she said, “I was hoping for better news.”

“Like what?” I asked. “A promotion?”

No. If I was dating anyone or not.

Double sigh.

I haven’t told my parents about MB as it’s been just a couple of months, and last time I made the mistake of talking too much about H. too soon, only to have it all blow up in my face, and then have to deal with my mother’s worried inquiries.

I know my dating status shouldn’t make a difference to my mother. Isn’t it enough that I’m happy and excited about going into a new career? But I also knew it would be very easy to make her less worried so I went ahead and told her a little bit about MB, just that we’ve been dating for a couple of months, his profession, and his height.

Yes, his height.

My mother can be that shallow, and yes, I totally enabled her shallowness.

That’s when she got most excited, learning of MB’s 6 foot plus stature.

I did also say, “You can never ask about him again,” of course unless I bring him up first, and she surprisingly agreed, though who knows if she’ll stick by her promise.

Last night ES was in the city so we hung out. But in the afternoon I had to go home to get the charger for my piece-of-crap phone (just got a new one, need to have it set up), and who do I see but ES on the street.

True, she’s staying with her cousin who’s practically my neighbor, but still! It was two o’clock in the afternoon, totally random. I was more surprised than she was.

Going to the ‘rents’ tomorrow morning to avoid the craziness of traveling today. Hoping to hit the gym this afternoon (first time all week!), then go home to pack. Then hanging out with MB tonight. :)

Angela Tung Oversharing on the internet since 2005.