Oh....So.....Quiet.....

Dear Library,

I find your quiet floor quite daunting. Even by typing I feel as though I am being a nuisance to those working diligently around me. Please stop being so quiet. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Madison

P.S. I am trying to work diligently though. I just keep getting distracted by other things that are NOT my paper. Darn you Mark Zuckerberg. =(

I LOVE SUNDAYS IN THE LIBRARY

I'm just being productive.. listening to N'Sync's Christmas album... I feel like I am a 12 year old girl... but that's besides the point! I'm back in the original balcony spot and it feels so good! And there are a bunch of people in here! Its a little crazy... dead week is bringing people to the library... I almost hate them a little bit... I feel like they are imposing on my hangout.. JERKS!

Anyway, back to communication hw...

Peace,

Zack

Wait, who was in the Library?

A common blog topic by Rick Baleros last year on "The Adventures of Rick and Tarra" were people he would happen upon in the library whilst studying. I have not done much of that this year.

Until now.

But why now you ask?

Because. This is someone that is

noteworthy to be in the library.

I will admit, this person was also in the library yesterday.

However, I did not have my computer with me and was unable to snap a photo with this individual outside of his natural setting.

BUT TODAY I DID!

Who is this creature I speak of?

KYLE FREAKING HAMM!

Oh isn't he so hammsome?

Sorry. I just had to.

I'm not going to lie, it was quite weird when he suggested a trek to the library after breakfast. But I did no deny for I knew this would be one of my few chances to actually get a photo with him while he was actually here. In my second home. How glorious.

Oh library how I missed you so due to Thanksgiving break. However, I am back, and ready to learn!

Hope everyone had a glorious Thanksgiving break, and are excited for one more week of school, dead week-which, you can be sure you will see several blogs during the course of dead week-finals, and eventually Christmas break! EEPY EEPY!

Own it!

Madison Delaney Blake

Late.

This has to be by far the latest Zack and I have both been in the library

at the same time.

Its weird.

Check out how much he has spread his wings!

Everything you see is his.

Which is probs about half of the section between the two blue columns

On the second floor balcony facing the parking lot.

While I was at work, there were about 10 villa guys, and 1 girl, that walked through the library in tennis shoes, villa scarves

and their skivvies.

I was confused.

Is that even allowed?

I bet there was some shrinkage......

No doubt.

There may have been snow tonight. HOWEVER!

I have been in the library since 2:00.

You do the math. (thats 9 hours).

New record?

Not quite.

But i'm getting there!

Guess I better get back to work.

Own it!

Madison Delaney Blake

P.S. Zack is a really intense highlighter. His face is so serious.

no way.

It's been too long, and you know what though? I'm kind of alright with it. I definitely miss writing on this blog, which is no longer titled The Adventures of Rick and Tarra. Trust me, if it was still titled that, Zack and Madison would be having some serious identity issues ;)

Seriously though, it's been quite some time since I last wrote, and I do apologize to all of you out there for not having written, but let me tell you a little something-something.

I've barely gone into the library this semester. Let alone go in when it's around the time of 8 PM - 12 AM, which all of you from last year know those were the sweet hours in which you'd see Tarra and me there.

This semester has been a bittersweet one in that I don't spend much time in the library anymore. I have found other places to study and do work without getting as distracted as I did. Take my word though, I definitely miss the library and the adventures that Tarra and I had. That was the thing though, those were adventures were the ones I had with Tarra. I find it so fitting that Madison and Zack are having their own adventures in the library. In fact, I like the idea of the blog having been "passed" down to former readers of The Adventures of Rick and Tarra.

In all honesty, it's kind of like through the original blog Tarra and I were able to let people know that the library isn't just a dull place to study. It's a place where adventures can happen. It's cheesy, but it's true.

So, to Madison and Zack!! Let your adventures being ... well actually .... let your adventures continue!

PS. I was in the library the other day and caught myself in a few pictures with Madison. It's nice to be a reader now ;)

Hello? Can anyone hear me?

I want you to do me a solid and take a look at this picture. DO IT!

Do you see that?

There is no one on the balcony!

NO ONE!

Well there is one person. And thats me.

Provided....

Its Friday.

At 8:30 am.

The morning after the midnight premiere of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows.

I'll see it eventually.

However. I had a test.

Hence, the reason i'm currently sitting on the second story balcony.

Of the Library.

At 8:30 am

On a Friday.

Did I mention its Friday.

........

Madison Delaney Blake

Like A Little

Madison and I have been reunited... and it feels soo good! She's being productive.. and I've been on facebook for two hours.... I have been chatting with people, and not creeping.. so I'm not too upset about it.

On a different note, Madison and I just had some fun with the Like A Little website for UP, what a great way to relax, creep, and pray you find a post that could be you!! I think I'll be productive now... I cant wait :D

by the way. its raining. and the pc's outnumber the macs on the balcony. and some people are in our spot.. ughh.

Keep it real friends!

Peace,

Zack

WHAT IS THIS?!

WHAT IS THIS? WE ARE BOTH HERE AT THE SAME TIME!

However.....

I don't know if you can see the distance.

But there is.

Its because I am an incubus of viral plague.

=(

This may deserve the sad panda box I added.....

Madison Delaney Blake

Its crowded... too crowded.

So I am on the balcony... and its intense. 10 people. 9 computers. 7 macs. 4 water bottles. 2 guys. and only one person actually being productive... and that's the girl without the computer.. hahaha

I have been in the library working on my paper for Dr. Dempsey's prophets course... it has been a killer! Now I get to take some time and revise, ReVIse, REVISE! While listening to Disney music, because there is no other way to talk about conflict in the Bible through the eyes of the prophets...

Also a fun fact, I haven't chilled with Madison in the library in ages... its horrible! I'm sleeping, she's here.. She's working, I'm here... it is a horrible pattern that needs to be fixed... hopefully tonight will be the night!

Alrighty, back to Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, Micah, and Zephaniah. I'll tell them you said hello!

Enjoy your day folks!

Peace,

Zack

8:10 am

Since it is in fact 8 in the morning and no one is awake, there is no better time than now to write a blog.

Oh hey, its 8:12 in the morning and I'm in the library on a Tuesday. Why?

Well, I'll tell you.

Every semester, all of the circulation workers sign up for hours for the next semester, usually right after registration. I wanted to get good hours, and avoid evenings due to the fact that I haven't been sleeping. I have succeeded in my task. I arrived at 7:30 when the library opened, which surprisingly there were quite a few people waiting to get in. It reminded me of an instance in which I had to buy some yarn one morning before I went to breakfast before one of my AP tests in high school. Joanne fabrics opens at 9am. And let me tell you, at 8:45, there were old ladies lining up by the dozen. But it gets better. When the clock struck nine, and the doors had yet to be opened, there were ladies pounding on the door to get let in. Its as if it was there only mission in life was to get into Joanne Fabrics on a Saturday morning at 9am. But wait, there is more. After they had been let in, they went the speed of molasses walking around the store, in search of nothing in particular.

I always wonder who owns that yellow bug in the parking lot. Every time I sit in our spot on the second floor balcony facing the parking lot, the yellow VW Beetle sticks out among all the rest, mostly because all of the cars are either a muted color like silver, beige, or black, or something dull, like light blue or white. I also feel I used muted wrong. Oh well, this is my blog, and I can use adjectives how I want, especially at 8 in the morning on a Tuesday.

I'd say that was quite a tangent, don't you?

ANYWAY! I am quite thrilled to report, the only day that I am working even remotely late is on Tuesdays from 4-8, which I have absolutely no problem with because 8pm is not 12am. =D

Did I mention there is only one other person on the balcony at this time? Its quite nice. I have my dirty chai-when my mom heard that she said that sounded disgusting-disney/avatar soundtrack music, and behavioral neuroscience. Add on that I have a cold, had no sleep and have to study for behavioral neuroscience, and I think it just might weigh out to neutral.

Oh yeah, that was a good stretch. You missed it. =D

So for all of you blog readers, aside from sleep, what is your favorite thing to do at 8 in the morning?

Keep it real. Own it.

Madison Delaney Blake

Unproductivity

Bet you can't guess where I am right now. No. I am actually not in the library. Suprisingly. Here is the story.

At 12:30 I was on my way to the library, which then realized I didn't have the book I needed to study with so I stopped my Maggie May's appartment, at which point I was going to get coffee before studiously studying Behavioral Neuroscience. However, once I got just past Chiles, I realized I had forgotten my charger. To charge my dead computer. In order to take notes. So basically I would have been screwed had I not gone back to get it. So I started walking back, on the fields side sidewalk, of course. Realized, I don't want to have to walk all the way back to the Library, so walked in front of fields/padre and decided just to go to the anchor to get coffee, and then walked back and am currently being EXTREMELY unproductive for the last 3 hours in Joolia Magoolia's room. So far today I have addicted myself to likealittle high quality UP flirting, Smosh Taturdays, listening to Disney Songs, and checked Facebook several times, updating my status every 5 seconds.

Julia is convinced today was just not meant to be for homework. I guess I am starting to agree with her at the moment.

So. Whats up? How's life? Good?

You know what I don't like? When you are walking, you see someone you know, and they say hi, and you say hi, and they say how's it goin, and you say good, how are you, and they say good. But when they ask you, they honestly don't seem to care, unless they actually stop and talk, which no one has time to these days. I like stopping, giving the person a good, quality, personable, hug, and finding out how their day has actually gone. People are just to busy these days. I just want to have one big socializing day. No homework, no studying. No worries. Nothing. But then again I also want to live in a tree. Pipe dream though.

I also find it awkward when you wave to someone as they are coming out of the bathroom. Teehee. I don't give high fives. For obvious reasons......

I think thats all for now. Yay for library posts not in the library!

OWN IT!

Madison Delaney Blake

Rain. Rain. Rain.

Yes. It is in fact raining here. As it does most days throughout fall, winter, spring, and parts of summer. I guess you could say that Oregon has two seasons: Rain and More Rain. I personally have no problem with it, mostly because I have lived here for more than 19 years. However, there are some who don't accustom as well to it. I wonder what my co-auther thinks, since he is a Cali guy........

"California girls, we're undeniable, daisy dukes, bikinis on top. Fine, fresh, fierce, we've got it on lock. West coast represent, now put your hands up! Ooooh Oh Ooooh!"

Speaking of which, Zack, please don't ever wear daisy dukes. Its not right for men to do so. My neighbor did whenever he washed his semi truck. Ironic? Especially because his shorts were shorter then his wife's. Yeah, just let that image fester in your minds for a bit....Oh, and blogger also says your name is spelled wrong.

I've never actually been to California, but I hear it is nice. I also hear the smog is lovely and everyone digs the traffic. However, as wonderful as California sounds in all its glory that I have yet to see due to lack of opportunity, Oregon has many wonderful attributes as well.

1. Changing Leaves: oranges, red's, yellows. We also get the pleasure of jumping in them when they are dry and crunchy. I never miss an opportunity to become a 5 year old again.

2. GREEN!: I've seen some pretty dead places. The amount of life the color green brings to an area really has an impact on one's mood, community, and love of nature.

3. End of the Oregon Trail: Yes, I have to represent the fact that I'm from Oregon City, which also happens to be the end of the Oregon Trail.

4. University of Portland: which by the way, is kick ass. I mean come on, our school color is purple. =D

Can you think of what else makes Oregon awesome?

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK!

Own it!

Madison Blake

p.s. I am currently sitting on the second floor balcony facing, not the parking lot, but this odd painting that I cant tell if its a bunch of weird trees, or a city with its reflection in some water right below it. I hate it when you can't actually tell what something is.....

New Spot...

Life in the library is difficult considering I have been here for the better half of two hours and still have yet to do anything academic. I blame the change in scenery, from the lovely second pillar to the corner seat... its a tough day on the balcony.

Madison is looking semi-productive and she fed her caffeine addiction with a mocha chai latte with extra whip, non-fat, with no foam and its iced... wait.. I really have no clue what she got... I'm sure it sounds excellent!

I have class soon, so I'm hoping that I will be productive for the next little bit, and I'm hoping the person in my spot with a bright purple cast doesn't make that part of the balcony his home because I will need my productive spot back soon!

I thought the library was supposed to be a productive location, but today it hasn't been. I'll say hi to Public Relations for you!

All the best!

Zack

Halloween!

"Trick-or-Treat! Trick-or-Treat! Give me something good to eat!"

As a child, one of the many days I'm sure all of us looked forward to (aside from Christmas) was Halloween. It was the one day out of the year we could dress up, run amuck, and eat candy until we bled chocolate. Well my friends, that day is today. Halloween day.

And where might you ask am I on this fantastical day? Well the library of course, on the second floor balcony, over looking the parking lot. But don't be down, I have a wonderful view. One of the many great aspects about the University of Portland is its involvement with the St. John's community. Every year, UP invites families to bring their children to trick-or-treat in the dorms, providing a safe, fun environment on Halloween. Sitting in this spot, I have a great view of all of the families and their "G-Hosts" escorting the kids to the varying dorms. I've seen all kinds of costumes, from iron man, to Cinderella, to adorable pumpkins, and the faces of the children remind me of the excitement I felt at that age on this evening.

However, I then see the kinds of outfits college students, especially females, wear on halloween, and the first thing to pop into my head is the quote from mean girls:

"In girl world, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it. The hard-core girls just wear lingerie and some form of animal ears."

Now, this is is not to say I disapprove of the outfit choices because judging only seems to make matters worse, I just feel some have lost the real fun of dressing up for Halloween.

So! I propose the question:

What was your favorite costume as a child?

Mine was my first grade year. My mom made me the best unicorn costume I could have asked for. She was really into making our costumes and I appreciate her deeply, even if the butt she made me hung over the chair by about 2 feet.

Hope you are all staying safe, making good choices, and most of all, having a great Halloween!

Own it!

Madison Blake

Welcome to the Balcony

As a longtime library adventures follower, the lack of posts has truly decreased the amount of joy in my usual internet rounds.. So, I have decided to post, and post well, and post consistently. This blog will be transformed into an electronic medium in which lives will be changed. If this blog truly is life changing, I will be surprised, but I hope that our posts will be a welcome study break to our followers and hopefully it allows you to chuckle or giggle, whatever your preference.

I will not be able to do this alone, so my awesome friend Madison Blake and I will be rocking this blog all year long. We will be doing our thing and communicating the happens of the library, uploading sweet pics, and hopefully have an awesome time in the mecca of learning on the University of Portland campus.

Rick and Tarra, thanks for your work last year, it was awesome, and I hope that we can carry the torch to bigger and better heights!

So friends, welcome to the second half of first semester, its going to be a busy one... I hope that you will enjoy the revival of the blog and that you will come and visit Madison and I on the second floor balcony looking at the parking lot. And if you come up to the second floor and we aren't there, save seats, because we will probably be there soon.

Keep it real. Own it. Choose Love. For Days.

Peace and Love,

Zack

This Day in HISTORY...

In 1842, the Croton Reservoir opened on the corner of 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, the location of the New York Public Library. 

Yeah I know the reservoir really has nothing to do with the library now, but hey! It's still in the same location. Can you believe that?  Instead of a library, there was a fortress of stored water. Hmm...interesting!

Since I'm here talking about the New York Public Library, let me show you the room that I'm in.  It's pretty fantastic! :)

It's pretty, but it makes me wonder where all the other books are.  Also, I was looking at some older pictures of this room, and the chairs and tables are set up the exact same way they were done in the 1920s. The furniture even looked the same. I don't know if the furniture is from the 1920s but what if it is?!

Leaving this room, there is a great mural on the ceiling. You'd think we were in the Sistine Chapel or something. But no...it's just a library! ;)

Er...I think I might have taken the picture upside down. Sorry about that.

I miss going to the library to apply for jobs and such because I'm so busy going to work and doing my internship, but at least I have a job now, right?  I'm definitely going to try to stop by to continue the job search!

Well, hope you're all doing well!  I know this blog hasn't been kept updated regularly, but there might be some crazy changes in the next couple weeks. You never know as we venture past our first 100 posts.

GOOD LUCK with midterms and have a FANTASTIC fall break! :)

100! 100! 100! (and ready for 100 more!)

Can you believe it?! 

This is our 100th post!

Library blog writers on an adventure! :)

 I remember back in elementary school when we would do activities to celebrate the 100th day of school or when the benefactor of our school turned 100 years old.  I made a necklace with 100 beads and another necklace of 100 plastic caps from those little Sunny Delight juice bottles (yeah...promoting recycling!).  I think my sister collected 100 pennies (woo! a dollar!), while my brother made a paperclip chain with 100 paperclips.  It was just a matter of collecting 100 items to visually conceptualize what 100 looks like.  So how shall we celebrate the 100th post of The Library Adventures*?

* Yes, we had to change the title (in case you haven't noticed) because Madison joined our writing crew...

If I was at school, I'd probably bring in 100 cupcakes or 100 cookies to the library and share it with all our fantastic followers (you know who you are)!  The Library Adventures wouldn't be anything without them, as I have stated so many times in my closing statements over the summer. 

Well, I'm sure Rick and Madison will figure out something to celebrate this momentous moment - 100 posts!

So what direction is the blog going to go in for its next 100 posts?  Only time will tell, but good times for sure...

From our start in February of this year, the Library Adventures has definitely grown from their original concept of just recording our adventures in the UP library.  While Rick and Madison are still living up the adventures at UP, I graduated and moved to NYC, recording my adventures at the public library here.   

Although we are miles apart and 100 posts down, 

the adventures still continue!

We've added segments that focus on different aspects of the library, adding some variety to our adventures.  Some of these segments include: Books in the Library and Library Travels.  

As Rick, Madison and other UP students continue into the core of the fall semester at UP and beyond, the adventures will start to get back to some of the antics as the end of last year, but you know with new faces and some new places in the library, you never know what to expect!

I'm excited to see what will happen in the next 100 posts, and I hope you are too and join us on our upcoming adventures!!

Now a word from Rick about 100! :)
----------------------------------------
It's Rick now!! :D

I'm pretty sure Tarra covered what I wanted to say about the momentous event of ours in this here blog. 100 posts ago I definitely wouldn't have thought that the blog would have evolved the way it did. It really did start out merely as just a way to record our adventures. To see where it's come from then amazes me and even makes me chuckle a bit.

Seriously?

- Who would have thought of celebrating birthdays in the library?

- Who would have thought finding different kinds of books in the library would be fun?*
*By the way, keep an eye on that because I have recently found some pretty cool books

- Who would have thought hanging out in the library would have been the cool thing to do?

Most importantly: Who would have thought of making this blog about the library? (haha)

Anyways, I guess I should write something that has a direction as to where this blog is going. As Tarra mentioned, there have been some changes to the blog. One of them has definitely been the addition of Madison to posting.

With Madison posting now, we feel like the blog has a totally different dimension that it never had last year. What I mean by this is Madison might be writing, every now and then, a behind the scenes kind of look at the library. You know? Give us the low down on what's going on in the library that the students, like myself, don't know.

I hope that by adding in this section of the blog it will give the reader's a more in depth look. You know!? bahaha.

As for the posting I'll be doing, it won't change. It'll still stay along the lines of what Tarra and I recorded in the last semester. I should mention that I will really have to work on getting to the library this year and staying there late. Not just for the sake of the blog, but because I really haven't been to the library all that much this year.

Take my word though that I will be a better presence in the library and that blogging will continue and it'll be like old times.

If there's one thing Tarra and I have decided on, it's the fact that we want YOU, yes you the reader, to be involved with our adventures this year. By this we mean that we want you to not just be part of the adventure, but even let people know about your own adventure.

This is your opportunity to add to the blog. Just simply drop me a blog post to my email (baleros13@up.edu) as well as a picture of you taken while in the library and it'll get put up along with other posts. I really hope that you guys take advantage of this because it'll be fun to hear what other people experience in the library!

Again, it'll give a different dimension to the blog. It'll be just more than my perspective and Madison's perspective. Seriously, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS!!

I'm signing out now from the library balcony ;)

Be sure to keep an eye out for future postings. (Postings that hopefully will come more frequently!)

It's been TOO long.

Do you guys recognize my background? If you don't it's definitely been too long since you've last seen a picture of the library.

Trust me, it really has been a long time for myself since I've been in the library.

I mean, I've been going to the library periodically since school started, but I never really spent a good amount of time there. Even yesterday night, I was just there for an hour, maybe an hour and a half. I know it'll take some good time to get used to going back there so late.

Also, with it only having been the 2nd week of school, the library has been kind of dead at night. I'm pretty sure the library is getting more action during the day than it has been during the night. That will change as the semester goes on though ...

As for now this is all I'm going to write seeing as I'm working on Calculus problems.

Just hang in there, post will be more frequent as the semester gets more and more demanding. For now though this will have to do. I'll be sure to make a note of some of the changes in the library as I write more.

Love you guys. Thanks for continuing to follow this blog as the adventures take a sharp turn to the left.

So many rules...

Found the main reading room at the New York Public Library.  It's really spacious. Tons of spots for laptops and what not, but who would have thought there would be so many rules about where you can and can not have a laptop or earphones for that matter?!

I asked the information desk for some help, and she insisted I go to the North Hall.  Got all settled in and everything, and then one of the security guards gave me a slip of paper. I thought he was going to tell me I can't be on Facebook or something. But no, it said you can't wear headphones because the area is strictly used for research and study.  I'm pretty sure my music wasn't even that loud. 

So I migrated over to the South Hall because you can wear head phones there.  I found a good spot, but then there was a sign that says no laptop docking here. Moving again...I was heading to the last tables but no, no laptop docking there either.  Finally, found a spot under the AC. It's so cold right here, but at least I have power for my laptop and music - the essentials to applying for jobs online. ;)

Rick & Madison or any of our followers - Are there any rules like that at the UP library?  Just curious.

NYC Public Library!

After a couple days without Internet, I finally found a place with Internet! Thanks goodness because I was going crazy without it!

If you haven't been keeping with me, check out my personal blog, titled "POST GRAD life."

I've been on a whirlwind trip to New York City, and being in desperate need to find a job, I needed to find a place to find Internet access.

So...

Thank GOD for the New York Public Library!

I'm sure you knew that I would depend on the library...just so I could write on here! Haha! Well, as much as cozy as a coffee shop, which would probably be Starbucks here, I honestly have to say that I'm more comfortable in a library.  After all those hours in the UP library, it just became a part of me.  So look forward to my adventures from the NYPL while Rick and Madison keep it real at the UP library! ;) 

For today's adventure, I started a little late.  Next time I'm going to wake up and go straight to the library. I really need to figure out my NYC schedule. But yeah, after doing the usual Facebook, Twitter, blog, email routine, it's back to the job applications. I have the resumes and cover letters all ready. Just a matter of emailing them! Woo...! 

Well, I'll add a picture in a bit or next time. Hope you all are doing fantastic!

P.S. Look out for Rick and Madison's blog about the first week of school...

Complete Library Overhaul

It is quite possible that I may just be an overly sensitive person, but the following post is not recommended for young viewers, as it may cause crying, gasping, weeping, and other sad tendencies.

As I stated in my last post, I was reading The Dentist of Auschwitz which, as you all know, is about one of the most tragic events in history, The Holocaust. During World War II, the Germans rounded up as many Jewish people they could find, put them to hard labor, and more often than not systematically killed them. More than 6 million people were killed during this time. But why do you ask, am I bringing this matter up?

Well, I am comparing the Holocaust to what they are currently doing to the library. It seems as though many of the periodicals downstairs are rarely read, and therefore do not deserve to loiter the shelves of our basement. Therefore, and I will say this in the most graphic way possible, the books are yanked off the shelves, thrown onto a cart with all of the other periodicals that no longer have a home, then shoved into the elevator, wheeled like cattle to the strategically placed dumpster in the loading dock, and tossed without a second thought.

P.S. Its a recycling dumpster.

It is quite sad in my opinion, even though no one is reading them. In fact, anytime books are tossed, even if they are recycled, I feel a tickle in my throat. All of that knowledge, in the trash. All of the wasted time, effort, schooling, parental raising that it took to create that author and for the author to create that book, is just down the drain.

But alas, not all is sad when it comes to books. Just as old people die, young people are born. Everyday, new books are brought into the University of Portland Library world, to be put on display as their funky fresh selves for all to see. They have shiny new covers, clean and crisp white pages, and they smell new. It is divine. And it makes me smile, just as a new mother smiles at the beloved miracle she holds in her hands.

Signing off

Madison Delaney Blake

Interim Week

Silence. Stillness. Calm. Peace. Death?

All words that are synonyms to quiet, as defined by Dictionary.com's Thesaurus, and all words that describe the library at this current time-except for the last one, I hope.

It is interim week. This means the second summer session of classes has ended, and the fall semester will not begin until the 30th of this month. It is an odd time. At this current time, 9:00 on a Monday morning, the library is lifeless. Most of the noise is coming from the full time supervisors behind the circulation desk, and the light above the circulation desk, which, until last week, I had always thought it was the vent making that noise. I was wrong.

Over yonder I can see the student reference librarian, whom at any moment may be impaled by the giant "Ask Us" sign. I'm sure it will happen one day, what with the sign placed merely on fishing line nailed to the ceiling.

But with such nothingness, the library still goes on. Cleaning whiteboards that haven't been used in 3 months, shelving endless children's books, sending our books to other libraries to be enjoyed by students who don't go to UP. Its almost like when parents send their children go college. It is sad, but you know they will be back for a short while, only to leave you again. Finally, at some point, they leave forever. Often by force. This happens at the library too. Its called weeding. A sad time when books that haven't been used for years get the boot. We remove all identity that we ever owned them with harsh permanent markers, and often times they sit and wait for their doom.

OK, maybe it isn't like that in real life, but wouldn't that be sad if it was?

Has anyone ever noticed the striations in the white carpet of the library? It almost reminds me of a terrain maps my stepdad has lying around our house when he is preparing to go hunting. Or the water stains on the ceiling that remind me of clouds. Its almost as if I'm in the woods, with all of the knowledge I need to know at my fingertips.

However, instead i'm sitting at a computer, in a quiet building, reading the Dentist of Auschwitz. Yes. it is quite a Monday morning here at the library. The life of a Student Supervisor may not be that great, but it does have its pluses. Just wait and see....

Signing off,

Madison

Libraries in Colorado!

It's been a while since I've posted on here, but hey! I'm still here! Well, not at UP here, but I think you catch my drift.  Anyway, I hope summer has been treating everyone well! I know mine has had its ups and downs, but I've enjoyed it for the most part. You can find out more on my blog...

So library adventures in Colorado?
How does that happen, right?  I wasn't even planning on having library adventures as I headed to this Rocky Mountain state in July, but it happened.  

For starters, my hotel had a library in it!  I didn't get a chance to visit it because people were always in it when I passed by, but it was right next to the elevators so I saw it frequently.  It was just a small room filled with books and a few computers. I just didn't know that a library was an amenity at a hotel.  Different, eh?

The whole purpose for the trip to Colorado was to attend my cousin's wedding.  Best wishes to the bride and groom! While we were outside of the church to see the newlyweds drive off in a limo, I noticed the library across the street! haha I wasn't the only one that noticed either; my cousin's girlfriend asked if it was open. Classic!

Could you imagine having a wedding IN A LIBRARY?  The Today show was talking about unconventional ways to have a wedding, and people were getting married at stores, amusement parks, underwater, and dressed up as their favorite comic book or movie.  Crazy! Just makes me wonder if a library has ever been a place to hold a wedding ceremony...

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Before the close of our trip, we visited Manitou Springs, which is around the Colorado Springs area.  Checked out a couple points of interests, like Pike's Peak, Cliff Dwellings, and Cave of the Winds.  Driving through town, I found the public library of Manitou Springs.  Yes, again, I did not go inside.  We were sitting in traffic when I took this picture.

Looks so tranquil, hidden beneath green trees in the summer sunshine! Ah...! I wish I could have gone inside the libraries I saw on this trip.

It's cool that Rick and I are checking out or at least seeing different libraries around the country.  I definitely think this segment should continue.  It would be awesome if we even visited libraries around the world!

Madison and I were discussing how libraries are such a central place for knowledge with all the books.  It's truly fascinating, and I think that's what I really enjoy about libraries.  You can get lost in a book and uncovering a multitude of facts from cover to cover.  It's one of the best feelings to gain new interesting information. :)

Library Travels.

On July 10, 2010 a good friend of mine from 6th Grade, Kathryn Fisken, and I traveled down to Seattle. To be specific the University of Washington Campus. Like many of my friends who knew I went down to the UW Campus, I bet you're wondering why we went down there. Well you see, we went because of the following reasons:

1. I really wanted to visit the library that looks like the Great Hall from Harry Potter. (I'll elaborate on that more in the post)
2. I wanted to hang out with Kathryn because she honestly is one of the few friends I have left from that long ago. Also, we just wanted to hang out at UW seeing as she goes there for school.

Seeing as one of the reasons as to why I wanted to visit UW was because of their libraries, I found this an opportunity to add to the libraries I've visited. Seeing as Tarra wrote a blog on the different libraries she visited, I thought I'd add to it :). Maybe this could become like a little segment Tarra and I do throughout the year(s).

Anyways, there was one library in particular that I wanted to visit, and that was the Harry Potter library. It's pretty much the library that looks like the Great Hall from Harry Potter. Unfortunately, the timing Kathryn and I had wasn't the greatest because the library wasn't even open, but here's a picture for you to see what the library looks like, haha.



If you look carefully, you can see that there was a wedding going on at the time. In fact, there were three different weddings going on that day at the campus. For those that don't to UW, the Harry Potter library is actually named Suzzallo. Here's a different shot of the library from a different angle :)

Seeing as Kathryn and I couldn't get into that library, we had to settle for the other library that was open on the weekend during summer session. This library was named Odegaard. Right away I could see many differences from their library compared to ours at the University of Portland. Before any of you start to make comments, I'm aware that their library will be different from ours seeing as they have so many more students than us. I know we can't compare a campus that is about 45,000 students to our 3,000 students. But the differences made it really cool.

If there was something similar between their library and our library, it was that on the main floor there was a place to sit, and look at computers. [Unfortunately, I don't have any photos from our UP library. You'll just have to use your imagination to try picture something up!] This area though is kind of their lobby area, or in our case at UP it's the area that would be near the offices.

One of the other things that caught my attention was the stairs in this library. Obviously, since we have a small library we don't have that many staircases. In fact, we have maybe like one main staircase that takes us between all the three floors in our library. Thinking about it though, the staircase that does take us between all floors isn't placed in the best place within the library, ha. It's a good thing though that the library will be getting a serious makeover!




It was just really cool to see how intricate the stairs were also. I felt like I was in Hogwarts looking at the way the stairs were built, haha. (Me and my Harry Potter love!)

The one last thing I would like to touch base on about UW's library compared to ours was the computer lab. Again, we have a small campus, so there's no need to have more computers. Well, in my opinion I think our library could use some more computers in the computer areas. Yeah, people bring their laptops, but sometimes we need to print things. I might be counting wrong, but  the thing is, we have like 8 circular tables in the main part of the library that house 4 computers each. If you look at the photo [click to enlarge it] you can see that there are 8 circular tables with 4 computers each. What's around those tables is obviously more computers. The other thing you guys can't see is that this is only half the computers that they have on this floor. Yes, there's more computers on this floor and the floor above and below this one. CRAZY!!


Right away I kind of got jealous at UW's library, but you know what they need a library like this seeing as they are a larger school. It's a good thing to know though that the library at the University of Portland is getting remodeled. Unfortunately, it won't be during my time. (That just means that I'll have to maybe come visit the library once it's finished and running)

That's it for my library travels, I hope to have more this upcoming school year!

PS. This post is about a month overdue [library joke, haha]. Sorry about that though :)

P.S.

You've all just been punk'd! I didn't actually win. It was a tie. Either that or someone messed with the voting. So there, I admit it, since I'm sure someone messed with voting, Michael, your cookies were better. Congratulations. =)

Revelations/Morals/Lets learn something!

As I was taking a long walk during my dinner break, I was pondering what I would write in a post once I got back. Surely I would talk about the competition Michael and I had. However, when I had left, the results had been different.

When I went on my walk, I had been losing, BIG TIME. I had basically given, no thrown, no chucked, no HEAVED, in the towel because there was no chance I could possibly catch up. However, I can't seem to figure out how this is possible aside from one of those epic underdog stories in those movies that, although they say were inspired by a true story or based off a true story, really can't possibly be anything but false. BUT! It ended in a big win for Madison Blake! Yes Michael, I won! The Bake-Off: Round 2: Funfetti cookies ended with a win for me! SO TAKE THAT! You owe me Yo-cream.

I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I know it may be heartbreaking for you.

But back to what I was originally talking about, as I was walking around the UP neighborhood, I had accepted the fact that I had already lost, even thought the competition had yet to be completed. Lo and behold to find out that the underdog prevails! I guess the moral of the story is, don't give up. Life isn't for certain and who knows, Santa might throw an extra piece of chocolate in your stalking.

SPEAKING of Santa, as I was walking around, a Kris Kringle figure passed me on his old fashioned bike. He was wearing shorts, a top hat, and was carrying a 24 bottled case of diet coke on the back of the bike. I guess he is watching his weight. Or as Tarra put it,"Slimming it down in the summer and putting it all back in the winter." Good word choice Tarra. I always knew your communications degree would come in handy. =D

In all honesty though, a Thursday at the library is about as intriguing as watching an apple core rot. Most people are gone because there is no class tomorrow, so therefore, I Facebook. Yes, that is how I spend my valuable time that could be spent productively is on one of the biggest social networking sites of our generation doing absolutely nothing. And to top it off, Taio Cruz is stuck in my head. Lovely.

I hope everyone is having a glorious summer, a swell summer, a warm summer, because it is definitely not warm in Portland.

Signing off in...Madison's Corner!


Yep, still sounds cheesy. But its here to stay. =D

P.S.! And this is big. As I went to go type the word underdog earlier in this blog post, I look up, and this guy is walking out of the library, with the word UNDERDOG plastered on his shirt. I could have died on the spot, but that would have meant the library would have gone unsupervised, and we can't have that, now can we?

Its me!

Hey all! Its Madison!

I know, I know, Tarra posted a blog saying I would be updating more this summer, but I have been so busy with work and play, I haven't been as diligent as I should be. But I'm here now! Why today, you ask? What is so special about today?

Well....

Today I am the supervisor for today! And I am large and in charge! And to start the day off, Michael-Senior circulation worker- and I decided to have a bake-off to see whose brownies were better. We will find out at the end of the day! Next on the agenda, the circulation workers and I-might i just interject that this is kind of cool that you get to see into the life of a worker, as opposed to your original viewpoint of a library goer patron such as Tarra and Rick- is a little competition. A patron requested 8 books from our library, so I gave half to Angie and half to Michael to see who would retrieve them first.

And who won???

Michael! And Angie came in close second. I only deemed it necessary to give them paper clip gold medals (minus the yogurt cups like in the office) but instead used post it notes. I wonder what else I will think of on this glorious Saturday at the library....

I have a question for all of you. Is it nerdy that I and many of the circulation workers enjoy tattle-taping all of the DVDs-putting a magnetic tape on the DVDs? It is so much fun! You all know you are jealous.

I hope my post was all to your taste, and I hope to be posting more, as more interesting things happen in...Madison's Corner! That sounds like a cheesy PBS show or a column in a big time magazine. I'm keeping it.

Signing off!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

CAITLIN CHU

Note to Tarra: I almost forgot that the three of us took a picture together at Relay for Life. Had I forgotten it would have been a picture of Kurt, Caitlin, and me. *phew*

How old is Caitlin now!? FINALLY 19!!

While we're not in the library to really celebrate her birthday, Tarra (mainly Tarra) and I thought that it was deserving to give Caitlin here a birthday blog. If I were you guys, just pretend that we're all in the library. Heck, pretend that you're in your library back at home :)

Seeing as Caitlin has just turned 19, this upcoming school year she'll be faced with her fellow classmates turning 20, haha. It's alright Caitlin, you aren't the youngest of our class, just pretty close to being there :P

For those that are new to the blog, you've got about 80+ some posts to catch up, but for the sake of catching you up, Caitlin is one of our many followers. She has been there since the beginning. When I say that though I don't mean she's been in the library since the beginning, but she has been following us since the very first post. I'm pretty sure she even commented on that post. Take a look for yourself. Besides gracing the blog with her comments, Caitlin also made a few appearances in the blog as well. Although, there might not be a lot of blogs tagged with Caitlin's name, Tarra and I both know that Caitlin went from following the blog from her room to eventually being in the action of the blog as she studied in the library. In fact, I remember when I posted up the final vlog Caitlin was on that watching it within the 10 minutes that they had been up. That's some loyalty there!

So Caitlin, from Tarra and me: We wish you a Happy 19th Birthday. May it be an awesome year. I know 19 was (and still is) a good year from me. Thank you so much for being a follower from day one. You've been here with this blog when it started out rough and you've still managed to follow this blog as it under goes some drastic changes. Thanks so much Caitlin!

P.S. To our readers/followers, expect more birthday blogs to grace the pages of The Adventures of Rick & Tarra.

Sno-Isle Public Library.

Since my days, as of right now, of being at University of Portland have taken a pause. I get the pleasure of going to my public library. As I said in my closing statement of the spring semester's blogs, it's definitely not the same. I knew right away walking in that I was, for the most part, the only student here who was going to a university rather than a community college, but hey, college is college.

So right now though, I'm sitting within the stacks only because almost every flippin seat seems to be taken. Also, it feels really weird being one of the few people with a laptop ...

As for my reasons coming to my library though, it's not just because I have this void in my heart that says "RICK GET TO THE LIBRARY!" I'm here because 1) I lost my library card from my junior year of high school, so obviously I had to get a new one. They look different, but 2) Like my friend Tarra, reading used to be something I enjoyed, but then I got to high school and then college rolled around. I don't think I've found the time to truly just sit down on my couch at home and read a good book for the hell of just reading it. Maybe even connecting with the characters. Finding all of those underlying messages that the author is trying to get the reader to understand. So I'm here to check out some books to read this summer.

Well, I'm off to go check out some of those books, especially Crime and Punishment!

To our followers: Are you guys reading anything this summer that isn't a text book? I'm not going to lie, I would love to know what you guys are reading, if you're reading anything at all. I'm pretty sure Tarra would enjoy knowing too :)

PS. As for the atmosphere here, people need to SHUT UP because they are talking so flippin loud. It definitely is weird being in a library with high school and even middle school students. eh.

Introducing...

MADISON BLAKE!

She's not a stranger to this blog since she has been included in several adventures over the past semester.  She works at the library, giving us the inside scoop of life as a library worker.  Because of this, she's the newest author to this blog dedicated to adventures at the UP library.  Seeing that Rick and I will be absent from the library for the duration of the summer, Madison will not because she was able to secure a position for the summer months.  She'll be remarking on any interest activity going on during the summer months. 

So please, continue to check out the blog over the summer because Madison will add a couple posts now and then! :D

See you guys in August!

Last time I wore this yellow shirt it was someone's birthday! :D

Anyways, I just want to say that I'm leaving the University of Portland campus today to go home and get some R&R!!

But just because I won't be here at the UP Library to blog, just keep an eye out because Tarra and I might periodically post something up? Maybe even from my library back at home!? HEY!!

Keep it real guys and I can't wait to see everyone in August!!

What if...

there was a flash mob in the library?! hahaha Complete with music and dancing! Ah...it would be pretty funny and awesome!! :D

Inspired by Glee:



Even if that doesn't happen, there is a flash mob happening in Portland on July 29th.  Contact Andrew Hansen if you're interested. :)

One more thing...I was also watching "Silent Library," but that Japanese-based game show wouldn't work at the UP library. It's already so loud, unless you're in the basement. Bahahaha...it could happen. Maybe...

F@#$. S%^&. B@$%&

Call #: REF PE 3724.03H84 2006

Have you ever wondered why we swear? Click here for a psychological reasoning as to why people do it.

First off, I have to say thanks to Tarra for even showing this book to me. Had it not been for her I don't think I would have ever seen this book.

To quote Tarra on something really quick. Looking for this book was like looking for a book in the "restricted section of Hogwarts library" (bahahaha)

Just like the last book, I'm going to do another trio of words (in this case) to at least showcase the book off. The only difference is they'll be the most commonly used swear words in the United States.
------------------------------------------------------------
Starting with the 3rd most commonly used swear word: B*tch

Bitch has the longest history among animal terms as an insult, extending from the fourteenth century to the present, during which time it has steadily lost force through generalization. Although the etymology lies in late Old English bicche, a female dog, the word was not used demeaningly in the earliest period of the language, as the cognate Old Norse term bikkja was.

Aside from a quick excerpt taken from the book itself, the word was used originally to talk about a promiscuous or sensual woman.

Today the term can be used as a wounding personal insult in both British and American English, but is less prominent in Australian and other global varieties. The overall semantic trend in modern English has been generalization, since it can also be applied to a man, to a difficult situation or a complaint, and used as a verb meaning "to complain or criticize." In American slang a "shift to opposite" is also apparent in that bitching and bitchin' can be used to mean "very, wonderful or excellent," a sense recorded from about 1957.

2nd most commonly used swear word: Sh*t
There is evidence that the term for "shit" stemmed from the excretion from the body. This is seen in different languages and their forms of the word "shit."

The word itself has always been seen as an insult, in the form of a noun that has always had a picturesque history. Funny thing is, it's always had a male reference.

The origin of this word, as well as its use, was not always the negative connotation that it has now. It was a common term in the Anglo-Saxon for diarrhea.

As much as I would love to write more on this word, there's just a bunch of information behind its usage throughout films and text, which essentially show the evolution of the word from its everyday use to its negative connotation is has gained through the years.

Although, for the sake of viewing pleasures here's a table that was in the book :)

(I advise clicking on the photo for a larger view)

Most commonly used swear word: F*ck

First off, there is quite a lot of information on this word, bahaha. It's considered the "most powerfully taboo term for copulation over several centuries." In fact, it is still regarded as unmentionable by the vast majority of middle-class people.

Did you know: It was unlisted in the dictionary from 1728 until 1965 only to be removed anyways by a man by the name of Dr. Johnson.

Obviously, this word has its roots grounded in vast obscenity or pornography, which was brought to court in 1959.

Because of its modernity, etymologist actually do not know where the the origins of this word come from. Despite having similar words in other languages mean "copulation" the origins just don't match up.

To this day, the word still has its ties to copulation, but the popularity of this word has come, unfortunately, from Hollywood and its usage in many films. Sadly, that's about all there was to grab from this section. Wish I could write more, but it is time to do some homework :)


Sorry that this wasn't as great as it could have been. I'm not one for etymology, which is probably why this wasn't all that interesting to myself either. If you're into that kind of thing, shoot look up these words for yourself. Also, the book was kind of dry, BUT it is funny knowing that we have this book here at the University of Portland.

PS. If you couldn't tell, this was definitely written in two different days. I've been sick for the past week and the last place I wanted to be was ... the library. Although there aren't many people using the library, it's still a place where germs can be spread. Being sick over the summer is totally not fun, so it wouldn't have been fair for others to get sick because of my account.