ka·thect:

Mad Props & Stop Reading This Blog!

kathryncaldwell — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:05:19 +0000

Ok, so I have encountered a bit of resistence about the location of my blog. It seems that kathect is too weird so I am stealing from the famous youtuber ”milesingeorgia”. Thank you Miles for paving the way and I have shown your videos to many (make more?).

So I am transferring content to my new blog at: kathryningeorgia.wordpress.com

Sorry for the confusion. I will post more 10 second videos of boring things. No, I won’t.

-Kathryn

Why hello there…

kathryncaldwell — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:02:14 +0000

The consumate "librarian".

On the road again

kathryncaldwell — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:05:38 +0000

Peace Corps Packing:

As far as my wardrobe is concerned, I am set. I will need some more socks, undies and probably some silk long-handles I found a luggage scale at Academy for $8 and snatched it right up. I am considering a lighter sleeping bag but am struggling with the temperature rating. Should I go 35 or 40? 35 is 3lbs and 40 is 1.6lbs. Who knew 5 degrees would make such a difference? I am not sure I need to worry about something that I would have to have shipped to me anyway. Hmmm. I need 2 more pair of gloves: one fleece and one waterproof. My shoes are good but I want to get a pair of sport sandals for the summer. Thank you Peace Corps discounts! Oh! and I have decided on the messenger bag. I like the ones at Timbuk2 for their fit (I think I have already talked about this) but for some reason I am hesitant.

Other Stuff:

So my brain is much happier. I guess I had a little angst melt down and felt the need to share. I think this is the essence of drama. I have another good analogy about change: it is like the split second it takes to shift a car into the next gear. For that tiny moment you are out of gear and just coasting on kinetic energy. sometimes that tiny moment can be uncomfortable. Ok enough of that.

12.5 days left of work. We are planning an in-library party. It has become tradition to get an elaborate meal for birthdays and graduations. The meal consists of an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert. Drinks seem to take care of themselves. Pizza is the overwhelming favorite for the entrée but the appetizer ranges from nachos to wings to spring roles. The dessert is usually frozen custard but this year I am pulling for Passionberri. It should be fun.

Thanks for reading!

Angst!

kathryncaldwell — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:49:20 +0000

Yesterday was angsty! I spent the evening with friends and one in particular set me straight. I am glad to know that these people are there for me when I need them despite the miles apart (and the 10 hours difference).

“’cause I’m already gone”

kathryncaldwell — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:06:48 +0000

Not a lot to report on the Peace Corps front. I have found a lot of interesting and useful information on the internet about packing. This seems to be the biggest concern of the invitees. I will collect some of the links and post them here but Facebook has active groups and receptive members. Yay!

Drama:

I am in the throes of change. Occasionally the sensation is almost like I am caught between realities (I just watched the premiere of the 6th season of LOST so time travel is on the brain). The reality of training in Georgia and my life there, and the reality of my job and life now. The first seems just out of reach while I am trying to leap off of the latter. Take a moment to imagine… And we are back.

I spent my senior year of high school in France with the Rotary Club foreign exchange program. They told us, my family and I, that we should expect to get grumpy in the time leading up to my departure. Sure enough we fought and griped and then I left. It is happening again. People want to spend time with me and I don’t have a good grasp on time right now (see above).

Today I am putting my TV out on the curb (it was a freebie anyway). I have thought about this and it is the best thing. I have a computer if I want to watch movies. I am finding myself zombified, switching between re-runs of Frasier and M.A.S.H. This has gotta stop!

Some sunny weather would be nice.

Postin’ around the world

kathryncaldwell — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:54:33 +0000

I am finding journals of people serving in Georgia! Yay for taking advantage of resources. I am still stressed out about the packing list though. Just how cold is cold? I have 2 coats do I really need a down coat? Ugh I am feeling naïve and whiney. Is my netbook going to be useful? Will I have internet access? Will I be an alright teacher? Will people bug me a lot because I am 35 and unmarried? Lots and lots of questions.

I am quitting work at the end of February which will give me all of March and some of April to really obsess over packing and trying to control things that will work themselves out.

Well This is not exactly a productive post so I am going to revisit the blog tomorrow.

Ciao.

“This killin’ time is killin’ me.” – Clint Black

kathryncaldwell — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:05:42 +0000

So here we are in the “mean time”. I have 2/3rds of the alphabet memorized pretty well. I will get the last third this weekend and start reading text (having no idea what I am saying). A prof. in the department I work agreed that learning the alphabet is a good way to start. I have the book Beginner’s Georgian which I like and then interlibrary loaned a CD ROM from Eurotalk. It is ok, mostly games. Can’t hurt.

I am trying to figure out the exact date that I will resign form my job. I am having some trouble with figuring leave to be taken etc. It is weird and a bit emotional. I have been in my current position for 11 years and with the university since ’97. Well that doesn’t count my student years. Oi! This is a big leap. I hope I love the Peace Corps and that they love me.

I have stalled in my packing etc. I still need a few things but my wardrobe is pretty solid now. I am going pretty plain. I would rather err on the side of conservative. PLanning your wardrobe two years in advance is tricky!

My latest worry is whether I will be a good teacher or not. I have these ideas that I will just be a dud. On NPR they have run a series on effective teachers. Oi! again. I feel unprepared. No worries. I am sure my concerns will be superceeded by a new one soon enough.

Ciao!

The Interview in Retrospect

kathryncaldwell — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:46:47 +0000

I can’t remember if I was invited to interview by phone or email. I purchased a headset and already had a webcam. The interview was to be conducted over the internet. I made sure everything worked and that I looked ok. I dressed conservatively (a bit matronly ugh) and selected a room in the library that would most likely not be disturbed. I posted hand-made signs explaining “Interview in Progress”. Since I work at the university I know that it is not too unusual to have such things going on. So I got there early and checked and checked and checked again. I went to the website and logged in with the provided log-in and password. My recruiter logged in and we did a little chit chat to make sure everything was working properly. I had researched interview questions on the internet so I had an idea of what was going to be asked. We started and the interview lasted and hour or so (not sure). It is like any interview. I think I sound like a robot answering with canned phrases etc. But heck! I got a placement. Anyway, the questions are difficult in that there is no correct answer. Like why do you want to serve, what will you do if you are placed in a country that treats women as inferior etc. In my mind I didn’t want to sound too reactionary or defensive and I didn’t want to give the impression that I was joining because I didn’t have anything better to do. My recruiter gave me good feedback during the interview which put me at ease. We ended the interview and I believe she said that she was going to nominate me for a position. I could be fuzzy on this. The desire to nominate came quickly though. The nomination to some time.

I will write about my nomination in a different post. I need ot get to work on my Georgian. Flashacards! Weeee!

Odds and Ends for $300

kathryncaldwell — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:01:54 +0000

Peace Corps:

Isn’t the internet a wondrous thing. I have met a woman, Denise, that is also going to Georgia in April! She found this blog and was obviously riveted. I am not sure what her assignment is, I get the impression that it is business. She had a similar experience with her Visa application and that has put me at ease.

I have a week off from work and I hope to have the alphabet learned by then. I have been listening to the CDs in my car and it is fun to repeat after the speaker. The prospect of learning a new language an a new alphabet seems less daunting. I am, however, in complete denial about grammar.

Other Stuff:

It was the Blizzard of Ought Nine! OK, the blizzard of ’09 but I love saying “ought”. Oklahoma saw 10 inches of snow on Christmas Eve and it was great. Yes there were accidents and road closures and people stuck but for me it was great. I went to a noon meeting and then bundled myself up and headed out into it. My first attempt was met with a cold nose and premonitions of falling so I went back home and added a trekking pole and scarf to my gear. I trudged through the blustery wind and snow to the convenience store closest to me. I knew some poor soul would be there and sure enough, there he was eating popcorn and reading the paper unaffected by the historic weather descending on the state. He humored my jolly, snow-covered presence. I looked around until I started to feel like I was casing the joint. I bought a tuna salad sandwich and thanked him. We shared a chuckle over the sporty coup being shoved around by a couple of guys in the street. It was agreed that one should not venture out in snow that is deeper than your car is tall. I thanked him and sat out front of the store and called a couple of friends that I would consider shut-ins under the circumstances. kirk was doing well and ha managed to get his day off to coincide with weather that would prevent him from being called in. Score! Joey did not answer his phone and I did not expect a call back. Meh.

I finished my sandwich and cursed myself for letting snow get into my right glove. I might have stayed out longer if I had had a dry glove but my fingers were already hurting so I headed straight home. A rookie mistake. the wind stung and I followed what was left of my path back to my little alley apartment. I find it amusing that “Good King Wenceslas” always drifts into my head when walking in the snow.

Christmas went off without a hitch. I generally parked 2 blocks away from my destination to avoid getting stuck. My family was low-key and until the end so was I. I got a little wound up but no damage done. My sister and I went to Nikki’s and had a nice dinner with friends and family. Cameron, my nephew, was there and we talked about his Nintendo DS Rock Band game. I got him The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I played with Nikki’s daughter Anna who is as cute as a bug’s ear. I left late, relieved that the holiday, for the most part, was over.

Breaking up is hard to do

kathryncaldwell — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:42:02 +0000

I called our administrators to figure out how I am going to leave my job. She said to call the university’s HR department who then told me that it is up to our administrators. The library has a few options and it is a bit confusing. Basically I have a boat load of paid leave and I can only get paid for a part of it so I need to start taking some time off. Woo hoo! There is a chance that I might be able to take it as vacation but that is not up to me. So it is a bit confusing to leave a job that I have had since ’97 (’94 if you count the student years).

I would love to have time off before I go to pack up, take care and generally get ready. I have this weird fear that once I am terminated I will not have money. This is not true and I will just have to keep telling myself that.

Ciao!