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Showing posts from April, 2008

exquisite

Flowering spring.

clang clang clang went the trolley* --thoughts on books

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* This picture is from: "Vanishing Georgia"


Thought Telegraph'slist of the Top 50 Cult Classic Reads was cool! (The actual article has blurbs about each book). I LOVED their def. of what "cult books" are--make sure you read that!

50 best cult books
The List: (** designates the books I've read) Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1969)
The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell (1957-60) A Rebours by JK Huysmans (1884) Baby and Child Care by Dr Benjamin Spock (1946)
The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf (1991)
**The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963)
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961) **The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger (1951)
The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield (1993) The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart (1971)
Chariots of the Gods: Was God An Astronaut? by Erich Von Däniken (1968)
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (1980)
Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1782) The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg (1824) Dianetics: the Modern Scien…

an enchanting day

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Today was a phenomenal day. One of those days when you feel at one with the entire universe. A day when you can smell spring after the wind sweeping sprinkles that have been dotting the horizon for the past couple of days. A smell that can only be described as "spring," or the "smell of green."

I finished my Graduation Mass reflection--which I am giving this weekend--this morning at around 4am. Today work with just coffee in my system and 3.5 hrs. of sleep was amazingly refreshing. I was energetic to say the least.
Spent time with my best friend L and her two daughters L (5.5 years) and A (3 years), while her hubby K fixed a broken water valve at the house. Something about giggling along with the kids to the funny jokes and silly songs in Enchanted is exactly the best way that I could have ended my day. (I have to say that Enchanted was one of my favorite movies of 2007! It makes fun of Disney "princess" movies in the light hearted and clever way that Shre…

the English language

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Language.

What is in a word?

I was thinking about language today when I was leaving Library X; having checked out two sets of Beginner/Intermediate Spanish CDs to improve my conversational Spanish.

This comes after listening to Lois Lowry's The Messengerand Gathering Blue. I love Lois Lowry! Her stories are full of such beautiful messages and so carefully chosen details and language. Thus making me think more about language.

So, I thought I would share the (English) words that we have taught our dog Toby. (Pictured below). I might start Spanish next.


Why? You ask. Why not?

Toby's known words:
Walk
Ride
“Go for a ___” (walk or ride goes well here.)
Leash
Treat
Pillow
Sit
Shake
Gimme your paw
No
Come here
Baby boy!
Meerkat (just kidding…that would be cool though)
Lay down
Go outside?
Go to bed?
“Get out of the kitchen!”
“What did you say to me!?!?!” (This is the command we trained Toby to attack on. Seriously. It is also the phrase that makes Chris freak out. Baby.) ;)
Get your ass in this house (this i…

busy bumblebee

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I am finally better.

Now I am preparing for the next two weeks which should be busy. This week I am finishing writing my reflction/speech for the Graduation Mass at my church. I am flailing, trying to come up with something to say. Send good brain waves my way.

Next week I head to the Spring Institute, my first conference. I am excited for the opportunity to learn new things from other, more experienced librarians, and also see the Librarians from Library Y (where I sub) and a former professor which I had, who is also a Children's Librarian. I am also looking forward to the time away. The Conference is on the west side of the state, in Grand Rapids, so Library X is putting us up in a hotel from Wednedsay-Friday.

Then when I get back Friday I have to go up into the thumb of the mitten to Algonac for a Bachelorette party (Friday) and Bridal Shower (Saturday).

I am sure after driving across the state and back, and then going out drinking Friday night at the Bachelorette Party, I will be …

comics aren't just for kids

After reading this interesting article today I began to think of how comics have affected our culture in recent years. In movies alone there has been a surge towards turning both comic books and graphic novels into movies.

Comics turned into movies:
Ironman
The Incredible Hulk
The Fantastic Four
Spiderman
Superman
X-Men
the old Batman movies
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Crow
Men in Black
Blade
League of Extrodinary Gentlemen

Graphic Novels turned Movies:
A History of Violence
Batman Returns
V for Vendetta
300
Road to Perdition
Sin City
Ghost World
From Hell

I beg pardon if I put anything in the wrong category.

What could the reason be that comic books/graphic novels are so popular these days?

Could it be that in this unsteady economy/falling housing market country we live in these days, we need a fantasy way out? Or do we really envy the heroes in their abilities to overthrow corruption since we can't seem to do it in our own lives? Or, do we really envy the antagonist, the villains because they get w…

socialized medicine, anyone?

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Thought I would focus today's blog on health care in the U.S.

Since I have miserably sick for the past 4 days and woke up today to find that instead of getting better I felt worse and had new funkier symptoms to my sinus-shut down, I bit the bullet and went to a nearby doctors office at 9am and set up a late morning appointment.
I hate going to the doctor. I don't hate going to the doctor for the same reason as many people, I hate going to the doctor because I don't have health insurance. Haven't in over 2 years.
After getting "fixed up" by this wonderful little Indian lady doctor, who told me that my throat is an "angry red" color I headed to Meijer (a Michigan superstore of sorts like Walmart--but less EVIL!!) to pick up my perscription per the doctors suggestion since Meijer offers low priced and some FREE prescriptions! That's right dear readers, I said free! Meijer, hoping to be able to compete with big chains like Walmart has now begun offe…

wearing of the green

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In celebration of Earth Day, some simple tips on living green:
Change your light bulbs to Compact Fluorescent Lighting (CFL): According to the Energy Protection Agency, U.S. Dept. of Energy, "If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars." Eat Green: Try to check and see that the food you consume has been sustainably grown and harvested. Eat local when you can. Eating local means your food doesn't travel as far to get to you, thus ensuring less gas emissions!Next time you buy a car, make sure it's as fuel efficient as possible. If a new car isn't in the future, try and car pool, bike or walk more often.Buy natural and/or recycled products.Other interesting "green" things I came across:
How to Green your Sex Life
Z…

Einstein Bros.

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We have these two brothers who come to Library X for all of our programs and to get books every week, accompanied by their really nice parents. What is amazing about these kids is how damn smart they are. Albert (name changed) is 7 and in 2nd grade and Neal (name changed) just turned 5 on Saturday. What is so amazing about these smart kids, is that they aren't just smart, they are Jeopardy-high-school-champions-in the-making-smart; so smart that they say-things-and-make-you-feel-stupid-kinda-smart.

Anyway, we had our Star Lab this weekend--which of course the Einstein Bros. came to. Star Lab is a portable planetarium made of a huge, inflated bubble which enables the presenter to show the stars and consellations on the inside of the rounded dome. It was a very cool way to look at the night sky. The guide pointed out stars and consellations as they would appear in the night Spring sky. Then once we had a feel for the location of the consellations she showed us how the consellations w…

an unfortunate series of events

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The past few days have been so stressful.
My car battery keeps dying and my mechanic bro A3 is baffled, especially as this has been a recurring--though rarely--thing that happens and we try something new each time to fix it and somehow never do. Work on Wedsnesday was a little stressful. I had some things I had to get done and then I kept getting interrupted. (I think my favorite part of that work day was when this woman, who had to come to pray in the Chapel, came out of the Chapel singing at the top of her lungs. It was special.)Then I broke a glass the other night and while cleaning it up got some broken glass in my hand. I didn't realize when I pulled the glass out that a piece or two broke off and stayed in my finger. I got another piece out yesterday morning, but have been unable to get the other piece out. So piece no.2, who I've decided to call William, is camping out in my finger like hippies at Woodstock. And as I have no insurance I have been trying to "deal wit…

think happy thoughts.

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I am too tired to talk about the shitty day that I had. So thankful that I talked to Amos who cheered me up. To "keep my chin up," as Amos says, I have decided to put some fun picture up. The flowers that Married K gave me just 'cuz that's what best friends do sometimes.
The beautiful rose! Thanks Married K.
I am always amazed with how beautiful and colorful food can look. I wish I had a better camera to capture those lovely, red radishes!
My tasty homemade guacamole complete with green onions and tomatoes. I served this with my homemade sweet potato-black bean burritos for Mexican night when College K and Uncle J came over.
My homemade salsa for Mexican night. So good!The dessert for Mexican night.The yellow rose from Married K. It was such a beautiful splash of color and so fragrant!

Happy National Library Week!

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This week, April 13th-April 19th, libraries all across the U.S. will be celebrating...um...ourselves.

Yesterday at our library we celebrated by giving out "Library love," (a.k.a. bribes to our patrons/mileage voters) in the form of cake. I decided to do some digging and find out ways that people can take part in the fun.

Here is what I found:
The A.L.A. suggested handing out posters/bookmarks/digital art to your patrons to remind them that they love the library.The Librarian at the "Librarian's Guide to Etiquette Blog" suggested, "It's National Library Week. Celebrate by taking a snort from the flask you keep in your fanny pack."This Library lets you make book marks with your own picture. Then I decided to come up with my own fun things to do to celebrate National Library Week. This is what I think we should do:Dress up like a character from your favorite book and only respond to questions while staying in character. I thought Don Quixote would be a …

wide awake and nostalgiac

It is almost 2am and I can't fall asleep. I am not sure why I am so WIDE AWAKE, but while I wait for sleep, I am thinking about nostalgia. In fact, I have been thinking about nostalgia a lot lately. I had mentioned that fact to Mummy Dearest a while back and she said that I should blog about it, so Mummy, this is for you.

Dictionary.com defines nostalgia as: a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.

I am not entirely sure what has sparked this recent need to delve into thoughts of my former life; maybe it's Dad being gone and me missing him, who knows? But I'm there. Stuck in the middle of it.

Embracing my nostalgic-ed-ness as of late has meant delving into the familiar and strange in a variety of ways:
Roomie M and I decided to watch Little House on the Prarie from Season I on. We are almost done with…

no longer receiving mail from the Pony Express

Roomie M and I finally joined the new millenium and got internet at home. I am sitting in the living room watching Little House on the Prarie reruns and typing.

It is Sunday night and I find my case of allergies...and the grumpies...over. As always, that miserable feeling that comes with sickness has passed and it is like I was never even sick. I feel like the weeks have been flying by, probably due to the fact that I have had a lot of planning to do for Summer Reading 2008; since my boss, and another co-worker and I had agreed to have some of the Bibliographic aspects and handouts for the kids done by this coming Friday.

Time might also be flying by because I have been working at least one twelve hour shift a week for the past month, and also subbing extra hours on top of that at Library Y. This week is no different. Tomorrow I have a 9 hour shift at Library X (Toddler Storytime, followed by 6 hours of Reference) and then I am off to meet up with a few of the other librarians of Librar…

on allergies and work

Nearing the end of the week and I am finally starting to feel better. I haven’t been sick, but rather my spring/summer allergies have descended upon me to annoy the shit out of me. It doesn’t bother me that I have allergies…it pisses me off that I only have allergies in Michigan. When I lived in Massachusettes at the farm my allergies dissapeared, leaving me to believe that my allergies do not in fact stem from ragweed, pollen, pet dander, or the like; but rather stem from my contempt for the state of Michigan...and it's state bird!

Not feeling good makes me feel all homesick too. So, I felt homesick for the farm and wished that I was sitting on the couch at Avalon (hope you don't mind that I fantasize about being sick at your house Mummy), sipping hot tea, wrapped in a warm blanket with the sun pouring onto me through the windows looking out at Main House.

And what sucks too about being sick is not having health insurance. Since I can't afford a doctors visit and a perscrip…

seal of approval

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Yesterday at work my friend Pam was asking Rakhi Raccoon and I what all she needed as far as "paperwork" so that she could begin getting processed. (Pam just recently took a position as an intern). After assuring her that she needs everything short of a pee sample we decided we should help Pam with her "documentation," to prove she does in fact exist. This is what we can up with:

I ___Monster Librarian___ (fill in the blank), do certify that here stands Pam.

She was born.

She’s almost twenty.

Her birthday is in November.

She loves pretty things, the vocal sounds of the Backstreet Boys and sparkly, rainbow unicorns.

Dated the Eighth day of April in the Lord’s Year Two-Thousand Eight.


Here is the Official Seal of Approval
If anyone else needs help with their "papers" just let me know.

politics in the media

A friend sent me the links to these songs inspired by the '08 candidates. I got a laugh out of the first two videos. And they furthered my belief that there are other weirdos out there...besides me.

Here comes McCain again

It's Raining McCain

I want Barrack

going incognito

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Today besides my usual Babies storytime, I also read to two groups of 3-4 year olds at a nearby pre-school. The first storytime group in the morning was very receptive. Our theme was underwater life so I brought in Eric Carle's Mister Seahorse, which is cool because it has clear plastic sheets that cover up some of the fish, sea life, etc., and which the kids love because they try and guess what's behind it, etc. I also brought along a pop-up book about sea creatures, which I had "Wally the Whale" (a puppet) help us read--he turned the pages while I read the story, etc., except Wally liked to try and eat the pages. (The kids loved this).

It was fun and another "I love my job moment," that is until one little girl started acting like a cat and "meowing" at me, and then decided to lick my pant legs...umm?

On my lunch break I went to the local, WONDERFUL deli and was eating my sandwich and reading Pride & Prejudice when a woman came up to me with h…

E True Hollywood Stories: A Day in the Life of a Librarian

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Real things that I heard/happened in the library this week:
" Jesus loved to read," A Mom to her child in the Children's Department. Hmm...which Gospel was that mentioned in...The Book of Dewey Decimalicus...?We have a box out for patrons to throw their "gently used" books, DVD's, etc. in. In turn we sell these items at our tri-annual Friends Used Book Sales and the money comes back to the library, etc. Someone donated a book about health. Nice...Then the Circulation staff noticed that major portions of the book were highlighted...especially the parts of the book concerning bowel problems, with notes-to-self added with comments that should stay "notes-to-self.""Madame Librarian," a retired librarian-turned-senile-patron came through the library. I learned that she likes to take children's books and re-label them. While reading Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballstonight to my bedtime story group, one of the little boys whispered to his M…

sneaky and clever like a mink

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The title was inspired by one of my all-time favorite SNL skits.

Ha ha ha...I also found this SNL video. For you Barack Obama fans!

I love that Google tries to trick people every year on April 1st-April Fool's Day! They got me last year....though, I can't remember what the trick was. They didn't catch me this year, however. I loved what they came up with so I thought I would share it here!

Gmail Custom Time
Introducing Gmail Custom TimeTM

Be on time. Every time.*

How do I use it?
Just click "Set custom time" from the Compose view. Any email you send to the past appears in the proper chronological order in your recipient's inbox. You can opt for it to show up read or unread by selecting the appropriate option.

Is there a limit to how far back I can send email?
Yes. You'll only be able to send email back until April 1, 2004, the day we launched Gmail. If we were to let you send an email from Gmail before Gmail existed, well, that would be like hanging out with your …
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