take me home

Is there anything better than coming home after a long, tiring (exciting, but tiring) day at a library conference? I think not. It is so satisfying to having done a job well done, and to come home, kick (peel) your shoes off, and have a seat. AHHH... I havent sat in a comfy chair all day.

For this years NJLA conference the IT section pulled it into high gear -- really, people, we did a kick ass job. And there's still one more day left! I'm very excited about tomorrow, and the wrap up of the whole sha-bang.

The best thing we did, was have a podcasting station set up at the conference. Novices, Techies, Non-Techies, even Vendors visited our podcasting station and let their voices be heard. Over 50 of them in total, in just one day. We'll post them soon, and then all over the world people will get to hear what NJ librarians have to say, about all kinds of things. Heck, we even got Nancy Pearl to talk for a bit! How totally cool is that!? Damn, I'm so proud! And so so glad to be home, relaxin, waitin for Idol to start :)

Censored. Dead. Drec.

So -- What can I say? It's been a busy week or so. And I know some of you, and some of you know me, so its hard sometimes to write freely and put down all that I am thinking about. You can bet that when there are lapses like the one I just had, its not so much that I've been too busy, but more likely there were things going on that I just can't talk about here, which is bad, but not too bad -- I just want to cover my ass, as it were! Suffice it to say, the new job is terrific, and I'm learning a Lot. It's hard to be a librarian/manager. It's hard to work as the "gal in charge." But I think I've made good decisions so far, and I hope my new staff is getting used to me. I have a long way to go, that's fer sure.

Have you ever been driving, listening to the radio, and the same exact song is playing on 2 different stations? That happened to me today -- Heart of Glass by Blondie was on 2 stations. Now, is it just me, or do you instantly think to yourself "Omigod, did Deborah Harry DIE?" I mean, when do they ever play Blondie?

And no, she's not dead. I checked.

Then, on the same drive into work, I heard a dance-ed up chick version of that melodramatic Journey ballad "Faithfully." I kid you not. Some idiotic crap dance girl moron re-did that drec, which at best was sub-par to begin with. What is the world coming to? I know I said a few posts ago I love the radio, but honestly, most of the time it just sucks.

one to grow on

Did you know that you can burn yourself with boiling water? I guess now it makes sense, but I really had no idea.

Here's the set up: I'm alone with the kids, (I'll interrupt here: if you know me & my husband, you know this is never good -- he's a much more qualified care giver than I, hence, I work outside the home and he works inside) - Anyway ..., and I am trying to make myself some coffee, (here again, no good.. If I am in need of coffee, things are already not going in my favor), and my kids mac&cheese noodles are all done boiling and need to be drained, so I can add the cheese packet and get on with my coffee. So of course, me needing to speed things up so I can get with the java, I decide to for-go the strainer and just hold a wooden spoon up to the noodles with my right hand as I pour the scalding water out of the pot with my left.

Need I tell you I'm a righty, and that pouring water out of a boiling pot with my left hand is just plain crazy!?

So the water, pouring into the sink, decides to take a detour from its nice flow, and run down the length of the spoon onto my hand and fingers. YEE-OUCH!

And, because I am completely pathetic, I just scream and stare at it, but let it continue to burn me, because really now, who wants to drop the noodles and ruin their dinner, when all I really want to do is have this whole mess over with so I can Fix - My - Friggin - Coffee - Already!

Did you know that, when burned with scalding hot water, your fingers will actually bubble?

And That, my friends, is One to Grow On!

tell me no lies, baby I have been bad

What's up with adults who lie? Its so totally inappropriate. Like, get a clue! it only makes you look bad. Heres one: in December and January my kids had lice. It was pretty awful, but we lived through it. Now, if you aren't down on the lice advice, I'll tell you - they're lifecycle is about 10 days. So, you treat the kids hair, wash everything, stuff their teddy bears in a plastic bag for 10 days, and then on day 10 repeat the process of washing and shampooing. Its actually no big deal, except for the mounds of laundry caused by having to wash everyones bedding.

So - as I confessed, my kids had lice this winter. Months ago. This weekend, I get accused - wrongfully accused -- nay, totally blamed without so much as a second thought, that my kid gave someone elses kid lice! The nerve! And the person who knew without a shadow of a doubt that my kid gave her kid lice was so totally drama queen over it, there was no talking to her! Then, to make matters worse, after she verbally assaults me on the phone, she adds "and I looked it up on the internet and found a home remedy to cure it..." which totally assails the librarian in me. You did Research? You! Did! Research! And you're still blaming me!? Well, little novice web-searcher with your inept searching skill, obviously you didn't search the right sites Or find accurate information, for if you did, you would know that there is no freaking chance in hell my kids gave your kid lice!

Don't mess with the librarian, man, ...that just makes me nuts!... my left eye started twitching and my hands started to shake!

Actual Phone Conversation Part 2

This was not in the library, this was at home between my husband and another person:

"Can you believe they re-made The Ten Commandments?"
"They did?!?"
"Yea, it's on tv this weekend."
"What did they change them to?"
.....
.....
"Ummm..., well, they re-made the movie, like the one with Charlton Heston."
"Ohhh..!"

drivin tunes

Probably the best thing - no - maybe perhaps the Only thing that is great about driving to work, is listening to the radio. And nowadays there are so many options for things to listen to in the car -- satellite radio, mp3 player, cds, ..Whatever. My favorite thing though, hands down, beats them all, is switching around the dials and finding a gem of a song that you haven't heard in like years, and just totally rocks.

I love all kinds of music. Truly. I do. Perhaps country and I don't mix well, but that's it -- Most other kinds of music I'll give an ear to. Oh, wait, I also don't like this crazy Asian soap opera shit my husband listens to, but we're talking American radio here.

If I had to describe my "genre" of preference, I'd say 80's music. Aghh, I know, I know... I feel your pain too... I don't mean THAT 80's music.. the shit that we didn't like even back then, and that is totally not cool now... (99 luft balloons, come on eileen, anything by the go go's.... crap! pure crap)... I mean like when you're in the car, and you're cruising at 80mph on the Parkway trying to get the hell home, and the Clash's Train in Vain comes on. (was that 70's? or 80's? ...whatever) Or, you're heading into work, kinda still waking up, and you hear a melancholy song like The Smithereens one "I'm in a lonely place without you." Cripes! It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. One minute I'm thinking about getting in to work and getting things done, the next, I'm back in 8th grade being a total drama queen over some guy who hasn't called me back yet -- pacing my bedroom, waiting for the phone! Or thinking about those times the phone did ring, and I'd "escape" with my friends to somewhere we shouldn't have gone. Why were we so ready to jump a train into the city? What were we thinking? I'm so glad I made it out alive! :) But that's a whole other story...

But driving, and hearing something phenomenal that you haven't heard in forever...Priceless! I heard the Who's "You better you bet" the other night after visiting my 94 year old grandma in her assisted living facility. I left there feeling so totally down and out, but then I got in the car, and I heard those few little electronica sounding notes and my face just lit up. Those lyrics are just too damn good to not sing along all the way home... "I'm not into your passport picture, I just like your nose!" I dare you to not smile at that!! Mix that with a daydream visual of Roger Daltrey back in the day with those tight blue jeans and long curly hair... whoa baby... hold on!