Woo woo!

Yay Colts! What a great game! Sorry to all the Bears fans out there.

A nomination

I nominate today (Tuesday, January 23) as one of the top 25 worst Tuesdays ever. Can I get a second? Or a witness, or whatever it takes?

It's been frustrating for me because of several things, most of which I won't go into to protect the innocent, but one of the worst things has been the klutz factor. I don't know what it is. I've been dropping everything, knocking things over, bumping into things, and everything in between.

I wish I had some good stories from the library but mostly it's been pretty normal. However, I did draw a pretty awesome picture of the Cheshire Cat. I think I am about 3% Cheshire Cat. Something about him really appeals to me on several levels.

What Sassy is made of:

• 75% Water


• 12% Useless knowledge (like channel 27 used to be Nickelodeon...that's taking up space that could be used for some more useful information)


• 7% Bubbles and frou-frou


• 3% Cheshire cat (or Eeyore, depending on the day)


• 2% Sweet potato


• 1% _____________________ (I haven't figured this part out yet)

You wouldn't believe how many times I had to use the computer's calculator to figure that out.

I got glasses!

Well finally, after a lot of hemming and hawing I got my eyes checked. They're not terrible, the glasses are more for reading and computer work but I'm finding I'm doing less squinting. I think they are very librarian-ish and cute! :) Please pardon the goofy expression, I just couldn't resist.

First excellent conversation of 2007

A 6 or 7-year-old boy walks up to the desk with his mom and mom's friend.

Him: Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

Me: Hi!

Him: Guess what!

Me: What?!

Him: [slightly shocked with a hint of sad] I lost my superpowers.

Me: Oh no! Where did you lose them?

Him: Well, I dropped them under my bed and I can't reach them. You have to be big to get your superpowers back!

Me: Oh, don't worry, you'll find them. [whispering] I did.

Him: ...But I have Spider-man shoes on!

You just can't beat that logic.

First post of 2007

I wrote an email to myself yesterday regarding what I wanted to post today. Lots of updates, lots of stuff going on, lots of fun exchanges with children...I might have to break this up into a few posts.

First off, my furry smelly boys. Monkey is doing much better. He had a bad urinary tract infection and had to be taken to the emergency vet. He was put on antibiotics. I tried to wrap him up in a towel to make a little Monkey burrito and force it down his throat but it's amazing how a 14-pound quadraped can outmanuever and eventually win in a battle with a 26-year-old 100-some-odd pound woman. So I had to crush up the pills and put them on some wet food. All in all, he's doing 100% better and back to his old rascally self.

Sammy has issues too. He has chin acne. Yes, that's what I said. He has zits on his little kitty chin. When I took him into the vet just to make sure it was okay, the vet said that his hair follicles are infected so he has to be put on antibiotics. And guess what! It's that bubble gum amoxycillin that we all used to take! How weird! He doesn't resist as much when I wrap him up in a little Sammy burrito and force the pink liquid down his throat. In fact, he purrs rather loudly. Ha! Once the infection clears up, I'm supposed to rub this gel into his chin to help clear up the acne. Oh yeah, and it runs the risk of bleaching everything I own if I don't rub it in well. *insert sarcastic "awesome" here* He's doing okay overall though. I think he's kind of mad though because the acne won't clear up in time for the big dance. ...ha!

Let's see...what else. Oh, I've discovered my own rating for books. I noticed recently that if I feel the overwhelming need to hug a book as soon as I finish it, it is a lifelong love for me. This goes for all types of books: picture books, children's chapter books, teen fiction and adult fiction. I'm working on my so-far list of all-time favorite books including those with huggability. I'll post that someday.

And finally: my new year's resolution. I am going to try to actually write thank you cards. To all of you who read this to whom I owe a thank you card, please know I truly am thankful for all that is given to me, I'm just...well...bad at that. I'm gonna keep tryin!

My new favorite reference question

A 9 or 10-year-old girl approaches the desk and asks,

"Do you have any books on how to be a rock star?"

It felt like I was looking in a mirror...a time traveling one...or something.

A highly recommended book

There is a new graphic novel (basically a comic book with a few differences) out that I highly, highly recommend. Even if you are not an avid graphic novel reader, I believe most people will find this book informative and very interesting. Here is the information:

"The 9/11 Report: A graphic adaptation"
by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon
Based on the Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States with a foreword by the Chair and Vice Chair of the 9/11 Commission, Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton.
ISBN 0-8090-5738-7

The book presents the information from the 9/11 Report in an easy-to-follow format allowing the average layperson to understand the events of that life-altering day, as well as what led up to it.

It's been too long

I'm terribly sorry for not posting much recently. It's been crazy and I've been...kinda lazy too. When you have ten million things going on at once, how do you know where to start? Let's do some bullets, shall we?

• First off, the boys. The Saminator and Monkey-face are doing just fine. I had to take Monkey to the vet emergency room immediately after I got back from visiting my sis/bro-in-law/nieces. He's doing fine now. He had a urinary tract infection which if left alone, can be fatal. But then again there is no way it would have been left alone because he peed on my bed. Yeah, I'm serious. There was an hour or so during his treatment (pills) when I considered giving him an eviction notice I got over it. Now he's just not allowed in my bedroom. Plus I just can't get over how cute he is. For instance, whenever I'm laying on the couch he cuddles in right next to me and falls asleep. If I move or decide to get up, he lets out this little croak/meow that is so adorable it's practically unbearable. Of course it's his frustrated, how-dare-you meow, but still, super cute!
• Work has been plugging right along. It's very slow in the library right now but the planning process has gotten more and more intense. It's not even January and we are deep in the throes of planning for Summer 2007! There's lots to be done so it's good we're starting this early. I feel like after going through it once, I have a much better idea of what to expect and how to plan for my part of the whole deal. It should be crazy but lots of fun!
• I'm getting pretty psyched up for Christmas! Even though it can be a stressful holiday, I nevertheless always look forward to seeing family. Plus this year we get to welcome a new member! And who doesn't love buying gifts for little kids?

Well I guess I didn't have quite as much to say as I had originally thought. Oh well. One of these doggone days I'll get around to buying a digital camera so I'll be able to post some pics of the boys, family, and other fun things.

Proud Aunt and Cousin

I am so blessed. I could not be happier to be part of such a wonderful and growing family! My sister and brother-in-law had a brand new baby, Elaine (Lainey) Lee, and my cousin and cousin-in-law(?) also had a brand new baby, only two days later, Isaiah Ollie! It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks but incredibly exciting! I haven't had the chance to meet Isaiah yet but I have been lucky enough to spend some good quality time with Lainey and I have to report, she is absolutely perfect! Yay for babies!!

EXCELLENT NEWS!!!

I have a new baby neice!! Elaine (Lainey) entered our world at 3:50pm today at a staggering 8 lbs 5 oz. I don't have any pics yet but when I do, I will post them immediately! The family is doing very well and I hope to meet Lainey soon...maybe tomorrow.

YAY!!!

Recommended audio book

I am just about to finish the audio version of M.T. Anderson's Feed. It is phenomenal and a wonderful version of a wonderful, disturbing and incredibly well-written book.

The first stage of reflection

We're nearing the end of the year. Some of you may be thinking, "what?! Is she crazy? It's barely Thanksgiving!" But the way time has been moving for me, the next thing I know we will be wildly ushering in the year 2007. I always like to think back on a few things I've learned the past year. I'm sure there will be more of this, but I wanted to write these before I forgot.

• I learned the hard way not to go grocery shopping when you're hungry.
• If it doesn't look good to you in the store (be it produce, clothing, or a halloween costume for your cat), do not purchase it and bring it home. I guarantee you will not see it again until many months in the future. If this is the case with food, gross. Believe me. Gross.
• Do NOT, under ANY circumstance shave your legs when you're angry. Really REALLY bad idea. (I imagine this is the same principle with shaving one's face but that is something that I don't know firsthand).
• When you're trying to pinch pennies and save in any place you can, don't worry about cat litter. Seriously. Splurge and get the really good stuff. You'll thank me later.
• Along the lines of saving money, be careful if you have a new child in your life. In my case, it's a niece (or two). Once you start buying them gifts, it's extremely addictive. Especially as a librarian whose niece loves books. How can I NOT get her books?
• There's no point stressing about the whole "so many books, so little time." It's undeniably true and both depressing and exhilarating at the same time. But it's completely futile to lose sleep over this. It's just a fact of life. I feel like it's extra hard since I'm so far behind on classics. I hated reading as a kid so...well...I didn't. Now I'm trying to make up for lost time.
• Dancing is the best thing and should be done all the time.

A short update

Well, things are moving along as usual. We had an excellent Halloween costume party for teens with some super creative costumes and lots of fun and games.

I can't taste or smell anything because I have the dreaded cold/flu that has been going around all of Boone County. I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Working in a library is almost equal to working in a daycare. Germs germs germs. Eventually my immune system will catch up. Here's hoping.

I had a dream last night that I sailed around the world on a boat. I know there were two other people on the boat, I just can't remember who. (Hopefully one of them was Johnny Depp). Anyway, during the dream we all drifted off to sleep and awoke to the realization that no one put down the anchor so we ended up somewhere north of Alaska. Where would that be? I have no idea. Does this new dream usurp the old one where I bike across the U.S.? Absolutely not. That is still in my head. I even have a new bike to prove it (don't tell anyone I haven't actually ridden it yet).

I had a disturbing conversation the other day. I found out an elementary school teacher told her students that Puerto Rico could've been the 52nd state. When she was asked, "what is the 51st state?" She replied, "I thought Alaska was the 51st state!" Sigh.

I don't think I have anything else at this point. I'm going to go back to my snot-induced coma and stare at people as they ask me questions.

Hallowiener!!

"The Hallo-Wiener" by Dav Pilkey.

Well Halloween is in full force here at the library. We're having parties galore and the "Itty Bitty Halloween Party" which was a program for children ages 2-5 was tonight. While it would have been a blast to be in with the kids, I had a lot of fun out at the desk just watching all the kids in their adorable costumes! Rabbits, pumpkins, cowboys, cowgirls, Batman, Spider-man, Shrek, witches, princesses, everything under the sun.

I also had another really "interesting" conversation with a little girl about the age of 9...maybe 10. She kind of attached herself to the desk I was at and talked my ear off. She told me that her dad was disappointed when he found out someone didn't drink beer because that meant he couldn't hang out with them. She also said her mom and dad had a "little bit of divorce" (as if it were a bad cold) but they got back together and spoke in "soft voices." Finally she talked about her mom getting stripped search on her way to Italy. I bet her mom and dad were REALLY happy she was talking to me. It was definitely an education, to say the least.

You just really never know in this building...

I love it!

Best conversation ever.

We had a small storytime that I was a part of this morning. It was all about dinosaurs, lots of fun! Before all the kids got here, I was just chatting with a few of them that were already seated. Here is what happened:

Me: What is everybody's favorite dinosaur?

Boy #1: T-Rex!

Boy #2: Stegosaurus!

Boy #3: My birthday is August 28!

Me: Oh yeah? I have a summer birthday too! Does anyone have a birthday this month? October?

Boy #4: [raises his hand] I do!

Me: Really? That's great!! When is it?

Boy #4: Batman.

Me: .....Great!

A revelation

I realized something the other day. I do not like picture books with animals dressed in people clothes. I just don't. There are a few exceptions. The "Frances" books by Russell Hoban. Somehow it works with a little...badger?...in pajamas. The "Old Tom" books by Leigh Hobbs. A cat wearing a cape and a mask? I don't think it gets any better. Kevin Henkes (the "Lilly" mouse character) can do it, as well as Ian Falconer with "Olivia" the Pig. It's not a reflection of the quality of the books, it's just a personal opinion. There are some books out there with animals dressed as people that just irritate me.

Sorry, kind of a boring post.

Overheard in the library

"I can balance a ... a ... a very heavy hamburger!"

"If you don't play Checkers with me I'll call you 'chicken' for the rest of kindergarten."

"Explore on two wheels."

That's a quote on a sticker I received from Adventure Cycling Association. Pretty cool, eh?

Recently I've been thinking a lot about biking. It all started with a dream I had in which I continued a journey started (and amazingly completed, I might add) by Ann Keefer, the aunt of an adorable boy named Larry. She walked 600 miles to raise money for the Lowe Syndrome Association. In my dream, I continued her journey in Indianapolis and ended in California. However, I was not on foot, I was on a bike. The dream was so vivid I have not yet forgotten it, nor the inspiration it caused after I woke up. I don't know whether or not I will be able to actually reach my goal of a cross-country charity bike trip but the idea of it has opened up a possibility that has changed my mindset. The logistics of it are so immense, I'm not even sure where to begin but nevertheless, I have.

I am working on fixing up my bike, I'm starting to get in shape, I'm doing crazy amounts of research and reading, and setting little goals. For instance, my first goal is to be able to carry my bike down my apartment stairs. Baby steps, right? :)

I'm remembering how much I love biking. When I was a kid, my bike was one of my best friends. I remember clumsily learning how to ride a bike with my dad's help in the backyard. I remember the first banana-boat bike, which I cruised around on, sharing the seat with my best friends. My first ten-speed was a momentous occasion. When I saw the bike in a garage sale, my parents very lovingly purchased it, along with a helmet. Each day I would look forward to hopping on my bike and rolling around the streets, never knowing what I would see or who I would run into. There's nothing like it. The wind in your ears, no limit to where you can go, it was exhilarating. When I was in college, I got a fantastic mountain bike hand-me-down from a roommate. With a splurge of a brand new set of tires, an old portable CD player, and a few excellent mixes, I shortly became in the best shape of my life. So what's the appeal now? The open road. Independence. The ability to "explore on two wheels." I want it and crave it like never before.

I picked up a book today which has a quote I was struck by. The title of the book is "How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle : Reflections of an influential 19th Century Woman." by Frances E. Willard. Frances was an extremely important woman in late 19th century. She was extremely vocal and quintessential to the woman's suffrage movement and believed that bicycle riding was something women could learn and enjoy as much as men. She first hopped on when she was 53, visiting a friend in England. This quote is what she believed a bicycle would actually say to its rider:

"There has been but little authentic talking done by four-footed animals; but that is no reason why the two-wheeled should not speak its mind, and the first utterance I have to chronicle in the softly flowing vocables of my bicycle is to the following purport. I heard it as we trundled off down the Priory incline at the suburban home of Lady Henry Somerset in Reigate, England, where I was staying.

"It said: 'Behold, I do not fail you; I am not a skittish beastie, but a softer, well-conducted roadster. I did not ask you to mount or drive, but since you have done so you must now learn the laws of balance and exploitation. I did not invent these laws, but I have been built to conform to them, and you must suit yourself to the unchanging regulations of gravity, general and specific, as illustrated in me. Strange as the paradox may seem, you will do this best by not trying to do it at all. You must make up what you are pleased to call your mind--make it up speedily, or you will be cast in yonder mud puddle, and no blame to me and no thanks to yourself.

"Two things must occupy your thinking powers to the exclusion of every other thing: First, the goal; and, second, the momentum requisite to reach it. Do not look down like an imbecile up on the steering wheel in front of you--that would be about as wise as for a nauseated voyager to keep his optical instruments fixed upon the rolling waves. It is the curse of life that nearly everyone looks down. But the microscope will never set you free; you must glue your eyes to the telescope forever and a day. Look up and off and on and out; get forehead and foot into line, the latter acting as a rhythmic spur in the flanks of your equilibriated equine; so shall you win, and that right speedily.

"'It was divinely said that the kingdom of God is within you. Some make a mysticism of this declaration, but it is hard common sense; for the lesson you will learn from me is this: every kingdom over which we reign must be first formed within us on what I as a bicycle look upon as the common parade ground of individual thought.'"

Two excellent stories

I have two very funny experiences from the library during the past week. These kids...I swear.

First, I was off in the stacks looking for a specific book the other day. I heard a child yelling from across the room. She wasn't yelling because she was mad or frustrated or wasn't getting her way. She was firing her family. "Grams, you're fired! Mom, you're fired! Dad, you're fired!" and so on. It was hilarious! I can't help but wonder where this kid picked it up from. The Apprentice? Talk at home? Elsewhere? She couldn't have been much over four years old.

Second, yesterday I had a program with kids age 11 and older. It was a lot of fun! There was a point in the program when one of the boys, 14 years old, stood up and here is what followed:

Boy: "Did you know that if a woman could lay all her eggs she would have 500 children?"

Me: [pause while I searched his face for some explanation of what the heck he was talking about] "Do you mean female chickens or birds or something like that?"

Boy: "No, I mean like ladies and stuff."

Me: [pause again. And again. Trying not to look amazed and terrified:] "Women don't lay eggs."

Boy: "You know what I mean, like inside their bodies and everything."

Me: [Change the subject! Change the subject! Change the subject!] "Well it's a bit more complicated then that but why don't you have a cookie and tell me about the project you're making!"

I mean...seriously??!? SERIOUSLY??!? There are no words.

Out of nowhere

Have you ever been so strongly hit by a memory that it almost knocks you over? The kind where every detail is so vivid you can practically smell all the little smells and hear every subtle nuance of a person's voice? A memory that may have happened 15 years ago but could have just as easily happened 15 minutes ago?

This has been happening to me a lot lately. I couldn't say why, but as usual I have several theories. It's so strange to me because the acuteness of the details is so striking it evokes both a wonderful and an awful feeling at the same time. It's like that itch you get that you just can't scratch. You know, the ones where you can feel a little quiver on your arm and you go to scratch, only to find the spot is just a half an inch away from there. So you move, then it moves, and so on. Very unfulfilling.

I don't have much else to say on the topic, I just thought I'd throw some musings out to the universe...