…however do you want it, however do you need it”…..ok, so I admit, I really like this song and pretty much can sing it on cue, but as embarrassing as that is, it is so appropriate this week!  After being away for what seemed like a decade, I am getting back in the swing of things. 

R and I returned on Friday evening to a very happy puppy that was glad to be home again. She actually seemed to grow stronger over the week we were gone so I guess it was a good thing she went to the kennel (although her guilty parents almost break down every time we have to leave her).  Her back leg and muscles since her last ‘episode’ seem to have taken much longer to adjust, but I really hope I am that spry at 14 ½ dog-years!! (what is that, like a million people years or something!)

Saturday I had my Archives and Manuscripts class all day – one of the few classes I feel like I have actually been challenged in so far.... (and I am more than ½ way through the program) My professor, Lori Lindburg, is very inspirational and I wish I had even a ¼ of her energy – she is currently a PhD student (about to defend her dissertation this fall), full time SJSU faculty member, full-time paid archivists, and a wife and mother of 2!!  I don’t think she could possibly have time to sleep!!!!

On Sunday I ran our annual Society of American Archivists Student Chapter meeting.  In addition to preparing for the meeting for several hours, I had to trek to campus to conduct the meeting.  Should be a good year, we had several enthusiastic people volunteer for our executive team – always good to have people around you which want to be there!!

Monday was my very first day at Stanford – this is where I am doing my internship for school.  I am working at the Hoover Archives doing Library of Congress Subject Heading classification, as well as short summaries, of audio tapes from the Commonwealth Club of California.  The tapes go back to the 1930s, but I am starting with 1970.  I really am going to learn my CA political, social and economic history!!  The archivist for whom I am working, Lisa, is really great – she is going to be a wonderful mentor and I think I will learn a great deal about the ins and outs of the archival industry from her.   I will be working there every Monday for the rest of the semester as well as a handful of other days to make my 135 hours for 3 credits of class work. 

Wednesday night we celebrated Dick’s Birthday at the House o’ Prime Rib  in SF– what a fun evening of laughter and high-jinx.  We were the table every waiter dreads – in addition to our decibel breaking laughter, we had a table full of comedians which took pleasure in making the waiters fulfill all our ‘special requests’ including my “warm” pecan pie. (which was fabulous I have to say!)  I really wish we lived closer to the city, but until then, a short drive is very little cost to enjoying our good friend’s company.

Reeves and I are right now staying at the Ahwahnee hotel in Yosemite valley for a vacation with his parents which were in town for the wedding of Nancy (Reeves Cousin) and Chuck, which took place in Sausalito on September 4, 2005. We are here from Monday evening to Friday morning enjoying the beautiful hikes and yummy food of the Ahwahnee hotel and the Yosemite Lodge’s Mountain Room.

The wedding was beautiful – the ceremony was in the quaint Presbyterian Church across the street from the Alta Mira hotel where the reception and dinner were held (and we were staying).  The previous night, Saturday, we went their rehearsal dinner in Tiburon at Sam’s Anchor club - a fun, all be it rowdy façade to the back dinning room.  Many of Reeves’ family were there and it was fun to catch up with them.  Some of them we had not seen since our wedding 10 years previously.

Speaking of our anniversary – we celebrated our 10^th wedding anniversary on September 2, 2005.  We had a lovely day and enjoyed the company of Reeves’ parents and Cousins Kathy, Charlie and his wife Laurie at dinner that evening at the Boulevard restaurant in San Francisco.  We stayed the evening at the Palace Hotel and woke to a lovely morning and yummy buffet breakfast at their famed dinning room. 

We are still here at the Ahwahnee for 3 more days and I have to say I am not ready to return to the realities and responsibilities of real life till then.

I finally heard from my mom on Saturday evening (just as we were rushing off to Reeves’ cousins’ wedding in Sausalito) – they are doing fine – have had plenty of food and water, but gasoline is the most precious commodity at this point.  They were able to get into their house in Slidell on Sunday to find the remnants of 5 feet of water in the house, with everything covered by silt and a growing layer of mold.  Pretty much all their possessions are gone, but the house is still standing and they are safely staying with Don’s daughter in her house which was not affected.  They have no idea how long it will take to remove and repair the damage – first it is the long wait for the insurance adjuster to evaluate the property and until then, they can’t do anything to the property, even though the mold grows by the day.  It is going to be a very long rode ahead for all of us it seems….

About noon on Sunday, August 25, my Mom called to say she and her boyfriend, Don, with whom she lives, were evacuating because of the coming storm.  They had first thought they would try and ride out the storm, but just decided that morning they would be leaving just as soon as she made a few phone calls and packed a few things….that is the last I have heard directly so far.  They live in Slidell, LA which is just North of New Orleans on the shore of lake Pontchartrain.  I guess it is a fairly small community that has many water inlets and according to the few reports I can find, is almost completely gone.  Today I did get a call from Don’s niece with whom they were supposedly staying farther North, but I guess even they weren’t far enough away and had to evacuate farther.  Everyone is physically fine, but there is still no word on their house yet – I am assuming at this point it is all gone since they only packed a car-full of belongings.

I wanted to tell everyone who has contacted us with their well wishes and concerns, thank you.  I am still in a bit of disbelief, and until I hear more, am hoping for the best, but planning (realistically) for an unfortunate outcome to their home. I will keep everyone post when I can…..

What a fun afternoon!  My good friend Trina is getting married in 40 days (according to her grandmother who is counting down J ) and her wonderful family threw a lovely afternoon tea in her honor.  The party was held at her parent’s house and was catered by her Uncle (who made the most wonderful yummies – handy to have a chef in the family!).  All of Trina’s family and friends are so wonderful it is not surprising I had a great time meeting them all!  So, almost 39 days and counting!!

Friday, and the first event was to stand with our student poster and answer questions from anyone who stops by….it was a long hour. J  The posters were set up on easels in the expo hall where there was a breakfast given by the vendors – so actually, there were quite a few people around.  The next sessions were not till after lunch, which, not wanting to spend the money for more hotel food, I had to buy an umbrella to walk to the mall as it was pouring rain again. It is always amaizing to me that the rain here doesn’t make it any cooler, just more humid!

My evening was terribly exciting including another trip to the gym followed by another walk to the mall attached to the hotel. I have to say the food options around the hotel are not especially great and I had the terribly healthy dinner of fried oysters and French fries as the only other options were scary looking Mexican food and sushi which was being served by non-Asians, never a good sign. I also can’t get over how expensive things are here – I know I am in a hotel(tax on the hotel room is 13%!!), but even the sales tax is 9%! Add that on top of standardized pricing at all the chain stores (Gap, Body Shop, etc.) and I don’t know how people afford it here with lower wages. 

Thankfully, after several restless nights I collapsed in bed by 10 pm and got almost a full night sleep – always a challenge with me and traveling.

Saturday morning was an early one again with the first session at 8 am.  After the first session, which was part 1 of 2, I realized I was really not getting anything out of it so I ditched the second and walked to the mall for lunch again.  In killing some time I found a couple really cute boutiques.  The first, Mignon Faget, was actually recommended by my friend Amy – I had no idea it was going to be so close to my hotel!  I picked up a necklace and bracelet in sterling silver which I am very excited about.  The second boutique was Francesca’s Collections – a fun and eclectic accessories store highlighting inexpensive jewelry with a decidedly New Orleans Flair. 

I am now just getting ready for dinner with my Mom, Don and his two kids, Lyle and Leanne…

I arrived at my conference for the Society of American Archivists on Tuesday evening, a weary and frustrated traveler. The airline had cancelled my Dallas to New Orleans flight then lost my luggage. I am complaining about it first, but it did all turn out ok, just made for a long day.  The up-sides of the day included the fact that I realized my 5:15 pm flight was cancelled, but noticed an earlier flight was still available, since too was it was delayed from the weather.  Since I was in the terminal 3 hours early, I was able to get a seat on the earlier flight before all the other people on my cancelled flight realized (or were even in the airport) what was happening.  I even got into N.O. before my scheduled flight, even with the delay.  The next good thing was my luggage did arrive safe and sound the next morning, but I had a fitful night waking almost ever hour to see if the light on my phone was lit, signaling my luggage was at the bell desk.

After a shaky start, I had most of Wednesday to acclimate and get my poster ready for the conference.  I actually had quite a lovely day.  I used the hotel gym for an hour, walked around the mall attached to the hotel, put my poster together, and then the highlight of the day….a massage and facial at the Ritz-Carlton spa!  It was a wonderful relaxing treat to take the stress off from the earlier day.  I was lucky to get in on 24 hours notice, so I think my travel-karma was still in tact.

Thursday started early with the opening session at 8 AM.  The speaker was the dynamic Andrew Young, former UN Ambassador under the Carter administration.  He gave a very compelling talk (for 60 minutes, without notes!) about the value of archives and how they have increased America’s collective knowledge through research and access.  Additionally, how we, as a professional group, should strive to maintain said free access to all researchers and public alike while emphasizing the collection and accession of marginalized groups whose communal knowledge is under threat of loss.  He gave examples throughout history of marginalized individuals and groups whose knowledge has cured illnesses, averted wars, and changed the social and political direction of American policy.  He also believes it is thought the rediscovery of forgotten or misplaced knowledge and records we will find a cure for AIDS – via archives and their preservation of traditional customs and medicinal practices.

The rest of the day was filled with conference sessions including:

• Three working Models of Digital Archives
• Developing Standardized Metrics for Accessing Use and User Services for Primary Sources
• Communities of Records: Re-Setting the Boundaries of Context

In the evening I did another hour in the gym, did some room services while I took care of e-mail, ordering books for my fall classes and send some physical mail.  I was then feeling some cabin fever so I took about an hour walk down to the French Quarter – I could only stand it outside that long because it was so humid, you could see the air – I have been in gym/spa steam rooms that were not as steamy as it was outside!!

….for me at least, and for about 11 days!  Since I took summer school, I haven’t really felt like it was summer yet, as summer equals free time.  Well, today I turned in my final for class so I have a whole 11 days off!  You ask why such a short time? I am leaving for New Orleans and the annual Society of American Archivists conference, as well as visiting a couple days with my Mother, while I am there.  In the next 11 days, however, I need to create a poster for the conference for our student chapter, prepare a short speech around it and gather all the supplies I will need to put it together while I am in my hotel room. (the conference supplies the poster board so they are all the same size) The day after I return home from this adventure, I start my fall semester…yeash!

And for all my friends out there reading this, I have to say my farewells to you all now as I just found out I am going to have an even more insanely busy fall than I thought before…in addition to my three classes, I just accepted an internship that should last all semester. (more details here on the internship soon…)  It will be really great to get all of this out of the way this semester, but I know now that I will not be as available for ‘fun stuff’ as I have been.   Oh well, it will all be worth it in the end!

So, I have been sitting at my desk all morning working on a paper with the basic theme of ‘the Patriot Act’s impact and influence on the records management industry’…as you can tell by the title this is a scintillating piece full of drama, intrigue and passion…..NOT!! 

I was having a hard time getting into it and after several days of only starts and stops, (and only 2 pages written) as well as an incredibly frustrating morning, I finally found my ‘spoon full of sugar’ in the form of a glass of wine with lunch! 

Ok, I really am not a lush, I promise, (and yes, I know, admitting it is the first step) but let me tell you how much better I have been writing since my libation!

The true test will be when my proof-reader (aka husband) gives it the once over….maybe I will just have to stick with caffeine. J