I might have been talked in to reading... romance

My literacy class this semester has spawned a lot of food for thought. It has broadened my horizons about all types of reading and reading practices. This week we talked about Janice Radway's "Reading the Romance." Radway did an entire ethnographic study of the readers of romance. The article was interesting, but it wasn't until we discussed it in class that it really became contextualized for me. My classmates offered up their reasoning for reading romance and what they get out of the books. It seems like Radway's findings and their feelings lined up on the literature being a form of escape. Apparently the texts are easy to read and provide them with a break from their day to day.

I admittedly have never read a romance novel. I don't know what this says about me, but it really doesn't appeal to me. It seems too formulaic and contrived. This being said, I've decided to give it a shot. I think what is really driving this is the possibility that in the future I will have to deal with readers that are interested in this genre. I want to be able to connect or at least help them find a new romance novel. So I am going to bite the bullet and get it done. I will report back...

where I do my best thinking..

the elliptical.. taken creepily from the step machine

Lately I've been all about hitting the gym and hitting it hard. I try to go for at least two hours about 6 days a week. This might seem crazy for someone who has to eat breakfast while doing her hair because she doesn't have any free time, but for some reason I cherish these gym hours. It isn't that I especially like working out all that much (who does?!) or that I feel this is something I should be doing (realistically I should be either: applying for jobs, reading, or sleeping). There is something about having these 2 hours to myself to just zone out that I really love.

I've come to realize that the while on the elliptical or on the treadmill I usually spend time reflecting on my day or what's coming up. It's in these moments that I get the opportunity to catch my breath and actually contemplate what's going on. I don't know how my life would be if I didn't take these minutes to give thought to the issues of the day. I don't get the same kind of opportunity when I am watching tv or playing around on the internet. The gym is the one place where I can actually step away from all that stimulation and internalize my thoughts.

The extra endorphins don't suck either.

kitty sitting

It's no secret I am quite the cat lover. This week I have the pleasure of watching my roommate's new kitty Emy. She's an adorable black/brown ball of energy that has been giving Juniper quite the work out. She loves playing with just about anything.. her latest conquests have been beer bottle caps, my hair, and Juniper's tale. I'm going to have to keep the mice handy. This kitty is high maintenance.

the black beauty, Emy.

It's officially... unofficial.

I don't know if ya'll are familiar but going to a state school has it's perks. One of them is celebrating obscure and totally fabricated holidays by drinking yourself to death. The University of Illinois celebrates Unofficial St. Patrick's Day every spring to the chagrin of the administration. I can't tell you how many emails I have had over the past week preemptively warning me about this celebration (at least 6 different ones). They've been everything from thinly veiled threats (you will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest) to general warnings (campus gets a little rowdy).

As an undergrad I definitely attended my fair share of these celebrations. Now that I am a graduate student I must be to old for these kinds of raucous celebrations, right?

right. 

March is my favorite month..

It's true. I love March. Not only is it the beginning of spring, but it is also my birthday month! Now there is a whole new reason to love this time of year:

 

It's a month for reading. This poster was created during the Great Depression by the WPA to promote literacy. This selection was a poster that would have been displayed all around the city of Chicago around 1935. I think this is something that we should bring back. What better time is there to pick up something that you've always wanted to read? Do it now and ring in the spring with a great book!

"you have great style..."

Yesterday I got the shock of my life at pub trivia. Someone actually complimented me on my style! This praise came from a colleague I work with at the library. She told me that I always look adorable and very appropriate for the library. This illicited only one reaction from me: laughter.

It isn't that I can't take a compliment, which I believe I can. It's just that this is something that I used to be teased about (and by some of my student assistants I still am!). I have always dressed like a librarian even before I really knew that I wanted to be one. It's all cardigans, horn-rimmed glasses, lots of tights, and sensible shoes. It takes a lot of talent and a great optometrist to keep this look maintained.

Below I have featured some of my signature pieces..

it's all about the glasses. a great pair can be timeless and sexy. 

I am the self-professed cardigan queen. among my favorites are bold and bright colors, like this one in canary yellow.

skinny jeans, enough said.

lastly, you've gotta have some footwear that is practical and stylish

too funny for our own good.