Twittle Dee

A while back Gina from WebYA inquired about a Twitter flyer after viewing the Facebook flyer I made for Teen Tech Week 2010. It took me some time, but I believe I finally got it. Behold:

Background: SG_Refresh paper

T icon: Jankoatwarpspeed.com

Bird: unknown origin :(

Header font: Action of the Time A L

Secondary font: Helvetica

Since beginning my new job I've dropped off the blogospheric planet much to my dismay. Sadly I don't think that is going to change anytime soon, as I tend to take a while to adjust to new situations. I wanted to kick off my hiatus on a high note (e.g., the Twitter flyer) and demonstrate a taste of what you will find when I return. I plan on creating a lot of new graphics and tutorials to join the funky craft sites I discover. Take care until then!

Bloggiesta Finale

I am a very tired blogger. I'm glad Bloggiesta distracted me from being sick, but I am ready to go to bed now and not look at my blog for a day or two. Glad I made some back up posts today so I can just post them in under a minute. Between Saturday and Sunday I spent a total of 12 hours and 40 minutes blogging in some fashion or another. ::Phew!::

Before looking at the not-entirely-finished goals I set out to accomplish, I wanted to point out a few things I did that were not on my list.

• I created an image for my 10 for 2010 posts
• Decided I definitely wanted to include recipes in 2010 and found a slew of 11 baking/cooking blogs worth adding to the blog roll.
• Organized my Google Reader (which is never under 600 unread posts and yet it is close to 200... go me!)

And to send it off, here's my to-do list in all it's uncompleted glory:

• Start a Google Notebook dedicated just to my blog.
• Pick through my starred/shared items on my reader to get all those "sort through later" items and put them into some sort of order on my newly made Notebook.
• Do the same thing with some of my favorited items from Stumble Upon (realistically the craft and cooking tags). ::please hold while I laugh and look at the ridiculous number of favorites I have on Stumble Upon:: Not happening.
• Make another 10 for 2010 post.
• Make back-up 10 for 2010 posts for a rainy day.
• Email an author for an interview we discussed a month ago.
• Set up the reviews templates for five books.
• Actually review one of the books I've had sitting next to my computer begging in a creaky voice, "Revieeew me."
• Participate in Comments Challenge 2010 over at Mother Reader.
• Lastly, make a business card for this little dude for networking.

First things First

Before even starting on the tasks I assigned myself, I set aside some time to browse through the mini-challenges happening this weekend for Bloggiesta. While many of them seemed like it would add even more work and would make completing my to-do list that much harder, one seemed like it was the best place to start this whole weekend. That's probably the reason why Natasha listed it as the first mini-challenge on her starting gate post for Bloggiesta.

I'm talking about Rebecca of The Book Lady's Blog encouraging participants to set blog goals for 2010. I was planning on just keeping the goals in my notebook so I can visit it periodically throughout the year, but Rebecca's right. There IS "nothing quite like publicly committing to something to motivate you to do it."

Without further ado, the goals of Purple Polka in the year 2010:

• Complete at least one 10 for 2010 post a month.
• Create graphic headers for regularly featured posts.
• Sweep through my starred items in my Google Reader once a month and put together links in my notebook for ease of use.

Only three to start, but I don't want to overwhelm myself and then not do any of them. How about you? What are your blogging goals this year? Check out Rebecca's post for inspiration if you don't have a clue as to where to start. It sure helped me!

Bloggiesta: Digital housekeeping style

Hola! This is my starting post for this weekend's Bloggiesta. I'm very excited for the timing of this challenge as I'm stuck home sick/bored today and now I have something to keep my mind off that. YAY!

Maw Books Blog is hosting the second annual Bloggiesta in which participants are encouraged to work on all those things they put off in regards to their blog. I've made up a little to-do list and hope to accomplish all of the items during the duration of the event. Which, by the way, runs from yesterday until Sunday, January 10th. This leaves me with only two days, folks (eep!)

To the to-do list, Batman!

• Start a Google Notebook dedicated just to my blog.
• Pick through my starred/shared items on my reader to get all those "sort through later" items and put them into some sort of order on my newly made Notebook.
• Do the same thing with some of my favorited items from Stumble Upon (realistically the craft and cooking tags).
• Make another 10 for 2010 post.
• Make back-up 10 for 2010 posts for a rainy day.
• Email an author for an interview we discussed a month ago.
• Set up the reviews templates for five books.
• Actually review one of the books I've had sitting next to my computer begging in a creaky voice, "Revieeew me."
• Participate in Comments Challenge 2010 over at Mother Reader.
• Lastly, make a business card for this little dude for networking.

Thank you Abby (the) Librarian for your posting on both Bloggiesta and Comments Challenge 2010!! You = blog lifesaver frillz.

BONUS JONAS: I have techno/trance on my computer for those moods that occur 0.001% of them time that remind me that I like this type of music. Mostly it gets ignored, but I was furiously typing my to-do list up and didn't want to stop and found that I actually got really into typing and thinking of other ways to challenge myself this weekend as a result.

Long story short: If you find that you don't have blogging motivation, slap some electronic beats on and let the repetitive, driving bass-line will be your guide.

Apparently I'm an Inferi

Man I've come back from the dead on this old Blogorino more times than I can count in just 2009. I'm sorry. At this point I feel like I'm probably apologizing to the air because I haven't posted in so long the one reader I had most likely abandoned me. Oh well, such is life.

Instead of blaming computer issues and moving twice in the same month, I'm going to own up and admit it: I'm a bad blogger. But I want to do better. Instead of waiting for January to start a new year, how about I just kick it off now? I've got me one of them there birthdays in two weeks, why not try living up to an older, more responsible (blogwise, anyway) Kristi(e) now?

It will be hard--not gonna lie. I've taken a very silly path to get to where I am now. Bored of reading the same damn blog every. single. URL I clicked on I decided to share silly things, fandom and other non book reviews. In an attempt to stand out I feel like I've just boxed myself in a corner and made it so that when I come across things I want to post about, I can't. Well that's just dumb. So please bear with me as I figure out exactly what type of blog this is.

Update!

It appears that I am going to be taking another hiatus. D'oh. HOWEVER, this hiatus does not leave you hanging. Nosiree, I am going to be blogging for my library system on our teen blog. There was some blasphemous talk about getting rid of it because no one updated it. Pssshht. Forget that! So, along with the help of my friend Liz, I am going to help revive the teen blog.

You can check me out here. I post under the name "Watchung Teen Librarian." I am going to attempt to still post here, but with my current job, blogging over at SCLS Teens and moving everything I own again for the second time IN A MONTH I don't forsee having a whole bunch of time. :( I will miss you all and look forward to posting again as soon as I can.

Update

I never state when I send my computer back in to get serviced, do I? Oh well. It's getting looked at over in Louisville or some other random place that's not in the state I'm from. Good move, Best Buy! Anyway, this is pretty much the last time I'm going to give it back. If they can't fix the problem with my video card, I'll just have to deal. Not having a computer nearly ALL YEAR has been super annoying because

A) I'm addicted to the interwebz

B) I can't blog

C) Did I mention I'm addicted to the interwebz?

::fingers crossed:: I get my computer back next week.

Update: My faux-brarian days are over

Tomorrow, I graduate! In honor of being a full fledged librarian, I updated the layout of my page. Plus, some people were complaining about the bright ass fuchsia coloring so why not keep the people happy and change the background? It's still me, so it obviously needs to have some level of obnoxious tones in order to be legit. Hopefully I am successful in the bright color department. :)

Blargh

Dear Blog,

As you may have noticed, I dropped off the face of the earth. I had juuuust enough time to complete all my finals, graduate and call it a day. I had to leave you be for a while, I'm sure you understand. Now, however, I am still doing school work since my computer died. Again. Brand new computer. Dead. WTF.

In order to graduate next Tuesday I have to redo work I've already done. I have to remain studious even though my brain is all yeah...eff that. It is still up in the air as to whether or not I'm actually going to finish Learning Theory because forget about being a school librarian now, if not ever. I'm slightly dejected by all of this, graduating and becoming a grown up in addition to breaking up with my boyfriend of three and a half years all in the span of two weeks. Life is life and boy does life stink.

On the plus side, bloggerino, I got a job. False. I somehow procured two jobs at two different libraries. Starting June 1st I will be an official young adult librarian and sometime in September I will be doing the job of three different librarians in the span of two days a week. I am exhausted just thinking about it! I'm really excited for the experience, however, as I will get to do storytimes, teach people how to use computers and come up with some fun teen programs. All in all, not a bad place to be the week before graduation.

So, life is taking over and my dwindling digital budget is making it unlikely I will regularly post again for at least a week, probably two. Sorry bud. LOVES!

Temporary hiatus seems imminent

Last night I was browsing the interwebs and got very over-excited by the LibrariYAn's comments on Scott Westerfeld's book.  As a result, the casing of my new computer is lifting (don't ask).  I will have to bring this johnson in to the shop and get it fixed.  I am such a winner.

Confusion

I'm not entirely sure how this post is organized (What with it titling itself 20 best picture books for children and only providing 3 images, then linking to a list without saying that the link is the real 20 best picture books link and THEN including a picture not on the list at all, which is sad, because that is what prompted me to write this post. Phew. That was a run-on and a half), but I found an image I want you to look at and not think about. I'm serious. If I catch you even contemplating the subject matter of the third picture in this post, you're toast.

New, Blues and Subterfuge

Actually, it's just news, but including the word subterfuge in a title is always exciting. Always. On with the show...

• MY COMPUTER IS GETTING FIXED!!! For reals this time. I just got word yesterday that my friend is going to have it completed on SUNDAY!!! To make up for lost time, I will probably post like wild fire. Happiness.
• I broke down, Danielle. I read fanfiction. Sigh. It wasn't amazing, but I did it. This story wasn't so bad, but then again, it's Twilight so I'm allowing for lots of painful storytelling because I'm addicted. Do they all ask for reviews before they post new chapters? Because that's annoying.
• On that note, I promise you all no Twilight references for two whole weeks. Unless there is breaking news (obvi). Even if I stumble onto something amazing, I will save it as a draft and publish it all at once as a super-conglomerate of Twilight amazingness.
  
• Lastly, I checked out an old school book to read this weekend, so by Tuesday, you better believe your eyes will feast upon a Throwback Review.
  

Partial Retirement

To keep things fresh, now that the books are done and the trial is over, Pottertastic Tuesdays are done and over. While I will still provide Pottertastic Tidbits (it's still me, after all), they will not come on a weekly basis.

In it's stead will come Themed reviews. For the entire summer, I'm going to read books on the New Brunswick summer reading list and review them. If I run out (doubtful), or I get bored, I'll mix it up with bug-themed books to catch the reading bug myself.

Blogging Schedule

Now that I'm not in school, I feel as if I'll be posting more sporadically. Also, I watched Clueless last night so now I'm utilizing the word sporadically. So, no regular postings, just when I get random chances at work and off-nights at home. Pottertastic Tuesday will retire until the fall, unless something of note comes up.

Blogging Basics

If only I learned the truth before I started blogging...

Meiosis

It's Wednesday and if you look at the previous post, you'll see that it's not a Pottertastic Tuesday entry. Gasp! I don't want to go ahead and blame my new job, but apparently I need a little bit of adjustment time. I'm so effin tired right now. I am sorry to have let you down, but there will be two next week. I promise.

Second bit of news: I've decided to create a new blog. It will be out and about on the town in a few days (once) this paper of mine is finished and I can quasi-relax. I noticed that there are two distinct topics going on here: children's literature/librarianship and words/writing. As a result, the latter is finding a new home and this blog will get back on course. Goodbye Sporadic Word of the Day, we're going to miss you. Or something. Also, any quotations not related to children's literature and librarianship will be moved as well. That is all.

Ahem. Announcement Time.

Dear Mr. Blog and the anonymous readership,

I have been abandoning my duties as a blogger and for this, I am deeply sorry. It started with a missed Throwback Review and snowballed into the first Tuesday in a good long while without any mention of Harry Potter. I do not like to offer excuses and explanations, and have said nothing as a result.

To remedy this, I want to explain that my absence has not been a result of too much leisure activities or being bogged down by work. I am simply reexamining my metadata choices (tags, for the non-library folk out there) to make sure they represent exactly what I wish them to. Anyone who has read this blog over the past month has witnessed my secret love of metadata transform into a public (and quite obsessive) love affair and can understand this leave of absence. My problem is, if I post more before coming to a firm conclusion, I will provide a larger pool of posts to edit and therefore, extend my absence further.

I am sorry and look to be back in time for the next Pottertastic Tuesday. Thank you.

--Kristie--

A blog by any other name would still not activate my sense of smell

If my blog really were a person, I would hope that his visage would look like that guy (thank you Bloglines for taking the time to revamp your site--I might not have found my new favorite silly old man otherwise). Oh Mr. Blog, if only you were a plumber. Then I can crack jokes about lowrise jeans and thongs--these fashions are very plumber 2.0, after all.

I've also decided that you might forgive my dissonance if I titled you properly. I admit I have gone too long titling you with only my birthday digits. Your original pending title, Kidlit Galaxy, caused me intense claustrophobia. It misled my neurons into jumping synapses that were solely dedicated to children's literature and we both know that I plan on doing much more with you than that. And while we wouldn't want to title you too prematurely, people are starting to read you now. It's not just the two of us here twiddling our thumbs, having a gay ole time talking about Harry Potter. Currently I'm debating Purple Polka. We'll sit on that for a week, okay?

Blogging Intervention

So Blog, you must be pretty lonely. All those nights I spend on other websites and doing stupid things like homework, you have been suffering here trying to get my attention. Whimpering in the corner like Severus Snape before Hogwarts. I know and I'm sorry. You're in luck, though, Mr. Blog. Two very nice ladies came and sat down with me (and about twenty other lucky souls) and we fleshed out my problem. I haven't been very nice to you Mr. Blog and I hope that you can look deep inside your html and pixels and forgive me.

Firstly, we must have some sort of bonding rituals. Liz B from A Chair, A Fireplace & a Tea Cozy and her blog get together once a week to share Buffy quotes. Now Blog, I know what you're thinking, you don't want to discuss Buffy quotes just because Liz B and her blog do it. I wouldn't want to steal their tradition, don't worry. It's poor netiquette, if nothing else. No Blog, I want to do something that we both enjoy. I think it's pretty obvious that we both love Harry Potter more than should be naturally possible, so perhaps we can do something about that. Together. You and me. Don't make any rash decisions, Blog. I'll let you mull that one over.

And, Mr. Blog, that's not all I have to offer. Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 gets paid to write for her blog three times a week. To prove how much I care about you, I'm going to write to you three times a week, getting paid only in calloused fingers and the love in my heart. And I don't want you thinking Fuse #8 is some kind of kidlit escort, Blog. She writes everyday, even when she doesn't have to. That takes dedication. Or crazy pills. One or the other.

Overall, the presentations in my class last night were very beneficial for you. It was like going to the blog doctor for my checkup. I was told to just keep writing--which is one of those things that I already knew, but somehow find to be amazing revelations once the doctor told me. Mind you, I missed a bunch in the beginning (apparently there was fire swallowing and plates spinning on sticks). And then I had to get over the fact that Betsy Bird was in my classroom, talking and not just being all awesome in New York, blogging like the devil may care. I somehow transformed into a 12 year old girl at a Backstreet Boys concert (well, they performed when I was 12, anyway) the second I walked into the door and had to be reminded that she's an internet personality, not the Beatles. I was confused for a second.