Instruction, Year Two

And but so it’s my second week back at work and I’m thrown back into the realm of Freshman English 101 instruction tomorrow.  Three 75 minute sections of EN 101, no less, back to back to back.  Last year, my first here as a “Big L” Librarian here, I enjoyed my immediate exposure to EN 101s and got to really find my groove as a stand-up comic librarian.  I usually had a brief handout, a sketch of what I wanted to show them, and then I took further cues from students and their questions and their topics.  Seat of my pants instruction sometimes, but it worked pretty well for me.  Students came back later at the ref desk, they got to know me, I got good reviews (full disclosure: I threw candy at them) and best of all, faculty told their colleagues and our instruction stats went up.  Hooray.

Now, after a summer’s worth of thought and study and reassignments, we rolled out a new, more active and structured approach to the EN 101 session – while I was out on leave.  So, while I’m finding it a little difficult talking to adults instead of toddlers this past week, my forceful return to libraryland is also including a new program for me to teach within.  Immediately (this is not a bad thing).

In a change from last year’s classes, I did a bunch of prep work for those sessions today.  My colleagues are usually much more formally prepared than I am, and while this is often a strategy that works well for me (performance background, maybe?), new times call for new measures.  So, we’ll see how everything goes on November 4th.  Change is coming.

Hat in hand

I meant to.  Really I did.  It’s just … well,  you know:

• new baby sleep loss
• the desire to get out and enjoy a classic New England autumn
• another epic Cubs collapse (and really, this one hurt like nothing since ‘84 – and I was an impressionable lad of 6 then.  What was most distressing was the TV cameras’ turning Wrigley reaction shots into misery porn – making this solitary VT Cubbie feel even more alone in the wilds of R. Sox Nation)
• constant political despair and unease
• being full time Papi while I still could (and the lack of computer time as a result)
• nagging guilt that I really should be keeping up with Libraryland instead
• cooking delicious soups and stews

Really, all your babies are gorgeous.  And thanks for the gifts.   We’ll send something your way soon – too bad you aren’t close enough to come over for soup.

Please stay tuned – really.  I’m gonna stick with this.

A Salute From The Great Concavity

I can only blame New Parent Syndrome for the fact that it took me this long to hear the news of the death of my favorite contemporary author, David Foster Wallace, who committed suicide last week at the age of 46 (NY Times obit here, an, um, tribute here).

As a librarian, not a lit professor, I won’t even attempt any kind of critical evaluation or celebration for you, nor will you find extensive footnotes below in an attempted tribute.  I will say that the only time I have ever underlined anything in a book (not course-related, obviously) was when I finally hit upon the passage deep in Infinite Jest that seemed to be the keystone to the entire swirling galaxy of plot DFW had constructed.

i admired the clarity of his thinking, the precision of his language, and the depths of intelligence and creativity displayed in his elaborate constructions.  It is both odd and sad to note that he will not be with us in the Year of the Depend Undergarment.

Which treats of the first expeditions from our home

No, the Little Guy hasn’t been out yet, but with my mother in law in town helping out I’ve had both the excuse to hit a destination other than the grocery store or library storytime and also get in some blogging.  So, it feels like we’re finally starting to rejoin the outside world after a much needed new family hibernation.  OK, so a little over two weeks into the life of the young lad… here’s what’s been happening.

The Little Guy sleeps pretty well.  Our main issue has been getting Big Sister to sleep.  She has gone to sleep every night of her 21 months with us, but with the arrival of each night it seems she can’t bear the thought of relaxing and assuming a prone position.  The first few nights after the Little Guy joined us we ended up with me driving her around in the car for an for hour to induce sleepyness, but with gas prices what they are…

That said, I highly recommend to all other dads the following:  when your Baby 2.0 arrives, take at least a few weeks off.  Even if you can’t stay out forever, you’ll need a while for the older one to get acclimated to the new family dynamics.  Big Sister loves and kisses the Little Guy to pieces, but she’s definitely having a rough time with having mama less than 100% totally available to her at all times.  You’d think I’d be good enough, but I am lacking in certain departments.

So yeah, the Little Guy sleeps and eats and poops pretty well – we would be sleeping wonderfully if not for Big Sister’s nightly two hour active time.  This is usually bookended by poop or burp activity from the Little Guy which creates a huge hole in our overnight.  I basically discount the idea of sleep between 1 AM and 5 AM, so the more sleep we get between 9 PM and 1 AM (if Big Sis is asleep by then) the better for everybody.

My main lifeline to the outside world has been Morning Edition on NPR while making breakfast with the Big Sister.  Occasionally I get some online time during her nap but such is usually brief.  I’ve tapped into Bloglines a few times but mostly to catch up on the newest lies from the McCain camp and to check if anyone in the outside world cares yet.  I did get to watch the Bears beat up on Indy to open the American Football season, which basically proved that if we had started Kyle Orton, Bryan Urlacher would have his Super Bowl ring by now.

I wear my Cubs hat everywhere here in Montpelier, as much for loyalty as to stand out in the sea of Red Sox Nation navy.  I’m nervous as always about what could happen but at least the folks here are pretty understanding – they went through basically the same thing until ‘04.  One local caught me off-guard with his comment that he understood Cubbie suffering since he was a New York Jets fan, adding “we haven’t won in my lifetime.”  Dude, we never won in my great-grandmother’s lifetime.  Hopefully Little Guy and Big Sister are just coming to this life at the dawn of a new Cub century – hey, any team can have a bad hundred years.  But, Big Z’s big return last night has us all hopeful again.

I’ll catch up on the last few weeks of events from libraryland in the coming days when things calm down and our new routines become easier on all of us.  And I know I owe you all new photos as well.

Which Treats of the quality and manner of life of the reknowned gentleman Marco Emilio of Montpelier

Your author is proud to announce the arrival yesterday, August 30, 2008 at 1:30 in the afternoon, of one Marco Emilio, otherwise known as Baby 2.0.  He was born at home after a long wait but a short labor, and is in decent spirits all things considered.  He is currently found to be 8 pounds, 10 ounces, and can be stretched to a full 21 inches of height.  More information will follow, but here’s a teaser:

Our little niño, one hour old

The Author’s Preface

You may believe me, gentle reader, that I wish this blog, as my own brainchild, was the most beautiful and ingenious that can be imagined.  But it’s a blog.  I’ve had a taste of the blogging life over the past year in a pinch-hitting role over at ACRLog, and with more gentle prodding from friends and associates I’ve struck out on my own.  I’m also intending this to be a venue for keeping my head involved in the profession while out of the office in familyland for a few months.

By way of a more formal introduction, I’m an academic librarian in Vermont and soon to be the father of two.  I’m from Chicago and take pains to remind all of that fact.  I’m learning Spanish, losing my guitar technique, and trying to keep up with the indie rock scene even though I’m aging and living out in the country.  I should probably read and cook more and spend less time obsessing over politics.  I intend not to let this blog languish but I don’t want it to become Life 2.0.  Oh, and I wash diapers.

But, the main reason why I’m here – and here now – will be arriving shortly.  So, if you’re really just here to get the big announcement, hit the feed above and you’ll be informed soon.  Then the party begins.