Library Memories

While I was lying awake yesterday morning at 4 am, bemoaning the sad state of my blog and wondering if any of my readers are even still reading, I hit upon a topic to share with you.

Here then, are reminiscences from my happy childhood as a library patron.

Rules I learned from my elementary school librarian in Dale City, Virginia:

• Four on the Floor (don't tilt your chair back on two legs)


• Nothing Comes Before Something (when alphabetizing, mar comes before mars)

Fondest library memory:

Discovering all the sequels to Anne of Green Gables at the Potomac Community Library.

Quirky Childhood Habit:

While roaming the stacks of the Potomac Community Library, I invariably left my library card sitting on a shelf somewhere (apparently my mother had yet to teach me the benefits of carrying a handbag). Sometimes I was able to back track through my wanderings and retrieve the card. Other times, the card had already been turned in at the front desk by the time I went to ask about it.

Favorite Childhood Library Book:

The Duchess Bakes a Cake

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em

I've developed a disconcerting habit of late. Nearly every night, I wake up between 3 and 4 am, wide awake, Mr. Sandman having seemingly fled the county. This morning, it happened at 3:55. So, here's what I did (after turning on the lamp):

Looked through the latest James Avery catalog (lots of nice new things!)

Looked through a recent FootSmart catalog (everything's usually the same, but it passed the time)

Started my Christmas List (not the list of what I want, but the list of what I plan to give)

Looked up in my beloved Kaiser Permanente Healthwise Handbook (I've read it so many times I practically have it memorized) how to mix a salt water gargle (one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water).

Slightly New Approach

For the latest installment in the job-hunt saga, I will tell you that I turned in applications this week for two separate part-time, temporary reference librarian jobs--one at a local public library (the local library to which I've belonged the longest) and one at a local Conference USA school. I hear neither is a great place to work, but I'm obviously not in a position to be choosy. My money situation is about to be dire, despite my Target income, and I am also increasingly worried about being out of a library job for too long.

So, cross your fingers and pray for my latest endeavor. If one of these works out, it would not be a long-term solution, but it would at least give me more money, more experience, and more peace of mind.

The Slump

Remember how I said that there's nothing to stimulate the imagination at Target, and I worried that it would hurt my blogging?

I'm too tired to run a statistical analysis (yay 5080 (BTW, Starr--has Dr. Enoch left SLIS?), but I think it would prove that my blogging has declined proportionately to the amount of hours I'm working at Target. One reason for this is that I have fewer opportunities at the computer. Unfortunately, all of my computer activities have suffered of late.

No excuse, just an explanation.

Good Philosophy

You know I'm fond of magnets, right? Here's my latest purchase:


You can get your own from Fridgedoor.com