Finally...

Where to begin...

Well, I guess a little explanation is in order. At the end of December my next door neighbor moved out and took his internet hook-up with him, so since then I've been without the internet at home. And while it's easy enough to check my email at work, it's really not that easy to post photos and blog.

So what have I been up to? Well, I've been applying for jobs which is one of the most daunting things I've done in a long time. And I haven't heard anything from anyone except when I heard that a job I was interested in at Princeton had 200 applicants in the first 2 weeks. That was a huge reality check and made me realize what a tough market it is out there. And every once in a while I realize that the end of May is fast approaching! This should be interesting, folks...

I've been continuing to work at the Paper Source on the weekends. They have decided to keep me on for my one or two shifts a week, which is great for me. I've been putting all of those checks straight into my savings account and I enjoy the work, so it's a win-win situation.

I've been watching Syracuse kick some serious ass in basketball! These games are so fun to watch, and since I only have the most basic cable I don't have ESPN, so I've been catching some games at a local sports bar and trying to convert my Princeton friends into Syracuse fans. Or at least convince them to come out for a couple hours on a weeknight and have a few drinks while I keep and eye on the game. They are currently 20-1 after last night's romp of Georgetown! Go 'Cuse! I even picked up a pair of bright orange flats to go with all of the orange clothing that I've accumulated over the years. They're quite fun.

Speaking of Syracuse, I also applied for a Certificate of Advanced Study program through Syracuse's iSchool. This is another back-up plan depending on how things pan out job-wise. I should hear by the end of February whether or not I was accepted.

The Empire State Building: no lines, no waiting on a chilly Sunday night in January.

I've had two little trips in January, one to NYC which included a trip to the Guggenheim, the HighLine park and the top of the Empire State Building! It was super-cold, but very clear and not crowded at all. I also made it to Boston to catch up with tons of library friends who were all in town for ALA's Midwinter meeting. We all made it out for candlepin bowling, which has somehow become the thing to do when I'm in Boston.

Bowling Librarians!

Here's my team: Miriam, Matt, me, Lee and Allison

I've also been doing a lot of cooking. My friends Kim and Ann are both doing home-cooking challenges and blogging about them, so I've had some good inspiration to try some things in the kitchen. I've been continuing to bake bread about once a week and have had great success with a half-whole-wheat sandwich loaf that comes out well every time. This is partly due to the realization that my radiator is the best place to let it rise.

Rising on the Radiator

The finished product!

Oh speaking of radiators, I had a few days there with no heat. I even woke up one morning to find my apartment at a brisk 53°. Thankfully my landlord (who has the only thermostat in the whole building) came back from being out of town and turned it up to a reasonable temp and now all is well.


Whew... It's been an interesting month, that's for sure. I still don't have the internet at home, but I am going to try to be better about posting more often.