wahoo just turned my last final in--the semester is over!!!

Who Said Librarians Weren't Funky?

OK, so they're not funky, but it sure is funny!

Check out the "Flight of the Bumblebee" one that should come up after it. Or just search Youtube for "book cart drill team" and find a strange assortment of librarians with too much time on their hands.

Ok we're testing this out to see if i set it up right. If i did, then this is my first blog post from my cell phone. Woo-hoo!

I Love Google Alerts

Here are a couple things I found interesting as I tried to catch up on all my Google Alerts:

The University of Virginia's Founding Era collection is being digitized and made fully searchable. Available now are the papers of Dolly Madison, George Washington, John Adams, and (most recent) Thomas Jefferson. The only downside is that to actually view the texts you have to sign up for a free trial that only lasts 48 hours, and you can only sign up for a trial every six months. (Or, if you can find enough spare change in the couch, you can just purchase access.) In any case, it looks like quite the undertaking, and they have more collections coming soon.

So I've been hearing about this new book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I read one review that really blasted it, but most other reviews I've read were positive. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of this book, but I'll have to read it as I have to read all things connected to Jane Austen. Now it seems the author, Seth Grahame-Smith, will be combining the supernatural with another of my favorite people: Abraham Lincoln. Oh dear.

I've got some book things to blog about on my book blog, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. Night!

Here Comes the Sun

So I'm very trunky, ready for school to be over with and summer break to begin. (And yes, you can take this as an official announcement that I'm not taking summer school classes. I should, but I'm not going to.)

I've decided that I want to spend my summer reading, reading, and reading. Reading in bed and reading outdoors. Reading in the shower, and reading on the couch while summer thunderstorms rage outside. Old books, new books, poetry, biography and lots of fiction. Young adult books, kids books, and even the occasional book for adults.

This means I've got to start pulling together a summer reading list now. I've got a small list going in my head already, but what suggestions and recommendations do you have for me? What "must-read" book should I add to my list?

Good News!

Just saw this a few minutes ago. Can't say how happy I am for the Captain, his family, and crew!

Captain freed when snipers kill pirates.

I Could Break Out Into Song!

I just read this today, and I am so excited! Romola Garai will play Emma Woodhouse in a new BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. It's a 4 hour mini-series, and the wonderful Sandy Welch is writing the screenplay. Welch is the genius behind North & South and the most recent Jane Eyre adaptation. I love her! And best of all, no Andrew Davies in sight!!

Romola as Emma is a brilliant stroke of casting genius; Johnny Lee Miller is set to play Mr. Knightly, which I'm a little worried about, but still think it will be OK; and Michael Gambon is playing Mr. Woodhouse. Even though I can't stand him as Dumbledore (*shudder*) I've loved him in other roles, and look forward to him in this. I can't wait to see who they cast as Harriet--neither of the previous adaptations I've seen had the right Harriet, so fingers crossed they get it this time.

Filming starts this week in Kent and Surrey--where the novel actually takes place! Hurrah!

Just a Thought

I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know I don't say it often enough, but I am. I don't talk about my feelings about the gospel very often for a couple of reasons. First, I'm embarrassed of my emotions in general and any display of emotion. For good or bad (probably bad) it's just the way I am, so I avoid emotional subjects. Second, my feelings and experiences in the gospel are so profoundly personal and treasured that it's hard for me to find the right words. Plus, it's hard to talk about something that means as much to me as the gospel does because there's the fear that people will treat it lightly, or misunderstand, or whatever.

But lately, I don't know, I've just felt that I need to say that I am grateful for the gospel, and it does mean the world to me--more than that in fact. It's true, and it brings me more joy than I can say. I listened to Conference this weekend and loved it! I am humbled when I think of how blessed I am to have the gospel in my life, and was reminded again how much it means to me. Just thought I'd share that thought.