The Next Step

I have been in Portland attending a library conference and have A LOT to post on that. I also have an article to write on the Conference of Newer Law Librarians. Before all that though, I’ve accepted a law library position with a firm in Sacramento, CA. and will be headed out of Las Vegas within a week or two. I’m anxious and excited to get my career moving and to begin work in a dynamic environment.

While the moving around bit is something I have been doing for a while- Las Vegas to Syracuse, Syracuse to Seattle, Seattle to Syracuse, Syracuse to Las Vegas, and now to Sacramento- it is not something I am used to. The big reason for this is the separation anxiety in being apart from my girlfriend and best friend, Cristina. She is wrapping up undergraduate school in December and has been at UNLV while I’ve been surfing the country in search of place in the library universe.

Going around so many airports has reminded me of when I worked at the airport and planned on seeing Cristina off for her winter trip to Pittsburgh, PA- this was before we started dating too. At the time I was really into J.D. Salinger and had just read Nine Stories and thought it was the cat’s meow. My plan was to meet her before her flight, lend her my copy, have her read it, and conclude that Philippe is one cool literature-savvy guy. So I’m on the escalator with her and I pull out my copy, as if I hadn’t planned it and just happened to have the book on me. Then she reaches into her bag and lo and behold she already has a copy! That absolutely destroyed me (in a great way). I tucked my book away and was speechless. Fast forward, we have been dating for over three and a half years and pretty much hang out all the time. So moving away is quite an ordeal each time.

However, I think that this move will be last big-time separation for us. Up to this point our placements have been temporary: internships and conferences here and schooling there. Looking at the situation wholly makes me realize that the tragic and temporary is wearing off.

Here we are during Halloween 07, guess who we are! (Hint: kinda sounds like my initials P.A.C.)