January Reading List

February 1st, 2011 by pladd

Finally it’s February! Finally I can stop writing letters and obsessively checking my mail for replies (four people have replied so far–yay Bova, James Fox, Barbara, and Mom Ladd!!) I would put up a finished letter map, but most of the latter letters have not been sent from not knowing people’s addresses. Spoiler alert: a bunch of them are probs going to Houston anyway. It’s apparently my favorite place to send mail.

You might think I will be sad to finish my New Year’s Resolution already, but I have two SECRET other New Year’s Resolutions to concentrate on! The main one I thought of midway through January while totally failing at recommending a 5th grade fantasy book despite all the 5th grade fantasy books I’ve read, is to keep better track of the books I read. Normally I average about 3-4 per week, more if you count graphic novels. In the past I’ve tried posting reviews of books that I thought were interesting for whatever reason, but those were long and so only represented a small percentage of my actual reading. I’m hoping to keep track by month, although January is kind of sketchy because most of the list I constructed from memory. Here’s what I got:

January Reading List

With Steven
Secret, possibly embarrassing fact: Steven and I read to each other almost every day. It started just during car trips, and just trashy romance novels, until one trip I decided to bring along a ridiculous fantasy series from my past that I thought Steven might find hilarious. Unfortunately, there are ten books in the full series, and only 10 hours in the drive, so we ended up finishing it over a period of months by reading a few chapters every night. I am, of course, a total rock star librarian and do all the voices. Steven–to all appearances–is also completely into this whole idea, since we’ve been reading various books together ever since. Pretty much right up until the day I left for college I did the same thing off and on with my parents, like reading Terry Pratchett books to my dad while he cut up oranges and grapefruit in the kitchen, so this does not seem weird to me at all. However, various people–like Steven’s sister–have pointed out that this is actually kind of strange, by asking “Are you guys…. reading?” like this is the weirdest thing we could be doing in a room alone together. Clearly she does not know Steven Wiggins very well–he is all about playing The Floor is Made Of Lava.

Anyway, lengthy explanation aside, here are the books Steven and I have read together in January:

Master and Fool by J. V. Jones

The third and final book in the kind of vaguely titled Book of Words Trilogy, which we started last year. It is tightly plotted fantasy and it is awesome. Steven’s favorite part was the terrible relationship advice offered by Bodger and Grift, the two drunken castle guards (ex: “The only way to tell a girl is a virgin is to lock her in a room with a badger. If it falls asleep in the corner, she’s not. If it falls asleep in her lap, she is. If it bites her, she probs has VD”.)

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

This is a 423 page book we finished in two nights because it is SO AWESOME. Steven shed tears of joy at the end.

Books I’ve Read On my Own

Already Dead by Charlie Huston

A hardboiled vampire detective negotiating the vampire gang violence of New York City to solve a zombie murder/missing person case? Or an excuse for Charlie Huston to write about incest? Can’t really tell. This book was ridiculous, and kind of awful.

The Wedding by Danielle Steel

Allegra is a strong, beautiful, confident, amazing, talented, effortless entertainment lawyer who falls in love with a member of New York’s literary elite. Countless comparisons between the “Eastern attitude” and “Western lifestyle” are made. Also her little sister gets teen pregnant and various adoption/secret wedding drama happens. I read this for class, and to say that I had read something by Danielle Steel.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted in Book Reviews |

Cupcake Lasagna

January 28th, 2011 by pladd

It’s a proven scientific fact: everything tastes better as a cupcake. And, as hard-hitting investigator Roque has long suspected, I have recently been diagnosed with cupcakephilia. That’s right; I can only eat things in cupcake form. It’s a terrible debilitation, but somehow I soldier on.

I used the recipe I found here at Can You Stay for Dinner? and it was so much easier than normal lasagna! The hardest part was definitely finding wonton wrappers, which are used instead of noodles. I ended up finding them at the Harris Teeter in the fancier, professor-populated part of town, in the produce section near the polenta and tofu. I thought stacking the ingredients in the cupcake tins would be hard or too messy but it ended up being really easy! I wish I had taken pictures of the process, but I was too hungry at the time!

Here is the finished product:

Like a tiny basket of tastiness!

I’m thinking about planning a party where everything is a cupcake. And inviting Roque.

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Posted in Food, Things I've Made |

A Slice of My Life

January 25th, 2011 by pladd

Naturally the entire reason I started a blog was because I assumed everyone was dying of curiosity about what it’s like to be me. Well, that, and because I hate seeing a list serv rep cry. Anyway, here are impressions of the last four hours of my life:

–While reviewing children’s non-fiction books that are older than 10 years, find Dave’s Quick ‘n’ Easy Web Pages, copyright 1999, which leads me to place numerous bets with myself about whether the numerous links it directs me to still exist. A sample:
Anything on Netscape: No
Angelfire: Yes?
Alta Vista: Yes
Geocities: No. Sad face.

–Completely baffled a dad when I instantly found the book he wanted just as he was about to despair. I described this event in loving detail on the blog I’m keeping for my advisor to grade, but all you really need to know is that someone else recognized that I have MAGICAL LIBRARY POWERS. And that my advisor clearly did not know he would be getting an epic saga when he assigned me to blog my field experience log.

–With my whole iPod to choose from, Trixie decides to only play The A*Teens on the way home. I go with it, since, for some reason, I still know all the words to all of their songs. I’m momentarily ashamed, then decide it is further proof that I am awesome.

–Steven has made Thai curry for dinner! It is even tastier because he also did all the dishes.

–Now I am updating my blog downstairs while listening to the quiet yet vehement cursing of Steven working on websites up in his office. Maybe he needs Dave’s Quick ‘n’ Easy Web Pages? It’s so quick, they don’t even have time for two-thirds of the letters in “and”! And the cover blurb is from the co-founder of Netscape! Maybe for his birthday.

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Posted in lists |

I almost forgot it was Tuesday

January 25th, 2011 by pladd

And have almost forgotten to write probably the last four letters I’ve done! It’s good this resolution was only for the month of January; I’m already running out of motivation and people to write to. I’m considering writing letters to Santa Claus or my future self.

I used to be obsessed with writing letters to my future self. In middle school I would write two a year: one to myself a year from then, and one to myself TEN years from then. I ended up opening all of the “To Patricia in Ten Years” ones early while cleaning out my closet in high school. I don’t remember what I wrote exactly but it was always something along the lines of:

“Dear Patricia in 2010,
I can’t even imagine what your life must be like!!! [hand drawn picture of stars and hearts] Are you a writer? Do you work for a famous magazine? HAVE YOU WRITTEN A BESTSELLER YET? WHY NOT? Did Brad Tolliver ever ask you out? ARE YOU ENGAGED? Too bad you won’t be able to answer these questions. Because you can’t go back in time. Or maybe you can because someone has invented time travel! But I bet there are rules where you can’t come back and talk to me.
You are amazing!!! (I hope)
Love,
Patricia in 2000”

Middle School Patricia knew that the first thing Future Patricia would do, given access to time travel, would be to come back in time and save Middle School Patricia from any number of embarrassing incidents involving bad fashion, braces, and boys. So obviously time travel could not be real. Also, she was convinced that whoever happened to be sitting next to her in math class that semester was her OTL. As you do.

If I could ever answer these letters, I would reply that, No, I haven’t written a bestseller yet, because I’m too busy being a superhero with awesome hair. She would be somewhat mollified.

Anyway, I have managed to write to some real people this week:

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Posted in Uncategorized |

Art Show Solidarity!

January 22nd, 2011 by pladd

So RIGHT NOW my beloved illustrator (remember that book I wrote? Yeah, me neither) is having her amazing glitter and cupcake filled first art show! Unfortunately it’s in Minneapolis, so I can’t go (because of my fear of polar bears). Luckily Steven and I were able to celebrate in solidarity!

First, I decided to make the most Natalie kind of cupcake I could think of:

Pink frosting+glitter sprinkles+something called "cake pearls"!

“Wow, Patricia,” you are saying. “Those cupcakes are SO FANCY! There is no way the inside could be as great as the outside.” WRONG AGAIN, dear reader. Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted in Art, Food, Things I've Made |

The Houston Post Office Might Be Sick of My Cloud Envelopes By Now

January 21st, 2011 by pladd

Because I've written way too many letters to Houston!

Stay tuned for the sparkly glitter confetti cupcakes I’m making later!

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Posted in Uncategorized |

International Letter Writing!

January 18th, 2011 by pladd

This week I wrote two letters whose arrows won’t fit on my map because they’re going to the UK! One for Brian and for my ex-flatmate in Scotland! Although now she lives in North Yorkshire. Exciting times that necessitate an actual trip to the post office for correct postage!

Most of the letters I’ve written have been about 1.5-2 pages, front and back, but Brian’s is definitely the longest so far, at around 3.5! I think because I was sort of tired when I wrote it, and felt it started off kind of strangely, so kept trying to write more to offset that. Then I just got bored and decided to write down ALL OF MY DARKEST SECRETS because something about sending it to London means it will be too far away for judgement. I will, of course, be sorry when a week from now Brian writes a dramatic expose on his blog titled: “Patricia Ladd: SECRETLY ILLITERATE??” Best kept secret ever! Who would suspect a librarian?

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Library Receptionist?

January 16th, 2011 by pladd

So this is a quote from my Field Experience Blog, which I am treating way more like a blog and less like the academic assignment it actually is. Hopefully my advisor won’t regret his choice of formats because of my rambling nature. It is normally not that exciting–I mostly just report what non-fiction questions I answer and collection maintenance I do–but this happened today and I couldn’t not write about it:

“Then close to my time to leave, something small happened that I’ve been thinking about almost constantly since. This woman was asking me if anyone had turned in her thumb drive, which she had apparently lost at the library at some point. She seemed really annoyed that I didn’t immediately understand the situation from the statement “Has anyone seen my USB?” She complained that, “A librarian assured me that she would send an email around to all of you library receptionists!” As an intern, I don’t have a Wake County email address, so sometimes I am out of the loop on these things. I checked the lost and found for her, but no one had turned in her thumb drive. She left, and I thought about the phrase “library receptionist” for the rest of the night.

Most people assume that if you’re sitting behind a desk in the library, you’re a librarian, which is totally fair. How are they supposed to know the actual professional requirements of the term “librarian”? To them, a librarian is someone who sits at a desk at the library and can help them find books. And any library assistant or unpaid intern can do that, master’s degree in progress or no. I’ve never had anyone assume that, because I’m sitting behind a desk at the front of the library, I’m a receptionist. I guess it makes sense; at plenty of offices or businesses that’s what it would mean. Plus, I am awesome at typing and answering the phone. But I’m not a receptionist. I’m not going to grad school to be a receptionist. I don’t spend almost all of my free time reading children’s books to be a better receptionist. But is that how people see us? No wonder we are always explaining that Yes, you DO need a master’s degree for that. No wonder we’re so defensive as a profession, sometimes to our detriment. It used to really bother me when librarians I worked with would make their master’s degree such a big deal or try to pull rank with it, when I’ve known amazing library assistants with years of experience who could do anything they could, a lot of times better. I still think, even after almost earning mine, that the master’s degree is overrated; experience is still the best teacher. But I’m beginning to see why people defend it so much: because we do so much work that people consistently undervalue or don’t notice, and a master’s degree is at least an outward sign of that.

But, like a good writer, we need to show rather than tell. I think we need to stop whining in class or on our field experience blogs that we’re professionals, that we deserve to be recognized for being more than just receptionists, and show people that we are. We need to stop insisting to each other that we’re relevant and do something to make other people believe it. I don’t know what that something is yet–it’s probably more than one thing–but I’ll get back to you.”

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Posted in Library Tales |

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