Tuesday, October 06, 2015

Still Growing Up



I'm a big fan of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Ever since they put out Same Love, I listen closely to what they produce and say in their music. Their recent single 
Growing Up has me emotional and grateful for another beautiful piece they have co-created. Growing Up is a letter to Macklemore's daughter Sloane, that he wrote a month before she was born. It's a reflective and emotional ode to parenthood, childhood and the path in between.


I've been thinking a lot about the culture of Govs and the boarding school community in general, and how easy it is to get caught up in the ups and downs of our shared experiences (like what we all went through last week). And although we may go through them together, independently, or on very separate terms, in the end, we come together as a community - somehow. So, if you are harboring some pain or ill feeling towards elders, authorities, parents or peers, listen to this song and know that we are all groping our way through the dark spots of life. The truth is, we're ALL still growing up and have miles to go before we sleep.



Here are a few of my favorite parts:

They say boys don't cry
But your dad has shed a lot of tears
They say I should be a strong man
But baby, I'm still filled with fear
Sometimes I don't know who I am
Sometimes I question why I'm here

Get back to community that raised you up
Read Langston Hughes, I suggest A Raisin in the Sun
Listen to Sam Cooke, a change gon' come
You put the work in, don't worry about the praise, my love
Don't try to change the world, find something that you love
And do it every day
Do that for the rest of your life
And eventually, the world will change

I'm still growing up

I recommend that you read The Alchemist
Listen to your teachers, but cheat in calculus
Tell the truth, regardless of the consequence


Don't wake your mom up,do yoga, learn 'bout karma
Find God, but leave the dogma
The quickest way to happiness is learning to be selfless
Ask more questions, talk about yourself less
Study David Bowie, James Baldwin and 2Pac
Watch the sun set with best friends from a rooftop
Wear a helmet, don't be stupid,jaywalk, but look before you do it
If it snows, go outside, build a jump, get some help
Get a sled, thrash the hill with your friends, 'til it melts
Go to festivals, camp, fall in love and dance
You're only young once, my loved one, this is your chance
Take risks, 'cause life moves so fast
You're only young once, my loved one, this is your chance

Times are changing, I know, but who am I
If I'm the person you become
If I'm still growing up.

And if music is not the anecdote for you, perhaps a book that Macklemore suggested can offer a similar remedy. You can find the following in our stacks!


The Langston Hughes readerby Langston Hughes. [810.81 HUG] 


The alchemistby Coelho, Paulo.  [FIC COE] 


Another countryby BaldwinJames. [FIC BAL] 
Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust : off the record with the Beatles, Bowie, Elton & so much moreby Scott, Ken; Owsinski, Bobby. [620.209 SCO] 




Thursday, October 01, 2015

Awe Some!




This week in the library we have been polling students, faculty and staff about the "little things that make life awesome." You gave us some fantastic answers!

Here are some of my favorites:


  • CHOCOLATE (obviously!)


  • Throwing something from far away and it lands in the trash (So true - feels more like a slam dunk than a slam dunk!)

  • Jade & Aya  (no explanation needed)

  • Iced coffee on a Monday morning (start the week off with a bang, but PLEASE do not take into the library!)

  • Sleep-ins (even the thought of a sleep-in is dreamy)
  • The Library (Fist bump!)

  • Life on Mars (because hey, if things don't work out as planned in Byfield, we will have options)


  • Always having someone who cares (perhaps the biggest smallest thing)




Don't just be awesome yourself, but make someone else on campus feel awesome. It's Thursday, Hurricane Joaquin is going to hammer us with wind and rain for a few days and there is no kale salad in the dining hall, so take this as your call to awesomeness!

Better yet, awe someone with a new book. See what's red hot here!
New Books at Pesky


Monday, September 21, 2015

Back to School is Cool


The second week of school is upon us ladies and gentlemen, and like you, we are waking up way too early, trying to finish our summer reading and sharpening our #2 pencils. So what better time to remind you of the wonderful staff and resources in the Library to ease you along your academic way!






Library Hours 
Monday - Thursday: 7:15 am - 10:00 pm
Friday: 7:15 am - 7:00 pm
Saturday:  9:00 am - 12:00 noon
Sunday: 12:00 noon - 10:00 pm
Contact Us
Front desk: (978) 499-3136

 Academic Support @ The Learning Center

 Hours: - 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 
Friday - 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. 

*Ninth grade and sophomore boarders may request a note from a teacher or dorm parent to be excused from their dorms during evening study hours. 


We love seeing your sunny faces - again, and for the first time!

 




Thursday, May 21, 2015

So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh

"I've sung this song, but I'll sing it again,
Of the place that I lived since way back when,
It's the month of May, and you're going away,
So long, it's been good to know yuh
This dusty old dust is a-chokin my song,
And I got to be driftin' along.

So long, it's been good to know yuh."

These are the varied lyrics of the Woody Guthrie song that we sang when graduating from my alma mater, Buckingham and Browne and Nichols. I sometimes reminisce how singing these words made the whole affair light hearted and easier to say farewell to friends and teachers. Saying goodbye is never an easy thing and we have begun to bid some Govs seniors well, even though they mostly respond, "I'll be back! I'm not leaving right NOW!" But having lived a few decades more, we know that you might not be. We hope you will, but know you may not. And a great life lesson is knowing how to say goodbye, even though you think you cannot. I must confess, I am terrible at it. People generally think that I hang up on them whenever I am on the phone because I refuse to utter the 8 letters. Goodbye. 
I am comfortable with, "see ya", "ciao", and "Take care". I am learning though, and seeing you all walk in and out the library door this week has been like watching a sad film strip in slow motion. And when you do stop to chat I cannot help to quote Mother Theresa or Shakespeare or Rumi. I want to give you any last bit of reference help to life that I can, including any shortcuts I know to wisdom and happiness! Forgive me, I have watched you grow and I cannot help but wonder how you will continue to do so, outside of the Byfield biosphere, away from our nurturing eyes and ears. Just remember that if you get lost along the way, that time spent in the wilderness is not lost. That is when you find authenticity and beauty within your self.  I leave you with F. Scott Fitzgerald, for the efficacy of his words will always outdo my own...


So long, it really has been GOOD to know you!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Thank You Tech Connectors!

This week, I wanted to give a shout out to our awesome team of tech connectors! These students have been such a wonderful addition to the library and the school in general this year. We are so grateful to have you near us to avert a technological crisis! You can often find the tech connectors sitting behind the Mac at the end of the circulation desk, handling inquiries or more likely unlocking the secrets of the universe with their own developed software. This year the team has created a web site and blog that reviews apps, answers tech problems and highlights tips and tricks for students and faculty. You can see more at http://blogs.govsacademy.org/techteam/ or better yet, come in for a visit!
I can't tell you how many times one of the tech connectors has helped me out of a jam, so I wanted to give a sincere thank you to all.
This year's team was comprised of :

Chester, Wil, David, Tyler, Taha, Simon - 17
Tianyun, Nicolas - 16
Spencer - 15

We look forward to strengthening our bond with you in years to come!










Monday, May 11, 2015

Prom in the Library

Although prom might not be an association you make with your school library, we at the Pesky Library like to shake things up and always keep it real for the Govs' student body. And let's be real, Prom is this Sunday!! So what could we possibly be offering here that could totally enhance the prom experience, you might be wondering?  A professional makeup demonstration and offering by yours truly here. Jill of many eclectic trades I am, from teacher librarian to makeup artist to the stars. (I tell you, if anyone ever tells you you can't be whatever you want to be in life, send them my way, please.) This Sunday, May 17, from 11-1:30, I will offer a free makeup demonstration to complete your prom look for the evening festivities. I will select 2 guests to serve as my models and even if you are not one of the lucky two, I promise you will leave with enough tips and tricks to get you looking fab for pictures and beyond. Truth be told is that you are all such beautiful darlings of the universe and do not need an iota of paint on your face. It just so happens that this is a skill set I have and would love to share with you, and if it in any way makes you feel more glamorous for the event, then fantastic! Please email nmasterson@govsacademy.org if you plan on attending the session and we will begin promptly at 11:00. Hope to see your fresh faces!

In addition to offering glitz and glam in the library we also have a fun display of prom themed reads and films on the display tree in front of the circ desk.We have your prom topics covered - from romance to horror, the classics to the downright weird! (i.e. Girl Gives Birth to Own Prom Date)





Have a safe, fun prom and take care of each other!


Thursday, May 07, 2015

How Do You Bookface?

For those of you not familiar with the new, quirky and bookish art trend called bookfacing, check out the New York Times article on it here.

NYTimes Bookface


Bookface entails aligning parts of the body with the cover of  a book so that reality becomes art and art, reality. It is very fun and addictive once you get going and there is plenty of evidence on social media to prove it. Librarians and other fun, bibliophile folks are posting their creations using #bookface on Instagram. Check out theirs and check out ours!
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