it's raining

I know many of you west-coasters have been suffering from heat and exhaustion and full-out Fall envy.
Well, I don't mean to rub it in your face.

But I'm going to rub it in your face.

It's 70 degrees today, and very rainy. There's a light breeze and everyone is singing, skipping and splashing one another in a friendly fashion. Leaves are beginning to turn and everyone has a latte in their hand.
Bath and Body Works is sold out of all their Fall scented candles because everyone here is that festive.
Tonight, everyone will be cuddled up, watching their favorite movies and baking pies.

I may be exaggerating a little bit, but truly, it's a wonderful time.

But, so you won't hate me too much, things aren't perfect here.
For one, I realized everyone can see my underwear through my dress today. And even worse than that, I don't think this is the first time this has happened to me this year.
Secondly, Lynchburg drivers are awful in the rain. So there's that.

Going back to the subject of favorite movies, though...
Everyone has a favorite movie. Even if you're one of those, a person who never watches a movie twice, there has to be one movie that sticks out in your mind as having truly impacted you.
For a long time, I couldn't choose my favorite movie. I wasn't sure what qualified as a favorite film, and how I could possibly narrow it down.
But then I realized...my favorite movies aren't the most accomplished, or most witty, or most expensively-made ones.
For me, my favorite movies are the ones that I can wear out. The ones I can watch 57 times in a row in one week, and still crave it the next day.

The first movies I remember being like this with are Jurassic Park and The Matrix.
(I was a tom boy, I had three brothers...don't be too weirded out.)
Truthfully, I had every single scene memorized in The Matrix. I would mouth the words along with the characters, it was a problem.

I would get super intense at the end, whispering along with Trinity.
It's really a miracle I ever found someone to marry me.

[SPOILER ALERT]: Don't watch this if you've never seen the movie, dude.

Nowadays, my go-to movies are a little more acceptable for a sappy woman.
My top 5 are as follows...

1. Ever After
2. Mona Lisa Smile
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. The Holiday
5. Something Borrowed (just added this one this year)

This list occasionally shifts around, and Something Borrowed is a very new addition. I think I like it because I'm so far removed from the subject content, and it's both shocking and sad and totally wrong all at the same time. But there's true friendship somewhere in there, as well as love and confusion and totally misconstrued notions of happiness. I always get choked up at the end, Kate Hudson, darling, well done.

Soundtracks have about 76% to do with these choices. I crave the chills that all of these movie soundtracks produce. They're all brilliantly scored.

I really can't quite explain my bond with Ever After, though. My numero uno.
I tear up every single time the main title begins. It's one of the most powerful moments.

I remember seeing this movie in theaters in the 90's, absolutely loving it. I was ten years old. For some reason, it has become the perfect movie to me. I've lost count of how many times I've watched it. I remember swearing that I'd only marry a man who could kiss me like Dougray Scott kisses Drew Barrymore.
One time, I watched it, the credits began to roll, and I just said, "Again!"
And watched it 3 times in a row.
Most people that know me well know that this is my absolute favorite movie of all time.

I took a Facebook poll to see if anyone else was like me.
It seems like the theme of movie choices stayed about the same as mine :)
These were the most popular movie choices:

1. Tami, Heidi, Charissa: Pride and Prejudice (new, or the old BBC version)
2. Charissa, Philip, Amber: The Princess Bride
3. Miriam, Charissa, Me: Ever After
4. Melodee, Ashley: Penelope (which I've never seen!)
5. Sarah: Anne of Green Gables (which had the most likes)

I really, really loved hearing everyone's favorite movies. It's such a personal fact to know about someone. I immediately picture them totally vegged out on the couch, enjoying every second of the best movie in their own little world.
Usually, when I'm having an Ever After marathon, I'm not looking my best. It's usually when I'm lonely, sad, sick, or just feeling really sappy. Which means I'm shame-eating bad-for-me foods and wearing the same clothes from yesterday.
And I always watch it alone, because no one loves it like I do. Plus I look disgusting.
It's a very intimate, personal experience.

I'm looking forward to going home tonight and indulging in my comfiest pajamas.
I think we'll raise the blinds a little, so we can see and hear the rain outside.
Although it's not an Ever After night, since the SYTYCD finale is on tonight....(WOOT!)

Man, I wish work didn't have to get in the way of my plans. I'd be home right now if not for the whole money-making need.

Oh well.

In love,
Cait

July Stories: Librarians

Librarians are a species of people.

Now, Librarians are not the only career-species. Nay, there are several.
Including (but not limited to) Fast-Foodies, Doctors, Lawyers, Home-Schoolers (a very misunderstood breed), Teachers, and Cubicle-Men.

Basically what I'm saying is, there are certain types of careers and/or educations that have very specific stereotypes about them. As with any stereotype, they aren't exact, but they're definitely proven to be at least partially true more often than not.
Certain stereotypes can be really offensive, but...still proven to be at least partially true, more often than not.

I went to my first official conference for my job at the library a few weeks ago.

Now, before I say anything, understand that I do enjoy my job. It's chill, my co-workers are great, and I love the university that I work for.

But I don't think I'll receive any arguments in saying that library work, just like many other occupations, can be a tad boring at times.

Pulling into the parking lot of the conference, I had butterflies. I don't know why, but it felt oddly exciting to be participating in something so officially tied to my job. I felt really intimidated and excited about it.
As soon as my husband pulled up to the front to drop me off, we had the perfect confirmation that we were in the right place:

Hilarious.

Observation #1 about Librarians: they hate modern readers.

Did I mention this was on Friday the 13th?
Interpret that as you will.

I walked into the building, having no idea where to go. I knew I was looking for a gaggle of librarians, as well as a continental breakfast bar.
I looked around, and I seemed to be in some kind of hotel lobby.
To the left was a front desk, and there was a continental breakfast sitting there, with a few people seated at tables and reading newspapers.
I was feeling extremely conspicuous. I was slightly dressed up, and I knew that there had to be another larger room where the actual conference was taking place. But I had purposefully arrived early, so I could afford to get lost.
In the mean time, I grabbed a bagel and cream cheese, and a cranberry juice can.
Then I loitered aimlessly.

That's when a few librarians walked in the door. They walked straight past me, and out the back door to a column-lined breezeway that led to another building. Eureka!
I jumped up with my uneaten breakfast and followed them at a safe distance.

I coolly walked along, taking my time.
When I reached that far door, I stopped.
My boss was just inside, just past the lobby, filling her plate with breakfast foods.
I jumped back, ducking behind that trash can on the right. I looked down at my pitiful Inn-plate of food, thoroughly embarrassed. I couldn't walk in with this!

So I did something I'm not proud of. Not proud of at all.

I stuffed the juice can in my purse, and chucked the bagel and cream cheese in the trash can. I cringed as it plummeted to the bottom, as if in slow motion.
I wasted an everything bagel.
Worse, I wasted cream cheese.
Which is something a red-blooded, God-loving, booty-shaking American just does not do. 

I was off to a great start.

...

Observation #2 about Librarians: they sure know how to party.

As the conference began, I noticed the level of excitement around me. Just like pain or sadness, excitement is relative to each individual/person and their unique experiences.
So when the speakers began to describe certain program updates as "really exciting" and calling each other their "fearless leaders", I believed them. God help me, I believed them.

I sat at a table with Peggy, Beverly, Carol, Patsy and Lew.
Observation #3 about Librarians: they all have names that would sound good with the surname "Goodfellow" or "Happyfeet". 

When Teddy "Goodfellow" got up there and stated, "I still get excited when I see links in the 'Interlibrary Loan Request' docket," I smiled a loving smile. Oh, Teddy.

I think I drank 8 cups of coffee while I was there.
I kept sneaking out, refilling my porcelain cup to keep me happy and alive. Once lunchtime came, I wandered the hallways a bit, finding some portraits around the college from a long time ago:

The college is called Sweet Briar, and it's a liberal arts and sciences college for women.
It was founded in 1901.
I became completely mesmerized by these portraits.
One of my favorite movies is Mona Lisa Smile, and I felt like I was looking right at those types of women.

The rest of the day went fairly quickly.

Observation #4 about Librarians: they're meticulous about time-keeping. 

We were done by 3pm, so I was able to jump out of there and get in the car with Dusty and my dad to run by Chick-fil-A so they could tape circle cut-outs on themselves and get a free sandwich for being "cows".

:)

I felt pretty victorious at having survived a full day of librarian conference activity. I don't necessarily feel like one yet (I have a Kindle, although I'd never say that at work) but I made it through, and I understood everything being talked about.

On the way home though, I started feeling really drowsy and sick.
Turns out, those 8 cups of coffee gave me some kind of acid-caffeine-coffee poisoning.
Blast you, my confidant, you were supposed to back me up today. 

If only I had a bagel to ease my stomach pains...

In love,
Cait

One of the many things I do in my spare time at work.