Hey Friends!

It’s a Happy New Year kinda week! I hope everyone is enjoying this past limbo of a week or two. You know what I mean – that pocket universe/alternate reality/purgatory of a week where most of us lived off candy waited until January 1st to start our New Years resolutions. I know I’m not alone in this thinking, right?

The internet knows what’s up.

Why did I wait until 10 days into the new year? Let’s just say my limbo week lasted a little longer than I expected. I’ve had several staff off due to various reasons, I worked most of the Saturdays in December, classes haven’t started back up for me…and I basically forgot what the sun looked like for a moment. But it’s all good!

Did I plan on having some resolutions this year? Well, I think I’m still doing well from last year’s resolutions. Fitness is still on the agenda, though my injuries from my car accident have made it more difficult. Still working on the eating right and exercising parts when I can.  Gonna keep trying to get that superhero body!

Thor looks how I feel after a workout.

Last year, I worked to improve my entire self. People have told me that I’m too humble, that I don’t take enough credit, that I push myself too hard, that I shouldn’t settle – you get the idea. There was a time in undergrad when I was way more arrogant, cocky, etc and people suggested that I might have over-corrected and swung too far back in the opposite direction. I’m inclined to agree with them on certain things, but I worked to put a little more “Brash” back into Brash Librarian this 2018.

If turning your desk into a New Years disco space ship isn’t brash, then I’m not sure what is.

I’d also like to finish my MBA, do more in the library community, maybe even join a round table or present at TLA this year! Basically, I’d like to be Captain Picard. If you’ve never seen Star Trek, Patrick Stewart’s iconic character was unflappable but emotional, strong but gentle, accepting of all lifeforms but ready to call some aliens out on their nonsense, and ready to defend freedom at the cost of his own life. Basically, the most rad boss of all time with many great pearls of wisdom.

No lie, I’ve told this to my staff before when they’ve made a mistake.

As my mom always says to me when I talk about all the people I’m helping and the stress work and school can take on me: “That’s great, but have you been good to Justin?”

Yeah, Mom. I’ve been okay to me! I tried to be a little better to myself this year and will make this a year to be comfortable with myself. Even if I don’t get to 6 pack abs status, I’ll eat another spoonful of peanut butter and laugh about it. Many friends and family members have adopted the mantra “Do no harm, but take no crap” – I can’t say I’ll adopt it exactly, but it’s hard to not think of it as Picard-ish.

I’ll continue to be good to me in 2019. Eat the thing you’ve never eaten before! Go to the place you’ve never been! Read the book you’ve been meaning to read! Use that moisturizer! Eat that cookie dough without self judgment! Use that mint face wash you rarely use! Launch nuclear missiles over the planet and exterminate humanity!

Wait, wait…that last one was The Terminator. Sorry, got carried away!

That’s all for this week, I hope everyone is having an okay start to the New Year. Follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram if you want to live your best 2019!

Justin Brasher, Brash Librarian