Librarian MIA

Dear readers,

My apologies for not having posted anything in the past week. I received some rather shocking family news and my mind has been on my parents, particularly my dad, for almost the past two weeks. I did go see them last weekend, which helped ease my mind, but I haven't been able to get back into the blogging swing just yet. I'm hoping to get back into the swing within the next week or so, but until then, I do appreciate your patience while I get myself together.

Happy reading.

What Books Do When You're Not Looking...

Courtesy of my dad...he knows me SO well. <3

Also sometimes I wonder if my TBR shelf will do this one day.

Celebrating an Innovative and Creative Thinker

I can't think of a single person who hasn't heard of at least one of Jim Henson's works, and it is fitting that Google is honoring what would have been Henson's 75th birthday today.  Henson was responsible for creating some of the most memorable characters that are still present within today's media.  With works such as Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and The Storyteller under his remarkable list of accomplishments, Henson is definitely still alive with all of his audience, both older and younger generations.

Jim Henson's Fantastic World at the Museum of Science 

Behind the Scenes of "Labyrinth"

The Storyteller

For more information about Jim Henson and his works please visit:

Jim Henson Legacy:  http://www.jimhensonlegacy.org/

The Jim Henson Company:  http://henson.com/

The Jim Henson Company's Creature Shop:  http://www.creatureshop.com/

RIP Library Cookbooks

When opening the library this morning, I got quite a shock to see that there was a huge leak in the ceiling... right above the cookbook collection.  There is good news and bad news.  The good news is the leak was above the end of one shelf panel.  Also, the cleaning crew who apparently noticed the leak during the night made the effort to save the books on that area of shelves by pushing them through to the other side.  For that, we are all definitely thankful.  The bad news is that we lost about 12 cookbooks due to heavy water damage.  When a book is soaked through to the spine with a liquid, there is no way to save it especially from book mold.  Rest in peace, dear cookbooks.

Blogging Hiatus

Hello, dear readers and blogging friends.  I've enjoyed being able to deliver almost a book review a week in June, a personal best.  However, due to a lot of changes going on around here for me, I just cannot focus on reading and reviewing with the same focus as before.  Since I cannot give the attention that I feel belongs to both books and blogging, I've decided to take a brief hiatus until I can get things in order and back on track.  I do appreciate everyone who visits my blog, and I want to be able to deliver more reviews in the future and just talk books as usual.  Until then, thank y'all so much, and I'll see you within two weeks if not sooner. 

Spring is here at last!

And the Gardenias are starting to bloom on my balcony!  I'm so happy about them finally opening! ^_^

This was what these two buds looked like on Monday of this week.

And THIS is what they looked like on Tuesday morning. ^_^

These opened up today, and even more are starting to open!

Like this one in the foreground!

I just love my Gardenias. <3

What flowers do y'all look forward to in Spring?  And what flowers are in your gardens? ^_^

Thought for Thursday: A Need for Magic

Do you remember a time when you played “Let’s Pretend” or a similar game as a kid?  You would pretend to be something different, sometimes something ordinary (like a dog or a horse) and sometimes something ferocious (like a lion or a dinosaur) and sometimes something fanciful (like a fairy or a unicorn).  My group of friends at daycare loved this game, and it was especially fun to play at recess after watching a movie during “nap time” (well “nap time” for those who were sleepy and “movie time” for those who wanted something to do in the darkened room).  After seeing The Last Unicorn film, all I wanted to pretend to be was a unicorn, something so beautiful and magical that it could only exist hidden secretly in some wood far away from people. 

Now my dear readers are probably wondering how this moment of nostalgia relates to books.  ^_^  It regards the most-read and most-present genre on my bookshelves: fantasy.  For the longest time, that was the only genre I ever wanted to read, and I read many fantasy books back in school as I still do now.  Anne McCaffrey, Robert Levy, Tanith Lee, so many other authors that I can’t even recall all their names or even the titles of the books I’ve read.  I still love that genre most of all as I’m sure my readers know by the books I review.  But the fantasy genre has really branched out under many different labels.  Paranormal, supernatural, and speculative fiction are just another way of saying ‘fantasy.’  Books falling under these labels still have the fantasy element of magic.  It may not even be explained in the books instead just an underlying and understood presence involved in the story, and perhaps that is what really draws so many readers. 

It’s hard not to notice the rise of paranormal/supernatural/fantasy books in bookstores and libraries, and I think it’s great.  Not just because it’s my favorite genre, but because I think there is an unconscious need for magic in the populace today.  True, a lot of the books have to do with the extraordinary being found in the ordinary along with familiar elements of romance, mystery, and action.  But you could find those elements in novels listed under any of those separate genres or even in general fiction.  What is different about a paranormal book such as Aimee Carter’s The Goddess Test, Carolyn Turgeon’s Mermaid, or Deborah Harkness’s A Discovery of Witches?  Magic, as simple as that. 

I think people need magic and that they need to see the extraordinary and the special in the everyday.  Science and doubt have a way of taking away what people once thought of as magic.  Don’t get me wrong, I love science and technology and learning new information, but there is a certain spark that comes with the belief in something magical.  Think about a time when you saw a magician performing his trade either at a carnival or a daycare or library event.  Did you sit there, thinking that what the magician is doing can be proven using scientific facts?  Or were you so transfixed in awe by the idea that the magician is doing what was thought of as the impossible? 

As we get older, our childlike faith and belief starts waning, and we have to look at things logically and with fact.  The everyday world is just that, every day is another ordinary day.  I believe we get tired of that train of thought, and there’s some part of us that seeks out magic again even if it’s through the eyes of a storyteller.  We read and we escape the ordinary day by living the life of a sorceress, a werewolf, a vampire, a dragon, or even a human being taken into a fantastic realm.  Maybe we see ourselves in the familiar human elements, especially of a human being made to see the surrounding magic that they never noticed before.  We can remember that belief we once had and hopefully smile at the memory of how we not only wanted to chase unicorns and dragons… we wanted to be them. 

Think of this as a big ‘thank you’ to all old and news authors of paranormal, supernatural, speculative, and fantasy books.  Keep the magic alive within your words, and help future readers to see that magic, too. 

A Question for my Wonderful Readers

In the library, everyone has two sections of the collection to shelf-read, basically go through and make sure all the books are in proper order and neatly placed on the shelves.  One of my sections includes the poetry books, and it just looks as though they haven't been touched since we opened last year.  So my thought is how would my fine readers feel about a "Stanza Saturday?"  I would select a random poetry book from the shelf, open the book, and share the first poem or stanza depending on length.  And I invite all of you to do the same if you're a lover of poetry. ^_^  It can be any type of poetry whether sonnet or haiku or even an epic poem's stanza.  Let me know your thoughts and tell me who your favorite poet is!  Btw, one of my favorite poets is Basho as shown below.

What do y'all think about a "Stanza Saturday" weekly posting?

Joining the eReader Revolution

Yes, that's right, I decided to join up with the masses of ereader owners in the world. I had been debating on whether I should get one because I am very fond of books, the feel of the pages under my fingers, the smell of a freshly-opened new book, and just the quiet comfort readers get when they have that favorite book in hand. However, with so many authors debuting new titles in ebook format, I thought it best to have access to these new titles along with physical books.

As I see it, the ereader is just a supplement of my personal library, not a replacement. Whatever I cannot store on my shelves either due to lack of room or lack of physical format shall be stored in the digital library. The next question was which ereader should I purchase. That was a bit difficult simply because there were two formats that I was quite fond of: the Kobo of Borders and the Nook of Barnes & Noble.

I had some up-close and personal experience with the Nook thanks to two coworkers who each owned one. Mind you, this is the basic Wireless Nook, but it seemed to suit their purposes, and I thought it would be nice to have the Share feature of loaning out an ebook from my library to a friend for 2 weeks. The software is a lot like our library's ebook software, Overdrive, where it automatically deletes the files after 2 weeks. The biggest downside was the cost, which wasn't too bad when it comes down to it. However, when it comes to bookstores, Barnes & Noble isn't my first choice.

The Kobo seemed like a good choice for me mostly because I am a fairly consistent patron of the stores, despite recent developments for the corporation. Although it lacked the colored menu bar at the bottom of the screen that the Nook had, the Kobo was fairly easy to navigate, and I loved the feel of the 'quilted' backing. It's supposed to give the ereader the feel of holding an actual book, and I have to admit that does keep the Kobo from slipping out of possibly slick or damp hands. I think my decision really came down to shop loyalty (and a little bit of cost) which is why I decided to get a Kobo. Plus, you really can't beat a reader that is an anagram for 'Book'. ^_^

Do you have an ereader and if so, what made you decide on the one you chose?

Random Thoughts: New Year, New Post, New Resolutions!

Time to say goodbye to the old year and hello to the new!  2010 was a very good year for me as I finally found my home library and a new home as well.  It has been an exciting run so far, and I look forward to what we have on hand for 2011.  I have to say I am so very excited about this year mostly because of the prospective projects for my section of the library.  However, that is only one part of the excitement. 

It's time again for New Year's Resolutions to be made, and I plan on keeping them this year.  Last year, my resolutions had to do with 1) obtaining a full-time library job and 2) doing well for all of my coworkers.  This year, the resolutions are more personal and have less to do with work (though I still plan on doing my best to help make the library looks fabulous). 

Resolution 1:  I plan on making time every week to start and finish at least 1 book on my To-Be-Read List. 
Reason:  Last year, I started actually making a list of books that I have either read or want to read, also making note of which ones are available in the library.  I want to make a point of checking off more books from that list this year, and if I can make that possible I will be thrilled.  That also means I can start adding MORE books to the list for next year.

Resolution 2:  I plan on walking on a regular basis.
Reason:  During library school, I was able to take Aikido on a regular basis and it made me feel excellent and just more productive throughout the week.  Since there is no dojo for Aikido within a reasonable driving distance, I must have some form of exercise until I can locate a different style of martial arts.  Walking should be a reasonable exercise to do, and if I want to have a higher impact, I could always use some handweights while walking.

Resolution 3:  I plan to write at least once a week for 2 hours.
Reason:  Writing has been a part of my life ever since middle school, and I feel I've grown as a writer since starting out.  College and library school really helped my writing style mature, but I know there is still a lot of room for growth.  Keeping the mind of a student always willing to learn and listen is one of the best ways to both grow and gain experience alongside knowledge.  I miss being able to obtain the state of mind in which I feel am almost in a trancelike state where it is just me and my computer.  It is my hope that I'll be able to do so in disciplining myself to write each week. 

What are your New Year's Resolutions if you care to share?

Random Thoughts: Holiday Biz and Books

Title:  Holiday Biz and Books
Author:  DJL

The Dish:  It's that time again.  The time of year when chinook winds blow down upon the US from Canada and when the leaves are turning brown and leaving behind their sturdy trees to form crunchy piles just perfect for jumping.  Or raking, depending on how you view it.  Winter is upon us and already Christmas carols are playing through certain radio stations 24/7, and you just have to smile and think, 'Wow...where did the year go?' 

As hard as it seems, with the Thanksgiving holidays over and December already begun, Christmas, Chanukah/Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever winter holiday you celebrate will be here soon.  You know what this means, right?  Preparation.  When it comes to any major holiday, the key word is always preparation.  For some, this means preparing your house for out-of-town visitors and for others it means preparing to go on vacation.  There is an awful lot of planning that goes on around this time of year, and even I get swamped with getting things ready (which is also my excuse for not having a post in awhile). 

Take this week.  I have been working every day this week on a different set of truffles for a Holiday Bazaar this weekend and also for mailing out to family and friends.  So far, I've made 3 batches of about 30 truffles each, so I have 90+ truffles so far.  This evening will be devoted to the last batch of truffles and also mixing up rolled sugar cookie dough for tomorrow's decorating time following work.  Luckily, I'll have some assistance in that department so it should be fun to see how each of us decorate the cookies. 

Despite the busy-ness and the potential stress that comes from planning and purchasing and mailing and wrapping and decorating, this is still my favorite time of year.  Seeing the culmination of the planning take place whether it's on Christmas Eve or a chosen weekend to celebrate the holidays in December (or even November or January) makes all of the work worthwhile.  It always thrills me to see my friends and family enjoying any of the homemade goodies I gave them for the holidays.  And I look forward to getting a Cookie Swap started either this year or the next year. 

What I also really love about this time of year are all of the holiday-related books and television specials published or shown for the season.  Some of my favorites include Wolfsbane and Mistletoe, an anthology of werewolf stories that take place around the winter holidays, Christmas Poems, an anthology of poems centered around Advent, Christmas, and winter by various poets, and of course A Christmas Carol, both in book and several film formats.  I will say that one of my preferred renditions of A Christmas Carol is with Kelsey Grammer as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol: The Musical mostly because of the musical factor and also seeing other actors that you don't normally see in holiday films.  Nostalgia is key when it comes to holiday specials because no matter how many times I watch the same specials in December, I never get tired of them.  There is a reason why television specials like A Charlie Brown Christmas, Mickey's Christmas Carol, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas have withstood the tests of time.  It's because they are wholesome and heartwarming holiday animated specials that both young and old can appreciate.

Favorite Holiday Reads:

Title:  Wolfsbane and Mistletoe

Editors:  Charlaine Harris and Toni P. Kelner

Summary:  Let's Face it - the holidays can bring out the beast in anyone. They are particularly hard if you're a lycanthrope. Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner have harvested the scariest, funniest, saddest werewolf tales, by an outstanding pack of authors, best read by the light of a full moon and with a silver bullet close at hand. -Amazon.com

Title:  Christmas Poems (Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets)

Editors:  John Hollander and J.D. McClatchy

Summary:  An anthology of Christmas poetry, from Milton to Schnackenberg, that gives an appealing twinkle to many familiar ornaments by hanging them with a tasteful selection of contemporary pieces and older, often neglected works that deserve the fresh polish they receive here. -Amazon.com

Title:  A Christmas Carol

Author:  Charles Dickens

Summary:  Cruel miser Ebeneezer Scrooge has never met a shilling he doesn't like. . .and hardly a man he does. And he hates Christmas most of all. When Scrooge is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come, he learns eternal lessons of charity, kindness, and goodwill. -Amazon.com

Favorite Holiday Films and Specials:

Title:  A Charlie Brown Christmas

Summary:  This television classic features the Peanuts characters in the story of Charlie Brown's problematic efforts to mount a school Christmas pageant. Everybody's on board: Lucy, Snoopy, Schroeder, Pig-Pen, but the biggest impression is surely made by Linus, who stops the show with his recitation from the gospels of the story of Christ's birth. -Amazon.com

Title:  Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Summary:  The Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, hates Who-ville's holiday celebrations, and plans to steal all the presents to prevent Christmas from coming. To his amazement, Christmas comes anyway, and the Grinch discovers the true meaning of the holiday. -Amazon.com (regarding the book, but same basic premise)

Title:  Beauty and the Beast The Enchanted Christmas

Summary:  This film takes place before the Beast’s great transformation at the end of Beauty and the Beast.  It was on Christmas Day that the heartless prince was transformed from his human self into his beastly state, and so Christmas has been a forbidden holiday among the castle servants.  Belle, who loves Christmas, chooses to bring it back into the castle against the Beast’s wishes as well as threatening the plans of Forte, the musical maestro who believes things are better with the servants as objects. - DJL

Title:  A Christmas Carol - The Musical

Summary:  A musical setting for Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a natural, and this holiday TV-movie (based on the Broadway version) generously crams music into its quick spin through the venerable story. Kelsey Grammer uses his musical pipes (and some of his "master thespian" style of acting) as Ebenezer Scrooge, the man whose miserliness needs no introduction here. -Amazon.com

Title:  The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause

Summary:  A wizardly fairy named Ak helps the young Nicholas understand human misery and charges him with the task of serving mankind. Nicholas's talent for charming little children and brightening the lives of the poor--and poor at heart--soon turns into a lifelong career. -Amazon.com

What holiday books and specials are traditions in your household?

Random Thoughts: Do you work here?

Title:  "Do you work here?"
Author:  DJL

The Dish:  How many times have you heard that question before in your workplace?  I can understand it if your workplace doesn't have a standard uniform or if you're out in the store with your back to a customer.  However, when you're sitting behind the Information Desk with your name tag in plain sight...you have to ask yourself, "Really?  You're asking if I work here?"

What makes hearing this question from patrons so hilarious are the inner comments and comebacks that employees come up with.  I've composed a list of my Top Five Favorite "Work here?" Comebacks:

1. No, I just needed a place to sit and this was the only free chair.
2. Actually, I'm a professional seat-warmer.  Here's my card.
3. I wanted to ask you the same question since I need to find this title.
4. Oh, did I forget my name tag again?
5. If you hum a few bars, I might get the tune.

In all honesty, I think it's because customers are so focused on their task at hand, they don't think to look at the name tag.  All they see is a body behind a desk of authority, and they want to ascertain that body is someone who can help them.  And truth be told, I haven't been asked that question in a long while before tonight, so I think we're doing good for the most part.

What witty comebacks would you say if someone asked "Do you work here?"