I'm stealing this tagline for my life.

My dad recently had a big birthday and asked only for me to post once in a while so he knows I'm alive. This one's for you, Stu!

Trente!

I rang in 30 with artisan mini-golf at the museum, a birthday balloon from B&Q, and, in the following order, ice cream, paté, and pizza. Well alright, then. Stand back, world, as I blaze this blog's way into our collective 30s. Onward!!!

Seasonal excuse to use my census tag

Dublin CA shoutout!



Yes, I follow the census on facebook. What. Also, they're counting down to the release of the 1940 census records on April 2nd! 72 years is the magic number, if you didn't know. When they're released I'll have to celebrate by finally posting the Edwards/Backer family info I'd unearthed in previous census records. I know you CAN'T WAIT!

Until then, please enjoy this old-timier-than-fiction promotional film for the 1940 census. "The best place to get information about the entire population is the place where the people sleep."

(Also, Richard, when you grow up you can work in the Geography division! I'm sure the technology hasn't changed since 1960 or anything...)

so, it turns out my whole life is one long library interlude

I'm learnding! I have a midterm coming up that I haven't done ANY of the reading for. Another 15 page seminar paper to write. You know, school as usual. Trying to squeeze in planning for the Golden Gate, a visit from my mom, and a midnight screening of the Hunger Games. It's finally raining. That's all the news I got, folks. I'll see you again in 2014.

Library interlude

Hey guys. Remember that duck screencast I made? Well, this time I had to make a real instructional screencast:

This screencast is aimed at goodreads users who want to track down interesting titles at a local library. I demonstrate how to use the WorldCat tool built into goodreads to search multiple library catalogs at once. (Give it a minute to load.)

It was super fun to make, if grueling. The free software I have doesn't allow any edits, so basically it involved me practicing with my silly narrator voice in my room for most of last Sunday until I got to where I could pull the whole thing off in one take. Please appreciate the backstage hilarity - orchestrating 3 different programs, multiple tabs, and a printed script, all while trying to sound professional and make the process look easy enough that any joe-grab-a-sandwich could find their book too.