etc.

That’s me reflected in the bean in Chicago. I was in Chicago for a couple of days last week, at a conference, and wow, I can’t wait to go back.

I’ve been reading a few tidbits about personal branding and online presence lately and, I have to say, it freaks me out just a little. Although, perhaps this blog wouldn’t be as badly neglected as it is if I had, you know, a Publishing Policy and I paid more attention to the way in which I Brand & Represent Myself Online.

Is there any way for those words not to sound slimy? Is it just me?

So, the last time I was here I talked about going to Charlottetown for a quick conference presentation. The conference was swell, my talk went well, Charlottetown was tiny and quite nice, my luggage didn’t get there with me so I hit a couple of stores on my way into town to get enough stuff to get me through 2.5 days. All I ended up needing was a couple of things from the drugstore and a stop into the first clothing store I saw (where I scored a cute skirt, yay emergency purchase) so I wouldn’t have to present in my totally comfortable and utterly presentation-unworthy cords. I got some sort of perverse delight in knowing that I could get by in a strange town with not much more than a laptop and a small grocery bag full of essentials.

Despite that perverse delight, last week in Chicago was much more civilized. My suitcase got there when I did (I cringed a fair bit over checking it in the first place, but it turns out that I don’t own any luggage that is suitable for on-board travel, plus the whole 3-1-1 thing causes me some stress), the closing plenary I spoke at was loads of fun, I got to meet a bunch of brilliant and fun librarians I previously only knew online, and Chicago charmed the pants right off me. Truly. I’m taking the mister right back there, someday soon. A scant collection of pictures is here.

So now I’m back, staring down a couple of months of NO TRAVEL, about which I am delighted. Project No proceeds apace, although I have made a couple of minor exceptions for really local talks that I should be able to pull of with minimal stress.

Also? I’m reading some good stuff, knitting another pair of socks (with this), picking lilacs off our tree out front, swapping yarn leftovers thanks to Brainylady, anticipating a concert, and generally enjoying the daily plug.

How about you?

Being surrounded with yummy sock yarn is oddly comforting. Isn’t it?

I’ve embarked on a little something called “Project No” for the months of June, July and August. I figure that if I don’t make a concerted effort to say “no” to library-related stuff (which is mostly conference presentations and workshops of late), I’ll keep saying yes and drive myself a little crazy with due dates and deadlines and traveling (which is quickly becoming more annoying than enjoyable). May, however, is going to be crazymaking for just those reasons. I head out to Prince Edward Island in four days, which has all the potential to be a lovely trip, except it’s going to be practically a fly-by. I have around 8 hours on Saturday to explore Charlottetown (got ideas?) before flying home to more tight deadlines, then another fly-by to Chicago for more conference action and maybe a little socializing with library-type friends. Also? I’m teaching my grad course again, starting tomorrow.

Friends, I can’t wait until the effects of “Project No” start to kick in.

Sebastian is not spotting celebrities. He’s watching the leaves sway in the wind. It’s a lot more riveting than celebrity-spotting, see.

Claire over at Loobylu started it: take the “six unimportant things about me” meme and add celebrities. Truth is, I’m not much of a celebrity spotter — all the sightings below are the result of other people pointing out the celebrities to me. Seriously.

My sister and I were hanging out downtown, taking in a few used bookstores, when she happened to spot Roger Ebert on the sidewalk in front of us. We walked over, got autographs, and my sister had the presence of mind to ask him how he was enjoying the film festival. He said something like, “it’s always good.” I don’t think I realized who we were talking to until after we walked away.

Walking out of the Buddha Bar in New York, having just had dinner with the mister and some of his work colleagues, we spotted Beyoncé Knowles walking out right in front of us. Or, I should say, one of the mister’s colleagues spotted Beyoncé Knowles. I didn’t fix my eyes on her until we were outside and she stepped into her massive Hummer limo. In fact, it was such a quick glance that I couldn’t tell you what she was wearing.

I almost got run over by Jeanne Becker crossing Yonge Street at King. A few months later, she bumped into me (literally — with her shopping cart) at an overpriced grocery store in our old neighbourhood. I was already mad at her over the Yonge Street incident, so when she didn’t apologize for the shopping cart incident, I was supremely incensed and vowed never to watch Fashion Television again (even the reruns!). If you don’t know who Jeanne Becker is, you’re probably not Canadian, in which case you can just move on to the next sighting because she’s not worth Googling.

Standing in line waiting to get into a movie at the film festival a few years ago, Olympia Dukakis grazed my arm as she tried to get by me on a crowded sidewalk. She graciously stopped, turned around, touched my arm, and apologized. Jeanne Becker could learn a thing or two.

Other uneventful film festival celebrity sightings: George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., Robin Williams, Jeff Goldblum. George had his tabloid smile on, Robert looked tired, Robin was in a mad rush, Jeff was tall, really tall.

And two more local celebrities to round out the list: Rex Murphy said “hi” to me while crossing Front Street, and Ben Mulroney checked out in front of me at the grocery store. Rex is short and professorial, Brian is tall and really should have washed the make-up off his face (after what I assumed was a taping of eTalk Daily) before exposing himself to the unforgiving fluorescents at the grocery store. Yeouch.

And that’s it, how totally lacking in “wow”. I could tell you about the time the mister chatted with Larry Flynt outside an LA restaurant, or the time he ate dinner a table over from Angelina Jolie, but those aren’t my stories, so I won’t. Instead, I’ll let you regale me with six unimportant things about you involving celebrities! Remember, Claire tagged everyone, and that includes you!