Category: About Me

That Artsy Librarian | My Decision to Get a Master’s Degree

Posted January 8, 2014 by Jana in About Me, That Artsy Librarian / 22 Comments

That Artsy Librarian is a feature all about my journey through graduate school as I work towards my Master’s degree in Library and Information Science.

First off, welcome to my brand new feature all about my life as a grad school student in library and information science! I’m a little late getting things started, as my grad school story started in December of 2012, but no worries! I’ll make sure I catch all of you up on what I’ve been up to!

What better way to start my story than at the beginning? This decision to completely change my future did not come about easily. I went through a lot of confusion and frustration before finally deciding what I needed to do to be a happier person. Ever since I graduated from college with a degree in graphic design back in December of 2009, I was confused. I knew I loved designing, but I discovered it was an industry that I wanted to be very selective about. I wanted to design what I wanted to design, for people I wanted to design things for! I did not love the idea of getting a job at a design firm and then being required to be creative on demand. Design is a very personal thing for me. If I am presented with a project I’m excited about, I go all out. The ideas flow immediately. If I don’t care much for the project, I sit and wallow in my un-creativity forever. I get stressed out. I chew myself out for not being perfect. I could not see myself being happy in the corporate world of graphic design. That’s why I freelance. I can be selective. I remember one time a potential client came to me asking for me to design an erotica book cover. I was happy that I was allowed the choice to decline.

Since I knew I was only wanting to freelance, I started looking for a job that would give me a steady income. This broke and bookish girl can’t live off of a few design jobs a month. Nobody can! During this time of confusion and tough decisions, I fell into a volunteer position at an elementary school, teaching children how to read. I loved it. The position turned into a paying job, and I got to teach reading, phonics, and even some art. In the end, the school lost some of their funding funding and I was out of a job. I substitute taught for a year, again ending up in a position that did not give me a steady income. In addition to that, I was months away from losing my health insurance. It was time to find a serious, full time job with benefits. I found one very quickly, and was really excited at first! It sounded like a promising opportunity to climb the corporate ladder. This place ended up being the beginning of the decline of my health, though. The working environment was so toxic and abusive that I was constantly on pins and needles. The customers were horrible, and my superiors were heartless. I developed 15+ ulcers, I ruined my gallbladder and had to have surgery for its removal, I developed all kinds of weird stomach and digestive problems, I gained weight, my entire body hurt all the time, and I was very depressed. I had hit rock bottom. Literally. In my eyes, there was no way my life could get any worse.

Last Christmas, my mom and I were sitting in our living room by the Christmas tree as I had one of my frequent meltdowns. I cried and cried over my future. I graduated magna cum laude (GPA of 3.8), for crying out loud! I killed myself in college to be perfect and pave the road for my future. And what did it get me? I was chained to a desk being yelled at by customers, and not being defended by my superiors. As my mom and I sat there wondering what to do, it hit my mom that I needed to go back to school. My jaw dropped, and I looked at her like “are you kidding?” Go BACK to school? I was so happy to leave! Why would I choose to go back? It only took a few minutes for me to agree, though. But what should I go back to school for?

We thought and thought, and realized that being a librarian would be the perfect job for me. I could work with children, I could share my love of reading, I could still use my graphic design skills (artsy librarians are a novelty), and I could make great money. I could do something I love and get paid for it. From that point on, I was determined. The next few months would be a whirlwind of research and applying, but I was ready. My future was bright again, and I knew I would end up being happy.

Let’s talk for a second. Have you ever reached a point in your life where you felt like you could sink no further? How did you handle that? What advice do you have for people who are going through something like that?

Keep an eye out for my next That Artsy Librarian feature, where I will tell you all about the application process!

Happy New Year 2014!

Posted December 31, 2013 by Jana in About Me / 12 Comments

This has been a wonderful year of books and blogging! I talked a lot about my 2013 bookish life in my year end survey, so decided that I’d just mention a couple big things that happened to me in my life away from the blog. This has been a pretty big year for me!

I drove 100 miles away from home in the middle of the night on a secret mission with my mom. I applied and was accepted to my top choice for graduate school. I quit my job from hell to take the plunge into graduate studies, and had an amazing first semester, finishing with a 4.0 GPA. I went on back-to-back cruises with my family and spent two weeks floating from port to port, exploring new places. I went through the temple. I turned 25!!! I recorded a song with the famous Lex de Azevedo for his new CD. I went on a girls trip with my mom and sister to Las Vegas. I drove across the country (twice) with my mom for my grad school orientation in Georgia, followed by a cruise to the Bahamas out of Florida. On that road trip I got to see very dear family friends in Louisiana, who I thought for sure I would never see again. Ever. I discovered colored tights and how much I adore them. I took a big step in improving my health. We had a huge flood here, something that has not happened in decades. The whole family was here for Thanksgiving. I discovered my love for chamomile tea. I was spoiled by my Broke and Bookish secret santa. I discovered the amazingness of 7-eleven hot chocolate. We had so many awesome blizzards! I went to a lovely Christmas concert with my mom, which is a tradition we try to uphold every year. My family and I went to Las Vegas at Christmastime to see how they decorate. It was no good at all, but now we know! Nobody was sick or in the hospital for Christmas this year, so we were all together as a family! My family and I exchanged so many gifts and stories. It was a wonderful year. Yes, there were some sad times, but how can you enjoy the good times if you don’t have bad ones?

I hope 2014 is filled with more memories and amazing experiences, and I hope the same for you! I will be spending tonight with my family eating a huge feast of yummy finger foods, watching Jaws and a Big Bang Theory marathon, and watching the ball drop to ring in the new year. I hope you all have a wonderful new year’s, and spend it with those you love. I will see you next year!

2013 End of Year Book Survey

Posted December 27, 2013 by Jana in About Me / 14 Comments

It’s that time of year again where I get the chance to reflect on my year of reading. Thanks to Jamie for hosting this survey again!

Best In Books 2013

1. Best book you read in 2013?
The BEST of the best was Cress by Marissa Meyer. OH MY. But since I love all the books, I am breaking down some more bests of their genre so nobody feels left out.

YA Contemporary: Just One Day by Gayle Forman, Golden= by Jessi Kirby, Time After Time by Tamara Ireland Stone, and Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill.
YA Dystopia: Into the Still Blue by Veronic Rossi and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer.
YA Fantasy: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.
Adult Fiction: Starry Night by Debbie Macomber

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t?
Triangles by Kimberly Ann Miller. It was just no good on multiple levels.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
Renegade by J.A. Souders. SO GOOD! Amazing world, beautiful writing, unique premise. Loved this book.

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most?
Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney. It’s so artsy and lovely. And misunderstood.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
Ruby Red Trilogy by Kerstin Gier. I read the entire series this year, and just loved it!

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?
Ally Carter. I just discovered the Heist Society series, and love it!

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini. I am not a fan of angel and afterlife books, because I usually do not like the author’s take on the subject matter. This book was wonderful, though.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
Cress by Marissa Meyer. OH MAN.

9. Book you read in 2013 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
I have never re-read a book in my life, but if I could read a book all over again for the first time, it would be Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill. It was just so sweet!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?
Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill.

11. Most memorable character in 2013?
Captain Thorne in Marissa Meyer’s Cress. I loved him before, but I am so smitten with him now!

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
Starry Nights by Daisey Whitney. I’m an art lover, what can I say? Daisy turned art into magic.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Just One Day by Gayle Forman

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
Heist Society by Ally Carter

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2013?
This is from Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney:

“When the paintings come out for you, it’s what people have meant all along when they talk about artists being immortal. In a way, their work can live forever. When the art comes alive it’s like the immortal version of the painting, like a little bit of the person painted has gotten to live forever.”

16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2013?
Shortest: Mistletoe in Manhattan by Talli Rolland at 60 pages.
Longest: Cress by Marissa Meyer at 506 pages.

17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it?
Pretty much all of Cress and Into the Still Blue. And this sucks, because neither are out yet. That’s probably why I want to talk about them so bad.

18. Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2013?
Perry and roar in Into the Still Blue. Very tender. I also loved Perry with Talon. Just SO SWEET.

19. Favorite book you read in 2013 from an author you’ve read previously?
I’m not going to count sequels here, because those are just a given. I’d have to say Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano. I did not like Wither, and actually did not even continue with that trilogy. I LOVED Perfect Ruin, though, and can’t wait for the next installment!

20. Best book you read in 2013 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else?
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway is the only book I read this year because someone told me to. I ended up really liking it!

21. Genre you read the most from in 2013?
I read a very eclectic mix of books this year, but I think the genres I read the most of are YA dystopias and contemporaries.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
Tarver from These Broken Stars.

23. Best 2013 debut you read?
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
Renegade by J.A. Souders.

25. Book that was the most fun to read in 2013?
Camp Boyfriend by J.K. Rock was so much fun! It was light and sweet and the perfect escape.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2013?
Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi.

27. Book you read in 2013 that you think got overlooked when it came out?
Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson. I heard NOTHING about this book when it came out, and would not have even found it if I were not so hungover from my trip to Italy last spring that I went searching for any and all book that took place in Europe. And hardly ANY of my friends have read it. It deserves more attention!

Book Blogging/Reading Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013?
Pop! Goes the Reader – Jen is just awesome.
The Book Addict’s Guide – Britney was my Broke and Bookish Secret Santa last year, and I am SO glad because she has such a fun blog, and I had never heard of it before!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013?
All Our Yesterdays is the first review I wrote that required a GIF to explain my thoughts. I was speechless!

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
I wrote a quick little thing on the fact that I suffer from blogging anxiety while I sat in my hotel on the way to grad school orientation in Georgia. (Yeah, my mom and I drove from Utah to Georgia and back this past summer.) I was feeling super overwhelmed by becoming a student again and having no time to blog, plus my trip was really long and I felt like I was ignoring my readers. It was a very helpful post for me, and I loved reading what others had to say! I had comments coming in on Twitter and Facebook in addition to the blog, so it was nice.

There was also quite a bit of chit chat on my post asking if people check back for follow-up comments on blogs they visit. I wrote this back before I was on WordPress, so I had no idea how to make sure my readers and commenters knew I was responding to them. Now that I’m on WordPress, I don’t have to worry anymore!

I also confessed that I can’t read while I’m sick, which really sucks. Many people understood my frustration, which was nice to read as I laid in bed wanting to die.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?
Oh wow… I honestly can’t remember any specific discussion this year. I know there were tons, but I just can’t think of one in particular that stood out more than the others.

5. Best event that you participated in?
Armchair BEA was fun, but not as much fun as it was last year. I think it’s because a lot of the questions and writing prompts were re-used and I had nothing new to say. That’s really the only event I participated in this year, other than blog tours.

6. Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?
I discovered that I was mentioned by name in the acknowledgements section of Uncharted by Tracey Garvis-Graves, which is the sequel to On the Island! I about lost it all! I am still so honored and floored. :)

I also switched from Blogger to self-hosted WordPress this year, which was pretty wonderful. I have not looked back once!

7. Most popular post this year on your blog?
This is hard, since my stats got all messed up/lost in the move to WordPress. If I look at comments alone, the most popular post was my Top Ten Favorite Book Covers (on Books I’ve Read) post.

8. Post you wished got a little more love?
In all honesty, I wish my reviews got more love! I spend a lot of time writing those, and I know they are being read! I wish I could discuss these books with my readers more. :)

9. Best bookish discovery?
Wordpress, Ashley’s Tweak Me theme, and Ashley’s Ultimate Book Blogger Plugin! This change has been the BEST. Oh, and I bit the bullet and joined Edelweiss, which I should have done so much earlier!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I surpassed my goal of reading 52 books this year! My other goals are still ongoing.

Looking Ahead

1. One book you didn’t get to in 2013 but will be your number one priority in 2014?
Requiem by Lauren Oliver. I’m so scared about what others have said about it, but I really think I need to just do it and finish the series.

2. Books you are most anticipating for 2014 (non-debut)?
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Infinite by Jodi Meadows
Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

3. 2014 debut you are most anticipating?
The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae

4. Series ending you are most anticipating in 2014?
I would have said Into the Still Blue, bust since I read that already AND LOVED IT, I’m going to have to say Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo! I am SO excited to see how The Grisha trilogy ends. Or maybe Of Neptune by Anna Banks. Or Infinite by Jodi Meadows. OH WOW. My heart can’t handle saying goodbye to these characters and worlds!

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2014?
I’d really love to get a blurb in a book one day. :) Other than that, I want to just keep doing what I’m doing… only better. And I really need to work on more discussion posts! I want to get to know all my readers better!

My Favorite Christmas Ornaments

Posted December 22, 2013 by Jana in About Me / 29 Comments

I love, love, LOVE decorating my Christmas tree every year! It’s one of my favorite things to do to get ready for Christmas, and a huge part of that is because of the sentimental value of my Christmas ornaments! Some of them I get just because they are pretty, but most of them I get for a specific reason. I get them from the different places I travel to or for significant things that happen in my life. I thought I would show off some of my favorites today!

First off, let me show you my tree! It makes me happy.

Ok, now to my beloved Christmas ornaments!

My mom got me this ornament this year to commemorate
my move to a self-hosted domain. It is adorable!

This is my Venice ornament! I got it on my European trip
last spring. Because I had very little room in my suitcase, and
because Italy is not so into ornaments, I bought a keychain
and removed the split ring! You’d never know, would you?

This ornament commemorates the the year I
started Kindergarten!

This is my hand painted ball from Florence, Italy! I have
no idea how this thing survived the beating my suitcase
went through for three weeks. I’m so glad I didn’t break it!

My very first piano lesson!

I graduated from high school in 2005. This was
my senior picture!

Bellagio, Italy! I bought this ornament from a little shop
up the hill from my lakeside hotel. The lady who owned
this shop painted it herself! It’s beautiful.

This is a mini replica of the cruise ship I took
my transatlantic cruise on! Royal Caribbean’s Navigator
of the Seas.

My mom and I went to New York City right before
Christmas a few years ago, and braved the cold to go to
the top of the Empire State Building one night. It was freezing
and windy, but so clear and beautiful!

Those of you who follow me on Instagram have seen millions of pictures
of my sweet Cat, Misty. This ornament is from her first Christmas! Isn’t she tiny?

So you see, my Christmas tree is not just a pretty thing I sit in my living room. It holds 26 years of memories. Vacations, events, milestones, and happy times are remembered each time I decorate with my family, and each time I sit down to read next to it. :)

Do you have any ornaments that are special to you? Describe them for me, or tag me on Instagram or Twitter so I can see!

That Artsy Reader Girl is 2 Years Old!

Posted November 30, 2013 by Jana in About Me / 11 Comments

Sometimes I forget that I have not been blogging forever, which is why I kind of ALWAYS forget my blogoversary. I just realized that the blog turned two about a week and a half ago! Yay! To be honest, I never thought I would last this long as a book blogger. I thought I’d have fun for a few months and then fizzle. I had no idea I would love blogging as much as I do, and I am so excited about all the life changes this blog has brought on. The biggest one was probably my decision to go to grad school to get my master’s in Library and Information Science. I’m a graphic designer! Who would have thought I’d get a master’s in something so vastly unartistic. I just finished my first extremely successful semester, and am more convinced than ever that I made the right choice.

A big thing that happened for the blog this year was the switch from my blogspot url to my .com one, in conjunction with my switch from Blogger to WordPress! I also designed a brand new layout for my blog, and I really love it. The change has taken book blogging to an entirely new level for me! If you are thinking of moving, do it.

I’m so thankful for this blog, and for everyone I have met through it. I’m thankful for my fellow bloggers, the awesome authors and publishers and publicists I have worked with, and the books I never thought I would have read, but ended up LOVING. That Artsy Reader Girl has changed my life. I can’t wait to see what new experiences come in my third year! Thanks so much for all your support. :)