tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668563685123816222024-03-14T02:45:58.634-04:00SuperstarchivistFrom the mixed-up files of a "lone arranger" in the heart of the Peach State.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-42590281196686125322015-03-16T14:25:00.002-04:002015-03-16T14:25:32.577-04:00Random pix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-41398216124962134132013-01-13T17:11:00.002-05:002013-06-18T20:53:33.959-04:0042 Things: Item 26: 7 Best Picture Movies<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First up in the new-to-me best picture list: "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025316/" target="_blank">It Happened One Night</a>." Not only did it win a little gold statue for best picture, but Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, and Frank Capra won for best actor, actress, and director as well in 1935.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's viewings: "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405159/" target="_blank">Million Dollar Baby</a>" (2005 winner for director, picture, supporting actor, and lead actress) and "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030993/" target="_blank">You Can't Take It with You</a>" (1939 winner for picture and director, with Frank Capra adding another feather to his cap).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Updated June 18: finished <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1655442/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">The Artist</a> (2011) tonight. Enjoyed it! <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241121/" target="_blank">Jean Dujardin</a> makes me think of some kind of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001597/?ref_=sr_1" target="_blank">Mandy Patinkin</a> / <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000001/?ref_=sr_1" target="_blank">Fred Astaire</a> lovechild. </span><br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-29606991512488924012013-01-05T17:48:00.002-05:002013-04-15T14:22:11.692-04:0042 Things: Item 4: 3 Songs <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Item 4 on my list of <a href="http://superstarchivist.blogspot.com/2013/01/42-things.html" target="_blank">42 things to do before I turn 42</a> is to listen to three songs each week that are new to me. I'll keep a running list here. (If you'd like to suggest songs, feel free to do so in the comments!)</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 12/30/12: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Live While We're Young" by One Direction (turns out I had heard this but didn't realize it when I chose it from Spotify); "</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I Will Wait" by Mumford and Sons; and "Thinkin Bout You" by Frank Ocean.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 1/6/13: "Hold On" by Alabama Shakes, "Demons" by Imagine Dragons, and "Some Nights" by Fun.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 1/13/13: "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line, "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers, and "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Weeks of 1/20/13 and 1/27/13 weren't documented.]</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 2/3/13: "Try" by P!nk, "Daylight" by Maroon 5, and "Home" by Phillip Phillips.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 2/10/13: "Anything Could Happen" by Ellie Goulding, "Beer Money" by Kip Moore, and "Love and War" by Tamar Braxton.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 2/17/13: "Laundry Room" by The Avett Brothers, "Breathe In, Breathe Out" by Mat Kearney, and "Winds of Change" by Fitz and the Tantrums.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Week of 2/24/13 not documented.]</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 3/3/13: "Scream & Shout" by will.i.am and Britney Spears, "Stay" by Rihanna with Mikky Ekko, and "Ukulele Five-O" by Jake Shimabukuro.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Ugh. Forgot to do this week of 3/10/13.]</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 3/17/13: "Catch My Breath" by Kelly Clarkson, "Suit & Tie" by Justin Timberlake, and "Cups" by Anna Kendrick.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 3/24/13: "It's One of Those Nights (Yes Love)" by the Partridge Family, "Fastest Girl in Town" by Miranda Lambert, and "Comin' Around" by Josh Thompson.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Weeks of 3/31/13 and 4/7/13 not documented although I did hear some new-to-me music during that time.]</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week of 4/14/13: "Pom Poms" by the Jonas Brothers, "Beat This Summer" by Brad Paisley, and "I Can Take It from There" by Chris Young.</span></li>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-35927531259232096542013-01-05T17:42:00.002-05:002013-04-13T20:01:55.022-04:0042 Things: Item 3: 42 Newbery Award Winners<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.899999618530273px;">Here's the list of <a href="http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberywinners/medalwinners" target="_blank">Newbery Award winners</a> I've read or re-read this year (as part of item 3 of my <a href="http://superstarchivist.blogspot.com/2013/01/42-things.html" target="_blank">42 things</a>):</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.899999618530273px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.899999618530273px;">1. </span><strike><i>Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village</i> by Laura Amy Schlitz</strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <strike><i>From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler</i> by E. L. Konigsburg</strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. <strike><i>Amos Fortune: Free Man</i> by Elizabeth Yates</strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. <strike><i>Caddie Woodlawn</i> by Carol Ryrie Brink</strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. <strike><i>Jacob Have I Loved</i> by Katherine Paterson</strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. <strike><i>The Higher Power of Lucky</i> by Susan Patron</strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. <i><strike>The Dark Frigate</strike></i> by Charles Boardman Hawes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. <i><strike>Crispin: The Cross of Lead</strike></i> by Avi</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Completed titles will be struck through as they are finished.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-75967783805675462132013-01-05T17:33:00.002-05:002013-01-15T20:39:34.704-05:0042 Things!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some folks out on the interwebs have posted lists of <a href="http://40b440.wordpress.com/4-2/" target="_blank">40</a> <a href="http://101thingsbeforeyoudie.com/40-before-im-40-list/" target="_blank">things</a> <a href="http://weareoutofink.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-40-things-to-do-before-turning-40.html" target="_blank">they</a> <a href="http://40thingstodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">want</a> <a href="http://40todoby40.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">to</a> <a href="http://fortythingsbeforeforty.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">do</a> <a href="http://www.dare2dream-dare2do.com/40-things-to-do-before-40-update/" target="_blank">before</a> <a href="http://grahamettridge-40thingstodobeforeim40.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">they</a> <a href="http://innerwestmum.blogspot.com/2012/02/40-things-to-do-before-40.html" target="_blank">turn</a> <a href="http://uncommonchick.com/40-things-before-age-40-list/" target="_blank">40</a>,* and I've been inspired. Unfortunately, I'm a little late to the game, so I'm going to shoot for 42 things before I turn 42 on January 7, 2014. As many of you know, the number 42 has <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_to_Life,_the_Universe,_and_Everything#Answer_to_the_Ultimate_Question_of_Life.2C_the_Universe.2C_and_Everything_.2842.29" target="_blank">galactic significance</a>, so this seems like a good year to try new things!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's my list. Thank you for following along!</span><br />
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1. Renew my passport. You never know when you might <strike>have to skip the country</strike> win a fabulous international vacation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Try six new Crock Pot recipes. (Why six? Well, it's a nice, non-intimidating number and is one-seventh of 42.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Read (or re-read) 42 <a href="http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberywinners/medalwinners" target="_blank">Newbery Award winning books</a>. (Eventually I want to read them all.) (Follow along with my list <a href="http://superstarchivist.blogspot.com/2013/01/42-things-item-3-42-newbery-award.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Listen to three new-to-me songs each week. (My list is <a href="http://superstarchivist.blogspot.com/2013/01/42-things-item-4-3-songs.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Blog more, shooting for at least two posts per month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Finish an article on group processing in archives and submit it for publication.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Revise a previous devotion/blog post and submit it to <a href="http://www.myministryminute.com/" target="_blank">My Ministry Minute</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. Learn to crochet a hat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Bake a cake from scratch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. Lift weights an average of twice a week. (Jennifer has said I can count toning classes toward this; thank you, Jenny!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11. Figure out <a href="http://wordpress.org/" target="_blank">WordPress</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12. Donate (at least) 25 articles of clothing to charity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13. Work on some kind of puzzle (jigsaw, crossword, etc.) at least twice per week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14. Read something every day (this is an easy one for me).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15. Meet some more of my online friends in person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16. Play my flute again (even if not in public).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17. Take 42 self-portraits during the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18. Send 42 pieces of handwritten mail during the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">19. Visit a new-to-me state.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20. Walk a 5K for charity; try to raise $420.00.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">21. Visit a new-to-me state park in Georgia.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">22. Lose (at least) ten pounds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">23. Complete a <a href="http://whole9life.com/category/whole-30/" target="_blank">Whole 30</a> diet program (I've done this before and want to do it again.).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24. Schedule and complete a wellness assessment at work. Do it again next year to compare the numbers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25. Unplug for a day: no computer, no phone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">26. Watch seven "best picture" winning movies that I haven't seen before. (Here's <a href="http://superstarchivist.blogspot.com/2013/01/42-things-item-26-7-best-picture-movies.html" target="_blank">my list</a>.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">27. Go to a petting zoo. Take pictures. (I've been to petting zoos before, but it just seemed like a fun thing to do again.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strike>28. Get back into good enough shape to walk 30 minutes straight on the elliptical machine.</strike> <span style="color: purple;"><b>COMPLETED! </b>Managed this on my first try, 1/15/13.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">29. Read one of Shakespeare's plays that I haven't read before.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30. See a play on campus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">31. Go to a concert on campus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">32. For one week, get 30 minutes of exercise every single day, even on the weekend.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">33. Go on a <a href="http://www.macon.com/2009/10/26/892617/history-lives-at-rose-hill-cemetery.html" target="_blank">Rose Hill Ramble</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">34. Take some kind of crafting class during the year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">35. Have a facial.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">36. Write about my completed experiences in a journal. (I'm a journal hoarder.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">37. At least once per week, play a game with the XBox Kinect or the Wii Fit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">38. Sponsor/"adopt" an endangered animal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">39. Have a slumber party with my two BFFs; possibly turn this into a girls' weekend if our schedules permit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">40. Go to a firing range.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">41. Re-read <i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i>, at least the first four books of the trilogy. (Yes, I mean that. There's a fifth book I haven't read yet.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: line-through;">42. Buy a new towel</span><i style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><strike>.</strike> </i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>COMPLETED! </b>I ordered <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/8e20/?srp=5" target="_blank">this one</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And away we go!
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Aside from Helen, I don't know any of the people whose lists I linked to; my apologies if there's anything offensive out there.</span></i>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-79312889773913728982013-01-01T20:40:00.000-05:002013-01-01T20:40:13.286-05:00Happy 2013!Time to blow the dust off the ol' blog and say hello. In lieu of new year's resolutions this year, I'm planning a list of "42 things to do before I turn 42" (I've missed my chance at 40 before 40, I'm afraid, and 41 is almost here). One of those goals is to blog more, so maybe I'll actually do it this time!<br />
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Hopefully this is just the first of numerous posts for 2013. Hold me to it, ok?Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-62607322788436773162012-09-18T18:49:00.000-04:002012-09-18T18:49:10.927-04:00My Letter to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dear Governor Deal,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am writing as both a citizen of Georgia and as an archivist to ask you to intervene in the proposed closure of the Georgia Archives. In addition, I hope that you and your budget office will find a way to restore some of the previous cuts and return the Archives to five days per week of public access hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am disappointed in Secretary Kemp’s plan to allow the Archives to absorb all of his office’s three per cent cuts that you have requested. It seems that further discussions need to be held with all of his employees before decimating the office required by state law to be available to ensure access to state records (</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Georgia Public Records and Open Records Act 50-18-70). Our records “shall be open for a personal inspection by any citizen of this state at a reasonable time and place, and those in charge of such records shall not refuse this privilege to any citizen.” Further reductions in the Archives’ staff and elimination of open hours do not fulfill this mandate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">My own career as an archivist began with an internship at the Georgia Archives when it was still located in downtown Atlanta. The staff there was excited about preserving and sharing Georgia history. Their enthusiasm encouraged me to pursue my interests in historic documents and research, and I worked as a state employee at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and at Georgia State University doing just that. I am now employed as the Head of Special Collections at your alma mater, and I still love sharing history with Mercerians. I am sure you remember the excitement of conducting research from your own college days and hope you will find a way to enable other Georgians to connect with their history and records.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sincerely,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Laura M. Botts, C.A.</span></div>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-32259880660904667202012-09-14T23:01:00.001-04:002012-09-14T23:01:52.874-04:00Pit-iful Peach StateWhen the fabulous <a href="http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Unquiet Librarian</a>, a/k/a Buffy Hamilton, asks you to write a guest post for her blog, you don't say no. You can read what I shared with her on the <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2012/09/13/georgia-archives-closing-due-to-budget.html" target="_blank">proposed closing</a> of the <a href="http://www.sos.ga.gov/archives/" target="_blank">Georgia state archives</a> <a href="http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/guest-post-pit-iful-peach-state-the-georgia-archives-crisis/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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If you're so inclined, please sign this <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-ga-leave-our-state-archives-open-to-the-public" target="_blank">change.org petition</a> and make your opposition to the closing known to your elected officials. I love this state, and I'm embarrassed by this proposed course of action.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-45528958141232561612012-07-07T16:19:00.002-04:002012-07-07T16:19:28.271-04:00Paleo Day 3Today is brought to you by leftover stir-fried pork, veggies, and pineapple for breakfast and by a late lunch of salad.<br />
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Food is food regardless of when you eat it!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-23115309804355255562012-07-05T21:28:00.002-04:002012-07-05T21:28:38.994-04:00Only 29 Days to Go!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I survived my first day of 30 without grains, dairy, or added sugar. We'll see how tomorrow goes.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-18174000622714333992012-07-04T16:55:00.000-04:002012-07-04T16:55:26.392-04:00In Which Our Intrepid Superstarchivist Attempts a "Paleo" DietNot much to say here other than I'm going to try eating like a caveman for 30 days. See <a href="http://whole9life.com/start/">http://whole9life.com/start/</a> to learn more about the specifics of the plan. You can also find paleo-friendly recipes I've pinned on one of <a href="http://pinterest.com/laurabotts/pondering-paleo/" target="_blank">my Pinterest boards</a>.<br />
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Wish me luck!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-25568942992118529972012-03-19T23:20:00.000-04:002012-03-19T23:33:17.445-04:00He Is Exalted<i>"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God is our refuge and strength,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an ever-present help in trouble.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">" - Psalm 46:1, NIV</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Come and see what the LORD has done,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the desolations he has brought on the earth.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He makes wars cease </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to the ends of the earth.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he burns the shields</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> with fire. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will be exalted among the nations,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will be exalted in the earth.'” - Psalm 46:8-10, NIV</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've always liked the "God is our refuge and strength" and "Be still and know that I am God" parts of <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+46&version=NIV" target="_blank">this Psalm</a>. The verses are calming, something I can focus on when I'm feeling overwhelmed. They're among the earliest verses I learned in Sunday school, and I've always held them in my heart. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tonight, though, I looked at verses 8-10. In verse 8, God has "done" these things. He has devastated areas, depopulating them, bringing desolation. What? This doesn't make sense! In verse 9 God seems to be on the right side of things again, ending wars all over the earth. But look at how he does it! There's nothing calming or peaceful about breaking bows, shattering spears, and burning shields (or possibly chariots)! This isn't the God I think of when I'm resting in the quiet of verse 10. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think the quiet of verse 10 isn't the God I like to envision, holding me and soothing me after a rough day at work. This is the sudden, tense quiet after a crash, a storm, or a battle. God has actively destroyed the tools of war! Hear the snaps as not just thin arrows but heavy bows are broken! See the flames devour the shields and chariots! Now...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...there is quiet. But God tells us in that anxious quiet that he's in charge here and that he will be exalted. Oh, yes, he will. </span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-33829606762026071172012-03-18T21:45:00.000-04:002012-03-18T21:45:00.782-04:00Erm, Day Something of Lent<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah, I fell off the Lent wagon. It happens. I also fell off the <a href="http://www.youversion.com/" target="_blank">YouVersion</a> wagon, where I was working through their <a href="http://www.youversion.com/reading-plans/6-historical" target="_blank">Historical</a> plan. I'm not terribly far behind, and I know I can catch up, but I'm not there just yet. However, tonight I was reading Joshua 1 and 2 and found something worth sharing, I hope. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"<span style="background-color: white;">Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ... </span><span style="background-color: white;">Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the </span><span class="vsmallcaps" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white;"> your God will be with you wherever you go."</span></i><span style="background-color: white;"><i>- Joshua 1:6-7, 9, NIV </i></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span class="verse Josh_1_16" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Then they answered Joshua, 'Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.</span><span class="verse Josh_1_17" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the <span class="vsmallcaps" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Lord</span> your God be with you as he was with Moses.</span><span class="verse Josh_1_18" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.'" - Joshua 1:16-18, NIV</span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="verse Josh_1_18" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="verse Josh_1_18" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"</span><span class="verse Josh_2_8" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof</span><span class="verse Josh_2_9" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">and said to them, 'I know that the <span class="vsmallcaps" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Lord</span> has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.' ... '</span><span style="background-color: white;">When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the </span><span class="vsmallcaps" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white;"> your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.'</span><span style="background-color: white;">" - Joshua 2:8-9, 11, NIV</span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;">They said to Joshua, 'The </span><span class="vsmallcaps" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white;"> has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.'" - Joshua 2:24, NIV</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">There's a catchy <a href="http://www.michaelwsmith.com/" target="_blank">Michael W. Smith</a> song called "Be Strong and Courageous" that comes from God's instruction to Joshua in the beginning of this book. (It gets stuck in my head whenever I see that phrase.) But until tonight I hadn't noticed how many times the topics of courage and it's flip-side, fear, come up. God tells Joshua three times to "be strong and courageous," adding in a "very" one of those times. Then the people of Israel, who have certainly not been very courageous during their 40-year journey out of Egypt, tell him again! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Was Joshua that dense? Did he need to hear it three times from God and then again from his cousins before he got it? I don't think so. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+17:8-10&version=NIV" target="_blank">Joshua is first recognized</a> by name back in Exodus when Moses sends him to choose men to fight the Amalekites. He's <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+17:13-15&version=NIV" target="_blank">no coward</a>. He's also one of the two scouts who <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+14&version=NIV" target="_blank">checks out Canaan</a> and thinks the Israelites can take it. In Numbers, God says that Joshua has a "<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+27:17-19&version=NIV" target="_blank">spirit of leadership</a>." </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">In Deuteronomy 1 Moses tells the people that God has told him to <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+1:38&version=NIV" target="_blank">encourage</a> Joshua. Again in Deuteronomy 3, God commands Moses to "<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+3:27-29&version=NIV" target="_blank">encourage and strengthen him</a>." Time and time again God speaks directly to Joshua or uses others to do so just to remind him that he is strong and courageous. I don't think God does this because Joshua is a 'fraidy-cat. Not at all. I think God is telling the Israelites that he has given them a strong, courageous leader. God put Joshua in charge, and He wants that to be known by both Joshua and the people who need to follow him.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I also think these verses serve to remind those of us reading them thousands of years later that e</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ven people with God-given leadership abilities need to be told that we recognize and appreciate their gifts and talents. I think we need to lift them up with positive statements and prayer, and I think we need to let them know we see what they do. </span><br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-30277241086980563552012-02-27T23:02:00.004-05:002012-02-27T23:03:10.094-05:00Day 6: What's Your Calling?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;">For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, </span><span style="background-color: white;">so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. </span><span style="background-color: white;">We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your</span><span style="background-color: white;"> faith; </span><span style="background-color: white;">if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; </span><span style="background-color: white;">if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,</span><span style="background-color: white;"><b> </b></span><span style="background-color: white;">do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." - Romans 12:4-8, NIV</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Today I had a terrific meeting with my faculty reading group. We've been looking at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Higher-Education-Renewal-Jossey-Bass/dp/0470487909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330400926&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Heart of Higher Education</a> as we move toward an integrative learning framework this fall. One of the professors mentioned "vocation" and "calling." I wondered what, if anything, my few readers had to say about that? Do you feel like your job is just that? A job? Maybe a piece of a career? Or is it what you were called by some higher power to do?</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I've had two former colleagues say that they saw in me a spiritual gift of administration. I hope they're right. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">During our discussion today I had a current colleague thank me for the "energy" I brought to the conversation. I think I was energetic because I felt passionate about what we were discussing. It feels like when you love what you're talking about, you have an innate energy to provide to others.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A few years ago, someone asked if I considered myself a "minister," because he saw my job that way. I haven't seen that in myself, but it has caused me to ponder. Am I ministering to others in what I do? Am I in my current position for a reason? Whose needs am I meeting?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">What about you? Are you using your gifts in your workplace? How?</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"</b>While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,<span class="woj">'Take and eat; this is my body.' </span>Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, '<span class="woj">Drink from it, all of you.</span> <span class="woj">This is my blood of the</span><span class="woj"><b> </b>covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.</span> <span class="woj">I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.'” - Matthew 26:26-29, NIV</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="woj" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I understand it, the Sundays during Lent are "mini-Easters," days of joy in which Lenten deprivations need not be observed. In celebration of this Lenten loophole, I give you the verses above from "the last supper" of Jesus and his disciples without commentary. They celebrated the Passover meal together before life as the disciples knew it changed forever.</span></div>
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<span class="woj" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you've had a good day today!</span></div>
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<span class="woj"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 11px;">© Laura M. Botts, 2012</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 11px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span></span></i> </span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-72346501145221951782012-02-25T23:29:00.000-05:002012-02-25T23:30:49.091-05:00Day 4<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. </span><span style="background-color: white;">And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.' </span><span style="background-color: white;">At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted</span><sup class="footnote" style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-24229g" title="See footnote g">g</a>]">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%201&version=NIV#fen-NIV-24229g" style="color: #b37162; text-decoration: none;" title="See footnote g">g</a>]</sup><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him." - Mark 1:9-13, NIV</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I decided to look at the <a href="http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/" target="_blank">Revised Common Lectionary</a> readings for a writing prompt, and I found the verses above. I think most church-goers are familiar with the story of John baptizing Jesus as well as with the story of Jesus's temptation in the wilderness. But I'm not sure I've ever thought about the two being connected.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As soon as Jesus receives the Holy Spirit and is affirmed as God's son, the Spirit sends him out to endure forty days of temptation. Wow. What if we did that in our churches? "Congratulations on your baptism! We're glad you decided to show us that you've accepted Christ. Now, just to make sure, we're going to toss you in the desert for close to a month and a half of Satanic temptation. Relax, you'll do fine..." </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I have to say I'm glad we don't do this! However, I think God wants us to know we could handle it if we had to. See 1 Corinthians 10:13 for the evidence: "</span><span style="background-color: white;">No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Remember that when you feel tempted. Jesus went through it, and he came out without giving in. God gives us a way out and won't let us endure more than we can handle. We, too, are His beloved sons and daughters. Hang in there!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As I was thinking about what to write today, I tried to remember what had happened at work. I spent two hours in a meeting with our faculty senate, which is always interesting, but which didn't really yield any blog fodder. I also worked on a request from the university's marketing department for photos and captions from 100, 50, and 25 years ago. Also interesting, but not terribly exciting.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Then I thought back to early this morning. I was chatting with a colleague when our administrative assistant appeared and presented me with a gift. Ok, it was really for my department, but you get the idea.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">She handed me a brand new first aid kit for Special Collections. It doesn't have everything we'd need for a serious emergency, of course, but it has bandages, an ice pack, some painkillers, and other assorted basics for everyday boo-boos. Sometimes that's all we need: enough to get by until we recover on our own.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Sometimes, though, that's not enough. We need real healing. Sustenance. Repair. Something that goes deeper than a Band-Aid</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">®</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">. We need something to heal the deepest wounds of our hearts and souls. For the Christian, that something is God, accessible to us via prayer, whether in audible or silent words, or even in our "wordless groans," as in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%208:26&version=NIV" target="_blank">Romans 8:26</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Do you need something more than a bandage and a painkiller? See if talking to God will make a bigger difference for you. It certainly can't hurt.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-31287559192016875672012-02-23T21:48:00.000-05:002012-02-23T21:48:52.384-05:002nd Day of Lent<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b>"</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Rejoice always,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> pray continually, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." - </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Uh-oh. Look at those words up there. "Always." "Continually." "All." Once again, I find myself falling short of God's will. If I had written this letter, it probably would have said, "Rejoice when things are going well, pray when you need something, give thanks when you have something to be happy about..." </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">But that's not what we're told to do. The verses remind us to do these things ALL the time! How on earth is that possible? Well, on earth it probably isn't. With some heavenly help, though? Maybe then we can tackle them. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I don't think this passage is telling us that we will always be happy, that if we follow Jesus, life will be peaches and cream, or a barrel of monkeys, or whatever idiom you'd like to use. I see it more as reminding us that no matter what is going on, we can rejoice as Christians if we remember the bigger picture. Praying is just talking to God, right? And I regularly talk to myself "without ceasing," it seems. How much better off would I be if I spent that time talking -- and more importantly, listening -- to God?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If you have never read Corrie Ten Boom's book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hiding-Place-John-Sherrill/dp/0800794052/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330050936&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Hiding Place</a></i>, let me recommend it to you. In thinking about these verses from 1 Thessalonians, I was reminded of her story about being thankful for fleas. Yes, fleas. You can find a transcription of that story <a href="http://www.broadcaster.org.uk/section2/transcript/hidingplace.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I certainly can't say it any better.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I hope that this little post will remind <strike>you</strike> <b>ME</b> to look for the joy in every situation, to give thanks for things that seem insignificant, and to quiet my internal chatter long enough to listen. Lent is a season of preparation, not of despair. Look toward the joy, and be thankful on the journey. </span><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 11px;">© Laura M. Botts, 2012</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 11px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span></span></i>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-35609842377902145852012-02-23T12:13:00.000-05:002012-02-23T12:14:17.942-05:00Happy Lent! (Nothing about Archives)<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for
the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an
inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
- Colossians 3:23-24, NIV<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of
Lent. Although the whole church calendar ultimately leads us to the joy of
Easter morning, we focus on it most during this part of the year. For the next
forty days, Christians around the world will spend time reflecting on Christ’s
journey to the cross. Many of them will make sacrifices designed to draw them
closer to God. Some will give up a favorite food or a particular behavior,
trusting in God to help them through any temptations they face along the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I’m a lifelong
Baptist and have never done “the Lent thing.” My church celebrates various
seasons of the liturgical calendar, but not to the extent that many other
congregations do. It’s still kind of new to me. I asked some friends what they
were giving up for Lent, and was intrigued that some of them choose to focus on
positive additions to their lives instead of doing away with something. As one
said, “<span style="background: white;">I don't think it's about giving up for
giving up's sake. I think it's about doing that which brings you closer to the
love of God.” Another friend suggested writing something every day, a devotion
or meditation. I had been thinking about doing some writing, so I liked that
idea. I’m no biblical scholar, but I wanted to do something tying scripture or
inspirational writings to my life and work (and whatever else I might think of).</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So here we are, Day 1. I don’t promise
to write every single day, but we’ll see what happens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I chose the verse at the top from </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.sandersweb.net/bible/verse.php">http://www.sandersweb.net/bible/verse.php</a>,
a site that came up in my search for a “random Bible verse.” The site says that
they use a preselected list of verses, but you get a random selection from
those choices. In light of my desire to write about work, I thought it was
appropriate. However, I don’t want to try and explain Paul’s (or anyone else’s)
theology; my only goal is to share some reflections on my thoughts about the
verses or writings I find. So, back to Colossians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are days when I don’t feel like giving my all at
work, or at home, or in the church choir, or when I’m shopping at Walmart. But
this verse tells us that we should work wholeheartedly at WHATEVER we’re doing.
Wow. That’s not easy, is it? Certainly not for me. But as a Christian, it’s
what I should be doing. I’m not working for my own glory and recognition. I’m
not working to make my boss happy, although she probably appreciates it if I
work hard. No, I’m supposed to work at whatever task is at hand “as working for
the Lord.” If you ask me, that sets the bar pretty high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But keep reading. The incentive for me to work hard and
serve Christ is mighty compelling. An inheritance? That sounds good. “An
inheritance from the Lord as a reward”? I can’t think of anything I’d rather
receive when my shift on this earth is over. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">© Laura M. Botts, 2012</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span></span></i></div>
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-65491173845909961722012-02-07T16:28:00.000-05:002012-02-08T08:42:42.671-05:00A Word about Cover Letters<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My library recently conducted a successful search for an instruction librarian, a faculty position with duties involving reference, subject liaison work, and the coordination of our instruction program. We made a terrific hire, but the search committee read through a lot of less than stellar cover letters during the review process. In looking back, there were a few things I wanted to share. If you are looking for a job, I hope this is helpful.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if the job ad doesn't specifically tell you to do so, please address the specifics of the ad in your cover letter or online application. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd like to see something that says why you
want to work at my institution and what appeals to you about <b>this</b> job. It's not hard for us to spot generic letters that you're sending out to every place with a job announcement. Do your homework, and make us feel special! (At the very least, double check the job title and contact information before you submit the document. We're embarrassed for you if we know you didn't update the letter before sending it to us.)</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are currently in a geographically distant location, it wouldn't hurt to say something about why you would like to relocate. If this is your first professional job, that's fine. If you'll be closer to your family or your alma mater or your favorite beach, that's fine, too. You don't have to reveal personal details, but please indicate that you're aware there will be a move involved. If you've always wanted to live in middle Georgia and love hot, humid summers, say so! Otherwise, we may wonder why you'd want to leave your current area, but we might not put you through to the phone call or interview stage in order to ask you.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are currently employed in an institution that is markedly different from the one you're applying to, tell us why you'd like to make a change. For example, </span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what would you see as the advantages of working at a small private university if you work in a large research institution?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">do you like wearing a variety of hats instead of being pigeonholed into one kind of job all day?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is the position a logical career move, perhaps from a staff to a faculty status or becoming a department head?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">do you want to work closely with a small group of colleagues?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">does the smaller institution have a reputation for innovation or something that intrigues you?</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rem</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ember, job searches are expensive. We can't afford to bring every qualified candidate to campus for an in-person interview, so tell us what you think we need to know. Don't leave us wondering why you want to work with us; specify why you'd be a great candidate and why you'd love the job. It's ok to show some personality in your cover letter. Your goal is to make it to the next round of phone calls or in-person interviews, at which point we'll be talking to the candidates who rose to the top of a heap of applications. You can make our search a little easier by standing out from the crowd!</span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-14006994052909053032012-01-31T16:56:00.000-05:002012-01-31T16:58:33.322-05:00Time for Some "Library Day in the Life" Fun! #libday8That's right, boys and girls! Those zany librarians (and archivists) are at it again, posting about <a href="http://librarydayinthelife.pbworks.com/w/page/16941198/FrontPage" target="_blank">what we do all day</a>. Guess what? We don't spend much time reading books and shushing patrons!<br />
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Yesterday I tagged a few <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/laurabotts" target="_blank">Tweets</a> with #libday8, but after seeing some <a href="http://guardienne.blogspot.com/2012/01/library-day-in-life-libday8-day-1.html" target="_blank">blog</a> <a href="http://www.attemptingelegance.com/?p=1494" target="_blank">posts</a> by some of my library heroes, I decided to try a timeline format today.<br />
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6:30: Got up and (eventually) out the door.<br />
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8:15: Arrived at library. Turned in book. Chatted with colleagues about books we've enjoyed recently. Helped dean take down panels from an old exhibit that is no longer on display.<br />
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8:30: Opened Special Collections. Checked calendars, email (quick read through), and socnets. Discovered that <a href="https://www.google.com/" target="_blank">teh Googlez</a> <a href="https://www.google.com/ads/preferences" target="_blank">think I am</a> a 55-64 year-old female with no interests (if I ask it when I'm in <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/" target="_blank">Firefox</a>). Well, ok, then. (In <a href="https://www.google.com/chrome" target="_blank">Chrome</a>, by the way, I'm 25-34, female, and am interested in rock music and Los Angeles. Who knew?) Started this blog post.<br />
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9:00: Technically, the department is now open. I'm expecting a researcher at 9:30, but I'm not sure which boxes she needs from the collection she's researching. I've put a copy of the finding aid out for her and will pull the boxes when she arrives.<br />
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9:09: More email to read and respond to. Some random books were found in our loading dock/technical services area, and they're coming to Special Collections. Assistant has arrived now. Caught up with her. Sorted through some gift books to see how many we'd like to have cataloged (three). Took books to cataloging. Picked up mail and sorted it. None for me! Yay!<br />
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9:30: Quick email check. Delete, delete, delete. Don't want to start anything big since researcher is expected. Looked at some suggested titles to read during an upcoming research day. Need to pull some after the patron arrives and gets settled. Now back to checking the catalog for gift books.<br />
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10:15: Researcher is here and underway. Pulled boxes for her to use. Discarded old duplicate directories we didn't need. Chatted with tech services colleague about a cataloging project. Roamed the stacks and selected a few titles for my research day. Answered email from boss that will require sending another email for a status update on a digitization project. Sent that one. Also contacted art faculty about some student photographers I need to have photograph some artifacts for a display. Updated calendar to reflect a meeting I've added for tomorrow afternoon. Updated online membership directory for the <a href="http://certifiedarchivists.org/" target="_blank">Academy of Certified Archivists</a>.<br />
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11:00: Did some database searching for more research day material; scribbled some notes. Researcher needed another box. She hopes to come back later in the week to do more digging. Quick socnet perusal. Printed out a journal article.<br />
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11:35: Did a little reading of an article for a faculty reading group that meets next week. Researcher has departed. Read over an obituary for a well-known Baptist minister. Skimmed an article on "Career Satisfaction of Young Archivists" by Amber L. Cushing. Printed that out for further review. Skimmed and printed an article on sociology and office relationships. Seeing "reciprocity" and "kinship" made me miss my anthropology classes. Should do more reading on that in my free time.<br />
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12:00: Time for a lunch meeting!<br />
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1:50: Meeting was good (wellness and spirituality). Picked up our mail (3 boxes of journals and a box for the archives). Sorted out that the volunteer isn't coming in today. Now off to learn about "thin clients." *whoosh*<br />
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3:40: Stayed awake (it was a battle) in the meeting. Learned some useful things. Now for more email and to see if a researcher who just appeared needs anything.<br />
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3:55: She needs to scan. Haven't installed good software for that on the computer in our reading room since we got a new-to-us computer. Found a work-around. Checked a file for the group she needs pictures of, but we don't have much.<br />
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4:15: Battling with the second of our two scanners. :(<br />
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4:55: Ok, finally got all the scanning done. Assistant talked to a potential donor with some old magazines; I'll contact him tomorrow. Time to take my pile of books down to circulation and head out.<br />
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Stay tuned for more adventures later in the week!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-91622558757417748512011-12-31T17:28:00.001-05:002011-12-31T17:30:17.102-05:00So Long, 2011!Greetings, friends! It's time once again for a little bit of reflection and some goal-setting as we kiss another year goodbye.<br />
<br />
From <a href="http://superstarchivist.blogspot.com/2010/12/year-in-preview.html" target="_blank">last year's post</a>, these were my 2011 goals. Let's see how we did, shall we?<br />
<ol>
<li><i>...because
another archivist saw my QR code post and asked if I would like to be
part of a session she was proposing for the annual meeting of the <a href="http://www2.archivists.org/">Society of American Archivists</a> in 2011. We got accepted! Yay! So 2011 will mark my first presentation at a national meeting. Gulp!</i></li>
<li><i>That
meeting will be in Chicago in August. Additional travel is planned for
Houston in March and, I hope, Dallas/Ft. Worth in May. I'm already
chatting up online friends about possible get-togethers!</i></li>
<li><i>What else do I want to do next year? I'd like to read more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis">C.S. Lewis</a>,
so that's definitely a goal. I also hope to read more books from my
library that I discover while browsing the shelves. They may not be
current best-sellers, but they'll be things that catch my eye in the
stacks.</i></li>
<li><i>Also, I still have a number of unfinished <a href="http://superstarchivist.blogspot.com/2010/01/happy-new-year-from-to-z.html">goals</a> from 2010, and we'll see how those progress in the coming year.</i></li>
</ol>
<b>Goal 1:</b> Survive the SAA meeting and my presentation therein. I did! I was part of a terrific panel on using technology in the archives. I met some great folks from other institutions, and we enjoyed learning from each other. The audience had some good questions for us and seemed to enjoy the session. <br />
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<b>Goal 2:</b> Go places. Went to Chicago, Houston, and DFW as planned. Also went to Pennsylvania five times (with New Jersey included once) for a total of three funerals. As much as I enjoy traveling, I could do without the funerals in 2012. On the up-side, I was able to hang out with a variety of my internet friends and met some for the first time. 2011 included visits with (in no particular order) Jim, Joy, Will, Patricia, Heather, Scott, Janet, Joe, Kristin, Kirsten, Harvey, Yolanda, Zulema, Daryl, Kesha, Anne, Maria, and Marcia.<br />
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<b>Goal 3:</b> Read stuff. I didn't read as much C.S. Lewis as I intended, but I did finish <i>The Great Divorce</i>, <i>The Screwtape Letters</i>, and <i>Mere Christianity</i>. Hopefully I'll read more in 2012. As far as reading diverse books from the library stacks, those ran the gamut from Mary Roach's <i>Packing for Mars</i> to Zora Neale Hurston's <i>Their Eyes Were Watching God</i> and from Jon Gordon's <i>The No Complaining Rule</i> to Robert M. Edsel's <i>Monuments Men</i>. If you'd like to keep up with my reading, feel free to <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1028277-laura" target="_blank">add me</a> on Goodreads.com.<br />
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<b>Goal 4:</b> Keep meeting old goals. Well, let's just say I'm a work in progress!<br />
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So where does this leave me as I stare down the barrel of 2012? What would I like to be looking back on this time next year? Hmm. More travel, as usual. I'm hoping to hit Austin, TX (maybe with some time in San Antonio), again in March and to take my first trip to San Diego, CA, in August. If I can work it out, I'd also like to hop over to the UK in the spring to visit a friend who will be teaching a study abroad course there. That will mean renewing my passport, so I'd better get on that.<br />
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Professionally, I did receive my promotion to Associate Professor this year (yay!), but there are always areas in which I can grow. I'm still the <a href="http://certifiedarchivists.org/" target="_blank">ACA</a> Webmaster, and I've enjoyed serving on the board. I'll also be finishing up the second year of my term as <a href="http://soga.org/" target="_blank">SGA</a> Secretary. At this point I don't have any speaking engagements scheduled, but you never know when that could change. (Need a speaker for something? I'd be glad to consider it!) <br />
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Beyond that? Who knows? We'll just have to see where we end up. Happy 2012 to you, dear reader! I hope it's a good one!<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-59350732949694786562011-12-13T23:44:00.000-05:002011-12-13T23:57:38.996-05:00Rules for Improv @ Your LibraryI'm behind the curve on this one. I just finished listening to the audiobook of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Fey">Tina Fey</a>'s <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9418327-bossypants"><i>Bossypants</i></a>, and like <a href="http://bulletproofcommunicationstraining.com/2011/05/23/bossypants-tina-feys-rules-of-improvisation/">lots</a> <a href="http://www.cedarsage.com/professionals/tina-feys-rules-improv-work-clients/%20">of</a> <a href="http://theknotcollective.com/let%E2%80%99s-make-the-rules-of-improv-rules-in-advertising">other</a> <a href="http://www.riggspartners.com/3business/2innovations-business/four-very-funny-rules-for-work-for-life">bloggers</a>, I was struck by her <i>Rules of Improvisation That Will Change Your Life and Reduce Belly Fat</i>*. I think the reason so many folks have posted the rules and how they relate to their professions is that they're just good rules for life in general. If you haven't read them yet, here they are, slightly paraphrased from Tina's book. Her thoughts are in bold and italics, and mine (specifically on how I see these play out in librarianship) are in regular type.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>1. Agree. Always agree, and say "yes."</b> <i> </i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>This rule reminds you to respect what others have created and to "at least start from an open-minded place. Start with a 'yes,' and see where that takes you."<b> </b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
We've all heard that "librarians fear change." No, not every single one of them, but enough of them to add it to the stereotype (hey, I don't knit or own a cat, but plenty of library folk do). I think we have trouble with this rule; our instinct is to say "no" and to question why we should do something new. But what if we took this rule to heart? <a href="http://www.attemptingelegance.com/?p=1200">Jenica Rogers</a>, one of my library heroes, does just this (emphasis mine, fabulous writing hers):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">After the first six months in my current position I told my team that my operating principle is that</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> <b><i>I will say yes unless I must say no, and that I define “must” by considering our mission, our goals, and our resources</i></b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>.</i></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;"> And I’ve been consistent in that. They trust me. And they expect a yes, but respect a no, because they understand how I make those decisions. Someone, upon hearing that, once asked me if I didn’t think that was a misstep – telling the team. Because now that they knew how I made decisions, they could manipulate the system, and thus me. I just stared at them. If my decision-making process is something I’m proud of, and it’s based on mission, goals, and resources, how precisely would someone manipulate me? </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">If their idea is good, I say yes. If their idea compels me to say no, I say no. Knowing that doesn’t give them some strange power over me, it just makes them more comfortable asking me for things because they know how I will treat them when they do.</span></i></b></span></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I love this idea. Most people (especially in libraries!) aren't going to propose random changes without some reason for them, so what are we so afraid of? Let your employees or co-workers try something new! Even better...</div>
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<b>2. Don't just say "yes." Say "yes, and..."</b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Agree, and then "add something of your own.... To [Tina Fey], 'yes, and,' means don't be afraid to contribute. It's your responsibility to contribute. Always make sure you're adding something to the discussion. Your initiations are worthwhile."</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Encourage your staff/colleagues/librarians-where-you-work by joining in with their ideas. Instead of questioning them, kick it up a notch! "Oooh, I like that idea! And what if we added <i>x</i> as well?" What would happen in our institutions if we embraced new ideas? If we brainstormed without judging? If we weren't afraid to just go for it with no-holds-barred abandon? Think about it. Dream about it. Do it.<br />
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On to rule 3...</div>
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<b>3. Make statements.</b> </div>
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<i>"This is a positive way of saying, 'Don't ask questions all the time....'" Don't just raise questions and point out obstacles; be part of the solution. "Make statements with your actions and your voice."</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
I don't even need to add to this (but it's my blog, so I will). Leaders, if you're spineless, grow a spine. Stand up for yourself and your people. Be firm! Say what you mean! Everybody, if you have an idea, share it! Don't hem and haw or sell yourself short. You're in this business for a reason. You love it. You're passionate about it. If you think something might improve a process or a service, let the leaders and managers know. Own it!</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>4. There are no mistakes, only opportunities.</b></div>
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<i>"In improv, there are no mistakes, only beautiful, happy accidents."</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Try something new. If it doesn't work, you can always go back, or better yet, try another new thing. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, look for what you learned from the experience. How can that help you improve the next iteration? What are we so afraid of? You're never going to please everyone; that's a given. But what could you do that would brighten someone's day or make a process more efficient? Do that.<br />
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The whole idea of improvisation is that you're doing something new and creative. It hasn't happened before. It may never happen again. But in this moment, right now, you can have an impact on the other actors in your scene (your co-workers and employees). You can give your audience (patrons) an experience that they'll never forget. You might even impress your directors and producers (those administrative higher-ups who really call the shots). If you always follow someone else's script, what's special about you? Anyone can do that. Live a little, and "set the stage" for something new and exciting!</div>
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*<i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Improv will not reduce belly fat.</i></div>
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-40853825316668538272011-11-06T13:26:00.000-05:002011-11-06T13:34:17.359-05:00Precious Memories<i></i><br />
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</style><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I was asked to share some
thoughts about hymns in preparation for my church's hymnal dedication service, and the response was positive enough that I thought I would post my remarks here. Happy reading!</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As many of you know, I spent six years working as
the librarian and archivist at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and another three
as the popular music archivist at Georgia State University. Those two jobs
provided me with a lot of exposure to all kinds of music. I learned that many
famous performers got their start singing church music, either alone, with
family groups, or in church choirs. I also learned that some singers used hymns
as inspiration for their pop music hits, such as when Ray Charles changed the
words of “I’ve Got a Savior” and recorded “I’ve Got a Woman.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As many of you also know, I now work as the head of
special collections at Mercer University. You may not be aware, though, that
Jesse Mercer, the esteemed Georgia Baptist minister for whom the school is
named, compiled and published hymnals in the 1800s. These early hymnals did not
include music, only words, and they were small enough to fit in a pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As much as I love sharing trivia about music,
though, most of my experiences with hymns are more personal. I ended up
deciding to share a few memories with you today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My father is a retired Baptist minister. I grew up
in south Monroe County and was raised on the songs in the 1956 edition of <i>The Baptist Hymnal</i>. (We had enough
copies of the 1976 edition for the choir, but not for the congregation.) The
choir would occasionally mix things up and sing from <i>The Country and Western Gospel Hymnal</i> if the music director felt
rebellious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In months that had five Sundays, the fifth Sunday
night was a “Singspiration” service. Instead of a regular worship service, there
was special music by the choir, solos, duets, quartets, and so on. There was
always a time for “congregational favorites,” and attendees called out the
numbers or titles of their favorite hymns. You could almost always count on
somebody requesting “The Old Rugged Cross” or “At Calvary” during that time.
The music director would jot down five or six songs, and we would sing the
first and last verses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Speaking of that, I don’t know the third verses of
most of the hymns I learned as a kid. We always sang one, two, and four. Except,
of course, if we were having revival. Then we sang through all six verses of
“Just As I Am” until everyone was hoarse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The hymns I grew up with are still some of my
favorites. The lyrics and music have stayed with me, and I still think of them
from time to time, not just when we sing them here. Nothing is more comforting
than remembering “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” if you’re feeling low. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve enjoyed singing hymns from the <a href="http://www.celebrating-grace.com/">new hymnal</a>. It’s
got a nice mix of old favorites and some newer songs that aren’t just
repetitive choruses but really have some theology in them. I’d like to
encourage all of you to come back tonight and bring some friends for
a time of worship through song. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266856368512381622.post-48841691200030808172011-10-19T15:47:00.001-04:002011-10-19T15:47:38.357-04:00The Hidden Suffering of “Good Librarian Syndrome”It’s a really tough time to be a(n) ___________. Fill in that blank with your chosen profession. It’s true for all of us right now. But in my own role as a librarian and archivist, there are some particular challenges.<br /><br />I recently had an online discussion with some wonderful library/archives friends from around the country who are all struggling with hiring freezes, budget cuts, and administrators begging us to do more with less. One of the issues that was mentioned was a lack of staffing, which led to position restructuring within the library but no change in services. As usual, library employees were expected to endure these changes with pleasant smiles and helpful demeanors. But why? Other departments are not burdened with such expectations. Nobody bats an eye if they stand up and fight against cuts. Why are we so different? <br /><br />It was suggested that the core of our problem is “Good Librarian Syndrome”: it hurts us to say “no” when we are asked by our supervisors, administrations, or even our patrons to do something. The librarian who described this malady went on to say that we have to teach librarians how to say “no” – it’s not a natural behavior for those of us who love to help people. Instead, we will naturally go out of our way to help patrons discover topics, find the best sources, and format and cite their research papers. It’s just what we do. We can’t help helping. And we will help you until it kills us. Maybe not literally, but we will “do more with less” until we have nothing left to give to anyone.<br /><br />One of the librarians in the discussion fought back: “I don't understand why we have such a problem saying ‘no.’ If our budgets get slashed and we have to cut resources, and then people complain, I feel like we should be honest and say, ‘Hey, our budget got slashed. It totally sucks. Here is who you should complain to.’ I find the fact that we are not ok with doing this mind-blowing. I don't think it is good to portray libraries as not suffering, if in fact they are. I think it could work against us. How can we ask for more when we always seem to be doing more with less?” She’s right, of course. If we continue to maintain hours and services with fewer and fewer resources, we will never get our budgets restored or our vacancies filled. <br /><br />The answer she received in our chat was, “Because ‘Good Librarians’ like to suffer and want to seem like superheroes. It's a nice idea but it leads to bad service, unrealistic expectations, and burnout.”<br /><br />Yes, it does. Why do we think this is normal behavior? Why aren’t we empowered to stand our ground and state our case? How can we maintain our “Good Librarian” status without running ourselves ragged? I don’t have all the answers, but I think the outspoken librarian above is correct. We need to let people know that we’re suffering and that we’re not superheroes no matter how much we long to be. (And with a name like “Superstarchivist,” I do long to be.)Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14518607833710295906noreply@blogger.com0