Who Am I?

I don't know.. I'm still trying to figure it out for myself. But I figure I should put the basics in this missive and maybe it will shed some light on the mystery.

I'm originally from Brooklyn and somehow found myself in the DC area about 5 years ago. I have a Masters in Librarianship with a focus in Archives and Special Collections - primarily photography/preservation which is my true passion.

I work as the Image Collection Manager at George Mason University, but I hope I can advance to a larger collection of prints and artifacts in a large museum or museum library that will serve the public. Still looking for my chance - nationwide. I'm willing to move, I like to explore.

As cliche as it sounds, I do love to travel and hope to take a vacation this year - anywhere. Last year I attended the London Rare Book School and it was incredible. I learned about the history of bookbinding which, to a nerd librarian like myself, is fascinating. The year before I took off a few weeks to go to Rochester, New York to attend a Photography Preservation seminar at the George Eastman House, sponsored by the Image Permanence Institute (IPI) and Ryerson Univeristy (where I applied for a second Masters in Photo Preservation/Collection Management and GOT IN, but turned it down to work instead. The jury is still out on whether that was a good idea or not). It was one of the most amazing trips I've ever taken. Not on a relaxing scale.. but more than anything else it inspired me to pursue photo collection management. A seminar I took in Rochester, The Identification of Photographic Print Processes, is actually being offered in the Rare Book School in Charlottesville this year. I may take it again. James Reilly from IPI, who taught it in Rochester, is teaching it in Charlottesville in June. He was probably my favorite speaker, and the one from whom I learned the most.

I don't argue that DC has a lot to offer aside from the National Mall. I love to explore exhibits locally at the Smithsonian,the Corcoran and two of my favorites, Phillips Collection (where I was a museum guard a year ago!) and the National Museum for Women in the Arts. Outside the museum world, Eastern Market fills my soul's need for Bloody Marys, hand made eclectic jewelry and art, and surrounding pubs provide Smithwicks and Chimay on much needed days, of which there are many.

As long as I'm sucking up to DC, I may as well suck up to some other local areas I like such as Shirlington, where there is an art house theater and a nice choice of restaurants, Bethesda, a little out of the way but a nice after work, get tipsy kinda town, Old Town, a beautiful, historical area with the Mason Temple on one end, shops, restaurants and Irish pubs in the middle, and the Potomac on the other end, and, as long as driving isn't an issue, Shenandoah.

I'm always looking for creative outlets to feed my soul, whether it is art classes, lectures, conferences.. anything that will open my mind, inspire me to create, and increase my knowledge. I will be attending the ARLIS/NA and VRA hosted Summer Educational Institute at James Madison this year in July, and I am excited about that because I got my employer to pay for it. I guess I always feel a little unsettled because there is so much out there that I want to do, any of it could be the one inspirational epiphany I need to get me on the right path.

I like to run when I'm not sitting. I completed a marathon once. Once. But I'm not quite so motivated these days. Oh, and I have a soft spot for fashion and, like most women, have a shoe fetish. I can't help it. I'm from NYC and, well, blame the extra X.

Till later