Youth Desk Shift : 5-8 pm

Answered
- Do you have a pencil sharpener?
     - Is it supposed to sound like that?
     - Oh, can you just do it for me?
- How many books can I check out?
- Is there a play area for kids?
- Do you have the movie "The Witches"? because the last time we were here the libarrian said that it was checked out and I've been waiting forever to see it! I love the book too! (all in one very long breath :) )
- Where are the chess pieces?
- Star Wars books, Junie B. Jones books, Narutu books and Shel Silverstein - ALLATTHESAMETIME
     - kiddo couldn't go upstairs for the poetry, so I called up to have the Ref Desk person try to grab the book, but she was on the phone so I went up myself. Got up there and she asked if I just called - yup - she'd tried calling back. Got back downstairs, and the kiddos were all like YOURPHONERANGandYOUMISSEDIT!! :)
- help with getting credit report for free
- Me: Please don't run. Kid: I'm sorry, I'm just going to go back and walk. (and he did :) )
-

Eavesdropped
- First of all, I'm a girl... not a boy... (and as far as I can tell, this was the end of the conversation)
-


Observed
- Remember how we thought Atlas (a Teddy Roosevelt Terrier) smelled like Fritos? Well, apparently *all* TRT's smell like Fritos... (saw a post that someone else's TRT smelled like them while sleeping)
- YS desk is not my fav because patrons can stand RIGHT behind you and look over your shoulder... makes searching harder :-/
- It's 7:35pm... my kid is on their way to bed... why aren't these kids? :)

Book Review: Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate

Finally got to finish up this Young Adult series by Lauren Kate. By the end, I sort of knew what was going to happen, but this series was very well written and would be engaging for audiences of many age groups.

The Color War by Jodi Picoult

I had to laugh when people were upset at the length/depth of this story... It's a short story people! :) But, I see where Picoult could expand it into a longer story. I wanted to know more about the characters!

The Heavens Rise by Christopher Rice

This was the first of Christopher Rice's books I've read, and although I know this is also his first in the supernatural style - I will be reading more of his work. Similar to his mother (Anne Rice) in poetic description, Christopher Rice is a master at his craft! Very well written, engaging and not at all predictable.

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

I did not realize when I started this one that it was the second in a series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone. Well written and very engaging characters - 4 stars!

Post a day: FAIL. But, it is still a goal to write more and post at least regularly.

Born Digital, Projects Need Attention to Survive by Jennifer Howard

http://chronicle.com/article/Born-Digital-Projects-Need/143799

How much is HISTORY worth?

http://www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/how-much-is-an-original-american-girl-doll-worth



I have an original Felicity, an original Josephina (though, she's not retired...) and I just bought Molly for Ava (for when she's older...) Lucky I paid 'regular' price for her... this really is sad. I know we talked about this when I said I was buying Molly for Ava... these historical stories are being lost among the crap (sorry) they're putting out today. I knew it was going to go downhill when Pleasant sold out to Mattel... but at least it took a little while. When *was* the last historical doll introduced anyway? Answer: 2007. AND, they come out with a new "Girl of Today" every year...

A poem a day... my way!

I have always been interested in doing a post-a-day, especially after seeing the great stuff that friends have posted (on Facebook) Most have done pictures, but I thought it would be good for me to try to do a bit of original writing each day. So far, I've posted a few 'throwbacks,' but when I write new stuff, I plan to post it here too.

Here are my new ones so far:

Day 1 -
π poem

I'll try to
write
the wrongs of you
and
to become what's true

Day 3 - 
a quick
π poem

Life and death,
Live.
Creep up quickly,
Say:
Nothing is sacred.

Day 6 - 
(new

π

poem)

I can write
a
million volumes
in
the middle of the
night, but I cannot remember
one come
morning's light. Pen, record
my thoughts now.

So, what's a

π

  poem?

I don't know who originated this form, but I first heard about it on Beckett's Facebook page. Beckett is Anne Rice's assistant, and an author as well - and a great follow on FB :) It's form is, of course, similar to haiku, but instead of the 5-7-5 syllable scheme, it follows the digits of pi. (3.14159...) So in theory, this poem could go on forever! :)

I hope you enjoy this year's posts. As I said, I'll only replicate my FB updates here when the material is new, or previously not on my blog.

Happy New Year!

Book review: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Another party to which I've come late, but having read Lisa See's Shanghai Girls series - I knew I would enjoy this one, and I did!

In See's sweeping multi-generational way, this book covers many aspects of rural Chinese life. The tradition of foot binding and concept of "mother love" were very well portrayed and very interesting to me. Even though they're seen as "worthless branches of a tree," women's stories are the ones that garner the most interest, I think, because the readers come to know not only the woman's true worth, but also can try to understand the harsh environments in which they're forced to live.