Laura J. Smart
@ljsmart.bsky.social
Secret agent smartypants. Original infodiva. Metadata maven. Foul mouthed. Opinions mine all mine. #ldnont photo alt text Laura J. Smart wearing hot pink computer glasses in their office @ UWO. Bookshelf in background
Things always pile together like a magnet. In the past 48 hrs car taillight out, HVAC sputters, and - joy! - some wild critter has decided to create a big hole and build a home in my porch roof. A LOT of must-do-now appointments this week. Thankful for a flexible job. Sad @ vacation zen killers.
I am so damn tired of Windows remote desktop failing if Windows updates while I am out of the office. What tf is it good for? This happens every time there’s an update or a power outage while I am trying to work remotely. My IT group is unhelpful. It’s infuriating.
A day in Toronto, capped off with Rush @ Scotiabank arena. My friend GIFTED us the tix when I tried to pay her. I have been buying all the meals and transpo etc. because wow! Two tix are $$$. Off to the beach and maybe some shopping because London ON ain’t it unless you’re a prep.
My Twizzler stash held out and our revisions are submitted without me losing the long weekend. Adding everything the peer reviewers requested significantly bumped up our word count. Way over max. We decided we didn't GAF. If they want to cut it, let'em. We're at the stick a fork in it stage.
Listening to Maria Bamford autobio. Mentions living in my L.A. neighborhood. M. once met her @ Society of the Spectacle (best optometrists in the world). Got a card that said "I met Maria Bamford!" Turns out owners are her best friends. We'd see her @ our coffee shop too. Feeling a bit homesick.
Dentist today. I'm traumatized from botched work @ 12 yrs old. Anesthetic failed. X-ray read wrong. Mallet & chisel needed to break apart deep rooted teeth that turns out didn't need pulling. Ever since I need strong drugs to stop involuntary shaking & crying. God I love nitrous and Ativan.
The number of junky snacks I eat while editing research paper increases as deadline nears. Aug. 3 looms. Make that July 31. I want my long weekend. Want to take bets as to whether I pull it off? Or whether I put on weight? IDGAF. Twizzlers help the tedium.
A reminder that UC _faculty_ and Faculty Associations — not the universities themselves nor their administrators — are waging this battle in court, demonstrating great bravery and moral clarity.
White House admits it used keywords to kill billions worth of California research grants
Federal agencies that terminated more than a thousand research grants at the University of California last year admitted that they used keywords related to diversity, gender, vaccine hesitancy and COV...
apnews.com
Remember how we're mad as hell & not going to take it anymore so we're repatriating our Canadian union catalogue #metadata? SSHRC thinks it's worth $89,829 CAD over two years to pursue. FAFO. Elbows up. EDIDA baked in ftw. Kudos to our kind & fearless leader @brimwats.com & the amazing team.
*extremely* pleased I can finally announce that @murmz.bsky.social @julzbullard.bsky.social @ljsmart.bsky.social Stacy Allison-Cassin Tina Liu, Jennifer Browning, Yoo Young Lee and I (and 100+ other ppl in Canadian GLAMS) were awarded a grant that will explore rebuilding Canada's union catalogue 🎉
Province of Ontario, why TF did you only renew my drivers license for one year?!? It’s $90 bucks and the last one was for 5 years.
The smell of smoke in the air is making me homesick for L.A. (lived through many California fires where the skies went dark orange & the level of light was so low the streetlights came on). Also fuck Ford for cutting the wild fire response, fuck Carney for doubling down on oil pipelines.
I love it when my manager shares kudos about my work from others with me. Being "caught doing good" is such a morale booster as is being appreciated by many colleagues. After 5 years @ the University of Western Ontario Libraries my opinion that it's the best place I've ever worked remains
Today we have Sunfest, the best downtown fest IMHO. More music, less vendors selling the same kerchief dresses & leather jewelry. I love living in walking distance to our central park and all the summer weekend events. First gym & housework. Then all the fun. It’s a scorcher. Hat, h2o, sunscreen ftw
More from the backyard zoo. Not a fan of raccoons fwiw but it was cute and it was fun drinking a beer on the patio with K and watching him toss and turn in his sleep.
kphawthorne.bsky.social@kphawthorne.bsky.social · last mo.
Ah early summer. The only couple of weeks in the year where I am not wearing my late dad’s thick Scottish wool cardigan to stay warm in my office. currently 25C. I have the “cold” office - my next door neighbors are at 28C lol. Wearing tank tops, hair up ftw
I enjoyed that. Great game Team Canada. You’ve only just begun.
Sportsball! Go Canada 🇨🇦 Let’s see how far we can take this world cup run.
When I saw the news this made me weep. Active duty. Willing to be arrested. Brave and daring person. This is a gauntlet covered fist, metaphorically. May this give other uniformed soldiers inspiration to exercise the law and refuse illegal orders. www.newsweek.com/who-is-jason...
Who is Jason Watson? Air Force major arrested after protesting Trump
Major Jason Watson held a sign calling for President Donald Trump's impeachment on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
newsweek.com
My dad was a high school physics teacher. We had over 500 of his students, from decades of teaching, at the visitation when he died in a car accident in ‘94. To a person they mentioned his lively demos. Doppler was done by laying on the car horn in a school drive by. He’d LOVE this.
Luca@lucagalletti.bsky.social · 2mo agoHer name is Dr. Tatiana Erukhimova, PhD (Physics) and she loves to teach. 😃 people.tamu.edu/~etanya/
Mark Carney has great faith in two extractive and destructive sectors, fossil fuels and AI, which should call into question his own value(s) as a politician and leader.
ahhh first major heatwave of the summer. Expect forest fires to proliferate in the north, declining air quality, & a ban on backyard fires. Get them in while you can. We’ll burn on Canada Day & every evening this weekend.
Chipmunk holed up next to patio learned quickly K is a sucker & won’t stop providing peanuts & berries. He’s named it Bucky. Racoon sleeping in the Black Walnut tree, Cardinals diving in patterns, Jays being dicks, Fireflies, Bunnies, & Skunks. Small yard zoo. Pics forthcoming.
Not taking vendor’s word at face value is the key concept undergirding the paper we’re currently shepherding. Trust but verify!
Aaron Tay@aarontay.bsky.social · 2mo agoTip for librarians. Be wary when vendors happily tell you their "Secret sauce". If they truly have secret sauce they will be reluctant to tell you. Also be cautious about vendors who may do that to impress you "We use <powerful technique x>". Judge on results not claimed superiority based on theory!
Last week I did an interview with SFGATE about San Francisco's newest ghost sign and my on-going project to map them all. #ghostsigns www.sfgate.com/local/articl...
'Shocking, in a good way': Strange food ad from early 1900s is uncovered in SF
A San Francisco demolition reveals a remarkably intact "ghost sign."
sfgate.com
Every time I think I have a new good idea for the next research project I find that Heather Moulaison-Sandy has already done it 2-3 years ago. lol.
High pain day. Methocarbamol & heating pad to get out of bed (shout out to partner who got it for me & assisted with support pillows) I’d take a sick day with full dose which knocks me out & sleep to escape the pain but need to go to office for reasons. Predict white flag waving and early exit.
“ Wedding photo from SideBurn. Black fly welts and all. We were married in Cheeses name.
