Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Headlines
I never thought I would see the day that Chesterfield County was in the national news. And I really never thought it would be because of this.
Things I Learned Last Weekend
- Purple frosting is harder to make than you might think.
- You can't expect a bunch of kids to sit still for more than thirty seconds. Just leave the movie playing and accept the chaos.
- When putting sprinkles on five dozen cupcakes, put the cupcakes in the sink first. Sprinkles have amazing and mysterious aerodynamic properties that cause them to end up everywhere if not carefully contained. (See picture above for the results of sprinkles properly contained.)
- The color pink has a sneaking fascination for every girl everywhere.
- There is absolutely nothing that should not be in a librarian's job description. Give "pony rides" to shrieking little girls? Check. Simultaneously keep an eye on ten preteens with bottles of colored sand and ponder the question of what on earth makes Patrick Dempsey so popular? Check. Bake and frost five dozen cupcakes? Check.
- There is a princess for everyone. (We had a Mulan, a Belle, a Cinderella, a Sleeping Beauty, two Jasmines, a Tinkerbell (we'll leave aside the question of whether she is actually a princess), and three generic princesses in attendance on Saturday.)
- Everyone should have a tiara. (Mine is purple - thanks G!)
- If you're going to bake and frost five dozen cupcakes, you really ought to do it more than twelve hours before Passover begins. And not schedule a Princess Party between the baking and sunset.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
On being a historian
Well, the footnotes are done.
Now, if I can just get the historiography added to the introduction.
And do something about my tendency towards passive dating style in my citations. (Passive dating style. No kidding. I didn't even know there was such a thing, but if David Carr says my dating is passive, then it must be passive.)
And if The Historian actually accepts this for publication this time around, it might even be worth it.
Now, if I can just get the historiography added to the introduction.
And do something about my tendency towards passive dating style in my citations. (Passive dating style. No kidding. I didn't even know there was such a thing, but if David Carr says my dating is passive, then it must be passive.)
And if The Historian actually accepts this for publication this time around, it might even be worth it.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Celebrities
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.
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.
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.
Friday, December 28, 2007
General Malaise
So let me start by saying that, while I admire the dedication of a doctor who will spend three hours examining a new patient, I am not particularly enthused that, two days later, everything still hurts from all the poking and prodding. If, after all that, he can't figure out what the problem is, I am going to have to start screaming and throwing reference books at the patrons.
Most of whom deserve it anyway.
I spent my morning today doing e-rate forms. This is the easy set, and it was still a pain in the butt. Why the federal government has to create this much paperwork for something as simple as funding my library's telecommunications I will never understand. Wouldn't it be a much more efficient use of everybody's time (not to mention money and energy and expertise) if they made it simpler? Like, only two sets of forms for each library instead of so much paperwork that it takes two file folders to hold it all?
I am also miffed at the people who manage the server that hosts www.blueridgepackards.org for changing the file management software and not telling me. And not making it intuitive enough that I could barge right in and update our website without having to spend an hour figuring out the new program. And for making me have to rename every single image file on the site to comply with their new software's requirements. Nothing like making me waste inordinate amounts of time when all I wanted to do was post some new photos from the fall tour.
On the plus side, I suppose I should mention that the roofer the Carpenters recommended is going to be at the house today - yup, two whole hours after I called him - and might even manage to fix the leak in the next six months. I still can't get an electrician to come do the work the house needs, but seeing as I managed to wire in the new range hood myself yesterday I might just give up and learn how to ground outlets myself. Which probably violates sixteen different codes, or would if Pageland had that many. I refuse to figure out how to disconnect my own dishwasher and install the new one, though. Henry is just going to have to get someone out there and get the new dishwasher out of my living room. (And how bad a sign is it when you're on a first-name basis with your plumber and his entire crew?)
Most of whom deserve it anyway.
I spent my morning today doing e-rate forms. This is the easy set, and it was still a pain in the butt. Why the federal government has to create this much paperwork for something as simple as funding my library's telecommunications I will never understand. Wouldn't it be a much more efficient use of everybody's time (not to mention money and energy and expertise) if they made it simpler? Like, only two sets of forms for each library instead of so much paperwork that it takes two file folders to hold it all?
I am also miffed at the people who manage the server that hosts www.blueridgepackards.org for changing the file management software and not telling me. And not making it intuitive enough that I could barge right in and update our website without having to spend an hour figuring out the new program. And for making me have to rename every single image file on the site to comply with their new software's requirements. Nothing like making me waste inordinate amounts of time when all I wanted to do was post some new photos from the fall tour.
On the plus side, I suppose I should mention that the roofer the Carpenters recommended is going to be at the house today - yup, two whole hours after I called him - and might even manage to fix the leak in the next six months. I still can't get an electrician to come do the work the house needs, but seeing as I managed to wire in the new range hood myself yesterday I might just give up and learn how to ground outlets myself. Which probably violates sixteen different codes, or would if Pageland had that many. I refuse to figure out how to disconnect my own dishwasher and install the new one, though. Henry is just going to have to get someone out there and get the new dishwasher out of my living room. (And how bad a sign is it when you're on a first-name basis with your plumber and his entire crew?)
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