Archive for Jan 2007

Tue Jan 30 22:14:09 2007

I ate an entire recipe of pan-roasted asparagus for dinner, tonight. Originally, I was going to eat just about half the pan, but then I thought the asparagus might not be so fine upon reheating ... so I ate it all.

It was pretty damned yummy. The recipe -- "Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Red Onion and Bacon" -- is found on page 20 of the new (March/April) Cook's Illustrated and comes with four variations (including one for a half batch, but who am I to cook by halves?). While I really enjoyed eating this dish, it was a little on the sweet side for me and I made a note to halve the amount of maple syrup next time. Or use different balsamic vinegar -- my balsamic is made from port and so just a tad on the sweet side, anyway. Paired with the maple syrup and it's almost all sweet with just the barest tang. Anyway, the bacon and red onions came out delish and worked really well with the asparagus. When The Husband comes home, I will try the "Red Peppers and Goat Cheese" variation on him as he is not a bacon-lovin' guy.

Yes, in case you have not guessed, The Husband is away for most of the week. Ordinarily, this would be a chance for me to kick back and cook weird dishes, reorganize the cupboards, and catch up on my sewing. With the new job, it's just enough to come home and not have to talk to someone.

Although, today was worth talking about. History Librarian and this little old man got in a debate regarding the dramatic acting skills of Jet Li versus the comic acting skills of Jackie Chan. I did not engage in this debate myself -- just lurked behind my pile of OCLC loans and chortled. Apparently, the little old man is a regular who comes in every week or so to catch up on the doings of Jet Li. And why not? What is the library for if not to meet the information needs of elderly fanboys?

Then, later that afternoon, I listened to the YA Librarian call around to area videogame shops trying to acquire Dance Dance Revolution and all its parts. Yes. We are so l33tin' an institution we are getting DDR. The library recieved a bequest from the family of a young man and the powers that be decided it should be spent on things he would have liked so we are getting a DDR and transforming part of the YA area into a lounge with lots of video rocker chairs and floor pillows and posters and whatnot.

Of course, we in the reference area are not so stoked by all this. The YA area is smack dab in the middle of reference territory (really stupid planning), you see, and the teens and tweens just seem to rub much of the reference staff the wrong way. So the idea of DDR has just set their teeth on edge. I don't think they need to worry about it -- from what the YA Librarian has said, it sounds like she'll be holding dance offs with popcorn and soda and shit in one of the basement meeting rooms and it shouldn't disturb regular library doings. But, I don't know. I think some of the staff also view it as a waste of good money vis-a-vis "Why do we spend money on a collection 'no-one' uses?" because teens aren't real library patrons.

I've never played DDR, but I'm dying to try.




Sat Jan 27 08:14:09 2007

I am playing a terrible game with myself. During my lunch hour, I browsed realtor.com for homes near <citylibrary>. To my amusement, land and property prices are significantly lower than those in my area and there were some pretty sweet properties for sale which would we way far out of our range if they were more local. The best property, for two hundred and seventy thousand, was a three bedroom Cape with two full baths, full basement, hardwood floors, attached two car garage, and central air ... on 4.6 acres off a cul-de-sac. Throw in lower property taxes and utility costs than we pay here and thinking about it just gives me vapors.

So, I keep thinking about what a sweet property it is and how it's only fifteen minutes from <citylibrary> and near a big park and we wouldn't have to worry about the cats going splat with 4.6 acres to roam and how gosh darn cute the house is ... and I must stop. It is silly to look at houses and daydream about them when our own house is in need of so much work. Even if we were only to make "salable" improvements, it would still take a lot of time and money before the house could be salable so there is no point and getting all excited about other properties.

Hello? I have worked at my new job for three weeks. Seriously jumping the gun, here.




Fri Jan 19 11:13:28 2007

Well, so I am really enjoying life at <citylibrary>. The more I work with staff, the more I like them and I liked them all pretty well from the get go. Considering this library is so much bigger and serves a much larger community than other libraries I have worked at, the staff is amazingly happy and relaxed. We have many mentally ill and poor people who come into the library and we have many technology issues with all the kiddies trying to get round our security software and such, but no-one seems Angry or Bitter.

I know, I've only been here a few weeks and, perhaps, am only seeing what I want to see. Certainly, I am trying very hard to project an image of friendly helpfulness and willingness to learn. It seems to be working as I'm now doing all sorts of exciting (to me, anyway) things. Mainly, I am processing boatloads of interlibrary loans -- local, state, and OCLC. I hadn't done any OCLC loans since 1999 and, wow, how things have improved. So easy, so fun. Mind you, I think the whole damned thing is fun.

I am bone-tired by the time I get home, but it is a good tiredness. I know that what I did, I did well and that the next day will be just as satisfying.




Sat Jan 13 18:04:45 2007

I've been at <citylibrary> for a week now and it's turning out to be a pretty sweet job. Nice staff and the work is satisfactory. I work at the reference desk and process scary numbers of system holds and interlibrary loans of all shape and variety. I do not lack for things to do, but I am never overwhelmed and my fellow reference librarians seemed pleased to have me on board.

It's a very nice library, too. Very recently extended and remodeled, it is full of light and space and extra shelves. I'm to share an office with another reference librarian (we work opposite shifts) and have a requisition number all my own. Dude, I can order my own office supplies. The mind boggles.

The collection is an excellent one for a library of its kind. The staff seem very interested in keeping up with current trends and themes and the budget certainly allows for it. Sweet.

Yet, when I think of going to work, I think of <consortiumlibrary>. And it's my old co-workers I yearn for. Yes, even Angry Librarian. <Citylibrary> is a sweet deal, but it feels unreal. Temporary. As if I am just marking time.

And with my friend's death there is now an professional opening at <consortiumlibrary>. I pretty sure I could get if I expressed interest. But do I really want to go back? Or is it just nostalgia? <Consortiumlibrary> and I have not always been a good fit, after all.

And how could I possibly go about inquiring into the position without seeming like a grave robber, anyway?




Tue Jan 09 06:26:50 2007

One of my co-workers at <consortiumlibrary> died unexpectedly. Her death has been a terrible blow to everyone who knew her and it is difficult, if not impossible, to imagine <consortiumlibrary> without her. She was a great support to me when I was going through grad school, a good friend when I was coming to grips with my cousin's illness, and just a general all-around excellent example of superior librarianship. I often wished I would become a librarian just like her -- savvy, assured, knowledgeable, open-minded, and willing.

She was funny and kind, but she brooked no nonsense and took no prisoners. Despite some of the citizens and issues we dealt with, I never saw her loose her temper or allow a patron to upset her.

She knew the library like the back of her hand and all our traditional paper references as if she'd edited them herself (and no wonder since she'd been a librarian for twenty two years). Yet she was always willing to try her hand at new things and never seemed bored with her work or profession.

Tonight is her wake, Wednesday her funeral service, and Thursday her internment. I will go to her wake, but I can't easily ask for time off for the service or internment considering this is my first week on the job. I don't think she would mind -- she was never one for pomp or ceremony, anyway. I'm sending a willow basket of white roses to the funeral parlor and will bring her flowers when I visit her grave this weekend. Purple snapdragons would be just right, I think.




last updated: Sat 17 Nov 2007 08:19:03 AM EST