Plaid skirts and other things

The other night in an orgy of reading I finished Countdown by Deborah Wiles, a story of the way friendships shift and change set in the 13 days of the Cuban Missile crisis.  Man, did that book take me back!!  My Dad was all ready to dig a bomb shelter in the hillside below our house.  For at least a year, a water line with a spigot at the end stuck out of the hillside.  Then, he settled with storing cans of food in the basement, in the room we called the "dark room" because it was the only room that didn't have some kind of window in it.  I still have dreams about the basement in the years before all the rooms were separated by walls.  Some dreams are ominous, just the way a "dark rooooooom" sounds.

BTW, Countdown is an excellent study of many of the changes that were taking place in the USA at that time - not just the very frightening possibility of nuclear conflict, but background on Civil Rights Movements, non-violent protest, the songwriters that made their mark on society.  Every chapter offers a mini-history lesson through news clips, photos and lyrics.  And it's a compelling read, best of all.  I wanted to know how it would all end.

Then, because I hadn't read enough I devoured Ally Carter's Only the Good Spy Young, the fourth Gallagher girls novel.   Cammie is in London under the careful eye of her roommate, Bex's, MI6 operative parents when she is accosted by the man who may have tried to kill or kidnap her in Book 3. (I forget which - kill or kidnap.) Joe Solomon used to be the Covert Operations teacher at Gallagher Academy, the posh boarding school for girls that is really a training ground for the next generation of undercover agents and government or corporate spies.  Oh, and Zach shows up just before Cammie is grabbed by Joe.  But Cammie gets away and she and her roommates head back to school to find that things have changed - A LOT.  For one thing, the headmistress, Cammie's Mom, is not there.  For another, the CoveOps teacher is none other than the MI6 agent who questioned Cammie after the almost-snatch.  And for a third thing, Cammie can't shake Joe Solomon's suggestion that she "follow the pigeons" whatever that means.  Oh, and then there's Zach, again.  I L-O-V-E these books.  They move so quickly.  The teen characters are so likeable and so clever and ingenious.  And the whole series has moved from being a quick funny, mildly romantic romp to a more sinister, more - but not too - realistic and absorbing suspense.  Carter keeps the tone light with Cammie's notebook entries and some smart-mouth banter but she doesn't completely sugarcoat the realities of espionage and warfare.

Now, the cover of the Gallagher girl books all feature girls whose faces we can't see wearing the obligatory plaid skirt private school uniform.  A very cute, pink and dark green plaid skit, it looks like, with a dark v-neck sweater with the Gallagher crest and a white oxford cloth shirt, untucked, high socks and, are those boots?  I think so.

Well, both of these books reminded me of my private school education and believe me, we did not wear cute plaid skirts.  Not even in high school.  In grade school, we wore heavy woolen jumpers with rounded necklines that went up so high, and armholes that were so small, that the jumpers needed both a long back zipper and a side zipper to allow us to put them on.  Oh, and there was the highly attractive two-button belt.  We wore these itchy things over beige blouses with peter pan collars.  Very generous Peter Pan collars, so generous that they mimicked the bibs our teachers, Sisters of St. Joseph, wore.  The short sleeve blouses had very odd puffed sleeves with pleated cuffs.  I preferred the long sleeved blouses, of course.

We didn't have gym in grade school but in high school our gym uniforms...I'm sorry the memory is too traumatic.  I can't go on.  The jumpers in high school were less fitted but even more ugly if that is possible.  Then in Junior and Senior year we were given the option of wearing a seersucker yellow and white striped shirtwaist dress in the Spring.  With hems BELOW the knees.

A teacher from my alma mater recently asked me if I could find some old uniforms for a display.  I did ask around.  No one SAVED those things.  We donated them back for students who couldn't buy new ones.  Or, I suspect, had secret burning ceremonies after graduation if we were lucky enough to be the youngest girl in the family to attend that school.  I was not one of those lucky ones, alas.

Tonight's assignment is to read, A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner.  I have not read the others in this series but I think I will survive.  So far the writing is very good.

I need to tell you about Thomas and the Dragon Queen by Shutta Crum, too.  That will be in the next post.  Good night.  I have pages to read before I sleep, pages to read before I sleep.  (Sorry, Robert Frost!)

Retired

Let me tell you about my Last Day at Work.

It was Dr. Seuss Party Day and I had spent my Last Day Off From Work getting ready for it.  I had red and white striped hats and I had snack bags and I had props and shadow puppets and I had a script my middle grade tellers had written, based on "The Shape of Me and Other Stuff" by Dr. Seuss. 

I had turned "The King's Stilts" into an audience participation story.  I had trivia questions for the Dr. Seuss Facts and Figures Game Show.

Mt teen tellers were on alert with orders to be there early.

I was ready.

But I had to get through the morning.  That was tough.  Because people I really love, and they know who they are, kept coming in to say goodbye.  Thank heavens, I had a full box of tissues at our disposal.

I have been soooo lucky, all these years.  I sat at my desk, or worked in the shelves and the best people in the world came to ME, to talk; to ask my advice on books; share their funny stories; their poems; their successes; their worries. 

Those friendships will survive but I will have to work at it.  I can't just drive to work and know that sooner or later Jan or Connie or Jean or Amy or Denise or Deidre or David or Adam or Andrew or Jack or Christine or Kerry or Fuka or Mollie or Mark, the Origami Man will show up to brighten my day.  (Or Annette or Gloria or Grayce or Sandy or.....There isn't enough room here.  Or Joey or Ashley or Hayley or Erik or  STOP!  or Halle or Katie....)

Okay, enough wallowing.  Then there was the event.  I had four middle grade tellers and four teen tellers.  The teen tellers led the Game Show and the Funky Chicken.  The middle grade tellers did the Reader's Theater.  The kids made a lot of noise and we all had fun.  It was the biggest attendance at a school year performance in YEARS - if ever.

Someone gave the library a donation because it was such a great program.  As Suzanne said on hearing that, "Yesssssss!"

I was given wonderful gifts; a journal, flowers, an original card with pictures of my favorite things, origami pins and magnets (to die for), CHOCOLATE, and a book - written and illustrated and bound just for me by a wonderful family.  (Thanks, Katie, Evelyn, Chelsea and Sara).

Then it was party time and we all gathered for food, remembrances and fun.  George wore shoes!!  Not sandals. 

Kelly and Adam wrote ME a poem and I cried and cried.  I will post it here tomorrow.

Claudia came back from Maryland. 

Suzanne wrote and illustrated a book, entitled "If You Give Karen a Group of Kids...."  It was so funny and so true!

Betsy created a "fake" catalog record, just for me, commemorating an in-library competition.

I had messages from so many people and pictures through the years.

The tears are still falling but I am smiling, too.

Now, today, I plan to........ 

Story Cabaret

Here's an idea.  Gather with people in a cafe atmosphere and listen to well-told stories - adventures, stories of change and transformation, stories about the silly things that people do - grown people, people who should know better, too.  Story Cabaret is a cross between stand-up comedy and one person shows.  And here's the best part.  The audience gets a chance to share, too.  So join the Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild and Touchstone Theatre in the first Story Cabaret - Friday, Feb. 25th at 8 pm.  Bring Your Own Story And Wine!  Cost is $10 per person.

Well, I am leaving my day job - the one people have told me not to quit - on Saturday, Feb. 26th.  I host the Dr. Seuss Birthday Party at 2 pm - at the South Whitehall Township Building, next to the Parkland Community Library.  This will be my last appearance as the Youth Services Librarian at that library after 22 and 1/4 years.  I will miss the kids and the parents, my fellow workers and the books.  But here is a list of things I will not miss:

Waiting for the bathroom.  Really, ONE ladies' room for the entire library, public AND staff??!!

Stinkbugs in the ceiling lights - and everywhere else.

Air conditioning that doesn't work in the summer and heating that doesn't work in the winter.

Moving books ON to the overflow cart and then moving them OFF the overflow cart.

Moving furniture and then moving it back.

NO ROOM for ANYTHING!!

Being only ten feet away from the snack table.  I have no will power.

Sharing an office with every program and every group that meets in the library.  ALTHOUGH sometimes this is fun.  Go Knitters!

Planning Summer Reading Club!  Let someone else do it this year - and next - and the year after that, too....

Being "in charge"!  It was fun most of the time and I had help being "in charge", but I was the one who had the responsibility.  Time to give that up! 

Squeezing past the Reference Librarian's desk in the workroom and squeezing past the ILL staff person's work station and storing YS stuff in three different places.

Long blue curtains - although if I was more organized we might not need them to hide things behind.

Trying to be organized.  I am NOT good at this at all.  Thank heavens for my assistant, who is.


Getting up five days a week and driving on 22 - and then driving back (sigh).

If I start listing the individuals and things that I will miss - beyond the ones I've mentioned - I might rue my decision to retire.  So I won't.

See you at the Story Cabaret, I hope.  Or at the Dr. Seuss Birthday Party.  Or back here.

The word for today is lonely

Last night, before I went to sleep I had an attack of whistle-itis.  This is where I feel compelled to whistle some melody that is going around and around (and around) in my head.  So, there I am lying in bed whistling "Alone in the World" from the Mr. Magoo Christmas Carol special.  You know the song; is has lines like "Millions of grains of sands in the world; why such a lonely beach?  Millions of pairs of hands in the world; why can't my fingers reach?"
Yeah, that one. The tune is not terribly melancholic.  If you had never heard the lyrics and someone whistled that tune (probably because they HAD to), you'd think it was a love song or a ballad, not necessarily sad.  But it is sad that is.  BTW, that is one of my favorite Christmas Carol versions.  Hey, Dickens!  You the man! 

Then today, Hub and I went to see HP and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.  Talk about L-O-N-E-L-Y!  Whoa!  That whole movie was about loneliness in the face of adversity.  Everyone is all tensed up with worry about the people they love and the inevitable final parting.  Friends fight and young lovers are forced apart and poor Harry has it shoved in his face more than once that he is ALL ALONE in the world.  His family deserts him.  Ron deserts him.  Hermione doesn't but she is tempted when Ron leaves.  I got tears in my eyes more than once watching that film which was also pretty scary.  Lonely and scary.  Now, there's a good time.

That song and that movie made me feel so lucky that I have the Hub and my family and friends.  Take a few moments to offer a prayer for the truly lonely people, and for the temporarily lonely people, too.  Hold them in the Light and envision them in God's hands. 

Now I want to find the Mr. Magoo Christmas Carol DVD.  At least, I know that story has a happy ending and no one ends up all alone. 

Politics

Last week, a Republican candidate could not believe her opponent's claim that "separation of church of state" was in the First Amendment.  During a news story on this debate, another conservative candidate said that the phrase "separation of church and state" came from a Fascist leader.

So, I looked it up.  Of course the words "separation of church and state" are not in the Constitution.  The Constitution says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." 

THOMAS JEFFERSON used the words "separation of church from state" in a letter to a church that expressed concern that the new government might infringe on religious freedoms.

During his presidency, Ulysses S.Grant made a speech where he suggested that church and state be forever separated.

Neither Jefferson nor Grant were known to be fascists - or Nazis as that conservative candidate claimed.

Other stuff that people believe that are not true.  Our taxes have NOT gone up since Obama was elected.  98% of working Americans have received a cut in their federal income taxes.  We just get a little bit more in each check, rather than a single check.

The "bailout" will cost our children and grandchildren billions. The "bailout" will cost the government 1/10th of what it was estimated to cost and several large financial institutions have already repaid the money they received.  This cost is less than what we paid out in the 1980s.

The inheritance tax will wipe out everything you've worked for.  Well, yeah if you're worth more than 3.5 million.  I'm not worth that much!!!

Why do people just assume that candidates that shout the loudest or make the funniest insulting remarks are telling the truth?  Why don't people check the facts?  There are objective books and websites that ferret out the truth.  Read the Constitution yourselves, people.  Don't believe every nasty thing people tell you.  AND do your homework BEFORE you vote.  Not after loudmouth know-nothings get in and make things worse.

Oh and the "bailout"?   Bush - a conservative - was in office when that was voted in.  And that's the truth. 

Teen Library Events?

Howdy strangers!  Long time and all that, eh?
   Some random thoughts on library events for teens.
   So, in the summer I asked a bunch of teens, "What nights - or days during the school year- are best for teen events?"  And the answer I got was "Never on a school night."  "Saturdays in the day - not so good."

Well, this leaves me in a bind since the library is only open Mon. through Thur. nights and it closes at 5 on Fri. and Sat.  So, I countered, "Would you come out for an event on a Friday night?"
And the answer was an enthusiastic, "Yes!"
OR so I remember. 

Last night, I held my first ever school year "after hours" teen program on a Friday.  (I have held two Saturday night programs during the school year in my 2 decades at this library.  They were not well attended.  Summer Saturdays are better.)
Last night, the presenter did a fine job of marshaling the creative juices of the audience and we wrote the first verse and chorus of a song! The event was fun and well prepared and carried out.  A Songwriting Workshop with a knowledgeable and experienced musician, who has a degree in music and broadcasting experience - this should bring in a lot of teens, right?. How many teens signed up?  A mere handful, alas.  How many showed up?  Half of those who signed up.  There was food and I gave out door prizes - including a guitar strap with the name of the band, "My Chemical Romance" etched on it.  (Oh and a pirate pistol!!! and Burt's Bees lip gloss and a couple of books and some other stuff.) 

I'm blaming the lack of teen presence on football.  And in January, the excuse will be the weather.   In the spring, there is soccer and SAT prep and prom and date nights and the mall.  There's always the mall.  I'm thinking that the library is just not where the teens in our library's service area want to be "after hours".  UNLESS, I let them dress up in costumes and scare little kids....OR stay up all night reading and making me insane.    Hmmm, insurance nightmare?  OR mental nightmare? Which should I choose?

It's a conundrum.  That's what it is.  HOWEVER, the lyrics of the song will be posted on this blog on Monday because they were GOOD (if I do say so myself).  Perhaps, we can have a contest to see who can write the best second and third verses.  I recorded most of the song with my little pocket sized video camera and if the musician agrees, I might post that here as well.  Just so you know how the melody goes.

 In the meantime, I will continue my attempts to offer meaningful, fun teen events that teens will actually attend. Wish me luck.
Oh, I want to make sure you don't get the wrong idea. Our library is FULL of teens, reading, working on school stuff, and volunteering.  They are in and out of the YS office all the time.  If they can get volunteer hours for an event, I can gather a huge bunch of them.  But no credit, no show. Sigh.  What happened to FUN?

Six Items or less

Could you imagine only having six items of clothing in your wardrobe?  Think about it.

I keep a tall kitchen garbage can in the attic to hold all the clothes I decide I no longer want to wear.  Every three months a local charity calls and picks up my cast-offs.  I can easily fill three 30 gallon trash bags every three months.  And I don't even shop all that much!!!

There is a movement to wear only six items of clothing during one month.  The point, I guess, is to prove that Westerners own too many clothes - and waste too much of the world's resources on fashion.

For more info, check out the movement's blog.