Library Roots

My route to the library world was one of those totally unexpected things for me. I was actually quite happy being a teacher, and education was where I always planned to stay. But of course, plans have a way of changing. We made a move across the state and I was suddenly without a job. Being an elementary teacher with a master's degree and no coaching background was a huge liability.

I found a small ad in the local advertiser for a librarian in the neighboring town. 25 hours a week. I was as surprised as anyone to actually get hired. Surely not on the strength of the fact that "I loved to read." But my library career was born there. In the little river town of McGregor. What an education I got!

The thing was, I discovered with the library I got to do everything and more than I had ever done as a teacher. One day I was in a 5th grade classroom and as I stood talking to the teacher, a boy, whose desk was right next to the teacher's desk, stood, put his desk chair on his head and demanded to have his "dart gun" back. He sidled right up to me and stayed in my space during my short discussion with the classroom teacher. When I left the room I found myself with a sudden realization "You see, Sue you can leave this kind of problem far behind. You are walking out of the classroom...she has to stay and deal with him...."

I did everything I never would have been able to do as just a teacher. Designed programs, ordered books, planned the Summer Reading for kids, wrote grants, planned budgets(I even got to read)...oh my, I was in love.

I know that I have complained that I have been in "obsession" but this accidental discovery was the absolute best thing that happened to me. Couldn't find another teaching position? It no longer mattered. I have often said that the library job in McGregor was the best job of my life. The people of McGregor have been my favorite. Since then I have been in 3 different libraries and have gotten to know hundreds of people all through their love and support of the library. I know that though I spent 11 years in teaching and truly enjoyed that, these past 16 years as a librarian have been the best of my life. I think I've found my niche!

Being Productive

We have a homeless man "living" at the library these days. He occupies a chair in the reading room for the most part of the day. He doesn't read either. He just sits there. Someone offered him some money when they gleefully discovered he was homeless. The guy didn't take it. He comes in at opening bell and stays til we close. He carries sleeping gear around with him and one meal. I wonder how long he'll stay.
There was someone on my listserv complaining about 2 kids who had dropped out of school staying ALL DAY at the library. They just sat in chairs taking up space that someone else could use more productively. How to get rid of them? Isn't there some rule about taking up space unproductively?

Family In-

I made a trip to Omaha last night to pick up sweet sweet Melissa! It will be such fun to have her at our house. She will help balance us all out, and increase the ratio of girls to boys. (7:10) Melissa serves with Agape Europe (Campus Crusade) and so we are really looking forward to hearing her stories. She gets to move to Rome in January. Imagine! Living and working in Rome. (Imagine! Living and working in Le Mars. Sometimes I think I have "the-grass-is-greener" syndrome)
I have an awful lot of baking to get done, so unfortunately I have to give up a trip to Minneapolis to see the Pioneer Woman. Seriously, What am I thinking?
Amy arrives at the beginning of next week. The grandsons(and their parents) will be at our house by Tuesday. I have to work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.Invited guests are here by Thursday...I have a menu to plan...
Fruit.Cereal.Oatmeal.Pancakes.Baked Oatmeal.Yogurts.
Chili. Pizza.Turkey.Pork Loin.Sloppy Joes.
Leftovers.Chinese Carry out.Tacos.Tortellini Soup.
Take home movies.
Put up clues for family game. Have other non competitive games ready.
Get discussion questions and a 'next book' list put together for the girls discussion group
plan ahead for family pictures.(do it on the first day not the last)

Wow. I'm exhausted already.

Preparations

Company is coming and I am in a flurry. I am so excited about having everyone here! Our first 'guest' actually arrives this Tuesday! We get to have Melissa with us for Thanksgiving. I spent time with her and Amy in May when I was in Europe. It was the best time ever! So getting to share our home with her is extra special. She works with Agape Europe (Campus Crusade here) so we will be delving deep into what she's been up to, and how God is at work in Western Europe. I can't think of anything better for Thanksgiving than that.
We will have 17 people here for actual Thanksgiving, but less for spending the nights-Ron's brother will be up. Ivan gets to come. Then all those grandsons! Can I say, that will be soooo fun. I love spoiling them.
But of course, I can't just let them walk into the house looking the way we live in it. We are slobs. We are getting our carpet cleaned this week. I have to cook up a storm. (What do you think? Should I make cheesecake for the visitors?) Our bathroom is almost usable. (this is the one we remodeled last winter. The only problem was, that while it was beautiful, you couldn't use the tub in there for any reason, so Ron is fixing that. It's been more involved than I thought it should be, but the results will be nice)
Ron is planning to get the back garage done, the bathroom finished and ... well, I'm sure there will be a thousand other things that need doing if 17 people are descending on the house in a week or so.
I will keep you posted!

Observations from the road

Rain and dreariness do not slow people down.
Friday afternoons are crowded days for shopping
turning left without a light can be a pain.
Christmas shoppers are out in force
being in the same city with grandkids isn't quite the same as seeing them..

A Walmart Philosophy

I took an outing to Walmart this morning. I had to buy a printer for 3 un-printer machines here. The machine was $32.00 and the printer cartridges were $31.97. Now, I have a philosophy about Walmart in the first place and this type of thing only emphazies it. Here's the philosophy: Walmart robs us blind, even when we think we're getting stuff "cheap". It is not worth it to shop in Walmart. Walmart is a steamroller offering us the worst of everything and using its employees in the worst possible ways. Can I say that I HATE shopping in Walmart. I hate being forced to get cheap things cheaply/that cost me in other ways. I feel like I'm being tricked, and manipulated. What makes me think that because I buy X at a lower price I am doing myself or anyone any favors? I know, this doesn't make a lot of sense but there it is.
Here is a blog that just emphasizes EVERYTHING that I feel and think about Walmart. I won't totally boycott the store, but for the most part I stay as far away from the store as I would from H1N1.

Work in the morning, work in the evening, work in the afternoon ...

I've been stuck these last few months. I have been obsessed, compulsed (is that a word?)and totally preoccupied by work. From the time I open my eyes, til I close them in the evening I do nothing but think about work. How to get funds from unpaying towns. How to have a conversation with other P county librarians. What cooperative ventures might might be possible? (none, so forget it.) I am silently at it when carrying on a conversation. It is running through my mind when I am walking, or listening to a book (like chewing gum and walking at the same time). I am calculating it as I eat and trying desperatly to shut it off so I can sleep. So I have had nothing to write about here because there is too much complication and explanation that I really can't give anymore. This morning I complained to Ron about all this work obsession. This spending of 9 or more hours at work, never getting out of the building even at lunch time (what lunch time? The most I do is use the bathroom) So what does he do? He drives all the way to Le Mars and takes me out to lunch. Cool, blessed surprise. And in honor of the occasion, I even wore some of my lunch back to work again. A reminder that there are other things going on in the world that are worthwhile, too.