Digging Out...

I have been spending all of my free time "digging out" in my new office in the library. It has been quite a big job to sort through 30 years of "stuff."

I'll be excited to actually begin working with the books...and students when they arrive in August.

"Digging out" isn't all bad. There's a lot of great "stuff" hidden away.

A Librarian's 2.0 Manifesto

Relaxation

During the past week my husband has made me go out in to the sun. He wanted to see me in light other than the glow of the computer. We have been spending time on the Swatara Creek in our canoe and kayak. Relax... Simplify... at least for the next 3 weeks.

More Eats!

Although I didn't get to see a lot of the Pittsburgh sites while I was there, I did take in a lot of the restaurants. To round out the trip, I added these restaurants to my list:

Union Grill

Church Brew Works

The "O"

Primanti Bros

Lu Lu's

Chipolte

Melancholy Elephants

Since we have been discussing copyright in our classes, Jennifer posted this blog entry about the story "Melancholy Elephants" by Spider Robinson:

Basically, it reminds me that having copyright extended to forever would hurt the people who create original works just as much as it hurts the public goods access to public domain items. Eventually, there will be nothing more to create because in reality, something new is almost always based on something with a twist. Eventually, this would no longer be feasible if there is system of controlling copyright so carefully it would say such items are not original works and not eligible for copyright much less publication or anything else.

Melancholy Elephants by Spider Robinson

Ars longa, vita brevis

A group member in True Gods of Sound and Stone suggested that this quotation relates to the copyright issues.

Ars longa, vita brevis is part of an aphorism by Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates.

from Aphorisms, section I, no. 1; rendered in Latin as

Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile.

This is often rendered in English as

Life is short, [the] art long, opportunity fleeting, experiment treacherous, judgment difficult.

(Wikipedia)

Jo Mamma's Italian Deli, Ali Baba & Pete's Pub

As we introduced ourselves through an activity to find common cultural ties, I realized what a "foodie" I am. I love visiting new placed and finding the restaurants, coffee houses, pubs of "local culture." During my first day on campus, my cohorts and I found three wonderful local spots.

I had lunch with Jane, Cara and Cindy at Jo Mamma's Italian Deli. I would definitely recommend the sandwich wraps and anything Italian.

Dinner was at Ali Baba's with my adviser, Mary Kay Biagini, Maureen (fellow True God), Rhonda, Cindy, Sree, Catherine, Jennifer, Jennifer and Erika. Although I have tried much Middle Eastern food in the past which I love, I opted for a new option: Sleek. It is an amazing dish with swiss chard, black eyed peas, and caramelized onions. The recipe below isn't quite what was served. It's the same idea; however, caramelized onions are a must!

Sleek
Servings: 3-4

500g Spinach, roughly chopped
500g Swiss chard ('silek' in Arabic), roughly chopped
4 spring onions, chopped
2 big onions, sliced
1 bunch of Fennel chopped (Shoumar) or Dill
1/2 cup Bulgur
2tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp mixed spices (The mixed spices used here are the traditional '7 spices' you can buy off the shelf.)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper

Soak the bulgur with water for 1/2 hour.

Put the oil in a deep pan and fry the sliced onions till brown. Add the spinach, Swiss chard and spring onions. Stir-fry for 10 minutes.

Add the fennel, bulgur, lemon juice, salt and pepper, mix well. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot, warm or cold.

Then it was off to Pete's Pub for a relaxing drink with Maureen before heading back to the hotel. The pub was smoky but had a great atmosphere.

The best part of all of these "food" experiences was meeting with the people from the Pitt LIS program.

Shot Gun Navagitor

I just arrived in Pittsburgh after driving with two fellow fast-trackers. After only one or two...or four detours (highway closed - second highway closed - bridges mismarked - u-turn in Little Italy), we finally found our way.

I feel so lucky to have met these two people and can't wait to meet the rest today. It's amazing how many names and on-line personalities I already know just from interacting on the discussion boards.

Moving Day

Yesterday was moving day for me. My family and I moved my boxes from my garage into my new library. I can't wait to unpack and enjoy my new job. I have lots to learn.

First Attempt

This morning I finally figured out how to publish my web page (see link below). I tried to add images linked to some websites of interest, but for now only the text is showing up. Getting the images to show up will be one of my goals for next week.

Mackley Webpage

For now...I'm off to Altoona for a wedding. I'm the maid of honor. I can't imagine what the pictures will look like with these bags under my eyes!

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Worth the Blisters...

Last night was the first night of a family mini-vacation in NYC. We kicked off our visit with a ride on the Yankee Clipper ferry to Yankee Stadium where we watched Roger Clemens win his 350th game!

The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Game Wrapup

Today was busy...

• lunch at Senendipity 3 (YUM! Frozen Hot Chocolate)
• subway ride to South Street Seaport
• Chinatown
• dinner in Little Italy
• Rockefeller Center
• Times Square

...all this with a 11 year old, 12 year old and 16 year old.

I think I may have visited every Starbucks in the city. Caffeine helps.