tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15726324082274740662024-02-07T02:56:43.485-08:00The Soggy LibrarianUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger215125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-48437040357001314572012-08-03T17:24:00.001-07:002012-08-03T17:24:57.389-07:00best dayToday on my lunch break I went to Nordstrom to get fitted for a bra. I have never done this, even though I'm a grown-ass woman and I've seen the Oprah about you really have to because you're definitely not wearing the right size and you OWE it to yourself to be comfortable AND look great. Plus Tim Gunn has been on about it for years.<br />
<br />
Here is the thing: I honestly don't feel bad or embarrassed about having small boobs. Even so, the idea of being gently guided into the Juniors section ("We have some <em>very </em>sophisticated items in this department now") bummed me out. I was anticipating being told that I couldn't shop at the big girl store.<br />
<br />
But guess what? I actually needed a cup size bigger than what I've been wearing--which is two cup sizes bigger than what I thought I was going to get. I was so delighted that I had to stop myself from buying every bra in the store.<br />
<br />
Afterwards I called R. <br />
<br />
"Guess WHAT? I'm a B-cup!"<br />
"Huh?"<br />"A B-CUP!! I got fitted for a bra and my boobs are <em>really big.</em>"*<br />
". . . . Okay."<br />
"This is the best day of my life and I wanted to share it with you!"<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*I know a B-cup is not really big. But it is really big compared to AA-cup, you must admit.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-12038894068038002022012-06-15T14:02:00.002-07:002012-06-15T14:03:06.846-07:00C is for something or otherThe six people who read this blog must be the nicest folks on earth. Thank you for your kind words. They meant a lot. I'm feeling better. I'm not really sick of my job so much as myself in my job? Something like that. But I felt a new surge of work-related energy this week. I didn't get to take full advantage of it, because I had to stay home again with a sick Soren, but still. <br />
<br />
That is the other side affect of all this terrible weather (aside from the mild but relentless depression, I mean)--constant sickness. There has not been a moment for weeks (months? I'm not sure) when at least two members of this family have not been oozing something disturbing from somewhere. Soren's ailments have included a bacterial infection of the eyeballs (what?! ew.) and some sort of throat thing that was not herpes but was similar to herpes and again, ew.<br />
<br />
However! The sun is out today, and it is my day off. I've spent almost all of it outside, which feels like an accomplishment even though nothing (aside from a little weeding) has actually been accomplished. It's amazing what a few short hours of daylight can do for a person. <br />
<br />
Soren and I took a walk early this morning, and then had a playdate with two moms and their sons who we met on the street in front of our house a couple of weeks ago. It was really nice--they were very friendly, sweet kids, all that stuff. This would have happened in our old neighborhood exactly NEVER. As you may recall, the couple next door had a baby a few days after I had Soren, and they spent all their time just trying not to make eye contact with us. The idea of a playdate did not come up. And it wasn't just them; nobody on our block ever spoke. This neighborhood doesn't even have sidewalks, but everyone's out and about as much as possible, chatting it up with everyone else.<br />
<br />
There is a semi-housebound old woman next door who keeps making giant plates of delicious cookies for Soren. The kindness of this, and the effort it must cost her, almost break my heart. I don't really know how to sufficiently say thank you, so this afternoon after nap we'll go over there with a bag full of lettuce from our garden and a thank you note that Soren has scribbled on. Somehow this doesn't seem to cover it, but I'm not sure what would (that is within my limited abilities). I'm open to ideas if you have any.<br />
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By the way, I was not wrong about getting fatter--I weigh four pounds more than I did just a few weeks ago. I am going on a diet called the Stop Eating So Many Freaking Cookies Diet. If it works, I'm going for a book deal. Watch for my blog post tomorrow about all the cookies I'm not eating.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-45382491565026739962012-06-06T01:20:00.001-07:002012-06-06T01:20:17.611-07:00stuckI can't sleep.<br />
<br />
I think I have the blues, as diagnosed by Holly Golightly. "The blues are because you're getting fat, and maybe it's been raining too long." That about covers it. My gym is closed this week and it just rains and rains. I sit inside all day, staring at a computer screen, getting fatter.<br />
<br />
I'm sick of my job, and sick of living someplace where I'm supposed be grateful for any day in June that the temperature manages to creep out of the 50's. But mostly I'm sick of myself and all of my dumb opinions. I'm thirty-six. When am I going to learn to shut up once in a while? <br />
<br />
<br />
I know I'll feel better when the sun comes out, which is absolutely scheduled to happen possibly maybe sometime next week. Temperatures could soar up to 63! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-13674353010754093122012-05-29T16:25:00.000-07:002012-05-29T16:25:16.271-07:00Eye herpesI'm finished with teaching that class to the baby librarians. It was fun, and I would do it again, now that we've got a syllabus and lesson plans and lectures and everything. But man, it took a lot out of me. How do people do it, those people who regularly work 60 hour weeks? First I got a cold that lasted for weeks, then an attractive cold sore, and now, for the big finish: eye herpes.<br />
<br />
Yes, you read that correctly--eye herpes. <a href="http://www.webmd.com/genital-herpes/eye-herpes" target="_blank">It is a thing</a>, and I have it. I know that there are lots of things more depressing than herpes of the eyeball, but I can't think of any of them right now. I had the cold sore (which is still kind of scabby and gross--you're welcome!), and then the cold sore migrated. And here we are. I should be taken out back and mercifully put down before my entire face disintegrates.<br />
<br />
What's that, you no longer wish to discuss the rapid decay of my facial features? Very well. Though you wouldn't know it by looking at me, I am fresh back from a four-day weekend that was lots of fun. We went to a cabin in the woods with lots of friends and babies and dogs, and I ate and drank and lost and lost and lost and finally won at cornhole.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-38226684902100609632012-04-06T15:51:00.000-07:002012-04-06T15:51:42.581-07:00RulingToday is ruling it.<br />
<br />
Evidence:<br />
<br />
1. Great news about my niece (she's healthy).<br />
2. Great news about my friend (she got an awesome new job).<br />
3. It's Friday.<br />
4. I have pleasant plans for the evening.<br />
5. I'm off work this weekend.<br />
6. It's sunny. <br />
7. It's supposed to continue sunny for at least one more day.<br />
8. Which is good because we're taking Soren to an Easter egg hunt tomorrow. (I predict hilarity.)<br />
9. That new pub in our neighborhood finally opened, and we went, and the food was good.*<br />
10. Birthdays! Happy birthday, D. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*They seem to still have a few kinks to work out in terms of stuff like having enough clean coffee cups for everyone, but I am willing to be patient. They never seem to run out of pint glasses. So they have their priorities straight.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-29448899827858640832012-03-26T15:15:00.002-07:002012-03-26T15:15:31.056-07:00ENERGY! ENERGY! ENERGY!This morning in the children's room I was helping a woman find books when she turned to me and said, "I just didn't expect that there would be so many <em>children </em>here at this time of day."<br />
<br />
Really? At 11 a.m. on a Monday? Because most three-year-olds should have jobs, presumably.<br />
<br />
**<br />
**<br />
<br />
We saw <em>The Hunger Games</em> last night and I was so amped up afterwards that I couldn't sleep. (I liked it, by the way. Lenny Kravitz was surprisingly good and not annoying. Woody Harrelson was unsurprisingly annoying and not good, but I was able to ignore him and his equally annoying hair.) I tried to use Jane Austen to lull me to sleep via the tranquil English countryside, but it didn't work. Which is too bad because I'm teaching my first class tonight. Right before class, I may have to employ a trick I learned about on <a href="http://www.tbtl.net/" target="_blank">a podcast I listen to</a>: running around in circles yelling "ENERGY! ENERGY! ENERGY!" followed by a shot of tequila.<br />
<br />
Or, you know. Just the tequila.*<br />
<br />
<br />
*I'm just kidding, I would never do a tequila shot right before a class; the students would probably smell it on me. For professional situations, vodka shots are the only way to go.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-72963888217520643362012-03-23T17:51:00.003-07:002012-03-23T17:51:52.119-07:00So long stupidfaceR and I got some really good financial news today. Not winning the lottery or anything (I still haven't ever bought a ticket--I'm convinced that's the only thing holding me back from massive wealth). Basically, we thought were going to have to pay a bunch of money for our old house, and we don't. The bank lied to us, turns out. I know I'm an adult and I should realize that people lie and institutions especially lie, but it still surprises me. "The truth ain't in 'em," as my father would say.<br />
<br />
But anyway, the point is, we are really, completely, totally broken up with that stupidface old house. Good riddance, house. Suck it.<br />
<br />
And! <a href="http://www.elliottbaybrewing.com/locations-menus/lake-city/" target="_blank">The new family-friendly pub/brewery</a> is FINALLY opening in our neighborhood! I realize for most people this would be an "oh that's nice situation," but when you live in a semi-struggling neighborhood like ours, it's <a href="http://lakecitylive.net/2012/02/26/new-photos-from-elliott-bay-brewery" target="_blank">huge</a> <a href="http://lakecitylive.net/2012/03/22/eb-brewerys-opening-day-monday-march-26-11am" target="_blank">news</a>. Who wants to come hang out with us there? <br />
<br />
And! It's sunny, I'm off this weekend, and I'm going to a football match* my sister-in-law, who is also my close friends. How many people are as lucky as I am? Not too many.<br />
<br />
<br />
*I believe you Americans refer to it as "soccer."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-29137102890861098882012-03-22T17:45:00.001-07:002012-03-22T17:45:01.103-07:00Grown up job stuffSo internet, did I tell you I'm teaching a class this spring? True story. At the university's library school. Co-teaching, actually, starting Monday. I am not exaggerating when I say that the hiring process at Chuck E. Cheese was more rigorous than the one for this job. The library school hired me on the strength of my friend's recommendation, a hastily thrown-together resume, and blind faith. (Presumably they also remembered what a shining star of the program I was as a student. I set that place on fire with my book talks, ya'll.)<br />
<br />
Still, I'm excited. This opportunity combines a couple of my favorite things: teaching and money. (And young adult books, which is what we'll be teaching.) It's been many years since I graded any papers, so I have a little bit of anxiety about that. As I recall, the rule in library school is that everyone gets an A unless you completely fail to show up. Then you get an A-.<br />
<br />What else is happening? At the conference I just went to, I gave a presentation with a couple of coworkers who are also, luckily, friends. In retrospect there are things I'd do differently of course, blah blah blah, but overall I think we did well. The City Librarian came to our talk, and apparently has been talking it up to the managers as good stuff ever since he got back. So we couldn't have sucked completely.<br />
<br />
In only tangentially related (in a young adult books kind of way) news, are you so excited about the Hunger Games movie? Of course you are. R and I are making it our Annual Moving Outing! See you again at the movie pictures in 2013.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-25147509736500716742012-03-20T16:17:00.000-07:002012-03-20T17:48:47.570-07:00Baby monkey riding backwards on a pigSo I went to a conference for a few days, and when I came back, my kid was <em>completely grown up. </em>Sorry to go all doting parent on you, but let's face it, this blog isn't good for much these days so it's not like this is much of a trip downhill.<em> </em><br />
<br />
Recent developments:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrh827E85eejiz0V3HlfkNt2439sVZ6Trm1uqwHJV6jKHjibkiOWP-Qlo6hfoP6BhYIA72Vv2uQfKUUwypDYB31CO6LKju-aqHuJ7ry9z3QiKLOdlelkBI1xZ4Mzhugi4cAkhx3Ww5eeo/s1600/IMG_2504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrh827E85eejiz0V3HlfkNt2439sVZ6Trm1uqwHJV6jKHjibkiOWP-Qlo6hfoP6BhYIA72Vv2uQfKUUwypDYB31CO6LKju-aqHuJ7ry9z3QiKLOdlelkBI1xZ4Mzhugi4cAkhx3Ww5eeo/s320/IMG_2504.JPG" width="240" /></a><strong>1. He knows the whole ABC song.</strong><br />
Okay, sure, it's not like he knows his letters. But still. Before I left last week he got lost somewhere around "pee-cue-are-ess . . ." and now he knows it cold.<br />
<br />
<strong>2. He makes up stories.</strong> <br />
A typical story: "A monkey in a tree! With Baby G! And maybe D? And S! And maybe a lion? And maybe a effant? And a doggie. Woof! In a TREE." <br />
<br />
<strong>3. He has a lot of very specific entertainment requests.</strong><br />
Mostly songs he wants to hear. But he wants to hear songs about particular animals, on demand, so if you can't think of one right away you just have to make something up. "Monkey song! Lion song!" R had already figured out songs to match most of these requests (although his response to "monkey song!" was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_sfnQDr1-o" target="_blank">this</a>, which I now have in my head at all times, waking and sleeping). <br />
<br />
But now Soren will request songs for whatever object he sees: "Window song! Stroller song!" I'm getting better at thinking up rhymes on the spot, but it's a challenge.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-71537248604859783232012-01-13T17:56:00.000-08:002012-01-13T17:58:49.006-08:00It takes one to know oneThe other day at work, I was riding the up escalator and I noticed a woman above me riding down, muttering to herself. <br />
<br />
When we got level with each other, she looked me dead in the eye and said, "YOU CRAZY."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-14764833239883055302012-01-08T17:59:00.000-08:002012-01-12T19:55:47.570-08:00Hey look it's a whole different year<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Look at me, doing the new year's meme! I like to keep things timely around here. Tomorrow's post is going to be all about Hermain Cain.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I copied this from <a href="http://spoilyourdinner.blogspot.com/">D</a>, who helpfully combined a couple of these meme quiz list things and removed some of the dumber questions. Thanks, D!</span><br />
<div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">My mind is blanking here. There must have been something. I know, I watched the first two seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation! Good times. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
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<br />
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? <br />
</div>
I think I resolve every year to clean up my potty mouth. It's going great! (It's not going great.)<br />
<br />
Here are my resolutions for this year:<br />
<ul>
<li>Stop using emoticons. (So far, this has been a success, but it's a bit of a struggle. I worry my emails sound too caustic. I'll read them over, then go back and try to rewrite them in the voice of a more pleasant person. It's tough to be a natural jerkface.)</li>
<li>Be nice.</li>
<li>Be thoughtful. (I think I resolve some variation of this one every year. Also going great!)</li>
</ul>
<div>
</div>
</span></span>3. Did anyone close to you give birth? <br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">Oh yes. Last summer was a fertile time in my peer group.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />4. Did anyone close to you die? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">Ach, D, why didn't you get rid of this question? Would getting rid of the question be just as jinxy as answering no?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">No, nobody close to me died.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />5. What countries did you visit? <br />
The countries of southeast Alabama, East Hampton, NY and Provo, UT. And if you don't think those are countries all unto themselves, well, I don't know what to tell you. Visit them and get back to me.<br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />6. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">D said Baby G's birthday. I guess Soren's first birthday was this year, too. I should probably say that. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />7. What was your biggest achievement of the year? </span><br />
Hmm. Maybe no one thing, but for various reasons I am feeling fairly happy about my professional life and prospects lately. I'm going to present at a conference in a couple of months--something that is no big deal, but I haven't ever taken the time to do before. And it looks like I'm going to be doing another cool job thing in the spring, which I will tell you about when it's a sure thing. <br />
<br />
Also, my child survived another year of my parenting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />8. What was your biggest failure? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">There are definitely a couple of long-distance friends that I have been letting down lately. Horrible.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />9. Did you suffer illness or injury? <br />
<br />
I got the flu one time. Woe is me.</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />10. What was the best thing you bought? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">Plane tickets to Hawaii. We haven't used them yet but I feel confident they were an investment that's going to pay off.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />11. Whose behavior merited celebration?<br />
<br />
D applauded her friends without kids, and I would like to second that. I love my friends with kids, obviously, and playdates are the best. But we breeders are such a pain in the arse to fancyfree childless people. I really, really appreciate that my friends are so patient with me, and hardly ever comment on the Soren-goo I usually have smeared on my right shoulder.</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">Lady Edith on Downton Abbey! She is the worst. You start to feel sorry for her and then all of a sudden--nope. She reminds you that she sucks.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />13. Where did most of your money go? <br />
<br />
Let us not speak of depressing things.</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />14. What song will always remind you of 2012?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The Elmo theme song. </span><br />
<br />
<div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />15. Compared to this time last year, are you:<br /><span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">happier or sadder? happier<br />thinner or fatter? fatter</span><br />
<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">richer or poorer? poorer, although this is sort of a matter of perspective I suppose</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"></span><br />16. What do you wish you'd done more of? </span><br />
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">Lounging on sunny beaches drinking cocktails. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />17. What do you wish you'd done less of? </span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">Being a complain-y jerkface.<br />
<br />18. How did you spend the holidays? </span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">On my parents' farm. I have never seen anybody more in love than my parents are with Soren.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />19. Did you fall in love in 2011? </span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">Yes! With Parks & Rec! That show got so good and nobody told me.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />20. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? </span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">If you wear lots of different tights people might not notice that you only own three skirts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">21. Whom did you miss? </span><br />
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;">My parents--I have new guilt about raising my kid so far away from them. My East Coast friends. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;"><br />22. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I can do things. Creative things, professional things. Things.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">23. What did you do on your birthday? </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></span>I don't remember. Oh my. I'm sure it was lovely.<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A housefire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">25. What kept you sane? </span></div>
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I don't think I stayed sane. Let's add this to the list of goals for 2012.</div>
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<img alt="" height="1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8040229681964861881-2864524376881024901?l=spoilyourdinner.blogspot.com" width="1" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-38137887395707988072011-12-19T14:56:00.000-08:002011-12-20T11:04:54.914-08:00Christmas card greedUntil yesterday, I had been a little bit sad because we had gotten very few holiday cards. I am assuming that this is because everyone sent them to our old house, and the post office, god love them, has stopped forwarding our mail.* (An assumption that is preferable to the idea that everyone just crossed us off their list this year.) It's no big deal, of course; it just felt like the final "Fuck you" from our old house. (Hopefully the final one. That house better leave me alone if it doesn't want its ass burned to the ground.**)<br />
<br />
But then yesterday, we got a nice little flurry of cards. And when I got to work this morning, a lovely little bottle of Maker's Mark was waiting for me. Could a person have better friends and coworkers? No, a person could not.<br />
I seriously am like, one of the top seventeen luckiest people around. Sorry to go all Christmas sappy on you, but facts are facts and as a Scientist of the Library, it is my duty to report them.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*I'm not really complaining. I know the the P.O. has its own problems.<br />
**I wouldn't really burn that house down, federal government. I understand that some ladies live there now and I'm sure they're very nice.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-43842199898924501462011-12-11T14:59:00.001-08:002011-12-11T15:24:26.450-08:00A fun Christmas game for the whole familyLately whenever I see <a href="http://sayingsforchurchsigns.com/freeresource/christmas/">those inspirational sayings on church signs</a>, I have been finishing them with "in your butt." Sort of like the "in bed" thing with fortune cookies, you know. For example:<br />
<br />
"A gift is not a gift until given [in your butt]."<br />
"Mary wrapped the first Christmas gift . . . isn't it time you accepted it [in your butt]?"<br />
"A diamond is a piece of coal that stuck to its job [in your butt]."<br />
<br />
See?! It's magic. This is my holiday gift to you--one that will keep on giving. You're welcome.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-55329882547436531932011-12-08T20:01:00.000-08:002011-12-08T20:01:12.293-08:00spikedI have been of two minds about the current holiday season. <br />
<br />
<strong>Mind #1:</strong> Pretty stressed. Flights to the deep, deep South? Expensive. My relationship with my brother? Complicated. Plus, I feel like every year, I have at least one epic Christmas Fail. Last year, there were two; one involved gift giving to the in-laws, and the other was that I somehow did not send a Christmas card to my uncle, who is one of like three people who would actually give a shit about getting one.<br />
These are the things that make my stomach hurt in the middle of the night.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, there is<br />
<br />
<strong>Mind #2.</strong> Which can't help but be delighted by how delighted Soren is about Christmas. For example, we got our tree almost a week ago, and he still hasn't gotten over the fact that there is a TREE inside our house. Also? It has lights on it! He points them out to me every morning. "Light! Light! Light!"<br />
<br />
On the subject of the main in the red suit, he was less enthusiastic. I believe his exact words when placed on that lap, screaming as if in agony, were "MOMMY! MOMMY! PLEEEEEEEASE!!"<br />
<br />
So, I am trying to be the normal human and let Mind #2 be the winner. It's mostly working, aided by spiked egg nog and a little bit of Vince Gauraldi.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-80407594129726204522011-10-26T15:45:00.000-07:002011-10-26T15:45:01.892-07:00preemptive nostalgiaSoren is so magic right now. There are a lot of interesting people in the world, but I must tell you that I believe the vast majority of them are eighteen months old. Every day, new words! Dozens of them! New levels of understanding about the world! New loves and hatreds! New tantrums to throw! It is an exciting time.<br />
<br />
I'm sort of nostalgic about the time we're having with him right now, even though it is still happening. I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of stages that I really enjoy but this one has brought home to me why every parent thinks their kid is a genius--all 1.5-year-olds are geniuses. (Well, most of them. Let's not name names.)<br />
<br />
Things he loves: being outside, reading books ("Bookies!" I have no idea where that came from, I swear), Elmo, naming things, bathtime, Julia (his daycare provider), Daddy, and Mommy. (It's true, I am super popular. I think it's because of my good looks and sparkling wit.)<br />
<br />
Things he does not love: getting dressed, coming inside, diaper changes, waiting for his breakfast to be ready (HE HASN'T EATEN IN LIKE 12 HOURS HE'S STARVING TO DEATH ABUSE ABUSE OMG), getting into his carseat, transitioning from book time to bath time, naps.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeq_HLQKhXuF_P4bkIyIk0pNP7v8nYbkhcdqXjJUSG01i2Gbm5Uu-RWnJN-quaZNTrzAsp1jnXTkGoeArn8dRwCD9aN2cNSJssRwidJ4sxqLyMiGdayKlfxhSTlaZZwH6bpDd_kiytl_E/s1600/2011-09-30_12-44-18_627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeq_HLQKhXuF_P4bkIyIk0pNP7v8nYbkhcdqXjJUSG01i2Gbm5Uu-RWnJN-quaZNTrzAsp1jnXTkGoeArn8dRwCD9aN2cNSJssRwidJ4sxqLyMiGdayKlfxhSTlaZZwH6bpDd_kiytl_E/s320/2011-09-30_12-44-18_627.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><br />
Apples are okay though.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-57835137663584717432011-07-19T17:19:00.000-07:002011-07-19T17:19:03.571-07:00Not part of the planNumber one teen book to never ever read: Halo, by Alexandra Adornetto.*<br />
<br />
"An angel is sent to earth on a mission. But falling in love is not part of the plan."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Seriously? Adornetto? Oookay.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-14835125784578712642011-07-18T15:38:00.000-07:002011-07-18T15:38:31.910-07:00Very exciting post about moving! A must read!!This move has been a bit of a saga. As those of you who have been breathlessly following each twist in the story will recall, we were originally supposed to move at the end of the month. But then last week our hot water heater exploded and died. Time to move! We managed to reschedule the movers for this weekend--but alas, they scheduled us for the wrong day. So there was a lot of standing around amongst packed boxes and sleeping on air mattresses and whatnot.<br />
<br />
Finally, by about 6:00 last night, all of our stuff was about three miles north of its previous location. Currently we are living amongst a bewilderment of boxes. But I got to watch the sun rise over the Cascades this morning while I unpacked my clothes, so we're cool.<br />
<br />
As one of the movers was maneuvering our giant television (not a flat screen--perhaps you've seen one on a historical television series such as The Wonder Years?) out of the van, he asked, "You want this in the <em>house?</em>" I'm sure he figured that our real television was hidden somewhere, and we were just transporting this one to go into Mr. A's Man Cave.<br />
<br />
They were also a little bit chagrined by how many records we (and by "we" I mean Mr. A) own. "Haha I sure am glad most people switched to cds hahaha!" I think what he really meant was, "CHRIST ALMIGHTY HAVE YOU NOT HEARD OF DIGITAL DOWNLOADS OWWWWWCH."<br />
<br />
Have you ever hired movers, though? Did you know that they are insanely cheap? They moved all of our stuff--and there was a ton of it, about 80% garbage--for like $430. That's barely more than a U-Haul, and it took three hours. <br />
<br />
Things I Have Learned in My Adult Life:<br />
<br />
1. Hire movers.<br />
2. Don't pick at it.<br />
<br />
Aaaaaaaaaand that's about it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-82587504925821677832011-07-06T15:47:00.000-07:002011-07-06T15:47:10.682-07:00sock sackI have nothing bad to say about the past week (week!!1!!omg) weather-wise. It has been 100% gorgeous at all times. We went to the woods for the long holiday weekend, and I remembered that part of what makes living here tolerable is going into the woods a lot. I like the trees and the moss and the ferns. Watching the rain dribble down into the city sewers is just depressing, but in the forest even the rain is okay. You sort of get the point of it.<br />
<br />
So, at the end of this month we are moving. Into a house with eleven (!!!) closets. You guys. There is a broom closet, a coat closet, a linen closet. There are giant huge closets everywhere. I understand that being excited about closets is about as bougie as it gets, but I don't care. I'm sick of keeping my socks in a sack.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-263503692189810352011-06-28T14:33:00.000-07:002011-06-28T14:33:40.865-07:00Foreign preschool childrenThe weatherman swears on a stack of holy bibles and his mother's grave and his boyscout honor that starting at the end of this week, it will be sunny. <a href="http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/98101">For like, a while</a>. If he is lying, I will track him down and give him such a pinch. SUCH A PINCH.<br />
<br />
Because isn't it weird how weather forecasters always take personal credit for good weather? Like they are weather gods, rather than weather-guessers? What's pathetic is that the weather they take credit for in Seattle isn't even all that good. Mr. A. noted a forecast from a couple weeks ago in which the weatherman bragged that it actually <em>might </em>not rain and "if anything, it would just be like it was spitting on you." Really? Just like being spat upon? My, that <em>is </em>something to look forward to. Thank you, weatherman.<br />
<br />
Are you tired of talking about the weather? Seriously, this is nothing, I could go on all day. (Ask anyone. I'm a super interesting conversationalist!) But okay, fine, new topic.<br />
<br />
These days we spend a lot of time filling Soren in on what the animals say. Have you ever noticed how many things it's possible for the same animal to say? Like, I felt very confident explaining that chicks say "peep peep," until I heard Mr. A. telling him that they say "cheep cheep," which I have to admit is more accurate. I think we can all agree that ducks quack, but what about birds? I mean, you can say that they tweet or whatever, but what Soren is mostly spotting are crows saying "AAAAAAAAAAAK AAAAAAAAAK." And don't even get me started on all of the different things dogs can say, it's hopeless.<br />
<br />
I learened all the barnyard animal sounds in French 101, but the only one I remember is the French duck, which says "coin coin." It actually sounds almost exactly like "quack quack" if you leave off the last hard k sound. <a href="http://www.eleceng.adelaide.edu.au/personal/dabbott/animal.html">This website</a> concurs, but it also claims that English elephants say "baraag," so maybe the whole thing is an elaborate joke designed to make foreign preschool children feel foolish.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-33853158771671736902011-06-25T13:28:00.000-07:002011-06-25T13:28:53.993-07:00Hoo weeSo, it's almost July. Our heater clicked on three times this morning. THREE TIMES. Soren spent most of last week with a temperature of 104. I've given up wearing a coat every day, because just looking at a coat fills me with rage, so I'm always cold. All the blogs I read are like "Hoo wee can you even stand the heat?! It's so sunny and warm all day and all of the night!! I'm <em>dyin' ovah heah!</em>" <br />
<br />
Fuck those people.<br />
<br />
Excuse me. That kind of language is uncalled for. Make sweet, gentle love to those people. If you must.<br />
<br />
At this point, it isn't even a question of waiting for summer to start. It's the panicked feeling that in two months it's going to be OVER, and we've only had about five decent days. How is it that the assholes already have all the warmer climates (in the U.S.) staked out? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be surrounded by Republicans/Nascar fans/Botox victims. Right? If I could just warm up a little tiny bit.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-57481035979077447822011-06-06T13:42:00.000-07:002011-06-06T13:42:04.440-07:00Sometimes being a librarian is okayCutest girl ever: Can we hang out over here in the Teen Center? We're, like, pre-teens.<br />
<br />
Me: What grade will you be in next year?<br />
<br />
Her: Sixth.<br />
<br />
Me: Absolutely! <br />
<br />
Her: AWESOME. This is the coolest library in the world.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-49379367605067131362011-05-25T13:09:00.000-07:002011-05-25T13:09:06.457-07:00dummiesThe fun with our house continues. The thing, as Mr. A. points out, is that we are both stupid AND conscientious. You can be one, or you can be the other, but both is pretty much a disaster. The possibility of us getting smarter seems remote, so I'm thinking we may have to reconcile ourselves to being horrible people. Something's gotta give.<br />
<br />
In far better and more important news, Soren is walking all over the place, and he's got a few words down. All he wants to do is be outside. Outside, happy; inside, tears. When we must bring him inside (as we often must because IT NEVER STOPS RAINING HOLY CHRIST THIS WINTER IS KEELING ME), the only way to distract him is with a book. He likes his animal books the best, and seems to be able to identify dogs ("duh!") and owls ("ow!").<br />
<br />
Just for the local NPR nerds: <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/05/20/steve-schers-letter-firing-cliff-mass">this kerfuffle</a> makes me sooo happy. I hope it ends horribly for Steve Scher.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-79843439774734493662011-05-01T11:19:00.000-07:002011-05-01T11:19:53.556-07:00Kids, manSoren turned one last week. Can you believe it? No, you cannot. It is an impossible but true science fact.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCovvs_MqPPuA9ozenfs0e0W7AbqrvON6ZKNHPHLBOM3VyJnAX0XWtA3gA7TUThZsVb1LISbM1tHPcAHM4YjKbSP85T1eVFQJkio5dbH9fWm_CGwEu5lJF_mXv7CKBVqMRJ6Jy6MktDwU/s1600/IMG_0509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCovvs_MqPPuA9ozenfs0e0W7AbqrvON6ZKNHPHLBOM3VyJnAX0XWtA3gA7TUThZsVb1LISbM1tHPcAHM4YjKbSP85T1eVFQJkio5dbH9fWm_CGwEu5lJF_mXv7CKBVqMRJ6Jy6MktDwU/s320/IMG_0509.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>He has developed some pretty awesome abilities over the last month or so. Most impressive to his librarian parents, he has developed a deep interest in books. I've been pushing them since day one, but he's only ever been interested in them as teethers. But now he'll pick one out, climb into your lap, and wait for you to begin. He likes to turn the pages for you. He also likes reading to himself, though. He'll flip carefully through <a href="http://seattle.bibliocommons.com/item/show/769954030_hand,_hand,_fingers,_thumb">Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb</a> (his current favorite), studying each page and babbling to himself. (Reading!) And he laughs when gets to a page he thinks is funny. Kids, man! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-29826971463774343512011-04-04T09:23:00.000-07:002011-04-04T09:29:03.084-07:00Ten roundsWell, we learned the answer to <a href="http://soggylibrarian.blogspot.com/2011/03/from-technology-news-desk.html">last week's question</a>. Would daycare tell us if he started walking there? Yup. They would.<br />
<br />
First, a little background. Soren has been trying to walk for a while, but he is not great at it. He's gotten pretty good at moving around the room holding onto the furniture and walls, but sometimes he gets overconfident and things go awry. When they do, he tends to fall on his face (literally). He's in the 15th percentile for weight, you see, but the 75th percentile for head size. So he's a bit top-heavy. And he's a pale man like his parents, so he bruises beautifully.<br />
<br />
For several weeks our daycare has been none too subtly suggesting that we are horrible parents for letting him get these injuries. "Have you seen these?!" they would say with their lovely Spanish accents, pointing to his face. "So many! I think more than yesterday!" <br />
<br />
We get all embarrassed. "Yes, well, we usually catch him but you know, he's pretty quick . . ."<br />
<br />
One of them said to Mr. A., "This baby looks like he's gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson!" To which Mr. A thought but did not say, "I'm pretty sure Mike Tyson could kill this baby with just one punch."<br />
<br />
ANYway. When Mr. A arrived to pick Soren up at daycare last week, the daycare providers were somewhat subdued. The good news, they said, was that Soren had taken his first steps! <br />
<br />
The bad news was that those steps had ended in a giant goose egg over (and under) his right eye.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQkqkGQm2-D6suNjVF1d9Z_GRgepd2YcNpdJR0o-uu24YZ2CidEfHYQAqEYg3pK8nsoZBdqtdonTQ1zn2qkWz3a908RNXADxBRbWgcfuIoUkEBQBdYYKsvqaYv340ESiLAQnyEre6vRc/s1600/ouch" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQkqkGQm2-D6suNjVF1d9Z_GRgepd2YcNpdJR0o-uu24YZ2CidEfHYQAqEYg3pK8nsoZBdqtdonTQ1zn2qkWz3a908RNXADxBRbWgcfuIoUkEBQBdYYKsvqaYv340ESiLAQnyEre6vRc/s320/ouch" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It doesn't look too bad in this picture, actually.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The other good news is that the daycare ladies don't say anything about the bruises anymore.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572632408227474066.post-3016293741007265222011-03-28T10:23:00.000-07:002011-03-28T10:24:09.709-07:00From the technology news deskSoren is so much fun to hang out with these days. There were days not too long ago when I would drop him off at daycare without much regret, grateful to have a ticket back to Grownup Land. But now! He's so interested in everything, and almost <em>almost </em>walking, and not quite talking. I'm missing so much. Also, he cries when I leave, which sucks.<br />
<br />
What if his first step and first word both happen at daycare? I wonder if they will even tell us. I probably wouldn't, if I were them. Better to let the parents live in happy ignorance of everything they're missing.<br />
<br />
**<br />
**<br />
<br />
From the technology news desk, my sloppy parenting in regard to my previous iPod was rewarded with a brand new iPod. It's my first touch screen device ever, and I feel so very modern. I was amazed that it has a pedometer that works, although I guess if you have a smart phone there's an app for that, right? Probably not very impressive.<br />
<br />
Which brings me to our second major story from the technology desk: I am getting my very first smart phone. Can you even believe what an early adopter I am? We're getting fancy Droid phones that I guess would work in Paris, if we were to ever go to Paris. <br />
<br />
We turned in Soren's passport paperwork this weekend, so who knows where we'll jet off to this summer. Someplace exotic, no doubt. Like Vancouver!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1