I'm Peeved

I go from saying nothing in eons to making two posts this afternoon. Here's the scoop...Our branch had to have new pictures taken for new IDs this afternoon. It seems we will be set up with IDs that will require us to scan into things or things that will require us to scan our IDs and therefore we will join the ranks of Lanyard People. I find this highly objectionable on so many fronts. I enjoy my name tag that says, "____ _____ Library System" and my name. It clearly identifies that I work here. I also have a gold 5-year pin that I have proudly stuck through my badge. It reflects my commitment to my job. The generic swipe ID that hangs from a lanyard does not sit prominently in a way that proclaims, "I am here so that you, Patron, might know I work here, and can identify me to help you." The swipe ID is functional for me and confusing to you. It forces people to stare and try to determine whether that person is even an employee. If the ID clips to belt it forces us to go crotch stalking. We are supposed to be more accessible to the patrons. The movement is to do away with Reference Desks yet we become anonymous in a sea of office workers wearing pass cards. Years ago when every employee in hospitals started wearing scrubs, patients began having a hard time. They reported all sorts of problems because one minute a janitor in cranberry scrubs is emptying the trash and the next a nurse in maroon scrubs is changing their dressings. Fine distinction. Then the secure pass IDs with tiny print made it impossible to know whether the approaching person was a nurse, doctor, student, volunteer, or orderly. Nothing like feeling completely out of control. So now we might be joining those ranks. I suppose we might be permitted to continue to wear our LCLS name badges until "they" decide they will no longer order them and they disappear by attrition. Perhaps I'll request a handful of replacements. At $1.00 a piece...priceless.

Finally a Post

I find I am suffering from the same syndrome on this blog as I am with some of my email friends and that is that I have not written for so long that it is easier not to write anything than to decide what to include. I'm tempted to blast out some headlines at the risk of sounding like Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire." On Thanksgiving Eve I picked up my brand new car, a 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6 sedan. The color has a dumb name - Polished metal metallic. A little redundant. It's a pretty awesome car, though. I did not intend to get a new car. On October 26th a red light runner at Bell Tower and Daniels crashed into me. In my nearly 23 years of driving I have never been involved in an accident. This one, despite being a side impact, deployed the airbags. Anyway...State Farm totaled the car and I had my rental (the exact vehicle I requested), and a check for more than I probably could have traded it in or sold it for based on the NADA I calculated, within the week. State Farm was terrific. When I bought the last car, also a Honda Accord, I said it would be the car to take me into my 40s. I missed by a few months. This new car will take me into my 50s...Eeeek!

On another note...This past week in Fantasy Football my winning streak came to an end when I was stomped by the Colombians. I am, however, still in 1st place in the league for the 4th week in a row. TFM is in 2nd place where we hoped he would be. At least for a week we are 1 & 2!

Finally, it may be immodest to mention it, but I am profiled in the current issue of Gulfshore Life magazine in an article about local book clubs. I made sure to give information about our book discussion kits for the side bar. There is even a picture. My mother is thrilled.

I had much to be thankful for last week. I hope you did as well.

Fantasy Football

I must report on Fantasy Football because we just closed Week 9 and I am NUMBER 1!!!!!!! You read that correctly, top of the heap. I know at the beginning of this season I admitted that my knowledge consisted of things like 1) Don't run a dog fighting ring, 2) route for Green Bay, and 3) stop commenting that the guy with the ball should run away from the other guys not into the dense pack. However, I have carefully studied my roster, moved my players around, read reports, etc. and never dropped below 4th. I maintain no grand delusion that I will remain at #1, but I for this week - here I am.

TP

This is FH's desk...

and Fred's. Next time give us candy :)

Happy Halloween

Today I am dressed, as I am sure millions of Halloween participants are, as Vasco da Gama. Sure, it's a common costume, but there are also millions of witches. Last year I was the Count of Monte Cristo. The year before I was Imhotep, the Pharaoh's architect. I have been Zorro, Tycho Brahe, and Galileo. Sometimes I make coordinating business cards. When I was little my mother made my costumes and they were works of art. She planned them for months and researched them extensively in the library. Our town held a Halloween parade and costume contest every year and almost every year I won. I went trick or treating only in my own neighborhood using a plastic jack-o'lantern or bag created to coordinate with my costume. Never a pillowcase. The worst candy to receive was butterscotch. We trick or treat in our branch. In fact, as I write this part (it is 1:44 p.m.) and we are in the midst of trick or treating from cubicle to cubicle. Several of us believed that the YS office did not have candy available so 5 of us TPed their office. We were almost finished when we spotted the top hat filled with candy. OOPS! The Viking said, "keep going and take the candy." I tried to reason to reason with them. Finally, I put my foot down and we decided to strip the TP and do Fred's cubicle like last year. What a hoot. Then we heard FH in TelRef didn't dress up, provide candy, and wasn't trick or treating, we TPed him, too. We're still chuckling. Ah to be a kid! Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Calling My Bookie

So the Nobel Prize in Economics was announced and 1/3 went to someone at the University of Chicago. Duh! He is the 80th person from there to be awarded the prize. I can't imagine being in that department, what must feel like the few, who haven't made the trip to Sweden. Do the others tease them or mock them? Use word play like, "thanks for reviewing that manuscript for me that was very noble." Maybe they have Swedish-themed luncheons or leave little Swedish flags here and there. In any event, if I were an economist, I would try hard to get a position at the University of Chicago. Eventually, all roads seem to lead to Stockholm.

Nobel Season

A few posts back I mentioned that I am always aware when the Supreme Court reconvenes. This is also the time of year when I eagerly launch my Internet browser in the morning so that YAHOO! pops up with the news and I can see what Nobel prizes have been announced. I love Nobel season. It doesn't matter that I don't follow the trends in medicine, chemistry, and physics. If I had to place wagers I'd bet on someone at the University of Chicago winning in economics. Of course literature is always interesting. Doris Lessing was just announced. The most exciting news has to be the announcement that Al Gore is sharing the 2007 Peace Prize. The Nobel Foundation's Web site now includes an RSS feed to provide up to the minute updates. Also of note is the new Nobel Prize YouTube channel that has the official announcements, interviews, committee discussions, and more. Everything a Nobel groupie could want. When I was in college the father of one of the Assistant Professors in the Psychology Department (we were a fairly small department) won the Nobel Prize in Physics. It was a very exciting time when it was announced and as she prepared to accompany her father to Stockholm. That may have been when my delight in Nobel season began. In any event. Here it is. Congratulations, Al.