officially official

Yesterday I "graduated in absentia" which means that I woke up this morning to my first official day as a librarian.

I wasn't really expecting to feel much of anything when this day happened. I actually didn't even know it happened until 10pm last night when I read an email from one of my classmates. The moment our last class was done, I started calling myself a librarian. I've been working as a librarian for two months. And yet...

I feel strangely emotional about graduating. This is the end of fifteen years of school. The goal I started towards in January 2000 has been reached. FINALLY!! It feels good. Really good. But mostly it feels like a huge relief. There were many moments when I thought I wouldn't make it and wondered what the hell I was doing this for. And look at me now!

Loading up on student loans and just getting 'er done probably would have been the easier way to do things but I don't regret my long and twisty path. I learned a lot and I met so many amazing people who would not have come into my life if I'd done things differently.

I'm celebrating today by going to the bank to set up a repayment schedule for my student line of credit. Woo. I wish I could get together with some of my classmates and celebrate properly but hopefully that will happen in June.

half way!

Today is officially the half way point in my program. I had planned to buy a bottle of wine and have a little celebration at home but was so exhausted at the end of class that walking to the LCBO seemed like too much work. Besides, I have homework to do. Celebrating by going to bed early so I can get up early and write. Maybe will have a good cathartic cry while I'm at it. ;]

This is also the beginning of reading week. And I will be reading. Have a presentation on Thursday and I'm going to try to plow through a blog post, a forum post, an essay and a job application (fake job application for class). Also heading to Toronto on Tuesday for a tour of the Toronto Reference Library in the morning and either a haircut or a tour of the AGO library in the afternoon. No one at the hair salon is getting back to me so I may just say screw them and try someone in London. Even though I really like the stylist, I hate being ignored!

So that's the update. The last couple of weeks have been insanely stressful. Still can't wait to be done!

day 31

Some random thoughts at the end of my first month...

London

• So far, not a big fan of this city. I'm willing to revise my opinion once spring arrives but omg.... the grey.... having a hard time living with so little sunshine.
• The bus system here sucks worse than Winnipeg. Which is unfortunate, because I have a 40 minutes ride to campus. Would be a 12 minute drive if I had a car. It often takes me more than an hour to get home because my evening connections are so poor. Looking forward to biking season in a big way. 20 minutes and on my own schedule.
• There are a LOT of head shops in this town.
• People here say "ash-osh-i-AY-shon". What's wrong with good ol' ass?
• Gas prices are actually competitive. As seen from the bus yesterday, 77.3, 83.9 and 87.4. This would never happen in Winnipeg.

My apartment

• Despite my ambiguous feelings on London, I do love my apartment.
• It's much easier to be tidy in a small space with no stuff.

School

• School is intense! Not hard but we are overwhelmed with projects, papers and group work. Have 34 things due in 14 weeks. Will really need that break in April.
• Groupwork. Ugh.

Life in general

• Even though I'm stupidly busy, I'm still finding time to feel homesick. Thank goodness for technology. Don't know what I'd do if it wasn't so easy to stay in touch.
• I looooooove my mother! And my sister! For taking such good care of Rufus and Lexi. And I love Marilee for sending me cookies!
• I also love being able to see O more often. 3 weekends in a row? Just feels decadent.
• On the job front, I'm officially unemployed. My part of the marketing project at Children's Hospital has wrapped up. Will be substitute teaching a distance ed course through Red River College starting in April but in the meantime I'm a student. Period. Feels good but scary!
• Cleo is doing so well. I wouldn't say I've mastered giving her subcutaneous fluids but I'm having more success. She's eating, drinking, going to the bathroom, playing... She doesn't even seem her age, let alone sick. She has pretty much adjusted to living here and being an only cat. I know that she's nearly 17 and anything could happen at this point, but it's such a relief not to have to worry about her for the moment.

day 16

What's a homesick prairie girl to do? Why, buy homemade perogies and latkes from the Ukrainian church across the street and watch back-to-back episodes of Corner Gas, of course!

And then do more homework...

Half way through Fahrenheit 451. Another classic that I probably should have read long before now. Humming nicely along, enjoying dystopia, and then this on page 61:

Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals or how much corn Iowa grew last year. Cram them full of non-combustible data, chock them so damned full of 'facts' they feel stuffed, but absolutely 'brilliant' with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving. And they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy.

*sigh*

Now they tell me.

Thinking maybe I should read Something Wicked next rather than Something Wicked This Way Comes.

my new theme song