I Should Really Be Studying

Inks Lake, Burnet, TX

I probably shouldn't be writing this. I have 5 readings, a literature review, an essay to start and some statistics problems to do. Bring a graduate student is a bit like being a Postulant Nun, trying to avoid things that aren't studying, feeling guilty when I allow myself free time and going to bed thinking of all the ways I could have worked harder and done better.

Like anticipated, it's gotten pretty crazy.

But I won't bore you with that. Here are a couple of sins of graduate school I've succumbed to:

A day trip. Over Labor Day, a few of us drove about an hour outside of Austin to visit Inks Lake. We visited two beaches there, swam, studied and jumped off of rocks (ok, we only did one jump, that was plenty).
Also we were amused by this sign. Did someone bring alcoholic beverages simply for display?

All that swimming made us hungry and we stopped by Phil's Icehouse for dinner, where you get mixed regular and sweet potato fries with your burger. I ask for that all the time at restaurants and no one will do it! Phil, I love you.

A Librarian Party in which guests dress up as their favorite librarian stereotypes and watch Parker Posey answer her Librarian Calling in Party Girl.

Meagan couldn't stay, but looked cute enough to be deserving of a portrait.Meg showed off her baking skills once again since we were also celebrating Helen's birthday.

I invented a cocktail for the event called The Librarian. Be sure to give your favorite bartender the recipe.

The Librarian

Put a few ice cubes in a highball, add:

One shot gin

Juice of one lemon

Splash of Strawberry Simple Syrup*

Fill to top with ginger ale and stir (librarians wouldn't do something as obnoxious as shaking)

*Strawberry simple syrup: Mix together 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 4 sliced strawberries in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Cool and strain. Simple syrup recipe from Blue Jean Gourmet. This will leave you with plenty of syrup to make a few Librarians and a few Strawberry Basil Margaritas.

I was also witness to an Act of God. You also may have heard of a little Tropical Storm Hermine.

It went swimmingly (heh heh...couldn't help myself)

Tuesday was the worst and I could have stayed inside all day seeing how I had no classes, but I have my duties decided to brave the torrential downpour to visit the Book Lab and the library for some studying. I'm used to rain, right? Good Lord, not that kind of rain. There were plenty of people on campus still in sandals and without umbrellas, their T-shirts matted to their bodies. Perhaps they didn't get the news? Maybe they don't own umbrellas? I offered my umbrella to a poor girl at my bus stop who had an about-to-disintegrate newspaper over her head. I mentioned that I'm from Seattle and she asked "So it probably rains like this all the time up there, right?" No one understands Seattle.Meagan spotted this rubbery looking demon on our porch the day after the storm and urged me to blog about it. We've already been having a roach problem, so I was worried the storm would make a bunch of bugs seek shelter, but luckily our porch was enough for this guy. I would lose my appetite for days if I saw this thing crawling around.

I must go now as I need to go pray to Nancy Pearl and ask for forgiveness for avoiding the preliminary research I need to do for my Library Anxiety project.