List #265: Val the Writer

For the past few years, the one and only amazing Pittsburgh Blogger Alex from Everybody Loves You...has rallied the troops to put together one big blog swap. Just in time for April Fools Shenanigans. And this year's blog swap is bigger and better than ever! 40 bloggers are swapping their regular writing haunts and venturing over to different lands today for some fun. I'm writing over on Everybody Loves You...about what kind of fun you get into when you share custody of a toddler. And fittingly, the talented Val of Small Town Dad is writing about working from home as the guest post on Librarian's Lists & Letters.

Meet Small Town Dad from Beaver, PA

Val is a freelance writer who works from home. He's a super dad of two adorable children who loves his town, his typewriters, and his books. So you know, he's write up a librarian's alley. I'm in awe of how well can balance his life because mine feels like I'm jumping from one muddy puddle to the next.

Working From Home—A Love/Hate Relationship

I’ve had 15 jobs since graduating from college back in 1997. (That’s right, 15.) They told me you could do anything with an English major. And, boy, they weren’t kidding.

From hocking storm doors for a big-box retailer, to bussing tables for a flair-flaunting restaurant chain, to shipping truckloads of fireproof brick cross-country to line the interior of industrial cement kilns (I’m not kidding), I’ve done just about everything. And hated every single minute of it.

Through it all I’ve always maintained two goals that I wanted to reach before turning 40:

1. Make a million dollars
2. Work for myself

Since I’m sitting here writing this blog post and not off drinking margaritas on some secluded tropical island, you can probably guess I fell a little short of Goal No. 1. I did, however, achieve Goal No. 2 last June, when I set out on my own to become a stay-at-home-dad/freelance writer. And, I am happy to say, so far things are going rather well.

I haven’t lost my house yet.

Working from home is awesome! Sometimes. Other times, not so much. That said, the following lists detail some of the best and worst things about being a solo-preneur. Enjoy!

10 Things I Love About Working For Myself

• The coffee is always perfect (because I make it).
• Showering is optional.
• Afternoon naps are mandatory.
• I get to hear things like my son singing “Uptown Funk” while going #2 (true story).
• No emergency meetings (or any kind of meeting, for that matter).
• Four-hour workday (if that).
• Working (ahem) while watching “American Pickers”.
• No fear of the dreaded boss “pop-in”.
• Daily afternoon walk break to pick up my daughter from school.
• A 30-second commute.

10 Things I Hate About Working For Myself

• Distractions abound (my kids, the dishes, my kids, the laundry, my kids, etc.).
• There’s never any leftover office birthday cake.
• I have to actually pay for my own office supplies.
• The constant fear of a Nerf gun sneak attack.
• No Christmas bonus.
• The lack of water-cooler gossip.
• You only get paid if you actually work.
• I am my own I.T. Department.
• Custodial, too.
• Quite honestly, the benefits stink.

If you're interested in exploring the other 40! blogs you can can find them all linked below. It might take you more than just a lunch hour to read them all, but hopefully you'll discover something new! Many thanks again to Alex for putting this all together. Happy April Fool's Day!

The AP Collection

Lucy Quin

A Body of One's Own

Oh Honestly, Erin

Ya Jagoff

My Blog n'at

Josh’s World

Pennies, Pints, Pittsburgh

Beezus Kiddo

The Wheezy Runner

Lunges, Long Runs and Lattes

Sole for the Soul

Gardening in High Heels

The Fashionable Eye

The Steel Trap

30-Something therapy

Pittsburgh Happy Hour

Pittsburgh is Beautiful

Downtown Living

Crank Crank Revolution

Sean’s Ramblings

jelly jars

In Pursuit of Happiness

Red Pen Mama

Orange Chair Blog

Last Minute Panic

Emily Levenson

The Pittsburgh Mommy Blog

Pittsburgh Taste Buds

Don’t Forget to Eat

101 Achievements

Nicky D. Cooks

In Pursuit of Simple

The Almond Eater

Parmesan Princess

Yum Yum PGH

The Foodtasters

Small Town Dad

A Librarian’s Lists and Letters

everybody loves you…

List #240: Ya Jagoff

In case you you didn't know, my hometown of Pittsburgh is a lovely hometown. People are always willing to lend a hand or meet a new friend. And so doing something like a blog swap among local bloggers is simply an example of its charm.

Today's post comes from John at YaJagoff and is part of a special day of shenanigans from a bunch of Pittsburgh bloggers. You can see my post over at the lovely Emily Levenson's blog where I wear my heart on my sleeve and discuss life as an unexpected mother. I've met both John and Emily a few times in real life, and let me assure you, they truly are two of Pittsburgh's finest. But all of the bloggers in today's April Fool's excitement are a fun group of people, so be sure to check the bottom of this post for the links. 

John's Actual Bookshelf

I originally set out to write a list of books that I’ve read and the associated Jagoffs in each of them.  However, I looked at my bookshelf and realized that the list of real books I’ve read is shorter than the list of people with flip-phones in 2014.

My "step back and punt": make a list like Shannon usually does, that gives some personal insight. My list, “What in the World is on My Bookshelf?”   I’m not a complete ig’nernt Jagoff (Pittsburghese for dumb idiot) when it comes to reading.  One of my favorite books is Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged  and recently, I read an unbelievably enlightening book, Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back if You Lose It by Marshall Goldsmith. 

And now for my, “What in the World is on My Bookshelf?” list.

Top Shelf:

• EMT and Paramedic training books
• Some I read while training as a paramedic years ago – Not so many years ago, though, that any of them recommend bloodletting with leeches.
• One contains a few chapters authored by me.
• One has me cartooned into it.
• Most of them used as references when I was teaching new paramedics and EMTs.
• Large beer glass – I’m certain that I drank lots of beer during my paramedic classes.

Middle Shelf:

• Books I have enjoyed enough to keep:
• The World Is Flat
• Willies Way
• Why Things Break
• The Great Game of Business
• The Tribune Review’s pictorial book of “Summer With Stanley” featuring the Penguin players 2009 summer with the Stanley Cup.
• The Idiot’s Guide to Wine
• A cement handprint from one of my kids – I dropped it once and its cracked, please keep that our little secret.
• My grandfather’s borough council President gavel from the 1940s.
• Package of Dura Max flame-shaped light bulbs – I have absolutely no explanation for this.
• City Paper from July, 2012 – It contains a feature article by editor, Chris Potter, explaining why the Pittsburghese word Jagoff is NOT a swear word!  It’s there because I’ve finally stopped cuddling it at night when I go to sleep.

Bottom Shelf

• Made To Stick a very, very practical marketing book.
• Collection of books on gardening and home remodeling – These are merely “Scan and Dream” books given my complete lack of handyman skills
• Menopause Without Medicine – Even more difficult to explain than the light bulb package on the middle shelf
• Cement handprint from my other kid (that fact that one is on the middle shelf and one is on the bottom shelf does not give insight as to one being a favorite as far as THEY know)
• Bottle of High Traffic Carpet Cleaner – Given the amount of dust on the bookshelf, this CLEARLY is not a high-traffic carpet area, so its presence is yet another mystery.  I’ve contacted Cyril Wecht to investigate!

Thanks for reading this.  Have a great April Fools’ Day! For me, it’s a Holy Day of Obligation so watch out!

If you have questions about other stuff on the shelves, comment below. Or if you want to share what's on your own bookcase, let us know!

And if you'd like to check out any of the other fantastic set of eclectic blogs involved in today's Pittsburgh Guest Blogger Event, links are below:

A Librarian's Lists and Letters

Beezus Kiddo
Crank Crank Revolution
D&T In the Burgh

Don't Forget to Eat

Downtown Living
Emily Levenson
everybody loves you…
jelly jars
'lil Burgers
Ngewo's World
Oh Honestly, Erin
Orange Chair Blog
PGH Happy Hour
Radio Chumps
Red Pen Mama

Sean’s Ramblings

Small Town Dad

Sole for the Soul

Syntaxxerrorrr

Tall Tales from a Small Town

The Firecracker Blog

The Pittsburgh Mommy Blog

The Steel Trap

West of Mars

Ya Jagoff

Yinz R Readin

Yinzster

Yum Yum PGH

Guest Post #5: The Time I Forgot About Alex

I'm starting this post with an apology. An apology to my dear blogging friend Alex over at Everybody Loves You. See, Alex is one of those super cool bloggers who never lets his readers down. He blogs regularly, he's funny, he organizes cross-blogging activities for other Pittsburgh bloggers, he's in a blogging fantasty football league (well, we both do that), he's really good at yoga, he's back in school earning another degree, and he has a baby son. He posts a lot of Instagram photos of that baby son and I will admit, he's a pretty cute baby.

And I have no idea how Alex manages to do all of this at any given time.

See, back in June I asked Alex to guest blog for me. And he did. And then my computer died and my blogging abilities started to suffer. I met a man and fell in love, and I started to question all of the things I really wanted to share here.

Oh, and a little baby burst onto the scene too. Don't worry, I didn't give birth and not tell anyone. And I'm not a celebrity who orchestrates adoptions behind the scenes. It's just that my very tall, dark, and handsome boyfriend is also a dad. A pretty awesome and amazing Dad too. Chances are if you know me well, you might know a good amount about this part of my life. But the fact that my life just kind of popped in a little baby is kind of unbelievable at times. You might have a hard time believing it, because frankly, sometimes I still have a hard time believing it.

But the fact that Alex can blog, dress himself, listen to Drake, tweet funny things, work, be a husband, and a father, and not drop the ball on anything is a wonderment to me. Especially considering I couldn't even manage to get his guest post up in a reasonable amount of time.

Alex is doing it right, you guys. So go on over, read his blog, and wonder just "how does he do it?"
I'm sure he'd love to share some tips.

An Engineer’s List & Letters – List #1: Labor, Delivery & Recovery Recount

My wife and I checked into Magee Hospital at 11:00pm on Wednesday, May 15. Our baby boy was delivered the next evening, and we checked-out of the postpartum unit that Sunday at 1:00pm. Below is a list of things I learned during our 86-hour experience.

• Some nurse’s smoke.
• Oakland has its fair share of shady characters.
• The Italiano Grilled Cheese sam’iche at Hello Bistro is the perfect lunch. Especially when paired with a White Lightning Witbier.
• Ellen Degeneres’ wardrobe is extremely similar to mine. I mean, I’m sure her cardigans are J. Lindeberg in lieu of J. Crew and she has a Rolex Yacht-Master while I have a G-Shock, but our looks are near exact and I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing or not…
• Pain trumps modesty. More people saw my wife’s privates during one day of labor than have seen mine throughout my entire life.
• The nori (seaweed) chips at Sushi Fuku are the exception to the rule that anything fried is delicious.
• Epidurals are amazing...when they work.
• Procreation doesn’t discriminate. I was one of the few new-dads that wore shirts with sleeves and didn’t have a face tattoo.
• Other than Ellen, daytime television sucks.
• I really thought that I would cry when my son was born, but I didn’t. I felt the tears starting to well up, but my wife was pretty nervous during the delivery and I figured it was best for me to maintain my composure to help keep her calm. It’s like my brain told my heart to put it all aside and we’ll get to it later. I can still feel it inside of me, and I’m sure any day now it will come out. I’m just hoping it doesn’t happen while I’m in a tanning bed ‘cause that would be dangerous.
• Post-birth boobs are huge…but busy
• Some nurses are angels.
• Sleeping in jeans on a couch sober is much more uncomfortable than sleeping in jeans on a couch drunk.
• A lot more comes out of there than just a baby.
• I really envy people that get to wear scrubs to work. They look so comfortable.
• Babies are awesome.

 

List #206: The Steel Trap

Happy April Fool's Day, everyone! Today on the blog, you're not getting a post written by me. But instead written by HGB over at The Steel Trap. This whole mix-up is coming to you as part of some blogging shenanigans courtesy of Pittsburgh Bloggers and was the brain child of my friend Alex at everybody loves you.... You can read my guest post on Prettyburgh and learn all about the people who are really worth your time.

HGB is a Pittsburgh blogger who loves to read and has a dog. We've never met in real life. But I'm pretty sure if we did, we'd get along famously. 

So without, further ado, meet HGB.

Much like Brassy Librarian, I am a list maker, especially when I am procrastinating, or being bored, or not paying attention. And as a guest blogger* from The Steel Trap, I have like 800 ideas for lists that I could contribute to this lovely blog... books that I think you should read, books that I think you should not read, reasons why hipsters are so totally for sure mainstream, reasons why I think baby/bridal showers should be outlawed, the fast food restaurants with the best condiments, etc. Anyway, after serious contemplation and a thorough reading of Brassy Librarian’s work, here is what I have come up with as my guest blog post: my Mt. Rushmore of Awesome Compliments. 

Now, I know that Mt. Rushmore only displays four heads (and not just from pictures, because I actually have been there to see it for myself); but for the sake of this post, let’s go more with a figurative meaning than a literal one. Mt. Rushmore represents four images of historical greatness... so great in fact, that their countenances were painstakingly and laboriously carved into stone. Thus, the following compliments are the greatest that have ever been bestowed upon yours truly, so great in fact, that they are forever in my steel trap of a mind (and heart):

• “And my darling, you look wonderful tonight.” Sure, this was stolen from Clapton. But when it was said to a 16 yr. old version of me at the Freshman/Sophomore dance in the Uniontown Fire Hall during a slow dance to “Wonderful Tonight,” it was a teen movie moment that I shall cherish forever (wink wink).  
• “Your eyes are your defining feature.” I was just relieved that this person didn’t say that my defining feature was my big mouth.
• “You have always made the best mixes.” I learned from the best (namely my father, JDB). And, if anyone wants me to make them a mix, I will do it as long as it’s via iTunes, youtube, or Spotify. You see, my dual cassette player is ahhhht of commission at the moment.
• “Don’t frown. You are prettier when you smile.” I was lamenting over a break-up when someone told me this. It was kind, although I don’t exactly agree. I think I have a wicked “Blue Steel” face and my lip curl is unrivaled. However, I do think of those words whenever I am frowning and they still make me smile.
• “That HGB can really wear a t-shirt.” Someone said this at a party at a cabin in the Fayette County mountains (no, we were not making meth) sometime around the turn of the century. I had never strived to be known for having great t-shirts, but this brought that fact to light for me. I still do have great t-shirts. Like the one I am wearing right now from 1995 that says “We stand out in a crowd” on the back.
• “You accessorize really well.” Although my husband JTP was not the first (or last person) to say this to me, his statement was particularly memorable because he meant it honestly and said he spontaneously. Long before we were dating, I kept running in JTP on the Southside (most often at the defunct lounge Dolce). On one of those many nights, JTP complimented my accessories and it was then I that I started to pay attention to him in a more friendly (as opposed to a merely acquainted) manner.
• “You are the only one who could find the most thoughtful, unique gift!” Someone wrote this to me in a thank-you note, and I have to admit that it means so much when I hear expressions like this. Giving gifts is something that I truly love to do, and when those gifts mean something to the recipient, it fills me with bliss.
• “Without ever being in your classroom, I know that you are an amazing teacher.” A few people have said this to me, and I have taken it to heart each time. I believe that I inherited the teaching gene from my mother and all four of my aunts, and considering that my career is in education, it’s important to me that my daily work is my strong suit.
• “I love reading your blog.” This is the yin to my yang because I love writing my blog. I never anticipated that people would look forward to the things that I write. Seriously. I started the blog because I needed a creative outlet and facebook status updates were not the right forum for my social media criticism. And here we are, over two years later with yinz still reading and me still writing. That’s pretty great.
• “There are three kinds of girls: girls you want nothing to do with, girls you want to hook up with, and girls you want to date/marry... You are in the ‘date/marry’ category.” JTP is a bit of a philosopher and he said this casually in conversation after a week or two of hanging ahhhht with me. Clearly he didn’t know me well enough yet to understand that I tend to remember stuff like this forever, but he actually amended it when we got married to, “There are four kinds of girls: girls you want nothing to do with, girls you want to hook up with, girls you want to date, and THE girl you want to marry... you are that girl.” Love him... and his perspective(s).

Now that you’ve read mine, what are the best compliments that you’ve ever received? Leave them in the comments.

Both HGB and I would like to thank thank AFJ over at everybody loves you... for orchestrating this mass guest blogger extravaganza! We appreciate him. Very much. Even if he is better at yoga than at least one of us (ahem, he kicks the librarian's butt at yoga).

Guest Post #4: The Crafty Single Homeowner

I am so incredibly far aware from owning my home that it's almost embarrassing.  But this woman is not.

Meet Deb. Librarian, Blogger, and Crafty Homeowner

Deb keeps track of her crafting and home-owning over at The Crafty Single Female Homeowner  and she should definitely blog more. Her crafts (and library ideas) are the type that make me wish I had about 5% more craftiness in my bones so that my finished projects could look about half as good as hers. 

And because single librarians have to stick together (and because her family member lives in Pittsburgh) we met up for some single-librarian talk one Friday afternoon not too long ago over tea (both iced and hot). I can assure you she's as sassy and no frills as her picture suggests. She's a force to be reckoned with world, so watch out. I pretty much want to buy a house and have her sew accessories for it because you know I'll never be able to have a book shelf that looks like this:

She's an organized librarian. Me? Not so much.

So of course the organized, single, crafty and lover of fashion blogger wrote a list of numbers and things she has acquired. I keep meaning to get around to doing the same inventory, but am quite afraid at what I'd discover.

Deb's List of Things She has Acquired Through Single Life and Homeowner-ship:

Blogs I Subscribe to - 72

Minutes I drive to work each day- 65

Cardigans I own - 23 (then adjusted later to 24)

Nieces and nephews I have - 12

Countries I've visited - 12

Storytimes I do in a month -12

Years I played hockey - 11

Concussions I've had - 3

Years I've been a librarian - 3

Costumes I've sewn - 2

Boyfriends I've had - 2

Times I've been in love - 1

But there is more than numbers to Deb, so she did answer a few questions:

Q: What should readers know about you?

A: I'm a librarian by day, single female homeowner by night and weekend. I'm addicted to scarves with a fondness for tote bags. I only have 2 cats, so this does not make me the crazy cat lady. That's what I keep telling myself, at least. I've taken on some huge projects at my house and attack each one with relish and abandon. Just not expertise. In the last few years I've gotten quite good at not sweating the small stuff. I do sweat the big stuff.

I work for a living, but love what I'm doing. Really, my job is awesome. I get to dance with my thumbs up, shoulders back, bottom up, tongue out, eyes closed, and turning around. And then sometimes I roll around the floor like a steamroller. You should be jealous you don't have my job.

I'm also really good at coming up with projects to do (she swears embroidery is the perfect winter hobby). Researching random things. And making babies smile.

Q: Why do you blog?

A: I blog mostly because I am an over-sharer. I like everyone to know and see everything and be a part of my life. Maybe it comes from having too many years of being alone? Blogging makes me feel a part of something bigger.

Q: Since you are a librarian, and this is a librarian's blog, what book would you say belongs on every single girl's shelf?

A: My first instinct is Graceling. Because Katsa is a strong, independent female. Even when she becomes involved with Po, she maintains her independence and never once did she NEED him, she wanted him. I think that is what made this such a beautiful love story. As much as I love reading romances about characters who need something from each other (I'm looking at you, historical romance playing the "you can't inherit until you find someone to marry and produce heirs" card). Katsa and Po's story was so beautiful because it was their desire and respect for each other that drove their relationship. Plus Katsa takes names and kicks ass.

What other things is the crafty, single homeowner keeping track of?

Favorite Book Things: Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, John Sandford, The Secret Garden, historical romances, Graceling, Harry Potter

Favorite Movies and TV Things: True Blood, DIY Network, Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey, Sherlock, Project Runway, Teen Mom, Criminal Minds, Jeopardy, Wipeout, Modern Family, Community, Outsourced, The Princess Bride, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Bringing Up Baby, Harry Potter

Food Things: Italian, Greek, Tender Medium Rare Steaks, Garlic, Bread, Ice Cream, Greek Yogurt, Granola

Music Things: Susan Tedeschi, Lady Gaga, Neil Diamond, Kylie Minogue, 80s Hair Bands

Seriously, Deb puts my list-making to shame. Her ability kicks ass.

Guest Post #3: Haaave You Met Brenna?

Internet, this is Brenna. She's the girl sitting next to you in a bar yelling the loudest when the Pens score a goal or when Big Ben gets sacked. She crushes hard on professional sports players but don't make the mistake in thinking that this girl only cares about the hottest quarterback (hint: it's not Tom Brady). Her sports knowledge runs deep and chances are, she'll crush you in trivia.

Like Bri, I first met Brenna here:

Newton Observatory, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA

A lesser photographed spot on campus

We were on the dance team together, sorority girls together (different sororities once again. Do none of my Kappa sisters blog?), quit dance team together and got more than tipsy at the SportsGarden together.  And then we moved here together:

Corinth, Greece

Though we did not live in ruins, but in a tiny apartment that overlooked Agrocorinth. But that, dear readers, is an entirely separate story.

And now Brenna bleeds black and gold finding her way through New York City, all while trying to find her own version of Ted Mosby.  If you haven't caught on, she even named her blog after the forever romantic character.

Q1: What should readers know about you?

A: I believe every woman should own a pair of red high heels. I could eat Thai food every single meal. I think Kelly Clarkson sings break up songs better than anyone on the planet. I wish Chuck Bass and Schmidt were real people. And nothing makes me happier than a good bottle of red wine and a Penguins win.

Q2: Why do you blog?

A: I've always processed my feelings best through writing. I kept a journal up through most of college and kept my sanity during the most awful moments of going through a divorice by writing emails to parties involved that (mostly) went unsent. I started my latest blog when I was feeling kind of crappy about being single, and thought I could at least entertain some readers by working through my insecurities and stories about being single in Manhattan. 

Q3: Since you write a dating blog, and this is a librarian's blog, which fictional character would you most like to date? Why?

A: Peeta Mellark...if he were at least 10 years older. He's tough and sweet and caring and intelligent. He's also unabashedly romantic. Wouldn't you like to someone to declare his love for you to an entire nation, even if it was right before you were suppose to kill each other? Also, he only has eyes for Katniss...

And so, Brenna's Goodbye Letter to Love Lost But Never Really Had:

They say timing is everything, and I used to think that was silly. You can control timing, somewhat. You can wait until the timing is better, or you can fix the things that make the timing bad. Very few things are outside the realm of your control, at least once you decide to do something about them. 

I don't think I believe that anymore.

What I believe is now that had we met a year or two later, we'd be dating. We wouldn't have had the people or circumstances around us that we did then. We'd hit it off at a bar - we'd probably argue about sports - and you'd shyly ask me for my number. You'd wait the appropriate amount of days - I bet you're a wait three days kind of guy - and then ask me out, and our first date would be something like pizza or wings or a baseball game. I'd spend the night making of Tom Brady's hair; you'd remind me the Steelers lost to Tim Tebow. You'd walk me to the subway, or put me in a cab, and you'd kiss me goodnight, and I'd have butterflies the entire way home.

As fate would have it, we didn't meet last weekend. We met a couple of years ago, surrounded by messed up people in messed up situations. Neither of us really had it all together, and so we kept dancing around each other, making mistakes and bad decisions, drunken phone calls and text messages, and existing on the edge of something but never really diving in. And before we knew it, it had been two years, and it was old, and something had to to give. 

I didn't want to have to do this. I held out hope for so long that you would just get it together and stop being stupid and realize that the spark we have doesn't happen every day. I wish you'd realized that it wasn't too late. I wish I could have told you I never stopped thinking you were genuinely a good person deep down, even though all my friends did. I wish you'd realized that I wasn't going to wait around forever and had done something about it.

So when you texted me last week, I didn't reply and I hit delete. I can't do this anymore. It's been going on for far too long. I've spent too many nights crying over you, and you don't deserve that from me. I can't go halfway with you. I've tried to stay friends and push my feelings to the side, but I've realized I just can't function like that, and so I have to cut you off completely. And that makes me really sad.

Whether you realize it or not, you were instrumental in getting me through the most awful period of my life. You were the distraction I needed when the world was crumbling around me. You were someone I looked forward to seeing, and your chats kept me company during late, lonely nights. Regardless of what we happened next, I will always be grateful to you for that.

I'm going to miss you like crazy. We haven't talked that much lately, but when we did, I smiled. The conversation flowed easily. There were no awkward silences. I'm going to miss your hugs, and your eyes, and the few times I got to kiss you, because dammit, they were good kisses. I'm going to miss arguing with you most, because that's when the sparks really flew, even though I recognize that no healthy relationship has ever been built from two people who like to argue with each other.

I wish the circumstances and timing had been different. I wish we could have existed in a vacuum without anyone else interfering. I wish we'd had a little more time living in the same state. And even as I'm writing this, I wish you'd call me and tell me that you screwed up and wanted to start over today, with the lives we're living now, surrounded by these people and these situations instead of those two years ago.

I'm pretty sure I'll see you again down the road. Fate isn't kind enough to me to let me off that easy. I hope it's far enough in the future that we've both found people who make us happy without any complications. I hope we can sit down over a beer and laugh about how silly we used to be.

Guest Post #2: The Pondering Poet

This is Bri, the Poet over at A Poet's Ponderings. A professor, residing in Indianapolis, recently married.

Bri. Poet in the Heartland

Bri is one of the few bloggers I know personally. We met here:

Allegheny College. Gorgeous, right?

Graduates of the Class of 2003. Both English majors, both sorority members (different sororities though) but we actually weren't all that close. In a school with less than 2,000 students it's hard not to know everyone and we had common friends, but we ran in different circles. Though, truthfully, I always kind of wished we knew each other better back then. Another truth, the "pinning" ceremony that her future-husband performed was the best of our 4 years in college and as Allegheny prepares for a bicentennial, they should put it in the history books.

What else should you know about Bri?

Q1: What should readers know about you?

A: I love animals to point where it's a bit ridiculous. I have a dog, Kweli, a cat, Nimbus and two recently acquired Zebra Finches, Humphrey and Calliope. I can't watch those ASPCA commercials featuring Sarah McLaughlin without weeping. I break for geese, chipmunks, squirrels, and raccoons. I spend a fortune on my pets, I donate to the World Wildlife Fund, The Humane Society and The ASPCA. Yeah, I may have a problem.

Q2: Why do you blog?

A: I blog because I am a writer. I've kept a journal for forever and I started writing letters, poems, and stories when I was in first grade. I just love writing and my blog is really an electronic journal of sorts, so that's why I like to keep up with it.

Q3: Can you recommend a great collection of poetry to readers?

A: My favorite poet of all time is Elizabeth Bishop. I admire her greatly and her poetry is the reason I write. Her meticulous attention to detail, her observers eye, her subjects, her struggles and her triumphs are truly remarkable. I'm going to pull a professor's trick and just recommend a few poems instead of an entire book. This is mostly because when I was a student, I found entire poetry collections a bit intimidating. The poems I would recommend are "Sestina," "The Moose," "The Fish," "Brazil," "In the Waiting Room," "One Art," "Sandpiper," and "At the Fishouses."

And so what better letter to write, from a poet who loves to teach and loves to learn, than a letter to her own college:

To My Community College:

If you had asked me ten years ago as a graduating senior from a private liberal arts college what I knew about community colleges, I would have said absolutely nothing. However, this would not have been a true answer because I knew one thing about community colleges: I knew they were looked down upon. How did I know this? Because occasionally when I would tell people unfamiliar with Allegheny College where I went to school they would pause and then say, "Oh," you go to CCAC." CCAC stands for Community College of Allegheny County. The first few times this happened, I corrected the questioner but didn't think much of it. I didn't know anything about CCAC and I'm not a native of Pennsylvania, so whatever. They were confusing one school for another. Who cares, right? I was quickly set straight when the same mistake was made in the presence of a friend of mine from Pittsburgh. "No, no, no," she interjected quickly, "we go to Allegheny College not CCAC. That's a community college." Then she laughed and made a face, and I started to get the picture.

Flash forward four years and I'm graduating from my small liberal arts college to head to the great state of Texas for graduate school. It is while I am sweating away in this strange state, studying Heidegger and Hegel and wondering if I'm smart enough for grad school, that I learn I love teaching. I teach several sections of freshman composition and I am hooked. My students are young, they are diverse, they are hilarious and they are frustrating. It is hard work but I feel I've hit my stride. As I finish my MA,  and prepare to head back east, I start to think about teaching jobs.

I arrive back in Pennsylvania in December in the middle of a blizzard, which is fitting. I enroll in a low-residency MFA program, I get back together with my now husband, and I realize that I'm going to end up moving out to Indianapolis. I start looking for adjunct teaching jobs at colleges in Indy and come across a posting for an adjunct English instructor at a community college. I apply Thursday, I am contacted the following Thursday and I am told I need to be in Indy the following Monday. I pack up my Nissan Sentra and once again, drive west.

I arrived at my community college close to five years ago and I'm preparing to start my eighth semester as a full time faculty member. I've learned a lot in my time teaching at this college, but the most important thing I've learned is that community colleges do not deserve to be looked down upon. They are doing hard, important and necessary work in our communities and they should be congratulated and celebrated for that work. Community colleges help people of all ages find their educational path. Sometimes these people are eighteen year old students who are not quite ready to leave home. Sometimes these people are thirty year old men and women who are taking on a second career or making a career change. Sometimes, and more often than not with the present economy, these people are making their way back from a job loss.

My students struggle. They have obstacles that I could not even begin to imagine when I was in college. They are single parents, they are first generation college students, they are victims of domestic violence, they are victims of childhood abuse, they are recovering addicts, they have been incarcerated, they have been homeless and/or jobless and they do not know what it is to be a student.

But they want to learn and I want to teach them.

So to my community college, thank you for taking a sheltered and naive twenty-three year old girl and showing her that she was wrong. That education is not only found in brick buildings covered in ivy and that students are not all eighteen years old with new laptops and cell phones. Education is diversity. You taught me that, and for that lesson, I am grateful.

Sincerely,
Bri

Guest Post #1: The Adorable Maggie from A Drop in the Three Rivers

A few weeks ago I asked my readers and favorite bloggers if they would be interested in writing a guest blog here at Librarian Lists and Letters. One of the first people to respond was a Maggie from over at A Drop in the Three Rivers. Maggie and I met at PodCamp Pittsburgh 6 this autumn. We were both newbies and nervous about not knowing anyone, what to wear, and generally everything else. We tweeted about it all week and the PodCamp alums assured us that everything would be fine. And quite surely, they were right.

This is Maggie. She loves Pittsburgh down to the core of her bones. I asked her a few questions:

Q: What should readers know about you?

A: Everything you need to know about me can be summed up in three words: I love Pittsburgh.

Q: Why do you blog?

A: Reason one? It's because I want to think. My brain moves so quickly sometimes, that I can't keep track of what I'm thinking. Typing my thoughts and arranging them in a coherent way for my readers helps me to sort out my thoughts and feelings for my own benefit, too. Reason two? I'm a writer. Always have been, probably always will be.

Q: What are you most looking forward to in 2012?

A: I'm looking forward to everything 2012 has to offer! Namely: Enjoying my birthday. My niece's second birthday. Continuing to understand what it means to be an adult, single, professional lady in the city. Visit friends in NYC and Philly. See the West Coast. I'm also hoping to make it the first time in my adult life that I have one single address during a calendar year (no moving!).

And so, Maggie's Lettesr: odes to the people she sees everyday. Perfect for this week of holiday joy, thankfulness and love amid work, deadlines and early mornings. A little tribute to the people who make our life when even we don't always know it. For better and sometimes, for worse.

Dear Mailman,

How did you get so cool? You seem like you're my age, with your chain, headphones and loose-fitting mailman pants. If I had to guess, I'd say that your iPod plays Nirvana and Chris Brown and that you're not ashamed to admit that you listen to the occasional Britney Spears record. Pre-Federline only, of course.

Dear Nice Auto Mechanic,

I really appreciate the days that we say good morning (or afternoon) as I walk into the office. In fact, I'm not looking forward to this winter when your garage door is closed. Don't take this the wrong way, but you have a really great smile. It brightens my day. I bet people tell you that all of the time though.

Dear People Who Throw Their Cigarette Butts Everywhere,

You know, I ma all about finding to appreciate in everyone. I'm sure you have other great qualities, but your carelessness ins't one of them. Please stop flicking your cigarette butts willy-hilly. Did you know that you'er hurting our poor trees? You're also hurting my poor quads--someone's got to pick them up and put them in the trash during clean-up days! I propose that in 2012 you made the big life change. Keep smoking if you must, but put those butts in a receptacle, please.

Dear Post-Gazette Salesman,

Your smile is also nice, like my friend the Mechanic up there. You're a really nice salesman, I think.Not only do you usually remember that I do get the PG delivered to my home every morning, you never push anyone I see into buying it. You're always pretty cheerful and you have awesome Steelers-related wares on your PG table. Thank you for your consistency.

Dear UPS Guy,

The first time you remembered my last name, I felt like a real employee at my office. I've been around so that the UPS guy knows my last name! You probably don't know that your memory (really, something you have to do for your job) made not only my day, but my week. Then you have waved at me in the pizza shop?! It was great to see a friend that day. You rock, UPS man.

So dear readers, who do you see in your daily routine? Share what you'd like to say to them in the comments! Or volunteer to be a guest blogger!