October recap

October was a big month. I’ve finished my masters, set up a new library, enjoyed Men of Letters, and I’ve passed the 300 mark. I’ve also finally had my leave approved, so I can start organising all our flights between christmas and new year (3 flights in 7 days, oh the joy). We’ve come up with a tentative date for Zombicide (Nov 30^th) but haven’t heard back from everyone involved. On the up side I only have 52 books left to read.

Books read in October:

277. Tattoo by Jeffrey R Butler

278. Silently and very fast by Catherynne M. Valente

279. Cycle of the werewolf by Stephen King

280. The mist by Stephen King

281. The Colorado kid by Stephen King

282. A clockwork orange by Anthony Burgess

283. A face in the crowd by Stephen King

284. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

285. The prisoner of Snowflake Falls by John Lekich

286. Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

287. Berserk v24 by Kentaro Miura

288. Berserk v25 by Kentaro Miura

289. The keep by F Paul Wilson

290. The Tomb by F Paul Wilson

291. The touch by F Paul Wilson

292. Reborn by F Paul Wilson

293. Reprisal by F Paul Wilson

294. Night world by F Paul Wilson

295. Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla

296.  Blood before sunrise by Amanda Bonilla

297. The Umbrella conspiracy by S D Perry

298. Caliban Cove by S D Perry

299. City of the dead by S D Perry

300. Underworld by S D Perry

301. There's a bear in there (and he wants Swedish) by Merridy Eastman

302. The Icecreamists by Matt O'Connor

303. Royal mistresses of the house of Hanover-Windsor by Susanna de Vries

304. The mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

305. Nemesis by S D Perry

306. Code Veronica by S D Perry

307. Zero hour by S D Perry

308. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

309. Live and let die by Ian Fleming

310. The queen of frost and darkness by Christine Pope

311. Castle in the air by Diana Wynne Jones

312. House of many ways by Diana Wynne Jones

Freedom

The fact that I am finally finished with my masters hasn’t sunk in yet. I handed in the final assignment yesterday, after I had a surprise lunch with Miss A, (always a pleasure even if I did leave her drooling over cake memories). I’m not sure what I was expecting as I put the assignment in the box. It’s not like a fanfare is usually played, but it was all a bit anticlimactic. 

I came home, read two more books, and went about my business. Even after getting up this morning it still doesn’t feel like it’s over. If doesn’t even feel like I’m on holiday or something. It’s all rather strange. Perhaps after three years of studying it’s going to take a little while for my body/brain to adjust.

Miss R wants to celebrate me finishing with a lunch or dinner with everyone, since I refuse to go to graduation. I refuse to sit there for 2 or more hours bored out of my skull so they can get my name wrong and hand me my piece of paper that says I’m a Master. They can post it to me. I’d much rather eat with my friends.

Now that I am free we can start planning the zombicide event. Not exactly sure where we are going to have it or when. I am going to spend the morning unpacking the box while the washing machine serenades me. Uni may be over but chores are forever.

indoor picnic

I love my friends. No really, I have awesome friends. I could try and list all the ways that they are awesome, but that would just make everyone else sick with jealousy or depressed that my friends aren’t their friends. It’s all true.

This afternoon’s picnic is an example of what happens when you put us all together:

• Miss A’s lentil and chickpea surprise (one of the few things I could eat, stupid body),
• Mr T (no, not that mister T) dates, cheeses, olives, crackers, tasty looking cob loaf (stuffed with lots of things I could eat, and one that I couldn’t),
• Miss J’s chicken pasta bake,
• Miss K’s zucchini slice (definitely something I can’t eat),
• Ms H’s fresh and hot non-denominational buns (with serious amounts of butter).
• Mr N provided the chocolate and walnut cookies, and I made my spicy Cajun capsicum, cheese, and corn loaf.

Lots and lots of food. Of course it’s not the food that makes my friends awesome. It’s more the loyalty, understanding, and the fact that no level of geekiness is too great (though four of us singing the “popcorn song” and could name the two games it was the theme music for was a very geeky moment). It's nice knowing that your friends will back you. They don't need you to explain. They are just there, no matter what.

It is shame that we don’t manage to spend more time together, but we have a few things to look forward to:

• Thor,
• Captain America,
• The Zoo (our gang of roving librarians [and a few non-librarians, we don't discriminate] will be enjoying ourselves, but are still prepared to leap in to action, correcting parents that are filling their children’s brains with rot),
• And a final Harry Potter marathon before Deathly Hallows pt2 is released. (I particularly like the idea of hiring the whole cinema for a bunch of us, but don’t know that we’ll actually go that far).

But first we have to survive work/uni, which means more assignments/hours/PhD proposal. Wonder if I can get zombies into my disaster management plan ...

not sharing

Two posts in one day, scary stuffs. I hadn't planned on posting before bed, but Miss R said something that got me thinking.

I started playing with this as a way to get some of the crap circling in my head out. There was no real way of knowing that anyone would read it. I know some of us share the blog love, making sure that we comment on each other’s posts. We know each other, and are comfortable enough that we say what we like. Not all that different from how we are when we're actually together, but much easier than trying to find a time when all of us can be.

Still, there are things that I put on here that I don't share with Miss R. I don't blog or tweet specifically about her, but she does get referenced in quite a few. She is aware of this, and while not thrilled she understands the context. The other stuff we don’t discuss anymore because I know she’s reached her limit. There’s only so much you can take on before the presence of another woman in your partners head has you ready to kill. She has been exceptionally patient with my funk and hurt feelings, and equally forgiving towards Ms L (though I think given the chance she would smack Ms L down over hurting me and the way she has behaved towards me since the misunderstanding).

Since I can’t talk about this stuff with her anymore, the only way I can get it out (without driving anyone else insane) is here. So when Miss R asked if she could read my blog I said no. It got me thinking about some of the other blogs I read, and what other people think. Would you be in a hurry to let your partners read your blogs (assuming they had any interest, which isn’t always a given)?

For the record I am very comfortable with my decision. I don’t see any conflict in keeping this part of my life private. I am however curious about other peoples perspective.

For now I’m going to bed, otherwise I’ll be a complete zombie at work. 

Zombie Librarian wants “BOOOOOOOOOOOOOKS.”