Book em, Dano

Finally heard back from my contact at the Smithsonian and got some more information about my upcoming short stay and the potential summer gig. I'm not sure if I mentioned it here, but shortly after getting the news about the offered internship, I realized that I would need to be done by August 6th because I am leaving the country with Dan's family for a trip. Needless to say, I can't really be mad because the potential conflict is something that I want to do.

So Smithsonian guy told me that normally they want their summer interns to be able to work 10 weeks, but that they could make exceptions, and that he advised I get there for my one week to see how I like it before I commit to anything. At this point I'm thinking 'what on God's green earth could possibly happen there in one week that could change a life-long dream of mine?' I think maybe he also wants to see if he thinks I would work out for a summer as well, which seems more reasonable.

The most amusing part of the communication I received today was a semi-casual mention that in order to get clearance to work at the Smithsonian as an official intern, I would need to undergo an FBI background check and get fingerprinted. This wasn't a terrible shock to me, as I'd be employed by the government, but it still kind of made me laugh (and nervous). I've been a bit rowdy in my life, but nothing of major note. I find it kind of funny that I made it to this age without ever having my fingerprints taken (or even being in a cop car). Being a prankster in high school never got me anywhere, but I can't help but wonder how deep the FBI go. Will the local cops talk about the time my friend and I got a warning for starting a mini-bonfire in a local park by some train tracks? Will some teacher from High School dish about how he always thought I was up to no good? Will some embarrassing raver pictures surface of me amidst rumors of rampant drug usage? Surely she must have been high to dress like that!

I know that nothing will come of it, but it's kind of funny to imagine the world of the FBI man sent to look into a recent library science graduate seeking an archives internship; far from the cloak-and-dagger world he imagined he was getting into when he first attempted to get into the Bureau.

As nerdy as it gets...

It's 7:30am, I've been up all night slogging through my final Cataloging and Classification I assignment on Dewey and LC, and I have the nerdiest mental comparison of what my struggle felt like to me. The imaginary conversation goes a little something like this:

Me: "You know that part in that LOTR movie where Gandalf fights that fire demon, you know... the Balrog?"

Nameless/Faceless Person: *Blank stare - clearly wondering where I'm going with this*

Me: "Well, anyway, I felt like my night-long battle with Dewey Decimal number building and Library of Congress classification numbers were analogous to Gandalf's struggle with the fiery entity in the dark pit deep in the Mines of Moria - Nobody knew that I was still awake and struggling with it, but in the end I triumphed and became a more powerful wizard... errr librarian..."

Nameless/Faceless Person: *No response except for generally shunning me for the embarassment I have become*

Hopefully my prof. doesn't write "You shall not pass!" on my assignment...


There we have it, blog friends; possibly the nerdiest thought to have ever crossed my mind, and that's saying a lot. Damn you, library school... damn you!!!

Summer courses and cerebral hibernation

Once again I begin the process of waking my brain up from its post-school-year hibernation so that it might take part in the activity known as Summer Session. Instead of taking the summer off, I find it more attractive to load myself down as much as possible with the lighter summer fare that is offered through my masters program in order to blow out this degree as quickly as I can so that I might rest, mentally, forever. Or not, but right now mental atrophy sounds nice.

This awakening is no easy process. Stupefied by the gluttonous amount of information my brain was forced to binge and purge over the last two terms, the sleeping beast inside my brain-case makes me think of a large, dopey cartoon bear asleep in his cave, blissfully unaware of the persistent naturalist who pokes and prods at it in an attempt to awaken it (after which, I assume, much hilarity or carnage - or both - would ensue). Each article I try to use to arouse the hunger in my brain has been met with a stubborn indifference and even, at times, a seeming inability to comprehend the morsels on the page. I toss them aside with indifference, to be read 'later' (read:never).

Thankfully today a set of readings came my way, wafting over the waves of the internet like the scent off a strawberry rhubarb pie perched on Ranger Smith's windowsill. My mind suddenly feels a bit hungry. What's this? Social Science-related materials? I haven't had these in forever; I've been force fed library science writing for the last eight months - which anyone in library science knows - have all the flavor and appeal of MREs. So now I'll snatch up this tasty pick-a-nic basket of knowledge and run off to enjoy it (yes, enjoy - really) in privacy somewhere. Maybe there is hope for my survival yet. Let's see if I make it through the brutal rut in the fall, where I attempt in vain to attract the notice of professors in three different classes and hopefully multiply my credits in exponential numbers. Time to be fruitful and multiply.