ALA

I know, I know, I'm a terrible blogger. I've been meaning to write about a few things, I just haven't gotten around to it.

First: ALA. For my non-librarian readers, that's the American Library Association. I went to their annual conference in Chicago this year, for my first ALA conference. I was paid for by my employer at the university, so I had to work at our booth in the exhibition hall and attend a meeting for work. I still had the chance to attend sessions and see the other exhibits. So, here are some thoughts, highlights, and lowlights of the weekend:

• NEIL GAIMAN. Clearly, a highlight. Mr. Gaiman was at the conference, signing books and speaking at a session. I missed the first signing and was in a meeting for the second signing, but I managed to get to his panel session about censorship and comics. He was everything you would expect, rougish and British and disheveled and very smart. Then, I discovered that a very good friend had waited in line for THREE HOURS and got me a signed copy of The Graveyard Book. Mr. Gaiman doodled a little gravestone with my name on it, and I continue to be thrilled.
  
• But, that brings up something I would definitely tell other new attendees: plan everything. I missed things because I didn't know they were happening. Sure, I looked at the schedules and picked out things I wanted to go to, but I definitely didn't do all my homework on the conference, and I think I could have enjoyed things more if I were better prepared. ALA can be very overwhelming, and it's easy to miss things.
  
• The exhibit hall can be interesting, but is definitely less useful for students. We can't buy things, and the vendors aren't usually too interested in trying to give us their pitches. There was also a definite tension between vendors and librarians, and it was usually very obvious if a person was one or the other.
  
• Chicago - I really like Chicago, and I wish I had the chance to see more of it. I was usually incredibly exhausted and busy by the time I was done, and I know I enjoyed the restaurants and the sights less than I would have otherwise. But, I did eat some interesting places, so here's the rundown: Lou Manati's: Deep dish pizza, definitely disappointing, despite being recommended to us. Chicago Diner: vegetarian, and thus I'm not really qualified to judge. I'm sure it's good if you like that type of thing. Bin 36: We just had appetizers here, but they have some seriously tasty cheeses. La Madia: Stone-fired pizza, absolutely delicious. I was in bliss. Giordano's: Chicago stuffed pizza: also very, very tasty, though really filling!
  
• Other high points: hanging with my lovely friend G on our last night in Chicago, eating pizza, shopping at Lush, drinking champagne in the Hancock Building, mint-hot-fudge sundae at the Ghiradelli shop.
• Low points: being exhausted, being overwhelmed by people and social events, missing my awesome boyfriend an unexpectedly huge amount.
  

OMG MMF FTW

In normal people talk, that means marshmallow fondant might have changed my life. I've been looking at lovely pictures of cakes and cupcakes covered in fondant, wishing I could do the same things without spending a ton and covering cakes in kinda nasty tasting sugary fondant. Then I found a recipe for marshmallow fondant, which is very easy to make and color at home, works in more or less the same was as regular fondant (though it doesn't mold as well) and tastes...like marshmallows. Joy! So I tried it out, to great success. I personally find it a little odd if it's really think on the cake, but that's probably because I'm ambivalent about marshmallows. Otherwise, I'm thrilled - this has opened up a whole new realm of cake decorating!

So, to try it out, of course I made cupcakes. I went to a family reunion with the bf's family yesterday, and I had noticed that the invitation said to bring a dish to share. I asked my bf's mom if I should bring something, and she said not to worry. But then his dad overheard and said yeah, that he had signed me up to bring a dessert, and that I should probably bring two - one for his family and one for me and the bf separately. Ok. So, I made:















My pride and joy, the cupcakes with the marshmallow fondant:

BBQ! (and cupcakes)

Last weekend I had some (awesome) friends over for a barbecue, because I really love hosting things, and it's nice to actually see people other than my coworkers and my boyfriend (though there was a coworker and my boyfriend there and I was very happy about that as well.) But of course, I made cupcakes for the event, and all I have pictures of are the cupcakes. So behold, beach cupcakes!

Not complaining!

Last night my boyfriend accused me of complaining about everything (and I had been whining pretty badly) when I realized that actually, it had been a pretty great day. Besides the normal good day things, like waking up with my boyfriend and my cat (both adorable), it was the third day of my internship, and the day when things really started getting interesting. I had just been shelving manuscripts and stuff, but yesterday I got started on answering reference questions, which is what I wanted to do, and which is FUN! Also, for one of them I got to use the card catalog, which was awesome!

Later that evening I also had my last cake decorating class, which is always a lot of fun. I'm so glad I took the class, and I am definitely going to miss it. I wish I had time to take the next level. I definitely think I have a lot more I can, and want to, learn. And here is the cake I made in class last night:

Cupcakes! (Again)

I can't remember if I mentioned that I'm taking a cake-decorating class, but I am. And I'm loving it. I don't have a picture of the cake I made last week, but these are the cupcakes from last night.

Stop wallowing in laziness, you bum

I've been a little moody and dissatisfied lately, and I haven't really been able to put my finger on what it is. I'm pretty sure I'm happy with my life, and I don't think it's my relationship, though my job leaves something to be desired. After a little bit of thought, I determined that I might need to set myself some goals. I think part of my problem is that I don't feel like I'm doing much of anything worthwhile, and I don't have much of anything to look forward to. Now, if I had say, and interesting trip to plan and anticipate, that might help. Though, dope that I am, I only just now remembered ALA. It's not an exciting voyage to a foreign country, but at least it's something.

Anyway. Goals. I think I need some goals, and I think I need to make sure I actually try to complete them. So, once I set them, I will try to figure out how to put them in a sidebar on here or something, so they can show up and I can mark them off once I've completed them. I like lists, and I like marking things off lists.

So, I think I need these types of goals:

• Exercise goal - related to running and/or biking. Maybe a distance or speed I want to be able to accomplish? I do poorly with "I will run X number of days" type of goals.
• Baking goal - I am clearly obsessed with baking, so this makes sense. I just need the actual...goal.
• Academic goal - normally this would be a grade, but honestly, I'm good at grades. What I have not been good at lately is actually caring about the work beyond what it takes to get the grade. I want to be more invested in my academic work.
• Job goal - Ditto on the job - I just haven't cared much lately, and I need something to motivate me.
• Reading goal - this isn't really difficult, because I love to read, but I think I could benefit from a goal that gets me to read more nonfiction.
• Fun goal - something that I would like to do, or something new that I would like to try, that I might not otherwise.

So, does anyone have any suggestions? Clearly, I need actual goals and deadlines.

Taste of Syracuse

I'm sitting in my office right now, listening to people talk about Taste of Syracuse, so I thought I'd share my thoughts. The bf and I went on Saturday, because I asked very nicely if we could - I'm a foodie and he's an anti-foodie.

It all seems like a very good idea - lots of booths from local restaurants selling food; each of them required to sell one $1 sample item. I was definitely looking forward to trying samples from several restaurants I hadn't had the chance to visit yet.

Clinton Square was, unfortunately, packed to the gills, and the bf and I have occasionally different approaches to navigating among sardine-packed festival goers. The event planners definitely need to do a better job next year when it comes to the space, because I think a lot of people would have spent more and stayed longer if they had been able to, you know, move around and get to things.

I wish the restaurants had all approached the sample requirement as an opportunity to get people excited about their food. I had one sample that made me not want to ever go to that restuarant, and got out of line at a Greek place when I realized that the sample they were giving out was miniscule and not worth a dollar. Other places I tried the sample and wanted more of the food - which really, should be the point.

I had a sample of chicken wings at a place I can't remember - pretty tasty, with honey garlic sauce. Then I grabbed some chips and guacamole from Papa Gallo, which was NOT tasty - a guacamole disappointment. Then I bought two fried doughs and stopped at another booth that was selling chicken cooked in some special seasoning (I think the seasoning was what was for sale, not restaurant food), which was pretty tasty. After that I grabbed a sample meatball sandwich - tasty meatball - and then beelined as well as I could to the gelato stand, where I got three sample scoops. The gelato was by far the best deal, since gelato is normally expensive anyway, and this stuff was pretty good. I love lemon gelato! (And anything with chocolate, especially chocolate hazelnut!)

Then the bf and I escaped - I could still have tried more things, but I think we had lost our patience with the crowd. Overall, good idea, poor implementation.