studio update from my bro

My bro's band is still in the studio finishing up their album. Here's a video update from them. My favorite part is when my brother falls off the toy horse at the end.



Currently watching :
The Queen

At least I'm not blogging about gout

I think I broke a toe today.

It's been a bad week for my feet. My podiatrist told me they look like they belong to a professional dancer- a nice way of saying they are really screwed up. (I'll admit that I kind of took that as a compliment seeing as how I used to be obsessed with ballet). I forked over $100 for shoes that supposedly are more supportive. They gave me horrible blisters today.

While I was limping down the cracker aisle in Safeway, trying to prevent my heel skin from touching the inside of $100-piece-of-crap shoes, I noticed my favorite crackers had been moved to the top shelf. Now, being short sometimes has it advantages. I never have to worry about wearing heels and being taller than the guy I'm dating (Actually, the real reason I don't have to worry about that is because I never seem to be dating anyone). I can buy kids' jeans and they are cheaper. But being short is NOT an advantage in the grocery store.

I really wanted this box of crackers. You know them- Vegetable Thins. They were my favorite when I was a kid. I haven't had them in years because I now read food labels and know they contain PHOs (partially hydrogenated oils)- heart attack in a box. But everyone once in a while, I will double check to see if maybe, just maybe, they've removed the PHOs.

I tried standing on my tippy-toes. Still too short. I tried standing on the bottom shelf. Nope. I decided to jump for it. Bad move. My $100 blisters made me hesitant when I came down to land and I ended up jamming my left second toe into the ground. Six hours later, I still can't bend it. And I never got the Vegetable Thins.

Currently Reading: Faith and the City

how to make a librarian smile

One of my 11th grade students said this to me today.

"Before you came here, we had really stupid books. No one wanted to read."

That was probably one of the best things a student has ever said to me. I've worked real hard to revamp our book collection. When I arrived the average date of our fiction books was 1978. Gross. I've pushed it up now to 1995 and what that student said to me was a huge validation for me.

it's enough to make any librarian proud

This is what one of my students said today after looking at some research I helped her find online:

"This is boring. All it has is words."

Funniest moment of the week

Little Hunter Plumb (who is at the beginning stages of being potty-trained) squatting in the middle of the church lobby and yelling, "I toot! I toot!"

That, my friends, is kid-humor at its finest.

Why I Said the F-Word Today

I ran my rental into my parking spot pole and tore off the front bumper.

Yep

Florida football

Yay, Gators overcame underdog status and controversy to become the National Champs! Very exciting. Not as exciting as if the Dolphins won the Superbowl, however. A girl can only dream...

If the Dolphins ever win the Superbowl, I will cry.

last shred of dignity gone

The other night I went bowling with the family, including my 76-year-old grandmother who had not bowled in 60 years. She beat me.

Why Aren't You Married? 10 Sarcastic Comebacks

Ah it's Christmastime again. Time to go to Florida to see relatives and family friends that I see about once a year. Lots of good times, good food, and presents. But inevitably, one question always gets asked me of. Especially since I graduated college: "Why aren't you married?" Or, if you're my Cuban step-grandmother, "Why you no have boyfriend? You need wear more perfume." This year I have prepared a list of sarcastic comebacks that I will most likely not have the guts to use, but I can always dream. Maybe some of you other singletons will be braver and actually use them on your relatives.

1. Because I just love hearing this question.
2. It gives my grandmother something to live for.
3. I'd have to forfeit my billion dollar trust fund.
4. I wouldn't want my parents to drop dead from sheer happiness.
5. Why aren't you thin?
6. I'm not done boozing and whore-ing.
7. My hope is that if I postpone it long enough I'll be deaf during the inevitable "Barney" phase of child-rearing.
8. I'm still hoping for a chance to become Miss America.
9. The government has asked me to stay single until I finish my assignment.
10. My many lovers would never understand.

Officially a "Teacher"

Today, I felt like an official teacher for the first time. Ladies and gentleman, I confiscated my first cell phone today. It was horrible. I felt so bad. But I have to start cracking down. Kids are pulling out cell phones and having conversations on them in the library. The girl actually had tears in her eyes. Brutal! I almost cried after she left too.

Currently Listening To:
Per Second, Per Second, Per Second...Every Second
by Wheat

Yes, there are books in the library!

This happened today at work. Keep in mind I work in a LIBRARY.

Student: "Can you help me find some information about the brain?"
Me: "Sure, come with me upstairs and I'll show you."
We walk upstairs to the sections where there are books on the brain.
Student (with a hint of disgust): "Um...these are like.... BOOKS."

I ashamedly admit now, I was unable to supress the sarcasm in my response: "Well, yes, what did you expect to find in a library?"

The Really Important Things

Have not blogged in awhile. Hope to get back into the habit of it this fall. This past week I had a reminder of what the important things in life are: family, friends, and faith. Last Friday, September 1, my uncle was killed in a boating accident off the Gulf Coast of Florida. We almost lost my aunt as well. This comes only 15 months after my grandfather (my uncle's father) lost his battle to cancer. Needless to say, this has been an extremely tough time for my family.

We flew to Florida to be with family and were just overwhelmed by the love and support that my uncle's church showed our family. We were served breakfast, lunch, and dinner all week. Floors were mopped and swept, the outside of the house was cleaned, grass was mowed, weeds were pulled, laundry was done, new refrigerators were brought in, septic tanks cleaned, and the list goes on. Most of the news we hear about churches and church-people is negative. This past week I saw a true example of what a community of faith should be.

Around 500 people from Florida, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia and West Virginia showed up to my uncle's funeral. Several people spoke and said he was their "best friend." My aunt summoned an incredible amount of strength and gave a beautiful eulogy for her husband. Over and over again people spoke of my uncle's gentleness and love for the "unlovables." This was not funeral exaggerations. It was true.

One cannot help but think about if 500 people would show up at their funeral and say the same things about them. A lot of stuff that we think is important doesn't seem so important when we try to put them in the category of either faith, family, or friends. I think my uncle would be appalled that all these people interrupted their schedules to come and honor him. But I also think he would be glad that it caused at least one person to think hard about the really important things in life.