Life in Denim and Flip Flops

This has been a long month. I managed to post something each and every day, but for some reason this month it seemed more like a chore. The first 2 weeks seemed to fly by, but by week 3 I'd really lost steam. And I sort of feel like I phoned in week 4. I didn't realize quite how crazy busy I was going to be this month. Being without internet for a weekend, pulling extra evening reference shifts, and not sleeping well most of the month (no idea why) did not lend itself to witty, well-thought out blog posts. I'm really glad I did it again this year, if only to push myself to write more frequently. I think I'll go back and do some of the prompts that I missed. The writing was tougher than it was last year, but I really loved reading everyone's posts this time around. I'm rather behind on some of them. There are simply too many blogs to read everyday! A great problem to have. I hope some of you continue to flex your blogging fingers with me for the rest of the yea...

Today's Follow Friday is supposed to be a website we follow. I feel like I've probably talked about this website on here before, but I really love the website mental_floss . It's smart and funny. Enough so that I bought a subscription to their print magazine. They do quirky quizzes and off-the-wall articles. I don't know how many times I end up on their site for hours just reading the articles wondering how I managed not to have learned this knowledge elsewhere. I was a bit of a trivia and random fact junkie growing up (she says as if this is no longer true). This feeds that hunger again and more.

the library staff--Today our director gave the "Last Lecture" today. Based on Randy Pausch's book, the student government started a lecture series 3 years ago. This year Mary Anne gave the speech. It was as fabulous as I imagined. One of my coworkers thought it would be fun (and loosen her up a little) if we made signs to hold up. Mine said 'Just Perfect.' cream puffs--There were cream puffs at said speech's reception. They were delish. running around after my cousin's kids--Easter weekend was nice. I got to see my little cousins. (Technically my cousin's kids but you get the picture.) The boys had fun playing catch with me, reading me a book, and checking to make sure they weren't taller than me. (They're not....yet.) buying movies with Gretchen--Shopping with Gretchen is always fun, but movie shopping particularly so. Why don't you live closer Gretchen? 3 hours is too far to drive for shopping trips. Kindles--We just started lending K...

It's like Question Tuesdays on Friday. (Vlogbrothers reference for all of you who have no idea what I'm talking about). I've missed all 3 Follow Fridays so far, so here are my suggestion for YouTube channel: WheezyWaiter --He has clones, a whale tank in his apartment, loves coffee (and when it's done) and is thinking about making Explosion Wednesday a thing. Basically a funny frequently updated channel with some stupid humor, some intelligent humor, and did I mention clones?? Here's a good intro to the channel and one of my recent fave videos and another . So many fun inside jokes, but funny enough to watch until you understand them :)

The Godfather Casablanca It's a Wonderful Life Schindler's List Psycho Silence of the Lambs Taxi Driver Saving Private Ryan Clockwork Orange 2001: A Space Odyssey Trainspotting Life of Brian Stand by Me Goonies Rocky  I feel like this might be a good list to work from this summer. What should I start with?

Today's post is going to be short. The inspiration is just not there today. Tonight we're getting rain. I like listening to the sound of rain. I'm not so much a fan of thunderstorms. Ones that are far off I'm not so worried about, but we've had some ugly thunderstorms in Dubuque since I've lived here, and being in a second floor apartment with a large front window (and old rattling windows elsewhere) does not help that. But I do like when it just rains. I can hear it on the roof of the porch, the windows, the air conditioner. I also really like the sound of cars rushing by on the wet pavement. I'm not entirely sure what about that noise I like, but I do. I can't wait til it's warm enough to listen to it rain with the window open while I sleep. Is summer here yet??

My family is big on holiday traditions. We always have been. I feel like I've blogged about a bunch of our family traditions before. Thanksgiving especially. (I did a week long look at it in 2009, here's the first post . You can follow the rest of the week.) I thought I had blogged about my May Day and July 4th traditions but apparently not. Or I can't find them easily on my blog. (Went back and looked and found this little preview here.) I'll save May Day for the actual holiday, but I thought I'd let you in on our Fourth of July traditions. Actually a few of you have been witness to or played a part in this story. Ever since my sister and I were pretty little, we've been fans of the fireworks. As a family we'd tromp down near the river (usually to the parking lot at my dad's work) and watch the fireworks. As we got a bit older, Mom and Dad would let us venture off on our own with our picnic blanket and goodies as long as we got back to the car in ti...

So it's 11:44 and I haven't posted yet! I cannot let this be the first miss of the month. I've been doing so well. Just a week left. Tonight you're going to get a short post about getting back on the television horse. Like my blogging everyday challenge, not watching television for all of Lent has been a bit more challenging than I expected. But the outcome has been quite rewarding. I realize now that a lot of the television watching I did was to fill the time and as background noise in the apartment. Living alone, these past 40 days have been some of the quietest I have ever known. I'll admit, I talked aloud to myself more often than is probably sane. (Although those of you who know me IRL know I did that enough already before this experiment.) The surprising thing is how much I didn't miss a lot of it. I missed having something to do at night that didn't require active engagement. But the individual shows themselves I didn't really miss. I kept my...

I went shopping. I was bad. :) I needed a dress for the faculty dinner. And then I couldn't choose/everything was too damn cute. I ended up with 3 dresses. The two below and one on clearance that I can't find on their website. That was is a little more work-y. Gray checked with a slight scoop neck. No pockets, but nothing's perfect. Ok, I really need to quit blogging. We're now watching The OC and drinking. My spelling capabilities are waning quickly. Actually more like my typing skills. Ok. Becky out. :)

Posting this early before I get on the road. Lots to love this week. the promise of margaritas--When I get to Clear Lake in t-minus 3 hours and 15ish minutes, there will be margaritas. Well Mexican food and margaritas. Gretchen and I have determined this already. my YWA jacket--It's so cute. I can never have too many light zip-ups with pockets. :) The front and back from my phone. spending the weekend in a cabin with 11 college students--A great way to remind me both how young and old I am at the same time. It also cemented for me what a great group of students they are. More issues (times 3) with maintenance staff than with them all weekend. light at the end of the teaching tunnel--Just 2 more classes next week and I am done for the semester! I taught or helped with 6 sessions this week, so not exactly a sprint to the finish, but still busy enough. good assessment results--Assessment is never fun, but when the results look good and show student growth, I'm tickled pink...

I love all types of books, but there are certain things that will guarantee that I pull a book off the shelf. Combine those? And you get the epic book I will not be able to put down and will love forever. Here's how to guarantee I will love it. have a structural plot device--Frame narratives are my thing. Sections of before and after. Story within a story, divisions of location or time. Or 13 envelopes. Don't care what kind, just give me a structural piece to hang my hat on. create intelligent, strong-willed, quick-witted leads (both male and female)--both (or all) leads must be people I can imagine to be real and whom I can imagine in multiple dimensions. If you give me a weak, whiny female I will throw your book against a wall. (Bella Swan...I'm lookin' at you!) give your characters pronounable and non-ridiculous names--if it's a fantasy you get some leeway here. Otherwise give me a name that I can say out loud without getting odd looks. employ a snarky best f...

Thanks to Manda for the idea. I too went digging around my email inbox to see what I could find. I came across the beginning of an amazing friendship. Most of you probably know Amy and I were roomies in graduate school. You may not know how that happened. I sent an email to the woman who controlled the library student listserv at UW to send out to current and new students. And Amy responded. Here's what that looked like: My name is Becky Canovan, and I will be a new SLIS student in the fall. I'm looking for a roommate. I'm a non-smoker and 22. I'm looking at both on-campus and off-campus housing. If you're interesed in a roommate for next year, please contact me at XXXX. ***** Hi Becky, I too will be a new MLIS student in the fall. I've been trying to find a place or someone to live with for a few weeks. If you're still looking for someone to live with, I would be interested in talking with you. I'll be 22 in June, non-smoking, and would prefer n...

So on my drive back to Dubuque this morning I gave myself the job of picking a topic for my Top Ten list tonight. I came up with all sorts of random (and sometimes awkward) ideas. I made it all the way back without coming up with a good topic. And then at lunch it hit me. Britain. I'm currently re-reading 13 Little Blue Envelopes and I just got an email from my boss who's visiting London with her family right now. In fact, her 2 kids are staying in the room she and I shared 2 years ago. I've long been obsessed with lots of British things. Narrowing it down to just ten was difficult, but I think I've got it. (Well plus a few honorable mentions.) 10. Train/bus/underground travel--I love the trains. I want more train travel in the midwest. Also I just love the double decker buses. But I think I loved the tube the best. It's geeky I know. Whatever. This is my top ten list. 9. Roald Dahl--The Witches, Matlida, The Twits. I adored Dahl's stories as a kid. And h...

Remind me next time not to say yes to chaperoning a college trip the weekend after a weekend of my own college friends. I am exhausted. And sort of emotionally drained too. I stayed in Janesville tonight after the visitation and will venture back to Dubuque early tomorrow morning. I am so behind on blog reading! I'll have to do some of that interspersed with cleaning this week. Gotta get the apartment ready for Easter guests. I promise a longer post tomorrow. :)

Sorry this entry was without an intro! Manda had to post it for me from an email and I couldn't edit it from my phone in the Dells this weekend. This post was written by a friend/coworker of mine. She's got a background in journalism and personally I think she'd make a fabulous blogger. I'm trying to convince her of this. This guest post is step one! :) I am determined not to turn into one of those people on Facebook.  You know, the people whose status updates all start with the name of their kid and/or are something about their amazing, fabulous, smartest, cutest, adorablest child the earth has ever known.  Those people bug me.  I have blocked those people. At the moment I am currently 26 weeks pregnant with my first bundle of joy who will no doubt, turn out to be the most amazing, fabulous, smartest, cutest, adorablest child the universe has ever known.  But this may shock you; I have not yet posted the “belly shot”.  I know, how can I not show my pregnan...

Once again posting from my phone. I sort of expected the resort cabin to have internet. Apparently not. Thankfully you'll still be getting my guest post tomorrow thanks to Manda. :) If the video is on top. It corresponds with the last item. Anyway, on with the things I loved this week. **seeing Cornell friends-- see any previous posts from last weekend **reading City of Fallen Angels-- I haven't yet found a Cassie Clare book that wasn't completely entrancing. I always get sucked in. This one was no different. **technology-- Whether it being my phone letting me blog from here in the middle of the woods, or my computer and showing Cara iMovie, or teaching a student prezi in 15 minutes today. Technology has sort of rocked this week. **your music mix-- Back in March I asked for some help making music mixes for the road. You guys totally rocked it. I listen to that playlist all the time now. I can't link it here from my phone, but go check out the post. It...

I had a TILT blog drafted in my head. And then I jumped on Facebook quick and saw that one of my best friends from high school had posted the time for her dad's visitation on Sunday. And everything else dropped out of my head. Trying to figure out how I'm going to get back from the trip I'm chaperoning in time to be there for her. Mostly I just want to hug my parents and tell them how much I love them. Two friends have lost parents in 6 months now. I'm a bit shaken. I'll try to post a TILT blog tomorrow instead.

First off forgive me any spelling errors in this post. I'm typing this on my phone as my dear MacBook is having a sleepover with Cara tonight so she use imovie. Back to the topic: food...or more specifically recipes. I have a lot of faves. But the more I think about it, the more I realize most of my fave things to make require very simple recipes. My comfort food recipes are ridiculously simple. Homemade applesauce is enough to pull me out of even the worst moods. It has 4 ingredients. And one of them is water. You throw apples (chopped and peeled) in a pot with some water. Boil it down, mash them, add suagr and cinnamon to taste. Then scarf it once it's no longer scalding. The asparagus my mom makes is just as easy. Break the aspargus where it naturally breaks. Cut in 3-inch pieces. Put in a pot and boil until fork tender. Drain and add butter (probably more than I should) to taste. I love this preparation. Pulled pork? Season some bone-in country pork ribs with ...

Everyone comes with ideas or things they'd love to see, but can't figure out how to, don't have the abilities, or don't have the drive to make it happen. That's what Hank Green (and originally Ze Frank) called brain crack. If you want to know more about brain crack, you should watch Hank Green's video here . Here are some of mine. I want a list or program or something that tells me the ideal times to stop in a book. You know just before it gets good, or at a natural breaking point. I am constantly reading way too late into the night trying to find a good point to end. But the problem is that I haven't read the book. I don't know when it's good to stop. Make it happen people. I want a program that monitors all the ingredients in my kitchen and their amounts and can tell me a bunch of recipes (tailored to my tastes) that I can make with what is already in my apartment. Yes I know I can recipe search on Google and the like. But if I knew what I wan...

Right now? Anyplace where I can be reading the stack of addictive books I have waiting for me. I'll be honest I'm on page 121 of City of Fallen Angels (thanks Autumn..you really are an enabler!) and I had to tear myself away from it with a promise of ice cream just to write this. Now before you get all "omg she's gonna go all librarian on us," just hold on. This not going to be one of those reading books takes you to another world lectures. I'm not that kind of librarian. So without further adieu, some of the many dream vacations I've imagined in my head. visiting London to attend Summer in the City --Basically it's an event where a bunch of my fave YouTubers  get together to hang out, play scavenger hunt games through out the city, play kickass concert, and just generally be awesome. Have I mentioned it's in London? And my fave singer happens to organize it? Right. Duh. Going to VidCon --Basically Summer in the City on a bigger and more profes...