I know this has nothing to do with library-land, but the big news right now in Hawaii is that my alma mater, the University of Hawaii at Manoa has lost our college football coach! And if you think I’m sad about this, you should see my husband–you’d think there was a death in the family with the way he’s carrying on.

Jones’ Departure Throws Program Into Chaos

I earned both my undergratuate degree and my MLIS at the University of Hawaii, so even if I don’t agree with the way things are run there, I still support their athletic program. During my first year in library school at UH, the Warriors were 0-12, and this year, they were 12-0 and even played in the Sugar Bowl! Unreal. Coach Jones has done so much, not only for college football in Hawaii, but for the entire state as well. That’s why I was sad to hear that he has accepted the coaching gig at SMU.

But that’s ultimately his decision, and I do wish him and the SMU football team all the best. We will be forever grateful for all that he’s done and hope that he will always have fond memories of his years in Hawaii. What else can we say? Change is never easy and oftentimes, it’s not welcome either, but it’s inevitable. So even though we’ll miss June Jones, the UH Warriors must continue with the forward momentum and reap good things.

I know this post was off-topic, but this is my little corner of the internet, so I can do what I like. It was a slow library day.

Aloha!  Welcome to my first blog post of 2008!  Actually, my first blog post ever.  Okay, so let me introduce myself.  I know you are obviously smart enough to read, so as you can surmise from the title of my blog, you could probably tell that I am a librarian from Hawaii.  Yes, that’s true.  I’m a thirty-something librarian wahine on the island of Oahu.  My job duties include but are not limited to doing a lot of reference, scheduling interesting programs that I think our library patrons would enjoy, ordering books and other materials, acting as a test proctor, giving library tours, doing the occasional storytimes and editing our library’s monthly newsletter. 

When I’m not at my day (and 1 night a week) job, I have my other (no, I don’t get paid, but don’t you think I should?!) 24/7 job to do–wife (married 4 years thus far), mother to two children (a baby and a preschooler), caretaker of two house-rabbits (a brown holland lop tita bunny and a black & white dwarf mix bruddah rabbit).  Right now, I think I’m doing adequately at both my paid job and my 24/7 unpaid job, but I really think I could be so much more effective doing either one exclusively.  But let’s face it…that’s just not gonna happen, so why even muse about it?!

I found this meme from Confessions of A Real Librarian who got it from Pop Culture Librarian.  Thanks for letting me steal it!  Let’s reflect back on the year, shall we?

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
After years of renting, DH and I entered the world of homeownership and lovely mortgages (alright, so it’s a townhome, but beggars can’t be choosers, especially in Hawaii where housing is so expensive). And we added a second child to our family. Is that cheating, giving two answers to one question? Ah well, it’s MY blog, and I can do what I want to.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
For 2007 I didn’t make any New Year’s Resolutions, so the first part of this question doesn’t apply. For 2008, I thought it would be a good idea to be somewhat motivated, so here it is:  a)  Lose some of this pregnancy weight–I so do not want to be one of those mothers who are still carrying around “baby-weight” when their “babies” are 20 years old.  b)  Not yell at my kids so much–I want them both to know that I do love them and I want to tell them that every day.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
(Raises hand) Me! Me! Me!  In February, I gave birth to our second child, a girl.  And then in November, DH’s cousin’s wife had a baby girl.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Fortunately, not this past year.

5. What countries did you visit?
Ugh!  With two young children in the house, and the two bunnies, DH and I went only as far as a neighbor island (Kauai).  Traveling with kids and babies is a pain and seeing as they won’t likely remember the trip, going abroad with them right now would be a waste.  It’ll be a long time before we go out of the country…sigh.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A mini-van!  My toyota corolla is a great car, but it’s compactness is really highlighted by the two carseats in the back.

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory?
Sad, but being a fan of professional wrestling, alls I can think of right now is Y2J’s return to WWE in November.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting my preschooler potty-trained for poop!  He still pees in his pull-ups, so if anyone has tips on how to make him go shishi in the potty instead, then please pass ‘em on!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Hmmm.  Connected to #8…not getting my boy potty trained for pee.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
You know, I used to be one tough chick when it came to colds and getting sick.  But since I’ve had kids and now that one of my kids is in preschool, colds and sick germs are a part of my life.  So I’ve had many many colds this year.  I’ve even had to get the flu shot as a precaution.  No injuries, tho.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our townhome in Waikele, hands down.  Coming in second–our Zojirushi programmable rice cooker.  Nothing like being able to program the rice pot in the morning, go to work and come home to a nice fresh pot of steaming hot rice.  Mmm mmm mmmm.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Not mine.  I’ve got a short fuse that seems to have gotten even shorter now that I’m a working mom.  I snap at DH and DS and even 11-month old DD.  I grouse at work, I grumble all the time.

Oh!  I know!  Let’s give it up for the UH Warriors football team, Coach June Jones and the rest of the coaching staff.  They had a great season this past year, and even though they lost to UGA at the Sugar Bowl, I think they played with class.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Dare I say it?  Our commander-in-chief, Bush and the other powers that be.  I also am saddened by those dirty girls of pop culture, Britney, Paris & Lindsay.  And disappointed in all those people that drive while intoxicated (the Asian guy from Lost, Jon Ricky Karamatsu, Don Ho, local playwright Lisa Matsumoto…)

14. Where did most of your money go?
Lots of things.  Mortgage, first and foremost.  Then expenses like DS’s preschool tuition, car & health insurance, groceries, prescription RX, stuff like that.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
We recently have a new State Librarian!  I am interested to see in what direction he’ll take our statewide library system and what changes, if any, his leadership will bring about.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
I’m Yours by Jason Mraz.  And why isn’t it on iTunes.  Damnit!  That and Black Parade by MCR.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Definitely fatter, but I’m addressing that in my resolution for 2008, remember?                                                                                                                                                                     c) richer or poorer? Moneywise, definitely poorer.  But I’m richer because I’m blessed with a job that is fun, a roof over my head, a loving family, the ability to read, and the thirst for knowledge and learning.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercise and read more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Nickel and diming myself to death!  I spend too much, and often on stupid crap that I don’t need.  Although I must say I’ve gotten lots better than I used to be.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
We went to my in-laws’ place to watch a niece open presents and we had breakfast together.  Then we went back home to our house and let DS & DD open their gifts.  The rest of the day was spent with DH & I trying to clear up the aftermath of Christmas.  Then we headed back to our in-laws’ to have dinner.

21.  M.I.A…

22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Yes!  Of course, I am in love with DH, but I love him more with each passing day.  Same with DS…I love him more and more as time goes on, though he does know which buttons to push to set me off.  And when DD was born in February, I fell in love with her.

23. How many one-night stands?
None!  And now that I think about it….why do you want to know?

24. What was your favorite TV program?
I’m a reality TV freak, so I love, love, love Survivor and Amazing Race. I also really love to watch WWE Raw on Monday nights.  And CSI, the original.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Not really.  There are people that I don’t care for…sure the list is growing, but I don’t HATE anyone.

26. What was the best book you read?
I read a lot of really good books this year…here are a few of my picks for 2007:  A Lion’s Tale: Around the World in Spandex, Thirteen Reasons Why, Before I Die,

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Jason Mraz.  I know he’s been around for a while, but he’s new to me, OK?  DH says he’s “like Jack Johnson with soul.”  I also like the sound of Colby Caillat.

28. What did you want and get?
A generally fun-filled 2007 with happy memories.

29. What did you want and not get?
A mini-van

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I don’t see as much movies as I used to sans kids, but we went to Shrek the Third, and that was funny.  Maybe Departed or Little Miss Sunshine were two of my favorites of 2007.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
In 2007, I celebrated my 33rd birthday.  (Old!)  My mom flew down from the outer island to watch my two children and DH and I went out to dinner.

32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again–a mini-van!

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Nice slacks to show off my slender legs, and empire-waisted tops to hide my pregnant belly, and after February, to hide my non-pregnant but still sizable belly.

34. What kept you sane?
Videogames, make-up and my family.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
WWE superstar Chris Jericho, UH Warrior kicker Dan Kelly, Japanese actor Takuya Kimura.  Can you say hot!?

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Why the fudge are we still in Iraq when they clearly don’t want us there?

37. Who did you miss?
I miss my family on Kauai

38. Who was the best new person you met?
At the library, we have several new staff-members.  I think they’re pretty cool, and I’m glad I got to know them

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you get what you need (from a Rolling Stones song)

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.”

Final Thoughts:
As far as years go, 2007 was one of big changes.   DH & I celebrated our 4th year of marriage and we purchased our first (town)home.   We also welcomed our baby daughter into our hearts and home (no more kids, I’m done), and DS started going to preschool in the summer.  I’ve been blessed with so many things.  Of course,  there were some downs this year–my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer and my mom underwent surgery to remove a tumor.  It’s hard because I love them both, but I trust that the Man Upstairs, the Main Man is looking after them.  I hope that 2008 is a good year as well.

Happy New Year everyone!!Anyway, thanks for reading my first post.  I don’t know how you’ve found it, but now that you have, I hope you’ll be enticed to stay.  I think this is the place I’ll put my thoughts down as they come to me so I can reflect on them later.  Venting about patrons?  Right here.  Please check back often…aloha!