Thursday, May 9, 2013

BioShock

I did some figures for work the other day. 

We are tyring to justify the need for additional staff and in order to do so took a look at a comparable library close by. 

We looked at how many storytimes and events they did each month, and what their attendance was, and divided it over the number of employees they had to put things into perspective.

Their numbers were sort of comparable. The big difference was the staffing.  They have 2.5 FTEs (Full time equivalents) and we have me.

Boiled down the numbers look like this.

Their employees serve 219 kids a month.  That is they "see" that many individuals in storytime or programming a month.

Me: 769

Yes, you read that number correctly.

I think this goes a long way towards explaining why I seem to be getting sick so often.  1) I am tired and 2) I am exposed to many, many people (and runny noses).

I have an apt with my primary care physician on Monday (the soonest I can get it).

I think I have an ear infection.

Monday, May 6, 2013

TLA and Phantom Limb Pain....

Are you tired of hearing about TLA yet? 

I guess I really didn't say all that much about it, and I still have to post the photos I took of my panels.

But I wanted to discuss something else today. 

Why every morning at 2:30 I bolt upright in bed thinking: Oh My GOD!  I forgot to....."fill in the blank!"

Every morning since TLA.

I know this has been on my mind for some time and it will take me a while to "get over it."

Can you have post traumatic stress syndrome over a life event?

Friday, May 3, 2013

I know some smart people

And they are all doctors!


My friend Rose Brock completed her dissertation defense yesterday and is now Dr. Brock.  Having just done this last year, I know how good this feels. 

Here we are with our advisor, mentor and role model Sylvia Vardell.

Lessons learned in mockery

I confess, I am not always a nice person.

Sometimes I am downright mean.  At least in my head.  I am still polite enough not to verbalize the sarcastic slings and arrows that zip around my brain.

One of the recipients of my mocking thoughts have been those moms who get all upset as their kids leave the nest. 

Me...I would joke with my kids: When you leave? This (their bedroom) becomes the media room.  I am going to paint the walls a dark forest green; have reclining leather seats and the big screen?  That goes right there .

I was serious.

Now as my 18 year old prepares for his Eagle Ceremony, Graduation and moving 3.5 hours away to college, well, I am singing a different tune.

Seriously, I understand that successful children who transition into productive, independent children is a good thing. It actually means that Fred and I did our jobs correctly, and have raised functioning adults.

But still. I have been a bit weepy. 

Like right now.

< 12 yo Freddy in the middle putting on his scarf>

Thursday, May 2, 2013

More on screen free week

Follow the link to hear my friend Dan Yaccarino chat about the need for everyone, but especially our youngsters to unplug and learn through experiencing the world.

I think she enjoys torturing me

I called my mother in law the other day to see how things were going. 

She asked if I was stressing out.  I asked about what?

She replied: At having all of us to come down for a visit.

Yes, I knew they were coming.

The story went something like this:

BIL Bill: How come you didn't tell me the date of Freddy's Eagle Scout Ceremony?!?!?
Me: Just did.
BIL Bill: I want to come!!!!
Me: Come then.
BIL Bill: I am bringing my youngest.
Me: YAY!

Then my sister in law heard that in addition to my in-laws, Bill was coming.

SIL Lu: I want to come.
Me: Come then.
SIL Lu: OK.

Then my other sister in law heard that in addition to my in-laws, and Bill, that Lu was coming and she wrote:

SIL Liz: Can I come too?
Me: Of course.
SIL Liz: Will you have room?
Me: We will find it.

So now I have 5 adults and one child coming to my house for four days.

What's there to be stressed about?

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

So...what have you been doing lately?

You know I thought when I was done with my dissertation, I would have all of this free time.

It didn't work out exactly like that.

I am a part of the Texas Library Association, one of the biggest state organizations in the country.  I am involved in both the Young Adult Round Table (YART) and the Children's Round Table (CRT) which is of course a whole lot of fun. Work, but fun.


This past year I served as the Chair of CRT.  You know how sometimes your idea of something and the actuality of something are very, very far apart? That was what this was like.  I thought that I was going to be doing some decision making things, head some meeting, etc.

That is not what happens.  What happens is you plan the programs for your conference that year. 

So I have spent the last year coming up with ideas for conference programs that people might want to see.  Then I found speakers to speak on the topic, and moderators to keep the conversation going and presiders to make sure the room was set up properly and everything was going according to plan.

Oh, and there are contracts, and niceties like gifts that need to be awarded.

One of our events was an author breakfast, which meant creating a program and centerpieces. More on that in a bit.

So...that is what I have been up to lately.

I am going to post in detail on some of the events we had and some of the high and low-lights of the conference.

In the meantime I am still trying to adjust to life without a three page list of things to do.

I am sure I will remedy that, and quickly.

Monthly Book Club - Wife 22

So, one of my new year's resolutions was to start a book club for adults...in my neighborhood.


Me not sharing books with those around me is like the cobbler's kids going with holes in their shoes, right?

This will be our 4th meeting.

So far we have read: Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker, which we thought was so-so; The Fault in our Stars by John Green which we all loved; Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, which we liked pretty well.



This month is Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon. It is the story of a wife who has frustrated with her husband and marriage, and expresses her concerns as part of an online survey of the modern marriage. After a period of time she starts having feelings for her online interviewer.

Billed as smart chick lit, I felt that overall it fell short. I didn't find the character all that sympathetic, sort of like "poor little rich suburban housewife." I think the message was meant to be that in this day and age it is easier to communicate with a person online than it is in person.  I don't agree. 

The ending was a bit predictable, and anyone who grew up in the 70s will recognize the reference.

The idea behind the club is simple...to read outside of the box.  For me this means adult, but for many it just means keeping up with some titles that they may have missed in their day to day lives. 

Next month we are reading a children's novel.  I am curious to see if WONDER is as well received as TFiOS was.