An interesting tidbit or forty...

Have you ever: (check all that apply)
(X) smoked a cigarette? (this is going to shock a lot of people, but once, many years ago- I smoked A cigarette with Amanda Henry and Julia Bachellor behind Yocum- it was gross- and I proved my point- although now I realize I could've proved it without smoking...older and wiser now, etc)
( ) smoked a cigar?
( ) smoked anything else?
(x) kissed a member of the same sex? (Kristi- that memory will never leave my mind- nor the minds of certain friends of ours...)
( ) crashed a friend's car?
(X) been in love?
(X) been dumped?
( ) shoplifted?
( ) been fired?
() been in a fist fight? (i have wrastled a goat and have been forced to punch a cow before- all in the name of self-protection of course)
(X) had feelings for someone who didn't have them back?
( ) been arrested?
(X) made out with a stranger? (I wouldn't say made out with so much as kissed on the lips by a Kazakhstani man at Oktoberfest in Munich...it was like week two of my year in Europe and made me realize that European men would be a little different than your traditional American fellows)
() gone on a blind date?
(X) lied to a friend? (it was horrendously funny, eh kristin?)
(X) had a crush on a teacher? (I'd say that's a common theme in my life as an ueber-dork)
(X) skipped school? (during my thesis I strategically skipped a class every day- it was genius)
( ) slept with a co-worker? (seriously- have you met my co-workers? what a question!)
( ) saw someone die (not on TV)?
() drank till you puked?
() been in an abusive relationship? (like other than with my parents?)
(X) been attracted to someone that your friends thought was unattractive?
(X) cheated while playing a game? (listen- if you ever play Monopoly with Meghan and Easy E- you will understand)
(X) been lonely?
( ) used a fake ID?
(X) had deja vu?
() felt an earthquake?
(X) been robbed? (at work actually)
() robbed someone? (unless you count my sister's earrings, then yes)
() been suspended from school?
(X) been in a car accident?
(X) witnessed a crime? (I saw a SUV being stolen in Chinatown in NYC)
(X) had deja vu? (that's funny, haha)
(X) questioned your heart? (if you haven't- you might want to consult your heart more often)
(X) been lost? (I have the horrible habit of always thinking the direction I am walking or driving is North- this is faulty reasoning)
( ) been to the opposite side of the country? (Sadly, no)
(X) swam in the ocean?
( X) cried yourself to sleep?
( ) sung karaoke?
(X) not had enough money for food?
(X) paid for a meal with only coins?
(X) made prank phone calls?
(X) laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose? (yes, and Diet Coke burns like the dickens)
(X) kissed in the rain? (believe it or not)
(X) crashed a party? (haha, the most fun I ever had crashing a party was probably when my pals and I crashed the Young Democrats party- hahah- that was good times- they know how to have fun I tell you what! of course the fact that local incumbants buy them kegs helps out a lot)
( X) have traveled more than 5 days with a car full of people, or a bus full of people, or a train full of people?
( X) had a wish come true?
() told a complete stranger you loved them?
() had sex in a park? (certainly not, but- i did see a couple in Zagreb, Croatia going at it once- and my friend mark didn't believe me so he went back to see if i was making it up and no indeed I was not- crazy eastern europeans! did I mention it was about 11 AM at the time?)
( X) had a dream that you married someone? (you can't do flowers for weddings as a part-time job and avoid such- plus- who am i kidding- i'm a girly girl- day dream, night dream, it's all happened)
(X) worn the opposite sex's clothes? (my favorite jacket for 8 wonderful years was a guy's green corderoy jacket with long sleeves that went over my hands- it finally wore through to the threads and ripped...so, so sad...)
( X) ever felt the presence of a ghost? (i actually don't believe in ghosts per se but i'm awefully good at freaking myself out)
(X) worn a really ugly outfit to school? (being poor and a little chubby is a bad, bad combination for a little girl in the 1980's)
( ) gone streaking?
(X ) been pushed into a pool/lake with all of your clothes on?
(X ) pushed someone into a pool/lake with all of their clothes on?
(X) been told you were hot by a complete stranger? (yes, well mostly by older men in eastern europe and Italy- but I suppose it still counts...)
(X ) broken a bone?
(X) caught a fish then ate it?
(X) laughed so hard you cried? it happens about twice a day
(X ) cried so hard you laughed? it happens about twice a year -- not a bad average when combined with the opposite above
(X) mooned/flashed someone? the second one ("put em on the glass" - that's for carl even though he doesn't read my blog)
() cheated on a test?
() gone skinny dipping?
( ) been kicked out of your house?
() felt crushing defeat?
(X) felt thrilling victory?

Austin City Limits- Shall We?

So- it is my utmost desire that all those dear to me go to Austin City Limits this year. It rocked out major last year- and promises to do the same this year. The headliners include freakin Coldplay, Oasis, Keane, etc...and various assundry 100+ additional mouth-watering bands to make your life better. 8 stages, three days, Austin, TX, me, Jessica, we can (hopefully- please, please, please) stay with my pal Brian, and it will be more fun than any one person really deserves to have in a weekend. So- go check it out at www.aclfestival.com and if you're down- call me at 479-879-5271 or email me a effiet@gmail.com or comment on my blog pretty babies cause there ain't no stoppin the righteous good times that will be had come September 23-25th!!
If you want tickets- it's better to go in on them together as there is a purchase and shipping charge- so let me know by July1 and I'll buy them and we can divy it up lata. Suweet. And we're road-trippin-it so get in on that too!

Banchee Tee's

Upon realizing that I'm going to have a "real job," and will no longer be allowed to wear my present wardrobe of jeans and various t-shirts, I have opted to use the intervening two weeks to showcase my crazy banchee look. To pull this off with certain aplomb, I have opted to leave my coiffe uncombed (this isn't that unusual- just ask my grandma who has commented on it with abandon my entire life), and I have set my T-shirts on a rotation, and set my jeans out to be worn the whole duration. This plan seems awesome and perfect in every imaginable way. Other than that I've been busy doing some recon. I used my keys to break into my future office only to find out a spot of good news and a spot of bad news. The good: my office is fantastically huge! and has a window! and is three floors above that of my boss which will allow much tomfoolery! The bad: my desk is a small, drawer-less, hunk-o-junk. So my present pursuits are all aimed at doing some under-the-table (pun intended) dealings with my connections to score a new, sweet drawers-included desk for my office. So far I'm doing some fact-finding missions. I'm about to move forward though into requests and maybe some begging. Very exciting stuff. Other than that I'm waiting to hear from the docs in Dallas. Then I'll be going to war with the Insurance company...oye weh. My present goal and focus NEEDS to be on Thomas Aquinas and Maimonides however. I have a 15 pager due in a week and a half...and I haven't so much as cracked a book. oops?

Asa Hutchinson Papers Archivist

Apparently my new title is duh dum duuuh: the "Asa Hutchinson Papers Archivist"!! Sounds important eh? or vomitous? well- we all have to start somewhere. And it's very probable that his next step politically will either be to run for governor or for the head leadership position of the Dept. of Homeland Security...and my position could likely extend into archiving papers from those political roles...which would be more cool...depending on how you define "cool"...so yeah- i'm pumped. I'm even more pumped about having my very own desk and computer and getting to request and actually RECEIVE office supplies- it's a freaking dream come true. Not even kidding. "I love technology, and pens, and post-its, and you, and technology..."

What a Special Collectionist does?

In response to Matthew's query, here's a description of Special Collections and what I'll be doing in my new job:
Special Collections contains all of the rare books the library has, as well as donated papers and artifacts of important Arkansas citizens- such as Asa Hutchinson, whose papers I will be processing. It is another term for Archives. Special Collections at the U of A, however, specializes in collecting papers and publications pertaining to Arkansas history and Arkansas political "big-wigs"...I will be combing through about a hundred or so boxes of Asa Hutchinson's congressional papers, organizing them, cataloging them, and indexing them, and then creating a "Finding Aid" which will enable the patron to locate the item they seek with as much ease as possible. They intend for this project to take me about a year to complete.

I Got the Job!!

So- after the 10th interview in a row- it seems that my patience has finally paid off- and they have hired me for a Library Academic Technician III position in Special Collections/ Archives here in Fayetteville!!! It was my number one pick and I am Ueber-excited!! And so very thankful- because this means the following- a) I can stay in Arkansas b) I will get some more money to pay my medical bills and c) I can get some great experience in archiving historical works!! This will be awesome!! So- this is a two-jump promotion which looks pretty good on the ole resume and my boss is really nice and supportive. Circulation took it pretty hard- which is to be expected since I pretty much run the place on 7 bucks an hour...but I am going to be allowed to come back upstairs and help train my replacement- which is nice. I already told my new boss about my upcoming surgery which he was concerned about but I think I'll just pretty much need to have it over xmas break- which is fine- and will give me more time to recover. oh- and my class ends three days before my new job starts- so that's perfect as well. woohoo! yipee! le chaim! ok- thanks for all the prayer, love and support. see- God does have a plan and it does work out for the best. gotta love that. ok- love to you all.
I'm just effie from the trot- use to have a little- now I have a LOT!!!

Jobs on the horizon...

So it seems the winds of change are a blowin'...finally! I just got a call letting me know that I got an interview for a second position at the University of Texas - San Antonio. This job would be as a Reference Desk assistant which would be my DREAM job. It would also pay 21,000 (ie 6,000 more than my present position) which would certainly help a lot with my billZ. I am leaving for San Antonio Saturday after I deliver flowers for my work colleague's wedding in Siloam Springs at 1:00. I will probably attend her wedding as well and set off at 2pm. I am hoping to meet up with Brian in Austin so as to visit with him a little Saturday night and then drive to Carl's church which is halfway to San Antonio and easier to find on Sunday morning. Then I have the first interview for the Catologing position at 10:00am and then I'll hopefully be able to schedule the second interview for the Reference position early that afternoon. Then on Tuesday I'll have to get up at 4 am so I can drive the five hours to Dallas to get xrays and molds done of my jaw and mouth so that I can have a second consultation at 1pm with Dr. Triplett (the super doctor at the medical school there). Then I'll drive home Tuesday evening. I talked to the insurance lady and apparently (so they say...) they will pay for the first 10,000 dollars of the surgery and I will be responsible for the rest. The rest could amount to as much as 10,000-20,000- but getting 10,000 from insurance is certainly better than nothing. Another development is that I may be able to continue on with this insurance even if I did take a job in Texas using the Cobra laws...so that's a thought- althought I'd have to check that out more. Also- I have an interview in Special Collections tomorrow at 9am. Wish me luck/pray for me. If i get that job I may very well stay here. Basically I'd be ecstatic if I was hired for the Special Collections position here or the Reference position in Texas. That would be awesome. Other than that- it would be an amazing blessing if insurance would come through with approving Dr. Triplett to do the surgery and with the 10,000.
Ok- pray that the travels I undergo this weekend go well and that I interview to the best of my ability.
Thank you all for your support and love.

The Onion is true to life...

So this little news item appeared in The Onion this week and was so true to my experience that I decided to include it in my blog. So here ya go:
"Entire Napoleon Dynamite Plot Pieced Together Through Friends' Quotes:
AUSTIN, TX—Although he has never seen the 2004 indie hit Napoleon Dynamite, Michael Osman, 23, has cobbled together its entire plot via his friends' endless quoting of the film. "Well, Napoleon's brother said, 'Don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day,' and then got a visit from his Internet girlfriend," Osman said. "Then Napoleon told his Uncle Rico that he could make 120 bucks 'in like five seconds,' and went to work on a chicken farm. Then Napoleon gave Trisha a drawing, said, 'It took me like three hours to finish the shading on your upper lip,' and asked her to the dance." Osman added that he has a pretty good idea what a liger looks like."

Humph....

So there's news on the jaw and job front. I have an interview for the sweet LAT III job in Special Collections a week from today (Thursday June 9th). If I get it- I would be processing the Asa Hutchinson papers for the archives which would give me invaluable experience for library school and my future in general. It would also give me roughly 4,000 more a year for my medical billZ which would be awesome. As far as the surgery front- I called the doctor in LR and apparently he's pushing for me to go ahead and have the surgery with the doctors at the medical school in Dallas. He'd prefer it that way if I'm going to commute anyway. So I don't know what to think about that. They also expressed doubt that insurance would pay for it either way- which is pretty discouraging. I've been calling insurance several times a day and have yet to get a call back- so that's not going so well. I really need some strength and forebearance. Ok- that's about it. Other than that- my class and work are going pretty well.
Much love,
Effie