Hard work pays off

The grades for this past semester have slowly been trickling in. Just got word today that I earned an A in Cataloging and Classification!! I'm super excited about this -- it's one of the classes I was looking forward to taking most in the program, and one I definitely had to work at to keep up and with it. But so worth it in the end!!!

Now I'm just waiting on one more grade for the semester, and I'll be set for my next (and final!) semester.

In the mean time, I've been enjoying some luxurious reading time. What with a recurring bout of tendonitis while writing final papers and plans and portfolios, I decided to take a painful week off of knitting and most things that strain my wrist. Hopefully I can get back to some knitting soon, but in the mean time, I've been thoroughly enjoying reading for fun and not because it's required for class.

I'm currently working my way through Distant Dreams [Ribbons of Steel, no. 1], and it's quite enjoyable. I've always preferred reading historical fiction, and Judith Pella and Tracie Peterson's first novel in their Ribbons of Steel series has not disappointed. I get ridiculously excited about the railroad (locomotives, as they call them in the novel), making me feel a bit like Sheldon and his love for trains. And I've also rediscovered why I have a love-hate relationship with reading... ironic for a librarian, right? I love exploring different times, cultures, and situations through reading, but hate that I get so caught up in the story. It means I want to stay up to finish the book (even if it's 2 am), I can't think of much else but the book when not reading, and often have dreams that reflect what's going on in the plot.... but all these minor annoyances aside, I'm glad to have a chance to get back into reading -- not for class, but for myself.

What have you been reading lately? I'd love to hear your book suggestions!

Focusing...

I'm feeling pretty good about the end of the semester. Not only is it in sight (finally!), but I'm pleased with my grades so far, I feel I'm grasping the material reasonably well, and my paper/project topics are finally established. Time to start hunting down resources, I suppose.


One of the things currently bolstering my spirit are grades on two of the papers I wrote over the weekend that was The End of October. Aced both of them, and even got some encouraging words from the professors in their respective feedback. Legal prof said I answered the question on licensing "like an experienced negotiator!" SCORE. Apparently I'm good at deciphering licenses-- I'm not quite sure what that says about my legal skills, but I'm quite pleased with myself regardless.


[So much that I think I'm going to answer the licensing question for our final project. Although part of me feels like it might be the easy way out? Considering the project is due three weeks from today, I'm not so sure if any of the questions are "easy."]


Anyway. The other paper currently boosting my self-esteem is the observation paper for my Reference class. Feedback stated that I asked a particularly good question (health-related), because with those types of questions, an interview is crucial to understand the true information need. Too bad neither of my "interviews" really consisted of much other than an initial question. TOPIC WIN.


Today, I'm thankful that school doesn't seem so unbearable and that I'm actually happy with my success for once. That's always been a difficult thing for me to deal with, which I suppose will happen when you're a super-over-achiever. But there are so many things to look forward to: getting these papers and projects done in a reasonable amount of time, fieldwork next semester (hopefully!), picking new classes for next semester (Archival Outreach is being offered! Yippee!!) and the rest of my school career (not quite sure how I'm going to fit in everything I want to take with the credits I have remaining, but we'll see what happens).


And finally, in other tangentially related news, I've been forcing myself to have some downtime, which I've found to really help me stay grounded with everything going on. As a result, I've been enjoying some quality time with Big Bang Theory, knitting, and reading (for fun?! When was the last time that happened??). Even though I read the series years ago, I'm immersing myself back into the time of settling the Red River Valley, with Lauraine Snelling's Red River of the North series. Heartwarming, and full of courage, these books are a delight to read when I need a break from the heavier reading of the LIS field. (Although I must confess I'm wholeheartedly looking forward to Christmas break when I can read and knit for my own enjoyment all day long. :D)


That's all for now, as I've got a few legal issues lectures waiting in the queue.