Meghan Kowalski
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  • Resume
  • Presentations & Publications
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Now on My TBR

10/31/2022

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I binge added the entire creations of one author to my board. Plus a few other titles.
Y​ou can see my complete TBR list on Pinterest.
​
*Items featured here are Bookshop.org affiliate links.
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The Weekly Wrap: October 30, 2022

10/30/2022

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Halloween is tomorrow and I have a request of everyone: Please don't be a Halloween Grinch.

A Halloween grinch complains about kids who are "too old to trick-or-treat." A Halloween grinch gripes about kids not in costume. A Halloween grinch looks down their nose at adults who take a piece of candy. A Halloween Grinch tries to police who comes to their neighborhood. A Halloween Grinch complains about the noise and people traipsing across their yard. A Halloween Grinch, essentially, gatekeeps a holiday that should be fun.

Don't be a Halloween Grinch.

You don't know the story of everyone on Halloween. Maybe that child's adults couldn't afford a costume.  Maybe trick-or-treating adults are getting candy for a kid who is home sick. Maybe those kids are being driven to your neighborhood because there are sidewalks or better decorations. Those "too old" teenagers are literally doing the most wholesome thing they can on Halloween.

If you run out of candy or Halloween is too much for you, do two simple things:
  1. Turn off your outside light
  2. Ignore the doorbell/knocks

The trick-or-treaters will pass you by.

Enjoy the costumes, cheerful noises, and the barely contained chaos. ​It's just one night.

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  • What the data of fewer bugs splatting on windshields can tell us. [WaPo - gift link]
  • I'm shocked, shocked I say!, that more medical protocols and research are based solely on men. [NPR]
  • Why millennials may be less likely to cheat on their spouse. [The Atlantic]
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  • Anxiety has a purpose. We should stop trying to fix it. [Hidden Brain]
  • I did not know all these things about Houdini. [Atlas Obscura]
  • The damage trump has done to our democracy. [The Daily]
  • The science of fall foliage. [Short Wave]
  • I'm saving this podcast for when we can start throwing parties at our place again. [Life Kit]
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  • I call this: Just Let Me Eat You. [@WonderOfScience]
  • On the days we're not watching football or hockey, we're trying to get through the last two seasons of Dawson's Creek. I gotta tell you, this show did not age well. Certain things would never make a script today. Also, the acting, save for Busy Philipps, seems to get worse as we progress through the years. [HBO Max]
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  • When I went to cook Greek-style shrimp and potatoes, I had it in my head that it was a sheet pan meal. Nope! It went in my Dutch oven. That made it an even easier cook. You need all the liquids to cook the potatoes, but that means cooking out the moisture takes some time. Our shrimp overcooked because I didn't realize that. Still tasty - especially with the feta on top. [Real Simple]
  • There were some tomatoes hanging out in our produce drawer so the Husband selected tomato ravioli for dinner. This was a good one, but it needs decent ravioli. I used lower-brand mini cheese ones and they were kind of bland. The high-end balsamic we had saved the dish, but better ravioli would have made this awesome. [Cooking Light]
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Just Good Things #59

10/28/2022

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I had to turn the heat on to work in my home office area today. I try to avoid that for as long as possible, but I was just too cold. Happily, our wall units made my space nice and warm quickly and I was able it turn it off after a half hour.  Between the warm air, warm sweater jacket I'm wearing, and fuzzy lap blanket, I am content and cozy.

Here's what else made me smile this week:
  • Our kiddo's daycare is doing spirit week leading up to Halloween. Today was 80s throwback. She rocked a side pony - but only after I did it to myself first. I got a really cute picture of the two of us.
  • Having pasta and meatballs for lunch
  • When I got stuck in Dallas for a night unexpectedly, the airline put me up in the hotel attached to the airport.
  • No one in the middle seat on my final flight home
  • Taking a nap on the couch in an effort to even out my jet lag
  • Having the perfect noodles in the pantry for when I needed to add something else to dinner
  • Mini pumpkins
  • Kiddo starting to help with dinner AND clean up her snack stuff on her own
  • Having a burst of an insight for my personal brand

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What I've Been Reading: October 27, 2022

10/27/2022

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The Cheese Chronicles: A Journey Through the Making and Selling of Cheese in America, from Field to Farm to Table 
Liz Thorpe


I’m still working on this book and I'm ready to be done with it.

​It's not that the content is bad, it's just very repetitive. For the bulk of the text, Thorpe walks through a little history and some tasting notes for various cheesemakers and creameries. If these sections were fewer and she focused more on her personal history, I think it would come across a bit livelier. That said, there are several cheeses I will now be looking for.

​
*Books shared here are affiliate links for Bookshop.org

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The Now: October 26, 2022

10/26/2022

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My calendar, while still a disaster, is decidedly less crammed than it was a week ago. There's some breathing room which means I am far less stressed than I was two weeks ago. There are empty blocks of time where I've been able to get some longer term work done.

Here's where my focus is at:
  1. Library Marketing Conference - I managed to put together my slides by the deadline. Huzzah! I will be tweaking them a bit and changing up my notes, but they are good enough to go as is. This week, I also spent some time preparing for the SWAG swap and reviewing which sessions I want to attend. Of course I want to attend all the other sessions that will be happening when I'm presenting. (Never fails!) At least we will be given access to the slides and presentation material afterwards.
  2. Website Usability Testing - I spent a ton of time scheduling folks to test over the next month and a half. This was complicated because bots/scammers found my volunteer form. I had to look in our database to see who was actually a student or faculty before I reached out to schedule a time. Most folks, unsurprisingly, want to do their test online. This might work out for the best because it will give us a better idea of how the website is actually being used. Also not unsurprising, this is clogging up my calendar for the foreseeable future.
  3. Condo Logo and Newsletter - A bit delayed but I finally got out this month's newsletter for our building's green committee. Additionally, I made time to revise and share new logo options. It's not hard work, but since I'm providing many different versions, it is time consuming. I think I like where we are headed but I know there is more work to come. I'm bracing for when the final version is shared and our regular resident curmudgeons come out to say they hate everything.

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Tuesday Tips: Go Advanced

10/25/2022

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The number one thing you can do to become a better searcher is to used the advanced search options. Most databases and search engines offer them. Advanced search lets you apply filters, make better use of your keywords, and limit your results to more relevant material. 

Just take a look at Google's advanced search page. You can search by keyword, exact phrase, or number range. You can limit by language, region, or file type. All of these options mean that your search is more targeted which brings back better results. 

Going advanced saves you time and frustration.

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The Weekly Wrap: October 23, 2022

10/23/2022

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This week, I was out of town presenting at the Internet Librarian conference. Originally, for this intro, I thought about musing on my talk. I discussed remote customer service and how everyone (looking at you c-suiters and directors) needs to be trained to do it well. It was a great talk. I had 100 people, give or take, in the audience which was about a quarter of all attendees.

But that's not what I want to talk about. Instead, I want to talk about a session I attended.

The speaker discussed remote work and how it harms our physical and mental well-being. She showcased the issues and then rolled into how we can mitigate the problems. Her intentions were great, but I kept finding a problem in the framing. She focused on how individuals can fix these issues instead of employers. That really got to me. It's days later and this is still eating at me. 

The ergonomic issues of the home office - bad desks, poor seating, screen glare, etc. - also exist in the office. My home office set up isn't the best - but my office cubicle is about 0 degrees and my chair seat tilts slightly to the left and my feet don't touch the ground which gives me a crick in my back. No workspace is perfect. Some employers are trying to force workers back on-site because of ergonomics. No! The same goes for team cohesiveness and collaboration. Companies claim it's better on-site than remote. Also, no! I'm tired of managers thinking good work can only be done in an office. There are problems with remote. But there are also problems with the office.

I keep coming back to the fact that the problem isn't the location, it's the demands of work itself. Employees are treated like robots who generate output instead of human beings. All of these physical/mental issues that come from remote work also happen in the office. We need to support people as individuals wherever they work - but most companies don't want to do this because it costs money. 

Instead of framing these issues as something individuals need to fix, we need to look at systematic solutions. It cannot be up to a single person to fix societal and cultural problems.  The burden needs to be on employers. Yes, it will cost money. But it will make people happier. Happier employees are more engaged, productive, and innovative. But, more importantly, it's the right thing to do.

Now who wants to hear me rant about the cult of work productivity?

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  • The problem with labeling foods as "healthy." [Burnt Toast]
  • A purse is more than just a purse. [Home Culture]
  • Ways to reuse those silica gel packs. I use some in my "memory" bins. [kitchn]
  • Lots of little ways to make your life better. [The Guardian]
  • The beauty of the common curtain. [Syllabus Project]
  • What a pregnancy actually looks like from five weeks to nine weeks. [The Guardian]
  • Fun number facts about wine. [Wine Folly]
  • Eels are rather interesting. [@DrEmilyFinch]
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  • Hurricane Ian and the growing insurance problem's impact on housing. [The Daily]
  • The rise of Hollywood. [99% Invisible]
  • The healing power of nature. [Hidden Brain]
  • Fear the tiny octopus. [Short Wave]
  • Tracking down who wrote a fortune. [Every Little Thing]
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  • Extraction is a straightforward action movie but I liked the gritty feel. The color palette was adjusted to be overwarm and that, somehow, increased the tension. Towards the beginning, there is a phenomenally good chase scene. The camera work and direction is just astounding. Also, I'm very much enjoying Chris Hemsworth's work in films I've never heard of until I randomly find them. [Netflix]
  • We rewatched The Old Guard. I rather like this film. It's hard to provide a summary without giving away the whole plot. It's an action flick where the heroes need saving. The cast is fronted by Charlize Theron who brings a lot of vulnerability to her character. This film is set up to start a franchise and I am here for that. Also, it's based on a graphic novel series I want to read. [Netflix]
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  • I was out of town this week and ate out for most of my meals. Luckily, there were a lot of great options within walking distance of my hotel. One evening, I had a fantastic pizza with a crispy thin crust, mushrooms, prosciutto, and truffled radicchio. [Cibo]
  • Hotel room coffee is not my favorite. Neither is conference coffee. I brought a pack of instant with me to make things tolerable. It worked. I was able to enjoy a nice, hot cup of coffee each morning that didn't taste like burnt water. [Starbucks Via]
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Just Good Things #58

10/21/2022

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The conference I'm attending ended yesterday. Right now, I'm sitting in my hotel room enjoying the final few hours of quiet before the long trip home. This is the longest I've had time to myself since our kiddo was born. It has been refreshing.

Here's what made my week so great:
  • Made might (very) tight flight connection in Phoenix
  • Visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium
  • Seeing sea lions in the wild
  • Taking several walks along the waterfront pedestrian trail
  • Enjoying a huge and rather tasty falafel wrap for dinner
  • Indulging in few sheet masks
  • That salty, sweet, somewhat seaweedy scent that comes from walking along a commercial boardwalk over the water
  • Rewatching Bridgerton
  • Waking up early every day without an alarm
  • Starbucks via making for decent hotel room coffee
  • FaceTiming my kiddo between afternoon conference sessions

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The Now: October 19, 2022

10/19/2022

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This post is coming at you much later than normal because I am on the West Coast for a library conference. Aside from the intense day of travel to get here (why do airlines give you such tight connections on opposite sides of the airport?!?!?), this has been a great trip. I've learned a lot and it's a nice break from parenting. (Love you, honey!)

Here's what I'm working on:
  1. Internet Librarian Conference and Presentation: I presented my session today and it went swimmingly. There were about 100 attendees which is a quarter of everyone who is here. I got a lot of great questions and a few people reached out asking to talk more later. I love that! Now that I'm done, I get to simply enjoy and keep tweeting about what I'm learning. 
  2. Website Usability Testing: While I'm avoiding most office work at the moment, I am keeping an eye on people needing to schedule website usability tests. I sent out my initial invites but need to shoot out some reminders. Not as many volunteers have followed through on the scheduling as I'd hoped.
  3. Me Time: This is definitely not work related at all but it is important. This trip is the longest I've been away from my kid since she was born. Since I am so geographically removed, it's not just a physical break but a mental one. There is literally nothing I can do (aside from my daily hello via FaceTime). I'm enjoying the separation and indulging with some face masks I brought. Plus, I get to just chill each night, order food uninfluenced by toddler whims, and enjoy a nice rewatch of Bridgerton​.

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The Weekly Wrap: October 16, 2022

10/16/2022

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This past week was one of the busiest I've had in a long time.

After five days of no childcare (planned closures for PD and parent-teacher conferences), we rolled right into a short work week. A short work week in which I needed to jam a lot of stuff since I'm going out of town for a conference this week. I had projects related to outreach, instruction, a research poster presentation, and our website usability tests. Those needed to cover both this week, the week I'm gone, and in preparation for the first days I'm back. This was on top of needing to prepare the material for my conference presentation on Wednesday. Oh! And, due to a deadline for another conference, I had to work on the deck for that. 

Additionally, my brother was in town and I wanted to squeeze in a dinner with a friend. Plus, as a nervous traveler, the week before a trip always sees me making lists, gathering stuff to pack, and generally fretting about what could go wrong. (Still nervous there is not going to be an Uber around when I call for very early tomorrow morning.)

There was so much on my plate, I ended up fully time boxing my week. I don't love doing this because it makes it hard for students to schedule appointments with me, but I could not help it this week. I needed to see, hour by hour, what I needed to accomplish this week. Aside from not finishing a slide deck, I was mostly successful. 

How do you get through busy weeks?

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  • More of this please. It's good for so many reasons. [WaPo - gift link]
  • Systems of authority and the problem of time. [Culture Study]
  • Now I'm trying to picture the scenarios in which I would need to outrun these things. [Lifehacker]
  • The emerging Instapot crash. [EATER]
  • I gotta learn a few of these home maintenance tasks. [Real Simple]
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  • Capturing and creating family recipes. [Life Kit]
  • Single family homes, NIMBY's, and the housing crisis. [The Daily]
  • Coconuts are pretty amazing. [Gastropod]
  • Confessions aren't always the truth. [Hidden Brain]
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  • In a "Sure, why not?" mood for a movie, we put on Jexi. This is helmed by Adam Devine whose zany bro-ness I don't mind. It's a rom-com where a smartphone's AI is the plot driver. It is rather crude but that just makes the social commentary all the more explicit. It seemed like the cast had a lot of fun making this one. [Netflix]
  • I've seen Ocean's 13 many times. I enjoy the series, but the side plots in this one are great. The story of the workers at the dice factory is my favorite. Also, I always wondered, how much do they spend pulling off the con versus how much do they actually get? [Netflix]
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  • It's fall and I made a classic: grilled cheese and tomato soup. Nothing fancy with this. Just good ole cheese singles and condensed tomato soup. The one change is that we make the soup with milk instead of water. That was a trick my husband taught me and it's a subtle but noticeable change. [Campbell's]
  • I made stromboli for the first time. It was easier than I thought it would be and the result was a thing of beauty. The dough cooked well and you could see each layer in the cross section. I followed the recipe for mushroom and pepperoni exactly. No changes. I would make this again as is. [Budget Bytes]
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