After the Sweetcorn Festival, it's all gonna be downhill

Whew, I haven't even had a minute to blog. You KNOW that means I'm busy. OK, maybe I have had some downtime, but I spent it blubbering over Michelle Obama and the hot teens of Friday Night Lights (so hot! so many feelings!).

It was an action-packed weekend in the Middle West--the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit system could barely keep up with my zigzags of these other, finer twin cities. It was like a Family Circus cartoon up in this joint. Friday I spent in library school orientation, which got me very excited about the various library schoolings I can undertake. I then went to the gym. A word on the gyms here: the "less fancy" gym has a WATER SLIDE. The new, fancy one, which opened last Thursday, cost $57 million and is ridiculous. Basically you are massaged during the entire time you are working out.

After my luxury workout, I went to a party hosted by the Graduate Student Union, which--as it turns out--I am not a member of. Sorry dudes, thanks for the free beer. Saturday was a whirlwhind of activity, a highlight of which was the Sweetcorn Festival--oh that sweet, sweet corn--especially watching the Lady Bugs perform (please please click you will not be sorry. Highly recommend the song about sandwiches. Also they are all sisters!!). I met some more really nice folks, 4/5 of whom were married (told you so). Another highlight was a delightful dinner party I went to hosted by some English Department folks. A lowlight? The two hours I spent getting from the former to the latter.

Lots more archiving, too--I even solved my first reference query. Who's got two thumbs and located Prof. Elmer Roberts' history of plant pathologies? This lady. I'm not gonna lie--cutting the snark here--it was fuckin great. Today I had my first class, Reference. I loved it. Ask me anything, and I swear I can tell you the answer. Go!

Slow ride, take it easy

I am bone tired right now. That's right, my very BONES are tired. Today was my first day as a graduate assistant in the University of Illinois Archives. You know how on most first days you kind of sit around and stay out of people's way, but still attempt to appear busy, whereas you actually have nothing at all to do and feel super awkward?

This was not one of those first days.

Twenty minutes after I got to work, I was thrust into the very mix of archiving. That's right, friends--I PROCESSED TODAY. Meaning I put things in alphabetical order and took out paper clips. And accrued countless horrible paper cuts (true story--my "safety orientation" was just the archivists telling me to how avoid paper cuts. Dangerous, dangerous stuff.) What was I processing, you might ask? Why, the papers of Nancy O'Brien, the Education and Social Sciences Librarian, who served on such exciting committees as the Committee on Committees!! (Swear. In 1983.)

So, it was a good first day, albeit grueling. I like archivists. They are both smart and nice (today my boss randomly held forth on an arcane section of copyright law).

When I got home, roommate Heather and I took a delightful trip to Target. It's weird not going to urban Targets anymore, which as we all know are the epitome of no fun, and are constantly sold out of like, soap. Suburban Targets are a whole new world (don't you DARE close your eyes). A better world, to be specific.

If I can self-critique my blogging style, I would say that I am overly reliant on parentheses.

Library School Orientation tomorrow. And then the Urbana Sweetcorn festival! Not only is Foghat performing, but "[t]he main course [will be] hot, steaming ears of sweetcorn!" Not a side dish. They don't fuck around in Urbana.

This blog's original title was Hot, Steaming Ears of Sweetcorn.

I was livin in a devil town

Ok, so my love for Champaign cooled briefly this weekend when I went and saw Brideshead Revisited and three people walked out of the theater after the dude-on-dude kiss scene (Diana's comment--"Even after Brokeback??"). Also I have been to FOUR bike stores, including a skeevy hipster bike labyrinth (tm Jeff), and have nary one bike to my name. I know I am short, but come on, aren't there children my size?

But the weather continues to delight, and I've now seen the largest thing ever on earth (the Meijer superstore by the mall, if you are curious), so I can't really complain. And I ate some delicious sushi. Win some/lose some, is what I've heard.

My GA orientation began today. I learned many interesting (read: not actually interesting) facts about the library. Except I can check out a PSP! For real. A shitload of people are married here...it's intense.

I checked a book out of the Urbana Free Library today and the girl behind the counter recognized my name because she made our packets. It's not a big town, as it turns out. I mean, neither of the towns are big.

Gah, I miss New York.

Pro-Paign

As my first 24 hours in Sparkling Wine Town draw to a close, I will reflect upon them in the time-honored tradition of the numbered list:

1. There is a corn field on campus. Seriously. It is one block from the library. It's called the Morrow Plots and people are apparently super into it. I freaked out when I walked by (silently).

2. My house is adorable. I love it, and my room is great. My roommates, Matt and Heather, are totally charming. However, I inadvertently moved to the suburbs. I'm talking lawn sprinklers, garage sales, kids on Big Wheels, everything. Luckily I'm very happy about this. And I can walk to the grocery store! Seriously, the neighborhood is really nice.

3. Pip also lives here

He's still trying to decide whether he likes me or not, I think.

4. I saw a bunny rabbit today on my way to Big Lots.

5. The bus system rules!

6. The postal system blows!

In conclusion, I have decided that I am definitely pro-Paign (when will the puns end? not before the corn references do). I miss you all but hope to make friends here someday...

Pre-Paign

Right now I am not in Paign, or in pain for that matter, unless you count watching the Red Sox give up a 10-run lead in 2 innings to the fucking Rangers, which definitely smarts a little.

I am totally blogging, though. Jumping the gun?

In restful P-Vegas; I just returned from a 24-hour jaunt to Boston, where I enjoyed a fab group dinner at Bertucci's (high school flashback!) and where eight of us discovered the true bond between a lady and her Maine Coon cat:

"I turned the lights out and got in bed and then I felt McGonnigle climb on my bed and go to sleep between my legs and I thought for a first night in a strange place, that was pretty cool."

Also a few people gave me tips about living in the Midwest. Liz, you were totally right about that whole White Zin thing. Everyone loves that shit (well, this one girl's mom did). I'm shipping a case ahead; I figure I'll dole bottles out like party favors and the town will fall to its knees. Ooh maybe I can throw them out from my bike like in a parade (thought--minibottles less hazardous??)

All in all, it was a lovely trip--I feel like I've been bidding farewell to New England. New York is too sad to write about right now.

Question: Did I or did I not go see Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 (TWO!!) by myself at 1:15 on a Tuesday? Just like a pedophile. It's ok 'cause me and America F. are totally spirit sisters. I bet the pants would fit me, too, even though I don't ever wear pants. I would probs make an exception.

Flight leaves for the corn/libes school Thursday morning. I'm gonna blog it all, folks.

EDIT: It's 10:26 and my father just told me not to "forget" to go to bed.