Sunday, August 7, 2011

Saturday Morning at the Library

Be good to your librarian!


The movie you requested, and in fact several of your movie requests have been REJECTED. That's the way it goes, toots.


Printer error message - turn off, turn on. And yes, your print job will come out.

Coworker found some blank "Diplomas" in the donations, and wondered if we'd like them to give to people who take our Book-a-Librarian classes.

Helped patron make reservation for a 2-hour computer, required some rigamaroling.

Helped regular patron look for speech pathologist programs - Eastern Washington University offers an undergraduate program. It was not pleasant when she emphyzema coughed in my ear.

Checked hold queue position for a man who wanted to know if he'd have time to take two other books to read before they came in. Yes (unless he reads REALLY slow).

Speech pathology patron came back - needed help setting up to write reviews through our catalog (new feature with the new system). The book she was going to review: Whites, blacks and racist Democrats : the untold history of race & politics within the Democratic Party from 1792-2009 by Wayne Perryman. Can't wait to read what she's written! (I should also mention that this woman uses the Answers in Genesis website).

Two little boys came to get their "free italian soda" cards stamped. The younger asked if only one person would win the cookie as big as your head. I told him yes, one kid from each library. He made a very strange face, than told me he knew somebody that got their italian soda already. "It was a girl." Then he ran off.

Headphones checkout

Another check for hold queue positions.

"Can you tell if this DVD is in Korean or another language?"

Nook eReaders - showed where to access ebooks on our website

Passive aggressive lady needs help getting photos onto Craigslist. Other staff member accidentally called me Jane when he pointed her in my direction. She actually said, "my heart fell, because Jane is the only one I don't like." WOW. Thanks for sharing that bit of information...

Same patron couldn't log into the computer - somebody else had it booked but fortunately they didn't show up and she was able to log in. She said she booked it by phone this morning, for 11:40 (but my records showed somebody totally different had it booked...). I'm glad it worked out because she can get REALLY pissy.

"Can I use this computer over here to check email?"

Time to help upload photos. This woman is maddening! Wrote down steps for her to save to flashdrive from email, then upload to craigslist. Her friend (the speech pathology woman) had printed out information for her that suggested uploading photos to flickr or picassa first, then using the html. WAY TOO COMPLICATED for this woman! She says "that's a cute skirt" [DON'T TOUCH ME!!! Gah!]


Thrift store skirt


"I can't get this map to print, it's too big." (I had to do it from my computer, where I can be more tricksy with jpg images)

[Why am I still on the routing list for Billboard magazine? I thought I changed that months ago - it's not about music, it's about the industry sucking the musicians dry. I hate it! And man, that sub sure has a cackle laugh]

My favorite genealogy patron needed help with the new Yahoo email interface.

Time to actually upload the photos to Craigslist- I ended up doing it for her. Typical.

Afternoon librarian is stuck in construction traffic and will be late.

Favorite genealogy patron tells me about the "badger game" which is somethng criminals did to extort money from people

Phone call - need email for the KOMO 4 consumer reporter.

Summer Reading finisher

Afternoon librarian made it on time!

Lunchtime!!!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Hello and a handbasket!

Isn't that the saying - we're all going to hell in a handbasket?

This giant cement basket full of fake flowers was very surreal and horrifying

Nice one, eh?

People's taste in yard decor never ceases to amaze me.

But that's not what I was planning to talk about. I'm not sure where I'm going here tonight. So I'll just RUN with it!

Today was my third anniversary with the most wonderful Michael Dustdevil - creative genius, both musically and epicuriously - he takes much better care of me than I deserve. I grow the food, and he cooks it! It's a perfect partnership in every way.

I love him so very much.

Of course, being madly in love with your spouse doesn't really fall into the category of "going to hell in a handbasket."

I think that has more to do with the world in general. I've been too busy to pay close attention to the debt "deal" and that's probably a good thing - I'd be so pissed off I was really paying close attention. If I was paying attention, I wouldn't say "paying attention" so many times in two sentences! Sheesh!


Margarita time!!!!!!

Have another margarita, why don't you, silly girl?!! Only I don't drink margaritas every day. Probably a good thing.

Ignorance is bliss. I love my husband so much. I love my job. I have wonderful friends, both new and old, near and far, in person and online. You're all wonderful.

Thank you.


And now... something completely disturbing, because what else would you expect from me?





Friday, July 22, 2011

Polish Cauliflower and Sausage Soup

Now that we have all that cauliflower, we need to do something with it! Fortunately Michael has several great recipes tucked away in his genius mind - here's one of our favorites.


Gorgeous giant cauliflower!


Ingredients

One head cauliflower
Two carrots
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (homemade is best)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound kielbasa, roughly chopped
3 Tbs butter
1/3 cup flour
Salt & pepper to taste
Cheese - as much as you see fit (Tillamook medium cheddar is our choice)

The recipe, as dictated by Michael:

Head of cauliflower, cut into florets
Two carrots, thinly sliced

In a saucepan, with 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock (preferably homemade); cover and simmer until tender.

Lightly blend and set aside.


So pretty in the blender

Bzzzt - blended



In same saucepan, brown one chopped onion, 3 cloves of minced garlic, and about a pound of kielbasa (roughly chopped)


Kielbasa, onions, and garlic


When browned, add 3 Tbs butter, 1/3 cup flour, salt & pepper to taste - mix well and cook for about a minute, remove from heat and slowly stir in 2 1/2 cups of milk

Heat until it thickens and is bubbly, on medium high - stirring continuously - simmer for two minutes

Add as much cheese as you see fit (we use Tillamook medium cheddar)

Over medium heat, add cauliflower carrot mixture and heat for ~5 minutes


Serve with buttered and salted baguette slices for mopping up the soup!


ENJOY!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Google+, giant veggies, and an amazing kid...

So. Google+ is live and it seems that everyone is stampeding over there to give it a try. That includes me. The jury hasn't rested yet, but I am leaning in a pretty positive direction. With a few more improvements, I can see moving most of my social network operations in that direction. If only they'd allow html in posts and comments! PLEASE!!!!!!! I'm begging you, great Google gurus!

A couple of things I've noticed already:

  • You can edit your posts! (hey now, there's a concept!)
  • There doesn't seem to be a limit on how long your post is (hey now, there's a concept!)

That's a couple, right? What's missing - the ability to use html in posts and comments. That's the biggest thing missing from most of the social sites. What if I want to embed a video or photo as part of my comment? Oh sorry, you can only post a link... the visual impact is lost because people have to visit another page to see it. There is definitely potential...


Giant veggie plants, with Nolan for scale


And on to giant veggies... and giant teen boys. I look at this picture, and Nolan looks even more grown up than ever - is that possible?!!! Look at that face - he's not a little kid anymore! When did this happen? He'll be 17 in a couple of weeks, and a senior next year in school. It's been a damn fine ride with this kid - I couldn't have asked for a better parenting experience with him. I'm so proud of the young man he's become, despite the constant motherly worry when he's out there in the wilds (like tonight... camping at Mount Baker and split boarding tomorrow). It's good that he has healthy interests!


Baby Nolan


What a cute little guy he was!

Oh yeah - back to the veggies. They're growing like mad this year! I took a few risks and put starts out when the weather seemed a bit dodgy - cold and rainy. It seems to have really worked out! We're getting tonnes of broccoli, and the first head of cauliflower was perfect. PERFECT.


A perfect head of cauliflower!

That's no keychain swiss army knife, nosiree! This first lovely head of cauliflower was turned into the most scrumptious cauli-cheese-sausage soup ever.

Time to go digest.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

All that is lost...

I AM LOST!


Can eventually be found - or so they say.

Today, I lost 68GB of my music collection when my external hard drive died during transfer to a new drive. Only 11GB was saved. I could be depressed, heartbroken, or despondent! But no. I'm am just annoyed. Annoyed that it happened in the summer, and not the winter when I have more time to futz around with it. Annoyed that I have to go through everything and figure out what made it and what didn't. Annoyed that it will take time away from other things that are more important!

But really, it's not that bad. I'll be able to clear out the crap I don't really want, and add plenty more new music. It's one of those freeing moments...


Happy Sad

It's a pain, but life will go on.

Any suggestions for music I should try?


Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Yay!


Yay! Yay! Yay!

I'm not sure why I'm shouting "yay" at the moment - it must have been for a good reason.

Perhaps I'm sugarly gleeful for summer reading at the library! YES!!!! That's it!

Okay. I'll be honest - it isn't all bad, but sometimes the crowds drive me a bit batty. Today wasn't too bad, and I had a pretty good experience. A large group of kids came down from the Navy Youth Center, and about 8 boys (age 9-11) decided they needed stamps for as many as possible optional activities as they could muster. They told me jokes.

"Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?" HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY GUTS! hahahahahahaaaa


Anatomically correct! Glows in the dark! Who knew human bones glowed in the dark?


They also said hello in a variety of foreign languages, told me what countries they'd like to visit, and what recipes they've tried - lots of SHUSHI. And they drew maps.

And then one boy said, "You're a REALLY NICE librarian! You're the nicest librarian I've ever known!"

Made my day. And I'm going to keep working on being that nice librarian every day of my life. It's not a competition, but damn. If a handful of kids can come to the library and feel like somebody is paying attention to them, then let me do this day after day, after day after day.


Monday, June 27, 2011

Today...


Nolan is in Yellowstone right now. Right NOW. I'm jealous.

That's him, standing next to the sign and sending me a text to let me know he's there, so I can catch him on the webcam. I'd been speaking to him on the phone just a minute before that, but was on my way home for dinner break and had to fire up the computer to get the webcam shots. I'm glad he's there, and enjoying a relaxed trip there with his dad. They're going to do some back country hiking

Did I mention I'm currently reading a book called "Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park" by Lee Whittlesley? It just happened to arrive on one-week interlibrary loan a couple of days ago. Seeing as the library system went to the expense of bringing it to me, I HAVE to read it, right?


RIGHT?

It's really interesting, actually, and I am enjoying it despite the paranoia it causes me to feel, knowing that Nolan is out there in the mad wilderness. He's pretty savvy, and not a fool when it comes to the reality of *being* in the wild. Unlike most of the idiots that visit the park. He was telling me about getting stuck for 2.5 hours due to bison along the roadway - some people thought it would be clever to "herd" the bison with their cars. They finally managed to squeeze through an opening and get out of the traffic jam - he reported the bison seemed angry, and were snorting a lot. If only they had rammed the offending cars!

Here's a lovely little vid from our last visit to Yellowstone, in 2008. YOU DO NOT MESS WITH THE BISON!






And on that note... it's time for bed!


Sunday, June 26, 2011

This thing working?


Tap tap.

Knock.

Seems to be in one piece. Probably still able to take whatever I have to dish out. Seems it's been over a year since I've posted here.

Oh my, oh dear.

I haven't been much in a writing mood at all for a while, my other, long running blog has also suffered a drought of verbiage. My three followers have probably grown bored and gone elsewhere for entertainment. Oh well. I hope they've found something interesting. I know my mom is busy with their new Subaru, so she probably hasn't missed it much. And the knock-off shoe spammers are probably annoyed I haven't provided them any new posts to spam, but hey. Such is life.




Trying to decide what to focus on here - my garden? books I've read? witty social commentary? Stories about the library? Anthropormorphising traffic cones?

Suggestions welcome.