Technology win! Flight fail.

Well, the great adventure to Perth has gotten off to a slow start. Thirty minutes after our scheduled departure, we’re just starting to board. The other passengers in the waiting area have been friendly and talkative, so we’ve been good-naturedly berating Virgin and wondering what the delay is. Hopefully my ride on the other end has gotten my message about the delay.

So, it’s off to WA for two weeks at the State Library! Music, books, marketing and client services are on the agenda. I’ll be staying with friends of friends – the Canadian and library networks have combined to find accommodation for me. It will be much nicer than living out of a backpackers’ for a fortnight.

I’m using my Samsung Galaxy S as a hotspot to send this post through my Mac – while sitting on the plane. Here’s to technology + libraries!

Little piece of Brisbane

Geckos (yes, they make that sound!) and crickets, chirruping up a storm at dusk. Of course they went quiet soon after I started recording, but you get the idea.

Gecko Sounds by Julia Michelle 1

Friday Night Dance Break!

They're not new, but these are the videos on constant replay in my YouTube dance playlist:

Dynamite - Taio Cruz



Club Can't Handle Me - Flo Rida

Challenging Creativity

Well, dear readers, I'm back. I haven't really gone anywhere but I thought you might have heard enough out of me in June with 26 posts, and July seemed to slip through my fingers. Now that classes have started again, the next three months are set to be just as busy!

After challenging myself to blog every day in June (and almost managing it) I thought I would give myself new challenges for July - creative ones. I spent an evening writing lyrics to enter a contest for free registration to ALIA's new librarians sympsium, and the following Sunday afternoon and evening recording and editing the resulting music video.

I've since received official word that my entry was chosen as the winner! So, it's off to Perth in September, where I'll be tweeting and blogging and networking with other new grads and librarians. I am so excited!

Doing my little parody reminded me of how much I liked to sing, so I decided to challenge myself even more - I auditioned for a role in an upcoming musical production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The movie is one of my favourites but I've never seen it staged, so I decided to go for it. Lest you all think I lead a charmed life, I didn't get the part I wanted. I was offered a spot in the ensemble but I turned it down because the time commitment required... If I got one of the Bride roles I might have been more motivated to juggle my schedule, but as it is, I think I made the right decision.

I think my reading and singing went well but the dancing portion of my audition was pretty hopeless - moves I haven't done before, very fast, and very little time to pick it up. I was pretty nervous too. Oh well. The point is, I gave it a shot!

Here's to pushing boundaries!