Meghan Kowalski
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  • Resume
  • Presentations & Publications
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  • Reading List
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
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The Weekly Wrap: February 27, 2022

2/27/2022

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I had a meeting with a library vendor this week and she mentioned visiting my online portfolio. Despite being the owner, maker, and updater of said portfolio, it took me by surprise that someone actually Googled me. 

I don't know why that surprised me. I created the portfolio specifically with the intent that people could find out more about me and see examples of my work. I often submit professional speaking and writing proposals, and having a portfolio can be useful to link to. Plus, I use it as a platform to blog and track my reading.

I'm an elder millennial (one of the Oregon Trail generation) whose had a blog since the early days of LiveJournal. But I can still clearly remember what it was like in the "before internet" times. I have no problem sharing online but I never think of myself as someone people actively look for. Heck, my newsletter only has 150 subscribers. I write it for myself but I love sharing things and going, "Hey! You might think this is interesting, too."

I think what I'm trying to say is that there is the "live" me and then there is the "me who happens to be online." I'm the same person, and yet I view these as two different things. There's this weird online extension of myself that I forget about when I close my laptop. But that online presence is always there and other people can access it whenever they want. 

I am genuinely curious about how you view your online self. Have you Googled yourself? What do you do when you find out that people actually read/view/listen to your online presence? Do you actively curate your online presence or just let things happen?

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  • Information is sticky. [The Atlantic]
  • What we can learn about history, community, and culture from cookbooks. [The Kitchen Review of Books]
  • This designer dragging Google Slides is comedic gold. [Medium]
  • These travel photos are giving me wanderlust. [BuzzFeed]
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  • The fascinating field of horses that sprung up in someone's yard. [Atlas Obscura]
  • All the links to the music made by or inspired nature on this page are fascinating. [Syllabus Project]
  • We shouldn't always use money as an incentive. [Hidden Brain]
  • How coffee conquered our mornings. [Gastropod]
  • How to cook a dish when you don't have what the recipe calls for. [Life Kit]
  • Putting big numbers in perspective. [The Indicator]
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  • A beautiful way of looking at ballet. [EUPHRATES]
  • John Oliver takes on the critical race theory "debate." [LastWeek Tonight]
  • We decided to binge watch old episodes of MythBusters this week. I love how they essentially gave up on busting myths and just moved to investigating weird sayings, urban legends, and random stuff that would let them blow things up. [Discovery]
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  • We've been on an Indian kick lately. The husband made delicious slow cooker chicken tikka masala meatballs. The sauce was flavorful without being too spicy (we left the chili out) and worked well with cauliflower rice. We thought it was weird that there were no breadcrumbs in the meatballs, but they still came out tender and light. [PureWow]
  • I love any excuse to make pickled red onions. This week, we tried mushroom, potato, and chorizo tacos. Tasty. Really tasty with pickled red onions on top. Next time, we'll use "real" chorizo as opposed to chicken chorizo sausage. That way the potatoes have a chance to soak up some of the chorizo flavor. [What's Gaby Cooking]
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Just Good Things #26

2/25/2022

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This cold of mine is lingering but I am getting a little better each day. This was the sickest I've been in years and I am grateful that such occasions are rare. I am even more grateful that I can breath through my nose again. *deep inhale*
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Here's what else was good in my week.
  • I actually used a sick day. I got to sleep in and relax without worrying about work.
  • I took a long nap on the couch right as the sun was hitting my favorite spot.
  • Mythbusters
  • Crunchy and crisp sticks of fresh cucumber
  • Texting with a friend I haven't seen in over two years
  • Our new bathroom light fixture looks fantastic and didn't require complicated rewiring to install
  • Endless bowls of goldfish crackers
  • Our kiddo added a new movie to her rotation. Variety!
  • Submitted a speaking proposal
  • The sun is finally out after 36 hours of cold, rainy grayness.

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The Never Ending TBR List

2/24/2022

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I started keeping a TBR list some time ago. I'm not exactly sure when it started, but the need to remember what I wanted to read finally outgrew my brain and landed on paper.

From a paper list, I moved to an Excel file, then a Google sheet, and, now, a Pinterest board. (Technically, two boards: one for personal reads and one for professional reads.)

Between these two boards, I easily have over 500 books on my TBR list. One of the reasons I moved from a Google sheet to Pinterest is because I didn't want to actually know how long my TBR list was. (Plus, it's easier to pick which book I want to read next when I can look at the pretty covers.)

On average, I read about 50 books a year. It would take me over 10 years just to get through what is currently on my lists. That means a decade of never adding new titles and only reading what I've found so far.

Not going to happen.

The joy of the TBR list is that it's aspirational. I know that I am never going to read everything on there. I know that every time I add a new book, it makes it far less likely that I will read a book that has been on the list for months or even years.

My TBR list is not something I ever want to "finish." If I finish it, it means that I've stopped coming across books that look interesting. It means that I've stopped exploring new topics, ideas, and stories. It means that I stopped caring about learning and experiencing things.

I don't ever want that to happen.

My TBR list is a living extension of what I find interesting. When I scroll back through it to find my next read, I love seeing the clusters where I binged on one topic, idea, or author. I love that it shows my evolution as both a reader and a person. 

My TBR is a reflection of who I am and, while I do prune titles occasionally, I hope my list forever grows.

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The Now: February 23, 2022

2/23/2022

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Short list this week. My attention has been almost entirely on recovering from whatever illness has laid me low the past week. 

WORK
  • Lots of work on the interviews for our research project.
    • We conducted another interview. We're up to four now and we are seeing some clear trends. We're also learning a lot of stuff that could lead to later research.
    • Editing transcripts, reviewing transcripts, discussing transcripts. Just a lot of work with transcripts.
  • I drafted and sent out our library's subscription newsletter. This issue focused on library anxiety and how to get started on research.
  • I taught a class that focused on finding multi-media resources. This is taught by a professor in our digital media program. Since my undergrad degree was in media studies, I have a lot of personal fun with this one.  The downside is that you can't teach ALL the skills of media research in a one shot session. (*complaint of every librarian ever*)

PERSONAL
  • Making sure we have enough tissues in the house...
  • I created and sent out the February Green Committee newsletter for our condo. I remembered to update the header image this time!
  • The electrician came and wired up our new bathroom fixture. It was an easy fix for a professional. The ends of the old fabric-wrapped wiring just needed some better insulation. He was in and out in under an hour. Now we just need to paint the ceiling that was exposed in the process. (The old fixture was much larger.)

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Now Reading: The 1619 Project

2/21/2022

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The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story
edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman, and Jake Silverstein

I listened to 
The 1619 Project podcast when it came out in 2020. It was one of the best pieces of history, analysis, and journalism I have ever encountered. (If you have not listened to it, I give it a 5-star recommendation.)

Since then, I have paid closer attention to Nikole Hannah-Jones’ work. Last week, my library request for the book based on the project was finally fulfilled.
t’s a mix of essays, poetry, fiction, and photographs. This is not going to be an easy read, but it is a great piece of analysis and art.

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The Weekly Wrap: February 20, 2022

2/20/2022

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Between being sick, having the kiddo home more than usual, and general busyness, I did not do too much beyond the basics of living this week. This is going to be a short post. 

In the spirit of expanding this petite Wrap, what was the best thing you read, listened to, or watched this week?

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  • The quilts that may have helped people on the Underground Railroad. Maybe? We’re not sure? But it’s an interesting idea. [Smithsonian]
  • You can use salt for more than just seasoning food. [Lifehacker]
  • What the solar system really looks like. [The Atlantic]
  • Why is a good floor lamp so hard to find? [The Atlantic]
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  • I, personally, like merlot. [The Indicator]
  • How we can save the chocolate. [Atlas Obscura]
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  • I was working on a research project with colleagues this week and we ended up discussing Mircrosoft's Encarta. I had to watch a throwback video of the opening and it was such a kick of nostalgia. [barbarianbros]
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  • I used to make rotini with chicken, asparagus, and tomatoes every two months. It fell off our radar for over a year. I made it again this week, and it was just as good as I remember. This one is stored firmly in my brain and I can make it without the recipe. I do recommend getting a decent goat cheese. I used store brand crumbles this time and it wasn't quite the same. Also, the amount of balsamic should be considered a guideline. I usually double or triple the amount called for. [Cooking Light]
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Just Good Things #25

2/18/2022

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Our kiddo needs to get (yet another) COVID test today. She's congested and has a touch of a runny nose. In this era, that means no childcare.

Luckily for us, her school was already closed today and Monday. Whatever crud she has, she gave to me - and I've rapid tested negative twice. I'm thankful that, this time around, her symptoms shouldn't interrupt our access to daycare.

Here's what else was good in my week:
  • I got to sit in front of a crackling fire for a few days during our weekend away.
  • Movies on a tablet = Undramatic long car ride home with a toddler
  • I got to play with a Spirograph! That was a nice nostalgic throwback.
  • Really good grilled steak
  • I had a really good reference appointment with a student
  • Tissues with lotion
  • Eating the last Valentine's Day cookie my mom sent
  • Warmer weather and longer days (Welcome back, sun!)

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The Now: February 16, 2022

2/16/2022

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I am writing this post much later than usual because today was just one of those days. A project took longer than I thought it would, there was an unexpected meeting, one of the websites I use to make things was not working, and the toddler got all yelly. 

I am now watching the Olympics and enjoying a beer because I am very glad this day is almost over.

Here's what has my attention at the moment:

WORK
  • I took two days off in the past week. That, somehow, meant my email decided to blow up a lot more than normally. I got four times as many messages than I normally get. I spent a lot of time triaging everything and only just caught up.
  • We are deep in the interview section of our research project. Lots of interviews (and associated logistics), writing up transcripts, editing transcripts, and analyzing what we're learning. It's A LOT of work but it's energizing. We're talking to a great batch of folks and we think a lot of good will come out of this project.
  • We've rolled into that time of the semester where we're doing a lot of library instruction. I lucked out and had a few repeat classes so I didn't need to start my materials from scratch, but everything needed at least some tweaking to reflect our new website.
  • Speaking of the website, I am still converting pages over to the new template. I had hoped to finish this month but, with all the interview stuff, that is not going to happen. 

PERSONAL
  • We got out of town this past weekend. It was just a short trip but that meant packing, driving, unpacking, learning the quirks of the house we stayed at, doing vacationy things, packing, driving home, and unpacking again. We did learn that the road trip aspect of travel is easier now that we got the kiddo her own tablet. I will never be above screen time bribery in the car again. It just makes the trip so much less stressful.
  • I was caught up on my Feedly (and mostly caught up on my email) until we went out of town. Now I'm back to clearing out the backlog. At least it's smaller this time.

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The Weekly Wrap: February 13, 2022

2/13/2022

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As I write this, I am sitting on a rather comfy couch in a house we rented for the weekend. Normally, we rent a huge house in this area with a bunch of our friends. Due to COVID, that hasn't happened for two years. This year, we decided to get out of town as a trio. Just the husband, the kiddo, and me. 

In front of me is a large, plate glass window that looks out over an inlet of a lake. There are a bunch of other houses below and I can see smoke lazily drifting up from chimneys. The kiddo just went down for her nap, and the husband is on a run to grab more firewood. For the moment, it's just me sitting alone in the living room. 

There are no city sounds outside. I can't hear the neighbors. I haven't heard a car drive by in hours. It's an overcast day and, while I can see birds flying around, they're not calling out. It's the closest thing I've heard to silence in a long time. 

When I'm alone, I normally default to listening to podcasts or watching TV.  I always feel like I have to "catch up." Not this time. I'm enjoying a serene silence that is oddly comforting. It feels like the world has hit pause. The only obvious passage of time are the cloud shadows drifting across the ground outside.  

I know this respite is only temporary, but I am going to soak in it for as long as I can.

When was the last time you sat in silence?

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  • Paywalls make the truth expensive to access. [NPR]
  • Glaciers have less ice stored in them than we thought. That is bad news for fresh drinking water supplies. [WaPo - gift link]
  • The new "democratized" forms of money only work if you already have money. [Vox]
  • Creating information literate kids starts early - pre-school early. [Is My Kid the Asshole?]
  • The intense internet sleuthing behind what this Pizza Hut used to be is incredible. [The Deleted Scenes]
  • How to curate your kids' mementos. [WaPo - gift link]
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  • As a new cubicle dweller, this story about how the cube came to be is relevant to my interests. [99% Invisible] 
  • The difficulty of scaling good ideas. [The Indicator]
  • How to lose well and recover from disappointment. [Life Kit]
  • The Japanese history of Chinese American fortune cookies. [Gastropod] 
  • There is a brilliant Gen Z movement to combat misinformation. [The Daily]
  • A meticulously planned bank heist where you almost have to admire the thieves. [Planet Money]
  • Have ice skaters reached the limit of physics? [Short Wave]
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  • I know they're particularly controversial this year, but I am watching as much of the Winter Olympics as I can. I tend to default to the main NBC feed, but we've caught some longer coverage of hockey, curling, and skiing on the sister channels. This is one of the few times I allow myself to stay up past 11 to catch something live. I get oddly into whatever sport is own, even if I wouldn't watch it at any other time. [NBC]
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  • I mentioned last week that the husband wanted to try cooking more elaborate meals this year. I voluntold him to make cheesy spinach stuff shells. Stuffed shells are never hard, they're just time consuming. This recipe requires five different types of cheese and a block of frozen spinach. They were tasty as is, but we both wished we had stuffed a pepperoni or two in the shell first. [Eat, Live, Run]
  • I found a sneaky way to get the kiddo to eat a piece of shrimp. I made shrimp tacos, but turned hers into a quesadilla. I finely chopped the shrimp and let the cheese melt over it. For the adults, I made a simple slaw to go with the spicy shrimp. We served it was a side of fire-roasted corn straight from the can. [Well Plated - slaw inspiration]
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  • This weekend, we cracked open a two-person game I purchased months ago. I love word games - Scrabble, Words with Friends, Wordle, Boggle, crosswords, etc. The husband is "fine" with said games but they are not his favorites. I play them so often I have an edge. This new game, A Little Wordy, is a word game but there is no advantage to having played word games before. Often times, the easiest or most common word wins. There's a lot more strategy than vocabulary involved. Plus, it can be a super short game if you don't have much time. Highly recommend! [Exploding Kittens]
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Just Good Things #24

2/11/2022

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This post is going up much later than usual because we are out of town. The husband wanted a change of scenery, so we rented a house at our usual winter haunt a few hours away.  We grabbed the kiddo from daycare and hit the road just after lunch. It was a smooth drive and, for the most part, kiddo was in a good mood.

Here's what else was good in my week:
  • Yuengling Hershey's Chocolate Porter - haven't had a bottle of this in over a year
  • It warmed up enough that we could walk to daycare again
  • My coworkers like seeing the kiddo's art on my cubicle walls
  • The Reference Desk phone is finally back in action (it's been out since we moved locations)
  • Being off camera for condo board meetings allowing me to have full range of facial expressions
  • Caught up on my Feedly reader!
  • Kiehl's hand lotion
  • All the Olympics, all the time

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