There's No Place Like Home

I don't know if others feel this way, but the longer I'm away the happier I am to come home. My trip was successful and interesting...and did I mention long? Two and a half weeks! ALA was fine - no magic bullets to fix our woes, turns out we already are implementing many of the same ideas that other places are. I was glad to find out that certain challenges are universal and are not the result of our actions or inactions. The most amazing thing that occurred at ALA was that I found myself seated at a FOLUSA-ticketed event next to a vendor who was the first cousin of the father of the boy I took to my senior prom in NJ. When I told my mother she reminded me that's why I should always be on my best behavior because you never know who knows your mother!

Las Vegas was awesome. Our suite (remember, Mirage Penthouse) was incredible. We had a doorbell, Do Not Disturb was a lighted sign, the drapes were on automatic switches, there were jets in the tub, and turn down service included orchids. The Cirque du Soleil show, Kà, at MGM was amazing. That show was not my favorite but there were some incredible moments. Cirque excels at taking ordinary activities and making them extraordinary and there was a hand shadow section that I could have watched for hours. We at dinner at New York New York in the Nine Fine Irishmen. I have never encountered an enclosed space that was so loud. The live band must have had nuclear powered instruments. The food and drink was good but the sound was nauseating.

The rest of the California road tour was good. I had a facial in Ojai. I drank complementary chardonnay by the fire in my room at the Seal Cove Inn. San Jose was fun. Disneyland was excellent, but we like ours better. The Grand Californian was gorgeous, same architect as Wilderness and Animal Kingdom Lodges.

Here's the neatest thing that happened in the airport in Houston coming home...I saw a book display that featured Katherine Neville's The Eight and I thought that was weird because the book is 20 years old. Then I noticed a sticker that invited readers to go to the Web site to read excerpts from her new book. Finally a new book, and a sequel to The Eight, even. I said to the Queen of TR that I would give anything to review that book. So I returned to work on Monday with nothing to read at lunch and the back doorbell rang. There was DHL delivering a book to me from Library Journal. I opened the package and it was The Fire by Katherine Neville due out this October and I am the reviewer! I am so excited.

I am unpacked but the house is now a wreck. There's no place like home.

California Here I Come

The trip to California is almost upon me and I am not entirely ready. My packing thus far has been research-based. I have printed out 6 packing list templates from online, referred to 1 I had saved on my computer, and read 3 books about packing luggage. Isn't that enough?! Last night I transferred hair gel into a smaller bottle. Today I will map out my wardrobe for the trip. I leave early Thursday morning. I hate packing.

Some things that I have discovered recently are that blonds do not have more fun, but they buy a boatload of video games! I never bought this many when I was the grape sorbet librarian. Coincidence? No, it's the blonde hair. I have been playing Professor Layton on the DS and that has been really fun and will be the first video game I ever finished. Grand Theft Auto is mighty cool, but as I have told people, I have not yet built up the intestinal fortitude to bludgeon innocents to death. I also am neither stealing cars nor driving recklessly. I have been told that I am really playing Grand Auto and yesterday, I was downgraded to "Auto." It's true. So far the most violent thing I have done has been to punch a street vendor by accident when I meant to ask to purchase a hot dog. Guitar Hero for the DS came out on Sunday. Mine arrived yesterday from Amazon (I love you Jeff Bezos!). So far...I'd say it's harder than you'd think. I played at Toys R Us on Saturday and was surprised. TFM played with mine this morning and he was more jazzed about it than he expected.

Here's an update on my purchase from thesomethingstore.com...I received the Eggling. For those of you who don't click the link, the Eggling is an eggish container for seeds to create my own little garden. I think mine will be flowers. More as that story develops.

Finally, the birthday group went to Char for Smashlers birthday and I ate kangaroo. That was my 10th new restaurant for 2008. I need 12 for my list of 43 Things and I haven't gone to CA yet. I think I'll meet my goal. The kangaroo was tasty. I don't need to eat it again, though.

I hope by the time I get home today elves will have packed my luggage.

Sucker for New Things

My name is __________ and I'm a sucker for new things. I think I should find a meeting to attend. This morning on the way to work while listening to NPR I heard about this Web site that sells something. That's all there is to it, it just sells "something." For $10 you place your order and something arrives but you don't what it will be until you open it. You might get an iPod or a coffee mug. The thrill is in the surprise and shipping is free (I love free shipping). So, of course, I went to the Web site this afternoon. What would you expect such a store's Web site to be? www.somethingstore.com, duh! and I researched it. As everyone who knows me knows, "researched it" means I shopped. It's true, I plunked down my $10 (love PayPal) and gave it a whirl. I will let you know what I get.

In the meantime...my first Kiva people (the Peruvians) have paid off their loan and I had the opportunity to cash out or reinvest. I chose to reinvest in Baku, Azerbaijan in a woman who needed a refrigerator case to display her meat in the butcher shop she runs out of the front of her house. I chose her, in part, because the Star Trek movie "Insurrection" took place in a village called Baku. Socially conscious and geeky, all rolled into one tidy package.

Today I finally reserved the rental car for the ALA/California Adventure. After much deliberation and excruciating evaluation of vehicles to determine which car is large enough to transport all of the luggage needed to accommodate 2 people on such a long trip while balancing fuel efficiency, a decision was reached. What a great summer to choose a scenic motor tour of California. For my Fall vacation I will be dropping twenties out of a hot air balloon all over Idaho. I think it will be cheaper.

No Score and Seven Years Ago

Seven Years ago today I moved into my house. My very own house. They say that time flies when you are having fun. It must be true, although when I mentioned to my mother that my house-aversary was coming up and that it would be seven years, she was surprised and said she would have guessed four. Although I was not officially out of my house until seven years ago, I certainly spent a great deal of time away at school and a couple of years living with my grandmother. I moved out when the time was right. I never felt a need to flee. My mother never missed me when I was away at school until I was on my way home but she really had a hard time when I moved out even though my house is exactly 3 miles away, door to door. I left plenty of dishes, cooking, and decorative items for their use, but she cried and cried when she found my crackers in the cupboard. It's weird what we respond to. My house is nothing like I ever imagined it might be but it seems perfect for me. Maybe in another seven years I'll get some of the projects done that I started right after I moved in.

P.S. The 15th is the 32nd anniversary of my First Holy Communion. I don't know if there is a card for that but I do have an amazon.com wishlist.

Greetings from the Top of the Hill (not over it)

Birthday season has been in full swing and I have had an awesome time. On Sunday I thought I was having lunch at California Pizza Kitchen with a couple of friends but they actually fooled me into entering a Build-A-Bear Workshop where a group of our friends were waiting to surprise me with a Build-A-Bear party. What a hoot! We all built the best animals. The bear body I chose turned out to be a Read bear and part of his proceeds go to First Book. You can choose clothing and accessories to dress your bear or chosen animal friend. Mine has Skechers sneakers, cargo shorts, a surfer shirt, little white socks, and tighty-whities under it all. His name is Chester. Build-A-Bear has a very endearing ceremony for the placement of the bear's heart during the stuffing process. I did not carry a bear around as a child, but I love this bear and I continue to be full of joy. TallFunnyMan (and his wife) participated fully as did Smashler, both of whom were dreading it and both of whom came to enjoy it. ScheduleMaster and Queen of TR also made really cute animals. All of the participants in lunch turned out to be a surprise as well. I'm a very lucky person. I even had Perkins banana cream pie for dessert. When I blew out my candles I only had to wish for the continuing company of those good friends.

Birthday Candles

So the final countdown to 40 has begun. At 3:47 p.m. on Monday I will officially cross the line. I am really looking forward to Tuesday because then I will be "a day over 40" as in "you don't look a day over 40." I have been cracking myself up over that for 3 days. As is my way, I have been feel grateful lately. I have mentioned before that my Grandmom used to tell me I was a, "lucky, lucky girl" and she was right. She had no idea I would always be so.

This week I received packets from Donorschoose.org with feedback from two of the teachers I sponsored. The projects were Kid Friendly Science and starting a middle school violin program. I think I blogged about this organization and the work it does. Teachers apply for grants and people (citizen philanthropists) send money to fulfill all or part of the request. The Web site is neat because you have a portfolio and there are charts and graphs. I have sponsored 7 projects, impacted 277 students, and 1430 hours of learning. The packets I received this week included letters from the teachers, notes and cards from the children in the classes, and photographs of the children using the microscopes and violins. The letters from the kids were totally sweet, of course, and the photos were fun. The schools are classed as 85% poverty so I felt really good. Plus, the Fort Myers Friends sponsor my activities and helping another group balanced things for me, sort of on a global level.

I have already begun receiving birthday presents. How I love amazon.com! Mostly I am receiving video games. How cool is it to be turning 40 and getting video games? Actually, I had determined a while back that I would take 40 as 21+13+6 so the video games cover the 13 and going out with my friends is fine under the 21. A bunch of us all have the Nintendo DS Lite hand-held gaming console and have been playing up a storm. We can play with each other and against each other because they link wirelessly. The other fun thing they can do is called Pictochat, which is a type of wireless chatroom. They work from cubicle to cubicle and all throughout the Reference Workroom. It is AWESOME!!! Life is good.
My Nintendo DS in Crimson and Black

So I feel very fortunate. I have great friends. Better friends, on the whole, than I have ever had, great toys, and am poised to blow out birthday candles wishing more for others than for myself. Lucky, lucky girl.

Next time...news about my ALA and my summer vacation.

The Most Amazing Thing

Every Sunday morning we watch the CBS Sunday Morning Show and see fascinating segments. Yesterday I learned about about a sidewalk chalk artist named, Julian Beever. Many chalk artists can draw pretty pictures or reproduce famous paintings. This guy takes 3-D to another level and makes you believe the impossible and awesome. In the video, things that you think is a prop, is really drawn in chalk (keep that in mind, even the hose and the water). The artist sets up a camera for people to view the drawing through and then posts them to the Internet because he believes that the only way to appreciate them is through a specific perspective. Search for more on YouTube. There are videos showing the process.