Book Club January 2014

So, we read Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker for book club.

As I have said before, I don't mind historical fiction.  In fact, if I had my way, most of our book club selections would be some sort of historical fiction.

Not bodice ripping, Beatrice Small -type "historical fiction."  More like Margaret George, Sharon Kay Penman, Rosalind Miles, and some of Phillipa Gregory.

Apologies for any spelling atrocities.

I was really looking forward to this one.  I've always thought people like Elizabeth Keckley (the dressmaker in question) would have a fascinating perspective.

That guy that pushed FDR's wheelchair?  I want to know what he knew.  He had an unprecedented level of access, more so than any household staff, because he was in the room with the heavy hitters. 

Like I said, I was looking forward to reading this one. 

Sadly, this book was a huge disappointment. 

On the positive side, I found the relationship between Elizabeth and Mrs. Lincoln to be interesting.  The history tidbits were interesting.  And, I feel like I learned about an aspect of American history that I didn't know (or, heretofore had forgotten).

What set my teeth on edge was the author's writing style.

I didn't read the text upon which this novel was based, but others in the group that did said this iteration was almost reproduced  word for word.

Then, I realized what I didn't like about Dressmaker.  It read like a 5th grader's "research paper" where the bulk of the content is regurgitated World Book Encyclopedia entries.

It read that way because the author just cribbed the original source material.

Such a disappointment.  I expected better.

me like books

I like books.  I love to read.  I used to love my job because it allowed me to focus on books and the love of reading.  I don’t get to do that for my job anymore for reasons that would get me fired for expressing publicly.  So, I will post my book thoughts on my blog. 

What's the best book I've read recently?

Defending Jacob is still stuck in my head from last spring.  It raises a lot of interesting questions.  How well to parents really know their children?  If I was a parent with a disturbed kid, what is my obligation to protect that kid?  What is my obligation to protect society?  If Jacob had been allowed to grow up, he would have turned into the psycho in Gone Girl.  Lots of crazy in these last two book club selections.

What's the best book I've read ever?   Let’s continue the list:

1)      I have to mention the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon again.   In fact, I am currently re-reading the series in preparation for the upcoming television series.  Say it with me, people:  This series better not suck.  Part of me is excited that something I enjoy so much is about to be shown to a lot of people.  Part of me is worried other people won't love it as much as I do.  I think that's why I never really told people about the books.  Aside from the fact that they're very difficult to explain, I think I would be upset if someone else didn't love it as much as I did.

2)       I know it's corny, but I love the Little House on the Prairie series.  I've read the original books.  I've read some of the new series.  I've watched the TV show more times than I can count.  I think my affection for Anne of Green Gables stems from a similar place. There is something about that simpler time that is appealing.

3)       I have always loved Star Wars.  Not the newest trilogy.  The original, 1977/1980/1983 movies.  From that, Timothy Zahn wrote a series that picks up after Return of the Jedi.  Heir to the Empire is fantastic, and he reinvigorated the franchise's novels, in my humble book geek opinion.  There have been many series spun off from what Zahn started.  Disney takes the reigns of Star Wars soon.  Say it with me:  If the Mouse screws up my childhood, I'll be upset.

4)      For fear of my English degree going up in flames, I am almost ashamed to admit that I love, love, love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels.  They are pedestrian.  They are total intellectual comfort food.  They are silly.  They are goofy.  They are formula.  They are the baggy sweatshirt and pajama pants that I wear on the weekends.  I love them.  I laugh out loud every time I read one.  I read five of them in eight days.  She is a bounty hunter the way I would be a bounty hunter.  Very "trample the weak, hurdle the dead."  None of us are really bad-asses.  We're all just getting by.  Her other novels show hints of the same elements, but they can't compete with Stephanie Plum. 

Dumb as a box of hair

How difficult is it to follow instructions? 

I felt like a previous failed co-worker might be due to my inability to explain things.  Maybe I assumed too much prior knowledge.  Maybe I assumed too much common sense. 

So, now I over-explain things.  The current failed co-worker ignores things and then wonders why I have to either do them over, or why things work for him and not me.

That lock on the drawer?  Know why it doesn't always lock or unlock?  Because you keep using the wrong key.  How many times do I tell you?

The sticker gun doesn't work?  Then stop taking it apart.  If I load it, leave it alone.  You've obviously shown you can't figure it out, so leave it alone.

The network printers?  Don't turn them off.  When I tell you not to turn them off during testing, don't turn them off during testing.  When I tell you to take out the cartridge so people can't print during testing, take the cartridge out so people can't print during testing.

When I tell you not to eat at your desk, don't eat at your desk.  Not only are you attracting rodents and insects, half a dozen people ask me what you do all day because they only see you stuffing your face.

Can't find a teaching job?  Try passing a content area test.

Good.

Lord.

Banned Book Week

Ok, so I guess it is Banned Book Week.

I was looking at a feature in the paper highlighting books challenged or banned in (I assume) school libraries.

If you didn't like a book simply because you didn't like it (boring, stupid story, too long, too short, bad writing), you would simply return it and move on with your life.  

If it offends your sensibilities, return it.  Move on.

I am more offended that you think your beliefs are more important than mine, and that you should be allowed to inflict your views on others.

Just turn it in, and move on. 

Captain dog sez,  "It Has Been Too Long Since My Human Has Blogged."

What's the best book I've read recently?

It might have to be Defending Jacob by William Landay.  I don't really have any compelling reason other than it was a mystery that I couldn't figure out within the first 50 pages.  I chose it for book club because (I believe) it is on the Texas Library Association's Lariat reading list.  That's a list of good books for adults.  They have lists for every reading level from age 2 through high school, and this Lariat list is a recent, welcome addition.  I know a room full of librarians discussed it and deemed it worthy, so I chose it for book club. 

It has been creeping us out all summer.  It is even interfering with our current selection, Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.

What's the best book I've read ever? 

That's a tough call.  In order for me to consider it superlative, it has to be engaging.  When I think about what I look for in a book, it really boils down to my level of engagement.  Huh.  Amazing that years of analysis lead to that simple declaration:  I like books that are interesting to me.

Now, how or why is a book interesting to me? 

I guess I can briefly analyze a couple of my favorites.

1)  Margaret George's The Autobiography of Henry VIII:  With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers started me down the road of massive historical fiction tomes.  I'm not really sure why.  I only took enough history as an undergraduate to fulfill my degree requirements, and I took those classes in the backwater of junior college.  I can say I remember not a bit of the content of the class beyond having the same professor for both classes. 

But, reading history because you want to is very different from reading history because you have to.  Of course, I had heard of Henry VIII.  I had heard of Katherine of Aragon (but more from studying Spanish than history).  I have a pulse.  I am aware of the world.

Tudor England wasn't interesting to me until I read this novel.  Yes, the title suggests nonfiction, but it is a novel.  It is fan-flippin'-tastic, and it started mild obsession about 10 years ago.

2)  Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon is the definition of compelling.  It is one of the few books/series that I can reread.  It has a little bit of history, but at its core is an interesting story.  Maybe not entirely original in that it is a boy meets girl, boy marries girl story.  But, it is original in its setting and its machinations.  There is time travel.  There are magic stone circles.  There is historic context and conflicts.  It is not without its flaws, but it is pretty darn interesting.

I guess I could go on and on, but this gives me a reason to come back sooner :).

It really shouldn't be this hard

I have been a dog person my whole life.

That bumper sticker that says, "I like dogs more than I like most people"?  True story.

I have very early memories of Snoopy decorations in the playroom/junk room at my mom's house. I cite this as one of the main reasons I love dogs.

I had two fantastic dogs when I was a kid.  I still have pictures of them in my living room.

Until I realized I had no interest or aptitude for science, I thought I could go to veterinary school.

Pretty much the only reason I wanted to buy a house was to have a yard so I could have a dog of my own.

The four-door car?  Same thing. 

I adopted two Golden Retrievers from a local rescue group.  Even though no one reads this blog, I don't want to name the group because I don't want to diminish the good work that the volunteers do.

As is common with Golden Retrievers, they both developed cancer.  Different types of cancer, and at different stages of their lives, but still.

Since dogs don't articulate their symptoms the way humans do, canine cancer is often caught too late to be successfully treated.  Such has been the case with both of my wonderful, beautiful, fantastic Golden Retrievers.  

With both dogs, I feel as though everything that could have been done to make their lives comfortable while in my care was done. 

I had to let my most recent Golden go in March.  As any dog person and any of my friends will tell you, I was devastated.  But, I also knew I would find puppy love again.  In July, I applied for a dog with the same rescue group my two Goldens came from.  This is also the same group that I myself have been volunteering for since 2005. 

The adoption coordinator managed, in the course of about 10 minutes, to make me feel like I didn't do enough for my two previous dogs.  She made me feel like I didn't deserve to have another dog.  She told me I needed to be a foster "parent" first.

 I didn't notice her telling all of the other potential adopters that they needed to foster first. 

I can't say that I "like" this adoption coordinator, but I've never had any open hostility from her.  She was not the person I dealt with for my previous adoptions.  Her attitude toward me has always been one of indifferent disdain. 

However, she doesn't know me. 

Here it is, the beginning of November, and I still don't have a dog.  I haven't even been called about a dog.  I am not being considered for another dog.  All because this little person with her power trip has decided not to pass my name along to the volunteers who foster dogs in this group.

I know she hasn't spoken to the fosters about my application because the few fosters that I spoke to at the last event I attended didn't know I had applied for another dog.  If the fosters don't know you're looking, you won't be considered for a dog.  If the adoption coordinator doesn't pass your name to the fosters, the fosters don't know you're looking.

See the problem?

Like I said, I don't want to name the group because I believe the fosters are doing good things.  I think it's the coordinator that's the bitch, if you'll excuse the obvious dog pun.

I had heard from a couple of people that the adoption coordinator was petty and difficult.  I had heard these things from people who have provided wonderful, loving homes for dogs.  Not hoarders.  Not crazy people.  Decent dog owners.  But, I didn't want to think that the group I had been volunteering for could be more interested in its human agenda than in finding good homes for animals in need.

I guess I finally have to pull my head out of the sand. 

I wasn't expecting to jump the line ahead of other applicants for a particular dog.  I wasn't expecting preferential treatment.  I was, however, expecting a little bit of courtesy.  I was expecting to be acknowledged. 

So, I recently applied with another local rescue group that deals with Golden Retrievers.  A volunteer called me the next day.  They run things a little bit differently, but basically if they have a dog they think you'll be interested in, you are invited to a meet-and-greet to meet your potential puppy luv.  I told that volunteer I was aware it isn't an overnight process.  I am content to wait patiently.

I feel pretty good about this other group.  Sadly, I have decided that I will not continue to support or volunteer with the group where my first two Goldens came from.  It really should not be this hard to find a dog.  Both rescue groups say on their websites that they have more dogs than they do places to put them. 

Here I am.  A home willing to take in a dog and spoil it silly.  I am willing to provide medical care.  I am willing to train the dog.  I am willing to groom the dog.  I am willing to love the dog.

And yet, here I am.  Still waiting. 

Things worth rereading...places worth revisiting...

Holy Cow!

It has been a long time since I have visited this friend!

I didn't realize, blog of mine, that I had neglected you for so long.

I also didn't realize that my LSFL deadline was so early last year. Way to be on top of it, Il Postino! Depending on the state of the NFL, a deadline might not be necessary this year.

So, I went to Scotland, again.

I don't know if it qualifies as a dream, but I have for several years wanted to go to Scotland during "low season." That is, the time of year when most tourists are someplace else. For Scotland, that means spring.

Lucky me, I found a great deal on tickets. In fact, Bonnie and I ended up in Business Class on the way over there. I'm still not sure how that happened.

Anyhoo, the appeal of going when tourists aren't there is several-fold. Obviously, you aren't competing for resources. Hotels are more plentiful and less expensive. Tourist attractions are less crowded.

(And yet, every castle we went to had what appeared to be hosting a school field trip of some sort. Go figure).

Things are just easier during the off season.

The disadvantages to traveling at off-peak times depend on where you're going. If sunny sunshine is your objective, don't go to the U.K. during Spring Break. Some attractions are closed, or have limited access. Weather can even prevent you from getting to your destination at all.

Maybe that's why I'm revisiting my friend the blog. The weather today is very much what we had in the fantabulous Scotland. Temperatures in the mid-40s and precipitation of some sort every day. We even spent one day in the snow. Like, above-the-ankle-deep snow.

It was fan-flippin'-tastic!

Why Scotland again, you ask?

I don't know. I haven't gotten tired of the place yet. I feel like I can wander around there without being noticed. Tons of groovy castles and such.

But, why spend the time and money to see things I've already seen? Why abandon Maverick to tour his homeland without him?

As HLProper says, Svelte segue!

I'm reading Diana Gabaldon's Voyager again. I normally don't reread things. There are few things that I can read over and over again. S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders is jut about the only thing that I've read multiple times of my own free will. Maybe Jane Austen, when I need to stick to my "Read One Classic A Year" resolution that I make every year. Maybe next year, I'll change that resolution to "Read One New Classic A Year."

Maybe not.

Anyhoo again. Back to Voyager.

I came to the Gabaldon party rather late. Circa 1999-2000. I remember Crafty Andrea and Betsy raving about how great these books were. In fact, Betsy was in charge of Scotland the first time we went on the original World Domination Tour. I'm pretty sure the Scotland portion of the itinerary was inspired by these books.

I remember trying to read the first book in the series, Outlander. Let me preface this by saying I have no fear of a 900+ page book. Especially of the historical fiction variety. Loves me some Margaret George. Loves me some Sharon Kay Penman. Bring it on, I say! My learned friends and travel buddies Crafty Andrea and Betsy know this about me (Amy doesn't read-WTH?!?!). So, they figured this huge book would be right up my alley.

I tried. I really did. 100 pages into it, I proclaimed it total bodice ripping crap and threw it aside. Even though there was minimal ripping of any bodices.

Then, I went to Scotland.

I don't know if having seen Edinburgh and Inverness helped me imagine it in the story, but I had a much easier time reading Outlander after visiting Scotland. Again, the first 100 pages were tough (and are tough to this day), but I persevered.

I persevered all the way to Spain. I finished the first novel somewhere over the Atlantic. I was crying a bit, whether from the storyline or from being trapped in coach for 9 hours after having my ace handed to me at the airport in Miami. Who can say?

The second novel, Dragonfly in Amber was my travel buddy as I went tripping through Spain. Maybe that's why I consider it my favorite in the series. The copy that accompanied me to Spain still has ticket stubs from that trip serving as bookmarks.

Because Dragonfly was such a boon travelling companion before, I thought it would treat me well on this trip to Scotland. And, it did.

Ok, so back to the main point (if one exists...I'm having doubts). I don't reread things very often. I don't understand students that check out the same series year after year. (Yes, craptacular Twilight series, even you). I don't even remember reading novels over and over again as a junior high kid.

One and done, people.

But, every couple of years I pick up a Gabaldon and read it again.

Except Voyager.

I can't explain why, other than I felt that there was too much "hurry up and wait" going on in that novel. I've read excepts repeatedly. Claire stumbling into Jamie's print shop after traveling through the stones and showing him pictures of Brianna is a tear-jerker. But, the rest of the book doesn't do much for me.

So, I guess because Scotland is worth revisiting, maybe Voyager is worth rereading.

I know where this is leading me. I spent one summer a couple of years ago rereading the series (sans Voyager) in anticipation of the release of a forthcoming installment. Didn't happen until a year later. Thanks.

I'm even going to attempt the two-novel juggle. I started the latest book club selection last night (The Art of Racing in the Rain). Made me cry in the first chapter. I do not anticipate good things.

So, if I'm willing to endure flying all the way to Scotland (Business Class aside) again to revisit familiar places, I guess I should be willing to endure 900-odd pages to revisit a familiar literary friend. Fingers crossed! Off I go! Again!

The Lone Star Football League

Yep. I'm in a fantasy football league. Go Heathens!!!

I'd like to think not as a token member. Given that I've been in this league since the 1900s, I believe my participation is somewhat legitimate. My lack of a championship would seriously indicate otherwise. I think there is a rule named after my team, though.

That's power, baby!

If memory serves, this will be season 20 of the LSFL. Crafty Andrea and I began our participation in the fall of 1993. Go Heathens, again! How excited were the boys that some girls wanted to play? Who can say? We managed to participate without humiliating ourselves or them, so the Heathens stuck around. The duration of our participation is math I can't even do. But, I can say this: Marriages don't last as long as this endeavor has. Nor should some of them. I think at least one marriage in the group didn't last.

Hmmm...let's not speak ill of the derelict. Although safe to say he didn't deserve that.

Am I the only one annoyed by these Joe Montana-Shape Ups commercials? Maybe I'm the only one still annoyed by Joe Montana.

I'm not going to be sentimental and say this association has been an emotional cornerstone. I can't say that setting a lineup every week has somehow helped me in my daily life. Pouring over esoteric statistics about bench riders has done nothing for me professionally. But, and I say this with just a touch of schmaltz, there is this sense of conviviality in our group. Members have come and gone with varying degrees of fanfare. Some we miss; some couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Not to say that there has been a lot of animosity. We're a pretty content, democratic, respectful group. We joke with each other. We joke about each other (some, more deservedly than others). We rage against each other. We stand up for each other. It's your typical dysfunctional family dynamic.

I'm sure someone smarter than I could sit down and observe our group and assign familial tags to each of our number. It's there. If I weren't constantly side-tracked by this special on the Knights Templar on History, I might even be able to dust off the English degree and give it a shot.

But, does it really matter? What matters is that this goofy group started at a Hardee's in Kilgore back in the day when someone had to compile statistics from AP reports cut out of actual newspapers (you remember those, right?) and carry them around in a huge 3-ring binder. The drafting of players used to take hours, and I mean that literally.

Heck, even figuring out the results of the games took hours. I don't know if I would have stuck with it this long if our league wasn't managed online.

Fantasy football has benefited greatly from the Internet. Truer words will never be spoken.

This year, the 20th of our humble existence, we will be taking the draft to Las Vegas. Vegas hosted the draft not long after we all graduated from college and we all had our first real jobs. Real jobs meant more disposable income. Disposable income meant we could take a trip or two!

Vegas is where we stuffed at least 7 people in a rental sedan. Good times, indeed.

Vegas is also where we uttered the now-famous Heathen phrase, "We left our draft strategy in the cab."

All efforts will be made to keep the draft strategy from falling into the hands of some drunk tourists similar to those who found that epic file folder and didn't have a clue how awesome John Elway was and how Heathen Greatness was on the horizon, baby!

As the years have passed, our obligations outside the league have limited the grandiose travel plans. Marriages, house payments, children, jobs without the benefit of paid vacation have all contributed to the LSFL keeping the draft in the Lone Star State. But, this 20th anniversary deserves some celebration and reflection.

In addition to the colorful group of owners, we have an awesome media guide. All of my scrap booking friends could learn a thing or two from that bad boy. It has inspired awe in those not fortunate enough to be in our league. It may even be responsible for landing a job for one of our number. It has certainly granted me the opportunity to write a "column" or two. How many other leagues have the design staff that we do? Not that dweeb I saw actually cutting and pasting his sad little media guide together at Kinko's a couple of years ago. How many other fantasy leagues have 20 years worth of history that need, nay, demand an actual media guide? No wonder the media guide has to be digital. How cool are we?!?!

Don't answer that.

Will we still be meeting during the nascent days of the football preseason to assemble a team in the hopes of glory that will only extend to our own group 20 years hence? I'm thinking yes. Whether it be in Las Vegas, or the pressbox at the Homer Dome in Nacogdoches, or the club house in the retirement community at Sun City Georgetown, the LSFL will still be alive and kicking. Somehow, this silly notion of fantasy football has kept us together.

I think after 20 years, we're stuck with each other. (Insert schmaltz here).

Oh yeah: Go Heathens!

I heart Chet the Dog

We had our book club meeting yesterday. Whoo-hoo!

A small showing, but a fun discussion. I must recommend to the 12 of you who are reading this little Dog On It by Spencer Quinn! Dog is told from the point of view of Chet the dog.

I'd include a pic of the cover, but I fear copyright violation issues.

It could have been told from the point of view of my dog Maverick, but if Chet is easily distracted, Mav is totally distracted. Chet is a police dog school drop out, but he's awesome. I hope this is the start of a series beyond the promised three novels.

So, what is Maverick thinking right now as he snuggles up to my sneakers? He's probably wondering why I was at work for so long today. I could explain to him about weeding the old, crappy, dusty VHS from the collection at school, but I don't think he cares. I think, at least I hope, he's just glad I'm home and periodically scratching his neck.

Is Maverick wondering: Why did I my human sit on the couch last night for two hours watching the finale America's Next Top Model knowing full well that the leathery, haggard-looking, annoying Krista was going to win when I could have been walking the dog?

This makes me wonder: Why do I watch America's Next Top Model? I have no real interest in "high fashion." I'm pretty sure Tyra Banks is just this side of crazy (but, taking crazy to the bank), and I never follow the winners. Let's not even start with how predetermined and flat-out rigged this and all "reality shows" are.

I often worry that my college degree will go up in flames when I watch these idiotic girls scream, yell, and"disrespect" each other.

Grow up, dingalings. You're in a modeling competition. Some of you guys aren't that far removed from rehab or a stripper pole.

Maybe for the same reason that I really enjoyed Dog On It. There is nothing wrong with being entertained.

All of that to say go read Dog On It, and its sequel. Chet the dog is hilarious! He is the smartest one in the room, and his dog's eye point of view is uber-endearing.

Plus, it's just funny! Read it!

Library 2.0 thoughts

Really? This profession needs to be told to become innovative and progressive? Really?

Are other professions like this? They have to be told to modernize? They have to be told there are benefits to adapting services?

That's sad.

I liked Anderson's comment: "[I]t no longer makes sense to collect information products as if they were hard to get. They aren't. In fact, it may no longer make sense to 'collect' in the traditional sense at all." Even more reason to weed all of these crappy old things cluttering up my nonfiction and reference sections. Information is out there. If we act like we're the only ones who know how to find things, we'll be the ones left in the dust.

Another one I liked, from Schultz: "What was the library of the past? A symbol of a society that cared about its attainments, that treasured ideas, that looked ahead multiple generations. Librarians were stewards, trainers, intimate with the knowledge base and the minds who produced it. Librarians today are not just inventory management biobots: they are people with a unique understanding of the documents they compile and catalog, and the relationships among those documents."

Great that we are "intimate with the knowledge base," but we need to keep in mind how that base is expanding and changing.

Did she read Steve Berry's The Alexandria Link before she wrote this article, or did Berry read her and decide on a secret society of librarians based on that quote? Just a thought.

Schlutz also mentions collaborating with Amazon. Does Amazon want to collaborate with libraries? Didn't they have a recent kerfluffle over publishing rights with the Kindle? Are they exercising control over the market, or are they bowing up for the inevitable showdown with Apple and the IPad? Just another thought.

Riemer likes his RSS feeds. Still make me feel like a slug.

So, I guess the point is the library has been able to be old school for quite a while. It's sort of a source of pride. But, it's time to step out into the 2.0!

One small however...

We should always be open to evolving and progressing, but it's hard to embrace big-time change when the threat of being downsized or eliminated because of funding looms.

Danny Boy

rolly-olly-olly o

I'm not very linear.

That has been my one frustration about HEB 23. Nothing to do with the project, really. Just how I work.

I've been piddling and playing with different pieces of this for a while. I've just now sat down to compile everything.

Did I go in order? No.

Did I complete one module before picking up another one? No.

Had I, would things have been easier? Probably.

This is part of the reason why it takes me so long to clean the house. I can't stay in one room and complete that room before being sidetracked and going into another room, leaving both half finished.

So, a mish-mash.

Did I mention that I crochet?

That's right. My hair is currently in something resembling a bun (they teach it in library school), my dog is snoozing at my feet, I can barely get up my stairs because of all of the piles of books, and I crochet.

There is a cliche in there. I'm sure of it.

http://rollyo.com/supercarrotrollyo/crochet_stuff/

And, Flickr.

I could waste so much time on Flickr. I already have. Most of what you'll find here are pictures from my trip to Scotland. I'm not totally obsessed with Scotland. It's just those are the majority of the pictures I've actually loaded on my computer.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48811583@N02/

Rollyo would be cool to use for a research project with a class to help narrow things down and save time, which I can tell you is at a premium this time of year having just juggled the schedule so spectacularly in here it would make a clown weep. I know, data base purists. It's spoon-fed research, but for a beginning project or if you're crunched for time making a research roll could save time.

Again, I'm not sure if anything I Rollyo is that exciting. I know I'm supposed to be excited about

people being able to see my inner-most thoughts, but methinks people will be disappointed if

they look too closely. I wish Flickr worked a little better at the little red school house. I guess

they'd know we'd have too much fun!

Audiobooks, to me, are like books. There are awesome ones. There are skunky ones. My plan for world domination with my mp3 player is to devote it to books. I can't always "handle" listening to a book. Sometimes I'll be listening to one and if I'm not sitting still (such as driving), 45 minutes will have gone by and I can't really tell what has happened in the book.

I also can't listen to a book and do something like type. I somehow manage to start typing what I hear. It's the same reason why I could never listen to talk radio while working on the computer during graduate school. I'd manage to type what those clowns on The Ticket were saying in my history paper.

Or, I'd type a response like I was answering what I heard on the radio.

Music, I can handle. I'm not sure what the difference is between the spoken word and singing.

I think that dual process is why I might be the only person on the planet who truly can't drive and talk on the phone at the same time. Oprah's no phone zone has nothing on me

Anyway, I always hope audiobooks will be bigger than they seem to be at my school. Either that, or maybe I wish my English and reading teachers were reading more novels, thus leading to a need for new audiobooks. Hmmm...like I said, the good ones are great.

I have a series of Star Wars books that I've never read, just listened to. I do own the books. That would be because I'm a dork. However, I am so used to the reader's voice and so used to listening to that series in my car that I don't think I could read it or listen to anyone else perform it.

Plus, I'd never have time to read that series. That's sad considering I'm a huge (HUGE) Star Wars nerd. Audiobooks give me an opportunity to read just one more book. I totally count my listening in my book journal.

Am I the only one that thinks the IPad is cool, but am also worried that one entity is about to control music, video, and printed media? Just a thought.

My YouTube requires little commentary. Muppets are greatness, and these music videos that keep popping up are nothing short of genius. Who can argue with Beaker?

I enjoy listening to podcasts...have helped teachers on my campus compile them...found one on book clubs...oh look...Star Wars...but I don't want to listen to my own voice, and would hate to subject anyone else to it. Meh. If you make me post one, I'll do it, but I've never wanted to record myself and always cringed when I had to do it for classes. Yes, I see great classroom applications for podcasts, but please don't make me do it.

Oooooo...LibraryThing.com...it's like a combination of ravelry.com and shelfari.com! For someone who stumbled blindly through cataloging in library school (I'm still not sure what was going on in there), cataloging my books (and my yarn on ravelry) just shows you what kind of sick-o I am!

Again, the whole "social" aspect of it all escapes me. I have no idea why anyone would want to see what books I have or how much yarn is taking over upstairs, but I guess in those communities it would be interesting.

Zoho is interesting...I can understand your comment about it making things like Microsoft Office and that lot obsolete. I guess I got caught up in a training/upgrade/revamp video because I saw a lot of cheering and pom pon waving for the improvements? I agree with what some others have posted-it would make group work/collaboration easier so long as everyone had a computer and internet access.

Will people stop saving and backing their stuff up because everything is "out there" instead of on their individual machine? I see chaos down that road, and mostly because of something stupid I would do.

RSS feeds make me feel inferior

So does the social booking.

Not to whine, but they both make me think I should be reading more and exploring more. The RSS reminds me of the old list-serves we had to subscribe to in library school. I was able to keep up with those for about two days before I was overwhelmed.

Maybe overwhelmed is a bit of a stretch. Maybe just "whelmed."

Same with the bookmarking. I feel like I should be out there more...searching for useful sites to bookmark...

There is a bit of pressure in the aspect of social bookmarking to be social.

Do I really want my coworkers to know that my RSS and Delicious sites are dedicated to the Dallas Morning News and Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas?

Not that there is anything wrong with these things. They just aren't that innovative or exciting.

Although I like the idea of my bookmarks being easy to get to and not being tied to a specific machine. That's festive. But again, I'm not doing anything that exciting.

Maybe my peeps do, and I can mooch sites to bookmark from them!

And, while we're talking about Wikis...

I trashed the Maverick Wiki.

I probably shouldn't admit this. Even to you kind souls reading my blog. But, I must face my humiliation.

Sigh.

And, I'm at school on a Saturday.

Ok, so I'm on the Maverick Committee. No, we do not sit around watching and analyzing Dallas Mavericks basketball games (although last night's would give us something to ramble about). No, it is not a think tank organized to discuss my dog, Maverick. It's the committee that reads a gazillion graphic novels and pears those down to a "best of" list each year. It's a fairly new invention, and I am dorking out at the prospect of participating for the next two years.

Rather than throwing e-mails around or running up phone and travel bills trying to meet, we have a wiki. Genius, I say! Pure genius!

The wiki has every flippin' post on it that has ever been posted in the history of posting EVER.

When I was trolling around on it, I immediately went into "online class" mode, coupled with the "maniacal spring cleaning" mode. In my online classes, you were able to manipulate your page. You could arrange however you chose to. You could change how things appeared. You could keep every single flippin' post that was ever posted in your class. You could trash them. You could organize them however you wanted to.

I went to town on the wiki. I don't need that stuff from 2009! Be gone, clutter!

Oops.

I'm surprised the group even claimed me last week when I went to the meeting.\

Sigh.

I hereby vow never to touch anything on the wiki again!

Let's explain the profile pic

Eyes to the left, people!

On my profile picture you will see a bunch of squares.

The explanation is two-fold.

1) I don't have many pictures of me. Why would I? I am faced (ahem) with that reality every day. I'm not going to waste film, digital or otherwise, on that.
2) The squares are actually part of a quilt. They provide a good deal of insight without subjecting the unsuspecting masses to my pasty white visage.

On to the quilt!

My best friend from college (Stephen F. Austin-Go Jacks!) is Andrea. Henceforth, known as Drea. She is uber-crafty. Like an ethnic Martha Stewart.

She recently took up quilting. I love how she can just decide to learn something crafty, then she has the time and talent to produce in whatever crafty medium catches her eye. She can just see these things and know how to create them. And, do them well.

I know how to read books. That's about it.

As Chandler Bing said, can I interest you in a sarcastic comment? There ends my expertise.

The trend lately has been for people to take old t-shirts or jerseys that are significant to the quilt owner and use them for the panels. It's a great idea for making the quilt much more personal to the quiltee. Sort of a scrapbook you can snuggle up with.

I had a ton of t-shirts left from my days in the Piney Woods. SFA was (and is) a fantastic place to go to college. I love, love, love it. Classes were small enough that you weren't swallowed up in a sea of wandering undergraduates. The university is large enough to have tons of activities and events to distract you from your classes. And, the city of Nacogdoches is very supportive of the school. They will bust out the purple bunting at the drop of a hat. People joke that it's a party school, but hey. It got me two advanced degrees. It can't be all beer bongs and jell-o slip-and-slide parties.

Anyhoo, Drea had become a quiltin' machine and told me of her project of turning t-shirts into quilt panels.

A deal was struck.

I went to Scotland a couple of summers ago. Long story for another blog. Drea wanted some yardage of her family tartan, no doubt to do something uber-crafty. There is a very cool wool mill at the foot of Edinburgh Castle (Best. Castle. Ever).

The wheels of a plan were in motion. I buy the yardage in Scotland. She makes a quilt out of my old funky t-shirts.

(Actually, she wanted a kilt. According to one of my guide books and a special on The Travel Channel, there was a cool kilt store right next door to a cool yarn store that I had planned to visit. I shook my fists and bellowed at the heavens when I bee-bopped to the kilt store only to find it was closed for remodeling. The wool mill was Plan B).

So, I bought wool for a kilt, and shipped it along with years and yards of cut up SFA shirts to Drea to wave her crafty wand and turn my memories into a quilt.

Included in the quilt are many a band t-shirt. Along with being a book nerd, I am in my heart forever a band geek. Most coveted of the bunch is the rugby shirt from my four years in the SFA basketball band-The Roarin' Buzzsaws. (I was also in the jazz band for a couple of semesters-The Swingin' Axes. Everything at SFA is tied to the Piney Woods, which makes for very charismatic nicknames). Each individual instrument/section in the marching band would get together and have shirts made touting the greatness of that particular section. I know we had some good ones, but I could only find one when I was gathering shirts.

Some old sorority shirts from Tau Beta Sigma are in the bunch. Most of those are from spring formals and whatnot. Don't even get me started on the Tau Turtle Debate.

Elvis was a big player at Student Publications, so he made an appearance on a t-shirt that I'm surprised didn't bring down the wrath of the copyright police on us. Also, you'll find an outstanding caricature of the yearbook staff. That still makes me laugh.

I also included my one SMU t-shirt that actually made the trip to Europe twice. I even bought a TWU t-shirt for the project. I must support equal representation of all higher learning institutions on my quilt. I wouldn't want anyone to feel left out.

So, that pile of dilapidated t-shirts is quite telling of my interests and inspirations. Much better than a goofy photograph of moi!

Kiera also wants me to add a picture

Why? Why? For the love of humanity, why?

Oh well. This is me at St. Andrew's in Scotland a couple of summers ago.

Do I know anything about golf? No. Do I care about golf? No.

However, I am smart enough to recognize an opportunity.

And, here we go!

Kiera made me blog. It's true.

But, don't let that statement fool you. My dream job would be to be a columnist somewhere. Not an entire novel, mind you. I doubt I could hold a train of thought that long. An occasional column in a huge newspaper somewhere would have been awesome. Who wouldn't want to read what I had to say about absolutely nothing of consequence?

The Dallas Stars' goalie situation? I've got an opinion. The state of public education? I can pontificate. Conan versus Leno? I'm all over it. Why I hate the Twilight books? I could go on for days.

However, I'm still not convinced I could turn my ramblings into opinions worth an editor's money.

Way back in my undergraduate days at Stephen F. Austin (Go Jacks! Whoo-hoo!), I was afforded the opportunity to "freelance." I co-wrote a few columns. I helped out with a few features. I did some highly suspect work on the yearbook. But, I never had an interest in journalism.

I did (and do) have a huge interest in books. For my degree, I had to major in two teaching fields. I ended up majoring in English and reading. (Yes, naysayers, you can major in reading. How do you think reading teachers learn how to teach reading?). So basically, books, books, writing, books, and some more books. It was through my reading classes I discovered Young Adult literature, henceforth called YA. Good times, fun, and yuks ensued.

So, armed with my certifications in English, reading, and later Spanish, I stumbled into junior high.

I meandered in the classroom for a couple of years before returning to school for a Master's in Liberal Arts degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Why not? All of my friends were in graduate school. I'm sure the alumni board has a more elegant explanation of the degree, but it was basically a "learning for the sake of learning" degree. Students are given a catalog of courses and given fairly free reign to pick and choose classes. Although not officially a "specialization," most of my classes were history classes.

My classes also allowed me to travel a bit as I was able to take a class in Spain and another class in England. Any excuse to bust out the passport!

All of the librarians I had worked with told me I would love to be a librarian. I already had an interest in reading and YA literature. I was perceived to be much smarter than I actually am, so they were convinced that graduate school wouldn't be difficult. However, it never occurred to me once I was in the program at SMU that I could obtain a second Master's degree.

After a particularly brutal day teaching 9th graders, and eighteen months prior to finishing at SMU, I decided as soon as I was done at SMU I would start library school at Texas Woman's University in Denton. My predecessors were correct. I could totally be a librarian.

As a librarian, I can finally spend time with the books that I enjoy so much. Yes, there are books in English classes. However, there is that pesky thing known as writing. As someone who never found writing difficult to do, I found it very difficult to teach. After teaching an elective I learned that while the scrutiny of a tested subject isn't involved, electives can become a dumping ground for reasons that could take up many a future blog.

Anyhoo, fate was kind, and I am now a librarian! I get to be a book geek for a living! And now, thanks to Kiera, I'm blogging a bit, too! We'll see how long it lasts.

Or if any editors call.