Anonymity

There's a certain feeling of anonymity in doing an online blog - even with my name in the title of the blog and my name on the posts!

Maybe because I can write without seeing anyone and I never see anyone reading what I've written, so it's as if the reader doesn't exist and the writing is simply a cathartic expression.  A large part of that is undoubtedly because I can't believe that anyone actually does read what I write (although I have some evidence that people do!).  Could be, too, that I'm a frustrated writer who realizes that this is the closest I'll ever get to the Great American Novel or the next best selling non-fiction work!

Anyway, it IS cathartic and, although I'm not totally crazy enough to spill everything online, I enjoy getting thoughts down "on paper"!

Crystal ball

Some days I would really like a crystal ball . . . I know that times change and time marches on . . . and that no one lives forever . . . but I can tell you that I really hate that I won't be around to see how things turn out!

Maybe it's the control freak part of me that wants to make sure that things turn out the way I think they should but I honestly do know that I have no control and that things are going to be how they're going to be!



But it sure would be nice to see how things are going to be in the next 50 years or so!

(maybe a magic mirror would work as well??!!)

Interesting ideas . . . from CIL 2012

In Darien, CT, the library is using iPads for early literacy.  There's a permanently mounted iPad with an "app of the day" for children to explore each day.  Many of the apps are interactive e-books!

In addition to that, the library loans iPads in kits for 1 week.  They are pre-loaded with apps geared for children 2-5.  Provisions are made to wipe each iPad when it comes back (electronically and physically wipe!) and reload with the approved apps.



Certainly gives parents an opportunity to try the technology before purchasing and gives them a good idea of the range of apps available for everyone in the family - even the youngest members!

CIL 2012 - cont.

Well, day two is in the bag - and I've had my final dinner in DC - and, although it's been fun, I'll be glad to get home.

At dinner, by myself, I was thinking - is there anything sadder than eating dinner in a hotel by yourself and I immediately answered the question with YES I think there is!  It was good to eat alone tonight - it was a bit earlier than last night or the night before, but that's good because it means I'll be in bed earlier too!  With the drive home tomorrow that's important!

I've been to some great sessions and saw some innovative things - and there are some that I think would work at MPOW - but we'll have to see if it comes to pass!  Above my pay grade! :-)

I must say - allergies have been miserable up here - I've used almost an entire box of my tissues, not to mention the ones in the hotel room! SIGH - going to be a long spring I'm afraid.

CIL 2012

 Washington DC - Cherry Blossoms! I hadn't planned on going but was easily convinced!

Navigated the Metro and walked quite a ways!

Thanks have to go to Cindy for convincing me that I needed to go - also for the crab cake for dinner!

Saturday

What a nice day it was today!  About 70 degrees, sunny and breezy!  And, for the first time in a while, I didn't feel tired so I was out fairly early, got some errands run and came home to open the windows and do some cleaning.  Sounds crazy I know, but I enjoyed the dusting and vacuuming with the windows open and the fresh air blowing through.  Quincy certainly enjoyed the open windows and doors too!

Spent the afternoon reading a book I ILL'd - Last Train from Berlin by Howard K. Smith (yes, THAT Howard K. Smith).  I've gone back to my history roots!  I listened to a great book - In the Garden of Beasts about Ambassador Dodd and his daughter Martha in the early 1930s in Berlin.  Re-awakened my interest - my Independent Study paper in college was on the fall of Weimar and the rise of Adolf Hitler in 1932-33.  Last Train from Berlin was published in 1942 - and, after a rather slow start with (in my opinion) an overly long "introduction" to why Smith believed what he did, gives a very interesting first person account of the life and problems in Berlin, especially after the attack on Russia.  There's another new book out (I have it on hold but might get the audio!) - Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power that's got the accounts of various journalists in Germany prior to the war.  Looking forward to reading that one too!  May have to go back and re-read Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (one of my very favorites!).  Don't think I'll attempt Mein Kampf  again though - once was enough!

Now I'm almost ready for bed - with the laundry done already I only have groceries to buy tomorrow so I'll have extra time!  Time to get ready for Computers in Libraries - going to DC on Tuesday and back Friday.

Hot!

Last Saturday it was 47 degrees - today it was 87 - way too hot for March!

I should never have to have the a/c on in March!  But it was so hot today and the upstairs was so hot that it became a necessity!

But I didn't turn it on in the car!  :-)

SIGH

(I'm sure Virginia Power is thrilled!)

Time

I don't like changing time . . . really I don't. It's much easier than it used to be because most of the electronics change themselves - just had to change the stove, microwave and coffee pot - and I didn't change those!  But the change in time is hard . . .already it's after 1 p.m. and I'm still feeling like it's just noon and I have so much time left in my day!

I know I'll adjust (I have for xx years!) but it's not easy.  But I've "Sprung Forward" . . . sigh

Friday . . .

Been an interesting week - I think all the bills are finally paid from my trip to the emergency room in December . . . I say "think" because I thought that a couple of months ago and I was wrong! I called the fence company for some estimates but haven't heard back - guess I'll have to call again next week. Lots of other small, inconsequential things . . . and now it's Friday.

I wish I could say that I have something exciting to do this weekend but I don't . . . there are things I need to do but I don't know what, or how many, of those things actually will get done!  It's supposed to storm tomorrow but maybe I'll just get in the car and go somewhere away from Virginia Beach just for a change of scenery for a few hours!  Or I may just stay in my jammies, read a good book and watch a movie while the laundry finishes!  Such decisions . . .