we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again.

I hate those stupid rambling kid commercials about the more and faster is better.

I have no idea what product they're for but I hate it already.

Ugh.

Side note, sorry, on in the background.

Hi!

So today was good. Very busy. Had 3/4 of the afternoon off desk and I still feel like I'm behind on Summer Reading stuff.

Finally got our dates nailed down for our Teen Summer Reading Events.

This year my teens are going with:
Jar Decorating - basically you put tape and stickers on a jar and then you paint the whole thing and peel the tape/stickers off to reveal the design to go with the "Beneath the Surface" theme and then also we're making paper lanterns with the jars so we have super thin paper that you draw on and then tape it around the jar, put a light in the jar and it makes a sweet nightlight.
Homemade Book Board Games - so the teens bring their favorite book to the library and we'll help them make a board game about it. So like with the Hunger Games they could do a Monopoly setup with the Capitol as Boardwalk. I did this in college with Pride and Prejudice - "Marry Mr. Collins, lose next turn" "Punch Miss Bingley in the face, move ahead three spaces" etc. - But we'll get them set up with templates for boards and then teach them how to make game pieces and all that.
Library Golf - this is the big one and it's the first event because that's the best time of year for my TAB kids to be able to help out. So we'll be starting off with a bang. As for logistics we will start on 4th floor with a couple of holes up there, ride the elevator down to 2nd (passed admin), around the nonfiction and music sections, down the back stairs and then through adult fiction and youth services.

I'm hoping the golf is especially popular just because of all the work that will go into it by the teens. Designing the holes and all that. I've been getting tips from a friend of Infoman's - things like using old mousepads to tee off of or using real golf balls instead of pingpong balls because they're easier to aim, etc.

The funny thing about the whole thing is that the mock booklets for Teen Summer Reading were sent out to the Teen Experience crew (which is basically the TAB leaders and some supervisors) to make sure the descriptions were spelled correctly and like 5 minutes after they were sent I got an email from one of the branch managers asking if she could help out with the golf.

This is after Girlscout asked if she could caddie.

And our Boss's Boss's Boss's Assistant gave me her stamp of approval today as well.

So if the teens are half as interested as the library employees are then we should be good.

I'm stoked.

I told her the more supervisors I can have on board the better as I'm still getting some apprehensive vibes.

We'll see how it goes and if it's awful then we'll learn from that and move on.

So that was the majority of my day, I finished the signs for the events - minus the kickoff party - and came up with supply lists. Anyone know where I can get 9 putters for like 3 hours on a June Wednesday afternoon?

There's a lot of golfers on staff maybe I can borrow them.

Anyway, so that was work. After work I met up with the boyfriend. We took some pictures around the train station - one of his favorite hobbies. He focused on the trains while I went more for the signs.

As in I saw the sign.



And it did open up my eyes cause I saw the sign.

Or sign, sign, everywhere a sign.



Blocking out the scenery breakin' my mind.

That one needs more words. Or be smaller. Cause it's awkward.

Quote of the night:
Boyfriend singing: I hope you're having fun, Man on the run...
Me: Band. 
Boyfriend: Band on the run...

Okay, you have to watch this.


Sorry, on Facebook - multitasking - and ran across a "whaaat?" meme, stupid addictive memes, so of course I had to search it and came across that.

Still laughing uncontrollably at 0:01 and 2:10-2:13.

Anyway, after pictures we went out to dinner with his mom and brother. Pizza at Old Chicago - gotta love it.

And now I'm back and ready to crash.

Though I'm debating staying up to do some editing, awesome writer friend sent me some updates to one of my favorites of hers and I'm dying to see them.

But that means I'll get hooked and not sleep and then tomorrow I'll be miserable.

Okay, it's 12 now. I need to be out by 1. That's the deal, no later.

We're good, music and I'm off to edit.

P!nk - Just Give Me a Reason feat. Nate Ruess



yes, that is the Fun. dude.

too catchy, love the melody.

out!

"The first thing you can expect is a punch in the face so you're lucky I just screamed."

Title was from an aide to another aide - quote of the day.

So I found out today that my mother is more stubborn than me.

If humanly possible.

She sent me a recipe in the mail with my Valentine's Day card, then today when she came to work (to pick up her book on CD cause she uses me for my library card) she brings along a bag of ingredients for said recipe.

Cause she knows I'm stubborn and won't do it.

Told me I'm supposed to make it for the boyfriend for Valentine's Day to which I laughed cause I can't cook.

Which you know if you've read this long enough. I burn everything.

But my apartment is still standing so even if it's scorched I call it a victory.

Tonight I made spaghetti, only burning myself once.

Another victory.

So a new recipe will probably kill me.

I'll see what he thinks about it and go from there.

We still don't have plans, aside from not going out cause it's like a madhouse everywhere.

Probably stay in, make something and watch Almost Famous.

But Mom got her book on CD and I got to see my music mentor since she was with mom. Was good to see her back in action. Camp is coming up fast!

They brought cookies.

Pretty sure mom is determined to be the favorite.

Even if she's not trying I'm pretty sure she is.

Every time she comes in she brings food so that makes her the clear winner.

There was food everywhere today because of various celebrations. But TPD had stuff, we had cookies, reference had stuff, even third had snacks.

Though they always have snacks, I work on the wrong floor.

I'm exhausted. Today was super long. Ended with a TAB meeting, lots of debates going on. Well, more rambling than debating but they're good kids so we have fun.

I don't know, just something about today's I was just zonked by the time I got back downstairs. But I sent out the meeting minutes before closing which means tomorrow is just Volgistics and follow-up.

We voted on Summer Reading Events. Superwoman is okay with us having three cause the other branches get three - small victory but I'm taking it, though it won't feel small when it comes around - so we voted but as some of the regulars couldn't make it to the meeting I've sent the options to them and will wait to hear back until I make any final decisions.

Library Golf is one for sure.

The second is looking like decorating jars - drawing on super thin paper and taping it around then adding a light so it lights up like a paper lantern. Or putting stickers on it, painting over them and pulling them off to reveal the design underneath.

Fitting for the "Beneath the Surface" theme, though Cabin Fever basically said "screw the theme" and since she's in charge I'm going with it. Saves me from finding a way to make library golf to fit.

The third one is up for debate but I'll keep you posted.

After that I came home to homework. Originally the boyfriend was going to come up but his work schedule is messing with his head. Ironic that he's working days and having trouble whereas nights he's fine. But I guess you get used to that. I think he just doesn't like putting up with managers. Cause they're not around on 3rd shift.

So I did Internet Reference homework instead. Not due 'til Friday but tomorrow I'm interviewing a librarian over the phone for Diversity, then Thursday is Valentine's and then it'll be Friday so it's good to get it out of the way.

I started at 9 and just finished.

And now I just feel like blah meaning I need to post music and go to sleep immediately if there's any hope for tomorrow being better.

I Love It - Icona Pop

They're Swedish.

I absolutely love this song and have had it on repeat in my headphones for literally over an hour. I've been working on this freakin' assignment since 9PM. Meaning 3 hours on the same paper, staring at the same screen, searching the same things over and over and over and all I can think of are the lyrics to this song.

Fitting.

Here, mellow out.

King of Wishful Thinking - Karmin

Their cover album makes me love them even more. Before the fame.

OUT!

Thank you frailty. Thank you consequence. Thank you, thank you silence.

I feel like I should be doing homework.

Granted the only assignment this week isn't due until Friday, but still.

It feels weird to actually have time to sit around and watch TV.

No discussion boards, plus I finished the newsletter and sent it to the Library Goddess, so the only pressing matter on mind is that Bosley's gone missing and is in big trouble.

He was trying to be spontaneous cause he felt the Angels knew him to well so he disappeared, sending them clues to see if they could figure out where he went and now he's been drugged and kidnapped.

See what happens when my boyfriend works second shift?

I watch like 3 discs worth of 70's awesomeness.

And apparently my theory of no one wanting to be Sabrina was false, no matter how many TV interviews I'd watched about the series, two of my library friends still say she was their favorite.

I also neglected to mention yesterday that my ex boyfriend's mother was Kate Jackson's stunt double.

Which was awesome.

It's interesting to see how many big-named actors have made guest appearances on the show and to see where they are now. Dennis Cole - dead - appeared in three different episodes as three different characters but they kept casting him because he was married to Jaclyn Smith.

I find it amusing when spouses make cameos, like Jason Sehorn on WMC appearing as basically himself. He walks out of a room right as Angie Harmon's character walks in claiming, "why can't I get a guy like that?!" Though according to the awesomeness that is Demi he has no interest in appearing in Rizzoli and Isles.

Bummer. I might actually watch that episode.

I'm so far behind, I watched the whole first season, bought it plus the second but have failed to watch any of the third...or the second that I already own.

Oldest Sister took advantage of that and watched it whilst babysitting my apartment waiting for the mattress men.

Speaking of Oldest Sister, totally missed out on a family thing at Second Sister's house today cause I had to work. Bummer. Oh well, I shall hopefully see them at some point this weekend since I'm off for three days.

And then have to go back to work on my birthday, but the three days before it make up for that.

I think.

Ah, she does believe you John Bosley. And she's sorry for drugging you, kidnapping you, and for shooting at your friends.

She's a keeper.

Carter is less than enthused about this show, he fell asleep on my lap about 5 minutes in, then glared at me every time I've gotten up to switch out discs.

But really it's either this or Storage Wars as that is currently filling up my DVR.

Don't judge me.

It's good to fall asleep to.

Interesting, yet not interesting enough to keep me awake for three hours after I should have fallen asleep.

Speaking of sleep it's getting late. Big day tomorrow, gotta finalize my TAB agenda for the meeting on Tuesday cause I only go in for two hours Monday.

Finally found a bunch of fun ideas for Summer Reading Events - aside from the golf, which I got my official approval email about, woohoo!

All thanks to the rebuttal email that took me 2 hours to write and drove BossLady nuts cause I kept making her proofread it.

But the other stuff sounds fun too, bring your favorite book and make a board game about it - found some fun templates - paper lanterns, painting glass, sand bowls, making masks, homemade bracelets, etc. I'll post more about them after they make their decision on Tuesday.

Alright, on to the music. 

I'm slowly running out of songs to recommend, but I guess that happens after 725 posts. I didn't do music recs until about 3 months in, but with 2 per post after that that's still over 1000 songs rec'd.

Geez.

So I'll hit you with some classics.

The song that never dies:

Footloose - Blake Shelton

reminds me of him on The Voice. "I don't wash my truck. Ever."

haven't seen the new movie cause i figured it'd kill the original.

And one I sing often at work:

Thank You - Alanis Morissette

too catchy for its own good.

and i'm out.

Take that, Daddybo!

Today just flew by, seriously. Looked up at the clock and went, crap, it's 5:50 I gotta count the money!

Fairly busy for a Monday.

Not too fast or too slow so made for a good day to make progress on other projects as well aka Summer Reading and Food Drive stuff.

Hoping my LPD officer is still up for the presentation on Wednesday. If she can't make it I'm screwed.

After that was dinner with some extended family and a trip to the cousin's house. They have a pool so the kiddos were all over it.

Quote of the day:
Me: "I especially liked the part where you drove in the wrong lane."
Mom: "Which time?"

I wait for her text in the morning, "don't put that in the blog!"

Granted it was in a new area of town, but when double yellow line is on your right instead of on your left something is definitely wrong.

We hit up Ruby Tuesdays, ordered an entree and the salad bar and after the salad I think I had like three bites of the entree. Mega leftovers, will probably pull them out around 2AM. If I'm not konked out by then. I gotta start going to bed earlier, I'm exhausted by the end of the day and all I want to do is sleep. Then when I get home I have 80 other projects to work on plus a boyfriend who I actually like to see so there's no time for naps. Sad day.

He starts third shift tonight. Hope he got some sleep this afternoon, otherwise tonight's gonna suck.

Alright, off to bed for me. Gonna turn on some GCB and crash. Loving the first season on DVD, finally got all the way through it and then of course they cancel the series.

Which is what ABC does when it gets a show with multiple female leads.

Just saying.

Don't get me started on the whole Women's Murder Club thing again or I will never stop.

I'm still crazy obsessed with that show and it ended like 4 years ago.

Song of the night:

"Good Girls Gone Bad" The JaneDear Girls
i love this one, seriously love this one. like pistol annies meets the wreckers.

or if you'd rather:

makes me laugh.

"Pastor Tudor, nobody understands Revelations. Never have, never will. And anyway, by the time it comes around we'll all be dead!"

Bat Goggles man, they're all the rage.

I made it through the kickoff party!!

Still alive and breathing and functional and not like crying in a corner.

Today rocked, for serious man.

Morning flew by pretty quickly, but that's mostly because I was all over the place and freaking out the whole time. After lunch Mentor and I prepped for the kickoff itself, setting up tables and supplies, but she's a pro so she had the gameplan.

Some of our TAB kids came early to help set up, cause they're awesome like that.

The theme this year is "Dream Big" so our tables were stargazing, gold coin toss, paper lanterns, edible campfires, sparkling stars, bat tattoos and then of course registration and Bat Goggles.

Never in my life have I seen people so excited about wearing bats on their heads.

But they rocked.

So, I subtly said to Superwoman, hey, you should get the staff to wear these.

And I swear BossLady wanted my head on the platter.

Cause Superwoman was all over it.

So I took a picture of the two of us with them on, it rocks.

Actually I took a lot of pictures, but I'm not in this weekend so I won't get them uploaded and sent to our webmaster until Monday.

Which is probably bad, but they have some posted already from other people.

Especially the ones with Runza Rex.

Oh yeah, Runza Rex was there.

If you're not from Nebraska you probably have no idea what I'm referring to.

Here.




That's Runza Rex.

And some random little girl.

With a doll.

Anyway, yes, he's a giant dinosaur that is the mascot for a restaurant called Runza that's only in Nebraska.

So we had this giant mascot in the corner and people taking pictures with him. And I made the TAB kids take pictures with him, they were thrilled.

Actually they didn't seem to mind it so much, I took a lot of them helping out the kids, and we took a group picture at the end. It was like the ultimate passing of the baton when Mentor took the picture instead of being in it.

Which I don't like, I don't do well with batons. I've refused to take it from Liz for how many years at Camp J now? Nope, she will forever be the Britney Spears to my, whoever I am. I don't know, we just always laugh because her microphone looks like Britney's.

Though Mentor's been training me to take the baton on this one since January.

Which I think I can handle. We're not meeting again until September so I'll have primo time to plan.

First up when we meet again is decorating the YA area with some colorful art. Feels like the only white wall in the building and they want to make it stand out. I'm thinking sketches and paintings and all that. Got it cleared with the Boss, but I'll figure out specifics later.

So anyway, Bat Goggles, yes, they rocked. And the staff present loved them. Except for BossLady, but she pulled them off pretty well. Maybe I'll pull them out on Monday when I go back. Maybe that'll keep the creepers away. They'll think I'm creepy and be drawn to someone else for the day.

What else? Oh yeah, Squirt had a volleyball tournament so she had to leave the party early. I stopped by for her last couple games, they dominated. Don't think they lost a set all night. She rocks, glad she's playing with some good girls this time. This is with the high schoolers, she's playing with a bunch of JV-ers. But the high school she's going to has a Varsity, JV, Reserve and Freshman team. So pretty sure she's got a good chance of making it.

Tomorrow is Children's Lit with the Library Goddess so I should crash soon. Gotta stop for coffee on the way there, that's what I'm the favorite. And probably why she's making me her grad assistant. She does have a serious coffee addiction.

The tattoos covering my arms will probably stand out, but whatever. I think they're cool.

"Oh Happy Day" Sister Act 2

stuck in my head constantly. probably the best part of the movie. aside from the end concert. love the sequel, perhaps more than the original. though both are good. they should bring it back for a third round. she could be at a college this time. they did turn it into a musical, they could do anything.

though now when i hear that song i think of this as well. Mike and Molly - Oh Happy Day
i so love victoria.

"he taught me, he taught me HO-OW!"

Cause I love you, Yes I love you!

I conformed to the norm today at work.

It was physically painful.

See, I'm an English snob.

Not all the time.

But there are moments that bring out the snob in me, if that makes sense?

It's okay though, I'm in good company for this stuff.

Anyway, Snob Moment:

For Summer Reading we have all these bookmarks. For the youth there's "Bats at the Library", Teens is all about "Own the Night", and then the adult theme is "Between the Covers" which I find amusing.

Anyway, there are two designs for the adult bookmarks. One is from Gone with the Wind and the other is from Frankenstein.

My conformity was this, I've officially adopted the speech, "you can either get Scarlett O'Hara reading about Frankenstein, or Frankenstein reading about Scarlett O'Hara."

My snob moment is this: Frankenstein is the doctor, not the creature.

So technically, it would be The Creature reading about Scarlett O'Hara. 

But explaining that to people just leaves them wide-eyed and confused, and I've found it's just easier to call him Frankenstein instead of saying, "The Creature created by Frankenstein reading about Scarlett O'Hara."

He was never officially given a name, Frankenstein sewed him up using recycled parts, brought him to life, and watched him kill people.

Meanwhile only referring to him as "The Creature."

Anyway, conforming to the norm, physically painful, yet probably worth it in the long-run.

It was one of those days though. And it wasn't just me, it seemed that about 90% of library employees today were having one of those days.

Though I made it through unscathed, the day was filled with minor flailing.

Okay so it was major flailing.

Which really isn't all that unusual on my part, but still not exactly pleasant.

So Slim Shady and I did what we do best. Zenned out on her couch and watched a marathon of Parks and Rec.

It was originally going to be Booze Cakes, but in the end there was neither booze, nor cake, just laziness and some comfy couches.

Plus Fearless Leader wasn't there and she's really the baker out of the three of us.

We gotta find a day that all three of us have the next day off and that we're all free. Which is nearly impossible, but hopefully one day soon it will happen. That Mudslide Cake thing was awesome.

I still have the urge to go see Dark Shadows again. Queen of Awesome and I gotta get on that. I'm thinking next week. Or maybe this weekend. I have class on Saturday, I KNOW! 8:30 AM which means I have to leave at 7.

Not that I'm complaining.

It'll be worth it, the Library Goddess is always worth it, I'm just not a morning person.

Speaking of morning people, I need to crash and quick. Kickoff is tomorrow and Mentor and I are gonna be swamped for about 4 hours straight. Plus all the morning stuff we have to do beforehand.

Songs of the day:




"Nights in White Satin" Moody Blues

oh my god i love this song. before dark shadows i'd never heard it before but i've been singing it every day since. it was at almost the very beginning, well 1972 very beginning when Maggie Evans becomes Victoria Winters and rides with the "unshaven young people" the Collinsport.

perfect song at the perfect moment.

"Top of the World" Carpenters

though i sing this one as well, which bugs me cause it's one of those songs like "it's a small world afterall" that if you sing it over and over it makes you want scream.


Tomorrow's Word of the Day: "Vimineous: a rare adjective meaning 'made of wicker'. From a Latin word meaning 'willow'."

Life Is Short

Juice boxes are unloaded, edible campfires are stuffed and sealed, glow in the dark stars are purchased and delivered, my end of the deal is done.

Now all that's left is the actual kickoff party, which will be madness but well worth it. We're thinking around 200 kids, all in one area so it should be interesting.

But they've done it so many times they're pros, I'm just there to help where I can.

So I got to spend my morning at the home branch, was great to catch up with some friends, though it was mad hysteria cause of us being closed for the holiday. Basically a massive backlog for check-in plus delivery plus all the incoming from the day.

But we made it through unscathed.

After that it was kickoff prep with the edible campfires, basically sticking a bunch of pretzel sticks in bags and making sure they had all the ingredients in each bag, and then I made some more progress on the booklist.

And by more progress I mean like 2 titles, with the holiday and summer reading there's rarely time to sit down, let alone work on anything else.

But I love my job, and it's never boring. Especially not during summer reading. As an aide I loved it cause there was always massive carts to shelve.

I have this urge to see Dark Shadows yet again. Think I'm gonna hit it up with the Queen of Awesome. She's always fun to jam out with.

Speaking of fun, ran across some more useless information/random trivia over my lunch break. Cause that's what I do. When I'm not playing Angry Birds or doing homework, which speaking of, I got my official e-mail this week reminding me of the assignment.

Gotta read some kids books and an article about children's lit. Not looking forward to leaving at 7AM on Saturday mornings but it's with the Library Goddess so the coffee I stop for on the way will keep me alive and alert.

Plus she's fun so I won't sleep.

Not that I would sleep, I have yet to sleep through a class.

What was I talking about before this?

Oh right, random useless information.

- You're more likely to get stung by a bee on a windy day than in any other weather.

- By raising you legs slowly and laying on your back you cannot sink into quicksand.

- The longest one-syllable word in the English language is screeched.

- The music band UB40 got its name from an unemployment form in England.

- To avoid long encounters with the press President Reagan often took reporters' questions with his helicopter roaring in the background.

- In Baltimore it is illegal to mistreat oysters.

- Grapes explode with cooked in the microwave.

I'm intrigued.

May test that one out.

"Life Is Short" Butterfly Boucher

"Spy High-Five."

New shopping strategy:

Go shopping when you have to go to the bathroom.

You get what you need and you get the hell out of there.

No unnecessary spending.

So I got the flippin' 200 juice boxes.

And more pretzel logs. And I'll stuff them tomorrow and be done until the 1st.

Super stoked to start my day at the home branch.

It's morning there, then lunch, then back to the work branch for lots and lots of TAB prep stuff for the kickoff party.

After that I'll be ready to come home and crash.

Today was good though, got to jam with some of my favorites. Though it was mad crazy, ALL the time. But Summer Reading tends to do that.

Adopted Little Sister and her actual little sister stopped by today as well so got to chat with them. Always fun to see friends hitting up the library.

And I braved the vending machine again. Last time I tried anything aside from pop this happened: Just Say No! To Vending Machine Orange Juice

So I tried tea this time. I told the Newest New Guy that if I keeled over and died this is what caused it and to never follow my example. But it turned out okay. Might be my new morning thing actually, kinda diggin' it. And it's cheap. And it's there. And I don't have to drive places. To pick it up.

What else was good about today?

Oh yeah, one of our summer people is back. For the summer. Obviously. But she's fantastic and lots of fun to train. And she works at the home branch as well.

Song of the day:

Cool cover.

"Sweet Home Alabama" Igor Presnyakov


Did it.

PS - I'm back to Chuck. Got the fifth season a couple weeks ago but have been putting it off as it's the final season. Which means once I watch it then it's officially done. And I don't want it to be officially done. Same reason I have yet to watch Women's Murder Club unaired pilot. Cause I've seen all the aired stuff. This way there's still something and it's not over and done with.

"honey, you're scaring me."
"just keep it moving."

Ellie is planning Chuck's wedding, scaring Morgan and Awesome in the process. I'm on last disc of season four. I always keep the last disc unwatched when I'm waiting for the next season to come out on DVD. Cliffhangers are just mean.

OUT!

What exactly do Boogie Shoes look like?

Falling asleep at the keyboard here so I'm gonna keep this one short and sweet.

All day at work, spent the majority of it stuffing bags for summer reading, and I'm still not done, but maybe Squirt can finish that tomorrow.

Summer Reading is getting exhausted and it has barely started. In fact, for the public it doesn't start until the 25th. Which is interesting since myself and Mentor aren't on the schedule that day. And we're kind of sort of in charge of parts of it. But that mostly takes place on the first.

After work was Bubby's baseball game, they won by about 23 points, they're really good, been playing together forever. I think that was the other team's weakness, didn't play very well together. Or maybe it was cause it was the first season.

Bubby hit a triple it was fantastic, we all screamed.

And I brought my own chair and everything, courtesy of the school's silent auction, woohoo!

I miss playing softball with my old teammates, that was fun stuff. The only sport I ever semi-excelled. But now we've still got church league so that makes it all better. This year is gonna go in the record books, we're gonna win them all. Or at least have fun in the process of doing it. We play better when we're scrappy anyway.

That's all I got at the moment, I'm falling asleep and anything other than that would be gibberish.

Which I'm making my word of the day for tomorrow.

Gibberish. I'll speak in it and use the word in a sentence.

Music Rec:
"Boogie Shoes" Glee Cast

was that jesse st. james? wow, i'm really behind. but season's over so i'll catch up when it's out on dvd.
i have no idea who that chick was, but she's fantastic. great dance moves as well.


sad small post but i'll make up for it tomorrow.

PS - Sent out application forms on Monday, already three questions as of tonight. Probably get some back as early as Thursday.

I might be wearing swiss cheese or may be covered in bees...

"we're the cheese at the end of the maze."

So interesting day today: Summer Reading Program training in the morning. I basically directed the kiddos downstairs and observed Mentor lead the meeting. Just going over all the Summer Reading events along with booklets and signup. But everything is online so it's super easy.

It was cool to watch the TAB kids at work, they got to lead the ice breaker, using speed dating as the activity. Basically they came up with the prompts, but it was still speed dating and highly amusing.

They also explained the booklets and all that.

After that it was camp central. Met up with the core group - minus a few - came up with an application form, changed some stuff around price-wise, basically since there's going to be air conditioning in the new building it's going to be a bit more expensive.

But we fixed it.

Sort of.

I guess we'll see.

And of course we did it in our very own goofy and procrastinative way.

But we got the job done, though the most interesting part was while we were stuffing envelopes my mom calls all frantic. "I don't know where you are but get in the basement."

Apparently there was a tornado headed straight at the farmhouse and stopped right before it got hit.

Kind of an eye-opener.

Though we were at the church so we basically just moved our party downstairs and kept working.

And it was probably good that we were there cause the basement always leaks when there's a big storm. The outside drains get clogged with leaves so Obi-Wan fixed it for the night.

But the farmhouse is fine, apparently Dad watched the whole thing on his way home, but pulled over cause he didn't want to drive into it.

We didn't even notice the storm cause the blinds were closed, but then Steve looks up and says something about it being dark out, that's when we got the phone call from Mom. Turned on the TV and went, yeah, should probably move downstairs...

Alright, I'm out semi-early for a weekend. Church tomorrow morning and Squirt gets her diploma for graduating grade school, woohoo! After that is dinner and after that is an open house FOR CAMP J!

We get to tour the new building, I'm stoked will take pictures for the new website.

Oh yeah, we're getting a new website. Cause ours is down. And isn't coming back up. But it'll be easier this way, maintain it ourselves and all that. So we're thinking we should add in a link for the history of our Camp J which means I have to start listing all the themes that I can remember.

And since our first year was 1982 we're thinking we should do some sort of 30th anniversary edition kind of thing.

I'm just stoked cause I'm practically done for the 7/8 and teen helper skits.

Yes, the teen helpers are doing a skit.

They're going to do it and they're going to like it.

Cause I said so.

And I'm mean like that.

But it's humorous and it's not like I'm making them sing. Just you know...dance...and cheer...and there's a possibility of a wig. But maybe not if I still got my female teen helper.

Everyone's just stoked for the new building.

And I'm stoked that we're done with the application forms. They'll get sent out this week so I'll probably already have my hands full by the end of the week.

Which reminds me that I need to go buy a new binder. Cause last year's is overflowing. And I've just started buying new ones every year instead of having to deal with the old stuff. Put it in the tub and be done with it.

Songs of the night:

"Express Yourself" - Madonna


the originator that led to the spinoff aka "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga even though she claims it has nothing to do with this one. Um...melody...theme...outfits...hmmm...

Which I would have posted, but the video was far too creepy. Seriously weirded me out.

So you get Weird Al instead.

And I think I like it better.

"Perform This Way" - Weird Al

and amusing enough the weirdness in this video doesn't even breach the weirdness in that one. and so glad he brought the madonna angle to it.

i love him. and apparently he writes children's books so i like him even more.

I'm going through the big D and don't mean Dallas.

Aww Avengers, you only get better the second time around. And knowing me there will probably be a third time around before it leaves theaters.

Stoked to see they're making an Iron Man 3, Thor 2, Captain America 2 and really, if they made another Hulk with Mark Ruffalo I'd probably be stoked for that too. He made the character likeable, which is more than I can say for the previous actors.

I'd be up for a Hawkeye/Black Widow movie as well... that'd be great.

So, I actually pulled out my Word of the Day on multiple occasions today. Though my favorite was at the very end of the day when I explained it to a coworker and my Boss's Boss's Boss - who I didn't even see - stops walking, turns around and says "what?!"

Love it.

Gammerstang, a tall awkward woman. We got plenty of those.

Dig it.

But that means tomorrow's Word of the Day has gotta be even better.

Ooooo, let's give this one a shot: "Crapulous" a literary word meaning relating to drunkenness or the drinking of alcohol. Like the related adjective "crapulent" and noun "crapulence" it comes from a Latin word meaning "inebriation" itself based on a Greek word meaning "drunken headache."

I like it already. Sounds like something my sisters would say.

Not that I'll be able to use it at work tomorrow since I will be training kids on Summer Reading stuff, but perhaps in the afternoon during our camp meeting.

Yes, the first (well second) official Camp J 2012 meeting in all its glory.

Actually it'll probably be us sitting around a table eating pizza and drinking pop. Which is our usual routine. But I'm headed out early so Obi-Wan and me can mock up some application forms with Pastor. Then we can show them at the meeting and perhaps stuff a few and send them on their merry ways.

Then Sunday I'm off all day, morning is Squirt's graduation, after that I'm headed out to the Camp J open house where they're showing off the new building. I get to take pictures and put them on the website.

Which is down at the moment.

But that's both a long story and not our fault. So let's leave it at that.

Facebook, I'll upload them on Facebook.

Aww camp, turns my world upside down for about four months a year but it's worth it every time. Plus we have our golfing adventure immediately following it so that's a reward enough.

Though I did go all giddy little schoolgirl about it to Superwoman today.

K, I'm going through the rest of these quick cause I got a big and early day tomorrow. Gotta konk out soon.

Things Overheard at the Library makes today's Quote of the Day:
-"She stole my Breasts!"
Sometimes you just don't want to know.

More Songs You Know But Forgot You Knew Them:

Mark Chesnutt.

Country star man, what happened to him? He was great!

Going Through the Big D

i got the jeep, she got the palace...

"It's a Little Too Late"

i enjoy that the fish is still on the hook and everything.

Seriously, whatever happened to that dude?

I love 90's country, that's when I actually listened to it. I don't really anymore, though I do like the Pistol Annies and The Wreckers. Will look more into 90's country, maybe I'll make you suffer through a week of it, haven't had one of those in a while.

Alright, and she's out. Summer Reading training in the morning, camp meeting after that, then lots and lots of other camp stuff after that.

On Moonlight Bay

Drama Drama Drama.

Started off the day overloaded with computer questions, then I was constantly running all over the building patrons to items and running supplies all over the place, after that I got yelled at - by a patron while I was helping another patron - it was one of those days.

And what's worse is that we called it as "one of those days" before 11AM. We open at 10.

But it's alright, I stayed busy which made the day move fairly quickly.

Plus Mom stopped by to pick up some books and drop off some fruit, woohoo! I love fruit. I'm weird like that, sorry.

And that was my day.

Aside from homework stuff - emailing my professor about an assignment - and summer reading stuff - emailing my contact about a presentation and getting that all finalized.

So I guess I was productive.

There's so much stuff on my to-do-list right now it's crazy.

First off there's class. Tons and tons of homework due in February, which is fine cause it's class. If there was no homework I wouldn't learn anything, you can only take away so much wisdom from a lecture. But this week I need to schedule an appointment to meet with a cataloger - one not from our system - to talk about the whole processing thing. Then add my input to a group MARC wiki thing, which hopefully I don't completely suck at. Plus read a chapter and some articles and write up a paper on those and submit it. And these are just things that I need to do within the next week and a half.

Then there's Summer Reading stuff, there's a serious amount of planning that goes into this whole extravaganza.

We've got a TAB meeting on the 7th to plan for more Summer Reading stuff, which means I need to make another phone call to a different contact tomorrow so I can figure out if they're interested.

I'm also supposed to be editing a story, well two, for a friend which I've started but am nowhere near finished.

Plus I got a call from my dentist and need to set up an appointment with him and one with Mom to meet with our tax dude cause apparently I need to learn how that works.

Then! There's camp! Which is fastly approaching, but before that even I need to scan all my sheet music, upload it, and e-mail to about 10 people. Yeah. Said I would do that back in August. Look how long it's been and I still haven't gotten to it.

AND! Second Sister is due next week and who knows when that is all going to happen.

So yes, my vacation is officially over and I'm back to the real world. Which isn't so bad. I kinda like the real world.

But it's busy.

And constant.

And constantly busy.

So I should sleep while I can.

"On Moonlight Bay" The Beatles with Morecambe and Wise

funny stuff. though doris day's is classic.

OUT!

It ain't me, It ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one

Sketch and Edit's Excellent Adventure is quickly approaching.

Which is awesome as I haven't seen her in months.

We're gonna jam out, drink, eat, take some pictures...I'll come back with quotes and stories of pure awesomeness. Even though we don't have any definite plans, we're better at just making it up as we go along.

As for today, it was awesome. I guess. Not like stellar awesome, but not awful, okay so it was more like mediocre. According to Ellie if you use the word "awesome" for everything it becomes mediocre. She's the one engaged to "Captain Awesome" on Chuck, he calls him that because everything he does is awesome, even flossing.

So I guess my day was mediocre.

I got all the way through the Summer Reading manual. It gives all these activity ideas. Our theme is darkness and night, but their ideas are completely morbid like tour a morgue, talk to a coroner, design your tombstone, write your epitaph... seriously? Creep factor.

Also switched out my display and cleaned the YA area. I had a books to movies display, now it's "The Name is the Game" where I went through and pulled a bunch of books with clever titles, "Jesus in your Backpack", "Death by Latte", "Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers" - i have no idea what that one's about but I'm intrigued.

I also ran into a bunch of fun titles about getting over your ex, I'm saving those for Valentine's Day, that should be fun.

So that was work, after that I watched Castle - oh my god hysterical when they find the hidden camera I died at their conversation - then finished my homework, woohoo! We had to evaluate 3 online catalogs and make a chart.

I actually ran in to the easiest catalog I've ever seen which was new and exciting, but also - and this is a shocker - a catalog from hell.

THE catalog from hell.

It's pure evil.

And it's not ours.

OH MY GOD, you can't place holds through it, you can't tell what format an item is unless you go into the physical record, the search results aren't sorted, you can't limit your findings, there's not advanced search option, I was like seriously?

I mean, I know our catalog is confusing, but at least it gives you results, with this one you're screwed if you don't know the exact title and author.

Anyway, rant over.

I still have to add some stuff to a group discussion thing but the physical assignment is done and posted, woohoo!

"Fortunate Son" Bruce Springsteen & John Fogerty

live 25th anniversary rock and roll hall of fame concert
amusing to see these old guys jamming like they're teens, but they still rock.

great version, and even though the original is the best, my favorite is still: Jeffster on Chuck They're in full protest mode at the Buy More.

Dude, Hetty just kicked Callen's butt on the climbing wall. She's old but she's fast.

Yeah, I'm back to NCIS:LA cause I went all the way through SVU, don't feel like watching American Pickers which means it's either this or Kitchen Confidential and that was one requires me to stay awake as I haven't seen it.

Out!

She's just the Flavor of the Weak

It was a day of assorted celebrations.

1. I SAW SPACE CADET TODAY!!

We had this database training at a branch that a bunch of us went to - I carpooled with Superwoman which is good cause I would have gotten lost in all that construction.

It was funny cause Space Cadet walked up to Superwoman and smiled and I ran at her. Superwoman was like "I thought she was smiling at me!" I almost tackled her. We sat together for the presentation. It was pretty fun. She gave me movie tickets and coupons, she knows me all too well.

I miss my Home Branch people man, I only get to see Joe Studley when I'm there and he's fun, but he's just one member of our gang. Even the Queen of Awesome is back at work! I haven't seen her since sushi months ago!

The database presentation was actually pretty helpful. I think there were about 20 of us there, plus more go tomorrow. The dude was a little weird, kept coming up with random searches and we figured out we were the raunchy bunch. Which was amusing.

But he did bring us cupcakes. One of them was maple bacon flavored. Seriously?

There was this segment on Rachel Ray once called, "I bet you didn't know you could wrap THAT in bacon." It's times like these that I'm reminded of that.

Also when my favorite Sister-In-Law brought little smokies wrapped in bacon to trivia night. That was awesome.

The database might actually prove useful on Sketch and Edit's Excellent Adventure, I'm stoked. 3 days! Gotta find places to eat and walk around and all that.

2. Heard back about a possible Summer Reading presentation.

Our theme for teens deals with night and darkness and all that. I took a Criminology class in college and I remember a cop who came to talk to us about forensics. I got the contact info from my prof and got in touch with the cop. She got back to me today, super exciting!

Think the kids will have fun with it, it was a lot of fun in college to learn about blood spatter, fingerprints, moldings and all that.

Plus Mentor was proud of me for taking initiative.

3. Then, I got a letter from the mayor.

Yes, the mayor, congratulating me for perfect attendance in 2011. I know, right?!
I opened it and was like "what?!"

Cause I never call in sick.

And when I do get sick it's on my day off.

Freaking Coach Otte and his "it's all mental" motto.

Stuck with me.

Power through it, it's what we do.

Though I've already killed mine for this year since I've been sick already in January. Bummer man.

After all that I got to jam with my cat and watch the rest of SVU season eight. Sensei is right, not only would Stabler be gone they'd all be gone. Except maybe Munch. Cause he's more about conspiracies than violence. The season finale was huge, bringing back Ludacris who digs up all their dirty little secrets. Big ending.

And of course I have to wait until the next season comes in on interlibrary loan. Which will be a few weeks. So I'll have to distract myself with something else.

Right now I'm back to American Pickers.

Something is seriously seriously wrong when I'm watching this and Red Green and Swamp People when my father isn't even around to make me watch them.

Sooner or later I'll be sitting here watching HeeHaw by myself.

When it comes to that point, someone please promise me you will change the channel.

Seriously.

Moving on, for tonight's music rec's of awesomeness.

"Here In Your Arms" Hellogoodbye

90's summer camp.

"Flavor of the Weak" American Hi-Fi

one of my favorites growing up


OUT!

"Go get your groove on somewhere else."

You know, I've heard a lot of excuses from patrons about breaking the rules.

But today's excuse was brand new.

There are a lot of situations that happen at the library that would make for really great sketches on SNL.

The New Girl and I have discussed this. We should just forward them some of our incident reports.

This incident didn't really warrant one, but still.

Guy was hitting on a chick in the lab.

The New Guy told him he couldn't be in the lab if he wasn't signed up to use a computer.

He followed him out and rambled on about him being free to do whatever and all that. "I was just getting my groove on..."

The New Guy was strong, he's a good supervisor.

I would have completely lost it at that point.

Wordie was there to witness it - as he always is.

I was on the phone but overheard the majority of the conversation so I didn't get to comment until after he had left.

Me: "I'm sorry, did he just tell you he was 'getting his groove on' in the lab?"
The New Guy: "Yeah, go get your groove on somewhere else."
Wordie: "You gotta leave your groove outside, inside you gotta be smooth."

He's a poet.

"Too mellow to be one fellow, should've been a dozen."

It's just little stuff like that that makes my day.

That and being semi-productive, even for a Sunday.

Heard back from my college professor today. I took Criminology in college and since the theme for teens summer reading stuff is going to be a night theme I asked about some of the presenters that came and spoke to us. She gave me some tips, I e-mailed them, now I just gotta wait to hear back.

Woohoo! Progress!

After work I headed back to my college town to babysit for Second Sister's children. We jammed at the house, played some Kirby on the wii, watched some Tom and Jerry. They're cute like that.

Even got soup out of the deal. She always makes homemade stuff - our grandma used to make the noodles and there would be so many of them that she had them like hanging off the backs of chairs cause all the tables were already covered with them.

We ate soup for weeks.

Then I got to drive back in the snow and only almost died twice, woohoo!

You know, there are few times in which taking the road untraveled is unwise.

Driving through unplowed snow is one of them.

I'm stoked I don't have to deal with it again until tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully by then the roads will be cleared.

Speaking of tomorrow, totally need to get started on all that homework stuff.

The first assignment isn't huge, but will be time consuming. Analyze three catalogs and compare and contrast under specific categories.

After that I gotta figure out this whole article thing, we're all supposed to find one or present one or I don't know, my brain is fried when I think about all the confusion that's going to take place in my near-distant future.


Music Rec's

I would post "groove is in the heart" to go with today's excitement but I just did that a few weeks ago.

I'll hit you with a classic.

"Rock'n Me" Steve Miller Baby

they look fantastic live. but they've got years of practice.


and one that's been in my head.

"Everything's Just Wonderful" Lily Allen

i call this one the "Grocery Store Song" cause the melody sounds like something you'd hear in the background while shopping. or riding an elevator. or something. but then the lyrics totally thwart that. love it.

Carter and I are gonna jam out, watch some TV then crash.


keep on rock'n me baby...keep on rock'n me baby...keep on rock'n baby...keep on rock'n me baby, baby baby baby...

and it feels so good to hurt so bad and suffer just enough to sing the blues...

Just lyrics, don't worry. Love that song, see below.

Alright, assignments are announced so now I'm allowed to freak aloud.

Or, in writing.

Well, I guess aloud as well, but there will be none of that.

I can handle this.

Totally.

I can totally handle this.

Totally.

Ha.

Alright, new responsibilities include Supplies which is basically a job in itself. Not so much at the home branch, but the work branch, geez. You know how many printers and copiers and stockpiles of supplies are in a 4 story building?

At least most of the units fend for themselves so it's not like every room needs to be supplied. Just mostly floors one and two. And a little in the basement.

I can handle that.

But add to that I got backup to Fearless Leader in Damages.

Again, fine.

I was already doing that anyway at the home branch. There is about double the amount of items to worry about from there to here, but it's still the same process. Mostly. Except here we can just run down to the basement to TPD and retrieve a part that was missing instead of sending it over through delivery and wait for it to be processed.

Whatever, those are cake compared to this next one.

Okay, how do I explain this really without the nervous ramblings. I'll save those for later.

Pretty much the Young Adult Librarian for the work branch. Except without the title.

They gave me the Young Adult Section and TAB.

aka Teen Advisory Board.

Which is filled with teenagers.

Who plan events.

Like a prom.

At the library.

Yes, a prom.

At the library.

No pressure.

Can I just say how much I'm loving having a mentor on this one? She's fantastic! Youth librarian and has been doing this for years, and although I'm sure she'd love to dump it all on me, she's graciously sticking with me for a few months until I'm alright to take over.

Aaannd, along with all that goes with joining the Youth Services crew, aka getting the emails and going to the meetings.

Today was some prime real estate in that department. Never did I ever realize how important something such as a start date is.

Summer Reading Program.

Does it start the day after school ends, or do we wait until June 1st like always?

Kids come in the day after wanting to start.

Do we tell them to wait a week and come back on the 1st?

It's always been June 1st to July 31st.

Super easy to remember that way.

But do you really want to tell a kid to come back next week because we're not ready for them?

That was the debate today. It got heated enough to be interestingly humorous.

I sat back in awe.

I knew librarians were passionate and anti-stereotype, but this was a whole new experience there.

Apparently that's serious business.

And it is. I'm sure there will be more heated opinions when it's brought up again.

But there's time for that later. Today was pretty cool, getting to meet people involved in the whole process and listening to them promote picture books.

And "volunteering" (I use that word loosely as it was more like my mentor and Girlscout aka my two supervisors in this thing pointing to me when they asked for one) to help out with some stuff.

It was a cool changeup from the norm.

I'm looking forward to the challenge actually.

I don't want to shake things up though, things run pretty smoothly as they are.

I do, however, want to take stock of supplies and come up with some sort of spreadsheet of everything and where it's stored. Cause that would be a good thing to have. But I'll get to that later.

My current project is the YA area, aka going through and weeding older books because we're out of space. So I get to do that while I pull every book from the shelf, scan it and change the status, meanwhile watching the last checked out date and how many circ stats it has so I can weed properly.

That'll take me a few days purely because I'm still working at the desks and the lab through the day. I only get to work on those projects and assignments when I'm "off-desk" or scheduled to check-in in the back if there's nothing to check-in.

Gonna be a wild ride.

But like I said, I'm stoked for the challenge.

I think I can handle it.

I'm sure there will be some bumps in the road. A lot of freak out moments.

But I've got some great people to look up to in these areas so I'm not too worried.

At this moment anyway.

Ask me in about a month when things are in full swing.

So that was my day.

At work.

There was more after.

Headed out to Barnes and Noble to support Squirt and Bubby as they sang and played piano there. It was a fundraiser of sorts where part of the proceeds went to the school and all that. Kind of a cool deal. So I got a lot of Christmas shopping done.

Although I'm still clueless on a few people.

I'm gonna look for some more stuff tomorrow when I go grocery shopping.

Originally I was gonna go to the farm tonight but the roads suck again, and with my luck on the roads lately I'm putting nothing to chance in that category.

So, I'll sacrifice all that by sleeping in and watching some more Leverage. I'm caving and gonna start season three tonight.

Season two will get here, eventually.

Freakin' snow.

While some of us are living it up in Hawaii!!! Yeah, enjoy your beaches and drinks with the umbrellas in them. The rest of us will jam here in the snow. Just bring me back something nice.


Alright, Alphabet Rec's before I overload you. What am I up to? S? right cause there was some Run Joey Run-ning last night.

Let me see what I got.

Sad Songs (Say So Much) - Elton John

listened to a lot of his music growing up. he's quite the character in this video...
i think this is my favorite of his although he has a lot of great ones. he even did a duet with Eminem of all people on a music awards show. that was interesting.

Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

i love this video and the random skeletons that parade through it.

Something Good Can Work - Two Door Cinema Club live

i've posted the radio version of this multiple times, but i just found this one and loved it. there are two video videos of this song, one whose graphics will make you dizzy and the other in which they walk through places like a forest and the desert. and there's a lot of underwater camera work. and spinning. which i guess could make you dizzy as well. so i'll give you this one. it's a fantastic group, they're not american so you probably haven't heard of them. i find them delightful.

Alright, there were too many good ones, I feel like I should do a S part one and part two...or three.
So you'll get some honorable mentions. Or maybe I'll just go through the alphabet backwards after the 12 days of Xmas thing.
Who knows.
We'll stick with the honorable mentions for now.

-Safety Dance - Men Without Hats i just always found this one amusing, and loved the remake on glee
-Second Chance - Shinedown this one was the first song that came on the radio on my way to my first real day of real work. driving from my sister's to the home library. very memorable and ironic for the lyrics
-The Shoop Shoop Song - Cher there's a lot of karaoking to this one
-Short Skirt, Long Jacket - Cake aka the themesong to Chuck, but I love it
-Signed Sealed Delivered - Stevie Wonder another classic jam song
-Since You've Been Gone - Theory of the Deadman was my first music rec on here and I still love it.
-Someone To Watch Over Me - Ella Fitzgerald Mak made me sing this one for voice lessons.
-Something To Talk About - Bonnie Raitt, just always had a thing for this song, no idea why. but it makes me laugh.
-Strangers Like Me - Everlife the original version is good but i like this one better
-Strawberry Wine - Deana Carter this one comes with a long story and some good inside jokes, mostly revolving around Jess and me singing it on camera - yes much like our remake of "Leave Get Out" by JoJo, except there was no remake, just a different interpretation. Which I would totally post but similar to the other video, she'd kill me.

Alright. Big day tomorrow of sleeping in and Christmas shopping.

Plus I should probably do some paperwork I've been putting off as well.

OUT!

And the whole town said the boy should've used red..

Listening to more of my audio book, now on disc #10 out of 14. Making progress. Love that they stop on their quest in Omaha. Awesomeness.
Work today was a bit frantic. It was the first day of summer reading so there were kids everywhere! Hopefully by tomorrow things will have slowed down a bit so I can get everything shelved. I have the afternoon off so I'll finish this book and get at least halfway thru book #8. Maybe I'll finish that one as well then I'll have all Friday night to finish the homework that goes along with reading them.

Anyway, 9-6 today then went shopping - And I actually remembered to get all of those things on my shopping list, woohoo!

Songs for the night:

"Jolene" by Dolly Parton

love it. also love Me First's version of it, and Reba's.

"John Deere Green" Joe Diffie

just for you Sketch. now don't hurt me.


Tomorrow is halfday so hopefully more progress will be made on homework stuff. As much as I love the class I still miss sleep. This weekend should be fun. Saturday night we're going to see friend's band play again then Sunday might go see Pirates, depending on how tired I am after Saturday...

Out for now. Have a good one.