Post 200.
In some sort of splendid coincidence, my two hundredth post roughly coincides with my one year blogging anniversary, or blogoversary, as those less proper than me are wont to call it. After all, I am nothing if not grammatically correct – check out that first sentence. And I can’t tell you how many times I begin a sentence with and, but, or because. I’m notably fond of ending sentences with prepositions, which is nothing to be ashamed of. I’m also not afraid to wantonly use split infinitives.
For those who frequently read this blog (all 8 or so of you), it’s easy to discern my likes and dislikes. I like to reading good books, eating good food, consuming good drinks, and music. And obviously I just can’t help myself today (…non-parallel sentence structure).
Because this blog is supposed to celebrate the intersection of life and literature, I’m going to share some of the life side of that (since I primarily share the literature portion). Here are 10 things you may not know about me:
10. I consider myself to have an eclectic array of interests. I enjoy most types of fiction, food, movies, and music – I’m also open to most genres and rarely become irritable. However, there are a few bands/musicians who set my teeth on edge (for no discernible reason): U2, Coldplay, Beyonce, Oasis, Creed, and Kings of Leon. Also, I don’t like the idiom set my teeth on edge.
9. This is my two hundredth post; I would’ve preferred to do a post like this for no. 199. Because it’s prime.
8. If number nine didn’t give it away, I’m a bit of a math nerd. At one point I was among the top 1% of math students in the US, receiving a near perfect score on my ACT and SAT math and science reasoning exams. I probably only like literature to be contrary. Could I get any nerdier? Yes – I graduated from university a few years early and I am an ardent defender of the Oxford comma.
7. I’ve only had my heart well and truly broken once. (And once is enough, isn’t it? After that particular incident I figure I can emotionally survive almost anything.)
6. I don’t have a favorite book, but I could narrow it down to 10 or so. Probably.
5. One of the most romantic things anyone ever did for (with?) me was watch Flashdance AND Pretty in Pink without complaining. I imagine it wasn’t easy. Separate, but related: I also had a crush on Bender from The Breakfast Club for a very long time.
4. I don’t have a favorite film. If asked, my answer greatly depends on my mood. However, it’s neither Flashdance nor Pretty in Pink.
3. I was born (and have stayed) a little old woman on the inside. Just ask my mother, I’m not sure she ever knew what to do with me.
2. I’ve always wanted to wear glasses (as all good librarians do), but I have perfect eyesight.
1. I became a librarian because of a character in a Stephen King novel. The fact that I enjoy reading helped.
Bonus: I’m one of those rare people that dislikes ice cream.
So, 10 things you now know about me. You could write me an email titled ’10 Things I Hate About You’. Please don’t. It would make me sad – unless you gave the email a theme song sung by Letters to Cleo.
A few blog highlights:
Most popular post: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
Favorite post: Donnybrook or Deliverance
Comments: 2,266
Spam: 6,624
Best insult: Reading my blog should be considered a form of torture.
So one year of blogging down and an unknown number to go. Everyone else celebrates their blog birthday with a giveaway, but I had no idea what to do. I briefly came up with one really odd challenge involving the periodic table. I am not including it unless someone wants to work hard for a $10 gift card to amazon.
But sincerely, thank you to everyone who reads, it makes me happier than you might imagine. It’s a rare person who can put up with my sense of humor for long, so for those of you who have been following (and actually reading) for longer than a month have earned my utmost admiration.
(That amazingly decadent looking Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cake is from Sweetapolita, thanks to Kate for suggesting it – she paired it with Lionel Shriver’s Big Brother.)
flannel and folklore 
Have you really only been blogging for a year? You seem like such a pro, I thought you’d been in the game for much longer. 200 posts in a year is a TRUCKLOAD – well done, keep em comin.
One question: why do you think NOS4A2 was your most popular post?
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It’s statistically the most popular, it’s my most searched and read, after my home and about page. My most commented post is my 2013 goals.
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And thank you very much!
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As one of your eight readers (he he he), thanks for keeping me entertained!
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You’re welcome. Glad there’s another Irving-Foodie-Russo (I predict the future) lover out there – even if you’re too far away to visit and you post jealousy inducing pictures of the beach in my dead of winter.
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Congrats on one year! Yay! My one year blog anniversary is coming up this month as well. I sure wish I’d found you sooner.
Loved your list of 10 things 😉 Math? Oh my. Numbers make me sweaty and uncomfortable. I’ll come to you when my kids need tutoring!
Congrats again, keep up the awesome work!
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Thank you! And same to you (shortly).
I do love math, I still like doing calculations in my head and on rare occasions building proofs. I’m not as good as I once was (simply from lack of use), but I enjoy there being a right answer. Consider my tutoring abilities at your (kids) service.
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Congrats on your first blogoversary! Your blog is wonderful and I’ve enjoyed reading your entries & comments, may you have many more to come 🙂
Eclectic interests & activities–like books read–are the best 😀
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Thank you! And they are, it would be no fun if every book was nearly the same.
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That’s quite milestone Rory. Congrats!
Your loyal reader,
Julz
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Many thanks! You win the award for the only commenter who sends me very lovely mail – a very important distinction that makes me happy.
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I totally forgot that Judd Nelson’s name in TBC is Bender. It’s been so long since I’ve seen it, and now I can’t think of “Bender” as anyone but the Futurama character.
Congrats on one year!
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Thanks. I just had to google Futurama – pop culture fail. But I can support anything with a character named Bender, there are so many places to go with a moniker like that.
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Happy Blogging Anniversary!
Who wasn’t in love with Bender? I still fall for him every time I watch the movie. 🙂
I really enjoy reading your blog. I’m glad we connected.
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I had such a thing for Judd Nelson that I bought (and still own) the dreadful The Spiral Staircase. And when he shakes his head no while saying yes – sigh. There were a lot of great movies in the ’80’s – Blade Runner, The Shining, Back to the Future, E.T., Aliens, The Princess Bride – but The Breakfast Club still holds a special place in my heart.
Me too and thank you!
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Yay! I’m so glad I came across your blog in a what seems like a rabbit hole of YA sites. I just recently put two and two together that you’re a science librarian- even cooler.
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One of the reasons I initially started blogging was because all I could find was YA blogs. I sometimes wonder if there is a connection between the current prevalence of YA and the generations seeming to get ‘younger’. I’m not old, but I sometimes feel old among other 27-28-29 year olds (possibly because #3 is very true for me).
Thank you for following along, it takes an awesome person to think being a science librarian is cool (I happen to agree, but I’m usually in the minority).
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Yes to this! When I first started I could only find YA blogs. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!)
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Exactly, it’s just what’s popular right now (and really, almost anything that gets people to read is something I can support). I don’t mind YA, but it’s not necessarily a genre I relate too. It wasn’t a genre I related to when I was a young adult…
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First. Yay! Congratulations, you are awesome, and I love your blog.
Second. I’m with Charleen on the “Bender” as robot association, but OMG I loved Breakfast Club Bender. Just when I thought I couldn’t adore you anymore, you go and bring up Brat Pack movies. Siiigh.
Third. Back before I actually required spectacles, I bought fake cat’s eye glasses and wore them around. But you know what might be even cooler? A monocle. Just putting that out there.
Fourth. Neither math nor science are my strong suits, but I’m confident that if the ACT had a category on “whimsy” I’d have aced it.
Fifth. Happy Blogoversary!
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Thank you! How does everyone know what Futurama is and I don’t? In regards to John Hughes, I also get a little squirmy inside during Sixteen Candles. Long live the ’80’s.
And a monocle, I’ll give that some thought, but I think I’d feel a bit nutty. (You know you come here for the bad puns…)
I figured if anyone could get behind a Letters to Cleo themed email, it would be you (and Charleen).
And as much as I love reading (and all the arts really), I don’t know that I’d do well with whimsy – that what I visit you for (that and the penguins).
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Congratulations on your blogoversary and 200th post! I found your blog as a result of receiving the “Secret Santa” gift from you last year but the true gift was your blog. Your posts are interesting, intelligent and thought provoking. I guess I dig the torture. I’ve read and bought books on your recommendations and have not been disappointed. Because of your blog and my other favorites I have been inspired to start my own quasi-blog and could only aspire to have such a following. BTW – it says above that you have 613 followers, that’s a “few” more than 8.
Love your “revelation” list. My comments on where we relate: Old souls don’t get YA. Yes, one truly broken heart will get you through ANYTHING – I promise! While I was obsessed with Flashdance when it came out (I’m a few years older than you) I’ve yet to enjoy lobster quite the way she did but consider it every time I eat it.
Looking forward to the next year . . . Cheers!!
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Thank you! That’s how I found you too. And I read your Richard Russo’s Empire Falls post on booklikes the other day and I can’t tell you how pleased I am that you liked it. It is one of my favorite books of all time and I still laugh at the banty little rooster scene in the diner (when I think about it).
One of the odd things about wordpress is that other wordpress users can ‘follow’ you. I have a lot following me, but who never actually read my posts. I probably have 10 to 20 active followers who regularly comment and don’t cringe too badly when I make grammar jokes.
I don’t know that anyone quite enjoys lobster like she does in Flashdance. Probably they only food I enjoy that much is pizza and let’s face it, nothing much about eating pizza is sexy (me eating pizza is even worse).
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Congratulations on your blog anniversary!!! I truly enjoy reading your posts-each one has put a smile on my face (and don’t celebrate with a giveaway-celebrate with something good- like tequila)
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Thanks! And I do have a weakness for both tequila and gin. My work week runs Saturday through Wednesday, so tonight is the perfect night for something – don’t know what yet. I wish someone would make me that cake though.
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Bring on the periodic table challenge. I’m down for it. And if I can’t solve it, I know someone who can help.
; )
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It wasn’t meant to be hard – just silly – the only problem was that I felt equally silly including it (as people who find periodic table word games and atomic weights must be few and far between). The first person to correctly solve it would win ‘x’ amount. I expect you’ll be able to solve it forthwith. It went like this:
‘Molybdenum Neon Yttrium Fluorine Oxygen Yttrium Oxygen Lithium Bromine Osmium Americium Iodine Gallium Sulfur. Nobelium Tin Argon Potassium (please).
With apologies to my (perhaps non-existent) male readers.
Tungsten Indium ‘Helium + Lithium’.’
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Hahaha. The Spanish slowed me down. MoNeY FO’ YO’ LiBrOs AmIGaS. But why couldn’t you have said, MoNeY FO’ YO’ LiBrArY GaLS?
: D
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I could have, both are better option than the first option I considered using which involved unsavory language.
You forgot the last part:
Tungsten
Indium (In) ((Helium(4.00)) + (Lithium(6.94))).
I would have given the first person who guessed correctly $10.94. Probably too much for a blog that deals primarily with literature.
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Oh, dang. I missed out on the unsavory language. : (
Yeah, I figured out “Win $10.90” (my table only went out to one decimal place). And the other bit was “No SnArk”?
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Yep, no snarking on the sciences (or science humor) – they make the world go round.
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: )
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Wow, congrats! 200 posts is amazing. I just assumed that you had been at this blog thing for longer than a year – like a previous commenter said – you seem like a pro! And I’m pretty confident you have more than 8 or so followers. 😉
I also have perfect eyesight, but have always wanted glasses too. I even remember a time, back when I was in elementary school, where I pretended I couldn’t read the eye chart during an eye exam, thinking that was the way to get glasses, haha.
Enjoyed this post very much – congrats again!
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Ha! I did the same thing back in elementary school. I wanted glasses so badly. I’ve not quite broken down and gotten the faux glasses yet (I don’t think I’ll get that desperate, I’ll probably just get older and need them naturally). I do have more than 8 followers – I have 13!
And thank you, it’s surprisingly gratifying to hear you’re not terrible when you are utterly convinced you are half the time.
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Congrats and many more blogging years for you!
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Thank you! I’ll see how it goes…:)
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Oh my GOSH. You hate U2, Coldplay AND Creed too?! I knew we were friends for a reason.
Anyways, happy blogging anniversary/blogoversary, whatever! And you totally have more than 8 readers. Pfft.
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I’m now up to 15 followers – nearly double what I thought! So it’s a good day.
And thank you, it actually doesn’t seem like a year, so I guess that’s a good thing. It hasn’t turned into work yet (well, not too often at least).
It makes me happier than you know that you don’t like U2 either. I take a lot of shit for that. ‘How can you not like U2? They’re geniuses.’ Easy, because they’re not. Anyways…
We’re also friends because we’re both short and awesome (with a shared love of Dex and Perry). Which reminds me, it’s almost June 23 – they better not break up.
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If they break up I will cry. CRY. It’s out this Sunday… which makes me so happy that I’ll have a weekend day to dedicate to it. So this Sunday? Is Dex and Perry Day.
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Do you have any particular opinions about Nickelback? hahaha…
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Love ’em. Give them 20 years and they’ll be in the Hall of Fame.
Or not.
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You had me scared for a minute there. hahaha
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