Off tomorrow...

Let the rejoicing begin. This will be my first Saturday off without having to take leave in a year. Temporary insanity is my plea and I'm sticking to it.

Slow day here. But I've got to manage today. It still is so difficult. It is so easy to figure out what I do good and what I need to work on. It becomes more difficult in trying to tell someone else what they need to work on. But I am so proud of me for doing it.

I want to be a good manager. I think I succeed or at least am continuing to learn how to be.

Good day and TGIF for once...

Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious

But then again neither am I. Dreadfully condition. I tried it once in 1995 but never again : P I am back at work once again. I am having a very friendly phone morning. Thus far I have had a laugh with a colleague, I have plans for a farewell dinner with a friend and have one of the programming people looking for a guy for me. Triple LOL. It's so strange. I lament sometimes that I feel so alone. But I keep realizing how many people I know and am friends with. I wonder if it is me. I shut people out and then complain about being alone. I am an introvert according to Myers-Briggs but mainly according to me. Which are you? I need time by myself. I recharge that way. But all things in moderation. I need prodding sometimes to get out and interact. I need reminding that they will like me if I just give them a chance to get to know me. I used to carry a construction paper heart in my wallet. I had drawn a crack through the middle and drawn bandaids over the crack. I had written "Handle with Care" and "Kid Gloves Only" on it. I still have the heart. I gave it away once and never got it back. So I made a new one for me to hold onto. It is a bit frayed and bent but still holding itself together fairly well.

Good day and le coeur est la chose la plus forte dans le corps.

Quick Update

My apologies loves about the lack of communication... just a quick update. I am still visiting with P and will be out until tomorrow. Her procedure went fine and it appears that it is hopefully not as serious as thought. She doesn't get her results until the 15th so keep her in your prayers/thoughts/sacrifices to Bast ;)

As for me, I have spent some time researching positions, work permits, and citizenship. There is a possibility I could apply for a Highly Skilled Migrant but it is a bit dear. It would be cheaper to work in Canada : P I also took a look at the out west positions which are definitely a possible. Or going with the DoD which I started submitting my resume for. It looks like either Germany or Japan would be the most likely for an overseas position. I still have to finish my Peace Corp application. I got it done up to the financial bit. But I am certain that this is my year to move or change. Just between the current situation at work and just my own wanderlust. The hardest part will be the missing of family. But I am dedicated to doing this for me.

Let's see what else. I have firmly set my supreme niceness title in stone. I was on my way to work the other day and had to stop at Wallyworld. Just in walking to my car I happen to overhear a guy looking for a jump for his car. I happened to have a car and jumper cables to be able to help him out.... Nice and so modest : P

Good day and Call on God, but row away from the rocks.

The Grand Scheme

When is the best time to stop scheming and dreaming and start acting? This is something I have been pondering more and more. I have plans and dreams and ambitions. So when do I start making them happen? As of right now, I still trying to decide on what is the best way to get where I want. I've got the job that I love...now I just need the place where I can settle. The other stuff (husband, family, etc.) is supposed to come after I find my place. Or at least that is my plan. Though each time I type plan, I am reminded of a lyric, " Life is what happens to you while you're busying making other plans". Or what Dad says, "If you want to hear God laugh, make plans."

So I love my job but it needs to be in another place. My number one pick would be in England. I have wanted to move there every since I can back for graduation a couple of years ago. Number two would be just abroad. Out of the states... I find wanting to see and do things not of this land. Something beyond my current cultural state. As to exactly what I am not sure. But I am sure of this as I am that I am me. If I have to stay here in the states, out west seems to where I am currently leaning.

So what have I done thus far? I've got my resume posted with the DoD. Not my first choice but it is an option as getting hire elsewhere outside of the states is a bit of a problem. Why couldn't Mom have an insane desire to live in Australia for a good part of her pregnancy with me I'll never know? If Angelina Jolie can do it... I also cruise the job sites and I have found some but I have yet to persue any of them. I am afraid of either getting in or not getting in. What a dilema... I am no good at following my own advice. I keep telling P to try for the scholarships even if she wouldn't get it but I wouldn't do the same for a job.

What do I do? Well, I have 3 months til my probation is up here. The worst they can say is no. So bring on the apps for all three places. Vive la vie...

Good day and live the life.

Busy, busy, busy..

My computer class ran over today. They were just so excited. I had the best compliment from one of the ladies who told me after the class that she hasn't taken any classes recently due to the fact that she has a learning disability. She said I made everything quite easy to understand and made her feel quite comfortable. Kudos to me!

I will be popping in and out of work for the next week or so. Hence I will popping in and out of blogs too. Today's catatrosphe was my star sticker order didn't come in in time. Now where can I get 10,000 star stickers tonight?

Hmmm.... good day and twinkle twinkle little star.... I call it... it's mine! : P

Of course, I am Special... I have the Sandwich sticker to prove it.

Overall a very lovely Saturday. Would have been lovelier if I didn't have to work and could have lazed about all day... though possibly not. If I hadn't been at work, I would have been available to help D move. Good things out of bad.

God and I talked quite a bit this morning in the car. Well, I talked, God just listened. Mainly about the whole where is my life going bit. I reiterated the fact that all signs from him must be in bright neon colors and flashing. Though it reminds me of how much I pay attention to things normally which is a negative percentage at best. I am very good at not noticing. Hence I get pied in the fact quite a bit. Whenever it happens, it makes me wonder what else am I missing.

I had a nice chat with N today. She works in my eye doctor's office (speaking of not seeing things). She is a very nice person and we talked for a good 45 minutes on the phone. I am very thrilled to have a new friend : ) I have such a hard time finding cool people. Cool people don't live in Florida. What I want in friends is very similiar in what I want in guys. Silly and serious at the same time. Must be weird but not in a bad way. We talked about taking a class together. One of those continuing ed classes. It would be so cool to be able to hang out with someone other than myself. Though I am the coolest chick I know... maybe that's what is up with the wanderlust. It's the cool people can't live in Florida rule.

Good day and keep cool ;P

I need Feebdack...

on two different things so this should be interesting.

The first is I am going to be spending a lot of time in my car traveling to and fro next week and the week after. I am going to need traveling music. I like most everything but it needs to be something I can sing to. I tend to get a lot of soundtracks so I get a mix of everything. The next two weeks are going to be odd to say the least. I'll be at work on Monday and most of Tuesday. Then we have a training day for which I have been on the planning committee. Repeat after me... Do not volunteer for anything else right now. So the two days after it I am taking off. Only to work on Saturday and Sunday and then I am taking the first three days of May off. It's like this weird non vacation vacation : ) I'm taking the time to be with P for her procedure.

So second request... what is the best way to tell someone how their choices are affecting your life without it getting all accusatory and ugly? It is someone I really love and care about but I really don't like feeling like I am bailing them out all the time. When does one say when, when it comes to love? Sorry, channelling my inner Carrie Bradshaw for a sec.

Maybe when I get a free second I will finally figure out what I am doing with my life.

Good day and dance to your own special music (sticker above my desk)

Happy Tax Day!

Though actually any day paying tax is not a happy one. So unhappy tax day, loves. This was the first year I have actually had to pay anything. I have the feeling next year I will actually have to take mine in to get them done. I can pretty much muddle through them normally but the deductions always get me. I would like to know where my tax breaks are for my cats. If you all can take off your kids, then I should be allowed to take off my cats. I mean they are actually pretty dependent on me. Basil especially... I love that I have three levels of loving from them. Basil would sit on me all day if let, Hazel wants love every now and again and Henri wants love from afar.

Okay so Happy Easter too. I was telling Dad the other night that one of the most enduring Easter images I have is when he used to do a reenactment of the Easter story. I remember most one year he had cover a cardboard box with red paper and then covered over it again in brown paper. He then acted out the whipping that Jesus received and seeing the red between really stuck with me. I hadn't planned on going to church this year though. That doesn't mean I believe any less or contemplated the message any less. If anything, the idea of rebirth and renewal mean more this year. I am trying to figure out a renewal of me. So I plan to spend Easter contemplating that. That and eating a chocolate bunny. LOL

Oh so reminded me of a joke. This is worth of Dad's joke list. Three men died and went to heaven. Before entering Peter told them that they had answer a question before they could answer. The first man came forward and Peter asked him "What happened at Easter?". The first man didn't know. The next man came forward and Peter asked him" What happened at Easter?" The second man answered, " Jesus was born." "No, that's not right" said Peter. He sent him over to stand with the first man. The last man came forward and was asked by Peter the same question. The third man answer with a confident voice, "That's when Jesus came out of his tomb..." "That's correct" exclaimed Peter but the man continued "...and if he sees his shadow, we'll have six more weeks of winter."

LOL Good day and have a hoppy Easter, loves.

Dream, Death, Mortality and Movies

I've come to realize that I am not a book monogamousist. I tend to read about 3 or 4 books at one time. I also realized that all of my current books deal in some rather heavy themes. Right now I am reading the Sandman collection by Neil Gaiman, Plague Dogs by Richard Adams and Learning Joy from Dogs without Collars. I am very much enjoying all of them but at some point I fully expect for my brain to stop working or go on strike.

The Sandman collection is a series of bound graphic novels which are a collection of comics. I have finished 1 -6 and am anxiously waiting on number 7 so that I can finally read 8 - 11 that I have been hoarding. I also am reading the Sandman Companion which is close to being as fasinating as the Sandman graphic novels. If I had to summarize the plot of the Sandman graphic novels, I don't think I could. In the big print it is the stories of Morpheus or Dream. But in the small print it is beyond description.

One of the things I like about it is how Death is portrayed. Death is a girl for one and so not the cloaked, scythe carrying scary person that is normally seen. One of the other things I like about Sandman is the use of storytelling and myth.

Which just happens to be a favorite vehicle for Richard Adams as well. The use of myth. Plague Dogs is a tale of two dogs who escaped from a testing lab and basically become wild. Rowf was used to test the possibility of revival after drowning and Snitter had some sort of brain operation. I loved reading Watership Down but I can't decide about Plague Dogs. It is a great book but a tough read. As after Watership Down I so want to investigate his background a bit more. It makes me want to head back to school just so I can write papers on these books.

He does such a brilant job of having mortality layers. There is a blaring obvious layer of the ethical treatment of animals but I suspect that the animals aren't just animals. I suspect that they may also be representation of groups of people. Yep... the brain should be going into shock right about now.

But me, I am just bad to my brain... I mean books is one thing but I force it to think about movies as well. I just watched 13 Conversation about One Thing. It was all about fate and choices and how what we choose effect other's destinies. It is a good thing I stocked up on bodice rippers to get my brain a break. Those are beyond shallow. They are fluff. Not a moral to be seen. Literally or Figuratively...

See this helps. Getting it all out so that I don't have an overload of thoughts. I really should find a book discussion group. I miss talking about what I am reading.

What else is new? I went to church and lunch with D and H on Sunday. Very awesome people they are. I need to continue my church hopping. Theirs was good but not quite me. I have this set idea of what I want. LOL It was great church hopping in England being an Episcopalian. I mean finding an Episcopal or Church of England chuch was so difficult there... Not!

I am heading out to see P in a couple weeks. She is having a procedure done and I wanted to be there for her. So send her prayers, good thoughts and large bills : ) Otherwise I am doing okay. Too tired to upgrade that to a good right now.

Good day and pray often (especially during tax time)

Mental Health Day

No, this is not the day to go prove or disprove your sanity. I took a few days off as mental health days. It is just a day to get my brain back in gear. I ended up reading and just relaxing for most of it. Though I did get some cleaning done. And Tada! I cooked last night. I haven't done that in so long my dishes were thinking of harikaring and donating themselves to a mosaic shop. It was actually pretty tasty. But an enjoyable couple of days.

It is hard to break out of the habit of doing things. Relaxing is an artform not yet appreciated. I did catch myself a couple of times thinking of work. But I popped a Brachs in my mouth and tried to think of other things.

Alright kiddos... I've got to get back to work.

Good day and go mental.

What Boonies-Living has Done

I had to share with you all the sight I saw as I was out and about doing outreaches for the library yesterday. I was on my way back to the library when I noticed a strange vehicle coming up from behind. As it passed, I had to do a double take. It was a very tricked out hearse. Chrome and the whole nine yards. The back window had been decaled with a huge skull and crossbones and read "Dead Ride" just above the skull. Of course I was quite curious as to the adventurous soul who was driving (no pun intended: P) The guy looked normal enough except for his head gear. It was a black cowboy hat covered in red bones.

And I thought my bug stuck out in the land of pickup trucks : )

Good day and I see dead rides (temperature drops)

I've lost my hour already... and got the missing posters ready!

Please forgive me if this isn't a mite coherent as it still feels way too early for this. I don't know what I will do when I have my hour taken away this weekend. What exactly happens to all those hours? Is there like a big huge snow week at the end of time where all of the hours lost for DLST will be used?

Part of the reason I am so tired is I was so awake after the concert last night. I went to the Celtic Woman concert and it was just wonderful. I clapped and cried and tried not to sing along out loud. It was really great. I haven't been to anything artisitic in a while. I tend to head straight home after work.

I also made a friend yesterday. I was talking to my eye doc's receptionist about kids, cats, husbands and the library. She wants to go to the new main but felt weird going by herself. So we're making plans to go there. Also a very cool thing in my book. I don't have enough friends. I know a lot of people but I don't hang out with a lot of people. I've gotten a wee bit spoiled with doing things by myself a lot. But I want to change that a bit and make it a wee bit more even. I'll keep you posted. I also decided that I do need to get out more. A flower in the sun all the time dries out. A flower in the rain all the time drowns. But a flower that is in both blossoms big and strong. I so should have become a fortune cookie writer. Is it too late to change majors? What classes would I need for this? Confuicius 101?

Good day and bloom big!

Live happily

I was cleaning out my things one day and came across this list I had started way back when. It was all a verb and then an adverb. The title was on the top of my list. Some of the others were love completely, kiss deeply, and laugh wholeheartedly. Nice reminders from my past for my now. I also found poems, reports and one very cheesy short story from my creative writing days. It is nice to know I haven't left my cheesiness behind.

In that same cleaning fit, I also tossed a number of old love letters from ex-boyfriends. It was like holding on to tangible evidence that I was loved once. I didn't even reread them. Just into the trashbin they went. One last leash of old past holding me from my new future. I still have a number of things to clean out but one closet at a time.

Good day and you'd be amazed at how much junk I have (internal and external). Maybe a twenty one broom salute is due : P

Here I am to Save the Day!

Just a little Mighty Mouse for all of you. I had yesterday off work and spend almost the entire day in bed going from sleeping to reading and back again. It was just lovely. I knew I had things that I would like to get done but just felt like a lazy day was needed. I work so very hard most of the time.

We have a new staff person coming in on Monday. I am very much looking forward to working with her as I mainly just know about her from children's meetings.

You may have to look twice today. I lightened my hair last night and it looks fab-ul-ous! Or mostly like me with lighter hair: ) and waver hair. Somehow if I wash my hair at night and let it airdry overnight...BAM! Insta-perm. I look like I was attacked by perm ninjas overnight. It is a cute look on me but always reminds me of the commerical they run after Jeopardy. My hair is straight but Roger just called and now I just wash and it's curly. My personal thought is the hair is so scared of Roger that it curls just to get even a little bit away from him.... BRRR...

Good day and beware of Doug...

Just Breathe

Another awesome weekend with P. She came into town on Friday and just left today. She is one of my favorite people to talk with. She is so able to do the silly and serious conversation.

Work was good on Saturday. We did reader's theatre for Saturday Surprise. Who knew that there were so many ways to say the word "please"? We just had a blast. It continues to get a bit easier. The first couple of my evaluations came in. I am so glad I stole that idea. It just really helps to have an idea of how I am doing from my staff that is very constructive. I have been able to take some of the ideas and start working on how to incorporate them. I am really trying hard to be a good boss but at the same time grow some thicker skin.

I need to work harder at getting out more. I am so used to heading home just after work. No detours. I need to find some fun. I hope P. does decide to move closer so we can hang out more. I really think that having someone cool to hang out with would make me do more stuff. Motiviation : P is not my strong suit. Neither is picking up on subleties... It's a good thing that I'm a lifelong learner believer. Life is too precious not to learn or be stagnant.

Maybe I should learn to remember to get my key before P. left town. She accidentally took it out to my other library : 0 I've got to go pick it up in order to go home. Woops! : )

Good day and learn darnit!

You guys rock!

That seems to be the most prevelant thought as I read over the comments from my last blog. As Bartles and James used to say "Thank you for your support." It really just made my day.

I ran away yesterday. It wasn't a big run. Just down the way to P's house. She is doing good but is frustrated about the whole job thing. There is just a glut of collegies where she lives and it is hard competing. But she keeps trying which is good. We spent the day lazing around which makes the day off even better. Plus I had the best drive there. It was late with very little traffic and a good CD to listen to. I resisted the urge to find out where on road went. Oh but by my fingertips though. Next time when I have more time. I told her I would come in May for more days and figure out the whole how to pay for college thing with her. Somehow my $3.60 from the Upromise account does seem to cover the college expenses. Must buy more Gordon's and Cottonelle.

We party tomorrow for St. Patty's/March B-days. And then again in two weeks... occassionally we work : P

Oh and I get to breathe a bit easier as we will have another children's person before the current one leaves. I had vision of my April being really really bad with having to handle branch duties and children/teen duties as well. I did it for a month at another branch. Whew!

Good day and party til it hurts.

Take two oreos and call me in the morning

I seem to remember a Weird Al song dedicated to that principle... The White Stuff. Whatever it was about the oreos, all I know is I ate a couple and was out like a light yesterday. It had been a long day and week. Somehow I feel more like myself. At least somewhat... I still feel a bit like I am walking on eggshells.

If you are a bit confused, join the club. Last week I was told by someone that I was half the reason that they were leaving. Then they alluded to that they weren't the only ones looking for a way out. Talk about feeling like being hit by a 2x4. I had thought I was doing such a good job.

So I spent most of the week(this and last) doubting myself big time. I have asked my staff to do an evaluation of me. It isn't a requirement but "I can't fix what I am doing wrong if I don't know it is wrong". That is what I have been telling all of them.

I also haven't told anyone this with the except of God. He has been hearing a lot of this. It has been really tough. I keep trying to convince myself that this is a good thing and that I will learn a lot from this. But it hurts.

Some lessons are.

Good day and learning is a good thing.

Comments from a Fishbowl

Blub, blub, blub and a-gurgle. I feel like that sometimes as my office has a window. Not to mention an open door.

I saved a Cowboy the other day. He was very cute and cuddly. Thank goodness he was wearing a collar.

Okay so it was dog named Cowboy. He spent last Sunday afternoon hanging out with me at my apartment. I had just left for lunch when this little dog came running up to my car. I spotted it in my driveway to check on him and he jumped in the car when I opened the door. Since I didn't have my phone, I shut him in the car long enough to run back in the house to get it. I called the number on the tag. No person just a machine. So I went back in the house to get it organized ie. corral the cats into the other room. Basil puffed up twice his size with the mere whiff of doggish scent. Cats in the living room... now to sneak the dog in the other part of the apartment. That taken care of, I headed off to get drive thru. Once home, Cowboy and I hung out. He was a very very friendly dog. Several hours later after a couple more calls and some napping in my bed, Cowboy's family came to get him. It was a mom and her two kids. They had torn the house apart looking for him and not realized that he had slipped out the door when they had left.

Thank good ness they came to get him. He was such a little thing and I was glad I found him when I did. The street I live on is a very busy street even on a Sunday.

Oh and the bad day is slowly moving out. I told you ... hope helps...

Good day and yeee-haaaaah!

The Bad Day by EMC

Once upon a time, there was a very bad day. It moved into my house yesterday and seems to feel quite at home as it showed no signs of moving. It has messed with my sleep and my eating. I am hoping that once I go home today it will have moved out. Nothing scares a bad day as much as hope. I hope.... I hope...

Good day and keeping hoping.

I love my job

I know it's a scary fact but it is a fact. I am utter perfection at this. I have found my niche.

So can you guess that my Sunday work was pretty easy. I am very glad I found some of my daily work to bring with me. It did make it easier as the first part of the afternoon was fairly slow. But even as it picked up. It never actually got too hard. I was really a bit worried that I won't be able to handle running another library. I had forgotten that unlike my daily job, this was at a bigger library. Bigger library = bigger staff. More people to take on the job I have to take on at my smaller branch.

Mucho fabulouso! But I normally feel this way about my daily library as well. I love getting to help people learn more about all sorts of stuff.

For the most part I had to make sure that the payroll forms got filled out corrrectly and sent in. Plus I got to spend all my time in childrens where I started out in. It is so cool getting them to smile or finding whatever it is that they need. Plus part of my job is showing them how to find it themselves. Ultra coolness : )

Okay, enough gushing... Still as much as I love it, don't think I won't be the number one person running out to my car at the end of the day :P

Good night and librarians don't die, they get a checkin date of never.

Yawn...or Not to Yawn

That is most certainly the question today. I woke up early this morning at 4, read until 6, slept until 8. I crashed yesterday about 9 so I did get my eight hours but the rest of the morning had me a bit befuddled. If I get 8 hours, am I still tired by my waking at 4? Things to ponder # 1,256...

So note to self never promise wonders. They just don't work that way. It takes away from the wondering. Maybe I should mix mundanes and wonders. That way....no because the mundane can be a wonder. Like Wednesday was going to be stars. They are probably my number one wonder and they need no explanation to go with them. Though I have always loved the idea that we may see a star's light that is no longer there.

I think I will leave Thursday's wonder up to you all. One person's wonder is another's mundane. Case in point, my dad has been taking pictures of mundane things that he finds beautiful.

I have decided that the plan of working out in the evening after work is a foolhardy plan. Even with my $2.00 in my pocket and my workout clothes in my car, I still can't seem to get myself to the CF gym to work out. So I came up with a new plan. On my late days for work ( I have two days I don't have to be here until 11 : ), I go that morning and then either on Sunday or my day off. Unfornuately this Sunday I have to work at another branch and Monday is a holiday so the earliest I will be able to get in is Tuesday.

Oh, the best laid plans of mice and men... though I never did exactly understand why mice had to plan. Except for Pinky and the Brain... : P

Good day and what are we going do tomorrow night, Brain?

Happy VD!

LOL I just couldn't resist the title. It stands for Valentine's Day for those curiously minded. As to whether mine is happy is still out on debate. I just sat through a very long meeting for work. It seemed only longer because someone had forgotten to set their clock back in the meeting room. Maybe that is why it was so cold. Though I can't complain truly seeing as my Canada people see this as a balmy day at 29 : )

Okay today's wonder is personal strength. Blame this one on the Olympics. As I only have 5 channels and a limited amount of movies I can check out, I find myself watching the Olympics nightly. I am in awe of all that they go through just to get there. I don't particularly care who wins... I cheered like crazy when the Chinese came in silver for the pairs skating just because they had a horrible fall and got up to continue their skate.

As well I know myself I don't think I will be entering any competitions any time soon. But I know my strength. It is said that God never gives you any trial that you aren't strong enough for. He must think mightly highly of some of us. I mean think back on all you have gone through. Bad jobs, horrible relationships, regretful decisions... but you press on. It is amazing what we deal with everyday in the Olympics of our lives.

So back to the day, no plans tonight except to spend them with my true loves... Henri, Basil and Hazel (my kitties)

Good day and To the world you may be just one person but to one person you may be the world.

Three Wonders for the price of One

Okay so the whole wonders in a row only works if I am blogging everyday. Due to the lack of computers in my house, I can't blog on the weekends. So Saturday's wonder was the sense of touch, Sunday's was ability to laugh and today's is being able to read.

I love to play this game with myself. I focus on what I am feeling all at the same time. The clothes on my skin, the keyboard under my fingers, my tongue in my mouth. I think touch is taken for granted. I often wonder what my life would be like without it. There was a news story once about a little girl who didn't feel pain. As much as one might think that would be great, the pain wasn't there to tell her to stop doing something to herself. So wonder #1: to feel.

Everyone does it. Though we do it for different reasons and some of us do it when they hear someone else doing it. Laugh (I know what you thought I was talking about... cheeky buggers). We may forget how to do it sometimes or feel like we may never do it again. But it doesn't stop us from being able to. I know for a fact that God does it too.

And lastly, number 3 of which you have otherwise you wouldn't be able to follow this blog in the first place. Can you imagine what your life would be like if you couldn't? The smallest things we take for granted would be massive hurdles.

So wonders done for now. I had a lovely weekend of hanging out with most of my family and lazing around with kitties. It was within inches of heaven. I think all life is within inches of heaven. You determine how many inches...

Good day and may your inches be few : )

Piles upon piles

I am a pile person. Where are my clothes? In piles. What about work stuff? Piles. It is like a weird nervous tic. I believe I really realized that I pile everything when I finally became to tackle organizing my stamp collection. Yes, the snail mail kind. I split all of them up into their respective countries. And yes, they were in piles hence my thought of "I am a pile person".

It was a very interesting day over all. Dad and I went to an Ethopian restaurant. I couldn't figure out at first why they didn't bring us silverware. Or at least until they brought out our lunch on this large pancake-like bread which then became your silverware. I had a really great time hanging out with him. He is a very cool and interesting person although he tells the worst most horrible jokes. But I love him so I'll forgive him for that : ) Our time was just perfect too. I had no sooner walked the door from Dad's that my stamp album stuff got delivered. When I had originally called, they said it would be delivered between 9 am to 7 pm. Major ughs!

Doing the organizing may think a little about countries and history and patriotism. I do have stamps from places that no longer exist. Or places that changed names. How much of their identity was wrapped up in their country's name? How would I feel if all of a sudden when went from USA to USBL(United States of Bovine Lovers)? How much of ME is wrapped up in being an American? It was somewhat like thinking of how much of me is being female. I had about the same amount of choice (none) in either of those situations. I love living in America but I don not thinking we are the be all end all of countries. We have so much more to learn.

I have stamps from all over the world which got me thinking of history. Not world history but people history. I wondered what and who all these stamps had interacted with. All the news that they had shared that changed someone's life forever. That is today's wonder. I am hoping to do seven wonders in a row.

Okay, since all of you are now probably scratching your heads. I finished the PostSecret book the other day. It was beyond phenomenal. But the one that stuck in my head was the one that told how they saw no wonder in the world anymore. So hence the wonder...

Good day and may all your days be wonder-filled.

My new favorite quote

All I want is a warm bed and a kind word and unlimited power. ©
Ashleigh Brilliant

Love, love, love it!

Blub, blub, blub...

Sorry bloggeries.... I have been just drowning in work recently. It was a six day work week this week and I am so glad I don't have to do it all of the time. Thus far I have resisted the evil urge to take work home. It is very tempting though. I must get focused. Work is for at work and home is for relaxing, playing the kitties and plotting to take over the world.

I was fussed at the other day. Very disconcerting since I thought I was doing the right thing. Definitely something I am so getting rid of once I am in charge. Unless of course it is constructive.... so I want to be challenged but not challenged. Thus our rule as Queen of Contradictions continues into our thirtieth year (Note: I took on the royal tradition of responsing to self as we and did not develop momentary schizophrenia)

Oh and I'm bringing back the Brian Jacques' Redwall program to PBS. It apparently isn't shown in our area anymore. I am guessing the 6:30 am Sunday morning time slot demanded something else... I love those books. I always had to raid the fridge after reading them as the characters always were having feasts. They were mice after my own heart as we are party central here at work. We will party at the drop of a hat... I must schedule hat dropping soon.

Good day and go hug your librarian... it's love your library month : P

Fighting evil by Moonlight...

Would the multi-millionaire prince who needs someone to organize his yacht's library while vacationing in the Mediterranean, please raise his hand?

Oh yes there you are!

The daily imaginings of a country librarian... I need to slow down. I am still in the process of finding that happy medium of being busy but not so busy I need to start popping Valium from a Pez dispenser. It is probably just the timing. Or I just need to find a happy medium in a couple of other areas. I should give Dionne Warwick a call. Though all the mediums she knows are probably quite desperate since the Psychic Friends had to declare bankruptcy. Not quite the happy cheery people now... shouldn't they have seen that coming?

I've spent too much of the week on work stuff. Hence the whole blahs. I'll be better tomorrow.

Good day and I have places to be and kitties to snuggle.

I smoke my friends down to the filter

I can not wait to escape to the quiet of my apartment today. It's not that it's been noisy but it has been busy. I just want to sit and be. My life has been taken over by a cat. Not just any cat but this cat:


I decided to do my bedroom in Hello Kitty. It fits in well with me and I don't mean to Hello Kitty everything. Just a couple of things. P. suggest I hit up ebay. She helped me pick out a Hello Kitty rug the other day. I went down there last weekend to just hang out. It was just great as she is a great person to hang out with. She cooks for me. The ultimate sign someone loves me... I dislike cooking for myself as I have to do it all the time. She is the best little sister I have.... okay so she is the only little sister I have. Just like D. and J are the best older brother and sister I have. D. actually edges out on this though. I used his gift card to get a Hello Kitty bag. Though J. gave me Hello Kitty stuff too. Must ponder on this more.

Oh, I went to see Hoodwinked the other day on my fun day off.

Very, very funny movie. I really like the retelling of popular fairy tales. Plus it did a fairly decent job of being funny on two levels: adult and kid. I liked it. P. and I still have plans to see Narnia. At the rate we are going, we may be renting it instead of seeing it in a theatre : )

Good day and shhhhhhh.

Ask Me?

So it's Wear Your PJs to work Day... did you enjoy it? Did you miss that memo?

Well, I didn't. We are doing a Family Bedtime stories so to encourage those coming tonight to wear their PJs... I just had to wear mine. Though not the entire day. I did have Drug and Alcohol Training course to attend and figured that they would yank me right away for the random test if I was so duly attired.

So it was take off pjs, go to training, put on pjs and go to work. I must be making up for missing topsy turvy day. I have more training and meetings for the rest of the week so this is the only day I can make it up on.

Other than that a pretty normal day. Oh, I did get so see my good friend M. He was in training with me. Since the switch to management, I haven't been able to see him in a while. I do miss hanging out with him. I hope to be out of this job before I have to supervisor friends. That would make this a million times easier and harder.

You know us librarians. You've got to warn us off the D&A all the time. I mean talk about your high stress jobs : P Though we are just a neighborhood branch and we definitely keep busy. In just 6 and a half month, we've have over 10,000 items checked out. Major kudos to my staff,volunteers and community.

Okay, I'll stop before this begins to sound like an award acceptance speech. I'd like to give a shoutout to all my peeps especially the easter chickees... though the peeps at christmas were good too : )

Good day and remember always eat the head first... it is the best part of the peep.

I am flawed but I am cleaning so well...

I love when I get to start the day with a really good song.

My life is messy and so is my apartment as I am in the midst of remodeling both. I am attempting to get rid of clutter and become more organized. So I have cleaned out my front closet, 1/2 of my junk drawer, and moved my living room around. I went through half a million papers (okay so I am exagerating... it was more like a million plus : ) and chunked quite a bit. My current mantra is why am I saving this?

I haven't even got to the hard stuff which is currently housed under my bed. It's all the sentimental savings of 30 years. If only I could be as good with saving my money, I'd be a millionaire by now.

The hardest toss was one of R's emails. I reread it and decided that had he truly meant all he had written then he'd be there helping me clean out this monlith of a project and writing me sappy love stuff still.

It was a bit defeatish in a way. I held onto it so I had proof that I was loved instead of going on there and finding someone to love me.

Good day and I wonder can I just google love ?

I'm Sorry Sir but we have a "No Smoting Policy" in the Restaurant

Today's title was brought you by Dad's blog entry of reading of the irreverant comics and I can only imagine the waiter's chagrin with God's smoting in the restaurant.

Onto news, I discovered a conspiracy. No I don't know who killed JFK but it's better than that. The VW people want my money. Yep, they engineered a car to which the individual owner can do nothing. Nothing. Not a thing. It died the other day... or at least the battery did. At least twice. I don't think there is a VW heaven but there is definitely a VW hell and I was in it. I took it to get a headlamp replaced, oil change and a new battery. Yikes!

Only once they had to revive me as the oil change and headlamp were $ 154 and the battery would be $189. So I thought I would save a little and buy the battery at a random auto parts place and have P. put it in. Well she tried, the auto parts guy tried but no success. You apparently have to peel apart the car to get the battery in and out.

I have now figured out why my manual says eighty percent of the time "Take it back to the dealer". Had I not needed it for work, I would have taken it back, left it on the steps with a note saying "I have to give it up for its own sake. Take care of her." and been on my merry little way.

I have been immersed in this and catching up on all the work that I missed while immersed. My staff did what I do when they are gone. They put all manner of things on my desk.

Not much going on right now but I am being cursed by the lip fairy too. I put on some of that outlast lipstick and it is so outlasting me. I can't get it off. Really : * My lips have been Plum for like a day and a half. They should change it to Outlaw as it holds your lips hostage.

So needless to say my year is off to just a kicker: )

Good day and go long:P

Massive Air Strike coordination (I.E. Getting Together with Siblings)

I have decided that getting together with Family is like coordinating a massive air strike. Lots of communication, a little chaos thrown in and ETA's... My siblings want to get together for New Year's Eve. Happy New Year to all of you guys... I spoke too soon. I will be spending the night over at J and P's taking care of dogs. Nice and low key which is just what the doctor ordered. I'll probably head over after hitting home first to take care of kitties and get a shake to go from the Loop : ) I still have my coupon for a free one for my birthday but I have to get it before the end of December. Which today just happens to be.

Do you all make New Year's Resolutions? I don't. I know for the whole year what I need to work on for me. And I have gotten better about thinking about what I need to do better but not at putting it into practice. And what do I think about?

Getting in better health
Filling my head with good stuff
Interacting more with people
Being a better Christian

Oh but I will hopefully be able to check off belly dancing off my to do list soon. I am hoping to sign up for that class next week. I am really looking forward to it. Perhaps I can get lost on my way there so I can enjoy two pleasant things that day: P I am so on my way to become a Bond girl. Foreign Language or Accent..check, Requisite sexy dancing (got to do something to distract while evilly plotting against Bond) .... soon to be check. I still need small arms training and martial arts. All in good time : )

Good day and Cowart... Eve Cowart : P

I am as constant as a Northern Star

So I come back to you all just a bit older but not wiser by a long short. I did have a lovely birthday. My dad took me out on one of Daddy Dates which are just as good now as always. He complimented me by wanting to do it again and not just on my birthday. My siblings took me out to dinner and gave me presents. We were going to see Narnia but I had hurt my back earlier and took the medicine they gave me for my root canal. Needless to say, any sitting in any area dark would have resulted in me sleeping deep and hard.

Christmas was good too. I walked down to the Christmas Eve service at the Lutheran church around the corner. It was a bit of a dodgy walk because now the park I walk pass and live near is a supposed haven for pedofiles. Obviously they were all dreaming of sugarplums as there was no one out and about on my walk. We did the whole candlelight bit. But instead of walking out singing Silent Night, the pastor did a bit about Christ being the light of the world and how his light stills shines and we finished up with Joy to the World. Sometimes it is so hard to hear that still quiet voice within all the yelling that the world does. I imagine that the world is like the commercials. You know how they seem to turn up the volume for the commercials and it goes back down when your show comes on.

I got to spend a lot of time with family this Christmas. P came up and was here from the 22nd to the 26th. We hung out at J and P's for a few of those days and then spent Christmas Day at Mom and Dad's. I liked all my presents but my favorite was my sunset (actually a sunrise) in a bottle. My parents took a picture of a sunrise, printed off and put it in a bottle. It was on my wish list and I got it. Just another case of the impossible becoming possible in my life.

My favorite present for someone else was B's at work. He got Darth Tater. Oh but a more perfect present possibly doesn't exist for him. S. was so right on. We had him put in on the counter where we check people out. Sort of a new "Pay your fines or else" program : ) I tried to come up with other tater related terms this morning driving to work ( It is a long commute, people) and all I got was "Help me, Obi-graten, Help me"and Luke Spudwalker. Trust me, so far from my best work but it was earlyish for me.

And it is early right now too.... good day and may the force be mass times acceleration : P

Joyeux Noel

This will probably be my last post till after Christmas since I have tomorrow through the 26th off. But I must fill you in on the ninja mice before that. Consider it an early Christmas present.

I went out with my siblings the other day to look at the luminairies. They were just lovely. Well, long story short, I was just exhausted and I did like I always do and cried. Everyone was so concerned but it really was just straight exhaustion. It ended up being a long but lovely weekend and way too much driving and interaction for me. P. drove me home and I had just gotten in when I decided to feed the cats. There is a shelf with some candles on it and of course I knocked it off. Ugh! Short bout of crying again. I promise it is only when really really tired that I do this. One of the candles hit me in the face and left with a slight bruise.

So always making good of bad, I decided I needed a story should anyone ask. I was still tossing around the idea at work today. A co-worker came up with the ninja mice which we decided had just a great visual to it. So if anyone asks, it was a retalation beating from the ninja mouse's spinning kick (the tail did the damage) since I house my former gang kitties.

I am very much looking forward to the days off. I think I will do what they did for the first Christmas... wander, pray, be surrounded by animals, ponder, celebrate, and open presents. A little chaotic, a lot of joy...

Good week and peace be with you... Merry Christmas y'all! : P

Love without Rules

The title is from the Dove Chocolate's I ate while hanging out with G while P put my Christmas presents away. Though I did make the observation that isn't having a rule of no rules actually cancelling itself out. I just left Scott's site so love is on the brain. I've actually outsourced my love life. I have one lady at work and P and J searching for me. I do still think that I'll look myself but I still need to get settled.

I know I don't want to stay in J but my family is there and we are all so close. I can visit whenever I want. They are my friends and take them out the equation and I'm worried that I'll end up in the place I want but no friends or fiends to speak of. Believe it or not, I am a really quiet shy person at first. More pondering is necessary and at a time when I haven't just gotten up.

We are all masterpieces in progress.


So I promised randomness as tagged by Christelli and a-randoming I will be...

1. My ultimate destination for work or just living is England. Been there once so what to go back.

2. My birthday is in 4 days on December 22 and I'm turning 30 (though it is actually - 40... see earlier post for explanation)

3. I've kept some sort of journal (which this sort of is) since I was in 8th grade. They've never been daily but they are fun to go back and read. My senior year one was all boys and God.

4. I was born in the year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese zodiac

5. I cry very easily though not as bad as I did growing up.

6. I have had several nicknames. My first was Smiley given to me by the school crossing guard. The other have been Evey-Q, Evie, Nevie, Evert, Bubbles, Sally ( Charlie Brown's sister), Eviekins, Barrette Girl and I think that's all.

7. Hi, my name is Eve and I am a recovering McDonald's addict. Unfornuately not a lot of places to eat at near work and I am getting better about bringing lunch.

8. I'm the comedic relief most of the time.

9. Back to that whole shy quiet thing, I can remember growing up that my dad would have everyone be quiet so that I could contribute to the family dinner conversation.

10. I have three cats: Basil (L), Henri (M) and Hazel (S)

11. My worst experience to date was having to give up my two cats (Raven and Cecelia) to the humane society when I was leaving for grad school.

12. In one of my apartments, there were (within walking distance) a Taco Bell and Dairy Queen right next door to each other. I used to love getting dinner and dessert and walking home.

13. I have only had my driver's license for a little over a year. No, nothing was wrong or such. I just didn't want to get it. Silly me!

14. Occassionally when I walk out of my apartment at night, I imagine what it would be like to run into Jack the Ripper or a werewolf or ninjas and how I would react.

15. I love asking questions.

16. I hate cleaning my apartment. And doing laundry

17. I like traveling and exploring by myself. Hence the reason I must prepare mentally for the ninja attack : )

18. I am a night owl. My staff decided that I need to get the t-shirt: A.M. stands for Ain't Moving or Good Morning is an oxymoron

19. I can cook but I prefer baking. Making pies is going to be my backup business if library work doesn't work out.

20. My general description of the guy I want goes like this: attractive enough that I can look at him but not so much everyone else is too, smart enough to talk to me, able to be silly and serious at the same time, must be odd (but not scary I'm collecting your earwax to make one of you to be with me always odd), and have a willingness to go off the beaten path.

And one for good luck...

21. I like getting lost. I want to travel down roads that no one else does and see all the coolness that is around me and there is a ton. I want to see what no one sees or skims over.

Okay long enough... my tagees are Patty Pooh and PJs Doghouse. I would have tagged all your Toronto people but you've already been tagged or a tagger. :P

Good day, my fellow masterpieces in progress

Checking In

So I may eventually add computer to my wish list... I can only blog at work currently. Unfornuately being as I am beyond busy all the time, one at home would be a nice thing. But it would have to be wireless or I would have to finally breakdown and get a land line. Right now all I have is my cell. It has been great but occassionally I forget to take it with me. I never know whether to hope that no one calls that day or feel bad that no one has called me : ) And yes, I know that I have been tagged for randomness but it is going to have to hold off one day: P Thus I can come up with the wonders of randomness about me.

Oh just a heads up. My library made news again last Saturday.

Obviously I am so used to being written up in the paper that I forgot to tell ya'll about it. It is so a tie between me and Jennifer Anniston. I just know that my paparazzi are really fab about hiding so that they can get the candidest shots. More money that way : P

Good day and only take pictures from my left you crazy invisible paparazzi!

A Clock went by the Window

Yawn... time is just flying by. I have 7 more days til the offical start of my Christmas holidays. On the first day of my holiday, I gave myself... a kitty in my lap. On the second day of my holiday, I gave myself...two birthday cakes and a kitty in my lap. On the third day of my holiday, I gave myself... three hours of wrapping, two birthday cakes and a kitty in my lap. On the fourth day of my holiday, I gave myself... four sips of eggnog, three hours of wrapping, two birthday cakes and a kitty in my lap. On the fifth day of my holiday, I gave myself... five anklebiters, four sips of eggnog, three hours of wrapping, two birthday cakes and a kitty in my lap. On the sixth day of my holiday, I gave myself... six unwrapped presents, five anklebitters, four sips of eggnog, three hours of wrapping, two birthday cakes and a kitty in my lap. On the seventh day of my holiday, I gave myself... seven hour recovery, six unwrapped presents, five anklebiters, four sips of eggnog, three hours of wrapping, two birthday cakes and a kitty in my lap.

Yep. That is pretty much what I expect. Fun and chaos and recovery all in those days. The next piece will be for P.

My version of shouting from the rooftops: P. is such a wonderful person. She is generous and fun. She is a fantabulous sister and I love her beyond words. She gives good hugs and we can talk for hours. She deserves the very best and she deserves to be loved unconditionally. She is so smart and has such a great attitude. I know I can always count on her.

She was a bit down the other day and that is always when I can't stand not to be there. I can send hugs over the phone but they just don't work. I even sent kitty hugs. Those travel phone lines much better.

Oh, I am doing a caritas-ish present for my mom. It is a phrase I heard at my Happening. Which takes some explaining to.. okay... happening is a church retreat and one of the things that happened was you get a bag of letters from all the people you know at church and just people you know. Well, caritas is like a small sacrifice that you make for that person.

Enough explaining. If you don't have it yet, ask your neighborhood librarian : P Job security... : ) Well, my present for mom (and should mom be reading this... desist right now, young lady), is a mason jar of my spare change. She just recently got two new hearing aids. I know that they were really expensive and as of right now none of us can help pay for them all of the way. So this is my way of saving for them. I started on December 1st and will continue until December 25th. Each time I put change in it, I either think of her or say a little prayer for her. I am going to label it "Do you hear what I hear". I like this kind of gift-giving since it has so many levels of gifting. My sacrifice, my prayers, my change. It's not much but I think it is priceless. I like those gifts. It allows Christmas to lose a little of the commericalism and gain a bit more shine like a certain star I know of.

Good night and be of good change.

Crafty Concoctions

So it is offical... the kids thought I was nice and crazy. We had our Saturday Surprise and since the children's person is out, I got to lead it. The theme was reindeers and we made reindeer pins. One to take home and one to give to the seniors at the senior centers. So I can check off that on the list: Minds to warp and people to corrupt... hmmmm maybe not. No, that will just have to go on tomorrow's to do list. Can I corrupt them with good things? So it wasn't in Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words. Obviously you can easily corrupt... It was in Random Houses with all sorts of bad connoctations but it does mean to taint. Taint with goodness? I wonder...

I always forget how tired I am afterwards. I expend so much energy in my storytimes. It can be a hard audience. But it is usually so much fun that I agree to do it everytime. It is like being a comedian and a storyteller rolled into one. I want them to walk away thinking that they had a great time. Nothing else. Though I will admit I like being the one that they like.

I get told all the time that I would be a great mom. A whole other discussion for a later date, readers. It all just seems way too grown up. I feel like I have never been the one to pretend to be a bride and pretend to be a mom. I love working with them. No doubt. But the pregnancy and the birth thing are way beyond my scope of imagination. I can't even imagine being married. No don't fret guys. I want to but how exactly it plays out is a bit beyond me. All I know is he better have a passport. I would hate to have to leave him home while I globetrot.

Good day and bon voyage!

Joyful, Joyful We Adore thee

And another song stuck in my head. It is also known as Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". Or as the Die Hard Theme... LOL I spent the day and before with J and P. Usually this involves me getting into their car at ten in the morning for a quick run of errands which doesn't end until 7 at night with me not getting anything done. But this time was really great. We picked up Dad and headed out right near work to grab lunch and hike a trail that they had stumbled upon a while back. I really enjoy lunch but how do you not love a place called "Everybody's"? It is very small-townish with waitresses that actually talk to you and one of the few places I know of that you can run a tab with.

Sorry guys, work just got busy so this is actually the next days post too. 2 Posts for 1 on sale this Christmas!

Another night at J and P's house. I stopped by to have dinner and decided to hang out for the night. They are all bummed because they have had to cut the cable down to bare minimum. Okay forgive me if this seems so funny: ) I have lived cable free since R and haven't really missed it at all. For a time when I first moved into my last apartment I didn't even have a tv. Even now I am more likely to just borrow movies from the library or watch an awful lot of PBS. Sisters.... LOL D also came over for dinner. I told P this morning that they need to put out more toys for him. He tends to play around afterwards. Yesterday experiment was burning napkins. He was also filling us in on his new movie which sounded great. And he gets the Best Bear Hug Award. H didn't come with but we did miss her. They seem to be a good couple. Yay for D! He deserves somebody great...

They all wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday. I am really not sure. I think my Christmas list should be thought of as my birthday list too. Mom and Dad always did such a good job of splitting up the two events. It was tough as Christmas and my B-day are a mere three days apart. I guess I will just do the combo thing with J since hers is on the 19th.

Everyone is all "ooooh the big 3-0". Exactly why is it the big 3-0 instead of the absolutely meaningless 3-0? Why does that age get to be the milestone? I mean 21 okay, 18 okay, 30 huh? I demand another adjective! Or age to be big. Though it is within the three to five year plan to have things done between ages 30 to 32. I know me and I know leaway is needed. I get so involved in things that it is sometimes hard to get unentrenched. Sometimes I make Charlie Brown look like a decisive person : P Much more pondering is required.

Good day and laugh some every day (sticker on my desk)

From H*ll

The title of today's blog, children, is taken from the book I finished last night. It is a telling of the Jack the Ripper story as a graphic novel. It is taken from the point of the motive behind the killings is the fact the Prince Edward had a child with a candy store clerk/prostitute and the killer killed the women who knew about it. It was an interesting read. What is it about this crime that makes it so unforgettable? I was in London a couple of years ago and we did a Jack the Ripper walking tour on Halloween. It would have been scary but for the fifty other tours doing the exact same thing. Ugh!

Do you ever have moments where your external actions match your now-playing soundtrack? Today was the second time that I happened to drive by the sign " State Prisoners Working" and have the soundtrack for O, Brother, Where Art Thou? playing. It is one of the six CDs I have currently in the car. I tend to like soundtracks for their variety of songs.

What else is going on? I am going to be heading to J and P's for my weekly visit. I usually stay at their house on Tuesdays since they are so close to my work and I am always tired on Wednesday mornings. The switch from a late close to an early open is bleech! It will be especially nice since tomorrow is my day off.
We also kicked off another drive here at work. We are collecting greeting cards and calling cards for service people as well as we have a banner that we'll be sending off soon.

I have told my staff to slap me if I volunteer to do anything else. Not that I could seeing as there is so much I am already a part of. I could have a nice quiet never leave the branch job but no, I have to volunteer for everything under the sun. Right now I am looking into the possiblity of donating books from the booksale to libraries that were hit by Katrina. No more... that is it!

I now refuse to help out in any other ways. I offically give up (at least for today). I just feel blah and have written a blah blog. Don't give up on me though. It will get better I promise... give me a week and I'll be back to my fantastic self.

Good day and being the change you want to see in the world

Nibble, Nibble Little Mouse...

Who's that nibbling on my house? It is strange what phrases stick in your head. That one is from a telling of Hansel and Gretel. But I'll get to the mouse in a second.

I finally finished Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Major fantabulously wonderful! I love it when I get to see things from another view. You know those stereotypical pics of fifties girl with her head upside down and feet in the air across her bed? I am one of those. I usually love looking at the world upside down. I can be as agreeable as the next person but I like to be challenged. I used to have a staff member here who liked to debate things especially the oh-so not important things. I loved talking with him even if I was totally wrong. It does ocassionally happen but it was fun. The best thing I ever debated was in college. I had to be on the pro side of a God is Dead argument. It was so tough arguing against something I believed in but I learned so much (BTW God is so much alive it isn't funny... I mean it... the dude is so wick).

But back to the book, it was so great that there is someone who takes a story you know by heart and takes it from another perspective. It was filled with the nature of evil and souls and whether she was bound by a destiny. It also looked at the Animals vs. animals. The Animals had speech and knowledge but in the end they were pawns and victims. I mean you just took the Lion as just another fantasy creature because he was in a fantasy book.

It also looked at the evilness of the witch and the nature of it. Was she a witch who was green and souless or was she green and soulless because she was a witch? How much was internal causes and how much was external causes.

Okay so the mouse. I had to go to a meeting downtown yesterday. I stopped by my favorite sandwich shop and decided to eat in the park. It is right near the library where I had the meeting. I must have been eating something that smelled great and not making too many motions because as I watched the bushes and looked at the people, I had a visitor. A small brown mouse ( or a rat... I couldn't really see its tail) came sniffing around. I tossed a small pebble of the bread I was eating over and it scarffed it up and dashed off. So I decided to see whatelse I could see. I saw lizards doing their mating thing with the neck puffed out, a whole team of ants carrying things back to the colony and one tall bottle of amber liquid hidden the bushes. I am thinking someone would be coming back for it later as it had carefully been placed upright and very well hidden.

It reminded me of the game "I Spy". I like seeing what others don't. One of the quotes I have around my bedroom door is " Stuff your eyes with wonder." . Try it and see what you will see.

Good day and look hard : )

Like a midget dipped in chocolate..

Short and Sweet.. : P I am only at work to graze over party yummies. We decided to have a post-thanksgiving party. What can I say I work with a bunch of party animals.... I did finally make the pecan pie and it turned out just fantabulous!

I couldn't sleep last night. Have you ever followed a thought path backwards. I originally started thinking about beauty. I have just finished my weekly watching of America's Next Top Model which had gotten me thinking about beauty (Stick with me, okay). I then decided the three people who I think of as beautiful were my Mom, Aunt Hazel and P. But not just in the tradition sense. There is so much inner beauty that shines through them.

Then I focused mainly on Aunt Hazel. She passed away several years ago but I still think of her often. She is more like a great-aunt. I tended to think of her like a grandmother in the way she acted. She used to fuss over Dad and make him take the recliner. She loved cats but couldn't have any where she lived so we bought her every cat thing imaginable. My favorite was this mug that had a cat as the handle and a fish at the bottom of the mug. My newest kitty is named after her and it is very fitting. I remember our last phone conversation where she told me that she was ready for death. But she still teased me about my last ex-boyfriend like always calling him Mr. What's-His-Name. I really loved her so much and I miss her still. She was such a character. She used to tell me that I was her favorite and not to tell the others. Though I suspect she might have told us all that.

And about then is where I fell asleep. I love when I can see where a thought came about.

Alright, I do believe that was pushing the short barrier. Good day and wish often (I forgot to put that on yesterdays).

My Favorite Thing to do in Post-Turkiness

Though the napping after the ritual stuffing (of the person not the bird) is entirely awesome, it still only ranks at number two in my post-turkiness favorites. My all-time favorite is the writing of the wish list. It is a tradition in my family to do after Thanksgiving dinner. Though I suspect that it was Mom and Dad's idea to keep us traditionally occupied while they traditionally watched the traditional football game on the traditional recliners.

Regardless it is still my favorite. We are supposed to write down what we want for Christmas. But to me it is so much more. It is a once-a-year wish list. Wishes for me, for you, for the world, for now, for Christmas, and for a million billion years later. It is the one time a year where I think "If I could have more, what would I want". It is a list with no doubt, no fear, no wondering "I need to pay the light bill and take the cats to the vet and then put some in savings before I pursue my dreams", no limits.

I always put Peace on earth on it. As of yet, Santa has yet to bring that to my tree but I keep hoping. I imagine Santa is a bit little God in that respect. A jolly being who answers requests sometimes with a "Not yet". How would someone who created laughter not be jolly by the way?
I have the mundane mixed with the marvelous on my list. My best this year was the sunset in a bottle as a marvel. The sheets and new cell phone above it on the list barely got a whimper but sunset definitely brought up some questions. I told them it was up to the giver to define it. P. has threatened to get me Sunset Tequila... ah the joy of Christmas. I have kept ones from years past just to see how what I have wanted has changed or been fulfilled. I am pretty sure that travel to Maine or to Europe was on there. I have done both. Much of what I wish for I can also give myself and it is easy to forget that. I love the giving as much as the getting. I am usually the one who wants to hand everything out and then sit back and open my pile.

Maybe it isn't such an odd tradition... a wish list. I bet Mary had one: more swaddling clothes, a new robe, new sandals for the journey home, peace on earth, myyrh (check), long life for my son... A mixture of mundane and marvelous with some answers being "Not yet".

New Mystery Series

My co-worker and I have come up with a new faux mystery series. Thus far the titles were the only thing we worked on but they were so hilarious that I don't know if the books could ever live up to them. Mysteries based on a theme... ours is that they all happen in a gym. Something along the lines of "And you thought exercise was good for your health". Though why is it that no one ever accused the lady on Mystery She Wrote of being the murderer? I mean was there anyone left in Crab Apple Cove? The place had to either been a ghost town or the tourism board must have paid some hush-hush money to somebody. It must have thrown the crime statistics all out of wack for Maine.

Okay, sorry tangent but I just wonder sometimes... Okay so the titles we came up with all related to places or exercises in the gym such as Death by Dumbell, Slaughter on the Stairmaster, Rubbed Out in Racquetball,etc. You get the gist. If any of you think of a y word for murder, let me know. Thus far yoga seems to be the only safe place in the gym.

Back to real world... this week looks to be a bit hairy around here. I am a bit nervous as we have yet to be open before and after a major holiday. The best we've had round these parts is Labor Day. But pressing on as usual. I spent Sunday very lazily. I had fallen asleep on the couch the night before. It was a lightswitch sleep. You know where one minute you're awake and the next you're asleep. I woke up that morning with major red eyes as I have forgotten to take my contacts out. So I popped out the contacts and headed back to the couch. I woke up again when Dad called me about Thanksgiving. We are planned to have it at J. and P's as they have the biggest space. My pumpkin pie has been requested. If the library gig doesn't work out, apparently I might make it as Queen of the Pies. I'll be like Queen of Sheba but with a lot less jewelry : P

Pop Quiz: You know how they had a god from everything in Greek and Roman mythology, what would you be god/goddess of? I would definitely be Goddess of Sleep and Pumpkin Pies and Hugs. I'm really good at those too.

This is the blog you get when I don't get enough sleep. I agree with my cats. If we don't get at least our 21 hours worth, we are just worthlesss in the morning.

Good day and only one month and one day more shopping days til my b-day! I prefer jewels but cash will do in a pinch : P

The Joys of Work

Yes, I did survive my vacation. I even had the perfect vacation moment. It was on Sunday afternoon. It was perfect.... pajamas, doing a puzzle, watching a movie, eating Triple Chocolate Hagen-Daz and knowing I didn't have to go to work the next day.

I do really love my job. It fits me to a "T" but I still enjoy the not coming in. I mainly was doing non-productive stuff. Though I did clean my apartment (a necessary task) and got my hair cut (majorly cute).

The Diabetes walk was just great. Way too early but just great. The one we have here in town is around the Zoo and was wicked fabulous. The animals were all out and active. I can't say that I was too though. After many nights of sleeping in until beyond the noon hour, getting up at eight was a bit of a chore. But it was for a really good cause. I wonder when the Heartwalk is going on....

I did get to visit my favorite animal in the zoo. They have a red kangeroo. So not meaning to sound like Dr. Seuss but it just rhymed. I like it because of the story behind it. They originally had nine. Apparently there was a kangeroo plague that killed off the other eight and maimed the remaining one so they had to cut off one paw. He is living with his cousins the wallabies. It always makes me ponder. How would I do in a major crisis? Most of my slowdowns have been bumps, not hills and definitely not mountains... I'd like to think that I could handle it with peace and dignity and a rubber chicken. Yes, a rubber chicken is a necessity.

Hazel is at home now in recovery. I got her spayed just the other day. She seems to be bouncing back very quickly. I think she was quite happy to leave the vet. She actually purred while in the car. Normally she meows pitifully. Her tummy is all shaved but she is eating normally and acting like she feels just fine. I was a wee bit worried about how she would do since it was actual surgery.

Oh and more news on the snake front... OMGoodness, what will they do next. I leave my staff for a couple of days and they leave me a dead snake. Apparently there was one right outside the front door and one of my patrons decided to take care of it for us.... with a dumbell. A dumbell dropped on a snake... I've since gotten the number of our local fire guys so that they get to be the ones to deal with it next time. We've probably become part of a snake scary story. All the little snakes curl up to hear again the story of the Dumbell of Death... LOL

Good day and at least our readers are health concious...

Gone to the Dogs...

Okay so it is more like reading to the dogs. This is just one shot from our Roll Over and Read program that we hosted last Saturday. We had about 10 kids and 3 dogs. It was so awesome! They did say that they use therapy cats but I know my three would either wander 5 feet away, fall asleep or begin cleaning themselves. None of these things insprire great self esteem if you are trying to build it up.

I probably won't be around for the weekend as I am taking a long weekend from work. Ah the stresses of the library world : P have gotten to me. What do you mean you lost the book! I am so sicking the library police on you!!! But I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Myself, I am hoping that the weather will stay beautiful so I can head to the beach and so it won't rain on my walk. I have almost made my goal for the walk. I think it is just going to be really great. My staff kidded me this morning and told me that they are going to sponsor on for walking around the library. I told them it was more dangerous than the zoo. At least at the zoo they warn you that wild animals are there. Around our library heavens know what could be lurking out there...

Good day and I'll get you my ugly-challenged person, you and your non-tall non-feline mammal too. (I'm reading Wicked by Gregory Maguire)

What a Conwinkydink?

Is it all random? Or is there some plan to our lives? I remember being told when I was little to stay in one place when you are lost. Is that true nowadays? I'm feeling a wee bit lost today. It's like I am driving with no particular destination. I have also heard it said that if you stay where you are, that everyone in your life will eventually walk past. There are a couple I may been majorly tempted to kick or trip as they walk past though. Would you want everyone in your life to wander back into it? Or are they like "Dumb and Dumber" only to be endured once?

What got me on this particular thought pattern was Dad's Blog I read it this morning just after signing up for the American Diabetes Association walk for here in Jacksonville FL. His blog was all about giving and mine (prior to reading his) was going to be about asking people to sponsor me. Too weird... he talks about giving in secret and here I was about to ask you all to give pretty darn publicly... at the website no less! So insert basic donate money here speal here and consider yourself asked. If you can, do and if you can't, pray. It'll be like donating time : )

I have only once truly given in secret. It is a tough thing to do. It is hard not to go up to them and tell them what a good thing I did for them. But that would be for my glory and not for God's . It's weird and good and bad the things we chose to keep secret. Back again to the power of words.

Okay so enough of my musings... I did my favorite thing on Sunday... absolutely nothing. I had enough energy to go to lunch with J and P and then back to my house for a nap : O It was actually a lovely day of snuggling with kitties and reading and watching television. I had hoped to clean house but decided it would be better kept to today. Hopefully I can tackle some of it when I get home tonight. It isn't so bad but it needs to be done. Oh, and I did finally get my lightbulbs replaced. Somehow in the span of a couple of days three out of 6 rooms went out.

Good day and let there be light and it was fantabulous!!

A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Library...

Okay so it wasn't actually a funny thing. It was more like a scary slightly disturbing thing but that has a hard time fitting in the title box. I had stopped to get gas so I could actually make the 20+ miles to work. I stopped at my normal on the way to work gas place which is usually decent cheap. Though it never ever fails that I pass someone just a bit cheaper further down. Oh well... There is a vaccum/detailing place right next door to my gas place. I had just started to get ready to pump when this one guy ran up to a guy walking on the other side of my pump and started a yelling match between them. I was just a wee bit concerned.

Okay, I was more than a wee bit. The one guy who was walking finally walked away. But once he got a bit further away, he was still yelling at the guy. I can only guess that he said something to the guy detailing his car that majorly upset him. At least that is what they were yelling about and inserting curse words like crazy.

It reminded me of what I had been thinking about while reading this graphic novel series "Y: The Last Man". It is the story of how all the men are struck down in a plague that kills everything male but one guy and his monkey. It then covers the resulting lives afterwards of the women. Both of these things got me thinking about the nature of violence. I don't understand the whole concept. Is it more gender specific or is it more societially acceptable in one sex or the other?

I also thought about that saying of "The pen is mighter than the sword" and it is not true. The words that the pen wrote are mighter. They try to teach you in kindergarden to not eat paste, share with others and don't say bad things about each other. You know that it hurts so why do it? I love words. For a number of years I have worked with and around kids so the normal things you say when you stub your toes are out. So I have taken to use the word "bugger" for my curse word. It is socially acceptable, the kids think it is so funny and you get to vent properly. LOL

Oh and the reading of graphic novels is not just a fluke. I read tons of them. I have a huge comic book collection too. I am currently making my way through the Sandman while waiting for the library to get in the next Y:The Last Man and Fables. Too many books to read... the library has a limit of 50 items on your card at one time. I keep overshooting that limit : ) I think I was the only patron who was really upset when they put the limit on. Though my protest of "BUGGER!!!!" was not heard by the uppers. It was probably more like a internal protest. : P All I can say is thank goodness for overrides....

Good day and it's a bird, it's a plane, it's Evey-Q!

I thought so hard that I broke my brain...

That's it. I am swearing off thinking. I think too much. Or at least I have a headache so that's my only solution to why. I hosted a meeting here at the branch today. You know the Sesame Street game where they sing "One of these kids is doing their own thing" and you have to find the kid that just doesn't fit. That is me and I like that. I like doing my own thing.

Speaking of doing my own thing, I had a nice long conversation with myself the other day. LOL When they told us to choose a path in life, I chose the pyscho path... j/k. I saw it on a tshirt the other day. But the conversation had to do with my 3 to 5 year plan. Though at present it is more like a goal. Though I do have some to dos mixed in there. I want to be settled in a location working in a library. The preferable location is overseas but there are still factors to consider. The 5 to 10 year plan is based in the idea that I will be settled and what I want after that happens. Though at current it is sounding more like a prison sentence. How long you here? 3 to 5 years though I may get time off for good behavior.

I'd like a sign from God... preferably a neon one. Or at least a Burma shave one....

Good day and Choose This One, Eve O : )

Chicken Decapitated Syndrome

Or for those not awake this morning, running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I've got monthly statistics to turn in this morning thus the whole CDS. I wonder if I can buy insurance for that... we had a visit from our voluntary insurance guy this morning. I don't know if I can handle death and dismemberment this early in the morning.

I mainly just talked with him about IRAs. Mmmmm... money : P It so does not make the world go round but it pays for a nice seat on the merry-go. As of yet, I have never consider myself poor. Even growing up, I knew we didn't have much at all but I never thought of us as poor. To me we laughed too much to be poor. I always imagined the almost teary, very serious Sally Struthers begging, people as poor. I do remember celebrating when checks came in though. Now I tend to think of money as paper. It tends to lose its hold when you think of it that way. Or P. has a great way to think about it. She sees it as hours worked. That really helps when I am trying to decide whether I want to splurge on something or not. Is that skirt really worth a day of my working? Skirts it will buy but not the truly important things.

Gifts/fruits of the world, yes... gifts/fruits of the spirit, no. Love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance...how much would any of us pay if they could truly be bought.

That would be one heck of an ebay auction LOL.

Good day and peace be with you... that'll be $ 19.95 : P

God's Dry Cleaning

Okay, so the sign actually said Good Dry Cleaning but how cool is what I thought I saw. God's Dry Cleaning... no stain too tough and mention that you just love my son and get 100% off. I have never understood the mysteries of DRY cleaning. Sounds like a miracle to me : )

So I made a midnight run the night before tonight and had a Krystals' hangover. The midnight run is a parental unit invention. When we were growing up, we would beg our parents to go get donuts late at night. We all pile into the car in our pajamas and head to whatever donut place was open. It was simply the best. So in their honor, I ran up to Krystals the other night in my pjs and got Krystals. For one brief second I thought of calling a parent or sibling but it was midnight. I figured on the way home I would have to start pre-arranging my MNRs if I wanted to have company.

We are all dressed up at work today. I've got a gypsy, cat, and pirate on staff today. I love Halloween. I love the idea of dressing up and getting to pretend. But I keep forgetting about my wings (no, not angel I am that the other 364 days... I'm a butterfly fairy). I've got another foot to add to my shoulder width. We are having an anime costume party tonight with some lovely "Fear Factorish" treats. We're having kitty litter cake, chocolate covered worms, snot on a stick and blood punch with frozen hands. YUM!! I'll let you know how it goes...

Ghoul day and have a horribly happy Halloween!

Yippy Skippy!

I love getting my own email. Not the junk mail that gets to everyone and their llama. But mail just for me. I found out this morning that my brother J. is coming down in December and has granted my birthday wish to be taught how to waltz. I have already told him to bring his steel toed boots.

I am so thankful that right now as I sit in my office writing this, life is good. My cats are all healthy. ..once Hazel got over whatever she had and I had my slight scare with Henri (he had a day and a half of being sick). They are loving that I drug out the comforter the other night. It has been getting down into the 40s here at night and with no C&A... it's like a meat locker with tv. It is the only time that they will sleep with me. It's not love, it's survival : P

My family is just the best. We rally together so well and every getting together is filled with laughter. And stories... always stories. We are all born storytellers. We must get that from Dad who is a great writer. Plus we're all weird... we get that from Dad too :P

My job is great too. I have a wonderful staff who just fit together so perfectly. We are a really good balance. It makes my running of the place so easy. This place is the perfect idea of community from both the patrons and the staff.

Can you tell I am an optimist yet? Life falls into place with this simple saying: God is Good. Has life ever been bad? Yes plenty of times. There have been times when I thought it was bad and even times when I thought to be nothing would have to be better than this. Yet even in these darkest of times for me, He was and still is there. It reminds me of those stereographic pictures that were really popular a couple of years ago. You stare and stare and stare at them looking for whatever was supposed to be in the picture. You'd swear that they were a crock and then pop... you finally see it. It was there all along right in front of your face. Looking for God is a stereographic picture. LOL Though I never have gotten one of things to work... at least not all the way. I would start to see a piece and then lose it.

I could make this into a country song... Looking for God in all the wrong places...LOL

Good day and look hard.

Be Wery Wery Quiet... We're Hunting Patty

This is an all points bulletin for Patti. I know she is alive because I talked to her Tuesday. She was entertaining a guest and she pinky swore to call me back. But no such luck.

Otherwise all is well here. I hope all is fab with you too.

Good day and Happy Hunting

Insert Something Witty Here________________

This is the first day since starting here as manager that I have felt stressed. My day started with a fendish cat who would not let me sleep in. Pat my face, dig in claws, in my ear purring.... UGH! Alright I'm up already.

Next came the call from a sick staff person. My mind attempts to grasp the whole rearrange scheduling thing but it is still too sleepy. It takes me an hour after getting here to figure it out. You just take several deep breathes, allow your mind to calm down and yell HELP!!!! I will have some for my end of the day which is a bit of a stress reliever.

I also had to take care of the money today. I haven't done it in a while and I think I was cursed with the week that all sorts of mess broke lose. One thing didn't void properly and there was at least one miskey. Which I then have to show and sign off on in triplicate. Save a Tree... Rent a DVD : P

Ever now and again I had being a grown up. This could have been influenced by my watching Peter Pan last night. The work, the driving, the money, the responsibilities... It is a rather good thing tomorrow is my day off. Perhaps I'll do something outrageous like get up early :P

Oh and for all of you wondering how Sunday went. I am still on the fence about A. He has potential but I am still not certain. I am hoping that another date will settle it. But this time I have to be more vocal. We spent the entire time in the bookstore which was great. But I kept being distracted by books and didn't spend nearly enough time talking to him.

Note to self: Must call G tonight. I hate to go through him to get to P. It helps that he is a really nice guy.

Au revoir and always dance in your pjs!

As Promised

I figured everyone is pretty visuals... so here are some pretty visuals from my vacay at Three Rivers State Park and the Florida Caverns! If you are looking for peace and quiet, check this place out...

Where There's Smoke....

The week has been another exciting one here at the branch and personally too. Hazel is on the mend and doing wonderfully. She is back to her oh-so quirky self. LOL But so am I.... : P She still is continuing to make the bathroom her oh-so cool hangout spot.

We had a fire drill this week and a pygmy rattler visit last week. The fire drill was just great. A weird thing to say about a fire drill but very true. We got everyone out to the parking lot and learn just how to shut the darn thing off. Then the fireguys ( in the name of gas saving) made this a combo trip and checked books, CDs, etc. out. Dad says that it is one way to boost our circulation : )

The snake was a whole other kettle of fish ( and we have those too by the way). One of the patron came in and talked to my children's librarian, took her outside and then they came to get me. I however did not go outside. There was a pygmy rattler just outside by the walkway for the bookdrop. We were a bit in a tizzy as what to do. This was not covered in my policies or my procedure manual. Thankfully by time we finished closing up for the night, it had found a better place to sun. Eek... One of my staff wondered why we didn't just shoot it. She had a pistol in her truck for that very purpose. I wonder if I could that by my boss... I'm thinking no... When I did email her for more instructions she suggested asking one of our fireguys who are just over the hill. So we did and he very calmly suggested getting a snake shovel. I'm a city girl and have no idea what a snake shovel is. He told us it is like a snow shovel. You hit the snake with the flat end to knock him out and then the square end is used to slice his head off.

Ummm being the boss is great. I just turned to my token guy (Libraries just don't attract a lot of guys) and delegated him to be the offical snake shovel handler. Ahhh! I love to assign tasks. : P

Speaking of guys, I have a date with one of those creatures on Sunday. We're supposed to meet at a bookstore ( a very dangerous store for me to be in) and have coffee. I have been talking to him via phone for most of this and last week. We get along great on the phone so I have high hopes for a F2F meeting. It will also hopefully make up my mind as to whether he would be a possible boy friend or boyfriend. I am a bit nervous about the whole deal as I haven't dated much since stalker boy and have never done the whole online dating and meeting. I have told everyone I know about the date (including you blog persons) and am meeting in a public place. I have also googled him, asked for more photos and looked him up on the public records and corrections site (Thanks for the advice, big brother ). Ah amore!

Good day and when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie...

Ciao!

Gone Wishin'

My deepest apologies everyone. I hadn't been kidnapped by weird shoe fetish aliens with suicidal tendencies. Last week was a manic week of highest highs and lowest lows. Due to expected craziness of the week, I decided to pack up and leave town. I headed off to Sneads, FL. Home of the nothing special. But it did have a very nice state park in Three Rivers State Park. It had one and only one cabin which I took over for a couple of nights.


It was peaceful personified. I chilled there and also went adventuring in the Florida Caverns. It was just lovely... I hope to get the photos posted soon. I took Dad's advice and took 90 all the way across. I must have gone through at least a dozen little towns. It really was a great drive over all. With the exception of the love bug love fest on my bug...: P I had to stop at least twice to clean off my windshield so I could see to drive.

I really didn't see that much in the way of wild life. I could never decide if I should walk quietly to see the animals I did want to see or loudly to keep away the animals I didn't want to see. I did see a flock of quail eating by the side of park road and a humming bird that came right up to the door of the cabin. Very cool beans!

But the rest of the week and a little of the first part of this week was wretched and beyond. My littlest cat Hazel had gotten very sick and was unable to eat or keep anything down. She lost a lot of weight and I was very scared for her. I took her in on Tuesday and got antibotics. But the stuff they gave to keep her from vomiting so did not work. I had to work on Saturday so Donald my brother took her back in for more test ( Major major gratitude for that... that was definitely brother of the year kudos for that). I didn't want to go home most nights for fear that I would find her either sicker or not alive.

But for the first part of the week she didn't get any worse and she did stop throwing up. She still wasn't eating so I headed out and got some baby food. She ate it! And as of yesterday, she went back on her regular food. YAY!!!!!!!!! They never did figure out what was wrong with her. They warned me that she might get sick again after the antibotics if it is something wrong with her. Hopefully not. Fingers crossed and mucho prayers for that not to happen.

As far as the rest of my week, I'm still emailing A. He sent me his cell number and we talked for about 2 hours last night. I had to beg out kind of early as I wasn't feeling good. But he is very cool and funny.

Good day and TTFN