Talking About My Feelings.

That's pretty much what I think about my professional philosophy. "How do you feel about library science?" they ask. And I have to tell them, in at least three pages. It's easy to talk about it - give me a couple of drinks and I have BRILLIANT ideas about sharing and organizing information in the digital age. But in front of a blank Word doc I just sit and watch the cursor blink, trying to come up with something smart and witty to express my philosophy, why I even decided to get into the profession in the first place.

Really? It's an incredibly personal process and considering the fact that I'm not one to share my feelings with people at large, it's a difficult one for me. However, I'm guessing this is just the first of many occasions that I'm going to have to describe my love of making knowledge available so I'd better get used to it.

I also better get drinking, because I only have three weeks left.

And Then There Were None.

I finished competency #14 last night with a minimum of fanfare. It was pretty much "oh shit, I'm done" and that was all. Somehow it felt rather anti-climatic - when I thought I would be running into the street singing the Hallelujah chorus with a bottle of champagne in my hand, I had some profiteroles and fell asleep on the sofa.

Something in me just isn't that excited about it. Of course, in my amateur attempt to psychoanalyze myself, I've come up with several theories, none of which made me feel any better. Really, what I think it boils down to is that although I'm close to having my degree, nothing is going to magically change overnight once I'm finished. I'll get my hood and go back to the same job the next day. It's not like getting my Bachelors and completely starting over. But I'm 30, not 21, and having the option to keep making a decent living until the perfect thing comes along is a great comfort.

I also am the type of personal to downplay achievements, which may be a surprise considering the fact that I love to be the center of attention in general. But I'm very quiet about my education because I don't ever want to throw it in anyone's face. I just happen to have found something that I wanted to get another degree in, and had the chance to do it. It doesn't make me special or smarter, and in my office I'm constantly reminded that pieces of paper mean nothing if you can't DO something with the knowledge, because few of the great minds around me have a degree.

And I've now proven to SJSU, or at least my adviser, that I can DO something with library science. I'm not quite finished, though - I still have to describe my professional philosophy and come up with a career plan, both of which I might steal from the text of a chat with Miss NPW this morning, because dude - she's funny.

But for now, I just need to step back a few paces, get a little distance from the whole thing, and maybe wait until my heart stops beating irregularly. If that ever happens.

14 competencies in under 9 weeks. Quite an accomplishment, if I do say so myself.

And tonight we celebrate with RIBS. I really know how to party.

And Then There Was One.

One competency left. I'm not sure what to say about it, except that it's suddenly sinking in that I'm actually going to have a degree in less than eight weeks.

And that my graduation regalia is $70. Buh? I thought I might just cut a hood out of construction paper, but I suppose that I'll buy the real thing.

Because, um...I'M GOING TO HAVE MY MASTERS.

Post #903

Somehow I missed that I'd hit 900 posts the other day.

Eh.

#12 is in the can, with #13 hot on its heels.

I spent the afternoon ARCHIVING. Who knew that I'd actually ever get to do what my job description says?

That's all.

My Own March Madness

It's the Final Four of my e-portfolio...and #11 has been eliminated!

Three left. THREE!

I'm competing against March 31, which is when I want to be done with this. And actually before then, because I'll be in Vegas that weekend and I would like to, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS, not do any work while I'm there.

I can't believe it's been that long. I'm in Vegas at least every two months, so that makes about 12 trips during which I had to do some sort of homework.

The light at the end of the tunnel must just be visible. And not a moment too soon.

Looking for Ghost Writers

So...I'm wondering if I can find someone to ghost write the rest of my e-portfolio.

Really, it's only four competencies. Someone out there must know about research methods, the economic, social and cultural aspects of information use, developing training programs for an audience, and whatever that last one involves. I don't even remember what it is, but it's probably awful and I bet I don't have any evidence left to present for it.

Oh - I forgot about that part. My ghost writer has to use what I have as evidence and make it sound feasible. It's not that hard. I've turned in the most random pieces but I have the gift of spin, evidently. Did you know that a review of online catalogs can count as evidence for reference service knowledge?

I'm good.

So yeah, yesterday I hit double digits and if I do nothing more for the next month I could get an incomplete.

And we all know that I won't let that happen. That means it's back to the grind and figuring out what that last competency entails...

Oh! Evaluating programs.

So surly.

From Gene.

OH HAI!

Yes, I am alive. I survived the plague, although the nagging cough is totally annoying. I did have to whine about it, and much to my other half's credit he tolerated it with nary a scoff in my direction. He did gag when I made him listen to what was in my lungs, but in his defense it was pretty gross - it was close to a death rattle.

So anyway, that put me a week behind in my schoolwork, which has been difficult to make up since I was SO DAMN TIRED. I did get #9 completed and approved, and am counting the remaining competencies on one hand.

That is something. One more and I can get an incomplete! Um, yeah...I'm not stretching this out another semester, thanks. Not that anyone is coming to graduation because I cannot guarantee that they'll actually be able to SEE me graduate as I only get four tickets until the first of April. That's okay, because it means I can get completed ripped after the ceremony and I don't have to worry about embarrassing myself in front of my family.

In conclusion, I need to complete two competencies, discuss curriculum with one of my instructors, do some research on simulations, hold a Second Life orientation, and re-tool the old man's resume. This week.

I have no idea why anyone wants my life.