#and like. if i get a masters in public history and library science would it actually apply to somewhere like mia? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

serenafainx · 1 year

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!! hello 2023 !! this is just a thing to help remember and summarise what my kids have done this year, and potential plans for the new year but pls note — the code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules ... (hehe pirates)

content warnings: mentions of depression, brutal injury, homelessness

༶ ⋆ SERENA

in 2022:

moved into elias, with sorrel as her roommate

continued her diploma of costume design with walt university

still working at the drycleaner’s/laundromat

regular stall-holder in the maker’s market

assisted with 2 productions by walt uni, in the costume dept

now lead costume designer for romeo & juliet

reunited with jasper skellington and twas cathartic

maybe falling for ….. a blonde 👀

for 2023:

wants to learn how to drive !!

will focus more on her visions-ability ; she’ll start to take this part of herself more seriously, and offer more help with it. so far, she’s kept it a very close secret.

may get more confrontational if villains keep making her friends miserable >:((

where will her costume design hobby take her ? she may start to take commissions from her friends, if they would like certain outfits ?

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- BELLE

in 2022:

moved to elias, living with adam

worked at the public library for a few months

now works full-time as the executive assistant to sulley, in sullivan inc.

plays fortnightly d&d games !!

joined a bookclub

( kept her depressive episodes a secret from her friends, and also her concerns about her father’s health - to date, she’s only told penelope )

for 2023:

...she should probably take care of her mental health more

should open up to her friends more :((

will pursue her degrees in archaeology, history, and/or library sciences ? and then go on to do her master’s degree in archaeology? and then her pHD ?!?!?!? this will take years

she’s going to start realising that perhaps elias is not so much an adventure when all she pursues is work. she’ll start to be a bit more self-focused this year. ( “ i want adventure in the great wide somewhere !! ” )

⍋*:･ﾟ NICK ( aka. money money money - abba.mp3 )

in 2022:

stole watches and sold them smh

got to know what little there is of elias’ criminal underground (mainly NPCs and decha and beck, he avoids the big guns)

making friends! wdym he actually likes it here in elias ?? :/

didn’t really care for his studies, he’s just passing rn, i think he’s doing business or communications ?

in 2023:

starting to work with some sketchy ppl - namely, selling counterfeit items when he can (not much though)

working with a forger; he can now help make fake IDs, forge documents, birth certificates. does not deal with money though, won’t forge cheques or anything like that.

just wants money !!!!

nick on christmas day 2022: “i should probably date someone ://” and he’ll be a menace, a slut, you might say-

✫⌒ BEATRIX

in 2022:

regularly attended therapy in elias after she was kind of traumatised from brutalising a criminal back in townsville (still has told NO ONE about it, except her sisters, who only know because of the professor)

still has not found a ‘hobby’ to counteract her love for fighting

...instead, she has been partying and going clubbing a lot wee-woo

MADE FRIEENDSS and bothers them all the time ://

started working at bueno nacho, come thru for the free food guys

for 2023:

.... i’m not actually sure, but i know that she’s going to need to work on opening up to her friends. this might be her focus-on-emotions year.

she may end up quitting university to work full-time and do something else (sorry professor)

♛･*˚ KIT

in 2022:

god what hasn’t this man done

lots of community service, still doing things for ulstead too

hired beverly as an assistant in december 2022, to assist with elias plans and business. he currently is thinking of starting a foundation in elias, but TBA and still quite up in the air

reunited with his oldest friend elsa and i cried

mourning the curse on his brother ... struggling a lot internally rip

for 2023:

working on building the foundation

LIFTING THE CURSE OF PIP ??

idk he just needs to feel normal and not work all the time, so any friend who can do that is a golden friend indeed

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ MEG

in 2022 (mainly off the dash bc she arrived in december hehe):

was pawning off the last of hades’ things

lived in a homeless shelter for a month or two before the goddess hestia gifted her an apartment

got a job at sk8es and the movie theater

had a short friendship/relationship with roxas reyes, and it did not go well

wherever hercules is, she avoids it

for 2023:

more friends, more connections, because it’s her connections with people that keep her grounded and not like a lost spirit

want her to explore her hobbies more: being a movie and food critic, and also a gentle interest in architecture

she’ll probably buy a new pair of headphones. and a new phone ://

#creations.#about.#!!! i tHINK im done idk just wanted this out there #not me almost forgetting about the romeo & juliet play #this is why i need this post #ill ........ do smth with that eventually GVJHgvjHGVJHGV #i mean im sure the theatre dept is disrupted all the time bc shit keeps happening in elias #we got this !!! - fantasia theatre motto

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mariasmemo · 1 year

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M. Jane Stroup

Above: Jane Stroup(l), Edith Andrews, Beverly Hall (r)

In 2011, the MMA’s former librarian, M. Jane (Jane) Stroup passed away. At that time, I wrote a piece that you can read below. Jane was an integral part of my time at the MMA growing up. I was lucky enough to have her as a friend and as a guide. In fact, growing up at the MMA as I did, I was incredibly lucky to be surrounded by an incredible group of women who served as mentors and friends and who showed me the paths that make up my life today. As I touch something or walk through a space at the MMA or along Vestal Street, I continue to feel their presence and love for this unique organization. It was their work and support that put us where we are today and where we continue to build upon what they did as they continued Maria Mitchell’s legacy. I still hear their voices and laughter (oh, the laughter!) and remember them as they guide me in my work. Recently, Jane’s estate was finalized and closed, and a gift was left by her for the MMA. This bequest is for our endowment and we hope that people will match her generous gift of $50,000.00. I have and hope you will too.

On November 4 {2011}, the MMA lost a dear friend. M. Jane Stroup, Ph.D., known to all as Jane, was the MMA’s first year-round librarian, her tenure running from 1970 through the spring of 1994. Jane was known for her quick wit, her fantastic annual reports presented to the membership in verse, and for being the year-round presence of the MMA for so many years – the Library lights were the only ones on Vestal Street in the MMA complex of buildings. Jane was a lover of the natural world – from birds to wildflowers – capturing these in her sculpture and her poetry. She was a member of the Nantucket Artists Association. An English and Biology major in college, Jane went on to earn her Master’s Degree and then her Ph.D. at New York University. She moved to Nantucket in 1968 and would later also become well-known for the wonderful garden and greenhouse she shared on Candle House Lane with Joan Manley. She was a woman of many talents, gracing all with her humor, love, and incredible knowledge and intelligence.

In 1987, Jane was thanked by the MMA’s president Jane Merrill for her long service to the MMA. In her public thank you, President Merrill said “Although many science libraries have bigger collections than the Maria Mitchell Science Center, none is more friendly, better organized, or better cared for . . . The user is assured of a warm welcome . . . ” She kept the history of the MMA alive and enlivened the annual meetings where all awaited her annual report in verse.

In honor of her, we reprint here one of her much anticipated annual reports – this one is from 1978 – and we thank her for all the wonderful years she gave to the MMA. Those of us who knew her, those who were lucky to have been touched by her – and even appear in her annual report – will miss her.

Annual Meeting 1978

Listen, dear members, and you shall hear

Of a most exciting library year.

The Winter of seventy seven and eight,

Our doors were open early and late.

Folks came from far and near.

They wanted to know of the sun and stars,

Solar heat, black holes and life on Mars,

Lasers and quasars and quarks and charms

Kept the Librarian full of alarms!

How did the universe ever get going

Could be beyond a poor mortals knowing.

How it will end is full of conjecture

Suitable stuff for an M. M. lecture.

The snow was swept, and the birds were fed

The goldfish slept in their icy bed.

Nice Mr. Lucas took our picture,

So now we’ve become a permanent fixture.

The birders were busy as they could be

Spotting the birds on land and sea

Indeed one study, it is said,

Even counted those birds long dead!

Spring brought the tourists who like to come early

But finding things closed are apt to become surly

It was Library Week across the nation

So we cheered them up with a celebration

Real live authors and cookies and punch

Made for a lively bunch.

Then snowdrops and crocuses started blooming

And Library business started booming!

What is that tree that grows so tall?

What is that bird that looks so small?

What is that flower that grows by the road?

How do you tell a frog from a toad?

Why does the tide go in and out?

What is ethology all about?

We searched the books, and we shared a laugh,

And prayed for return of the Hinchman staff!

The Library silence turns to noise

As Dorrit arrives with her girls and boys.

The Birthplace door is opened wide,

And Edith’s arranging flowers inside.

Eileen is tromping across the yard,

Bringing another lecture card.

Sure signs of Summer . . . the Librarian’s sneeze.

And the annual swarm of the Library bees.

JNLF

#Nantucket #Maria Mitchell #Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association #MMA Library #M.Jane Stroup

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corkcitylibraries · 2 years

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Cork in Verse | Ana Spehar Interviews Lauren O'Donovan

Lauren O’Donovan is an Irish-Canadian writer from Cork with an MA in Creative Writing from UCC. Best known for her experimental poetry and darkly humorous voice, Lauren also writes fiction and stories for children. She was longlisted for the Cúirt New Writing Prize 2022, Highly Commended at the International Fool For Poetry Chapbook Competition 2021, and featured for Mythology Retold at the 2021 Sligo Arts Festival. Recently she has been awarded a Munster Literature Centre Mentorship with Afric McGlinchey and won the Kinsale Arts Weekend Paul Muldoon competition. Once the Digital Director of the International Agency BSTRO, Lauren now uses her powers for good as founder of Lime Square Poets, and editor of HOWL New Irish Writing.

When did you start writing poetry?

I started writing poetry in my early teens, inspired by song lyrics and old poetry books about the house. Back then, I ran a poetry community on deviantart.com and still have many of my teenage meanderings up there for prosperity (although you'd have to torture me before I'd give out the username). I stopped for a number of years when I completed my computer science masters at UCC and moved to Canada, but over the past few years I have been dedicating myself seriously to the work. I completed my Masters in Creative Writing in '21 and since have been lucky enough to win some competitions and get some publication credits.

How do you manage to fit writing in with other demands on your time? How often do you write?

I write every day, even if it's just a single word. Between Lime Square Poets and HOWL New Irish Writing, along with regular life and caring for my young daughter, it can definitely be a challenge to dedicate time to write. Sometimes it feels like everything else is more urgent, but the truth is the most important thing I need to be doing at any given time is sitting down at the laptop so I am ready to work whenever the muse decides to strike.

In your opinion what are the most important elements of a good poem?

I think the most important element of any good poem is that it causes an emotional reaction in the reader. Regardless of form, metre, style, and topic— if you can reach into the heart of the reader and make a connection then that is a good poem.

Do you show your work in progress to anyone?

I do. I am fortunate to be a member of the Cork County Arts & Library Service Poetry Collective led by writer-in-residence Matthew Geden since 2019. At the collective we share our work in progress and workshop the poems. I have learned so much from my peers, and from Matthew. I am also fortunate to have made strong connections with my classmates from the creative writing masters at UCC, and we often exchange work and offer feedback. Sometimes what a poem needs is incredibly obvious to everyone else, but it can be hard to see yourself. Most recently I have been awarded a mentorship with Munster Literature Centre with the incredible Afric McGlinchey and I can't wait to get started. I am intimidated to send her my work in progress, but I have no doubt that I'll learn so much from her feedback.

What book would you recommend to our readers?

For writers, I would recommend The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry. It is a journey through the poetic art, history, and form, and all with the humour and style you would expect from Stephen Fry. For readers, particularly anyone fond of T.S. Eliot's Wasteland, I would recommend Howdie Skelp, Paul Muldoon's newest collection.

#corkcitylibraries #corkinverse #laurenodonovan

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blackwidownat2814 · 2 years

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Roll the Dice (B.B)

Summary:

Then.

After an argument with your mother, you rage-search for a new job, eventually landing on the homepage of your local county and off the cuff, apply for an opening at the library you frequented as a child.

Your first day on the job changed your life. A few years later, you got your Master’s in Library Science, and left your hometown...

…and you ended up in Manhattan at the New York Public Library, a few blocks from a certain Tower.

And after meeting the Black Widow herself, Natasha Romanoff, when she, Captain America, the Falcon, Wanda, and Thor came to do a program for the kids one weekend, Nat and Captain Rogers (“Please, call me Steve.”) invited you back to the Tower to meet the rest of the team.

And the rest, as they say, is history…

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x female!reader

Word Count: 3490

Warnings: fluff.

A/N: I haven’t written anything in almost three(?) years. I just stopped. But then, I sat down in March 2021 to watch The Falcon & the Winter Soldier and my brain started poking me to write so many different plot bunnies, y’all have no idea. I was inspired to actually finish something thanks to @pellucid-constellations #LoveLettersWritingChallenge.

I am new to writing reader insert fic, so I wrote what I know and that’s being Latina. I am constantly reading up on how to make reader insert fics more inclusive, so I will try to make it less specific next time I write. However, once again, I am Latina so that might come up now and again, while I get used to writing all inclusively.

Also, thanks to @beefybuckrrito for all the help in beta-ing this oneshot! You the best queen! Another shout out to my girl Col @foreverindreamlandd for no reason other than she’s awesome!

‼️⚠️I do not give permission for any of my work to be copied, translated or reposted anywhere else but on my own blog.⚠️‼️

Masterlist

Now.

A knock on the door brings you out of your stupor. You’d been staring at your reflection in the mirror for the past 30 minutes.

You should probably take your ADHD meds on a day like this.

Another knock and Nat steps into the room, with Wanda in tow.

“How are you feeling?” she asks.

“Like I need my meds.” Nat laughs and rolls her eyes, while Wanda waves her hand and your pill case floats out of your bag on the couch and over to you.

“Thanks, Wan.” You down your first pill and the pill case floats away.

“I’ll hold onto these for now and hand them over later.”

“Perfect.” You take another sip of water and look back at your friends. “So, what’s up?”

“Bucky gave me this for you.” Nat handed over a small(ish) black box and an envelope. Your eyes widened when you saw the gold embossed -HW- on the top.

“Oh my God, he didn’t.”

“He did.” Wanda gave you a big smile.

“Oh wow. Um…” You placed the items on the vanity and went over to where your robe lay discarded, pulling an envelope from the pocket. “I wrote something for Bucky too. Can you give it to him Wanda? And please tell him that the other envelope inside this one is his gift, but he can’t open it until right before dinner? Make sure you give him a Look, so he knows I mean business.”

“Of course.” Wanda took the letter and left.

“Do you want me to stay?” asked Nat, “Or would you rather I let you read that in private?”

“I’d like a moment alone, if it’s cool.”

“Of course.” Nat gives you a hug and goes to leave. “I’ll be right outside if you need anything.” She leaves you with a smile, and you turn to the envelope, where Bucky’s ‘chicken scratch’-

“Chicken scratch?! Sweetheart, my handwritin’ is impeccable.”

You stare him down with a bored look on your face, arms crossed, and raise an eyebrow.

“It is, too!”

You keep staring.

“Stevie!” Bucky calls over to his best friend who’d just walked into the common room of the Tower.

“What’s up, Buck?”

“I need ya to settle an argument ‘tween me and my girl: she says my handwritin’ is the worst and-”

“Buck, your handwriting is shit.”

“Damnit!”

-spells My Doll on the front. You open the envelope and laugh when you recognize the Avengers stationary one of your coworkers gave you as a funny gift. You kept it in your desk in the apartment you two shared.

Taking a deep breath, you unfolded the letter and began to read.

My Doll, my sweetheart, my love…

I’m not the best with words. You know this. Everyone does, if we’re being honest. But I’m going to try my best.

I love you so much. I think (as cheesy as this sounds) I’ve loved you since the day we met when you came to see Nat at the Tower that first time. You were so nervous, despite having met so much of the team already. I wanted so badly to talk to you that day, but I was scared you wouldn’t want to talk to me at all. Sure, I’d been pardoned, but why would someone made of sunshine and happiness want to know me? But then, I went to the library one day, just to see you and maybe say Hi. I heard you talking to some lady who told you to make sure you stayed away from me. I’ll never forget what you said to her: ‘But who prays for Satan? Who, in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner who needed it most?’ You hit that lady with a Mark Twain quote (I looked it up later) and she was speechless. That’s when I knew you were the one for me.

You didn’t even blink or look at me like I’m a murder when I told you everything the Soldier did. You’ve stood by me through nightmares and sleepless nights and the mood swings and everything else. There were times when I was sure that when I came back to the apartment, you and your stuff would be gone or you’d be sitting in our living room, waiting to tell me all the reasons you were leaving me. I was so sure that one day, I’d come home and Alpine would be meowing at the door because her ma was gone and hadn’t come back. Every day I came home to find you there (even if you weren’t speaking to me because I was an asshole), I was happier than the last. You helped me to stop retreating into my brain on the bad days.

I gotta end here, ‘cause Nat is staring at me and she’s scary. I hope you like the gift I sent along. I know how much your abuela meant to you, and I wanted you to have this today. I had it cleaned up and restored; it’s all the same jewels, just the parts holding them in place were fixed or added since some were missing.

I’ll see you later, okay doll?

Love,

Your Bucky

PS: I love you.

Below Bucky’s letter is part of a quote from one of your favorite movies, The Young Victoria:

“You are my whole existence. And I will love you until my last breath.”

You laugh, tears had started flowing at the letter’s greeting, because you remember watching that movie with Bucky, and he complained several times-

“Where’s the action, doll?” “It’s a romance, Buck, and a period piece. You should know all about period pieces.” “She died 16 years before I was born. And wasn’t that guy her cousin?” “Yes, but…the movie’s so good, it helps you forget that. Just…ugh! Just let me enjoy the love story, old man!” Five minutes later, he fell asleep. You would never begrudge him his sleep time, since he often had trouble doing so. You let him sleep, and finished the movie.

-and you were 1000% positive that he’d been out cold when Albert said that very line to Victoria. Apparently, he wasn’t.

You put the letter down on the vanity, and pick up the package. You open the box, and nestled in black velvet is a cluster bangle bracelet made of diamonds and emeralds. When your beloved abuela died years ago, it was one of the things left to you in her Will. You remember telling Bucky about it and how you dreamed of getting it fixed one day.

Once again, you’re brought out of your thoughts by a knock on the door and Nat comes back in.

“I’m glad we waited to do your makeup.” She smiles and lifts you from your seat, into a hug. “Want me to help you put it on?”

“Please.” Nat takes the bracelet carefully and clips it on.

“This probably qualifies as ‘something old’, don’t you think?”

Meanwhile.

“You know, James, you have nothing to worry about.”

Bucky’s head snapped over to the doorway to see Wanda.

“We’ve talked about goin’ into my head, Wanda. You know how much I hate that.” Bucky turns away from her and goes back to watching a video of you he has on his phone, one of his favorites: you’re sitting on a table, legs dangling, watching some of the team talking to a group of kids at the library. One of the kids in the group raises his hand for a question…

A couple years ago…

“Mr. Thor!”

“Yes, small child?”

“How strong are you Mr. Thor?!”

“I am very strong! I’ve fought the Hulk-”

Several little gasps are heard.

“-and survived.”

“You did, Mr. Thor?”

“‘Course I did.”

“Can you show us how strong you are, Mr. Thor? Please?”

“I’d love nothing more! Come on over.” The kid runs up and Thor picks him up with one hand, balancing him on his palm. Then, he slowly starts to lift his arm above his head and the kid looks like he just won a lifetime supply of his favorite candy.

Thor puts the kid down and he runs back to sit with his friends.

“Show us some more!”

“You all want to see more displays of my feats of strength?”

“YES!!!!!”

Thor appeared to be thinking real hard, when he suddenly smiled and looked over at you.

“No.”

“My Lady…”

“Thor-”

“I’m sure Sergeant Barnes has no objections.” Thor looked right at the camera, “Do you, Sergeant Barnes?”

“Thor, we’ve known each other for years and I’ve told you to call me Bucky”, says the voice behind the phone, but Thor just shrugs. The camera pans to you. “Come on doll, do it for the kids.”

“YAY MISS!! DO IT!!!”

“Fine.” The kids cheered loudly once more, and you went to stand next to your friend. “How do you want to do this?”

“Get up here.” Thor takes your hand and assists you in sitting on the table (a different one) behind him. You shifted onto your side, and propped your head up on your hand. “Are you ready my lady?”

“Let’s do it.”

Thor went over to the end of the table and grabbed it. The kids cheered as he slowly lifted the table with two hands. Thor then maneuvered himself so he was standing under the table, holding it (and you) right above his head.

“Can you give a cheer for Thor everyone?” you called out to the crowd. It was almost deafening with the yells and screams and claps, and you mentally thanked Tony for having soundproof walls installed at the library for you after several complaints about noise anytime any of the Avengers came to visit.

“Can you do it with one hand Mr. Thor?”

“Small child…I am Asgardian and the God of Thunder!” Thor moved a hand to his waist, shifting the table to a single hand and then up onto his finger tips.

Bucky zoomed the video in then, focusing on your face when you looked over at him and smiled. You smiled big and held up your hand with the sign for ‘I love you’.

That’s when the video stops.

“You know I’d never do that without your permission”, replied Wanda. “You’re projecting nerves.”

“Oh…sorry.” Bucky closes the photo gallery on his phone and looks at his background, another picture of you, this time it’s a picture from the NYE party Tony threw a few months ago: you’re wearing a party hat, oversized sunglasses, and a fake mustache (you spent so much time in the photo booth he got for the occasion).

“It’s not your fault.” Wanda walks over to Bucky and takes a seat next to him. “Like, I said, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Everything is going to be okay.”

“I thought seein’ the future was Strange’s thing.”

“It is. But while you are projecting nerves, she projects nothing but love…for you.”

Bucky can’t help but sniffle at Wanda’s observance.

“Here.” She hands him a thick envelope with My Sergeant in your looping scrawl on the front. “She says to not open the other envelope in there, it’s your gift but it’s not to be opened until before dinner.”

Bucky slips a finger under the flap of the envelope and pulls out the gift.

“I’m sure it’s o-” Bucky looks at Wanda, his words dying in his mouth. “Of course. I promise I won’t open it.” He tucks the smaller envelope in the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

A knock at the door has them both looking up to see Steve stick his head into the room.

“How’s it going in here, Buck?”

“I’m fine, punk. Wanda was deliverin’ my girl’s letter.”

“Ah. Well, I’ll let you be so you can read in private. You’ve got about 45 minutes, by the way.”

“I need to be going as well.” Wanda stood and smoothed out the wrinkles in the skirt of her steel blue tea length dress. She placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder, “Relax…and breathe.”

“Will do. See you in a bit.”

Bucky waits until Wanda shuts the door to unfold the letter from you, and laughs. The way you both wrote your letters says tons about each of you: while he used Avengers stationary with some random pen he found in the apartment, you used your fountain pen and fancy paper.

Settling back into the couch, he began to read.

My Darling…

I remember the first time I saw you. From that first second, I wanted to get to know you, the real you, and not what the history books or the news programs and documentaries taught us. It took some time, but eventually, well…look where we’re at.

I fought against the dark cloud in my brain for so long (still do sometimes). I fought against sharing it all with you, because how could I? My problems were nothing compared to yours. How dare I complain that grandma didn’t love me when those people (if they even deserve being called that) did what they did to you for so many years. But one day, after dad died, I broke down and told you everything. Not once did you stop me and tell me to stop complaining and crying because others have it worse. You made my feelings valid. I fell in love with you because you loved me when I couldn’t love myself. You became my family when I had none.

You would think someone with an English Literature degree would have so much more to say. I just don’t know how else to tell you I love you. How do I express that my heart feels so full every day and it’s all because of you? Even on the days you’re being an asshole or I’m being a bitch (don’t shake your head because I know there are days).

You even put up with me when that cloud comes back and plants nasty thoughts in my brain. Do you know how many times I sat in our bedroom, waiting for you to come home and tell me you found someone prettier, thinner, smarter, more worthy of your time? I thought I learned how to hide it, but you always knew. You were patient and reassuring and reminded me why you loved me.

You are my everything. My always. I promise there will never be a time that I don’t love you. You are my best friend, my rock, and the reason home is home.

Love,

Your Girl

“You find somebody you like and roll the dice.

That’s all anybody can do.”

-Ron

A few hours later.

“So. How do you feel…Mrs. Barnes?”

“Completely and perfectly and incandescently happy.”

“That movie came out almost 20 years ago.”

“Your point?”

You and Bucky were just outside the reception, waiting to be introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Barnes for the first time. The ceremony had been beautiful; Thor walked you down the aisle and Sam got ordained especially for the occasion. You cried, Bucky cried, Steve cried, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when you read your vows to each other. Tony wept like he was Albert in The Birdcage. It was perfect.

“Have I told you how gorgeous you look, Mrs. Barnes?”

You pretended to think, tapping your chin.

“Don’t think so. Not enough anyways.”

“Well, beautiful isn’t enough to describe ya. Neither is gorgeous.” Bucky steps back to give you a once over. “I think I’ll go with ethereal. Yeah. Ethereal.”

You pull him to you, wrapping your arms around his neck.

“I love you so much.” Leaning forward, you smile into the kiss, thinking how you don’t have to be on the tips of your toes when you kiss him today because of your heels. They’re gorgeous, bright red, and you picked them out to honor one of your favorite singers. However, you couldn’t wait to switch to comfy shoes after your first dance: Wanda and Nat had gifted you custom wedding Converse to change into.

You pull away from the kiss, and Bucky chases after you with his lips.

“Where you goin’ doll?” You swipe your thumb over his lips to try and get rid of the bright red lipstick.

“Your gift! It’s time to open it!”

In all honesty, Bucky had forgotten about the envelope in his jacket. Once he’d seen you walking down the aisle, his brain had gone completely blank.

“Oh right.” You step away from him and he reaches into his jacket. Opening the envelope, he pulls out a picture. He notices something written on the back:

Baby Barnes

Due: October 2023

Happy Halloween Daddy!

Saying nothing, Bucky slowly flips the picture over to see the sonogram of his child. He still hasn’t said anything after a few minutes. You’re worried, and about to say something when Nat appears.

“Are you two ready? Scott’s about to announce you.” She looks over at you and you’re trying to chew a nail off. “Are you okay?”

“Um…I’m fine.” You both look over at Bucky, who’s still staring at the sonogram.

“OH. You told him.” Bucky’s head shoots up in your direction.

“You knew?”

“I went with her to see the doc.” Bucky tears his eyes from Nat and looks over at you. “I’ll tell Scott to give you five.” She disappeared into the ballroom, leaving you and your new husband alone.

“I’m so sorry, Bucky. I didn’t know how you felt about all this.” You back away from him, wringing your hands. “The last few hours have been perfect, beyond so. I’ll uh…I’ll call Andy after dinner and get everything taken care of. It shouldn’t take too long to fix and we’ll be out of your hair. I’ll be sure to tell Nat not to say anything.”

You move away and go to stand in front of the doors, praying that you can hold it together a few more hours. You close your eyes and take a deep breath, as Bucky hurries over to you.

“Wait. What are you talking about? Why would you call Barber? He’s just…a lawyer.” Bucky looks at the picture and then back at you. “Doll?”

“I love you but, you don’t want this.” You put a hand over your middle. “And that’s fine. We never talked about it and we should’ve, so I’m sorry about that. But I’m keeping th-”

Bucky sweeps you off your feet and spins you around, peppering your face with kisses.

“You can’t marry me and then tell me I’m going to be a father all in one day. I think my brain broke for a second. You know everything isn’t alright up there!” He kisses you again. “You’ve made me happier than I ever thought I could be.”

“You mean that?”

“‘Course I do.”

“Good. I didn’t want to have to divorce you that quickly.”

You’re both laughing when the doors to the ballroom open.

“And now, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Barnes everyone!”

Bucky grabs your hand and pulls you in, hurrying to the middle of the dance floor where Scott stands with a mic. Bucky takes it from him practically shoves him off the dance floor.

“Everyone quiet down! I need to say something!” He looks over at you for approval (which he realizes he should’ve gotten before saying anything).

“Go ahead”, you reply with a huge smile.

“WE’RE HAVING A BABY!”

A/N: Dividers made by @silkholland

A/N 2: Story header made by me in Canva. Photos used in it are not mine (I got the Sebastian photos off of Pinterest and I used Google Images for the other two as well.)

#Bucky Barnes #Bucky Barnes x reader #Bucky Barnes x female!reader #Bucky Barnes x fem!reader #Bucky Barnes x latina!reader #Bucky Barnes x insecure!reader #Bucky Barnes x you #Bucky x reader #Bucky x female!reader #Bucky x fem!reader #Bucky x latina!reader #Bucky x insecure!reader #Bucky x you #Loveletterswritingchallenge #pellucid constellations

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firecatvariant · 2 years

Text

OM HC - As College Professors

*Request! The Brother & Datables (+ Luke) As College Professors

So, I went online and looked up some actual college majors, and assigned each brother with what I think they'd do best at teaching. I also added a "fun" one, because I didn't want the headcannon to be boring and entirely predictable. But a lot of these are rather spot on with their personalities in my opinion. What do you think they'd be good at teaching on a college level?

Lucifer - Business Administration & Management / Music History - Lucifer is a pro at business management. After all, he handles all of RAD's business and paperwork alongside Diavolo and Barbatos. - I feel like as a professor, he would be stern, his lectures a little tedious, and he would assign a lot of homework. - But if you are truly struggling in his class, he will do his best to make sure you have the help you need, even adding helping you personally to his busy schedule (unless he really doesn't like you, then you are s.o.l.). - For fun, he also teaches music history, and you can tell how passionate he is about the subject.

Mammon - Accounting & Finance / Mechanic - If it has to do with money, Mammon is right there. - He's surprisingly good at teaching it, because counting money of it is one of his passions (but not spending it or keeping track of it is definitely not one of his stronger points) - He's not really the best professor though, he doesn't assign a lot of homework or tests, and tends to get the students mixed up. He usually just passes people and hopes they learned something in his class. - For fun, he also teaches mechanics, because he loves his cars and working on them. He's a hands on kinda guy.

Levi - Game & Interactive Media Design / Costume Design - Levi of course, teaches Game & Interactive Media. Working on games all day? Yes! - Levi is brutal as a professor. The shy otaku is nowhere to be found. Assignments need to be perfect, or they’re garbage. You're not designing fun, amazing games? You don't pass. - He's a master gamer and a pro strategist, so anyone who has a passion for gaming hopes to take his class and earn his approval and learn from him. - For fun, he also teaches costume design in the performing arts building, but he's just as brutal (and talented) as a costume designer as he is a game designer.

Satan - Library Science / Adjunct Professor in ANY subject - Satan teaches Library Science, which is a masters degree program. No undergraduates allowed, he wants to teach those with big goals in mind. - He's passionate about what he teaches, from the history of libraries to keeping them running smoothly. - He's a strict professor, with long (sometimes boring) lectures, a lot of notes, hard tests and assignments. Passing his class is hard. - For fun, Satan is also an adjunct professor for literally any other subject. Think of him as the ultimate substitute teacher. He knows everything, so almost any subject he can over for a day or so if needed to.

Asmo - Public Relations/Image Management / Cosmetology - Asmo teaches public relations and image management, which is perfectly suited to his personality. - He's really good at what he does, and is really good at teaching others what to do. - He’s a pretty tough professor, he wants everyone to try their hardest, do their best, and produce the best results. - For fun, teaches his other passion, cosmetology, and is extremely talented. People fight to be able to take his classes.

Beel - Nutrition & Wellness / Culinary or Physical Education - Beel teaches nutrition and wellness. For a guy that eats all the time, it's important to know what you're putting in your body. - He's always snacking during class, and sometimes it's hard to understand him when his mouth is full and he's trying to teach. - A really easy going professor, doesn't assign a lot of work, just wants you to understand the material. - Tries to help out the culinary professors (not very often because he eats all the ingredients) or the physical education professors (much more successful) for fun.

Belphie - Astronomy / Sociology - Belphie is fascinated by the stars, so it would make sense for him to be an astronomy professor. - He wouldn't be a very hands on (or even awake) professor, though - since he's always sleeping he would probably just assign a lot of reading and or videos to watch. - It's easy to pass his class, since he only requires the bare minimum. - For fun, he would also teach sociology (when he's awake) because he was fascinated by humans and how they lived.

Diavolo - Law / Linguistics - As the future ruler of the devildom, Diavolo would probably be a law professor. - After all, law and order is his job. He's a pretty fun professor, and you can tell he likes what he does. - Doesn't assign much homework or projects, prefers talking to the students and making sure they grasp the concepts through interaction and conversation. - For fun, also teaches linguistics, as it's important to him to understand and get along with all different humans and beings. He wants everyone to be able to do that as well.

Barbatos - Hospitality Administration / Baking & Pastry - The impeccable butler of course is a professor of Hospitality Administration. - He's another rough professor. Lots of homework, tough assignments, and practical's must be perfect in order to pass. - Tough as he is, he's also very helpful if you need him. - For fun, he teaches baking and pastry, and is famous at the college for his amazing treats. Taking his class is considered an honor and a privilege that only the most talented and serious baking students get to enjoy.

Simeon - Creative Writing / Theatre & Performing Arts - The great writer Christopher Peugeot also teaches writing. (How convenient!) - He loves reading what other people have come up with, and loves helping them polish their works to become something truly great. - A pretty easy going professor, though does assign a lot of work. - For fun he teaches theatre and performing arts (takes charge of the annual play) and as a theatre teacher, is incredibly tough making sure the production is perfect in every way.

Solomon - Chemistry / Culinary Science - Solomon teaches chemistry, he loves mixing things together to experiment and find out what they do. - Kind of an absent minded professor, his classes are usually him demonstrating and the students following. Not a lot of homework, and to pass all you really need to do is sort of understand and not burn down the laboratory. - Is very passionate about what he does. - Who let this man be a culinary science professor? Luckily, it has more to do with food science than actual cooking, but his students quickly learn to NEVER eat what he cooks, though passing his class is usually tough because he'll require it. Not many pass.

Luke - Baking & Pastry - He's Barbato's assistant during his baking and pastry arts classes.

Masterlist

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me headcannon #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmo #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me diavolo #obey me barbatos #obey me simeon #obey me solomon #fcv requests

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forestwater87 · 3 years

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How did you become a university Librarian? Did you do an English degree? Sorry if this is a weird question it just really interests me as I’m not sure what to do when I’m older

Eeee I got really excited about this question!

Okay, the fun thing about librarianship is that all roads can lead to it: as long as you get an ALA-approved (assuming you’re American; if you aren’t I cannot help you) graduate degree you can do just about anything for undergrad. English majors are extremely common, just by the nature of who’s into the job, but literally it doesn’t matter; in fact, weirder and more specialized degrees can actually help in certain jobs, because they give you a ton of background info and qualifications than most of your contemporaries have.

I fell into it because I worked at a library in high school and fell in love with the environment, and when I realized I’d rather die than work in publishing (my previous life’s goal) I gravitated toward library school. I knew from the beginning that I’d need a Master’s -- and a very specific one at that -- so mostly my undergrad was just “grab a foundational degree and have fun with it.” That was really freeing, honestly. I had a ton of fun in undergrad.

Now, if you, Anon, were interested in getting into librarianship I’d have a handful of recommendations. These are all based on my very American experience, and there are probably smarter people than me with better advice but I’m the only one on this blog so heeeeerrreeeee we goooooooooo!

Undergrad

You need a 4-year degree. Full-stop. It doesn’t matter what kind, but you gotta have one to get into grad school.

Like I said, you can do just about anything for an undergraduate degree. Most of the time English is the BA of choice, because librarians love them some books, but some far less common ones that I think would be hugely helpful to a hopeful librarian would be:

Computer Science: Oh my god you need at least a baseline competency in computers/technology please you don’t have to code but you need to be able to turn a computer on and navigate just about any website/office application on just about any device at the very least you need to know how to Google

Business/Marketing: Particularly if you want to work in public libraries, where a bunch of your funding comes from begging politicians and convincing taxpayers to donate/vote to give you money

Law: If you want to be a law librarian

Medical . . . whatever, I don’t know what fields of medicine there are: If you want to work in a hospital or other medical library

History or Art History: If you’re interested in archives or museum librarianship

Education: School librarians in my state require you to be a certified teacher, and no matter what kind of library you end up in, you’ll end up teaching someone something a decent amount of the time

Communications: You’ll be doing a lot of it. Public speaking, too

Spanish/ASL/any not-the-common language: Hey, you never know what your patrons speak

Literally fucking anything I promise it doesn’t matter what you major in you will use it in a library at some point

Just be aware that you will need more than an undergrad degree. You’ll need probably 2 years of postsecondary schooling (more for certain types of librarianship), so get yourself comfortable with the idea of college.

If you’re like me (please don’t be like me), you might toy with the idea of getting a minor or two/double majoring to round out your skill set. Honestly I’d encourage it if you’re comfortable with the workload and have the time or money; like I said, there are no skills or educational background that won’t come in handy at some point. I promise. We see it all.

Along those lines, a wide expanse of hobbies can be hugely helpful too! You never know when your encyclopedic knowledge of Minecraft will be useful to a patron, but it absolutely will be.

Graduate School

All right, you’ve got your lovely little Bachelor’s Degree, maybe in something weird and esoteric for the fun of it . . . now you’re off to do more school!

It’s a bit complicated, because there are a handful of different titles an appropriate degree could have; my school called it “a Master of Science in Information Science” (MSIS), but other schools might just go with “Master’s of Information Science” (MIS), “Master’s of Library Science” (MLS), “Master’s of Library and Information Science” (MLIS) . . . it’s a mess.

What you need to do is make sure the degree is approved by the American Library Association, who decides if a program is good enough to make you a librarian in the States. (Again, if you’re not American, good luck.)

Here’s a list of ALA-accredited programs and the schools that offer them.

The nice thing is accreditation has to be renewed at least every few years, so that means your program is always updated to make sure it’s in line with national standards. I’m not promising you’ll learn everything you need to be a librarian in grad school (oh my god you so won’t not even close hahahaha), but at least in theory you’ll be learning the most up-to-date information and methods.

(I’m curious to see how things have changed; when I was in school from 2015-17, the hot topics in library science were makerspaces (especially 3D printing), turning the library into the community’s “third space,” and learning how to incorporate video games into library cataloging and programming. No idea if those are still the main hot-button issues or if we’ve moved on to something else; I imagine information literacy and fake news are a pretty big one for current library students.)

Anyway! You pick a school, you might have to take a test or two to get in -- I had to take the GRE, which is like the SATs but longer -- almost certainly have to do all that annoying stuff like references and cover letters and all that, but assuming you’re in: now what?

There are a couple options depending on the school and the program, but I’m going to base my discussion around the way my school organized their program at the time, because that’s what I know dammit and I will share my outdated information because I want to.

My school broke the degree down into 5 specializations, which you chose upon application to the program:

Archives & Records Administration: For working in archives! I took some classes here when I was flirting with the idea, and it’s a lot of book preservation, organizing and caring for old documents and non-book media, and digitization. Dovetails nicely into museum work. It’s a very specific skillset, which means there will be jobs that absolutely need what you specifically can do but also means there aren’t as many of them. It makes you whatever the opposite of a “jack of all trades” is. You’re likely to be pretty isolated, so if you want to spend all your time with books this might be a good call; it’s actually one of the few library-related options that doesn’t require a significant amount of public-facing work.

Library & Information Services: For preparation to work in public or academic (college) libraries. Lots of focus on reference services, some cataloging, and general interacting-with-the-public. You have to like people to go into library services in general, heads up.

Information Management & Technology: Essentially meaningless, but you could in theory work as like a business consultant or otherwise do information-related things with corporations or other organizations.

Information Storage & Retrieval: Data analytics, database . . . stuff. I don’t really know. Computers or something. Numbers 3 and 4 really have nothing to do with libraries, but our school was attempting to branch out into more tech-friendly directions. That being said, both this and #3 could definitely be useful in a library! Libraries have a lot of tech, and in some ways business acumen could be helpful. All roads lead to libraries; remember that.

Library & Information Services / School Library Media Specialist: This was the big kahuna. To be a school librarian -- at least in my state -- you need to be both a certified librarian and a certified teacher, which means Master’s degrees in both fields. What our school did was basically smushed them together into a combined degree; you took a slightly expanded, insanely rigorous 2-2.5 years (instead of the traditional 1.5-2) and you came out of it with two degrees and two certifications, ready to throw your butt into an elementary, middle/junior high, or high school library. Lots of focus on education. I started here before realizing I don’t like kids at all, then panicked and left. Back in 2017 this was the best one for job security, because our state had just passed a law requiring all school librarians to be certified with a MSIS/MLS/whatever degree. So lots of people already in school libraries were desperately flinging themselves at this program, and every school was looking for someone that was qualified. No idea if that’s changed in time.

No matter what concentration you went in with, you automatically graduated with a state certification to be a librarian, which was neat. You didn’t automatically get civil service status, though; for some public libraries you need to be put on a civil service list, which means . . . something, I’m not entirely sure. It involves taking exams that are only available at certain times of the year and I gave up on it because it looked hard.

No one did more than 1 concentration, which is dumb because I wanted to do them all, but it takes a lot of time and money to take all the classes associated with all of them so I personally did #2, which was on the upper end of mid-tier popularity. School library and database services were far and away the most popular, and literally no one did the business one because it was basically useless, so library and archives were the middle children of which the library one was prettier.

THAT BEING SAID! Some forms of librarianship require a lot more education. A few of those are:

Law librarians: At least in my state, you gotta be a certified librarian and have a J.D. This is where the “big bucks” are -- though let’s be real, if you want to be a librarian you have zero interest in big bucks; reconcile yourself to being solidly middle-class and living paycheck-to-paycheck for the rest of your life or marrying rich -- which I guess is why it requires the most work.

School librarians: Like I mentioned, depending on the state you might need two degrees, and not all schools smush them into one. You might need to get a separate Master’s in education.

College librarians: Now, this depends on the college and the job; some colleges just need an all-access librarian, like mine. I didn’t need to specialize in anything, I just showed up with my degree and they took me. (Note: these sorts of entry-level positions tend to pay piss. Like, even more piss than most library gigs. Just a heads-up.) However, if you’re looking to get into a library of a higher-end university, you might be asked to have a second Master’s-level or higher degree just to prove you’re academic enough to party at their school. (Let’s be real, Harvard is almost certainly gonna want someone with a Ph.D. at the very least. That’s just how they roll.) Alternatively, the position might be for a specialty librarian, someone in charge of a field-specific library or field-specific reference services; if you’re being asked to head up the Science & Engineering Library at Masshole University, it’s reasonable to expect that you’ll be bringing a degree in engineering or some sort of science to the table. Colleges have so many different needs that predicting what kind of experience/education you should get is a bit of a challenge. Good luck. Some schools will help you out a bit with this; my grad school had dual degree programs where you could share credits between the MSIS and either an English or History Master’s so you could graduate with both in less time. I . . . started this, and then panicked at the thought of more school/writing a thesis and bailed, but it’s great if you’re into that idea!

What’s the point of the Information/Library Science degree?

You have to have the degree. If you don’t have the degree, you don’t get the job and you don’t make-a the money. Resign yourself to getting a Master’s degree or you’re gonna be bummed out and unemployed.

In terms of what you learn? Well, obviously it depends on the program, but I found that a lot of what I learned was only theoretically related to what I do on a daily basis. My instructors were lovely (well, the adjuncts anyway; the full-timers really didn’t want to be there and wanted to be off doing research and shit), but every library is so idiosyncratic and there’s such a massive umbrella of jobs you could get in one -- god, I didn’t even get into things like metadata services, which I learned basically nothing about in grad school but are super important to some positions -- that it’s hard to learn anything practical in a classroom.

However, besides the piece of paper that lets you make-a the money, there are two important things you should get from your grad school education:

Research skills: My god, you’re going to be doing so much research. If you’re a public librarian, you need to know how to Google just about anything. And if you’re a college librarian, being able to navigate a library database and find, evaluate, and cite sources . . . I mean, you’re going to be doing so much of that, showing students how to do that. Like a ridiculous amount of my day is showing students how to find articles in the virtual library. Get good at finding things, because much like Hufflepuffs, librarians need to be great finders.

Internship(s): Just about every library program will require an internship -- usually but not always in replacement of a thesis -- and if the one you’re looking at doesn’t, dump it like James Marsden in a romantic comedy. Internships are hugely important not only because they look good on a resume and give you some of those delicious, delicious references, but they are a snapshot of what your job is going to look like on a day-in, day-out basis; if nothing else, you’ll learn really fast what does and doesn’t appeal to you. As I mentioned, I wanted to be a school librarian for about half a semester. You know what changed my mind? My class required like 40 hours of interning at schools of each level. Being plopped into that environment like a play you’re suddenly acting in? Super helpful in determining whether or not this shit is for you.

What else should I learn, then?

Besides how to research basically anything? Here are some useful skills in just about any library:

Copyright law. Holy shit, do yourself a favor and learn about publishing/distribution laws in your state. Do you wanna show a movie as a fun program? You need to buy a license and follow super specific rules or it’s illegal! Does an instructor want to make copies of their textbook to give to the students? Make sure you know how much they can copy before it’s no longer fair use! Everything in my life would be easier if I’d taken the time to learn anything about copyright. I did not, and now I’m sad. (I lost out on a job opportunity because they wanted the librarian to be particularly knowledgeable in that kinda thing, and I was very not.)

Metadata and cataloging. In theory, you should learn this in grad school, but I was only given the bare basics and it wasn’t enough. Dublin Core, MARC-21, RDF -- there are so many different kinds of metadata schema, and I took a 6-week class in this and still don’t understand any of the words I just used in this sentence. But basically, to add items to a library catalog you often need to know how to input them into your library’s system; to an extent that’ll be idiosyncratic to your library’s software, but some of it will be based on a larger cataloging framework, so familiarity with those is very useful.

Public speaking and education. You’re gonna do a lot of it. Learn how to deal.

General tech savviness. Again, we’re not talking about coding but if you can navigate a WordPress website? If you know how to troubleshoot just about any issue with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, etc.? If you can unjam printers and install software and use social media you’re going to be a much happier person. At the very least, know how to google tutorials and fake your way through; your IT person can only do so much, and a lot of it is probably going to fall on you.

Social work, diplomacy, general human relations kinda stuff. You’re going to be dealing with all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds, with every political view, personal problem, and life experience under the sun. You need to get very good at being respectful of diversity -- even diversity you don’t like* -- and besides separating your own personal views and biases from your work, you’ll be much better equipped to roll with the punches if you have, for example, conflict resolution training. Shit’s gonna get weird sometimes, I promise. (Once a student came in swinging around butterfly knives and making ninja noises. You know who knew how to deal with that? Not me!)

Standard English writing and mechanics. It’s not fair, but in general librarians are expected to have a competent grasp on the Standard English dialect, and others are less likely to be appreciated by the general populace. Obviously this differs based on your community and environment, and colloquialisms are sometimes useful or even necessary, but as a rule of thumb it’s a good call to be able to write “properly,” even if that concept is imperialist bullshit.

*I don’t mean Nazis. Obviously I don’t mean Nazis. Though there is a robust debate in the library community about whether Nazis or TERFs or whatever should be allowed to like, use library facilities for their own group meetings or whatever. I tend to fall on the “I don’t think so” side of the conversation, but there’s a valid argument to be made about not impeding people’s access to information -- even wrong or harmful information.

Any other advice?

Of course! I love to talk. Let’s see . . .

Get really passionate about freedom of information and access: A library’s main reason for existing is to help people get ahold of information (including fiction) that they couldn’t otherwise access. If you’re a public librarian, you have to care a lot about making sure people can access information you probably hate. (If you’re an academic librarian it’s a little more tricky, because the resources should meet a certain scholarly threshold, and if you’re a school librarian there are issues of appropriateness to deal with, but in general more info to more people is always the direction to push.) Get ready to defend your library purchases to angry patrons or even coworkers; get ready to defend your refusal to purchase something, if that’s necessary. Get ready to hold your nose and cringe while you add American Sniper to your library collection, because damn it, your patrons deserve access to the damn stupid book. Get really excited about finding new perspectives and minority representation, because that’s also something your patrons deserve access to. Get really excited about how technology can make access easier for certain patrons, and figure out how to make it happen in your library. Care about this; it’s essential that you’re passionate about information -- helping your patrons find it, making sure they can access it, evaluating it, citing it . . . all of it. Get ranty about it. Just do it.

Be prepared to move if necessary: One of my professors told us that there was one thing that would always guarantee you a job that paid well -- this was in 2016 but still -- that as long as you had it you could do whatever you wanted. And that was a suitcase. Maybe where you live is an oversaturated market (thanks for having 6 library schools in a 4-hour radius, my state). Maybe something something economic factors I don’t really understand; the point is that going into this field, you should probably make peace with the idea that you’ll probably either end up taking a job that doesn’t make enough money or struggle a lot to even find one . . . or you’re going to have to go where the jobs are. It’s a small field. Just know that might be a compromise you have to make, unless you can get a strictly remote job.

Read: This sounds stupidly obvious but it’s true! Read things that aren’t your genre, aren’t your age range; patrons are going to ask you for reading advice all the goddamn time, especially if you’re a public librarian, so the more you can be knowledgeable about whatever your patrons might ask you about, the easier your life will be. If you’re considering librarianship you probably love to read anyway, so just ride that pony as hard as you possibly can.

Learn to be okay with weeding -- even things you don’t think deserve it: You are going to have to recycle books. You’re going to have to throw away books. You’re going to have to take books out of the collection and make them disappear in some fashion or another. There are a lot of reasons -- damage and lack of readership are big ones -- and there’s no bigger red flag to a librarian than someone saying “I could never destroy a book.” That kind of nonsense is said by people who’ve never had to fit 500 books onto a shelf built for 450. Archivists are different, of course, as are historians, and everyone should have a healthy respect for books both as physical objects and as sources of information, but you’re going to have to get rid of them sometimes, and you’re just going to have to learn how to do that dispassionately.

Have fun! No one gets into this because they want money; if you want to be a librarian, or work in any library-adjacent field, it’s because you really care about the values of librarianship, or the people in your community, or preserving and sharing as great a wealth of information as possible. Your job will often be thankless and it’ll sometimes be exhausting. There will be times where it’s actually scary. And unless you’re rich as balls, it will make you stare at your student loans and sigh with despair. (You may be living in your parents’ basement while you sigh at your loans because you can’t afford to live on your own, for an example that has zero relevance to any authors of this blog, living or dead.) I can’t tell you if it’s worth it -- though you’ll probably find out pretty quickly during your internship, because that’s what internships are for. All I can say is that I love it, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

#ask forest #libraries #librarianship #information science #career advice #education advice #oh my god this is long #i have a lot of feelings okay?#there is no way on earth anyone will read all of this #if you do tell me bc i will not believe it #Anonymous

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specialagentartemis · 3 years

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Hi, I just wondered if you'd be up for saying a bit about your OC Rebecca Lambert? Cos I saw you mention her on my post and I am very intrigued...

(Feel free to ignore this if you don't feel like talking about her.)

Absolutely! I love to talk about Rebecca! I originally came up with her when thinking about Lovelace coming back from space and having to go tell her crews’ families what happened. Rebecca was kind of a vehicle for Lovelace Angst. Which is still very good, but she’s also spiralled out into a character of her own.

Rebecca Lambert is Sam Lambert’s older sister. She’s three years older than he is. I usually write them as Potawatomi through their dad's side. They were close when they were kids—she was louder, more outspoken, though they’re both equally argumentative. She would end up punching bullies for him sometimes at school, which he didn’t really appreciate because he’s anxious and self-conscious about everything. As kids, they would spend a lot of time sitting and reading quietly in the Shawnee public library. Rebecca liked to read books about history and contemporary/literary; Sam liked to read sci-fi. Those days in the library instilled in Rebecca a love of libraries, and in Sam a love of space and a desire to get out and see the world.

They were never really anybody special growing up. Rebecca got more political, more interested in community and activism; Sam spent his time reading books and watching the airplanes take off from the airport and dreaming about being somewhere else. At 18 went to college at the University of Oklahoma and then did a Master’s in Library Science. That was kind of the last straw for Sam; his dad was from Shawnee, his mom was from Tulsa, no one in his family had left Oklahoma in a generation or more, he wanted to get out and go places and be somebody.

So he went into the Air Force academy, and he and Rebecca had their first real big fight over that. Rebecca couldn’t understand why he wanted to leave; Sam couldn’t understand why she wanted to stay.

Rebecca grew up to be an avowed socialist/anarcho-syndicalist (depending on who she’s madder at at the moment); she wants to be a community organizer but doesn’t really have the people skills for it. She works at the Shawnee Public Library and it’s her calling, but fighting against conservative town policies and conservative town budgets is a full-time job in its own right.

When Sam told her he was going to be an astronaut, going to go to space, they had a fight about that too. Rebecca didn’t want him to go, didn’t trust Goddard, didn’t understand why he’s always felt the need to get as far away from Shawnee as possible; Sam, anguished and frustrated, responded with “Why can’t you ever just be happy for me?” and her answer was, bluntly, “I don’t want you to die in space, you idiot!” She loves her brother. She really does. Even if she doesn’t understand any of his life choices.

And then he went to space and never came back. And Goddard Futuristics refused to tell her or anyone in her family what happened.

This began her campaign to pry that information out of them. It… didn’t go that well; in their eyes, she was a nobody from nowhere, with no power. And all information about Captain Lovelace’s mission had been scrubbed from the internet.

But Rebecca was angry and determined, and after some years of no responses, she eventually made a small news story in a Florida paper by driving to the Goddard HQ, parking her pickup truck on their lawn, and banging on the door yelling “WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BROTHER, YOU BASTARDS?”

And guess who, at that point, was monitoring the news for information about mysterious astronaut deaths connected to Goddard?

So about a week after she was released from jail, threatened by Goddard’s lawyers, kicked out, and returned home to Shawnee, she gets a phone call. “Hello. My name is Dominik Koudelka, and I’m a reporter. Goddard Futuristics killed my wife. I think we might be able to help each other uncover the truth.”

Finally, finally, someone is listening.

Dominik comes to meet her and talk to her. She takes him to the library. See, Goddard can scrub information from the internet… but they can’t touch microfilm. And she has a copy of the local newspaper on microfilm from when Sam’s shuttle launched, which she goes back to every once in a while… to prove to herself that she’s not making this up, that this all really happened. And she shows Dominik. “Here. This was my brother’s mission. They were supposed to come back three years ago, but they never did, and Goddard wants to pretend the whole thing never happened.”

But Dominik is staring at something else.

“Who’s that?” he asks, and points at the older man in the crew photo.

Rebecca has read this article enough times to name everyone in the photo. “That’s the science officer, Elias Selberg.”

“No…” Dominik says, “No, his name is Hilbert, and he was on my wife’s crew.”

They both realize, right then, that there is so much more being kept secret than two missing space crews. And they have a lot more people to find and contact now, and a much bigger investigation.

And thus begins Rebecca’s entry into what @geejaysmith and I call The OC Investigation Squad, a collection of OC family members left behind on Earth who band together and have investigations while the main plot of the show is going on, trying to uncover the Truth about Goddard and bring them down.

#Wolf 359 #replies #lazy-hufflepuff #OCs #My OCs #The OC Investigation Squad #I have so many stories I want to write involving Rebecca... someday....

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star--nymph · 4 years

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Hey Ho, Yo (About)

Hey, nerds, welcome to my blog!

I’m Kat or Star depending on your flavor (formally star--nymph over on this blog). I’m 31, queer (she/her), white and I’m a graduate student getting my masters in Library Science. I’m also an artist and a writer. Here are some facts about me in cause you’re curious:

I have an art tag and writing tag, though I’m slow with updating. I also have an AO3.

I have many ocs but my favorite and definitely my hyperfocus is Eurydice Lavellan. I would die for this elf.

Her tags are Eurydice Lavellan (also her old blog tag) and Cullydice.

I also have an original story I’m working on that you’ll see the ocs of very often.

Main Tag- Godkiller//Deity

Character Tags: Kassandra Rosales, Artemis, Blaine Storms, Asha Rosales, Dolly

This blog is NSFW but I don’t tend to actually do much NSFW stuff in general. If I do, it’s tagged under ‘lemon’ so blacklist that if you like.

I don’t do character hate and/or bashing. Privately, fine, but on this blog? Nope. That said I might occasionally post character critical stuff: if that’s the case it will be tagged with ‘[character name] critical’.

I do not condone any racism (this includes whitewashing, fetishizing, or violently attacking characters of colors). If I catch any of that shit, you will be blocked without question.

I also do not condone any queerphobia, transphobia, sexism, antisemitism, islamphobia, ableism, or any other ‘isms’ that actively hurt people. Fuck off.

I don’t like fighting and I sure hate doing it in an capacity in public. I would much rather have a conversation in private than ever doing it in public, so if you have an issue with me I implore you to reach out to me in private.

Some of the current interests you may see on here is: Dragon Age, Sailor Moon, Last Unicorn, Fashion, Disney, Skyrim, History, Avatar the Last Airbender, Musicals, Art, Film, Folklore/Myth/Fairytales, anime, the Sims, and etc.

I loooooooooooooooooove fairytales and folklore a lot and you will see me scream about them, so be prepared.

Yes, I love Cullen and romanced him. No, I am not a cullenite and no, I do not support his shitty VA. I love talking about Cullen critically and also lovingly and while I think his arc could have been better, I still like it, whoops.

I also really love Vivienne, Josephine, Fenris, Varric, Iron Bull, and Alistair.

If I have done or said something that bothers you, please feel free to talk to me. I always want to change and make my blog a safe space.

In Conclusion:

#about me

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cromulentbookreview · 3 years

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I See What You Did There

What’s two plus two?

Huh? What? What’s happening?

What’s two plus two?

Oh, shit, right, I have a book review blog, don’t I? I mean, things have been a bit hectic these past few months and I’m also trying to be a real writer...

What’s two plus two?

Yeah, you’re right, I shouldn’t neglect my tumblr, even if nobody reads it. And come on, computer, it’s not like I’ve been in a coma for four years, two plus two is clearly five and we all love Big Brother, OK? Gah.

Uhhh...And by that, I mean: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir!

Dr. Ryland Grace wakes up in a spaceship with no memory of how or why he’s there. He’s a junior high school science teacher, what the hell is he doing on a spaceship? Also, the other two astronauts are dead. Like, really dead. So far as how things are going for Dr. Grace right now, I’ll let Pete Campbell give you a hint:

Slowly, veeeery slowly, Grace’s memory starts to come back to him: he’s on a mission to save the Earth. There’s this nasty space bacteria-thingy called Astrophage that’s dimming the light of Mr. Burns’s archnemesis: the Sun.

There’s a lot of science involved, but Weir explains, in great detail, just how Astrophage dims the Sun and why that’s really, really, really, really bad for the Earth. Like, apocalyptic-bad. Billions will die bad. Famine, disease, war, rocks fall, everyone dies and freezes to death bad. Only not right away. Over the course of several years. So everyone will die, but they’ll get to do it real slowly.

Yay?

Like so, but it ends with everybody dead and the Earth being rendered uninhabitable. All of Grace’s wee little students will grow up watching their Earth slowly die. Unless Project Hail Mary finds a solution. And there seems to be a solution out there - Tau Ceti seems to be the only star not infected with Astrophage. Why? How? What? So this all powerful woman called Stratt, who has been given authority by just about everyone (how? Reasons. Don’t ask questions) yanks Grace out of his classroom - first to study Astrophage, and then, somehow, he can’t remember exactly, roped him into going on a dozen-light-year journey to Tau Ceti with the crew of the Hail Mary.

Only the rest of the crew is dead. Something went wrong while they were in a coma during their four-year space voyage. Grace is alone.

Inside the Hail Mary.

Full of a dude called Grace.

I see what you did there, Weir. Don’t think I didn’t see what you did there. I mean, you don’t even have to be Catholic to see what you did there.

Anyway, long-winded flashbacks and lots of science ensues. I struggled with the first quarter of the book - not for any particular reason other than I started reading this book in the latter half of 2020 and I was having a hell of a time concentrating on...well, everything. Remember 2020? Yeah, it wasn’t great. I mean, I’d need a lot of “not great, Bob!” gifs to describe just how bad those last few months of 2020 were.

And then I thought 2021 would be better. Ahahaha we barely made it six days. Seriously, everything is terrible and how do I even concentrate on a dumb book blog let alone a book all about science and the Earth slowly dying because the sun is dimming and -

Soon enough, however, Grace spots something on the Hail Mary’s radar. It’s...another spaceship? All the way out by Tau Ceti? At first, Grace thinks maybe its another ship from Earth, like a backup plan, that’d make sense, right? Only it’s not.

Who could it be?

Aliens?

Yeah, it’s aliens.

Our friend Grace gets to be the dude to make first contact with the sentient, spider-like creatures of the first planet in the system 40 Eridani. Turns out 40 Eridani is also infected with Astrophage, which is causing all sorts of problems for the Eridians, and their ship just happened to be around Tau Ceti at the exact same time as the Hail Mary. Crazy, right? Anyway, after the initial first contact and the long, drawn-out process of learning to communicate with one another (with no help from Amy Adams or Jeremy Renner), Grace and the lone Eridian, whom Grace christens Rocky, team up to save their respective worlds.

Science and plenty of flashbacks ensue.

I’m not a scientist - well, I have a master’s degree in library and information science, which, I guess, is a science? I mean, uh...I could tell you where all the sciency books are in the library. 500s if you’re using Dewey, and if you’re using Library of Congress, it will depend on what you’re looking for - you’ll want to start with Q for general sciences, QA for math books, QB and QC for astronomy and physics, QE, GC, GB, QC, TN for earth sciences, QD, TN, TP, and TR for chemical sciences, GE and bits of GF, QE, QH, QC, and TD for environmental sciences, QH, QK, QL, QM, QP, and QR for life sciences, QA75-76.9, TK5101-TK6720, TK7800-TK7895, and Q334-Q390 for computer sciences, telecommunication and artificial intelligence, Q, R, S, and T for the history of sciences and if you’re looking for bibliographies and finding aids for topics in the sciences, look under Z.

You know. Science.

OK, so I may not be a scientist. I may be bad at math because numbers somehow magically switch themselves around on paper whenever I look at them. Why? Because my brain sucks, that’s why. I may have spent most of my chemistry classes reading YA books under my desk (worth it!). I may have only passed high school physics by cheating off a girl younger than I was, but hey, the joke was on me: my high school physics teacher wasn’t even qualified to teach physics.

Gotta love rural public schools.

My point is, while the science may be lost on me and my brain which is full mostly of Simpsons quotes rather than actual knowledge, I do loves me a fun story where Science (with a capital S) saves the day. And, make no mistake, this book is fun. You might get a bit bogged down by the science, but once you get past it, this is a highly enjoyable story of one dangerously unqualified guy desperately trying to save the world with his new BFF, alien spider guy who speaks in musical notes. It’s up to them and them alone. Good luck, guys! Don’t forget that billions upon billions of lives depend on you. No pressure.

Seriously, if you loved The Martian, you’ll love Project Hail Mary. They’re similar, but Hail Mary is on a much larger scale than The Martian - there’s a lot more at stake in the hands of one guy. Plus: aliens!

Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say I would have loved more from the ending. I would’ve loved an epilogue from some of the other character’s perspectives or something. I mean, I could even go with a sequel! Maybe something where Erid and Earth are finally able to communicate? There’s a lot of potential for short stories or novellas set in the same world as Project Hail Mary - there’s got to be bonus material there and I want it. More, please? That’d be nice. I’d definitely read it. So... Hop to it, Weir!

One last complaint: Grace doesn’t swear. Like, at all. Meanwhile, Mark Watney is over here like

Come on, Grace, would it kill you to say “fuck” or “shit” every now and again? I mean, I sipped coffee that was too hot and let out a bunch of words that’d make a 19th century whaler blush. Geez.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of The Martian, science-y people, people who enjoy a heavy dose of science in their sci-fi, people who just want a fun story

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR: People with no mind for science, people who are against fun, anyone who doesn’t like sci-fi, aliens, fun, etc.

RATING: 4/5

ALIEN RATING:

RELEASE DATE: May 4, 2021 (HEY! Don’t think I didn’t see what you did there, too, Ballantine Books!)

ANTICIPATION LEVEL FOR SPINOFFS / SEQUELS / BONUS MATERIAL OF ANY KIND: Olympus Mons.

DID I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE?

#project hail mary #andy weir #fiction #book review #science fiction #hard science fiction #sff #sci-fi #tau ceti #rocky #adrian #hail mary #ryland grace #apocalyptic fiction #first contact #aliens #global dimming #astrophage

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emjee · 3 years

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Hello!!!! I just realized that you are a librarian in training. I am currently applying for a Library Science/History masters program (my application is due next week 😬). I am terrified but so so excited. Just wondering if you have any advice for, hopefully, a future librarian in training?

Hello right back, nonny! I am actually no longer in librarian training, since I graduated from my program in May, and since I am not currently working in a library I refer to myself as a once and future librarian, but I am happy to pass along things I wish someone had said to me.

“Terrified but so so excited” was also how I felt when I applied, so that’s great that you feel that way. I do remember during my application process feeling very discouraged by negativity I saw about the degree and the profession in internet places like library Twitter, so if you find yourself in a similar place, I would say don’t ignore it, but try not to let it get you down. Many of the critiques I read as I was applying to grad school turned out to be totally valid criticisms that I later shared as I got further into the profession, but it wasn’t useful for me to get too deep into them before I’d even started classes, and it just compounded the wild emotions I was having in an unhelpful way.

I don’t know how structured your program will be since you’re doing a dual degree, so maybe you won’t have this problem as much, but the MLIS degree can be what some people call “flexible” and what other people call “this degree can’t decide what the point of itself is”, so try to find a focus early and choose classes that stick to that. I went in knowing I wanted to focus on public libraries and youth services, so that’s what I organized my schedule around.

Idk what the expectations are in your program about like, presenting at conferences and writing a thesis and all, but I, a fairly ambitious student who presented at several conferences in undergrad, went to no conferences, presented no papers, did no research assistance, and did not write a thesis (it wasn’t required for my program). I only mention this to say that you can get a lot out of the degree from regular attentive class attendance/work and from library work itself, if you can find it. I had classmates who went to conferences and presented with professors and I admire them for it but I also have no idea how I could have done it between work and regular school and supporting myself, and in the end it didn’t really matter.

Get to know your classmates (I know this is hard when you’re going to school online, which hopefully you won’t have to do for too long if you don’t want to). I had so many classmates I adored and getting to know who they were outside of the three-ish hours a week I saw them made the program so much more enjoyable and made me a better librarian.

That’s what I’ve got, I guess! I hope it’s helpful and encouraging. I think there’s a tendency among librarians of the more radical persuasion (of which I hope I am one) to overcompensate for overly-glorified attitudes about librarianship by mentioning all of the challenges we face as library professionals, and while I understand where it comes from, that’s not helpful to people who are new. Find what it is you love about library work and really pay attention to that, and that will help avoid some of the overwhelm, I think. I personally loved working with the public, even though there’s never a dull moment, because I could always go home at the end of the day thinking, “I helped someone today, maybe someone needed a cheerful face and a patient answer and I was able to give them that.”

You can always stop by my inbox or my DMs to ask about library things! Thank you for sending this lovely ask.

#hey nonny nonny #asked and answered #madam librarian

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archivistthad · 3 years

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『 dane dehaan. thirty three. cis male. he/him. 』oh heavens, is that THADDEUS BALDWIN from SYCAMORE WAY i see roaming around mapleview? minnie may’s always calling them -SULLEN & -DISTANT. i happen to think they’re not that bad! they’re a pretty cool ARCHIVIST AT MAPLEVIEW PUBLIC LIBRARY and every time i’ve seen them, they’ve always been +LOYAL & +COLORFUL. i hope i see them around again! @mapleviewstarters

Hey! My name is Katie or Kat! I'm 28, live in the EST timezone, and use she/they pronouns.

Full name: Thaddeus Grant Baldwin

Nicknames: Thad

Gender and pronouns: Cis male, He/Him

Sexual Orientation: Homoromantic Homosexual

Birthday: Feb 14 1987

Hometown: Memphis, TN

Education: Bachelors of Arts in History, University of Alabama. Masters of Library and Information Science, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.

Personality: The first thing people tend to notice about Thad is his sharp wit and sullen personality. He definitely has a tendency to keep walls up and while he is polite to others, it’s difficult to really get close to him. Once you manage that though he will stick by you come hell or high water. He is quite protective of his books, documents and other materials in the archives he works in. Thad definitely can be sarcastic at times but as he has gotten older he has worked on tempering it so there is less potential for hurt feelings. He is not good at flirting and if you had asked him when he was younger if he would seek companionship he would have said no but now he does want to settle down eventually.

History: Thaddeus was born in Meridian, MS but spent most of his young life in Memphis, TN. He lived in a lower income neighborhood for most of his childhood but eventually moved into a more lower middle class home. Thad realized that he was gay while he was in high school when he realized he had a crush on a childhood friend. They dated up until college and they parted amicably. Thaddeus went to the University of Alabama for his undergraduate degree, ending up with a degree in history which sparked a passion for research and curating books and documents. Thad was realistic about not being cut out for being a teacher but going into library science seemed like a good solution. He moved to North Carolina to get his graduate degree from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. He completed his internship in a library but working in the archives was his true passion. A few years ago he moved to Mapleview to fill the open position in the archives at the library. He isn’t the most social of people but he is reliable and is generally seen as a stand up guy. After living here a few years he has grown to see the town as home.

Other things:

Thad is not the most neat person but it’s more of an organized chaos. It never gets out of control and he knows where everything is though.

He generally does not care too much about what he eats. He can cook but sometimes he can’t really be bothered to do more than make a frozen dinner.

He isn’t really religious, more agnostic than anything else.

Thad’s favorite season is fall.

#mapleviewintro

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imagine-organization-xiii · 4 years

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Heyo! How about Organization XIII as college students? What courses would they take? What kind of students would they be? owo

If you’re in college, leave a comment with your major and your favorite courses!

Most of you already know that I majored in history, and my favorite courses at my university were the ‘Psychology of History’ and ‘Founding Fathers and Mothers’

Also, shoutout to Matthew for helping me with a few of these when I needed some inspiration!

oOoOo

Xemnas

Pursuing: Double Major for Master’s Degrees in Business Administration and Public Administration, in a PhD program for Government Studies

Their Favorite Course (link): ‘Philosophy,’ ‘Anthropology,’ Business Management’

Type of Student: a student that all other students wish they could be and a student that all of the teachers like but are slightly afraid of. He’s a no-nonsense type of guy who prefers to study alone and keep to himself. Probably Student Body President but he has absolutely no idea how he was elected to that position.

Xigbar

Pursuing (link): Master of Arts in History with a Concentration in Military History

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘History of Women, Gender, and Sexuality,’ ‘History of Modern Warfare,’ ‘African Americans Since the Civil War,’ ‘History of Rock: Rhythm & Blues, and Rock and Roll to Indie Rock and Hip Hop’

Type of Student: An infuriating bastard to literally everyone that comes into contact with him. He’s so freaking smart that sometimes it takes the teachers and students by surprise, but he’s lazy and sometimes just doesn’t want to force himself to do the work. But sometimes he doesn’t have to! He manages to scrape by with an above average grade without studying.

Xaldin

Pursuing (link): Master’s of Sports Psychology and Counseling

Their Favorite Course (link): ‘Counseling Student Athletes,’ ‘Multicultural Issues in Counseling’

Type of Student: More focused on other activities that don’t have to do with school, but he does fairly well for himself in his classes. He does just enough to pass with average grades even though he would do better if he took the time and effort to apply himself.

Vexen

Pursuing (link): PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘Polymer Physics,’ ‘Protein Engineering,’ and ‘Thermodynamics for Chemical Product and Process Design’

Type of Student: So SMART. So damn smart but he’s SUCH an annoying little shit and all of the professors dislike him because he’s obviously more intelligent than they are, and HE knows it, too. He’s a genius and is going to go on to do great things, but most think he needs a steady, guiding hand to lead him in the right direction.

Lexaeus

Pursuing (link): Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Pediatric Care

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘Infant, Child, and Adolescent Health,’ ‘Pharmacotherapeutics,’ ‘Procedures and Skills for Pediatric Care’

Type of Student: He’s never been book-smart, but when it comes to hands-on learning? There’s no one better to have on your team. Lexaeus has always learned better when he can actually see information in front of him instead of listening to lectures, so he spends a lot of time teaching himself the information in his textbooks - even if it might take him a while to get through the material.

Zexion

Pursuing: Master’s in Library Science

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘Archival Management,’ ‘Knowledge Management,’ ‘Librarian Special Collections and History of the Book’

Type of Student: The dream student that every teacher wants. He’s quiet, studious, asks really intelligent and thought-provoking questions, always does his assignments and turns them in on time, etc.

Saix

Pursuing (link): Master’s in Law and Business

Their Favorite Course (link): ‘Business Evaluation and Analysis,’ ‘Game Theory and Strategic Decisions’

Type of Student: Quiet, studious, and knows that he’s smarter than you. Has a lot of activities outside of class because he knows that they look good on a job applications, but his heart is truly just into his classes because he enjoys learning new information.

Axel

Pursuing: Bachelor’s in Paramedic Technology

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘Physics for Poets,’ ‘Immunology,’ and ‘Genetics’

Type of Student: Doesn’t study at ALL and it infuriates literally everyone to no end how he manages to do so well with so little effort involved. The class clown, but also knows when to keep his mouth shut. Defends female classmates whenever they get mansplained by teachers or other students.

Demyx

Pursuing: Double Major Bachelor’s Degrees in Music Composition and Sound Design

Their Favorite Courses (link 1, link 2): ‘Film Scoring,’ ‘Producing Music with Logic’

Type of Student: Demyx is both a good and a bad student. When it comes to topics that he enjoys, he is the most dedicated, task-oriented person you’ll ever meet. When it comes to the boring stuff - basic classes that he’s required to take, like math or science, his mind wanders and he gets distracted way too easily.

Luxord

Pursuing: Bachelor’s in Hospitality Business Management

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘Introduction to the Casino Industry,’ ‘Introduction to Wine and Hospitality Beverages,’ ‘Hospitality Marketing,’ and ‘Hospitality Business Law’

Type of Student: No one understands how he can possibly have such amazing grades when he sometimes doesn’t even bother to go to class, but they’re impressed, especially when he does manage to go to class without a sign of a hangover when most of them know he spent the night before drinking.

Marluxia

Pursuing: Bachelor’s in Horticultural Science

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘Plant Breeding,’ ‘Agricultural Law,’ ‘Greenhouse Management’

Type of Student: Knows a lot, sometimes more than the teachers, but is happy to let them all think that he’s dim and oblivious. Aces all of his tests and assignments, keeps himself to the back of the room and watches, silently observing.

Larxene

Pursuing (link): Master’s of Science in Engineering with a Concentration in Electrical Engineering

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘Engineering Electronics,’ ‘Circuits Laboratory’

Type of Student: Sly and sometimes gets other people to do the heavy work on some of the more tedious projects she’s assigned. She’s too smart for her own good, but she hates the majority of her classes and teachers, so she skips class more often than not.

Roxas

Pursuing (link): Bachelor of Arts in Animation

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘Storytelling for the Screen,’ ‘Interactive Animation,’ ‘Figure Drawing’

Type of Student: He tries. He tries so hard, really. But sometimes the words dance across the pages of his textbooks and he just can’t concentrate on something that’s so boring, so it’s difficult for him to focus when he studies. He passes all of his courses and is an absolute sweetheart to all of his teachers, but he definitely puts in a few extra hours of studying than most people do just to keep up with the rest of his peers.

Xion

Pursuing (link): A Bachelor’s in Elementary Education

Their Favorite Courses (link): ‘Assessing Impact on Student Learning,’ ‘The School as a Community of Care’

Type of Student: A sweet bean who is a gift to everyone who manages to get her in a group project. She’s studious, sweet, and always willing to help those who need it. She’s also not afraid to ask questions and stay after class if she needs it, especially in math and science courses, which aren’t her strongest subjects.

#organization xiii headcanon #kingdom hearts headcanon

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anikkis-fantasirealities · 3 years

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“The Banquet Rooms of the Grandeur Campus”

③ Human Interest Story ┊ ʸᵒᵘ ʷʰᵒ ʸᵉᵃʳⁿˢ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵘᶦᵈᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ʸᵒᵘᵗʰ···ᵗᵒ ᵍᵉⁿᵗˡʸ ᵍᵉⁿᵉʳᵃᵗᵉ ʸᵒᵘⁿᵍ ᵍᵉⁿᵘᶦˢᵉˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵍʳᵃⁿᵗ ᵍᵉⁿᵉʳᵃᵗᶦᵒⁿˢ ʷᶦᵗʰ ᵍᵒᵒᵈʷᶦˡˡ·

꒰⁺˚₊·₍₍loading...₎₎ ✎...۪۫❁ཻུ۪۪ -ˏˋ 📨 ˊˎ-

༘✶ ㊉㈦〘 ⅯⅯ 〙⋆｡˚𓆟 ༉ ║ Posted : ０６/１５/２１° ｡༄ ‧₊˚ ๑ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ •ଓ.° ｡❍ ㈩㊇

- - ——— ꒰ An article by Nicole “Nikki” Elaine S. Chua ꒱

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ₊·͟͟͟͟͟͟͞͞͞͞͞͞➳❥ ࿐ྂ—͙❬₊° ᶦ ᵃᵐ ᵃ ᵇˡᵒᵍᵍᵉʳ ᵃᶠᵗᵉʳ ᵃˡˡ·“= ‹⸙͎

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┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ˚✩ ⋆｡˚ ✩

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On a scorching afternoon where the shouting of children, chasing each other after classes have concluded, and the chattering adults have started to lock up the messy rooms, there was not one place that was quiet. I, on the other hand, had a quest to fulfill under a time limit! The red ballpen flung onto my chair desk when white sheets of paper were clenced by my thin palms. I ran outside past our broken doorstep to our class, over the pastures, and on top of stone-edged floors. Time is ticking... 4, 3, 2, and those squeaky black dull shoes made it! In opening the slim door to the right side of the room, they were like glorifying gates that screeched wide open—awaiting for my arrival. Well, it wasn’t that dramatic, but I was perspired out of sprinting under the gleaming sun. My short legs wobbling for a tiny second. The beads dripping on my worried face were shaken when I entered the room at around the size of a studio-type residence.

It was normal for me to be an errand girl who assists her class and obey her teachers with respect, no matter what school my identification card is designated to. I grew up with that kind of personality: helpful, caring, kind, diligent, and patient. Hence, these exhausted shoes have travelled to many places across gymnasiums, libraries, storage rooms, and laboratories. Though, sometimes, my mind still can’t get used to such a huge room, like that of the faculty rooms. I still become staggered over the hectic aura of the space, where long tables sat in rows, and people in pink & blue uniforms kindling the noise from the outside within. I would look around to see piles of examination papers, rolls of cartolina squeezed into a box, and scattered gadgets for teaching being charged to full energy. This is an article featuring the 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙀𝙧𝙖 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮: 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡.

Throughout the years I’ve walked on those narrow corridors, and climbed up stairs to different floors of the vintage buildings, I also meet ways with many generations. One generation was younger than me—that of clumsy children innocently playing in the fields endlessly. The other was of my age, those who exist with me, as they attempt to finish their studies without tilting their heads to nudges of distraction. Then, there was this generation who were much similar to us—like students in a classroom laughing and sharing stories with each other. They had the knowledge of the world in their hands. In their arms, they carry heavier packages to unbox. Though, unlike the previous generations I meet who simply stepped up and down the stairs, the prudent grown-up smiled back to me, walking slowly pass my agitated shoulder.

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ㅤㅤ ❝ That room that I remember the most, ㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ was under construction before the pandemic began. ❞

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I had the desire to help them lift their troubles by standing by their side, but they refuse because it is the role they signed up for, and my position had no power to be elevated to their level. Though, through these words, I know I would be able to do something to display their everyday lives behind teaching the New Era youth, giving the best advice, and serving the school with unconditional love. I was given the chance to be closer to the people who inspired me to present the compassionate self with the direction, ambition, and deduction to offer my best contribution to the world I belong to.

At the back of those generalized comforting grins and caring embraces, come their different fairytales that make the generation a community of teachers—young or old, millennial or Gen X, whatever gender and status they may have. They were a social generation, with hundred of stories to unfold and share to the youth. That was one thing I admired about them the most.

Well, I have encountered many teachers in my life since entering school, but the memory that always stick to my mind is my experiences with the teachers of New Era University: Integrated School. For some, they would cover their face when they recognize their teachers riding on a public vehicle rushing to its detination. Others simply ignore their respected educators when they spot them being at school even if the sun has already tucked in for the day.

However, I was one of those students who waves and greets them with my two-front teeth sticking out in happiness—trekking my way to school, riding shiny metallic jeepneys, and walking through scrapped walls that used to be fully painted. The inspiration flows out when I’m with them—a witness of their trials and ever-changing biographies in their very own home, the school, itself. Yes, the school becomes their shelter, figuratively, because that is how passionate they are in the path they’ve chosen to wander upon.

Then, there’s this vague image that I always remember—a banquet room where teachers eat together side-by-side during lunch breaks. The clanging of plates and utensils compliments the happy vibe of the room. The meals packed in transparent plastic bags from the canteen look fancy because of the optimistic mood all throughout the proximity in between me and the busy adults. Oh, and how could I not forget to mention the signature pancakes by New Era University: Integrated School that some teachers indulge in the most?

The giggles never end when I hear their jokes from afar, while I am walking through their room to return the checked papers I’ve finished to my Filipino teacher in Grade 10. Everyone was like workers in a castle of royalty—busy and preoccupied with their own duties, yet working towards one united purpose, that together creates a vibrant mix of emotions in the great hall. The harmonized melody it produces once the sweat and tears has finally been paid off, truly, the lunch breaks are what makes the banquet more lively. It’s a feast to behold!

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ㅤㅤ❝ Whenever I catch my name, I return it, ㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤwith my good-natured, ‘Hi po, Sir and Ma’am!’ ❞

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On one side were the lockers, where old and new student’s projects filled the barren storage with interesting information. There are multiple brown wooden tables overlapped with colorful designs where groups of teachers sit together. The masters of Science sat at the bench to the wall at the right, while the experts in English stay behind a counter adjacent to the door on the right. People who speak of Filipino, Math, Computer, and MAPEH had benches next to each other in the middle of the bustling hall that was their faculty room. They are not divided, literally, for their workplaces are not distanced from one another. Each part of the table has a customized area per teacher, whose pictures of blood-related family and schedules are inserted under transparent cover—giving them motivation to carry on their sworn responsibility. However, just like BFFs who stick together, some teachers transfer to other tables to enjoy the rest of the day with their close co-faculty members.

They would talk about their personal lives, their interests, and at times, the students & problems they encounter in classes. Some gave glee, but of course, there were also those that gave headaches. That’s why whenever I am presented with a new subject teacher per grade level, I can understand if the they know me well from the narrations of the teachers who’ve handled me. They are aware of my struggles, efforts, and kindness as a pupil of New Era. They are familiarized with this face, the expression, and its body language.

Though, I am still proud that they recognize my batchmates dedication, too. Each teacher imparted values to all their children equally. There was no favoritism, and everyone gets a chance to participate. When we make mistakes, we are still accepted and loved. All this, even though they are humans who are aroused by intense feelings? No matter how impressive, or lowly we are, it is that chance to be better that we are most thankful about in this palace of high education.

All the pictures you’ve seen so far contain significant beings in my life as a student-soon-to-be-adult. That’s the magic of being someone not so known in society or history, but will remain a treasured person in your life—a special connection only you and that person understands, and not everyone else does. Even though I tend to stutter and zip my mouth when I am often in the loud banquet when I do not want to disturb the delightful get-alongs by our educators, eventually I am noticed and asked, “What are you doing here, Nicole Chua?” It’s the admiration that regardless if I was hidden or completely revealing of myself, they help me to speak out and be more confident with the adults. That is something that I also want to influence my classmates with, because these teachers outside lessons and activities are not so intimidating & looming at all!

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ㅤㅤ ㅤ❝ I can recall the cooked dishes and the grades for judging, and I cherish them knowing you cannot taste them again. ❞

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They are friendly, approachable, and absolutely considerate of the many kids they manage from Mondays to Fridays. Off campus is a different story that I can’t personally share for the privacy of their lives, though I would say it’s rough. It’s rough to come back home—to take care of your very own children while finishing school records, bringing along the stress from work into their real dwelling. They are not just mothers and fathers of the campus that caters hundreds of beautiful princes and princesses. They are also parents worried of their own children’s future.

The sicknesses, the loans, the quarrels, and the trickling hourglass—all this is what they must face in the cold, dry evenings. They are vulnerable to all these things that makes them a part of reality, and not just some fantasy with no flaws. It didn’t matter if they were in the coordinator’s office, the cookery laboratory, the office in the second floor, or that special place on the fourth floor. I was there to hear their encounters with their rude children, or the sweet marriage they had. If I clean harder, dart quicker, and volunteer even more, I can appreciate them who were not supernatural beings veiled in fiction. They sacrifice for that hope, that they will teach the next generations how to educate those after them, and those before them. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙨 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.

One time, I was holding onto the dream of being a part of the school’s newspaper—it was my “𝗛𝗨𝗗𝗬𝗔𝗧” to fulfill the vision, reflected by that tender link I had with that story. The tension was still on me when I came to the opening. I had no clue why I felt that way, even if I’ve entered too many banquet halls at that point. Though, I was determined to open that door and introduce myself with the passion I had. She was someone I did not know so much back then, but now, I’m writing this article because of her instruction. Her proficient Filipino words, and the lectures she offered to us. There was the excitement, the uplifting compliments, and the will to keep on writing. This may be the last time that we will be coupled for education, but I’m hoping to see our names as staff on the front page. Am I too much, or was that a mysterious ending?

Teachers in general only want the best for their learners, for influencing their lives is the greatest fulfillment. They can be strict or relatable, but together, they spend the rest of the day in the banquet room, merrily toasting for a job well done. In this monumental learning institution, many important people shall rise and do their part in society, away from the fairytales and fictional playtime. Perhaps, next time, if you can also observe your own school’s faculty room, you can hear their stories—the sounds of a feast, and assist them in preparing for the afternoon festivities.

I hope you were able to see the beautiful reality of the teachers of New Era University: Integrated School with my own eyes. Do greet them hello, or help them in your tiny acts the next time you see them, and it will definitely brighten their day. Thank you for reading their ordinary tales! Come back again in another blog where my fantasies become realities! A Nikki reminder: let’s help one another to rise up to success, instead of degrading one another to failure!

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ㅤㅤㅤㅤ ❝ It’s the ultimate desire, and yet I felt so anxious, ㅤㅤ ㅤbut now we’re so close, yet so far between screens. ❞

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· * ✫ * ⊹ * ˚ . . 　　· ⋆ * . * . . · . · . * · . · · + . ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤ· ** ˚ . . + 　　· ⋆ * . * . . · . · . *

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ. . + 　· ⋆ * . * . . · . · .˚ ⊹ · * ✧ ⋆ · * . · . · · .. . .

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ· + ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ· * ✫ * ⊹ * ˚

ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ · ** ˚ . . + ㅤㅤ　· ⋆ * . * . . · . · .˚ ⊹ · * ✧

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ⋆ · * . · ㅤㅤ . · · .. . . · + .

ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ. · + . *

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤ ⋆ * . * . .

ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤ ㅤ . · ·

ㅤㅤ﹙dedication. ﹚ ୨˚୧ ˚ ༘♡.↳ ₊˚‧

This blog is dedicated to “I am a Teacher,” for her patience, remarks, rainbow scarfs, adorable dogs, and wonderful words given to me. You are My Most Precious Treasure in this writing journey, from blandness to vividness.

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ﹋﹋﹌﹌﹌「 🧁 」﹌﹌﹌﹋﹋

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ┊彡 Credits

➥ Cover Edit

➫ Ma’am JB

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➥ First Blog Divider

➫ Sir Leo

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ

➥ Second Blog Divider

➫ Ma'am Eva

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ

➥ Third Blog Divider

➫ Sir Prince

➥ Fourth Blog Divider

➫ Sir Prince

➥ Fifth Blog Divider

➫ Teacher Med

➥ Source of Information

➫ The author’s encounters

➫ Briefly shared stories by her teachers

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ﹋﹋﹌﹌﹌「 end. 」﹌﹌﹌﹋﹋

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recentanimenews · 3 years

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INTERVIEW: The Founder of an Anime and Manga Academic Journal Talks Anime Scholarship

Anime and manga have truly begun to enter the mainstream in recent years, with pop culture icons from Michael B. Jordan to Billie Eilish becoming vocal about their love of both. Even in academia, anime and manga are becoming recognized as legitimate art forms. We had the pleasure to talk with Billy Tringali, the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Anime and Manga Studies, a new academic publication focusing on... you guessed it, anime and manga! Tringali talks about how the journal was started, the history of anime academia in the West, and the love of the medium that lives at the core of this project.

Could you introduce yourself and give us a brief explanation of the Journal of Anime and Manga Studies?

Hello! I'm Billy Tringali. I have a Master's of Science in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's iSchool, and I'm the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Anime and Manga Studies. I'm currently the Outreach Librarian at Emory University School of Law, where I build resources, programming, and partnerships that help support student success. I'm a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of International Women's Studies. I'm also a popular culture scholar, having presented at the Popular Culture Association's National Conference on topics ranging from building morality systems in vampiric video games to socio-cultural anxieties concerning gender and sexuality in Dracula. I am completely obsessed with anything created by Junji Ito. My favorite manga is a tossup between Death Note and A Silent Voice.

The Journal of Anime and Manga Studies is an open-access journal dedicated to providing an ethical, peer-reviewed space for academics, students, and independent researchers examining the field of anime, manga, cosplay, and fandom studies to share their research with others. JAMS is peer reviewed by scholars with experience in these areas. The goal of JAMS is to explore anime as an art form and bring visibility to the deeper meanings, understandings, and/or cultural significance of anime, manga, cosplay, and their fandoms.

via Netflix

I understand that JAMS was born out of your desire to preserve and champion anime and manga. Could you tell us a bit about your personal experience with the media?

I love anime. I've been a fan of anime since I was a kid, but I didn't really start getting involved with anime and manga from a fandom perspective until high school. I founded my high school's anime club in 2009, and started attending and performing at anime conventions in New England in the same year. I started hosting anime con 'Cosplay Events' at 16, and have performed and hosted at conventions up and down the east coast. I eventually founded the Anime Boston "Cosplay Death Match" after hosting events there for several years. Highlights of managing that program included not being sure if I was getting prize support and running out to buy something to give to the winner (it was a toaster), and convincing my mother and grandmother to cosplay for the first time, throwing them into the event, and actually having my grandmother sweep the competition as Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle. (With my mom coming in second place as Cookin' Mama!) It lives forever on YouTube.

There is something so electric about anime conventions, about being around so many people so passionate about this medium, and being able to be on stage before so many of them was some of the most wonderful parts of my teens and early 20s. I have made some of my very closest friends because of anime, and owe some of my happiest experiences to my involvement with this medium and its fandoms. Then, in April of 2017, I was fortunate enough to visit the Kyoto International Manga Museum. Wandering the museum, surrounded by shelves upon shelves of manga, I came across a message from the museum’s Executive Director that put such a passion in me. I wanted to do something to contribute to this medium. I want scholarship about anime and manga to be accessible to everyone, regardless of university affiliation. JAMS is an action taken to help achieve this goal.

What work goes into launching an academic journal? Did you have to secure funding or institutional resources? How did you get the word out to potential contributors?

Bringing JAMS into existence was an incredibly exciting endeavor that took a lot of hard work. I started JAMS as part of my coursework for my master's degree. I partnered with the University Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's iSchool, the University Library's Office of Scholarly Communication and Publishing, and the Scholarly Commons to begin what would be a year-long notes process, during which I did research about open-access publishing and scholarly communication. Based on this research and the guidance of these offices I built the guidelines for publishing with JAMS. I had to prove there was an interest in this type of work being published and accessible, pointing to the journal Mechademia had been publishing work on anime since 2006, and the dozens of books about anime and manga have been written. But more than proving the idea of interest in anime and manga studies, I needed contributors. I needed to build an editorial board, reviewers, and potential authors. I wrote two conference papers and applied for (and received!) partial funding from the iSchool to present and attempt to pitch JAMS at two, national conferences on popular culture, the Midwest Popular Culture Association / American Culture Association's Conference and the Popular Culture Association's National Conference.

I made and purchased business cards for JAMS, handing them out at panels on anime and manga, pitching JAMS to a variety of scholars who reacted with everything from definite interest, to mild concern, to one scholar actively doubling over with laughter at the thought of open-access publishing and anime colliding. The most amazing moment was, after a panel, when a woman pulled me aside and was eagerly asking me questions about JAMS. She wanted to know about our guidelines, about how the process of approval was going at my university, and when I looked down at her nametag I realized it was Frenchy Lunning - the founder of Mechademia, the journal which had lent so much legitimacy to the idea of JAMS!

Meeting all these accomplished scholars and advertising JAMS at the PCA drummed up enough interest for a slot of peer reviewers and an editorial board. From there, after further evaluation of JAMS principles documentation, JAMS applied to be a part of the Illinois Open Publishing Network, and was successful. We put out our first call for papers not long after that, and published our first issue in October of 2020.

via HBO Max

JAMS is published through Illinois Open Publishing Network. Was accessibility a big concern for you when pursuing the creation of this journal?

Accessibility was my biggest concern when I was crafting JAMS. There was never a moment in time when I considered attempting to pursue the creation of this journal as anything other than open-access. I did my undergrad at a small state school in Massachusetts, and going from that to working as a graduate student in one of the largest academic libraries in the country was astounding. Millions of items at my fingertips that I never had access to before. Having so much access to so much amazing scholarship, I could only think of students at smaller universities, or fans outside of higher education that want to do this type of research. JAMS is open-access to be part of the solution to potential lack of access to scholarship about anime and manga.

Can you give us a general sense of the types of papers you've published and that you are hoping to receive?

JAMS publishes and is interested in high-quality work about anime, manga, cosplay, and their fandoms. We've had submissions, inquiries, and published works across a variety of disciplines. From analysis of the nuclear family structure in a major film, to the representation of the overlap in queer and disability cultures in a manga, to media industry history. Our Editorial Board members and reviewers come from backgrounds ranging from library and information science, to education, to literary studies. Anime and manga studies is a vast subject and extremely interdisciplinary, and because of that JAMS accepts papers from a variety of scholarly perspectives. What is the state of anime and manga academic study in the US? Has it gained more traction parallel to the growth of the industry in the past decade?

Anime and manga studies classes are being taught in universities across the United States. Dozens of articles are published every year that fall under anime and manga studies. People are crafting theses for their advanced degrees about anime, manga, cosplay, and their fandoms. It is an extremely exciting time for anime and manga studies in the United States.

Are anime and manga studies generally taken seriously by the rest of the academic world, or is this an area of study that is still broadly fighting for legitimacy?

I would say that any person who does academic work on popular culture has to deal with occasional comments about their research, and may need to battle harder to prove the legitimacy of their scholarship. But Shakespeare was once popular culture. And Paradise Lost is a fanfiction. Popular culture scholarship is scholarship.

Do you (or do you plan to) collaborate with any Japanese academic centers or scholars?

I would absolutely say that one of JAMS long-term goals would be to include more international scholars on our Editorial Board! Currently JAMS' only institutional connection is to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, but papers have been submitted and published by scholars in several countries. I hope that JAMS can continue to grow, and gain further connections as we do so.

Do you have anything you would like to say to students who want to pursue academic study of anime and manga (or just anime fans who are interested in this sort of work)?

This is the outreach librarian in me, but if you are a student at any level of education - your librarian is your best friend! Librarians are all trained to help you find the information you need. If you want to do research on anime and manga at your institution, they can help you understand what your university library has to offer, and what resources are right at your fingertips. You also don't need to be majoring in Asian Studies or Japanese to engage in anime and manga studies! You can approach fandom from a historical perspective, perform qualitative or quantitative data-based research on using manga in a classroom setting, the sky's the limit! Additionally, there are a number of amazing resource guides put together by librarians all across the internet that are worth digging into. Your local library may also have a connection to a local university, which might give you limited borrowing privileges. Even just doing close readings and analysis of anime can make for amazing presentations at conventions and online, which might help inspire the next person to engage with anime and manga studies.

via HBO Max

Go check out the exciting work being published in JAMS at their website, where you can also submit any of your own academic work for consideration!

You can read an introduction to the journal here.

You can follow Billy Tringali on Twitter @BillyTringali and the journal @OpenAccessAnime.

By: Cayla Coats

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