From my friend Shay's blog (which is here):
I was recently asked the question: Name three celebrities (alive) who you would like to meet and three celebrities (deceased) that you would have liked to meet and the reasons why for each one.
First the alive group:
Shay and I agree on Vincent D'Onofrio, at any rate. The man is brilliantly talented, and also the cause of much useless speculation which keeps me entertained between meetings (and sometimes during them).
The ladies over at RBEB would think that Robert Beltran ought to be on my list - which he would be if only so I could ask him why on earth, with his talent, he appears on-screen so little. If I could actually act I would be flaunting that talent to everyone who held still long enough. (And now aren't you all glad that I can't?)
And then, er, how about James Billington? Okay, so he isn't a celebrity outside of my little world. But I mean, come on, the Librarian of Congress! I need to meet him and then hold him hostage until he agrees to name me as his successor, or something. Or maybe just toss him out the nearest window and casually take over his job. Do you think anyone would notice?
And three dead celebrities:
Do presidents count? Because I've always wanted to meet Martin Van Buren. I know, trust me to choose a president no one has ever heard of for my favorite. But just look at his portraits. There was a man who was not afraid to stand out in a crowd.
Katharine Hepburn. I don't think I would have liked her much, but I admire her tenacity. And I want to thank her for playing the only non-frumpy, non-bun-wearing librarian in all of moviedom, in Desk Set. (Not to mention for her performance in The Lion In Winter, which is one of my all-time favorites.)
And let's see. A third one. Er... uh-oh. I think I'm stuck. How about Jane Austen? Or Charlotte Bronte? Or better yet, her sisters. Or Charles Dickens. Or...
Yup, it's official. I am such a library geek. Sigh.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hard Choices Ahead
We learned this morning that state funding for libraries will definitely be cut. We just don't know by how much yet. The legislature is cutting all state agencies by 2.5%, we think, and then the State Library has to figure out how to absorb those cuts.
With any luck we'll only have to close a branch or two, not cut staff. But we're going to have some challenges keeping new books on the shelves and the computers working without the full funding we get from the state.
Not to mention the little matter of my salary.
With any luck we'll only have to close a branch or two, not cut staff. But we're going to have some challenges keeping new books on the shelves and the computers working without the full funding we get from the state.
Not to mention the little matter of my salary.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Privilege Meme
I got the meme from my friend Cami over at Heidelbergerin. It was developed for a research project (and copyrighted) by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University (see their project’s website here). They ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright if you use this meme.
Bold the true statements.
1. Father went to college.
2. Father finished college.
3. Mother went to college.
4. Mother finished college.
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
(I'm not sure about this one - my mother was a professor in a junior college for a while.)
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home. (Despite my best efforts, no. Although if I had been allowed to I would have brought that many home from the public library.)
9. Were read children’s books by a parent. (Not to mention economics textbooks, classics, and whatever else was lying around. The reading-to-the-kid thing was more about what the adults were interested in than what I wanted to hear. Which is probably why I learned to read so fast.)
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18. (Art, horseback riding, oboe and clarinet, ballet...)
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively. (Well, like I do now, yes. If you can get past the stereotypes of librarians, that is.)
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.
16. Went to a private high school. (Not that it seemed much like a privilege at the time.)
17. Went to summer camp. (My parents had to do something with me while they were at Annual Training every summer!)
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels. (Sometimes. Most of them involved campgrounds, military guest housing, and staying with relatives, but anyway.)
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child. (I'm not sure if the needlework my mother did counts or not.)
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home.
25. You had your own room as a child.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18. (I still don't have a phone in my room, unless I bring the cell phone in there with me.)
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course.
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college.
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16. (I went to boarding school. How else was I supposed to get home?)
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.
So what's that, nineteen out of thirty-four? I guess I must be privileged. Something to keep in mind the next time I turn green when someone with a better car or a better job or a better bank account crosses my path.
Bold the true statements.
1. Father went to college.
2. Father finished college.
3. Mother went to college.
4. Mother finished college.
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
(I'm not sure about this one - my mother was a professor in a junior college for a while.)
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home. (Despite my best efforts, no. Although if I had been allowed to I would have brought that many home from the public library.)
9. Were read children’s books by a parent. (Not to mention economics textbooks, classics, and whatever else was lying around. The reading-to-the-kid thing was more about what the adults were interested in than what I wanted to hear. Which is probably why I learned to read so fast.)
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18. (Art, horseback riding, oboe and clarinet, ballet...)
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively. (Well, like I do now, yes. If you can get past the stereotypes of librarians, that is.)
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.
16. Went to a private high school. (Not that it seemed much like a privilege at the time.)
17. Went to summer camp. (My parents had to do something with me while they were at Annual Training every summer!)
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels. (Sometimes. Most of them involved campgrounds, military guest housing, and staying with relatives, but anyway.)
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child. (I'm not sure if the needlework my mother did counts or not.)
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home.
25. You had your own room as a child.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18. (I still don't have a phone in my room, unless I bring the cell phone in there with me.)
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course.
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college.
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16. (I went to boarding school. How else was I supposed to get home?)
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.
So what's that, nineteen out of thirty-four? I guess I must be privileged. Something to keep in mind the next time I turn green when someone with a better car or a better job or a better bank account crosses my path.
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