Read. Wander. Wonder.

I'm back! ... just not here.

2021-01-28T16:41:00.000-05:00

It's been over a year since I regularly posted blog updates.

Having your first kid really puts a damper on writing time. Also, pandemic.

But I'm back! Just not here.

I've decided to officially sunset this blog and move my posting over to a blog on my portfolio website. (This blog will remain up for those who wish to read the archives but I will not longer approve, check, or respond to comments.)

If you want to follow me again, check out MeghanKowalski.com.

Some features will return, some will change, and others I will discontinue. Having this time off has given me good insight about what I missed and what I found a chore to create.

We are the lucky ones

2020-04-03T15:54:00.001-04:00

My husband and I are some of the lucky ones. We can both work from home. He already did so full-time. I'm an academic librarian and since all classes have been moved online, my coworkers and I are providing remote support, teaching, and working on distance learning projects we've always been meaning to get around to.

While we're working from home, we're also caring for our nearly 8-month old daughter. We are normally in a nanny-share but the other family went to Michigan weeks ago to be near their extended family. Since our nanny is considered high-risk due to preexisting asthma, we told her to stay home back in the middle of March. We are still paying her complete wages. It is the right thing to do and we know that we are lucky to be able to afford to do so. Hopefully, our circumstances don't change because this is one way we know we can help right now.

I won't sugar coat anything, it is difficult (and sometimes just an outright pain in the ass) to try to work full-time while also taking care of our kiddo. And she is an easy baby. While my husband helps out as much as he is able, most of the work during the day does fall on me. She's even had to join me for a few video conference calls. (At least she finds screens entertaining - particularly when she can watch herself.) This can make for some rough days but I'm also trying to see the bright side. Instead of just spending time with my daughter when she wakes up and right before bed, I get to see her all day. Since we've been home she's figured out how to get on her knees and rock back and forth. She's also on the verge of babbling. We get smiles all day which makes even the crummiest weather days a little brighter. On the nice days, I get to take her for walks at lunch. Our neighborhood has plentiful sidewalks and we can mostly avoid other people.

The kiddo is too young to know what's going on. She's just happy for all the extra attention and love. We know she misses seeing other babies so we've shown her videos on YouTube of kids and even had a foyer playdate with the family across the hall. They have a 6-month old and we both opened our doors to each other one Sunday. We each stayed in our respective foyers which are at a socially distanced approved 6-feet (plus a few extra) apart. We parents got to chat while the kids bounced at one another. It's not quite the same but at least it's something.

One thing that remains mostly unchanged is our evenings after the kiddo goes to bed. We still make dinner almost every night and watch some TV together. Just no sports. We're huge hockey fans and it's odd to not see Ovechkin shooting for another 50-goal season. So, we're working through our show bank. We finished House of Cards, have almost wrapped up Man in the High Castle, and will probably dive into Outlander next. After that, who knows, but we have a long list. Every Friday and Saturday we indulge ourselves and support a local restaurant by ordering pick-up. We know ordering only twice a week doesn't put much of a dent in things, but it's what we can do right now.

We are the lucky ones.

This pandemic and the resulting response has not (yet) upended our lives. It's a change for sure, but it's not entirely (dare I say it) unwelcome. It's more together time than we usually get and, since we just moved, we have the space to make it all work.

We are the lucky ones.

We know others are not as lucky and that this is altered so many lives. There is a long road to recovery ahead and we hope we're doing our little part to make things better.

We are socially distancing. We are not hoarding. (We stocked up on things you need for a baby just before she was born and that stuff - hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, etc. - are oddly the same items you need when Staying Home.) I spent some of my tax refund on a gorgeous cherry blossom watercolor from a local artist. We are staying home as much as we can and only visit the grocery store once a week.

All things considered, this doesn't feel like much, but hopefully, all the little actions help everyone just a little bit.

I still come back to all of this knowing that we are the lucky ones.

We are the lucky ones.

If this event doesn't put things into perspective for most people, I don't know what will.

Blog Update: What's Next?

2019-08-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

At this point, I could go in to labor at any moment. The Kid is considered full term and The Husband and I are ready to welcome our new addition home.

What does our future arrival mean for the blog?

I honestly have no idea.

I would like to say, after a maternity leave of sorts, that I will come back with no changes. But I know that's likely not realistic. Not only will I have The Kid to love and parent, but I'll also be returning to work full-time. As much as I love reading, writing, and finding information for posts, they will certainly not be a priority in my life.

So, what should you expect?

I will continue to post until I labor sets in. After that... I hope to come back. The content may be different (although this will definitely not become a full on parenting blog) and the scheduling reduced, but I love sharing too much. I love connecting people with fun and interesting information and things. It's one of the reasons I became a librarian. It's also one of the things I'm most excited about being a mom. I get to introduce The Kid to all the great things in this world.

What I Read This Week: August 11, 2019

2019-08-11T11:00:00.000-04:00

I've hit that point in my maternity leave prep where I have finished everything that has to get done. Should The Kid show up today, all my critical projects are either done or handed off. This really eases my mind. Now I can just work on things that have no deadlines. It's kind of nice to know that I can focus on long-term projects and professional reading. Plus, this week, we're entering interim hours. This means the library will be even quieter than normal. I'm glad the timing has worked out like this.

Work

I'm trying not to start any new projects at work that can't wait for my return from maternity leave. So, I'm doing a bit more professional reading than normal. This week, I started working on a book titled Training Library Staff and Volunteers to Provide Extraordinary Customer Service. So far, nothing ground-breaking, but there are always good lessons to be had when you're trying to make customer service a bigger thing in your organization.

Magazines

Real Simple, July 2019 - I debated saving all of my magazine backlog for when I'm in labor... but the backlog is so large I figured reading a few issues wouldn't hurt. Besides, who knows if I'll actually be able to read while hee hee hooing. Anyway, this issue was just okay. I liked the article about buying furniture secondhand. It not only gave places you can search but also offered techniques for finding the best stuff (and scoring some great deals). The back third of the magazine was devoted to food and throwing parties. I'm always a fan of learning how to make get-togethers more enjoyable.
Real Simple, August 2019 - This was another meh issue. There were only two articles I really cared about. The first was on the healthy habits you don't really have to worry about. (Go ahead and have that diet soda.) The second was on how to prepare to have a relaxing vacation. It listed some good tips for preparing ahead of time so you don't feel like you're neglecting the office.

Books

I'm making pretty good progress in Tower of Dawn. I'm far enough in that I no longer miss the fact that I am not in this series' main plot-line. Maas is a good enough storyteller that I want to see what's happening with these characters.

In My Ear: August 10, 2019

2019-08-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

Assuming The Kid hasn't made a surprise appearance after I auto-scheduled this, I will be enjoying my final prenatal sound bath this afternoon. I like sound baths period, but I find them extra relaxing during pregnancy. I'm hoping I can use the meditation from these to help me through labor.

Here are some recommended listens for you from the past week.

Mosquitoes may be responsible for half of deaths in human history. [Weekend Edition Sunday]
Is it a ghost or headlights? [Morning Edition]
Changing pronoun usage. [Fresh Air]
Sharbat is the ancestor of all refreshing treats. [Gastropod]
Bessie Smith's lasting influence on music. [All Things Considered]
Only you can wish Smokey Bear a happy 75th birthday. [Morning Edition]
Listen to this podcast for the adorable, dinosaur-loving kid at the beginning. [Science Vs]

The Friday Find: Geode

2019-08-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't poked around Uncommon Goods for a while and I usually love to see what they're offering. I decided to just peruse their website this week and I found an awesome puzzle.

Geodes are hip right now and this set is gorgeous. It's a sturdy puzzle with the pieces made out of birch plywood. Plus, I have never seen pieces shaped like this. I bet it's diabolical to put together.

You can find this on Uncommon Goods.

Book 33: Cribsheet

2019-08-08T15:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, From Birth to Preschool
Author: Emily Oster
Started: July 19, 2019
Finished: August 2, 2019
Pages: 322
Genre: Parenting

First Sentence: As infants, both of my children loved to be swaddled - wrapped up tightly in blankets to sleep.

Summary: [From BN] With Expecting Better, award-winning economist Emily Oster spotted a need in the pregnancy market for advice that gave women the information they needed to make the best decision for their own pregnancies. By digging into the data, Oster found that much of the conventional pregnancy wisdom was wrong. In Cribsheet, she now tackles an even greater challenge: decision-making in the early years of parenting. As any new parent knows, there is an abundance of often-conflicting advice hurled at you from doctors, family, friends, and strangers on the internet. From the earliest days, parents get the message that they must make certain choices around feeding, sleep, and schedule or all will be lost. There's a rule—or three—for everything. But the benefits of these choices can be overstated, and the trade-offs can be profound. How do you make your own best decision? Armed with the data, Oster finds that the conventional wisdom doesn't always hold up. She debunks myths around breastfeeding (not a panacea), sleep training (not so bad!), potty training (wait until they're ready or possibly bribe with M&Ms), language acquisition (early talkers aren't necessarily geniuses), and many other topics. She also shows parents how to think through freighted questions like if and how to go back to work, how to think about toddler discipline, and how to have a relationship and parent at the same time. Economics is the science of decision-making, and Cribsheet is a thinking parent's guide to the chaos and frequent misinformation of the early years. Emily Oster is a trained expert—and mom of two—who can empower us to make better, less fraught decisions—and stay sane in the years before preschool.

Thoughts: Let me start out by saying that this book is good. Sadly, it's just no as good as her book on pregnancy. I think the key difference in quality is because there is just SO MUCH you can talk about with pregnancy. Even with the science, every kid and culture is different. Oster does a great job of covering the basics, but the book is a little scattershot and not as focused as Expecting Better. What Oster still does extremely well is walking you through the existing science, offering the good and bad of each scenario, and giving you nice little wrap ups. The main lesson of this book is that parenting is hard and you just have to try your best to find what works best for you and your kid(s).

Rating: 7/10 [Very Good]

Links and Stuff: August 8, 2019

2019-08-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

Insta of the Week:
I will always take photos of flowers.

Here's a round-up of this week's interesting links.

The secrets to a great hotel bed. [WaPo]
Opening up about the post-partum body. [The Atlantic]
A beautiful and gravity-defying high-rise opens in Singapore. [CNN]
Is note taking over? [Inside Higher Ed]
The health benefits of gratitude. [TIME]
A man made bread from 4,500-year-old yeast. [Buzzfeed]
Redecorating a doll house. [Young House Love]

Pairings: Adapt

2019-08-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

Tara Westover's book has sat atop recommended and bestseller lists for years. This memoir chronicles her early isolation from society by her survivalist parents and ultimate quest for higher education. She ends up traveling the globe and learning as much as she can from prestigious universities. This is a book about what it means to grow up and learn if you can ever go back home again.

A book about experiencing the world should be paired with a recipe with global flavors. If you want to go back home, however, there should be something reminiscent from your childhood. Comfort foods are a human phenomenon. Every culture has them. They usually involve heartiness and some sort of carb. This west african chicken stew brings the comforts of basic ingredients - rice, beans, chicken, and vegetables - and throws in a mix of spices and flavor. It's a bowl of comfort with a taste of travel.

Book 32: The Library Outreach Casebook

2019-08-06T15:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Library Outreach Casebook
Author: Ryan L. Sittler and Terra J. Rogerson (editors)
Started: July 26, 2019
Finished: August 2, 2019
Pages: 201
Genre: Library Science

First Sentence: [From the Introduction] Outreach is tough.

Summary: [From ALA Store] Library outreach can be tough: There’s no standard definition of outreach among libraries, and what it consists of differs from institution to institution. Some libraries focus on marketing and advertising services, while others concentrate on relationship building with their constituents. Some focus on fun events to coax people into their facility. The cases in The Library Outreach Casebook provide creative and reproducible formats, ideas, and inspirations, from engaging social media to hosting performances to creating exhibits. Expert chapter authors take you from the beginning steps—determining which tools and resources you need for your outreach efforts—all the way through implementation of a variety of outreach initiatives, and every step in-between. Divided into three sections—Starting Strategies, Programming and Event Planning, and Outreach to Select Populations—this casebook is designed for librarians working in all types of libraries to use as a tool to start or further their current outreach efforts. The Library Outreach Casebook provides readers with many different approaches, formats, and solutions that lead to successful outreach.

Thoughts: I wanted to love this book, but it was just so so. What I most enjoyed about the text is that it walked through a ton of concrete examples of outreach activities and ideas. There were a few that I flagged to try in my own library. What I didn't like was that every chapter was forced to use the same format. The headings and subheadings were the same in every chapter which forced some of the authors into awkward writing and descriptions. Also, this book needed some copy-editing. There were some obvious typesetting and grammar errors that made this book feel rushed. Even with the errors, if you're an outreach librarian team of one, this book is worth at least a perusal.

Rating: 5/10 [Meh]

Watch This: Edible Oragami

2019-08-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

Folding dumplings is a relaxing activity that you can eat!

In My TBR: Bread

2019-08-05T11:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Bread (Object Lessons)
Author: Scott Cutler Shershow

How Long It's Been a TBR: Over a year.

Why It's a TBR: I love carbs - particularly bread. I also love books that focus on the particular history of things. A short little book that combines both is right up my alley. This book looks at bread as a food, piece of religion, part of culture, and includes a little science to boot.

Chance I Read It Soon: Incredibly low. I haven't even checked to see if this is available at the library.

What I Read This Week: August 4, 2019

2019-08-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

The Husband made his last out of town trip this weekend. After this, I've ordered him to be "boots on the ground" in DC in case The Kid decides to make a surprise early arrival. While he's away, I'm making some hand-lettered decor for our nursery nook, packing for the hospital, and making our final shopping lists. My belly may have been big for a few weeks, but The Kid's arrival didn't quite feel real until this week. My need to FINISH ALL THE THINGS was jump-started when we got word that good friends of ours had their own baby. It was a nice reminder that we will be coming home from the hospital with our own little human.

Work

I'm finished reading The Library Outreach Casebook. There were some decent ideas in the book, but the format forced on the authors makes the chapters sort of odd to read.

Books

For my current nightstand read, I'm making slow but steady progress on Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas. It's the next installment in the Throne of Glass series and it's a parallel novel to the previous book. I'm not thrilled that I have to wait to see where the continuing main story goes, but I am enjoying the book so far.
My quest to finish Cribsheet continues. This is now more than a week overdue but I refuse to return it to the library until I finish. I don't think this is as good as Oster's book on pregnancy, but I'm still learning some useful information.

In My Ear: August 3, 2019

2019-08-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

Right now, I have the song "Staying Alive" stuck in my head. The Husband and I are taking an infant CPR class this morning and that has me thinking of this scene from The Office.

Speaking of getting things stuck in your head, this week's list of listens has some earworms.

U2 and the search for meaning. [All Things Considered]
Classic Destiny's Child album turns 20. [Weekend Edition Sunday]
You can pack everything in a carry on. [All Things Considered]
How a Buddha changed a neighborhood. [99% Invisible]
The evolving way we talk on the internet. [All Things Considered]

The Friday Find: Think Pink

2019-08-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

When I chose my recent pedicure color, I went with pink. Hot pink. This is not a typical color for me, but it's making me happy every time I look at my toes.

It's a bright shade with the awesome name of From Here to Eternity. I think that just screams summer.

You can buy this color from OPI.

Links and Stuff: August 1, 2019

2019-08-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Insta of the Week:
All the black-eyed Susans are in bloom.

Even though the summer doesn't feel like it's flown by, I'm still doing a double take at the calendar. How is it August already? Here is a roundup of interesting links from the end of July.

If you've ever been through Breezewood, PA, you should read this story. [CITYLAB]
How to eat like a local when you travel. [The Discoverer]
A large asteroid buzzed by Earth last week. [WaPo]
Fun facts about chardonnay. [WaPo]

The Now: July 31, 2019

2019-07-31T11:00:00.000-04:00

This week I start my weekly trips to the doctor until The Kid arrives. To say baby stuff is on my mind would be an understatement. We still need to run all those last minute errands for things (diapers, wipes, etc.), prep for the hospital (pack our bags, install the car seat base, etc.), and, oh, finalize all things childcare. Trello has been a lifesaver at helping us to stay on track with this. (Yes, we're one of those families who use work software at home.) I highly (highly!) recommend it Trello as a to do list and project management system.

But baby stuff is not the only thing I have on the brain. Here's what else has my attention:

Now Watching... Chernobyl. From the first time I saw the trailer, I knew I wanted to see this HBO series. Then all of the stellar reviews started rolling in. Some of those reviews even said that this was the best miniseries of all time. Well... I don't know about that, but I do know that this show is phenomenal. The production values are the usual level of HBO awesome, the casting is superb, and the plotting and writing are simply fantastic. I also love how it's only 5 episodes long. You can binge the whole show in a weekend or even a day. If this is not already on your list, add it.

Now Listening... The Chernobly Podcast. Yup. There is a tie-in podcast for the series and it is also fantastic. The podcast goes behind-the-scenes to discuss not only the making of the miniseries but also the actual history of the event. It's a perfect blend of entertainment and education. I binged this after I watched the whole series, but it would also be a great idea to listen to each episode after you watch the corresponding part of the miniseries. I learned a lot and have a couple new books on my TBR list.

Now Indulging... in a pedicure. It's been ages since my feet were pampered. As a part of my birthday present, my friend Beth treated me to a pedicure. It felt soooo relaxing. Also, I decided to go with hot pink polish. Normally, I stick with more muted colors (I love a good bronze or deep red), but summer felt like the perfect time for a pop of brightness. I've been wearing a lot of sandals lately and just seeing my toes makes me happy.

Now Enjoying... Chocolate Marscarpone Cake. For our baby shower, my mom made this decadent bundt cake. Since we had so much food for people to enjoy (some would say too much), we were left with half of it so we decided to freeze it. This week, I've been having a small (or not so small) slice almost every night. Even chilled it's utterly delicious. It's definitely not diet food but I don't care. Right now, my main debate is trying to decide if I should eat it all so we have room in the freezer for post-baby quick dinners.... or save one slice as a "you survived labor" treat.

Now Planning... A course design spa. One of my coworkers came across an idea called a syllabus spa. (You can read about it in this poster and article.) She shared it with our office and we all jumped at the idea. Now we're working to put it together for our faculty. I've been wrangling various academic support departments, making design collateral (like posters and graphics), buying spa goodies (face masks and bath bombs), and helping out wherever else I can. We scheduled this for August and we're hoping to get a decent turnout. If all goes well, we're planning on holding it again. One unexpected upside to this event is that the bath bombs are making my office smell heavenly.

Book 31: Empire of Storms

2019-07-30T15:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Empire of Storms
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Started: June 25, 2019
Finished: July 24, 2019
Pages: 693
Genre: Young Adult

First Sentence: The bone drums had been pounding across the jagged slops of the Black Mountains since sundown.

Summary: [From B&N] The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't. With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear. In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what -- and who -- to sacrifice if she's to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

Thoughts: I've been binging this series for so long that all of the books are starting to blend together in my head. It's becoming difficult to remember which story-lines happened in which books. But that's no matter, because I am still enjoying the heck out of this series. Of all the books so far, this one is where all the various plots and characters start to converge. Many of the plots converge in the final pages to set up the rest of the series.

I think what I enjoyed about this book is that, even when you're jumping in-between story-lines, you enjoy the characters that you're with. In the first few books, I sort of hated when the plot drifted away from the main character. Now, I don't care. I like reading about everyone this series has introduced. In some ways, I like some of the side characters even better.

If I had any complaints about this book it's that Aelin is set up like a deus ex machina. She always finds a way out of situations where our hero pack should lose. She's a bit too perfect and too smart. I don't like wholly perfect characters. While she's not perfect (there's still a bit of pouty teenager to her), I think she's a bit to competent for the plot. Also, everyone is ending up in a romance. Don't get me wrong, I love romance... but it just seems unnecessary that everyone is being paired off.

Rating: 6/10 [Good]

Watch This: Sky High

2019-07-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Dining at 30,000 feet changes your taste buds. Airlines make meals that take altitude in to account.

Judge a Book: A Natural History of Dragons

2019-07-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

First Impression: Ooo! Dragon!

Further Reading: I know dragons are not real, but I don't care. This book seems to treat dragons like real creatures and that is awesome. The cover is reminiscent of an anatomy textbook. It breaks down musculature, includes labels, and just generally looks like real science. The colors give this book a historical feel that just adds to the sense of realism. Also, can we just talk about the dragon's strut. It's beautiful and it knows it.

What I Read This Week: July 28, 2019

2019-07-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

I have a large stash of magazines I need to read. I can't decided if I should try to read them in my free time now or save them for when I need something light and easy during those early baby weeks. If you've got thoughts on this, I would love to hear them.

Work

I started reading The Library Outreach Casebook on Friday. It's a collection of articles about various areas of library outreach. Considering this is my job, I expect to use a lot of it.

Books

At the end of the week, I polished off the nearly 700 pages of Empire of Storms. It ended on a cliffhanger and the next book doesn't directly pick up where this one left off. As long as this series is, I'm really enjoying my time with all the characters.
I'm about halfway through Cribsheet by Emily Oster. It's her data-based look at parenting and I've learned quite a bit. It's even helped ease some of anxiety about making parenting decisions.

In My Ear: July 27, 2019

2019-07-27T11:00:00.000-04:00

There was a lot of stuff to hear in the news this week, but only a few stories worth sharing. Consider this list short but awesome.

The modern education of stone carvers. [Weekend Edition Saturday]
The African American astronaut who almost landed on the moon. [The Daily]
The default male design principle makes women invisible to the world. [99% Invisible]

The Friday Find: Locket

2019-07-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

I might be getting sappy during the last weeks of my pregnancy, because I keep thinking it would be great to have a locket necklace. I love the idea of being able to put baby pictures inside. I could change them as The Kid gets older. It's a little treasure that could grow as baby does.

I've had this locket in my Etsy favorites list for awhile. I adore all things constellation, which gives this necklace some interest. I also love that the simple shape keeps the necklace professional so it can be worn anywhere.

You can find this necklace in the PoshTottyDesigns Etsy shop.

Links and Stuff: July 25, 2019

2019-07-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

Insta of the Week:
A throwback to a mosaic we found in Bermuda last November.

There's a lot of interesting stuff to read online. Here's what piqued my interest this week.

The humble, American tuna fish sandwich. [TASTE]
Pianos are out of fashion and they're hard to get rid of. [WaPo]
How to actually cook and egg on the sidewalk during a heatwave. [WaPo]
I would stay in any of these treehouse hotels. [The Discoverer]

Pairings: I Scream

2019-07-24T11:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, I just want to read a book that is full of comfort foody goodness. I don't want to think to much. I just want to be enthralled with a story. I read The Hating Game by Sally Thorne back in the fall, but it is the perfect summer beach read. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure but mostly just a lot of fun. It's a classic of a hate turns to love story. Sure, the plot asks you to suspend disbelief more than you should, but who cares. You want these two to get together in the end.

A beachy books needs a beachy snack. I don't have an ice cream maker nor do I want one but, sometimes, I still want to make ice cream. This no churn ice cream recipe (with cookies!) from The Pioneer Woman makes creating ice cream at home simple. All this dessert needs is four ingredients and time. If you make this recipe right before you start the book, by the time it's frozen you'll be ready to indulge your sweet tooth just as you get to the really good part of the story.