until I learn how to use de.lis.io.us...

this blog is a placeholder for cool stuff.

(and I just lost this post, but here's a cool link from Jessamyn, about saving $$ on printer ink.)

Where have all the young memes gone? Gone to bloggers, every one, oh when will they ever learn, oh when will they ever learn?

So it's eight random things. (On 7/7/7.) Paula tagged me. I may have done this one but hey, I'm sure I can come up with eight MORE random things--I'm a pretty random kind of gal.

1. I really like flip flops. I have a flip flop magnet on my desk at work. I wear flip flop sandals all summer if I can get away with it.


2. I like glass paperweights. I have one at my desk and two in my shower. (You asked for random!)




3. My friend Marian the Librarian has a thing for pink flamingos. I sort of do too, but whenever I find something, I buy it for her because I don't need more things. (And if you believe that, I have some ocean front property in Arizona...) Also, I like buying things for other people.


4. I really think the Dewey Decimal System and the Cutter Charts are cool.


5. (Can you tell I'm at work?)


6. Besides pink, my other favorite color is green, and not just any green. It's like watermelon yowsa green that's been pretty popular in fashion the past six years or so. My Liquid Paper on my desk has a lid that color (to the right, that striped thing is the edge of my flip flop magnet)


7. Two more to go!! I love taking pictures of spiderwebs. Hmm, maybe you knew that. Well, deal with it!
   


8. Last one!! And then I go off to eat my dinner. (This is using up the first 15 min of my dinner half-hour.) For dinner I'm having eggplant parmesan that was half of my mom's dinner last night at Gullifties.

And, according to the rules, I have to tag eight bloggers. Paula knows I twist rules, especially in memes, but this time, I will go with the flow. But first, dinner.

1. Kiki, my dear cousin.
   
2. Erin, of the Biscottis n'at
3. Babelbabe, who has three boys, two cats, and one dog (and wishes for chickens)
4. Eileen, who introduced me to Taco Loco, one of my FAVORITE restaurants.
   
5. Alyssa, who just posted vackay pix! (We were gone the same week)
   
6. Katy, who lives in Chicago. She went to CMU eons ago. She knits.
   
7. Jenny, who cross stitches...but that's not her main gig.
   
8. Sneeky, who lives in Hawaii... (but don't worry, she has problems too.)
   

And if any of yins have done this already, I bet you can come up with 8 more--for little ol' me!!

Oh, and a tidbit: Mr. FF & SL are in a mutual admiration club. He's really funny, makes me laugh. That is all.

6 Indulgences under $25 in Pittsburgh (In case you don't want to buy the $48 shorts from Free People)

(If you haven't read Blackbird's recent Italy/random/fashion post, go there now.)

1. Manicure (plain, no special decals) $12-14 depending on the salon.
2. Movie (matinee) $6.50
3. Playing Free Cell at Yahoo! Games: Free! (well, I suppose the cost of dial-up or DSL could be figured in, but who has time for that kind of algebra)
4. Visit to Café des Amis for lunch: ~$8.00 for sandwich and soup du jour or salad. (again, if you like algebra, you could figure in gas mileage to Sewickley.)
5. Dinner at Wendy's: ~$4.00 for small iced tea, Junior Cheeseburger Deluxe, and Baked Potato, 2 sour creams.
6. Trip to Library Book Nook: ~$15.00 for coffee (decaf), biscotti (chocolate covered), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (hardcover), The Time Traveler's Wife (paperback), Victoria Magazine's book on Calling Cards, an older Catalog for the Carnegie Art Museum, Three Musketeers (the one with Charlie Sheen) on VHS, and two other paperbacks...(algebra for Master's in Library Science tuition, 20% discount for staff, mileage for workplace that is a half hour away from home residence.)

"If you're tired of New York you take a nap-a, you don't move to Napa."

(Carrie to Big, SATC)

So far today I have sent myself at least three emails with blog post ideas. Plus, I promised pics of the new purse....

And I really should make a list of all the things I need to/want to get done.

Tomorrow I'm going over to NH Sally's to declutter her place, in preparation for her in-law's visit this weekend.

Today after work I have some packages to mail--I think the McKnight P.O. stays open until 6 pm. One thing I do like about working 9-5 is that I generally get home in time to watch Frasier.

I didn't make it here at 9, but I took a 45 minute lunch, so that cancels out my 9:15 arrival. Tip: if your audience is children in the 6 mos to 24 mos range, Minerva Louise is not a good choice if you want their rapt attention. It was an experiment, and while the adults loved it, we'll find something better for next week. Yawn--it must be almost time for my 2pm cuppa coffee.

(So instead of posting an interesting post on one of the scintillating topics I've proposed to myself via email, I've written a pedestrian post on...stuff.)

On the other hand...

Why is it that we tend to focus on the negative? I had a lovely jewelery party, my two best friends came, one brought a friend, and I love the lady who is the consultant, so we all had a blast, trying on jewelery. Ms. Second Floor came up and ordered something before the party started (let's get it started, yo, let's get it started, hey.) b/c she and daughter had evening plans and then just now, she called to see how it went. She can drive me up a wall with her vacuuming at 10 pm, but she really is a sweetheart. She works tomorrow but I'll have to figure a way to get her some of the leftover strawberries.

On the other hand, I invited almost thirty five women!! About 15 had other plans, were out of town, or don't wear jewelery, but some women said they probably would come and why do I care so much that they didn't when clearly, I had a good time?! It's just another indictation that relationships take time. And care, and nurturing. So, we're not there yet. So...move on! And keep inviting folks. This was the first time NH Sally came to one of my parties, the first time Kelly even ever saw my apartment, and the first time I let Ms. Second Floor in--she keeps an immaculate apartment with all new furniture and I felt, well, like the poor cousin. But she knew Sherry, who does work at her daughter's school for their garden, and I stood there washing dishes, it was really nice.

I can still feel my skin--ARGH!! I had a rough day at work, but I made it through and even solved a few problems!! I cleaned my desk this morning, which is a good feeling, I got rid of probably a ream of old papers. And now I know where things are.

Tomorrow's plan is to veg and to go see that new Meg Ryan flick that has Women in the title. And to post pictures of last Monday's trash-pick find.

Hug your little or big ones, and I'll catch ya on the flip side. Smile--your teeth need the sunshine.

Oh, and I got my first wedding invite in almost two years--exciting, exciting!! I love weddings. And I LOVE the invites--the envelope all calligraphied n'at...

I am Lucy... (and other random thoughts on a Tuesday morning)

You have a strong sense of responsibility toward others and a deep respect for other people, even strangers, though you are not always sure what the best course of action is. You are Lucy, the brave child who who is wise beyond her years and kind to all she meets.

Which Narnia character are you?

My dad sent me this meme/quiz back in Lent and it re-introduced me to Beliefnet. He was Lucy too. He sent me an email saying good thing it wasn't Lucy Van Pelt (of the Peanuts.)

The flags are back at full mast--thankfully, I don't think we honor foreign dignataries or writers. (Sorry Boris and David*, I'm ready to stop thinking about loss.) (Yes, I realize how crass that would sound to those who really WILL be missing these two dear men.)

And in the category of covers that should not have been EVER allowed:
In the category of THANK GOD it was covered: Donna Summer singing MacArthur Park. It was originally recorded by Richard Harris (thank you, wikipedia) and that was surely the song I heard on my Standards/Golden Oldies station last night. ACK!

I had a GREAT day yesterday. Due to overstimulation and potential PMS, I was awake until 4:30 a.m. So instead of falling asleep to "That Thing You Do" I got to watch the whole thing. And due to my strung out, sleep deprived state, I wept at the end. (It's a COMEDY.) Okay, off to work.

*Yesterday we lost Boris Yeltsin and David Halberstam.

Interesting dedications or other stuff in books...

"To Sherlyl Hardin a valuable resource (and friend) for me
and a guiding light for her students.
This second grade teacher rules!"

(In Paula dangizer's Second grade rules, Amber Brown)

"This is a work of fiction. All names and characters are either invented or used fictiously. The owls, however, are quite real."

(In Carl Hiaasen's Hoot.)

"To
Pythagoras and the Beatles,
whose 'All is number' and 'All you need is love'
so aptly define the poles about which my world revolves"

(In Peter Strom Rudman's How mathematics happened, the first 50,000 years)

Of these, I've only read Hoot, which I'm reading again for the ??th time. I like Mr. Hiaasen and hope he continues writing for young folks b/c I can't take the sex, violence etc. found in his books for adults (fans, any recommendations?).

Oh how I wish to be OUTSIDE!!

on the radio right now:

Walking in Memphis*--Marc Cohn.

LOVE THAT SONG!

...put on my blue suede shoes and boarded the plane...

Off to work, she goes, that Sarah Louise, the SuperLibrarian!!

*found this website through Google, it explains a lot of the lyrics...and then you can click on the link and get to the lyrics.

OH AND THIS JUST IN: WKRP in Cinncinati is coming out on DVD!!

Sarah Louise lives here

Sometimes I wonder if I am a glutton for pain. Of the de-cluttering kind.

In two Saturdays, (which is actually only eight? days from today) I am hosting a Silpada jewelery party. My mother was like, why??? And my response was, the lady who is the consultant is my friend and it's a way for me to invite my friends into my house--I heart parties.

It has been heart wrenching. EVERYONE and their sister, cousin, aunt is going out of town. Or doesn't wear jewelery. Or doesn't read their email. Out of like thirty five women emailed, I have four maybes and I haven't heard a yes from one of them, so I don't know if the "official invitations" went out...

I honestly could care less about free jewelery, though Silpada's ware is very nice (click on ze link), I just want to have some folks over.

Enter the second obstacle: my apartment. Remember the 12 year thing? How I'm trying to lose those twelve years of clutter? Well, like any diet, one must be CONSISTENT. So. not. me. Right now you can hardly see any floor AT ALL.

So my weekend (what weekend? I work today 1-9, tomorrow 9-5, Sunday 1-5) will consist of two things: getting on the phone and getting some folks to commit to coming and de-cluttering this hovel of a garret. Ugh.

You say goodbye, I say hello. Hello Hello...

(The Beatles)

"People change and forget to tell each other." That's a quote from one of the meditations in Mediatations for women who do too much. I'll maybe try to find out who said it. Right now I think I just need to get this out.

I'm not a gracious person when it comes to goodbyes. I want to stay in a place forever, stay friends forever, people to not move away or make decisions that change the status quo.

Case in point: I have not moved for twelve years, I didn't even move when I left this garret for my parent's house for three years. I kept the apartment because a) I didn't want to change 2) I knew I wanted to come back, and finally, because it made sense at the time.

I hate goodbyes. I, who have said a final-seeming goodbye to someone at least once every three years of my life--they're moving or I'm moving. I, who often have associated these final-seeming goodbyes with the telling of secrets (appropriately and inappropiately). I, who have feared abandonment, who still fears it, deeply.

I have stayed in relationships longer than I should have because I didn't want the change. I have stayed so long that when I ended it, the other person had no idea that I'd been thinking of ending it for months.

Even though I'm not exactly happy with where my life is going right now in some departments, I don't want to rock the boat, add or subtract something, for fear of CHANGE.

For my first semester of my senior year of college, I had a paper on my wall. On it were these words: Change is the only constant, in different color markers. It was the worst year and the most full of changes of all my college years (well, except for my freshman year.) (It did have some "it was the best of times" moments too, don't you worry your pretty little head.)

Change is the only constant. You can never walk in the same river twice. That's Hereclitus, my favorite Greek philosopher. I think he was pre-Plato. I think there's a name for that.

If things don't bend, they become brittle. If things don't change, there is a stale odor. And yet, I resist change. I know change is healthy, and yet, I resist it. Tooth and nail, I cling to the familiar.

All that to say: I am watching my friends move on. They are changing jobs, getting deeper in love, they are getting engaged, married, having first babies, having second ones. This is wonderful. I applaud them for where they are going. I do. I am. But the selfish part of me that clings to what is familiar says no! You have to stay here, with me. We'll be crochety old ladies with arthritus and we'll sit on the front porch and watch the world go by. We'll hate everyone and everything, but we'll have each other and it will be the same and familiar!!

See how crazy this is? See how worked up I get? And why? Because if you're changing and I'm staying the same, maybe we can't be friends anymore. Or if I'm changing and you're staying the same, maybe I'll leave you in the dust. Or maybe we're both changing, just in different ways, in different directions and that's scary too.

Meanwhile, I am changing: I'm becoming a better librarian, I'm trying new things, meeting new people, moving furniture around, and always and forever changing purses, sometimes on a daily basis. For me, the girl who moved again and again, this staying in one place is a real change for me. For me, the girl who worked for Fox Books for four years in which she sent out resumes every six months, to be at a job that I can imagine retiring from. Over half of my life was spent in the three year cycle: move somewhere, get to know it, get ready to leave. This not moving, this staying put, it is for me, a change. Maybe I'll stick around. Put down some roots.

I didn't really see how this had anything to do with Lent (and I did say I'd be writing about Lent this week) but it does. I am Peter. At the Transfiguration, I want to build a tent and stay there. When Jesus says he must suffer, I say, you know what, you don't really have to do that. And yet, when he is a criminal, being taken off by soldiers, I deny once, twice, three times that I even knew thee. It hurts less. Go. Just go. We were never friends. I don't know what you're talking about.

A movie image just came to me, of the little boy in Jerry Maguire, when Dorothy is about to drive off to San Diego for "that job." And Jerry tries to say goodbye and the boy says "Go. Just go ahead and go," fighting back tears, pretending he doesn't care, but caring, deeply.

Also, if you're changing/leaving and that's a part of a healthy decision on your part, and I'm not-changing/staying, am I being unhealthy? The mind plays all these questions, baiting the heart, saying, "You must! You should! Why aren't you?"

• Keeping up with the Joneses?
• Shopping retail?
• Drinking free trade coffee only?
• Finding a boyfriend, getting married, having babies?
• Reading these books?
• Blogging less?
• Blogging more?

And none of these things are the point!! If making bread is your thing, go! Make bread. Knit! Have babies! I applaud you. I'll be over here, re-reading the Jennifer Weiner oevre, blogging at my own pace, living my life at my own pace, shopping at Goodwill, giving away perfectly good Ikea shelving, thinking about an MFA in Writing, rearranging furniture, being a darn good librarian...

Which brings me to a man I love. He has been in and out of my life since I was four, and he's still here, very much alive on Channel 13, even though he's been dead almost five years.

I love Fred Rogers. Of all the shows I think I missed out on the most as a child, I think his is the one. I remember watching Mr. Rogers in our living room in kindergarten and well, when we moved to Germany in the fall, he just wasn't there. Thankfully, he made shows until I was a library student, and I actually met him once...but I think if I'd had him there with me in Bonn, when the kids made fun of my last name, if I'd had him in Tegucigalpa when the kids made fun of my non-talented kickball playing...

So in this current crisis, I think that Mr. Rogers would have a song to sing to me about not wanting to change, to grow. I don't want to change! I don't want to grow! And you shouldn't either!

Do you hear him, in the corner of the room, softly singing? "It's you I like. It's not the things you wear. It's not the way you do your hair, but it's you I like."

When I was in Warsaw, some of the darkest times of my life (haven't written much about that side of Warsaw, have I?) I would make myself smile in the mirror by singing "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood..." (i have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you. i've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with YOU.)

Here's one about growing and changing, though:

"You're Growing"
You used to creep and crawl real well
But then you learned to walk real well.
There was a time you'd coo and cry
But then you learned to talk and, my!
You almost always try.
You almost always do your best.
I like the way you're growing up.
It's fun, that's all.

CHORUS
You're growing, you're growing,
You're growing in and out.
You're growing, you're growing,
You're growing all about.

Your hands are getting bigger now.
Your arms and legs are longer now.
You even sense your insides grow
When Mom and Dad refuse you. So
You're learning how to wait now.
It's great to hope and wait somehow.
I like the way you're growing up.
It's fun, that's all.

CHORUS
Your friends are getting better now.
They're better every day somehow.
You used to stay at home to play
But now you even play away.
You do important things now.
Your friends and you do big things now.
I like the way you're growing up.
It's fun, that's all.

CHORUS
Someday you'll be a grown-up, too
And have some children grow up, too.
Then you can love them in and out
And tell them stories all about
The times when you were their size,
The times when you found great surprise
In growing up. And they will sing
It's fun, that's all.

I had a conversation with an old friend after church on Sunday. We hadn't talked in ages, as he goes to Bellefield and I to the Open Door. He and his wife are moving to Washington, PA, where he'll be a resident, to finish up his medical training. How have you been, he asked. And somewhere in the telling him, I blurted out this: "I'm watching all my friends get married, have kids, move on." And bless his heart, this is what he said. "I bet that's hard." NOT, "You'll find someone." NOT, "hang in there." No. He validated where. I. was. He wept with the weeping, even though I wasn't literally weeping, nor was he (though I am now, writing this, tasting the tears as they fall down my face to my lips.)

Wow. That feels better. A year ago, I came home from Massachussets after having spent two weeks there: one at a library conference and one at a friend's house. I spent April Fool's morning picking up trash in Highland Park with Nick and Lauren, who live in ENGLAND now, talk about changing and moving. My Massachusets friend and I are estranged right now. I'm actually estranged from three other key people from last year this time. One I doubt will ever rekindle, but the others are question marks. And if you have read this far, you know that I don't like question marks. Exclamation points, yes. Periods, commas, yes. But question marks? Something's not certain? I'm not too crazy about those things.

Somehow this post wants to end with some more poetry, so I'll cull some key lines from a man called merely "The Preacher."

For, there is:

A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,

A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,

For there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)*


*I took a few liberties by using two translations (The Message and the NIV) and choosing only verses I wanted to highlight and by putting the first verse last.

It's me, again...

My goodness, have I got a ton of labels or WHAT?? (Not that now is the time to be cleaning them up...it's just that when I have so much to do my monkey mind goes into gear and I start to focus on the things that are more detailed, the things I usually don't pay attention to, and then I get bogged down and forget to do what I NEED to do.

Okay, back to work!!

Sunday morning...

Okay, so I had a few mojitos at the tapas party and so when I came home I was in no shape to continue cleaning up the mess. I fell asleep to "My Music" on PBS which meant that I dreamed that Wayne Dyer was talking to me after my trip to Ireland (sorry, couldn't find a link for the show, but it felt like it was a long time that I was in Ireland.)

(When will I learn to put the SLEEP function on anytime I lie down on the couch, just-in-case??)

I think I'll go for a walk. I may go see Premonition again this afternoon...I finally found someone else online who liked it. Okay, my IE just went wacko--soon we'll be switching over to XP...I heart Foxfire--no wait, those are the books...well whatever this browser is that I use for blogging. I use IE for email b/c Yahoo and my work email work better on it. (My work email HATES Fox-whatever.)

Off to walk...

I heart Dolly Parton (and Lorrie Morgan)

On the bus ride home, a song was spinning on the jukebox in my mind,
"Except for Monday, which was never good anyways,
Tuesday, I get a little sideways,
Wednesday, I feel better, just for spite,
Thursday and Friday take too long,
Before I know it, Saturday's gone,
But it's Sunday now
And you can bet that I'm alright."

Okay, so it sounded like Dolly Parton to me! It's Lorrie Morgan.

On the drive home tonight from child watchin' for Sally (East End Sally, not North Hills Sally) I was thinking how Day Two is code that almost all women understand. (Thank you, Badger!!) As I got up from the sofa where I'd been watching shows on CBS (my house don't get CBS), she said, sofa feel good? And I said, "It's Day Two. I took a bath before I left Virginia, and I took another one before I came over here to watch your kids." Even my mother (who never got a cramp in her life!) understood when I said, "It's Day Two." But I got me the heating pad and since I can't take Ibuprofin or its cousins, and I am home for the night, I have me a Corona, and no one's the wiser.

So I took a lot of pictures this weekend...on the Greyhound. No, we didn't even see the eclipse, it was too cloudy. No, no pictures of the bunny, or my sister, or my mom's new birdfeeders. Me, playing with the digi camera, on the bus. Yes, this is what I look like, bored on the bus. Pictures are from Thursday's trip down and today (Monday's) trip back up.

Along with the Corona (Light) and bite me! It's a half decent import, and cheap!I'm eating the entire box of Samoas. A girl has got to have her chocolate on Day Two.
My day old manicure clutching my newest book form of crack: Sisterchicks books by Robin Gunn Something.
My new manicure examining the stitches on my Liz Claiborne purse.
The seats on the bus. Look, they have little blue dogs on them!
My bracelet. My nerves (Day Two) were too shot for me to wear the bracelet, so it lived in my pocket, except for this beauty shot...
The open road, with snow. Can you say GRAY???

Can you spot the Spanish in this picture? The USA Today? The pink sweater? The cross of the purse straps?
Yes, I've seen the movie. I am now reading the book (though not ON the bus) and listening to the movie's soundtrack. Which is quite lovely. (Which I did listen to on the bus, three times!)
My wallet...
So, do you like my funky tights?? I have them in black too.

Hope College and me: Six degrees of Separation

You might be familiar with the game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. There's even a book! You might even be familiar with the play which became a movie, Six Degrees of Separation.

Well, in Pittsburgh, there's only one degree, usually. We're a city with a small town feel. (For instance, I just transferred a hold on a book from our library that will go to another Allegheny County consortia library--for a woman I went to library school with.)

But, you might be asking, right about now, "SL, I have no clue WHAT you are talking about." Okay. So. Degrees of separation: there's a theory that everyone can connect themselves to everyone else by six degrees of separation.

When we lived in Poland, I got to shake Bush Sr.'s hand as well as Lech Walesa's hand. So that would put me one degree of separation between Bush Sr. and one degree of separation of separation from Lech Walesa. Since Bush Sr. is the father of Bush Jr., our current president, I am two degrees of separation from Bush Jr.

Okay. So, of all the places I've been, of all the connections I've made, the connection that has brought the most connections is Hope College, the alma mater of my grandparents (who met there and later got married) my parents (who met there and much later got married) and my brother (still single, and living in Austin).

Hope did send me my first college acceptance letter, but I decided to not attend due to many factors. I have one or two regrets: I always wanted to have a radio show, which my brother did and I'm pretty sure my dad did too. Also, Holland, Michigan is a super cool place with a ton of taquerias. (This is due to the fact that Heinz has their pickle picking operation there--a lot of Mexican migrant workers came up and stayed and so there is a large Mexican community in Holland) (Michigan!! not the Netherlands). My dad quips that the pickle pickers became pickle packers. There is no welfare system--local churches and civic organizations pick up the slack for community needs. Also, this a weekend in January, (THIS POST IS FROM 1/13/07) the college is hosted a symposium with such giants as Lauren Winner (Girl Meets God) , Donald Miller (Blue like Jazz) , and Jars of Clay (the band? I'm sure you've heard of them). Oh, and Derek Webb, formerly of Caedman's Call.

My cousin used to be the president of Western Theological Seminary, which is in Holland, Michigan, home of Hope College. He has had major correspondence with the author of Housekeeping and the more recent Pulitzer Prize Winning (and amazing--I'm reading it now) Gilead, so that would be two degrees of separation: My cousin, 1, Marilynne Robinson, 2.

Sufjan Stevens, the sweetheart of indy music, went to Hope College. I have been to the café his best friend runs, Lemonjellos. I even have a bumper sticker on my car. So that would be the café, 1, the owner of the café, 2, Sufjan Stevens, 3.

Or, I'll be at a party and start talking to someone. "Where are you from" is my opener (I find it's much more interesting that "What do you do?") and inevitably I'll meet someone who says, I went to school in Michigan. Oh really, what school? I've met at least five people from Hope College this way.

Oh, how could I forget the Beleza Seven? My brother is friends with every one of the seven Hope graduates that formed a community coffee house on the North Side of Pittsburgh. I've been there once--and it was so much fun saying to the girl behind the counter, "Do you know (my brother's name)?" "Yes..." "Well, I'm his sister, and this is his mom, and his dad." My mom even got a picture with the girl, whose name escapes me, but apparently my brother was one of her first friends at Hope College.

Other connections? Robert Schuller, the televangelist who hosts the Hour of Power from the Crystal Cathedral once spent a summer working for an aunt of mine. Both he and his son went to Hope.

Lynne Stewart didn't graduate from Hope, but neither did my aunt. They were, however, roommates at Hope in the early 1960s.

Um, also, for those of us who were the person of the year for 2006, we share that title with Rob Malda, creator of Slashdot, which pretty much revolutionized this thing we call the blog. Yep, he went to Hope.

This is all very fun for me, because unless you're from Pittsburgh, you've never heard of Carlow College University (where I spent my first two years of college) and unless you're from Maryland you've never heard of Washington College (my Alma mater).

I cling to the greatness of Hope College...

Cleaning out the purse (Sarah Louise's random thoughts on a Sunday night)

A new link on the right, under Bohemian Shoes: 3191. These two photobloggers live 3191 miles apart and post a morning picture daily--it is SO COOL.

Have you ever read someone's blog and thought, I want to meet this person, or this person is living the kind of life I want to live? Never? Oh, well, I guess I'm the only one...

Have started reading Reading like a writer by Francine Prose (what a great last name for a prose writer!) and it's the kind of book that makes me want to write. Also, there are two holds on it and it's due on Wednesday...I think I'll be buying a copy soon...but I wish it was in paperback...

Also, the theme for the next month-6 weeks at the OD is gifts. "Gifts" is my main love language (how I express my love to folks) so I'm thrilled! I made a cool box at BJ's beheast, and folks said they liked it. (smile...)

Gifts as in "what's your gift?" (what do you do well?)
Gifts as in "what do you have that was given to you?" (everything--it's all from God)
Gifts as in "what can I give xy and z for Christmas?" (or because they got a promotion or work, or because I saw this and thought of you...)

Eat Cake (yes, that book again!!) is a book about gifts--this book has become my I Ching. I read pieces of it daily. I will sit and read portions aloud because it is a book of wonderful dialogue with a lot of emotion and inflection needed. (An advantage to living alone!) Anyways, during BJ's sermon, I realized it's all about gifts! Ruth discovers that her gift (making cakes) can bring their family out of economic disaster. Her mother and father who have hated each other ever since Ruth can remember reconcile and start playing piano and singing together--using their gifts, AND it's a gift to Ruth to see her parents happy.

Had hot chocolate with the girls at Borders after church. Twas very nice. The Hope/Calvin game is Saturday but I just remembered I said I'd go to Sally's candle party. (I didn't go to Hope or Calvin but it's in my blood as my parents, grandparents and brother all went to Hope.) I've never been to a game, which is broadcast by satellite to bars nationwide, sponsored by alumni. Oh well, there's always next year...

Well, anyways, I spose it's time to get ready for bed...(although since I napped for who knows how long this afternoon I'm not so tired...) Tomorrow (my day OFF!) is a day of:
8:45 Chiropractor
go home, do stuff (like look at bills...)
10:30 drive to NoHills to work for lunch meeting with our Children's District person
until 1:45 pm, drive to Wexford, where I will say adieu to my therapist, a woman I've been seeing for about two years.
go home, do stuff. (like prepare for new Bible Study that starts Tuesday.)
7:15 pm go back to the chiropractor, for a "new patient orientation."

I already checked, Studio 60 isn't on this week--it's 2 more hours of Heroes. Enough already--it was 3 hours last week!!

So even though Carlos says he's done thinking about gifts (the season is over!) I will probably be blogging about it, since I already have one post started.

Upcoming: SL will be looking for a new therapist--sigh. I said to Erin that doing the box for the OD was very therapeutic and she said, maybe you should look into art therapy. Um. So I may do a lot of therapeutic crafts during the month of January.

Oh, and start getting ready to BE A FICTION WRITER.

Calgon, take me away.

This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions? (updated)

This is my brain on a hormonal hiatus--it happens once a month: I have a few days where higher math (or original cataloguing) is just not a possibility.

So this is what I do: I do security tags on books, I sort titles by Dewey #, and when my brain can take no more, I go upstairs, where the books are.

Tonight I have brought back these gems:

The Queen of the Big Time (audio on CD!!) by Adriana Trigiliani. I love her Big Stone Gap books but have never been able to read any of her others. Audio books are the way for me to either fall in love or nix this kind of a book. (The kind that doesn't immediately grab me--this is how I got entwined in the Harry Potter series.)

Confessions of a Slacker Wife by Muffy Mead-Ferro, which I actually picked up because I thought Babs might like it. Let me know!

Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler, read by Blair Brown. This I've already heard, it's insurance in case Adriana doesn't satisfy.

Beauty Queen: Here she comes... by Elissa Stein. It's a history of pageants and it has lots of pictures. Just right for the frame of mind I'm in...I want to be sitting by a pool with a piña colada, por favor...

And just when you thought you had me pegged, a book I snagged from the withdrawn pile:

2002 Index of Economic Freedom, put out by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal. This is so cool. It lists the GDP, whether it is free or not. Albania, for instance, is mostly unfree. Of course, we in the U.S. of A. are free. Well, we wrote the book, didn't we? Now, mind you, this book is three years old, but here we have Congo, formerly Zaire. Suspended!

The time has come, the time is now, Marvin K. Mooney, will you please go now?

YES! We are closing down shop and going HOME!!

*********
update: Friday morning

Some audio books weren't meant to be listened to again: Peace Like a River and Back when we were grownups are two. And I adore adore adore Adriana T., but that book (see above) is more boring than boring. So it's back to square one with the audio books. Thankfully I go back to work today.

Audio books that go the extra mile (and listen):
The Nanny Diaries read by Julia Roberts
Sahara Special read by Mrs. Huxtable, whats-her-real-name...
Good to Great read by Jim Collins, my hero!!
and of course, my namesake's book: Jacob Have I loved read by Moira (the chick from that ice skating movie, The Cutting Edge)

Gotta go! Still have not unpacked...I want to go to the Cheswick Goodwill and find something snazzy to wear on New Year's Eve...

Signs of the Times...

The Riverside Tastee-Freez isn't Tastee-Freez anymore, so it's just Riverside, and their sign thing is empty because they're closed for the season.

I thought it was Experienced Smiles, as I sat at the light at Craig and Bayard. Hmm, is that like a polite way to say Geriatric Dentistry? No, as I went through the intersection, I saw that it's Exceptional Smiles. Well, that makes more sense. It's where the old Dental School office used to be.

Pittsburgh Veterinary Dermatology--is that like if your cat gets eczema?

I was behind a car whose license plate read GFT--which of course made me think of who else I have to remember...I spent 15 min too long at Target before work...

At Target, I couldn't resist this card--I may give it to Sis: I want romance. Other cards were miss you or stud.

Oh, and did you know that KFC is returning to their roots? Kentucky Fried Chicken, yes ma'am!

I thought there was one more, but it's escaping me...

I remembered!! It's a automotive place on the way to work. "Under New Management...open DAILY." But what I see as I drive past is Under New Management DAILY. Gosh, that must be hard on the staff...

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep (Genesis 2:21, NIV)

Sleep is this bizarre thing. We need it. So, some random thoughts...

From one of my favorite films: "Peter once asked me when I fell in love with Jack. And I told him, "It was while you were sleeping." (Lucy's last words as the movie fades out.)

Having my deep slumber Monday night to Tuesday morning, and waking up not knowing what day it was, made me think about sleep. And dreams.

Wee Willie Winkie, runs through the town!
Upstairs, downstairs, in his nightgown.
Rapping at the windows, crying through the locks
Are all the children in their beds, for now it is eight o'clock! (Traditional Nursery Rhyme)
...

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

(Someone embroidered this for me as a child and it hung in my bedroom.) Though now it reminds me of the Metallica song, Enter Sandman.

I think in some ways, sleep is like prayer. We need it to thrive, but we resist it. We come up with everything to do--get a drink of water, read a book, watch TV--but at some point our bodies fall in exhaustion. I often have trouble getting to sleep and I often have trouble starting to pray. I pray best when walking but as of yet I don't think I sleep walk. (My brother does sometimes though!!)

Of course, one of my favorite Psalms talks about sleep:

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves. (Psalm 127:2, NIV)


And on a totally different note, here are a few links about giftgiving: (for tis the season)

• Adrian's thoughts on gift cards with a bonus link to Colin's philosophies...
• Erin talks about being kind to ourselves and mentions community gifts
• Pat mention's Carlos' book (which I linked back on Online Shopping Day)

and a few folks I support...

• Shoulder to Shoulder, which offers health care needs in rural parts of Honduras
• Heifer International, which provides animals to families around the world. I always ask for a flock of chicks.

And hey, if you can't think of ANYTHING, why not I heart PGH paraphenelia?

Moo! Moo! Moo!

Here's an interesting tidbit, for you children's book lovers (I have to throw a crumb out every once in a while or I'll lose you, I fear...): on the cart of books I'm marking call letters for "J PIC PAL" or "J PIC FLE" I have two books about cows that have lost their moo. I seem to remember a book from my childhood, Emily's Moo?

Moo Who? is by Margie Palatini (Yes, that would be J PIC PAL) and a cow who goes hither and yon to get her moo back. It's cute.

The Cow Who Clucked is by Denise Fleming (J PIC FLE--you catch on quickly!) about a cow who clucks.

I guess in this same category would be Bark, George, which features a dog who mews, moos, and clucks, only to discover that he has all those animals stuck in his stomach...

Anyways, I never really thought of this as a bovine malfunction: maybe Oprah should do a segment on Cows that have lost their moos...

Back to work!

I'm not much of a cook, but my take-out skills are top-notch. (Kathy Shaksan)

So, contrary to popular belief, I do cook. So, a recipe. Bon apetit!

Sarah Louise's Strata (for the Children's Department Lunch)

Prep time: 30 minutes.
Sit time: 1 hr to 12 hrs.
Cook time: 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

Bread
6 Eggs
2 cups of milk. Whole is best, but I've used skim.
6 slices of cheese--your choice (I used American this time)
an onion, or a frozen vegetable of your choice (I used spinach this time, but often use broccoli)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
oregano
parsley flakes
sage
mustard or mustard powder
margarine

You want an 11x13 baking pan. Lay the bread in two layers. You want the bread to be "stale" which can be speeded up by putting the bread in the oven on warm for about 20 minutes.

Did you know that if you slam two eggs together only one will crack?

After you "stale" the bread, you want to take it out of the pan so that it can be slathered with margarine so that the strata doesn't stick when it's baked.

So mix the eggs and the milk and the spices.

Lay out the bread on the bottom of the pan. Layer the slices of cheese, then layer the vegetable. Cover with the second layer of bread. Pour on the egg mixture. If there is some bread that doesn't get moistened with egg, pour milk on top.

Cover the pan with foil and put in the fridge for at least an hour, up to 12 hours.

Bake for about 45 min at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. The look you want is "golden brown."

Cut, eat, enjoy. Serves about 6, depending on how big you make the pieces.

This recipe is a Sarah Louise version of "Crustless Quiche" in The Kitchen Survival Guide by Lora Brody.