My Storytime Kids

So, how can you NOT love your job when you have little ones like these screaming your name out, running to you and jumping into your arms with a big ole hug? This phenomenal brother and sister, along with their mom, come to storytime religiously. They are so appreciative of what we do and offer, constantly bringing cards, flowers, and most of all....love.

I've watched them blossom...from very quiet and shy, barely able to look at me....to these joyous children, singing, dancing, laughing, chattering, hugging.

Curly Gurl

Curls....I have fought them for years.  The last six years or so I've given up the fight, raised the white flag of surrender.  My hair gets curlier the longer it gets, kind of ornery in that way, opposite what most curls do, altho there are number of us out there.  I fought with my bangs, always drying them straight, started seeing the hair damaged and stopped.....trimmed it let it get curly.  SIGH.  Sometimes I wonder why I didn't do it earlier.

And the skills keep improving....

There it is.....the faucet I just put in.  Slowly, I'm acquiring skills I never thought I'd have.  Plumbing 101 this time.  So....what happened is....leaky bad faucet.  Went to the store to get replacement stems...turns out they were $14 each and needed two, so I'd be out the door at $28.  Hmmmm not a chance when an entirely new faucet, more modern, starts at $24.  Sure, I have a double vanity, but it is soooo dated with the old acrylic handle balls.....I decided to go for it.  The lady (yes lady again) at Lowe's promised me it'd take 10 - 15 minutes. 

Fast forward to home.  Hmmmm, the cabinets in the bathroom are single openings, gotta wedge my body in there, my upper half needs to be manhandled to make it inside.  VERY squishy in that small space so my arm movement is restricted....but I made it work.  Due to sticking old stuff under the handles, it took me a bit longer than 15 minutes, but not long and not hard at all.  I have a second to do so that they match.

AND....now that I'm realizing....I have a leaky faucet at work.  I should go get one more and replace the work faucet.  Now that is a full service librarian.

Sunday Bloody Sunday.....

Well, that sentiment isn't right, its just when I thought about it being Sunday that song by U2 popped into my head simply because the word Sunday is in the title.  I'm pondering my day.....I was planning on going to see Sam Harris (Letter to a Christian Nation, The Moral Landscape) at 4 pm down by the state capital, but it's going to take such a big chunk of my day.  The fact that I'm debating going to see him tells me that it's not a priority to me, so I'll take on my gardening and home chores instead.

As I type this I notice my bathroom faucet is dripping nonstop so there is my answer.  I've got to take care of this.  Sigh.  Homeownership.  Also expecting my garage door to give up the ghost soon.  The kitchen appliances could all use replacing soon.....the dishwasher in particular doesn't seem to work well, my oven runs about 75 degrees high.....and my loveseats are about 11 years old and ripped due to dogs sneaking on them when I"m not home.  First things first.  The faucet.....to Lowe's to Lowe's.....its off to Lowe's I go.....

Looking forward to a busy Saturday

So, the girls are with their dad this weekend, it is usually very quiet for me.  HOWEVER, this weekend seems to have a lot happening.  Saturday morning, I'm going to hit the first craft festival in LH for the holiday season, distributing to each vendor a registration form for the LH Christmas Festival.  Huskers vs. Longhorns in the afternoon then the evening.....ooo--la--la!  Cindi Jones and I are going to pick up a little dinner at Central Market then go see Alton Brown.  Yea, kind of a nerdy fun day.

....exposing myself.....

Random, written when I was going through the divorce....I just realized last night that I will be completely alone this Christmas, the very first time ever in my life.  I've always been near family and when not, I had MY family.  Even last year I had the girls.  This year, no one and I'm terrified.  Every time I think about it I break down in tears.  Made me think of this......

ache, deep within

changes, unknown

fear and exhilaration conflicting in my body

release?

crimson tears bring pure joy

My First Tat.....revisited

 My first tattoo....revisited.  I still love my first tattoo.  I had a design picked out for almost a year that I kept coming back to, so when I decided to actually get one, it was a simple process to modify the horizontal design to a vertical.  To this day I get stopped in the stores with ppl commenting on it and how much they love it, how unusual it is.  Sometimes you just know something is right or you and this is one that there was no doubt about in my mind.

What surprised me so much?   It didn't hurt.  Honestly.  In fact it kind of tickled.  Jessie (tat artist) thought I was nuts.  About 15 minutes into it, I was planning my second.  That is what a great experience it was.

Desk shot

I always find my snapshot of my desk interesting in what it tells about me that I don't even realize.  Little tidbits in this one no one would realize.

Sticky  note on my computer reminding me that we have no copy of Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein *OMG how can that be*, Smokey Mo's cup....yes one of the absolute best BBQ spots out there in all of Texas.  PERSONAL business cards at the front of my card holder since I happen to meet so many ppl at work that I take out of the work environment into my personal life.  Trade Journals open to the tech page.  Books of traditional tales and poetry for children (can you tell what I'm working with in school?).  File standing by the computer holding the latest grant information that I've since completed and submitted.  Fork for eating lunch at my desk while working on grants. 

I love what I do.  The biggest negative is there is so much to learn, so much to do, so much to research and investigate, that I'm tempted to sneak a cot into the back room so I can basically hibernate here and accomplish it all.  Oh, that's what the sunglasses are for....reminder that there is a lovely world outside the door to go live and play in.

.....can i adopt this.....

Pooh Bear is so wise.....

"Because Poetry and Hums aren't things which you get, they're things that get you. And all you can do is go where they can find you." Pooh Bear from The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne 

Jack didn't know jack......

Jack T. Colton, eat your words......"Damn it man, the Doobie Brothers broke up! Shit! When did that happen?".  I'm enjoying a beautiful cool morning with the new Doobie Brothers playing......Their new World Gone Crazy album.  Yes, it took what, 10 years, but they are still awesome.  High around 77, what could be better?

Check it out......Doobie Brothers Official Site