Reading-for-Men

Yesterday I went to the 3rd Sunday Sale in Bloomington, IL (see yesterday's post on procrastination). The sale was actually a bust so I ended up heading over to an antique mall down the road called "The Golden Giraffe." While I was perusing I came across these gems. They are readers designed specifically for men's taste in the late 1950s. They feature one main story and then include excerpts from other titles in the series.

This semester I've been taking a class on Literacy and Readers. In this class we talk a lot about different reading theories and ideas that have been developed over time. One of these that we have tackled is the idea that men don't read fiction. Certain reading scholars think this is because fiction is a female dominated genre. This theory is something I just can't get behind. When I was little I felt like most of the great books I read like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Gulliver's Travels, and The Red Badge of Courage were all written for boys. Another idea that is contended is that reading is a particularly feminine activity. Only girls can read for fun. Boys have better things to do like play sports, roam outside, and nowadays play video games. This seems like a horrible double standard and a theory that devalues reading.

All of these ideas were floating around in my head and then I found these novels. They confirmed for me that this is more than just a theory. This is something that was acted upon and resulted in these novels being published and explicitly called "Reading-for-Men." Today I am not so sure that this set would go over so well. I think books would never be separated in this way. The idea that one gender is disposed to like a certain type of material while the other likes something different is ludicrous.

This topic is something that I could go on and on about, but I think I'm going to save some of it for class...

procrastination is the root of all evil.. and other life lessons

These past couple of weeks have been out of control. I should be lining everything up for the rest of the semester and the rest of my life for that matter. Looking for a job *should* be my number one priority... Instead I find myself: antiquing, watching Downton Abbey, cleaning my apartment, playing with cats, taking on more shifts at work. Essentially, I will do anything other than what I should be doing.

I honestly think that one of my motives for behaving this way is that this semester is my "last hurrah." After this, (granted I graduate...) there will be no more school. I will go from living the dream to making it in the real world. I most likely won't have a schedule that allows me to take two hour naps on Wednesday afternoons and then do all my laundry on Friday mornings. I will be a participant in the rat race. Watching the clock until it strikes 5. The anticipation (or fear) of this new lifestyle has got me reeling. I am taking full advantage while I can.

This same phenomenon occurred just two years ago when I graduated college. My whole last semester was spent putting off doing things for grad school and just reveling in the last days college life. I feel like at that point in my life this was more appropriate behavior. Now, I just find myself feeling like a loser. Even though I am deeply afraid of the future and working at a *real* job, I want that life. I want it very badly.

I guess I should use this as my motivation for the job search...

job search

The culmination of my education and great time in library school is fast approaching. This only really means one thing... I'm on the prowl for a job. watch out world. I'm coming for ya.

TDL

As I sit here trying to write my last paper of the semester I can't help but think about all the great things I want to do this summer.

• Get a tattoo.. which first involves me designing one I really, REALLY like. 
• Get a tan.. and keep it all summer long.
• I also want to start working out a lot more.
• READ- I have an epic list of books I have to read.. I should post that later
• bike ride more!
• learn how to make some great summer foods with fresh ingredients from the farmer's market
• and of course... be a better person

Let's do this!

what the!?

I feel like my life is not my own. The past 24 hours have been so intense... it is truly a time I will never forget. It all started yesterday when I went in to work.. It was just like any other Sunday when I work. I was looking forward to getting out at 6 and going home and settling down for some great Sunday night television (game of thrones, the killing,... celebrity apprentice). I had just helped a woman with a return she was making and getting ready to process the items to go back when all of the sudden I hear the loud sound of footsteps pounding on the tile. People were running in to the store. There was a man in the lead with his 3 small children behind him yelling that there was a shooter in the mall. I think in that moment my brain just shut off... all the people came rushing pat in to the back of the store.. There was nothing I could do but follow them. We made our way in to the back room, got confirmation that there was indeed a shooter and we were on lock down for the time being.

Thank god for my manager Ashlee because she handled the whole situation with poise and courage. I honestly don't know how things would have turned out if she had not been there. At one point we needed to move to another part of the store because one of our gates was stuck open and we were exposed to the outside mall. I was with another manager Dani and it was so strange. We didn't know whether we should be running.. walking.. looking for cover. The mall was eerie. Every store had their gates down there was no one outside, making that trek across the store was probably the most frightening moment of it all. We were totally out in the open. Once we got to the other stockroom we started to get information about what was actually going on. There was a gang related shooting and the police were present from the start of the whole altercation. People were getting antsy. There were about 30 of us piled in the stock room. About 15 minutes later a woman asked to be let out.. shortly after that the majority of the people asked to be let out the back. Despite the fact that the police were advising against it and telling us to stay put. My manager judiciously decided to let them go. Shortly after that we got word that they had apprehended another suspect from WITHIN the mall. We were then allowed to return to our stores, but not allowed in the main mall. We basically waited from that point on the be let out of the mall. We spent the time sitting in the back talking over the surreal events that had just transpired. It was really like a dream... a really horrible dream.

So we were finally released. I was beyond excited to be able to go home... where I snuggled with my cat and settled in on the couch. Then all the tweets started flooding in, Obama was going to make an announcement to the nation later that night... Oh god, what now?! When it was released that Osama was dead I just started crying. I don't know if it was the overall emotion of the day or the fact that the man ruined so many lives and hated everything that America stands for and he finally got what he deserved. I will never forget that day in 8th grade when the world fell apart, and now I will never be able to forget the day that both personally and nationally there were events that will shape me forever.

Q.K.T. - Quality Kitty Time

One of my most recent acquisitions is a 1-year old kitty named Juniper! I actually adopted her from the Animal Protective League of Springfield, IL, where I am from. I had been looking for about 3 months for a cat that I thought would fit my personality. I had an idea that I wanted an orange cat from the start because my previous cats were all black and white or gray. I felt that an cute little orange kitty would complete my life! The search process wasn't an easy one. I had all these ideas of what I wanted, but then the timing never seemed exactly right. I was either going to be going home for spring break or Easter and then end of the year projects rolled around and I really didn't want to get a cat just to neglect it. So all the stars aligned this past weekend. I went to an adoption at Pet's Mart and there she was.. the cutest, nicest, calmest kitten I had seen in my search!

So far it has been going pretty well, we are getting along. She needs a bigger litter box and more toys and I need to get used to having someone depend on me. It is a learning process for sure.. I think this will definitely help me grow up a little and not be so focused on me.

down and out

I hold myself to a pretty high standard... and usually I attain that goal. I might complain or worry along the way, but it gets done. Today, was just not one of those days. I am pretty sure I butchered my 502 exam (the second half of the intro to LIS). I can't stop thinking about it.. if I had just prepared a little bit longer.. worked a little harder.. maybe I would have done decently. I need to compartmentalize it in to a little box and let go. I have to.