oh boy

Well, today has been pretty low key...read four chapters in a book called The Craft of Research...exciting stuff. Actually, I have to admit that it was borderline exciting for me, and gave me a few pointers I hadn't thought of recently that may help me develop some thesis ideas.

Other than reading, I went on a run, intent on making it to church on time with my friend Emily, but alas, when we arrived we found out it started an hour earlier than it said on the website. Better luck next time I guess!

So, that was fun, and tonight Emily and I are having some wine and watching Mad Men. There will be some other people downstairs in the other apartment where we might stop in, but I have no idea how the landlords feel about guests, and I'm not trying to make them mad...call me respectful?! Ha.

Below are some pictures of the apartment--pretty exciting stuff!

the apartment

Hi all,

I was going to put up some pictures of the apartment, but the internet's being REALLY slow tonight so I don't know if it'll work-I'm not totally moved in yet, but it's a work in progress!  I'm off to work on some class stuff then go out, so I don't have time for a long blog, but a quick overview of my day was that I picked up my (new) friend Emily, went to the farmer's market and got some produce, then drove to some garage sales (unsuccessful), and then went to Oneonta to buy some things at Bed Bath and Beyond and Walmart...I REALLY wish there was a Target.

Miss you all,
Elizabeth

work work work work work

Well, today I both found out about my assistantship AND I got a job--all within two hours! Turns out that all these hours that I feel unproductive aren't the end of the world. Instead, lots of good things happen in short bursts of time...

For my assistantship, I'm working for the collections team at the Iroquois Storage Facility, and will be helping with the cataloguing of a Native American collection which has artifacts from primarily the twenty and twenty-first centuries. Exciting! I'm looking forward to it because it's something I really don't know anything about.

As for the job, I'll be working for Savor New York--the owner of the Bed and Breakfast I'm currently at (only until tomorrow!) owns this store and online company, so she offered me a part-time job. Easiest gig I ever got.

I'm excited about all these things, but am getting a little worried--in addition to all of this I'm overloading with a 1-credit mini course in Museum Leadership. Hopefully, the business will keep me very, very productive. At least that's how it usually works for me...wish me luck.

Tonight, I'm hanging out and packing up before I stuff everything in my car tomorrow morning, and then I get to move in tomorrow evening after 5! AHH! I am SO EXCITED to have a place to go home to (apt 3), my own refrigerator, bed, and bathroom, and simply a place to call my own. The breakfast nook won't hurt me either :)

A Long Day of Leadership Training

Hi All,

Today was a long one--my class started with a security overview at the Fenimore Art Museum, getting our access cards to the museum and library and all that, then met from 9-5 with a leadership or group consultant that graduated from CGP in the 1970s. He was super interesting, and I learned a lot about leadership techniques, but the day felt really long! The things he talked about were interesting--there was a lot about allowing people to think out the questions you ask before putting them on the spot, and he said introverts were often the most disenfranchised people because, while in meetings and whatever else, the thinking processes are very on-the-spot, and don't allow for time for people to think things out before they volunteer their ideas. For people like myself, this time to think things out and write them down before volunteering is crucial, thus I felt pretty validated when he sang praises of the introverts!

Other than the obligatory leadership training, the day served as a great opportunity for me to meet more of my classmates! It's so strange starting over somewhere so new, but it is convenient that all of us are interested in basically the same things, but it is funny to see how type-A most people here are! Everyone's early to everything, everyone takes copious amounts of notes, and most people seem to strive to take on leadership roles! Speaking of which, yours truly was one of 2 people elected as the Social Coordinator Co-Chairs...It was especially flattering because it was at the end of the day, after we had been talking about leadership qualities, and I beat out a few other people! Ironically (or not), it was me and another sorority alum who were elected...

Anyways, enough for now, I just got back from dinner and a beer with some of my classmates, which was nice, and now I'm off to read and sleep before we head off to the home campus of SUNY Oneonta tomorrow morning! By the way, I'm counting down the HOURS until I can move into my apartment--I'm SO sick of living out of my suitcase!

Until later,
Elizabeth

...long days...

Today started out early. You know that feeling when you're afraid you might accidentally sleep in, and you have something important early in the morning? I had that today, and instead of waking up at 7:30 as planned, my internal clock chimed around 6:15. Glorious.

Orientation went well today--lots of the same conversations, but that's just how it goes on the first day in a new place. It's weird, because everyone's really friendly, but it's not like college where, even if you get along really well, you hang out right away. Here, since everyone lives in separate places, (or at least some of us do), it's all a little more disconnected, and at the end of the day, at least in my experience, we go home and relax. If only my "home" was actually my apartment. I can't WAIT to move in already!

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the end of the week when I can move in and start my routine, but until then I have lots of class bonding to do!

xo

A new experience

The past few days have been many things--hectic, tiring, emotional, exciting, and hilarious at times. Driving across the country with my mom was anything but boring, though there were moments where I think both of us would have loved stopping off at a spa, if not only to give the Dragon a rest, to rest our own eyes and get some TLC....

I suppose that many wouldn't feel too sorry for us--we had more than three days to complete roughly a 22 hour drive, and we only had to go about 8 hours a day. At the end of the day, we would unwind with a refreshing glass of white wine, a (hopefully, but not always) good meal, and a tv show or movie while laying in our hotel-room bed. These beds, however, tended to be in less-than-satisfying rooms in random places throughout the eastern US--I think both of us have agreed to never stop in Horseheads again, or to stay at Christopher's Lodge in Oneonta. Though I love me a king size bed, I dislike stained duvet covers and antler chandeliers. Call me crazy, but...

Yesterday, after finally arriving in Cooperstown, my mom and I walked around, and she got to see most of the town. It was crazy busy--these baseball fanatics are hardcore! I dropped her off at the airport today, and after a tearful goodbye, I headed back towards Cooperstown.

During my long drive, I had a lot of time to think and unwind, and it was interesting because not only was it pouring rain, which would potentially make it hard to concentrate any other time, I realized that the haze was almost a metaphor for how I felt.  It would get hazy, then clear up, then haze up again... it seemed that during those brief moments of clarity in my head, it would get easier to ease the Dragon up a hill or work my way through the rain. When my clarity subsided, it sometimes felt like driving was impossible.

Thankfully, I made it through the weather, and now I'm relaxing in a beautiful little bed and breakfast in Cooperstown. Despite the slight awkwardness due to the fact I'm the only person staying here beside the family (Monday thru Wednesday they usually try to take time away from guests), the owners have been wonderful and I'm loving my room. It even has a bed that looks exactly like mine from home.

Sorry for the long post, but I figured that since I'll have all these things to say to people while I live alone, I might as well share...hope you don't mind.

Much love,
Elizabeth