PART ONE: Other libraries.

So I made it to my public library, and OMG! This new place is amazing!  They just moved it to a new, larger facility down the street from the original location, and I got to admit that the new building is fantastic! It even still has that new building smell! I'll definitely have to explore after writing this long awaited blog.

As Rick mentioned in his blog about his public library, it definitely feels weird being here and probably being the only college student graduate here (parents and the librarians don't count).  The high school students just got out of school within the past hour and a bunch of them are here homeworkin' it.  They've got about a week of school left.

I'm also like the only one with a laptop, which is totally different from UP since everyone brought their laptop with them. Sometimes the whole top balcony you could just see heads peering over laptops. It was always funny when Rick and I would notice a whole row of Macs...haha!  Kinda like this:

That was taken that one night with the dirt cups...hahahaha good time! ;)

Alright...so wow! Just noticed the stained glass windows here, and the image is books! How cool! I swear this library just got a whole lot cooler by moving to this new location...






So to start off this finale, let's glance at some other libraries locally (Portland area) and around the country...then bring it back to UP.

Remember when I kept going to the Multnomah County Library to do research for my capstone?  I really enjoyed going to that library and looking at magazines from the 1940s.  I know Rick really wanted to come with me for a field trip to this library, but we never got the chance.  One day buddy...you'll see the County Library.  It's really easy to get to, even from the Max - Bus 35 to Red, stop at like 10th.  Something like that.  Anyway, most of the time I drove down there (thanks Colin!).  Thank goodness there was a parking garage only a block away.  So here's the library:

Other libraries that I've seen include...

1. Harvard University - Widener Library
That one had a real interesting story, combining it with the Titanic. Crazy huh?  Didn't get to see the inside of that, but it was just cool being there.





2. Boston Public Library
Didn't get a chance to go inside this one either, but when I was in Boston for NACA Nationals, we passed by it a couple of times. It looked like a huge library! Looks pretty magnificent at night, eh? I'm not sure how it comes with the next one on this list...




3. New York Public Library
I didn't go to New York this year, but I did go to the New York Public Library when I was there during Spring Break 2009.  It was amazing!  They have a mini-museum, where my cousins and I learned about Art Deco, an art style that was particularly popular in the 1920s and 1930s.  You can see Art Deco all over NYC, especially in the Empire State Building and Rockefeller, since those skyscrapers were established during that time period.  Ah! LOVE HISTORY...guess that's why I was a history minor! Anywho...it was neat being there too!

4. McGill University in Montreal, Canada
During the summer of 2009, I studied abroad in Montreal, and sometimes my friends and I would head over to the library to hold some legit study groups.  I only went into one room in this library because it was HUGE, and I couldn't find the other rooms.  Anyway, this room had a study room in the MIDDLE of the room. It was blocked off with sound proof glass!  My friends and I liked to quote Anchorman when we were in there. hahaha Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the library. :(

5. UCSD
I forget which library I was in, but there was a TON of places for people to sit and do there homework.  Since I came to visit the week before finals, the place was CROWDED. Seriously. Every spot was practically filled.  I wonder if people who didn't even know each other were sitting at the same table...? Anyway, there were these cubbies with computers and were like the only spaces open, so I busted out my homework there.  Seemed more like a gigantic study area rather than a library. Where were all the books?

So of all these libraries, none of them had the same community feeling that the library at the University of Portland had.  Sure, our library wasn't top of the line like some libraries, but it was good enough for what it was.  It became like a second home to me, especially during my final semester at UP. 

I ended up spending more time there in one semester than any of my previous semesters at UP. I can't even fathom how many hours I've spent in the library.  It's so crazy, but nevertheless, I've really enjoyed it.  :)

This is the beginning of my closing posts to The Adventures of Rick and Tarra. Stay tuned for the next part.

CLOSED on Sundays

My public library is closed on Sundays.  

At UP, I could spend my whole Sunday in the library if I wanted to, but it was pretty typical to find me there after mass till closing.  Ah...you know those Study Sundays when you attempt to do all the homework you had to do over the weekend. Bah...I hated those.

Anywho, the Elk Grove Library opens at noon tomorrow, which is perfect because I can head over there after my morning run! Woot! ;)

I'm sorry for this delay. As mentioned before, things have been really busy since I've returned home. 

TOMORROW!!!

Get ready for the finale!  Well, at least my finale (for now).

Rick has summer school, starting tomorrow, and he wanted to give his two cents about being back on campus and in the library. So the adventures continue...kinda.

Guess you never know what to expect on The Adventures of Rick and Tarra.

Ciao! ;)

P.S. I did see Iron Man 2 on Friday, hence why I didn't write then. Btw...if you haven't seen that movie, you should go see it. LOVED IT! Then for Saturday, I was doing some more cleaning and organizing and some more movie watching. Ah...it's summer! Keep your shorts on...the blog is coming.

P.P.S. The picture was taken in the bonus room in my house. We have lots of bookshelves lining one wall, like a library! haha My brother, Kyle, joined me. :)

Waiting...

Yeah I know you've been waiting for my last post - my personal closing statement to the excellent adventures of Rick and Tarra.

Well, I've been at home - unpacking, cleaning, organizing, shopping, running, applying for jobs/internships, traveling, sleeping, watching TV, etc. It's been a busy time since I've returned to the Golden State. I haven't really had a chance to hit up the public library to finish off the blog.

However, I will try my best to get to the library this weekend! I just remembered the fambam and I are watching Iron Man 2 tomorrow, so the blog might need to be put off for another day. Sorry folks!

Anyway, I just wanted to give you a quick update because I've heard a bunch of you are waiting, including my buddy Rick!

Don't worry! The blog is coming! ;)

P.S. The picture is from my room. Nothing like having a bunch of high school yearbooks and Harry Potter (7th book is missing though)!

"I can see Scott from here."

Really now? From the second balcony, Rick and I leaned to the left to see if we could see him. Like the FAR LEFT. Mind you we were synchronized too. It was like when we saw that laser in front of Fields/Schoenfeldt (that's from a couple posts ago, if you're wondering). I'm sure Rick could see him, but Scott's still behind the bookshelf for me. OH well.

So spring break is in a couple days. Rick's staying in Portland to go exploring with Seamus (one of his many bromances...and by many, I really mean it), while I'm heading to VegASS (as my cousin would say) with Sam and Alyssa for the WCC Basketball Tournament among other things. Then it's off to home [sweet] home in Elk Grove, Calif. So exciting! We could really use this break; although I'm positive that I'll still need to complete a couple homework assignments at home as well as figuring out my plans for the summer. Anywho, back to times in the library...

It's the beginning of the week before spring break (obviously), and things are busier than ever (well, at least I think so...okay Rick agrees too). It's intense. We'll be here often, working. This is a study break, in case you were trying to figure that out too. So yeah, best be off to working again.

Ah...there's Madison working...haha

Okay. Seriously, let's get some work done! Good luck with midterms everyone (okay...just those who have them. If you don't, you're a lucky bum)!

P.S. Look who's in his usual spot in the library...

JEFF MAKJAVICH!!! :)

Another thing, Madison is going around telling people they have 15 minutes left in the library. Hahaha no, that doesn't make her 15 minutes girl. She's Madison.