Happy New Year everyone!!!! January’s installment of 7 Questions With… AAAL Members features Alison Foster, Instructional Design Librarian MacEwan University.

1. When was the last time you were nervous? I’m teaching a lot this month and I get a little nervous before each session. However, I’m a big fan of channeling that energy and making it a tool in my teaching, it keeps me on my toes and enthusiastic!

2. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? How to properly swim-I have the basics down and really want to build my swimming skills. For example, how to take the breath breaks when swimming lanes.

3. Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad, but it turned out to be for the best? I moved from Ontario to Alberta last year and was really nervous about leaving behind my family and friends. However, I’ve connected with amazing library people across Alberta and have had a lot of opportunities to grow in my practice and service, both within MacEwan University and in the Edmonton community.

4. What is your best piece of life advice? Try new things but don’t be afraid to fail. Anxiety about failing has often held be back from trying new things and taking the next steps with an idea, but recognizing that failing at something can be just as educational as succeeding has been liberating (and something that I have to tell myself every day!).

5. What is your favourite thing to binge watch? Oddball shows like “Rick and Morty” and the new “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.”

6. What do you eat for breakfast? My two go-tos are: Spinach and feta scrambled eggs or banana-nut oatmeal. Figuring out that I could batch-cook oatmeal in the slow cooker was a game changer.

7. What do you do when you’re not working? I love to volunteer with the community, especially with the public library and with local events/organizations. I’m also a recent Edmonton Folk Fest convert, so I will be out and about in Edmonton’s parks this Summer!