Diary 12/31

The year is essentially over. I can't say that time flew. I do not remember much of this year at all. Maybe that is a good thing.

Next week I will be starting my final semester at Pitt. I feel as though my life will start the minute I walk across the stage and walk away from that school. I hope I am right. I am hopeful that all of us who have endured Pitt these last two years will be successful and find career happiness.

I have not received the syllabus for my final class but, as usual, I have been doing some pre-class research to get myself ready. I found out that the instructor Susan Alman is the author of a Marketing book! My library does not own it but I ordered it through ILL so I can review it for her thoughts and position on Marketing Libraries.

Along the same line, today I "gave up the ghost" and opened MySpace and Facebook accounts. I opened them both under pseudonyms with all sorts of contrived information for my personal security. I felt it was time to find out WTF this social networking phenomena is all about and to learn how to create a page and surf the sites. After a few hours of working with them Facebook is hands down my favorite due to its ease of use. MySpace is, in my opinion, convoluted and boring if you're not planning to find "friends". I could not easily find national companies - very frustrating. I'll keep working with both. I have a feeling we'll need them in this upcoming Marketing class...

Other than that there is not much going on in my life.

TTY in 2011

Diary 12/24

I DID IT! I DID it! I did it! I was really concerned about that TLC grade and ready for a battle with the instructor but none was needed. Thank you for all of the prayers, meditations and support. This semester was a rough one but I pulled it out.

Next semester I have one final class, marketing, and I am D*O*N*E! I cannot begin to explain how happy I am about this.

Tomorrow is Christmas and the week after a new year. I doubt I'll be writing anything during these final days leading up to Spring semester so,

Diary 12/14

I'm done. I submitted my final bit of work today at 5pm on the dot. Now comes the wait.

I have no idea what I am getting in the TLC class. I've received three A's and three B's. The grade for the final assignment will tip the scale.

The problem with the way this instructor grades is that she puts a grade but no percentage or number out of a total so the grade can be calculated. I have no idea if a B is an 85 or less etc. Very confusing.

I am contemplating calling the professor to find out each percentage but she might get irritated and I want her to think loving thoughts about me until the grades are entered.

I'll be watching and waiting...Fingers crossed.

Diary 12/12

I am hopeful that my final paper will be complete by today. I have dillie, dallied all week on this thing. For some reason, probably anxiety, I just do not feel like writing it. I just hope that after all of this research that I have done that the teacher likes it and I get out of that course with the appropriate grade.

I am still checking the DB for grades of other assignments I have turned in for that class - nothing is listed. Right now I do not have a good handle of what my grade will be.

I have worked hard and battled with some real demons - group work ;oD - I deserve an A!

968

Diary 12/09

For our final DB post in the TLC class we had to write three things that we learned. I was trying to figure out a way to write that group projects suck in a very PC way. To my surprise Valerie - a fellow classmate - had already essentially wrote this for me. I gleefully cut and pasted from her post, placed it in mine with italics, gave her author credit and thanked her. I bet my lazy group are sick of me riding this horse - lol! I wonder which group Valerie had a hard time with. Though I hate that she went through whatever it was, I'm glad to know I do not struggle with group work alone.

Today was the final class for RFA. I happily received a response to my DB post. The instructor was very interested in my opinions and even mentioned that post and another response about fantasy football on the panapto.

I laughed when he said "you guys must really hate this school" about my first post. If only he knew...

To complete the term I now have to comment on the final RFA speaker and complete the TLC paper. I hope to have everything complete by Sunday so that Monday can start three blissful weeks of freedom from Pitt and MLIS studies.

Next term I will take Marketing and Public Relations for Library's (MPRL) with Dr. Sue Alman. I really dithered about taking this class because she is a hard taskmaster. I am going to take a leap of faith that, with only one class, I can handle the stress and will be a star...

Get ready, I'm sure I'll be begging for your prayers and support quite soon - LOL!

Diary 12/08

I just finished watching the Panapto of my final groups presentation. I watched it twice.

The song and dance was priceless. I could tell that the two on campus people did not gel. The alpha -on campus - girl (who did the 2nd most work after me on the project) got in there and pontificated for almost 13 minutes. I was tickled! My passive aggressive threats worked.

The instructor sounded pleased. We might get a good grade...

Diary 12/06

True to form my final - thank god - group has the class presentation tomorrow but they have yet to check the GDoc to see the information needed for the assignment. I refuse to send an email to make sure they are okay ( I am still in Passive Aggressive mode). I have a feeling that the two on campus students are speaking to each other, trying to strategize on how to minimize the damage of their doing little to nothing for our group project. I made sure that I made extremely clear to the instructor EXACTLY what portion of the project each member did. If she has read the peer review she will be watching their song and dance very closely. I can't wait to see them on the Panapto...

On a positive note, the assignment done by my first group was featured on the ACLA youth services blog. One of the University of Pitts instructors - Rebekah- chose the top two submissions and highlighted them. My group and I were honored. If you want to see the blog and other digital story that was mentioned click on the link below:

http://aclayouthservices.blogspot.com/2010/12/digital-storytelling.html

Today I turn in my third paper - after I read it one final time for perfection.

Three down and one to go! This final paper is the big one.

Sunday, I finished reading all of the research for the final paper and formatted the works cited page. Now it is time to get writing. I am expecting great things :o)

My semester ends 12/14 :oD :oD :oD

Diary 12/04

Since year one I have had to refer to these words at least once, usually more, a semester since I began pursuing my MLIS at the University of Pittsburgh. I am sharing them with you now - I think for the first time - so that you too can get through whatever life or Pitt is throwing at you. These words have helped me. I hope they help you too...

Don't Quit!

One day I decided to quit...

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality. .. I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

'God', I asked, 'Can you give me one good reason not to quit?'

His answer surprised me...

'Look around', He said. 'Do you see the fern and the bamboo?

'Yes', I replied.

'When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light.

I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth.

Its brilliant green covered the floor.

Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.

And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo He said.

'In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.

But I would not quit.

In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would

not quit.' He said.

'Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared

to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. ..But just 6

months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.

I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.

He asked me, 'Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots'.

'I would not quit on the bamboo.

I will never quit on you.

'Don't compare yourself to others.'

He said.

'The bamboo had a different Purpose from the fern.

Yet they both make the forest beautiful…

'Your time will come', God said to me.

'You will rise high'

'How high should I rise?'

I asked..

'How high will the bamboo rise?' He asked in return.

'As high as it can?' I questioned.

'Yes.' He said, 'Give me glory by rising as high as you can.'

I left the forest and brought back this story.

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

You must never give up on yourself.

NEVER, Never, Never Give up!!!

951

Diary 12/02

A little follow up from previous posts:

• The professor of my RFA class did not respond to the thread I posted. I'm surprised. I did get plenty of similar response from fellow students which surprised me even further. I thought I was on this island alone... I guess not. This is good to know, maybe we can effect some change.

• My TLC group is SLOWLY moving along. The project is due on the 7th. The poster - thank god!- is done and submitted. We are now working on what is needed for the on campus students to present the poster. I am ashamed to admit that I have become passive agressive - I hate those type of people! But I have no recourse. I have been submitting information on our Google Doc to passively let them know that I am going to aggressively kick their A#$ when it comes to the peer review. I can smell their worry...

• I received some resources from IPL within the suggested deadline. Those resources were so helpful. They stimulated my mind into thinking about other angles and I found even more resources. I think I have enough now to write a comprehensive paper. I have two more papers to write before 12/14. This is down from the high of four papers that were due two weeks prior. Almost to the finish line!
  

Finally - for this post - I found the greatest, most informative post for advice to potential librarians. To get the most out of it, you have to read all of the links and the comments from other readers. I was blown away by all of the information out there for us. I've shared the link:

http://librarianbyday.net/2010/11/30/is-she-crazy-to-want-to-work-in-libraries-advice-for-a-potential-librarian/

Less than two weeks to go before holiday break. Yea! Yea! YEA!!!!!