Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The future?

A couple of weeks ago, this announcement popped up on one of my library listservs and I just about fell out of my chair.

The University of Mississippi Libraries seeks an Instruction/Reference Librarian to deliver user-centered instruction and reference services to the university community.

The successful candidate will:

- Participate in a general library instruction program supporting composition and freshman seminar courses and provide instruction in the assigned subject area

- Provide instruction support through web content and development of online tutorials

- Provide liaison and collection development for the School of Engineering and/or other departments as assigned

- Provide in-person and virtual reference services

- Participate in creative problem solving, take personal initiative, and work collaboratively with colleagues in the library and the university community.

Qualifications: ALA accredited master's degree by date of employment; excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.

The University of Mississippi is located in historic Oxford, a thriving community offering a wide range of literary, musical and cultural activities. For more information about the University and the community, please visit http://www.olemiss.edu/community/index.html.

I was all set to apply and break my lease and figure out how to get Big 12 football in Mississippi when I read the fine print: "ALA accredited master's degree by date of employment." So I wept. My perfect job actually exists, but I am ineligible for it because it is taking me 3 stinkin' years to finish 42 credit hours. Hopefully whoever gets the job will have some other pie in the sky fantasy job that will open in a year, leaving the position open again, mine for the taking. If nothing else, it has helped me get back in gear for my final year of graduate school.

This semester I am taking 2 classes, which is a total party after last year's 3 class per semester disaster decision. Additionally, one of the classes is in web development, which means it's less theory, more action, AND - it's an 8 week accelerated course entirely online. Heaven, thy name is electives. This is the first week of the course and I'm sort of hating the accelerated factor because this has also been the busiest week in my entire employment history. I'm used to terrible Augusts from working at the ELP with all the incoming international students, but that is nothing compared to the mental exhaustion of 8 appointments a day, athletic transcripts, summer graduation and departmental DARS audits. Add in to the mix the news that my beloved Mollie friend is leaving me for a job more suited to her kickass skills in new student services and this week has been a whole big sack of awful. At least I found some Fit Flop sandals at Penney's today for 50% off. And Steven took me to get a frosty. So there is a reason to get up in the morning.

***

Speaking of reasons to get up in the morning...

I wish you were real, so you could inherit Snyder's throne.

The Emmy's are on Sunday. Since Schindler's List won every award at the Oscars and they played that damn song over and over again, I have been sucked into the pageantry of awards shows. The Oscars and I, however, have not aged well. As I become more selective with my free time I find myself drawn to TV over movies, and TV actors over movie stars. This has grown into a full blown obsession this year, because I have latched on to the critically adored, universally ignored, Friday Night Lights.

Oh Tim Riggins. Who knew you would be the comedic heart of the show?

I could go on about the wonders of FNL, and I will. In fact, I might start a whole new blog committed to dissecting the characters, the acting choices, the dialogue, the Tim Riggins of it all. But all I'll say today, is that even though I loved Matthew Fox in the LOST finale, and I'm sure Breaking Bad is as good as everyone says, they better all take a seat to Coach Taylor. And ok, fine, it's great to see Nurse Carol back on primetime in a show with Big. I give you that. But is she as great as the inimitable Tami Taylor standing up to that snarky chump Joe McCoy? No. She's not. No one is. And no one has been, for the past 4 years. They finally got their nominations, and their fans made it through the emotional exhaustion of season 4 and we all deserve it.

Well, okay, Zach Gilford really deserves it the most but he wasn't even nominated. Seriously.

John Lithgow's got nothing on you, 7.

If you're like Betsy, and won't subject your eyes to conflict, you can also root for Amy Poehler, the delightfully upbeat and dedicated deputy on Parks and Recreation. You can mourn the snub of Aubrey Plaza by cheering for the many. many nominees from Modern Family and take heart that everyone's favorite geek, Sheldon, doesn't have to share the spotlight with Jon Cryer. But mostly, I would suggest watching, just for the clips. You might see something nominated that you've never heard of, or always wondered about, or never got around to watching. One of the greatest things that Instant Netflix, DVR, Hulu, Cox on Demand and syndication have brought us is instant and commercial free access to entire seasons of television. Indulge yourself. I dare you.

2 comments:

betsyann said...

I've never watched the Emmy's. Really? It's fun? I'll think about it. Or you can just tell me what to watch and sometimes I'll listen. :)

Susan said...

Did you ever watch the FNL pilot? If not, you have to watch it this weekend. At the BBQ. Under my supervision, so you don't miss any important details.