Meghan Kowalski
  • Home
  • Resume
  • Presentations & Publications
  • Portfolio
  • Reading List
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Me
  • Home
  • Resume
  • Presentations & Publications
  • Portfolio
  • Reading List
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Me

The Look Up: Sports and Transport

7/30/2021

0 Comments

 
I had no meetings this week. I thought that would be awesome, but it turns out that it made the week feel oddly slow. Also, I miss talking to people who are not my husband or kiddo.

Here's what I looked up this week.
  • Vault Penalties - As we were watching women's gymnastics, I was curious what the penalties and deductions were on the apparatus.
  • Traffic Calming - There is debate in our neighborhood about reopening a service lane that has been closed during the pandemic. I wanted to bring some facts to an argument about how streetscape design (humps, bumps, tables, and greenery) can slow down cars. 
  • Tunisia at the Olympics - When a Tunisian swimmer won gold, I was curious about the country's history at the games.
0 Comments

The Now: July 28, 2021

7/28/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
I'm sitting at the living room desk right now. It's weird. The Husband and I used to swap every month but, since I don't mind the smaller desk in the bedroom we both set up permanent shop. He needed a room with a door today, so we swapped. Now all my monitors are backwards, I'm working with a different keyboard and mouse, and the AC unit runs more often. None of this is bad - it just feels weird after being in the same space for so long.

​Plus, the office chair is taller and my feet don't touch the floor. The perils of being on the shorter side.

Here's what else has my attention.

WORK
  • I made the first round of suggested edits on the University customer service initiative proposal. I'm going to see if a few more come in before I give it one final go over before submission to the faculty committee.
  • In preparation for the fall semester, I am reviewing and editing all the existing content in our Library 101 course. It's a good thing I am doing this as I have already fixed several broken links and grammatical errors. Following the review, I will add some new content.
  • Still reviewing the recorded sessions from the Northest OER Summit.
  • I will be presenting at an IN-PERSON (!) conference in October. I created and submitted my travel forms. Fingers crossed everything goes through AND the conference decides to remain in-person. I've never been to Monterey, California.
  • Doing a lot of learning, testing, and tweaking of CSS and HTML to get our new website to look just how I want. It's painstakingly slow but I think the results will be more than worth the effort. Our current website is in need of an overhaul and this project is going to result in just that. The last time I did this much hand coding was when I had a few Geocities webpages in middle and high school.
  • Putting together slides and a script for OER video to share at our all faculty professional development.

PERSONAL
  • Debated some fabric swatches and ordered a pull-out couch for our kiddos room. Once it's safe again (thanks, Delta) we'll be able to host overnight guests... when the couch arrives... some time in October... if the production chains hold...
  • Cleaned up, weeded, and merged my Trello boards. It's easier to find things now and I was able to evaluate projects and set priorities.
  • We started the process of putting together all the legal documents we should have now that we're parents. This has been on my mental list for far too long and I am excited to get the ball rolling.
  • Tweaked my LinkedIn page. It's better now?
  • Started watching the YouTube videos on the Career Contessa page. I like professional/personal development stuff like this. There's a nice crossover with my work and personal lives.

0 Comments

Now Reading: YA

7/26/2021

0 Comments

 
The Sunfire King
Sylvia Mercedes

This is the sequel to The Moonfire Bride. I am pleased that I decided to purchase both titles at once because the first book ended on a cliffhanger and I didn’t have to wait. These are delightful, high fantasy YA novels. Perfect for summer reading.

A Thief Among the Trees
Sabaa Tahir

This title is a standalone graphic novel based in the world of Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series. The art is beautiful - rich in color and dynamic action. The story only makes sense if you’ve read at least the first book in the series. Definitely recommend the series if you like YA and fantasy.
0 Comments

The Weekly Wrap: July 25, 2021

7/25/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
A few months after we moved in to our condo, I suggested to the board that we create a central community library. People liked the idea. We now have a bookcase that operates on the Little Free Library principle that people can take and leave reading material as they wish.

Since this was my suggestion, I volunteered to manage the library. Once a week, I neaten the books, weed worn books, pull titles that have been sitting around for too long, and clear out back issues of magazines. (Readers of The New Yorker and National Geographic seem unable to recycle old issues. They always appear in massive piles.)

I knew I would love our community library, but the love is different than expected. I thought I would love having access to new books. Instead, what I love is encountering the small, everyday reading my neighbors are enjoying. Each week, there are new issues focusing on current events, home decor, travel, retirement, health, and crafting. Sure tons of popular magazines, like TIME, Newsweek, and Good Housekeeping show up, but I also see titles like Texas Wildlife, Family Handyman, and Art in America.

There must be a British ex-pat in residence because I discovered a new to me title, The Simple Things, that comes out of the UK. It's a magazine that rejoices in slowing down, being mindful, and enjoying life's small pleasures. It's a delightfully cozy read and I am always excited when a new issue shows up in the pile.

What everyday reading to you enjoy?

Picture
  • Walking is also good exercise for your brain. [Fast Company]
  • Email apnea - a thing I didn't know existed but definitely have done before. [Real Simple]
  • Many drugs last long past their expiration date. [ProPublica]
  • Ooo, yum! [The Department of Salad]
  • Netflix is changing what's made into television. [The Atlantic]
  • Try not to sneeze in the archives but, if  you do, it's probably not the end of the world. [The Atlantic]
  • During the pandemic, people purged their belongings and parts of their lives. [NYT]
  • Do you suffer from the Sunday scaries? [WaPo]
  • Why your brain loves a to do list. [The Guardian]
Picture
  • The Japanese hanko stamp tradition is having trouble moving to the digital age. [99% Invisible]
  • Water sommeliers? [Gastropod]
  • Mount Everest is growing. [Short Wave]
  • There's a spot in the ocean where space junk falls to its demise. [Atlas Obscura]
  • The video game economy - on and offline. [Planet Money]
  • The quest to crack the code for buried treasure. [Atlas Obscura]
  • The Olympics aren't great for cities. [Throughline]
Picture
  • The gorgeous glass octopus. [Colossal]
  • We rewatched Bridgerton because that's how I wanted to celebrate my birthday. It's just as frothy and delightful the second time around. [Netflix]
  • Our binge of Doctor Who continues and we have now entered the Jodie Whitaker seasons. There is always an adjustment with a new doctor. It's just weird to have a new actor step into the lead role every few seasons. In this case, I very much enjoy what Whitaker brings to role. What's more jarring, however, is the new style of filmmaking and cinematography. The writing also seems a bit clunkier. [HBO Max]
  • We have now entered all Olympics all the time season. It's weird watching sports with no live audience. [NBC]
Picture
  • Lots of repeat recipes this week. We did celebrate my birthday by ordering pizza from the place down the street. The crust has a crunch to it which is not my favorite (I prefer a chew) but the toppings are stellar. We get fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, and kalamata olives on my half. Plus, the sauce is a simple tomato, but it tastes fresh with a slight hint of acidity that cuts through the usual pizza grease. If you're a DC local, highly recommend. [Vace]
Picture
  • Mosquitos love me. If I don't get bug spray on fast enough, I am a feast for the wee biters. I kept seeing recommendations for the Bug Bite Thing. I gave in and ordered a set of three. WORTH IT! I usually get huge welts and end up very itchy. This device knocks it out in seconds flat. I like that it is reusable and portable. [Bug Bite Thing]
0 Comments

The Look Up: Historical

7/23/2021

0 Comments

 
*Googles* "How long will this glorious weather last?"

*Answer* You live in DC and it's July.

*sigh*

Here's what else I looked up this week:
​
  • Montgomery Bus Boycott: We were watching an episode of Doctor Who and the text crawl on the opening screen sent me searching.
  • The Ton: I knew it was French but I needed to recall what it meant in the context of Bridgerton. 
  • London Season: I'm surprised, after how many romance novels I've read, that I've never searched for the exact time frame of the London season. It ran from late January to early July.
  • Irish at Heart: I was gifted three months of this subscription box and was curious what might be headed my way.
0 Comments

The Now: July 21, 2021

7/21/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
After giving myself an extra long weekend, I'm back at work. Should have given myself one more day off...

Here's what currently has my attention.

WORK
  • I'm working on the backend, style coding for our website overhaul. It's not going well. I'm trying to integrate parts of our current website's coding but it's not always labeled. It's a lot of cutting and pasting, testing, and deleting. I'll eventually get it, but it's rather aggravating at the moment. Just do what I want already!
  • I finished my part of the resource guides and gave everything an edit. Now it's just developing the material to market and share them to our faculty.
  • For my webinar watching, I've moved on to recordings from the Northeast OER Summit.
  • I submitted a proposal to speak at the 2021 Library Marketing and Communications Conference.

PERSONAL
  • Did a little pampering for my birthday. Got a haircut and a pedicure... and had someone else clean our home. It was a nice break.
  • Whilst cleaning some digital files, I found a database of books that I read prior to my blog tracking. I'm cleaning it up so that I can add it to the Reading List as undated entries. It's going to take a while, but I am enjoying the walk down memory lane. So many missing romance novels and college course books!
  • I spent some time managing my Evernote. I formatted new notes, deleted some stuff I don't need, and went on a tagging spree for recipes we've made.

0 Comments

Now on My TBR: Prep

7/19/2021

0 Comments

 
I'll be heading back to the office soon. Probably time to get back on the lunch meal prep train.
Y​ou can see my complete TBR list on Pinterest.
0 Comments

The Weekly Wrap: July 18, 2021

7/18/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
My birthday is in a few days. When it comes to gifts, I prefer food and/or services over things.

This year, I asked to have someone else clean our home. After over a year of doing it ourselves, I wanted a month where everything got cleaned by someone who is not me. So, on Tuesday, we have a team coming in. I am more excited about that than I am about the vacation days I'm using this week.

We hired this team once (right after our kiddo was born) and they cleaned things I didn't know were included - our oven, the light fixtures, under the carpets. If they could reach it, it got cleaned. I had never seen our place look so amazing. The results lasted over a month. It was wonderful not having to worry about cleaning when we had a new baby.

This cleaning team is only part of my gift this year. A few days ago, we had another crew come in and do the windows - inside and out. Since we live on an upper floor, cleaning the outside is not the easiest thing. Our windows do all that flippy-opening stuff that helps, but it's still hard to clean the outsides. We did it ourselves last year and our five (large) windows took nearly two hours. There were still streaks and smears on the outside that we couldn't get off. This crew did the same task (panes, gutters, sills, and all) in 15 minutes and the windows sparkle. I mean sparkle. I'm actually terrified birds might fly into them.

What is one chore you'd prefer to pay someone else to do?

Picture
  • Last week, I signed up for a new newsletter. The author plans to eat through every country, A to Z, in New York City. I am here for it! [Food for Thought]
  • You should consider creating an annual professional development plan. [Infobase]
  • Breaking down the costs in your Comcast bill. [WaPo]
  • Why do we buy competitively? [Vox]
  • There is more than one type of rest. [TED]
  • Petition to attend this amazing kindergarten in China. [Colossal]
Picture
  • One town's process to paying reparations. [The Daily]
  • All the ways you can use less plastic. [Life Kit]
  • Why you can suddenly watch more foreign films and series. [The Indicator]
  • The heat waves are worse because of us, and they aren't going anywhere. [The Daily]
  • Butter and inflation. [The Indicator]
  • Frederick Douglass was a man for the ages. [Throughline]
  • The science of ice cream. [Short Wave]
Picture
  • A mesmerizing video of sheep herds from overhead. [Colossal]
  • Your too cute TikTok of the week. [@stonebear369]
  • We've got one episode left in Peter Capaldi's tenure as Doctor Who. I am still blown away by his take on the role. He brought a seriousness that elevated the whole show. [HBO Max]
  • We also snuck in a few more episodes of our Outlander rewatch. Sometimes, in shows like this, I just wish the characters would sit down and talk. It would solve a lot of problems and clear up misunderstandings. But, I also totally watch for the heightened drama. [Netflix]
  • Snakes on a Plane.  We watched it. It's kinda like one of those bad SyFy disaster movies but we better production values and Samuel L. Jackson. [HBO Max]
Picture
  • I love breakfast food. The kid loves quesadillas. I have no idea why it took me this long to think of making breakfast quesadillas for dinner. I cooked up some egg, green pepper, and breakfast sausage, then added it as the filling to a regular cheese quesadilla. Pretty darn tasty.
  • For some reason, it has been nearly impossible to find frozen, Asian stir fry vegetables at our supermarket. So, I was taking a gamble when I put peanut soba stir fry on our menu. I lucked out! There was one bag left and I snagged it. I used only about half the sauce and froze the leftovers for another day. [Budget Bytes]
  • Our new recipe of the week was kung pao chicken with cauliflower rice. It was a bit heavy on the bell peppers but otherwise tasty. I love the ways cashews come out in dishes like this. [Eat Good 4 Life]
0 Comments

The Look Up: Options

7/16/2021

0 Comments

 
I was in a meeting this week where we ended up discussing "learning how to learn." It's a meta-topic but so very important. I'm always amazed by how I random learn things when looking up other things. Those accidental lessons are so important.

Here's what I looked up (and learned) this week:
  • Sunscreen Recall - I wanted to see which bottles were on the list so that I could check our stash.
  • CSS Code - I need to do some custom CSS coding for work. It is not my forte. I wanted to see if there were snippets of code I could steal and adapt.
  • Montessori Toys - The kiddo's birthday is coming up. I was trying to track down age-appropriate gift options to send the grandparents.
  • Corian Countertops - We're in the very early planning stages of a kitchen redo. So early, all we're doing is considering the overall look we want. I like the idea of Corian countertops, so we reviewed possible colors.
0 Comments

The Now: July 14, 2021

7/14/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Short update this week because I am down a rabbit hole...

WORK
  • That rabbit hole is trying to figure out CSS for our new website. We're using LibGuides CMS and I can't seem to make it look like I want. CSS/HTML are not my strong suit. If anyone has any code I can steal and work from, let me know. 
  • My colleague and I have finished creating all the departmental resource sheets. Now we move on to editing.
  • Starting to develop our stuff for the upcoming faculty professional development sessions.
  • Putting together the content for the LibGuide supporting this year's freshman common read. Almost done!
  • I finished reviewing the recorded LOEX sessions. Now, I am wading into the sessions from the Northeast OER Summit that I registered for but was unable to attend live.

PERSONAL
  • We've got two sets of professional cleaners visiting in the next few days. They are going to clean all the things as a birthday present to me. Bestest present!
  • Working on the July green committee newsletter for our condo.

0 Comments
<<Previous

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021

    Categories

    All
    Blog Update
    Just Good Things
    My Work
    Now On My TBR
    Now Reading
    Some Words
    The Look Up
    The Now
    The Weekly Wrap
    Tuesday Tips
    What I've Been Reading

Proudly powered by Weebly